95 generals moved in fresh Army shake-up

2 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

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4 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

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POCKET CARTOON

MEETING— From left: Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo; Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services(SEC), Zakawanu Garuba and Executive Director, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Ade Bajomo at the second quarter post Capital Market Committee (CMC) meeting in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

95 generals moved in fresh Army shake-up Continues from Page 1 Divisions of the Nigerian Army as well as new Principal Staff Officers to run the affairs of Army headquarters.

Also appointed were new Corps Commanders, Special Task Forces Commanders, a new Commander for the Multinational Joint Task Force to tackle Boko Haram; new Brigade Commanders as well as new Defence Advisers in Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad.

The new General Officers Commanding according to Vanguard’s investigations are Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, GOC ‘1’ Division, Kaduna. He was formerly the Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja; Major-General L.C. Ilo is the new GOC 2 Division, Ibadan. He replaces Major-General SM Muazu who is

appointed Commander, Infantry Corps, Jaji; Major-General H. Umaru is the new GOC 3 Armoured Division, Jos. Others are MajorGeneral MA Koleoso, new Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna. He takes over from the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Olonishakin. He was formerly Director of Administration at Defence Headquarters; Major General H. Edet, new GOC 81 Division, Lagos. He was formerly the Commandant, Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora; BrigadierGeneral Ibrahim Attahiru, formerly the Brigade Commander, 13 Brigade, Calabar is the Acting GOC, 82 Division, Enugu. He takes over from Major-General S. Yusuf who is redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Training and Operations.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Happiness comes from your within and your own actions— Take Heart Quotes

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AUSE for a moment and reflect on the question: Which comes first, happiness or success? My guess is that you have already answered that question several times today. You answer it every time your brain says, “I’ll be happy when I find a job.” “I’ll be happy when I get a promotion.” “I’ll be happy when my dissertation is finished.” The formula is clear: Work harder, then you’ll be successful, and then you’ll be happier. Contrarily, new findings show the reverse to be true, because it’s hard to find happiness after success if the goalposts of success keep changing.

If you reverse the order of the formula, you end up with greater happiness and greater success rates.

Happiness is an advantage, according to Shawn Achor from Harvard, it is a precursor to greater success. Every single relationship, business and educational outcome improves when the brain is positive first. If you cultivate happiness while in the midst of your struggles, work, at school, while unemployed or single, you increase your chances of attaining all the goals you are pursuing...including happiness.

Among the new Principal Staff Officers at the Army headquarters are Major-General F.O. Alli, formerly the GOC 3 Division, Jos, now the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP) at Army Headquarters; Major-General Ogunewe, formerly the Defence Adviser New York, is the new Chief of Policy and Plans; Major General Christopher Jemitola is the new Commander, Corp of Signal Headquarters, Lagos; Brigadier General A.T Hamman is the new Provost-Marshal, Nigerian Army; Brigadier General A.H. Sahad is the new Director of Defence Intelligence (DMI).

The new Commander of the Multi-national Joint Task Force with headquarters in N'Djamena, Chad is Major General Ilyasu Abbah. He was formerly the Military Secretary (Army). He takes over from the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai.

Major-General L.W. Wiwa, formerly the Director of Military Intelligence, is the Deputy Commandant at the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi; Major-General PAT Akem, formerly the Provost Marshall is the new Director of Administration at Army headquarters; Major General BT Ndiomu, formerly Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, is posted to Jaji as Director, Simulation Centre; the new Commander of the Special Military Task Force (STF) Jos, is Major General C.O Udeh.

Brigadier-General SM Bello, formerly Brigade Commander, 34 Brigade Owerri, is posted to Army headquarters as Director of Operations; Brigadier General O. Ofoche is the

new Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade; Brigadier-General AO Olabanji is the new Brigade Commander, 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt; Brigadier-General AM Dikko is the Acting Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja. He was formerly Commander, 31 Brigade, Minna.

A new Acting Director of Defence Information has also been appointed. He is Colonel Rabe Abubakar.

He was at one time, Commandant of the Nigerian Army Information School, Bonny Camp, Lagos. He is to take over from MajorGeneral Chris Olukolade, formerly the DDI. At the Defence headquarters, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, formerly Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Yenagoa is the new Chief of Logistics; Major-General M.T. Ibrahim is the new Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

The 12 senior officers who are to proceed on a one-year course to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) include former GOC’s, former PSO’s, former Commandants of Training Institutions and former Corps Commanders.

Nigeria has taken ICJ ruling on Bakassi in good faith, says Buhari Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Yaounde, Republic of Cameroon asked Nigerians to accept the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the oilrich Bakassi Peninsula in good faith.

The President spoke during an interactive session with Nigerians residing in Cameroon.

Buhari left Abuja for Yaounde, yesterday, to hold talks with President Paul Biya on measures to end insurgency in the countries within the Lake Chad Basin commission.

Some Nigerians resident in the country had complained of inhuman treatment by the country’s authorities since the ICJ ruling.

According to President Buhari: “Since Nigeria allowed the case to go to court and we lost, we have to abide by it”. The President, however, assured them of adequate protection.

He also stated that the future of the country was bright even as he expressed optimism in the midst of the economic crisis the country was facing.

He said: “Fellow compatriots, permit me to say, as I have done during my inauguration on May 29, 2015, I am committed towards bringing positive change to Nigeria and I will do everything possible to achieve that.

Despite the numerous challenges confronting us, the future of our country is very bright.

“You all know very well that your fellow Nigerians are resilient, hardworking and patriotic. These qualities have always seen us through our most difficult national challenges and they will do so now.

“However, this government’s job is to see that we unite and work together for the common good of our country. The recent economic downturn occasioned by the fall in oil prices at the global market, which drastically affects our national revenue, is a serious cause of concern to us.”

According to him, his government has taken measures to diversify the economy, even as he pledged total war on corruption.

President Buhari, however, urged the people to be mindful of Boko Haram activities, stressing the understanding between Cameroon and Nigeria.

“We must also support our gallant security and military personnel as they fight to defend our country. That is why we maintain these high level contacts with the government here and the reason why I am here.

Nigeria and Cameroon share so much in common and the potential exists for even greater cooperation between our two countries."

Earlier in his remarks, a Nigerian living in Cameroon, Paul Okocha told the President that Nigerian companies were contributing a lot to the economy of the country.

He pleaded the President to help liberalize international trade between both countries by completing a link road.

This is even as another resident, Ebere Valentine

congratulated the President on his victory at the 2015 Presidential election, expressing hope that Nigeria would occupy its pride of place under Buhari’s government.

“Your footprints have manifested in Nigeria and beyond since you became the President of Nigeria”, he said.

Nigeria to contribute 3,500 troops to multinational task force against Boko Haram Also, Nigeria is to contribute 3,500 troops to the 10,000 multinational task force within the Lake Chad Basin that would be launched today in Cameroon.

The task force which was a joint initiative of the countries within the African sub-region will provide a military assault against the occupation of Boko Haram in the region.

Speaking to journalists in Yaounde, yesterday, shortly after the President arrived the country and entered into a closed-door meeting with President Paul Biya of Cameroon, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Ismail Aliyu, who was on President’s entourage said: “You know these preparations have been on for a long time and most of these participating countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic making up Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon have all contributed their troops.

“Tomorrow (today) being July 30 is the last day for operationalization of the multi-national task force. Also as you are aware, the commander of the task force has been made the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces. A new one has been appointed. But that does not stop the operation from taking off, hopefully by tomorrow the operation will kick off.

“As usual, we are also pleading to all of us, irrespective of which country, to give this task force a chance to operate and succeed."

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Two docked over abortion allegation

By Onozure Dania

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HE police, yesterday, brought a 64-year-old nurse, Taiwo Ogunlana, and Kafayat Oyekola, 35, other before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court over abortion allegation.

The defendants are facing a count charge bordering on unlawful abortion preferred against them by the police.

The prosecutor, Inspector Cousin Adams, told the court that the 64-year old nurse, whose medical facility bears Anu Medical Centre, situated at 41, Church Street, Dalemo, Sango, Ogun State, and Oyekola of 7, Arogundade Street, Aboru, Lagos, had on June 6, carried out an unlawful abortion on one Oluwakemi Awoniyi, 31.

Magistrate Nurudeen Ayeni admitted the defendants to N100,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.

The matter has been adjourned till August 31 for mention.

2 Britons in court over alleged $8.8m theft

By Bartholomew Madukwe & Jane Echewodo

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AGOS—LAGOS State government yesterday dragged an Indian-Briton chartered accountant, Deepak Khilnani, before an Ikeja High Court over an alleged $8.8m fraud.

The State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, had admonished indicted Khilnani to have, along with one Dr. Sushil Chandra, duped his Nigerian partner, Green Fuels Limited, to the tune of $8.8m in 2008.

The Prosecution alleged that the suspects “fraudulently tricked Green Fuels Limited to pay greater sum for machinery purchased from Gentec Limited than it would have paid for such machinery.”

The defendants were further accused of making false statement to the Corporate Affairs Commission “knowing same to be false, with intent to defraud the shareholders and members of Green Fuels Limited.”

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye adjourned the matter to August 12.

4,000 drums and jerry cans of petroleum products and other smuggled items meant for Boko Haram, confiscated from smugglers in Pepe, Dashin-Hausa, Belel Bilachi, and Konkul villages, by Nigerian Air Force along Nigeria-Cameroon borders.

9 die in Calabar road accident

By Emma Una

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ALABAR—AXES and machetes were deployed yesterday to extricate the mangled bodies of nine commuters crushed by a speeding diesel truck which lost control and crashed into a Port Harcourt-bound bus at New Netim, along CalabarUyo highway.

Mr Ikechukwu Lawrence Igwe, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps for Cross River State, said driver of the diesel truck caused the accident because he was over speeding and attempted to overtake another truck on a bend and suddenly came head-on with the bus , after losing control of the vehicle.

“From every indication, the accident was caused by the driver of the truck because he was over speeding, while trying to overtake another truck on a bend and when he came head- on with the bus, he lost control and rammed into it killing seven people and leaving seven others critically wounded,” he said.

Igwe said the bus driver made spirited effort to avoid the truck by driving into the bush, adding that the truck still followed bus and rammed into it.

He said immediately the accident happened, a former staff of the Corps called the attention of the command, while men were dispatched to the scene of the accident where seven mangled bodies were extricated from the wrecked bus.

He seven others in a critical condition were taken to the General Hospital, Calabar, for medical attention.

Igwe said the bus with the inscription, To and Fro, belongs to a popular transport firm, Calculux, while the owner of the diesel truck was yet to be

identified as the driver escaped into the bush after the accident.

“We have informed the police and they are already on his trail

to get him arrested so that he can stand prosecution,” he said When Vanguard visited the General Hospital where the

corpses and the wounded victims were taken, a source said two more persons had died.

Blind man, woman charged with defrauding accommodation seeker of N550,000

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visually-impaired man, Sule Akinyemi, and a woman, Olajumoke Awosika, were yesterday charged with defrauding an accommodation seeker of N550, 000 at a Surulere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The accused , Akinyemi, 62, and Awosika, 51, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, use of residence for obtaining by false pretence and obtaining money under false pretences.

The duo pleaded not guilty.

But the prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede, told the court that the accused with others still at large, committed the offences at No.1, Dipo Olubi St., Surulere -Aguda in Lagos.

He said the accused collected N550, 000 on the pretext of letting a mini-flat to the complainant as the owner of the property.

“Akinyemi pretended to be the owner of a mini-flat and collected the sum of N550, 000 from the complainant, Mr Ayodele Ayedun, with a promise to rent out the mini-flat to him.

“Awosika brought Ayedun to the blindman to make payment, and he was caught while making a transaction at the bank,’’ the prosecutor said.

Iseghede said the virtuallyimpaired man had been brought to the court several times for the same offence.

The offences, he noted, contravened Sections 285, 312 (a&b), 315 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Ruling on the bail application of the accused, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.F. Adeeyo, granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with one surety each.

She said each surety should provide evidence of tax payment, while their addresses should also be verified.

The magistrate adjourned the case to August.6 for mention.

ABA: Soldiers kill kidnapper, arrest 2 others zRescue female victim

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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BA—SOLDIERS of the 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, stationed at Asa in Ukwa West local government area of Abia State have shot dead a kidnapper, arrested two members of his gang, including a lady, and rescued a female victim.

Vanguard gathered that an Aba-based business woman, Mrs. Rita Anaekwe, was last Sunday night abducted at her residence on Anaekwe Street, Umuleta village, Obinkwu in Ukwa West local government area.

Family sources told Vanguard that the hoodlums gained entry into the house through the back fence and shot dead the family dog before gaining access to the main building.

The sources hinted that when the kidnappers got to the lady whose husband was said to have travelled and demanded for cash, gold bracelets and other valuables from the woman which she gave them.

After collecting the items, the hoodlums were also said to have demanded for the key of the family ’s Nissan Pathfinder Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, with which they whisked the woman away.

Soldiers of the 144 battalion who were alerted to the incident, trailed the kidnappers to their hideout.

In the ensuing gun duel, one of the kidnappers was reportedly shot dead, while two others, including a female member, was arrested.

A military source said Anaekwe was rescued unhurt, while her vehicle was later recovered by men of the Police Area Command, Aba. Speaking with journalists, Anaekwe commended the efforts of the soldiers in rescuing her and the vehicle a few hours after the incident.

Commanding Officer of the 144 battalion, Lt. Col. Kasim Umar Sidi, who confirmed the incident, said investigations were ongoing and promised that fleeing members of the gang would soon be arrested.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—7

Power generator explosion kills ex-Lagos councillor

By Esther Onyegbula

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generator explosion which occurred in Oworoshoki area of Lagos state has killed a former councillor in Kosefe local Government. The deceased identified as Olu Ogunjobi was a councillor in Kosefe Local government, between 2003 and 2007.

Vanguard learned that the incident occurred while he was re-fuelling generator in his office located in Oworoshoki, on July, 24, 2015.

According to relatives of the deceased Ogunjobi would have survived the incident if the Lagos State doctors Gbagada General Hospital where he was

rushed to was not on strike.

Mr Taoheed Adekunle told Vanguard that immediately the generator caught fire the deceased pick it up and try to throw it out while the generator was still burning and got burnt in the process.

The man was said to have died as a result of the complications from severe burns he sustained from the fire when he was trying to dispose the burning generator.

He said: ”The impact of the explosion caused him a severe first degree burn and he was quickly rushed to St Daniel hospital in Oworoshoki, but referred to the general hospital where he died.

When Vanguard visited the deceased resident at Ojulere Street, some sympathisers were seeing thronging the house to commiserate with the widow.

Master victor Ogunjobi the son of the deceased told our correspondent that the death of his father is very devastating to him and his siblings.

He said: ”before my father become councillor he had barbing salon shop and also sells musical cassettes, but after his tenure he went back into the business, he was inside the shop trying to refuelling generator when there was power failure the generator exploded and caught fire.

When contacted the Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin confirmed the incident.

Adding that: the Divisional Police Officer of Oworoshoki received a distressed called about a fire i n c i d e n t a n d moved swiftly with his men to the scene so as to avoid hoodlums from taking advantage of the unfortunate situation.

“The fire was later put out and the man was later identified to be councillor sustained injuries in the fire and rushed to the general hospital Gbagada where he died.”

Part of the smuggled items meant for Boko Haram confiscated from smugglers in Pepe, DashinHausa, Belel Bilachi, and Konkul villages, by Nigerian Air Force along N i g e r i a C a m e r o o n borders.

Makurdi residents allege surge in motorbike robbery

By Peter Duru

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A K U R D I — RESIDENTS of Makurdi, Benue State capital, and its environs have raised alarm over the sudden surge in the activities of motorbike robbers in the city.

Some of the victims of the notorious gangs who spoke to Vanguard yesterday in Makurdi, lamented that residents now lived in fear of the bandits who carried out their nefarious activities at night.’’

They further decried the inability of the Police to stem the tide by their failure to strictly implementing the restriction on motorbike use in the state.

One of the victims, Patrick Ukeyima, who narrated his ordeal to reporters, said: “The trend in Makurdi is that you could be alighting from your car or walking on the street and you suddenly see two or three young men on a motorbike approach you with a locally-made pistol and ask you to empty your pockets.”

Police arrest 32-yr-old suspected ritualist in Akwa Ibom

By Chioma Onuegbu

Wrong advice led me into drug trafficking— Suspect

By Daniel Eteghe

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drug trafficking suspect, Chibude Chidi, said yesterday that wrong advice from drug bandits who assured him of making double gains from money invested in the substance, misled him into the business.

The suspect, 44, who was arrested by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with 1.185 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to China, said his focus on the N4 million he would have made from his N2 million investment in the substance.

He said: “I am married with a

child. I used to sell clothes and my business was flourishing in 2007. My problem started in 2008 such that I lost all my three big shops. I see it as a spiritual attack because I lost everything I had laboured to acquire over the years. ‘’I sold the only property I have in Enugu with the hope of relocating to Lagos.

Unfortunately, I listened to wrong advice and invested my last savings in cocaine business.

They assured me that I could earn twice the amount I invested in the deal but I am regretting my action.”

Asked if he was aware that drug trafficking attracted capital punishment in China, the suspect, who hails from Enugu State, said that he never thought about it, adding that his attention was on the four million

profits he would make from the trip.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Commander at Lagos airport, Mr Hamza Umar, said the suspect ingested 1.185kg of whitish substances that tested positive for cocaine.

Umar further noted that the suspect sold his property in Enugu State and invested the money into drug trafficking with the hope of making a profit of additional two million naira.

He said: “We discovered from our investigation that the suspect sold his property in Enugu and invested the proceeds in drug trafficking due to wrong counsel from friends. ‘’He was apprehended during outward screening of passengers on Qatar flight.

The cocaine found on him

weighed 1.185kg”.

Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, warned that those seeking wealth from criminality, including drug trafficking, would end up in prison custody.

“NDLEA is combating drug trafficking with every resource at its disposal. Drug trafficking is criminal and the gains of a drug-free society is priceless. ‘’The lesson to be learned from this case is that those who seek quick wealth from drug trafficking will end up in prison custody,” Giade stated.

He, however, stressed that the suspect’s case was pathetic as he invested N2 million into drug trafficking which would have led to his untimely death if he was caught in China, adding that he (suspect) would soon be charged to court.

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YO—A 32-year-old man (names withheld) has been arrested by police operatives in Akwa Ibom State for alleged involvement with ritual killings.

Parading the suspect at the Police headquarters Ikot Akpan Abia yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Achong, said the suspect was arrested by the State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, following the gruesome murder of his friend, simplify identified as Dan. Achong said witnesses had given confessional statements implicated the suspect.

A witness said: “The suspect invited his friend for an urgent meeting and entertained him with a drugged drink. When his friend slept, he killedhim.”

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Some govs were reckless in managing resources —NGF Chairman zSays FG must come to our rescue or we'll have failed states zWhy banks may seize bailout funds of some states

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — CHAIRMAN of Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, and Governor Abdulaziz Yari of of Zamfara State, admitted yesterday that some of his colleague governors were reckless in the way they managed the resources of their respective states which necessitated the bailout from the Federal Government.

Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja after a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Yari also disclosed that some indebted state governments lost their bailout money to servicing outstanding loans they had obtained from banks. The money was sourced from the revenue paid to the Federation Account by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG. He said most of his colleagues don’t talk about “bailout” because of its sinister meaning.

He said: “Now, if states are in trouble as we all agreed since some states cannot pay salaries, and the Federal Government says they are going to make some kind of adjustment to states to get out of their problems and you call it bailout, it is okay, if you call it intervention, it is still okay.

“But the reason why I think so many governors don’t talk about the issue of bailout is because they are thinking as if money is going to be created for governments or for governors to go and continue as they were doing. We know they were somehow reckless.

“So, we have a problem and there are no two ways about it.

The Federal Government has to come to the rescue of the states or else, we will have a failed state.

The Federal Government cannot fold its arms and allow the states to be in trouble.

“The Federal Government wants to give bailout to states because of the situation. But the way people have been talking about it, of course, the bailout is in the works and the bailout can be made either to the states or to the sector of the economy. As I have been saying, the bailout has been made in the banking sector and bailout has been made in the downstream sector of the economy.”

Why banks may seize states funds

The governor also explained that some debtor states may not eventually get the intervention by the Federal Government, arguing that the banks they owed could reclaim their money before releasing the rest.

He said: “What I am saying is that no money has been released yet but I think the NLNG fund that was given to some states was taken by the banks because it was due for them to repay some loans

which they had been unable to do.

“But I think the CBN governor is negotiating with the banks on how we are going to share so that when we eventually get this bailout or intervention funds, they will appreciate that the purpose was to rescue the states to ensure that they pay the salaries of their staff.

“But surely, some governors reported that money went into their accounts before it was taken by some banks because of their outstanding loans.”

WAEC registration fees

owed by states

On the controversy trailing the payment of WAEC registration fees owed by the states who run tuition-free education, Yari said differences in the figure of amount involved and insolvency of states stalled the payment. He, however, promised that the matter would be resolved.

He said: “We are in that trouble. But the reason why we are in that trouble is because we cannot ascertain the exact figure, which one is for the public, which one is for the private. It is mixed up. So, some state governments need to

verify between WAEC and their Ministries of Education and other departments of education. So, that’s why some states cannot pay the WAEC fees. And of course, some states are giving free education. Those WAEC monies are not being paid by the parents. It is being sponsored by the government like ours.

“But I think it’s something that we will discuss with some of the governors concerned and WAEC to avert a future occurrence because of the future of our children.”

SUMMIT: From left: CEO, Spectranet, David Venn; CEO, MainOne, Funke Opeke; and VP, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs, Etisalat, Ibrahim Dikko during Spectranet’s presentation at the Broadband Summit organised by MainOne in conjunction with Businessday in Lagos, yesterday.

Jonathan’s ex-CSO hospitalised after being freed by DSS zHe’s suffering from trauma arising from underground cell detention —Family

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA — FORMER Chief Security Officer to immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, Gordon Obua, has been hospitalised, barely a few days after being freed from the Department of State Services, DSS, detention in Abuja.

Vanguard learnt from competent sources that Obua is currently receiving medical attention at the National Hospital, Abuja for undisclosed ailment.

He was released from the DSS cell last Tuesday after being detained for three days at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja for undisclosed reasons believed to be unconnected with his tenure as the CSO to Jonathan.

Efforts to speak with Obua

proved abortive as he was said to be too weak to entertain any visitor at the time one of our correspondents tried to reach his bedside.

He is suffering from trauma

A family source, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, gave an insight into what might have given rise to the security officer’s condition.

The source, who is very close to the former president, said that Obua was suffering from the trauma he was exposed to in the hands of his employers who detained him for three days in an underground cubicle cell.

The source said: “You know that Obua is diabetic and hypertensive. So he suffered from the trauma arising from three days of hunger strike which he embarked upon against his solitary confinement

in cubicles underground.”

The family source said it was not clear how soon their breadwinner might recover from his medical condition given his current state of health but would not give details.

But the DSS was yet to respond to the development as at press time.

It will be recalled that the DSS arrested Obua for possible information it might use to press charges against the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Informed security sources said it was not a coincidence that Obua was arrested almost at the same time when operatives of the DSS stormed Dasuki’s homes in Abuja and Sokoto in search of ‘information’ on their operations while in office.

Saraki sets up 12-member ethics c'ttee to quell rebellion

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—THE strategic plan by the Senator Bukola Saraki-led Senate leadership to curb dissent came to light, yesterday, after he proclaimed a 12-member Ethics and Privileges Committee, which will among others enforce discipline among senators.

The committee which is peopled entirely by supporters of Senator Saraki has as its chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East).

Senator Anyanwu was the chief mover of the Senate motion on a vote of confidence in the Saraki- Ike Ekweremadu leadership that was backed by 80 other senators.

The nine other members of the committee were all signatories to the vote of confidence motion unanimously adopted by the Senate on Tuesday.

Members are Senators Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West; Binta Garba, APC, Adamawa North; Peter Nwaboshi, PDP, Delta North; Jeremiah Useni, PDP, Plateau South; Babajide Omoworare, APC, Osun East; Bala Ibn Na Allah, APC, Kebbi South; Tayo Alasoadura, APC, Ondo Central; Muhammad Ubali Shittu, APC, Jigawa North-East; and Olaka Johnson Nwogu, PDP, Rivers South-East.

The plan to quickly constitute the ethics and privileges committee was part of the agreement adopted by supporters of the Senate leadership at a strategic meeting late on Monday night during which the signatures for the confidence vote was also mobilised.

Vanguard gathered that the plan of the SarakiEkweremadu group was to constitute the committee on Tuesday but for the strategic impediment that the body of principal officers had not been completed on account of the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to field its principal officers.

Following the submission of the list of the PDP principal officers on Tuesday and the first formal meeting of the Senate principal officers, it was resolved to establish the committee yesterday.

“Anyone that makes noise from henceforth would be sent to the committee,” a ranking senator privy to the workings of the Senator Saraki leadership told Vanguard.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—9

P-Harcourt, Warri refineries to produce 8.5m litres of petrol per day — NNPC

By Luka Binniyat & Michael Eboh

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BUJA — THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, stated yesterday that the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries are expected to contribute about 8.5 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, per day to the country’s fuel supply, in the next couple of days.

The NNPC also disclosed that it has successfully recovered the System 2B pipeline which was breached last week at Arepo, Ogun State.

This was even as the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, yesterday, stated that it has shut down 22 filling stations in Abuja and environs for one month for undue profiteering.

The DPR, in a statement in Abuja, signed byMohammed Saidu, Head, Public Relations, stated that 19 of the petrol stations were sealed for selling above N87.00 per liter, two were sealed for diversion of petroleum products while the remaining one was grossly under-dispensing and selling products massively in jerry cans.

According to the DPR, the stations are to remain sealed for at least one month in addition to forfeiting their bridging claims as directed by the Federal Government.

Prominent among the petrol stations sanctioned are Conoil, Gwagwalada; Oando, Herbert Macaulay Way, Abuja; A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited, Abuja-Keffi Road, Nyanya, among others.

P-H, Warri refineries successfully re-streamed

On the issue of the refineries, the NNPC in a statement signed by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, stated that the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries have been successfully restreamed after a nine-month phased rehabilitation exercise conducted by its in-house engineers and technicians.

According to Alegbe, the Port Harcourt refinery is projected to boost the nation’s local refining capacity with a product yield of five million litres of petrol per day while Warri refinery would contribute 3.5 million litres of petrol to local refining capacity.

He stated that both plants have commenced preliminary production of petroleum products after successful test-runs, noting that while Port Harcourt Refineries Company, PHRC, is ramping up its operation to about 60 percent of its 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) name plate capacity, Warri refineries and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, production is projected to hit 80 per cent of its installed 125,000 bpd capacity.

Giving an insight into the rehabilitation exercise, Alegbe

zAs DPR shuts 22 filling stations for malpractices zNNPC did not remit $11.63bn to FG account — NEITI

Ghanaian bizmen, others invading Nigerian forex market —CBN chief

By Emma Ujah

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MEETING: From left: Director General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Eli Bala; Director, Ecological Fund Office, Yusuf Aliyu Addy and Divisional Director, Large Enterprises Bank of Industry, Joseph Babatunde during the bank's and UNDP Solar Energy Programme Project Board meeting, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. noted that the NNPC had to adopt the phased rehabilitation strategy after the Original Refinery Builders, ORB, who were initially contacted for the project came up with unfavourable terms.

He said: “Though a decision was taken in 2011 to rehabilitate all the refineries using the ORB of each of the refineries, we were impelled to switch strategy after the ORBs declined participation and nominated some partners in their stead who came up with outrageously unfavorable terms.”

He further stated that the nominated partners, as solebidders came up with humongous price offers after two years of thorough and exhaustive scope of work definition and price negotiations, adding that the proxies were also unwilling to provide post rehabilitation performance guarantees.

“The phased rehabilitation strategy which entailed phased and simultaneous rehabilitation of all the refineries using in-house and locally available resources in line with the spirit and letter of the Nigerian Content Law, also involved the use of Original Equipment Manufacturer representatives to effect major equipment overhaul and rehabilitation,” he explained.

He also stated that the phased rehabilitation programme, which started in October 2014 after the required funding stream was established created a 70 percent reduction in costs which helped largely in mitigating the financing challenges of refinery rehabilitation.

Alegbe further noted that with the successful re-streaming of the PHRC and WRPC, attention has now moved to the 110,000 barrels per day Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company which is billed to come on stream soon.

On Arepo pipeline fire

Commenting on the recovery of the Arepo pipeline, Alegbe stated that its team of engineers who were deployed to the scene of the incident was able to access the pipeline after the fire was put out and commenced repair work immediately.

He said: “We wish to announce that the vital System 2B pipeline which was breached at Arepo last week has been fixed and brought back on stream. Pumping of products through the system commenced on Monday upon successful completion of repair work over the weekend.

“We also wish to call on all those engaged in the criminal acts of pipeline sabotage and oil theft to desist in order to avoid such horrendous deaths as was witnessed in the recent incident.”

NNPC didn't remit $11.63bn to FG Account, NEITI tells El Rufai

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, yesterday told Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State that between 2009 and 2012 alone, about 160 million barrels of oil valued at $13.7 billion was stolen under the watch of the NNPC. Shamsuna who disclosed this when she paid a courtesy call on Governor El-Rufai then handed over to him a supposed dossier of corrupt practices by the NNPC. El-Rufai is one of the four governors appointed by National Economic Council to scrutinise the accounts of the NNPC and the Excess Crude Account, ECA managed by the last administration to unravel N3.8 trillion not remitted to the

Federation Account by the NNPC between 2012 and May 2015 as well as $2.1bn said to have been deducted from the ECA. She said: “Between 2009 and 2012 alone, about 160 million barrels of oil valued at $13.7 billion was stolen under the NNPC watch. I am calling on the Federal Government to privatise the nation’s refineries.

The subsidy payment from 2005 to 2012 showed that $11.631 billion has been paid to the NNPC, however there is no evidence of the money being remitted to the federation account.

“Crude Product Swap valued at $866 million was also lost from 2009 to 2011 and $8243 million in 2012. Total amount expended in subsidy payment from 2005 to 2012 as captured showed that $11.631 billion have been paid to the NNPC, however there is no evidence these amounts were remitted to the federation account.”

Responding, Governor ElRufai said since he called for the scrapping of NNPC, the corporation has been sponsoring articles in the media to attack him but declared that he will continue to fight on till NNPC dies.

He said: “NNPC will pay all the monies it is owing before its final death. NNPC has become a monster and too powerful. I will continue to fight NNPC till it dies for Nigeria to survive. It is either Nigerians kill NNPC or NNPC will kill Nigeria.

“Since, I called for the death of NNPC, the corporation sponsored articles attacking me but I am telling them my skin is thicker than an elephant. The NNPC can’t bribe any of the four governors appointed to investigate it.”

ALABAR — THE Director of Monetary Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Moses Tule, disclosed, yesterday, that Ghanaian businessmen and other African countries are invading the Nigerian foreign exchange market.

He disclosed this at a seminar organised for financial journalists in Calabar, Cross River State.

According to him, nationals from other African countries even as far as Central African Republic come to Nigerian Bureaux de Change for forex which was partially responsible for high demand for hard currencies at the nation’s foreign exchange market.

His words: “Ghanaian businessmen and even people come from Central African Republic to demand for forex in Nigeria. They go to the BDCs to buy whatever they can get at any rate. That is why we have asked that the BDCs should request for BVN of those to whom they sell forex and file the documents but they are not filing. The predators even demand for as much as $1 million from BDCs in Nigeria. This cannot happen in other countries.”

Tule said there must a measure of patriotism in the efforts towards a stable macroeconomic environment in the country and that stakeholders in the financial industry must work with regulators interest of the economy.

The director noted that the level of frivolous forex demand was unsustainable and unacceptable.

He said Nigerians must support the CBN in blocking wastage of the nation’s foreign exchange on items that could be produced locally.

In his remarks, former Director of Research in the CBN, Mr. Charles Mordi, argued that there was no other country in the world were government finances BDCs. He noted that the initial reaction could be that some people, especially the BDC operators, will protest but that in the end all Nigerians would gain from the policy.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Ambode sacks Science and Tech perm sec

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AGOS—THE career of Mrs Nike Animashaun, as the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology was said to have been terminated by governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

Usually reliable sources at Alausa say she has been sacked for acts inimical to the tenets of the Lagos State civil service.

Mrs. Animsahaun rose from the position of Junior Magistrate in the Lagos State Judiciary to become a Permanent Secretary in the last two civilian administration In what appears as a total house cleaning by Governor Ambode, the Director of Computer Services in the same Ministry, is also said to be undergoing investigation by the office of the Head of Service.

Customs stops GTB, Fidelity, Diamond banks from collecting duties

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HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has suspended three commercial banks from collecting customs duties over their non-compliance with the partnership agreement with the agency on the matter.

NCS Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, who disclosed this to newsmen, said the suspension became effective immediately.

Adeniyi named the banks as GT Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc and called on relevant stakeholders to take note of the new development.

According to him; “The three banks were suspended because they did not discharge their full obligation as partners in the customs revenue collection scheme.

“Unfortunately, they failed to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the terms of the agreement they signed with the Nigeria Customs Service.

“We might not be able to provide you with the details now but in the course of our investigations, we will be able to provide more details.

50,000 drivers’ licences unclaimed in Lagos — MVAA

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—THE Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, MVAA, has disclosed that a total of 50,000 permanent driver’s licenses otherwise known as the Unified Driver’s License, UDL, are yet to be claimed by applicants in Lagos State.

Head, Corporate Affairs, MVAA, Mrs. Ibironke Famakinwa, who disclosed this to Vanguard, expressed the determination of the agency to continue providing quality

service to the public.

According to Famakinwa, “The agency equally advises motorists to obtain genuine driver ’s license and other vehicular documents from the various MVAA stations across the state and desist from patronising touts who are prowling around with the sole intent to defraud unsuspecting applicants.

“Presently, the agency is saddled with huge number of unclaimed Unified Driver ’s License, UDL,

which comes to about 50,000.

“A total of 116,689 licenses were produced between January till date and only 70,285 were collected.”

She therefore, urged various applicants who have undergone necessary screening and documentation with MVAA to collect their genuine licenses from the stations where they were processed without further delay.

According to her, as part of measures to sanitise its operations the agency has introduced cashless operational policy, in all the processing

HANDING-OVER: Lagos State Deputy governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule (3rd right) receiving some life Jackets from the Deputy Managing Director, Total Exploration & Production Nigeria Plc, Mr. Charles Ngoka (2nd left) during the official handing-over of 2,400 life jackets donated

by Total Nigeria Plc to Lagos State Government at the Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday. With them are: MD, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Olayinka Marinho (right), Acting Perm Sec, Min of Transportation, Mrs. Adebisi Ariyo (2nd right) and others.

Lagos to punish officials linked to boat mishap

By Monsur Olowoopejo accidents are realities of life, safety which she noted has

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AGOS—Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday vowed to apply relevant laws against erring individuals and government officials implicated in any avoidable boat mishap and other accidents.

The state had in the last six months recorded over five boat mishaps, which led to the death of over 15 persons.

The governor disclosed this at the 2015 World Safety Day Celebration themed ‘Building A Culture of Prevention on Occupational Safety and Health’, after receiving 2, 400 life jackets from Mr. Charles Ngoka, Deputy Managing Director of Total E and P Nigeria in Alausa, Ikeja.

Ambode lamented that incidents of boat mishaps, building collapse, fire disasters and other avoidable accidents are becoming rampant in the state, saying “Residents disregard safety regulations and guidelines in their daily activities.”

While stressing that although

actions of residents and their resolve to adhere to safety measures would reduce the rate and the degree of fatalities often recorded whenever it occurs.

The governor who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule said ‘’I believe that time has come for all stakeholders in public safety including relevant government agencies to rise up to this challenge; as it is not enough to have regulations and standards, they must be enforced and complied with to prevent avoidable loss of lives and properties.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Director General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mrs. Dominga Odebunmi noted that there has been a significant increase in public awareness for safety as a result of vigorous sensitization and advocacy in all the five administrative divisions of the state, noting that there has been constant review of the state government programmes and policies on

helped to reduce incidents of accidents in workplaces, while adding that the effort has also helped to achieve 55% safety awareness in public schools across the state.

points across the state.

Famakinwa, advised prospective applicants to make their payment through some identified old and new generation banks, to avoid being defrauded by touts or unauthorised staff.

LASG explains baby-friendly policies

By Chioma Obinna

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AGOS—AS the world rolls out the drums to celebrate this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, the Lagos State government has emphasised the importance of breastfeeding, saying, “its cost beneficial investment in child survival informed the state’s political will for its baby-friendly policies.”

Disclosing this yesterday in Lagos, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Modele Osunkiyesi said that the State Government has taken the lead in the actualisation of baby- friendly policies for women in the workforce by institutionalising a six month maternity leave for all nursing female workers for first two births.

Osunkiyesi stated that the state government also approved paternity leave of two weeks for all working fathers in its employ in realisation of the need for psychological support for nursing mothers.

She blamed the reduction in the period of breastfeeding of infants on the increase in civilisation and women engagement for work outside their homes.

She further called for the revival of breastfeeding culture as another strategy for child survival, stressing that the theme of this year's, “Breastfeeding Week: ‘Breastfeeding and Work”, calls for concerted global action to support women to combine breastfeeding and work as women empowerment should not interfere with the baby’s right to breastfeed.

Lawmakers urge Ambode to stop illegal dredging

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—MEMBERS of Lagos State House of Assembly have urged the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to direct appropriate agencies to stop all forms of dredging, mining and reclamation activities in the state.

Meantime, the House has constituted a five-man Ad hoc Committee led by Hon. Bayo Osinowo, Hon. Nurudeen SolajaSaka, Hon. Olufemi Famakinwa, Hon. Abiodun Tobun, Hon. Rotimi Olowo and Hon. (Engr.) Setonji David to determine the level of compliance with the terms and condition of the enhancing licence

by the approved operators and to investigate allegations of environmental degradation raised by some host communities.

The resolution is sequel to a motion moved by Tobun, representing Epe Constituency I at the plenary session.

Tobun noted that the motion became necessary following complaints by various communities in the state where dredging, mining and reclamation activities are taking place for commercial purposes.

The lawmakers observed that while some of the activities were approved, there are many illegal activities contributing to environmental degradation of the affected host communities.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 11

Ooni of Ife is alive — ROYAL COUNCIL

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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LE-IFE—DESPITE the widespread report, the Royal Traditional Council, RTC, of Ife has refuted the news making the rounds that Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Ooni of Ife, was dead.

Joseph Ijaodola, an Oba and the Lowa of Ife, who briefed newsmen at the Ooni’s palace at Enuwa, in Ile-Ife early yesterday, said the monarch was hale and hearty.

RTC, which is a combination of traditional chiefs and title holders’ said the report that the monarch died in a hospital in the United Kingdom was untrue.

Ijaodola said: “I hereby dispel the rumour that our Baba, the Olubuse is dead. As I speak with you, the chiefs have not heard anything like that. This is not the first time such rumour will be carried about our father. ‘’ They did it in 1982, also in 2004 and now, these people are coming up with another rumour.

Oba Sijuwade remains in sound state of health.”

Vanguard saw residents of the ancient town trooping to the palace yesterday to ascertain if the news about the death of the monarch was true.

The media had reported that Sijuwade died in a hospital in London, Britain, and the news of his death was confirmed by

Aregbesola promises to pay backlog of salaries

By Daud Olatunji

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Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony O. Elumelu (2nd right), President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (right); CEO Famfa Oil, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija (left), MD/CEO, UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza (2nd left) and CEO Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mrs. Parminder Vir (3rd left) at a gathering of Nigerian business leaders hosted by Mr. Elumelu to discuss entrepreneurship and investment opportunities in Nigeria with Steve Case, American billionaire, founder of America Online, and one of President Obama’s Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship and his wife Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation at Heirs Place in Lagos, yesterday. various sources close to the palace but the denial of the news came as a surprise to many.

Also speaking, secretary Royal Traditional Council of Ife, the Ladin of Ife, High Chief Adetoye Odewole, said Ooni is hale and hearty and even spoke to the chiefs on phone few hours earlier.

He added that “Those behind the death story are enemies of Ife and as I speak with you, chiefs

have not heard anything like that.

This is not the first time such rumour will be carried about our father.

“They did it in 1984, also in 2004 and now, these people are coming up with another rumour.

Oba Sijuade remains in sound state of health”.

Also commenting, chairman, Ife Development Board, Prof.

Muib Opeloye, said Ife as a town

with rich tradition has its way of managing its affairs.

Opeloye maintained the monarch was preparing for his son’s wedding, urging people not to panic and go about their normal daily activities.

Meantime, the entrance of Ooni’s palace was shut to visitors, as only newsmen, chiefs and relations of Oba Sijuade were allowed into the premises.

S O G B O — GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said workers’ backlog of salaries would be paid soon.

This promise is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s media aide, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, in Osogbo yesterday.

The statement said Aregbesola made the promise when Ijesa Society, a social group, visited him.

Aregbesola, according to the statement, expressed his displeasure over the delay in payment of workers’ salaries.

The statement said every government initiative in the state represented the fulfillment of campaign promises made to the people.

“The visit of the group comes at a time when some people are being sponsored to rubbish my achievements‘’, Aregbesola is quoted as saying in the statement.

President of the group, Chief Tunde Aluko, commended Aregbesola for rapid development of the state.

Rep blasts Fayose over comment against Buhari

By Bashir Adefaka

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AGOS—A member of the House of Representatives and former Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Bosun Oladele, yesterday, in Lagos took a swipe at Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State over what he described as his persistent unfortunate comments against President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption programme, dismissing the governor as a rabble rouser.

Fayose recently said President Buhari’s probe was targeted at PDP supporters and cautioned him against playing to the gallery as he said, “Nigerians should not be probed on the pages of

newspapers. Rather, the antigraft agencies should do their jobs quietly.”

Oladele, who is representing the Irepodun/Orelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency of Oyo State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, asked the governor to wait for the President as, according to him,

Abuja would get to him soonest.

His words: “Fayose is just a meddlesome interloper. He is a rabble rouser. It is only him that sees ghosts where everybody sees lives. He should not start talking about Buhari probing on the pages of the newspapers. ''He should wait for him because, he (Buhari) is coming to him.

Fayose will get his own bit of it.

I think from all indications of what he has been seeing, he has started developing butterfly in his stomach but he shouldn’t wait for too long, he will start feeling the heat and that is exactly why he is talking when everybody is supposed to keep quiet.”

Security of our people paramount to us – EKITI SPEAKER

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HE security of lives and property of the people of Ekiti State is one of the most paramount issues the state House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House, Hon Kola Oluwawole, said yesterday.

According to a statement from

the office of the Special Assistant (Media) to the speaker, Mr Stephen Gbadamosi, the Speaker gave this assurance, adding that the House would not compromise on the security of the lives of Ekiti people when he played host to the commandant of the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence C o r p s (NSCDC), Mr Raji Ibrahim Adeniyi, in his office.

He said the visit of the commandant to the Assembly was timely, adding that the commandant had delivered

within the short time he was posted to the state, especially with the recent arrest of electricity cable vandals in Aramoko-Ekiti.

EkitiAPCwritesNBCover statemedia

Meantime, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has again petitioned the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over professional abuses in the state radio and television stations.

In the letter, APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said instead of better management at the stations after they were fined N500,000 by NBC over professional misconduct, the stations continued tobeusedtohauntpoliticalopponent.

“SequeltoourletterdatedFebruary 16, 2015 about the above subject matter, we are aware that the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) was fined N500, 000.00 for the infractions bordering on professional misconduct.

I’ve paid N496m WAEC fees — AMOSUN

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — GOVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has declared that he had approved the payment of a sum of N496 million being owed the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Amosun also disclosed that the state monthly wage bill, including workers’ salaries, pensions, tertiary institutions’ subventions and utilities, had increased to N9 billion.

He spoke during the inauguration of new transition committee chairmen for the 20 local government areas in the state at the Oba’s complex, State Secretariat, Abeokuta.

According to him,the government at all levels have lately been undergoing financial pressure,it is necessary for political office holders to think out of the box towards meeting statutory responsibilities.

He said that he signed the cheque for payment of N496 million being the outstanding registration fees for the state candidates on Tuesday.

12 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 13

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14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

JSF MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

2 1 Jeddo Stakeholders Forum, JSF, in Okpe local government, Delta State, recently marked her 10th anniversary in Jeddo where it donated educational materials to Ogiendo Primary School, Jeddo. Pic. 1. From left, Chief Robert Onome, Chief Usimo, LGA Chairman, Chief Godwin Ejinyere, Mr. Paul Onome and the Unuevworo of Ughoton Pic. 2. From left, Chief Enamerienwan, Chief Robert Onome, Chief Usimo and LGA Chairman, Chief Godwin Ejinyere. Pic. 3. Front row from left, Chief Robert Onome, Hon. Benson Umukoro and Engr. James Umukoro. Behind from left, Mr. Orodje Okoloko and Mr. Solomon Bayagbon. Pic.4. Okpe LGA Chairman, Chief Godwin Ejinyere exchanging pleasantries with the Unuevworo of Ughoton

4 3

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 15

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Obiano woos Anambra workers

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—ANAMBRA State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has promised to improve the working conditions of the state’s workforce as soon as the economy improved, advising them to be more dedicated to their duties.

Addressing the workers at the state secretariat in Awka to mark the 2015 Civil Service Day, Obiano enumerated some of the benefits he put in place to improve the welfare of workers.

He told them: “You matter to us. We know that a government that does not place the people first is doomed.

“I want to remind you that your plight is my plight, your pain is my pain and your joy is my joy. No responsible government goes to sleep when its workforce is having sleepless nights. Let me assure you once again that I shall continue to always stand by you; I will be there for you!

“At the same time, no government can improve the lots of its citizens without the cooperation and support of its civil servants. I urge you to put in your very best efforts in the service of Anambra State.

"I urge you to show greater appetite for work, a determined drive for excellence and a commitment to a better Anambra State. I can assure you that your efforts will neither go unnoticed nor your labours go unrewarded."

Umeh alleges massive rigging in Anambra senatorial poll

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and former national chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh, yesterday, testified before the first Anambra National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, saying that the declaration of his opponent, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was improper.

Umeh, who mounted the witness box as prosecution witness 05 was led in evidence

by his counsel, Chief Patrick Ikwueto, SAN. Umeh, relying on his statements on oath which came in triplicates and made on April18, with additional ones on May 16 and June 4, 2015, told the tribunal presided by Justice Aganaba that the election was massively rigged in Obosi in Idemili North local council, which had one of the highest number of polling units in Anambra State as well as in Nimo in Njikoka Local Government Area.

According to him, the electoral malpractices came in various forms, adding that in Obosi, polling units 018, 003 and Awada Primary School polling unit 024, the number of votes cast exceeded

the number of accredited voters.

He also said that in some of the polling units, serial numbers on polling booth results Forms EC8A1 were cleaned and ink used to write another serial number on them, adding that in

Strike takes toll in Imo

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE five-day warning strike embarked by civil servants in Imo State, has continued to take its toll on government activities and the citizens.

Vanguard investigations

ANTI-CORRUPTION: Okorocha seeks support for

Buhari

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MO STATE governor and chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors’ Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha has urged Christian leaders in the country to throw their weight behind the anticorruption actions and policies of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor spoke when the national leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, led by its national president, Rev. Felix Omobude, visited him at the Government House, adding that church leaders and leaders of religious groups like the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria should play a leading role in the fight against corruption in the country.

The governor also called on the visiting PFN leaders to come and build Pentecostal University of Nigeria in the state and promised to give them a piece of land and a sum of N100m to embark on the project, adding that his love for education did not have any limit.

His words: “The whole world

seems to be focusing on Nigeria, particularly America. I was very much encouraged with the visit of our president to America. I feel like singing the Nigeria national anthem because I saw the honour, and respect given to our President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is the time I would call on Christians to support him in prayers and see him as part and parcel of us.”

He continued: “It is unfortunate that the past government succeeded in dividing the nation along ethnic and religious lines.

"And that creates the impression that any time a Christian is a president, the Muslims will feel humiliated and vice-versa. I urge all the Christians and nonNortherners to see this government as their own, and be part of it. We must support it and benefit from it because all Nigerians are meant to benefit from the administration.

“Buhari's government is a government of integrity, and that is the greatest honour you can give to a nation because no nation can grow above their leaders.

"So, once you have a good leader

26 polling units, the number of ballot papers used exceeded the number of registered voters. He listed such units to include Nimo ward II polling units 007 and Obosi polling Units 020 (Ama Onyira), among others.

you can trust the nation will move forward. This is a good time to do business in Nigeria.

“Our nation is passing through

a difficult moment occasioned by bad management of the resources of Nigeria. I think the Christians have a bigger role to play. We do not just pray to get a government in power.

We should also pray to sustain the government and ensure that the nation enjoys good leadership.”

The governor thanked the leadership of PFN for supporting him during the 2015 election and assured that he would live up to his election promises, adding that he would partner them, and that his ambition was to leave a legacy that children yet unborn would remember.

In his speech, the national president of PFN, Rev. Felix Omobude said the body would work closely with the government at all levels for the good of the nation and Nigerians as a people, advising that the Federal Government should begin to address some of the excesses that have held this country down.

revealed that apart from the closure of all government offices and parastatals across the 27 local council areas, other important functions scheduled for the week were, however, cancelled.

Only yesterday, thousands of primary school pupils, scheduled to sit for the First School Leaving Examination in all centres, were turned back by their teachers.

Similarly, the proposed resumption of plenary by members of Imo State House of Assembly, could not hold as the striking workers shut the legislature and prevented the lawmakers from having access into the complex.

Some self-employed citizens, especially the commercial tricycle operators, who spoke to Vanguard on the effects of the strike, complained bitterly that patronage had reduced.

Meanwhile, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Austen Chilakpu, had expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by workers.

While debunking the claim that government was only owing two months salaries, Chilakpu said that staff of Imo Newspapers Limited, the publishers of The Statesman, were owed 23 months and Imo Specialist Hospital, Owerri, four months.

Continuing, Chilakpu equally disclosed that staff of Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, and Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, were each owed five months salaries.

Answering a question, the NLC Chairman disclosed that government was yet to establish formal contact with the organized labour since the commencement of the warning strike.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 17

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VALUATED from whichever direction, it is now clear, that President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat in the last election was one of the greatest things that happened to Nigeria in recent times. With hindsight now, it would have been the ultimate disaster to continue what we experienced from 1999 that culminated in the sordid and most absurd of the last five years under Jonathan.

We must acknowledge the man for the perverse explanation of the goat and the yam; if we kept yam in close proximity to a goat, then we endanger the yam. And unfortunately for Nigeria, under Jonathan, we had too many goats in the public space all with the single ambition of eating up as many yams of Nigerian finances as they could get access to!Jonathan’s goats over-fed on our national yams as if there was not going to be a tomorrow.

When President Muhammadu Buhari met Barack Obama, the American President last week, one of the main issues discussed concerned assistance to repatriate loot hidden overseas for productive engagement with the Nigerian economy. It was estimated that in the past decade alone, about $150billion dollars was stolen from our country!

Early this week, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who was on the presidential entourage to the USA, also revealed that senior US officials told President Buhari that one minister of the Jonathan administration alone stole the sum of $6billion. And as Adams added further, even the Americans said by the standards of Washington, such theft was “earth-quaking”.

Sweetheart deals Over a week ago, THE NATION newspaper joined many online newspapers to reveal how Nigeria lost about $2billion to very corrupt sweetheart deals in the oil industry under the supervision of Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, President Jonathan’s Petroleum Minister.

President Muhammadu Buhari had also alerted on how a million barrels per day of oil was being sold and the proceeds paid into individual accounts. And to underline the gravity of the situation that Nigeria continues to face, President Buhari told NTA’s “Good Morning Nigeria” programme this week that an average of more than 250, 000 barrels of oil per day is still being stolen from Nigeria! These revelations made sense of the “Jonathan thesis” of yams and goats in its most naked nastiness and because of a combination of mutually-reinforcing factors, it became easy to understand why Jonathan, became the head of a monumental process of heists at a level which disgraced not only individuals connected to the administration, but also the political party he belonged to, and in the final analysis, became a major indictment of the Nigerian ruling class. It became obvious sucha monumental regime of heists was not sustainable and something had to give. The C M Y K

Yams and goats: A systematic regime of heists election saved the ruling class project because the Nigerian people rejected Jonathan emphatically and voted President Buhari, who came to power on a platform of anti-corruption and the creation of jobs with an economy envisaged to be working for the Nigerian people through a reform process that is yet to be unfolded.

But the question that should agitate our minds is why we arrived at the sorry pass that the Jonathan administration took us to? What is in the nature of the

political process and the governance structure of our country that pre-disposed us to having in place such a systematic regime of heists?

Why were no long-lasting lessons learnt from the sordid experience of the Abacha regime that remains with us even to this day? Is it inherent in the nature of the class forces that control Nigeria to be easily taken along the route of mindless looting of the country? What then can be the place of the genuinely patriotic and almost messianic zeal of an

individual like President Muhammadu Buhari, in helping to stem heists and providing some reformatory leadership for a process of restitution? And can such a process last? Can it even be a success?

How will Buhari’s genuine intentions balance out against the backdrop of a federal structure and relatively autonomous states where governors and godfathers have access to huge funds that can and are equally subject to the thesis of yams and goats? What about the structure of the National

Assembly that Buhari must work with and especially its Senate component, given what we know of the controversial records of its leading lights? Have we not been conned? We have a president that is dedicated to the best interests of the country who is obliged to operate in a sea of sharks; a political elite of goats whose main interest is to corner and eat up the Nigerian yam!

How will things pan out?

The truth is that President Muhammadu Buhari has his work cut out and there is a very tough battle ahead. Those given the responsibility to provide leadership for development of Nigeria have not behaved better than serial rapists and the consequence of their mindless looting is a broken country that is plagued by all kinds of ills today.

This is the country that Muhammadu Buhari has to help fix in a short period of four years.

It will not be easy for him and all those who believe that change is possible in Nigeria. But we must give change a chance, having seen what a regime of systematic heists looks like these past five years!

Voices from Within: Tributes to Uncle Sam @ 80

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S you read these lines this morning, a book of essays is being launched at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs in Lagos. It is in honour of Uncle Sam Amuka’s 80th birthday. Ever the self-effacing gentleman, Uncle Sam had emphatically told Lanre Idowu, who edited the book that he didn’t want any book or celebration of the birthday.

Thank God that Lanre and his team disobeyed the master this time around, to the glory of all Nigerians and especially all who have anything to do with the media. I think it is very important that we could celebrate the remarkably long life that Uncle Sam has lived and the impact that he has made on the evolution of Nigerian journalism, in over fifty years of direct engagement with our profession; this is without underestimating how his journalism also influenced and flowed into and with the social currents that mark our Nigerian lives in all the decades of his active and productive life.

political actors, various categories of intellectuals, from academia to those engaging the public space, often attempt to exploit to advance personal agendas. The creation of a national social ethos is never without its accompanying contradictions, since by its nature the social space is a contested one. Sometimes, we might not acknowledge the distances we have covered and there could be reverses of the process, but the traditions of journalism help very much in creating and advancing the national social ethos and reinforcing values that citizens accept as part of the definitions of their citizenship.

Professionals like Uncle Sam Amuka have the advantage of a long life and therefore the opportunity to help calibrate the various phases of the development that I am talking about here.

Of course, it is no coincidence that Uncle Sam has practiced his journalism almost entirely in

Significance of journalism I have deliberately chosen to underline our Nigerian lives, because the beauty and eternal significance of journalism is the way that it is interwoven with the social fabrics of society, in the manner that it reflects its evolution as well as providing some of the building blocks of that evolutionary process.

My fascination with Uncle Sam’s professional life is therefore a strand of my eternal love with the contested categories of sociopolitical existence of Nigeria.

Almost imperceptibly but surely, Nigerians come from different backgrounds and in their active engagement in the social space, they help to build values that transcend the more divisive elements of our fault lines that

Mr. Sam Amuka Lagos. The city has been at the heart of a very robust tradition of journalism from the middle of the nineteenth century. This was related to the role that the city has played in the vital historical currents that defined Nigeria.

It was Lagos that those who were freed from the Atlantic Slave Trade returned to, bringing a new consciousness that was formed in the New World of the Americas.

Lagos became the city that drew some of the earliest educated people and visiting intellectuals and aspirant but often failed businessmen, who had attempted to participate in the legal and lucrative business in the Niger Delta but were squeezed out by colonial monopolies.

Combative journalism

In Uncle Sam Amuka Nigeria is blessed to have an individual and professional, whose life embodies just how far the national idea has developed and the body blows that it has also suffered

They were an aspirant pettybourgeoisie and were embittered as Professor Fred Omu noted in his remarkable study of Press and Politics in Nigeria. They turned to the media and helped to create a tradition of combative journalism which had the consequence of helping to forge a Nigerian consciousness even earlier than the political process which led to the emergence of Nigerian nationalism and the Nigerian state itself. And who could deny that Lagos has always been a social pacesetter, creating

and spreading all forms of innovation, faster than they could be copied in the hinterlands? The line can be drawn from John and Thomas Jackson and the fiery LAGOS WEEKLY RECORD, through to the nationalist press activists like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli, Obafemi Awolowo, and various individuals who helped to consolidate the Lagos journalism tradition, that will then draw individuals like Uncle Sam to Lagos to eventually become outstanding participants, noteworthy contributors and longlasting pacesetters in the profession.

It is not only the gift of a long life that is being celebrated with the book that is being launched today, but a professional life that serves as a remarkably durable bridge between traditions of media practice and generations of practitioners. What is defining is how Uncle Sam has kept going, learning to accept and adapt to and adopting new inventions that impact upon the practice of journalism.

It is the ability to re-invent self; remain able to accept new values without abandoning the kernels of the old that has kept Uncle Sam relevant. In Uncle Sam Amuka, Nigeria is blessed to have an individual and professional, whose life embodies just how far the national idea has developed and the body blows that it has also suffered.

That we can be celebrating his 80th birthday with the presentation of a book of essays underlines just how much his professional life, social grace and remarkable decency have defined values that we all appreciate in the man. I am glad that Lanre Idowu invited me to contribute an essay to the book. Congratulations again Uncle Sam for a very productive professional life in journalism!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 WHEN President Muhammadu Buhari set out with his 32-man official delegation to the United States of America for an official visit to President Barack Obama, top on his shopping list was the quest to procure weapons and sundry support from the world’s sole superpower to flush out the Boko Haram jihadists from our embattled North East.

Other equally important items included soliciting support to fight corruption, repatriate our stolen moneys and secure the endorsement of the American business community to patronise our economy.

After four days of stay in Washington DC, the presidential team returned to the country with mixed results. Although President Obama expressed strong support for our war on corruption and more Americans showed interest in our economy, the crucial matter of procuring weapons was not successful (at least for now) due to what the American government described as “violation of human rights” by our troops in the war against Boko Haram.

America And Our W ar On War Terr or error The American government pointed to the Leahy Law of 1999, which forbids the US selling American arms to armies of foreign countries engaged in human rights violations, as their reason for refusing to sell crucial arms to Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram.

The first time they refused to sell arms to us was when former President Goodluck Jonathan made a similar overture.

It is surprising that, in spite of President Buhari’s undertaking to investigate the allegations and his current high rating in Western circles, America still depended

on unsubstantiated claims to, once again, deny us access to its arms.

It will also be recalled that when the Ebola scourge was rocking this country and we asked for the experimental drug, Z-Mapp, America bluntly refused. Happily, Nigeria single-handedly defeated Ebola, and America, in a twist of irony, offered to send expert to Nigeria to understudy how we did it.

Given the fact that America, once our biggest oil buyer, no longer buys our oil, it is time we thought deeply about our relations and reassessed the level of our dependence on foreign friends.

Our defeat of Ebola is an indication that there is no problem we cannot solve if we stick together as a nation. We must remain resolute in our opposition to the gay rights nonsense because it is against our laws and abhorrent to our culture.

Our salvation lies in our self-reliance, but first, the President must unite Nigerians under a uniform purpose.

OPINION

Niger Delta: Imperative of intellectual militancy ByBobson Gbinije

“The fact that man knows right from wrong Proves his intellectual superiority to the Other creatures; but the fact that he can Do wrong proves his moral inferiority To any creature that cannot.” -Mark Twain HE anecdotal portrayal of Greek mythologist and substantiated by an Urhobo adage, explicitly posits that, “When a hunter of antelopes, rabbits and porcupines, fortuitously comes across an elephant in the forest, he must change his gait and bullets.” Hence, it is tantamount to wisdom for there to be strategic repositioning, reorientation of logistics and re-orchestration of formula when there is a change of order in the social and political space in any society. Can this happen with the Niger Delta militants in their struggle for justice?

The Niger Delta is the area around the southern tributaries of the River Niger which is diverse in ethnic composition, full of natural environmental hazards, rich natural resources but characterised by abject poverty and neglect by successive governments in Nigeria. The monocultural economy of Nigeria has been sustained by Niger Delta’s oil from the preindependence era through independence to the post-independence era.

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Oil was discovered at Oloibiri in present day Bayelsa State in 1956, but became commercialised in 1958. Since its commercialisation, the people of the Niger Delta have been treated with scorn by the powers that be. In response, the people of the Niger Delta have adopted multidimensional strategies aimed at drawing successive government’s attention to its deplorable plight.

The Federal Government of Nigeria as it were, made the economic strangulation of the Niger Delta the fundamental objective and the directive principle of state policy. It has refused to recognise the universally acknowledge principles of sharing in oil producing nations which is, “quid, quid protantolosolosocedit” (the man who owns the land owns what is on it, beneath it and above it). We are allocated, suffocated and spoon-fed with the laughable miniscule thirteen percent or is it the hanging but laughable 25% derivation formula. Is this fair? Why is

It might be a misconstrued as a deliberate ploy to frustrate the present government

the Niger Delta being hounded and hectored by the Federal Government of Nigeria?

Why are the genuine efforts of the Niger Delta martyrs like Isaac Adaka Jasper Boro, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni nine, Monday Obotaire, Raymond Pemu, Victor Atiri and the submissions of the Niger Delta representatives to the National Confab not reflected in the Federal Government’s oil policies on the Niger Delta? Is pipeline vandalisation the way out? Is this divide and rule being adopted and fine-tuned by the federal government the way forward? And is the Niger Delta Master Plan the road map to our long sort after el-dorado? Will kidnappings, hostage taking, pipeline vandalisation and the weird violence being carried out by our youths and militant groups the way forward?

Recently, a group of Urhobo youths under the aegis of UrhoboGbagbako claimed responsibility for the March 22nd, bombings of Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, oil pipelines in Ekiugbo, Ughelli Local Government Area on a massive scale. It said that the aim was to give vent to their demand for pipeline surveillance contract.

The affected pipeline was a trunk line which conveyed the product from Eriemu, Kokori, Afiesere, Uzere, West-End at Kwale, Ogini, Olomoro and Owhe to the Ughelli Quality Control Centre, UQCC. The English playwright Alexander Pope in his Essay on Man said “let the ends of things disjoin, it is the whole world that

suffers.” We admonish our Niger Delta militants that the President MuhammaduBuhari has just come onboard. We ask and pray that he should be given a short while to spell-out and actualise his road map and strategies on the Niger Delta plight. If Niger Delta militants continue to bomb oil installations, it might be a misconstrued as a deliberate and clandestine ploy by exPresident Jonathan, his Ijaw tribes men and his PDP to frustrate the present government.

We therefore call for Intellectual militancy, which is the civilised and co-ordinated presentation of our complains and grouse through discussions, peaceful protest, court actions, non-violent diplomatic global and political channels, like the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, OPEC, ASEAN, European Union (EU), ICC and other suchlike bodies.

Intellectual militancy also entails the avoidance of bombings, kidnappings, suicidal missions, social brouhaha, political hara-kiri, kamikaze actions and sanguinary bloodletting. PresidentJ.F Kennedy (19171963), in his inaugural address, Jan. 1961 said “the world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe.” It is therefore advisable for the Niger Delta militants to adopt the strategy of Intellectual Militancy. *Mr. Gbinije, a social; critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30 30,, 2015 — 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Buhari’s American jamboree

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to America to see President Barack Obama was quite obviously the most controversial foreign trip taken by a Nigerian leader in recent history. It was famous for its jamboree atmospherics, though he came back with a $2.1 billion World Bank loan to fix our embattled North East even when Boko Haram is far from being subdued.

One of the topics trending over the internet is a notion in the American media that President Buhari did not prepare for the trip. I don’t even want to delve into details of some of these reports, since they were mainly credited to anonymous “White House sources”. If what we empirically observed in photographs, videos and known facts are anything to go by we will be inclined to believe, at least, that the president did not prepare well for that trip.

Just before they travelled penultimate Sunday, I had an interesting telephone conversation with one of Nigeria’s envoys in the Americas.

He told me that it was a blunder for the president to ask the politicians who were appointed as

ambassadors and high commissioners by the previous administration to come back during the same week he was about to undertake such an important state visit to the USA. He should have waited till after this trip, then withdraw anyone he so desired. This is because all our envoys in that axis, especially US and Canada, ought to close ranks and ensure the success of the visit.

Another blunder he pointed out was that it was totally wrong for Buhari to visit an American president to table requests on fighting terrorism, recovering stolen money and marketing our economy to the American business community without ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Attorney General of the Federation, Defence, Trade and Investments and the like being part of his team. These are the people to articulate and implement the deals with their American counterparts.

What we saw, instead, was President Buhari including his son, Yusuf, in his entourage; to do what, at the expense of the Nigerian taxpayer? Some said it was part of his perk of office, but we are talking about a president keen on

reducing wasteful spending. The team should have been peopled by relevant technocrats and bureaucrats with core assignments to perform. Politicians should not have been at its vanguard. When the president goes on his annual leave or personal visit he can travel with his family as part of his perks. Presidents usually travel to such core business trips with their wives, not grown up sons or daughters.

Besides, this American jamboree which had as part of the official delegation, some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and former governors . The internet is awash with pictures of our president and his host in the company of their respective officials during a White House meeting.

While Obama’s team consisted of technocrats with their notebooks and pens busy during the talks, Buhari was flanked by politicians (state governors such as

Nothing surprises me about what I have seen of President Buhari so far. I warned it would be so during the campaigns. We have known this man for 48 years, and a leopard does not change its spots

Buhari is still making haste slowly

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VERY society has its stock of critics and cynics. Quite often, the former are preferred to the latter because in the course of their criticism, some critics would throw in alternatives or proffer solutions to problems; while the cynics never see anything good in a situation.

The past six weeks of President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-entry into government may have produced a lot of cynics among Nigerians who see Buhari as running the country like a Sole Administrator because of the leadership tussle at the National Assembly.

While they hurry to the conclusion that the stalemate at the National Assembly cannot be totally blamed on President Buhari, they refrain from saying what Buhari should have done in the circumstance – maybe he should have adopted the Late Bola Ige’s prescription of “sidon look” – just look on and do nothing!

All the same, there is a silent revolution going on in Nigeria today. The Buhari-led Administration is still making haste slowly.

But apparently, the citizenry is not being adequately informed of the goings-on in government. The ordinary Nigerian is hungry for information. He wants to know.

Luckily, he is able to decipher when publicity degenerates into sloganeering.

We remember Harold Macmillan (18941986), one-time Prime Minister of Britain, who opined that in times of war, the Ministry of Information should be re-named the Ministry of Propaganda. To Macmillan, governance is war by another name. We see here, the heavy emphasis he places on information.

For the third President of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without a press or a press without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

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There is no suggestion here that in government, the time for performance should be squandered on sloganeering as we witnessed during the immediate past administration. In any situation, “workwork” is better than “talk-talk”. After all, hard work still remains the major antidote for success.

We want to welcome Nigerians to our glorious past, where there was voluntary compliance to lawful orders. In those days, at the mention of “Wole-wole”, “Ikoiko”, or “Edokita”, people cleaned up their environment without waiting for anyone to stand by them with the headmaster’s cane. Government orders were obeyed by faith. People did not need to see government officials before they obeyed.

While President Buhari is yet to speak, his body language alone is sending shivers across the land. Lately, even the electricity companies are gasping for breath, trying to stay afloat in the new order. Suddenly, those embalmed chicken and turkey meats are disappearing from our markets because the Customs Officers at the borders have woken up. The same thing is happening to all banned items. The thief catchers and the courts are waking up. “Ikoiko” is around.

These are happening, not so much because the people like the administration but because they know the consequences of noncompliance. That’s leadership! And that’s what we call governance by body language.

The present scenario becomes the more relevant against the backdrop that Nigeria’s

But nothing vitiates the need to constantly tell the people what he is doing

Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa) who, being VIP tourists, sat pretty with smug smiles for the cameras. I am not saying that notes were not being taken by some other members of the Nigerian delegation out of sight. All I am saying is that it amplified the picture of that trip as a jamboree, both to the American hosts and to us onlookers.

Now consider this outrage.

Chairman of APC Governors Forum, the voluptuously Okorocha and chief exponent of bailouts for bankrupt states, came back to Imo State and immediately erected giant billboards of himself shaking hands with President Obama, with President Buhari looking on with admiration.

These billboards which adorn strategic street corners in Owerri and other major towns are boldly captioned: “BEHOLD, THE NEW FACES OF CHANGE!” What childish folks we now have in Government Houses calling themselves “Excellencies”! See me now, I travelled with President Buhari to America and shook hands with President Obama! I was there!!

But of course, Okorocha has since denied ever being the one that put up the billboards.

Perhaps, Ochereome was the one who did!

Quite apart from the issue of a jamboree trip, there was this worrisome insight that Buhari gave during a press conference in Washington where he was asked how he would treat the lingering problems in the Niger Delta and handle the issue of inclusive government.

When he eventually addressed the issue he got many people confused with a contradictory declaration.

First he made it clear that it is “political reality” for those who “worked hard” to give him “97 per cent” of the votes to expect to be “rewarded” more than those who gave him “5 per cent”. Then in another breath, he said the constitution has guaranteed that every state would be part of government. He had promised: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”. Therefore, if he shows favoritism he would be contradicting himself, and people will be “quick to pick on that against me”.

Will Buhari reward Nigerians according to the volume of votes he got from each section? The answer to this may be found in the appointments he has made so far. The overwhelming majority of his appointees are from the North where he got “97 per cent” of his votes. All other five geopolitical zones have been favoured with appointments made so far, leaving out the South East from where he got the least number of votes. His party, APC, is kicking against the inclusion of South East lawmakers as principal officers of the National Assembly, and he is supporting his party’s position. He made a Freudian slip, which is actually an exposure of his real intentions which he has been putting to practice.

Nothing surprises me about what I have seen of President Buhari so far. I warned it would be so during the campaigns. We have known this man for 48 years, and a leopard does not change its spots.

problem has never been the absence of laws but the nearabsence of enforcement.

Evidence of this has always been in the preponderance of the same banned products on our streets and markets.

The moral messages communicated by our laws are sharply contradicted by the absence of enforcement. The public sees the conducts condemned in words but also sees in the dramatic absence of enforcement that they are not condemned in deed. This is undermining of fate in the entire system and, in the long run, it breeds cynicism and indifference to the process of law, which augments tendencies towards disrespect for those who make and enforce the law.

Full disclosure is not always desirable.

But people want to be carried along. A situation in which our friends in Washington, DC were the ones that informed us that Buhari’s cabinet will not be in place until September, is not neat enough. It should have been the other way round. After all, charity should begin at home.

Still achieving, still pursuing. The Buhari administration has terminated two obviously repugnant contracts that were entered into by the immediate-past regime of Goodluck Jonathan: the $103 million (about N21 billion) maritime security contract awarded to Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Limited, GWVSNL, believed to be owned by former Niger Delta Militant, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo); and the Pipeline Protection Contract awarded to the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, and Niger Delta Militant Group. The two most unconscionable contracts were terminated just a few days after Buhari’s re-entry.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has given a marching order to the Nigerian Army and Navy to take over their constitutionally-assigned responsibility of protecting the pipelines and our territorial waters.

For too long, Nigerians have been opposed to the idea of outsourcing the security of our vital assets to the militants and ethnic militias. While the contracts lasted, the contractors were smiling all the way to the banks and our security agencies that had the constitutional mandates were starved of funds.

Among other things, the Jonathan arrangement exposed the nation to ridicule and open embarrassment because it has no parallel anywhere in the world.

Besides, Nigeria did not get value for money as more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil were constructively stolen from us on a daily basis. There is no telling whether the contractors were the same people that were colluding with international shipping companies to steal the oil.

We commend the Buhari administration for doing the needful.

Need we advise that the security agencies that have just got back their constitutionally-assigned responsibilities must be properly equipped to perform? From whom much is expected, much must also be given. President Buhari has started well.

But nothing vitiates the need to constantly tell the people what he is doing, for even the Bible enjoins us to, at least occasionally, make a joyful noise.

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Brethren at war: How power tussle tears Assemblies of God Church apart

By Austin Ogwuda, Enugu

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VAILABLE statistics showed that the Assemblies of God Church has a population of over 2.6 million members worshipping in over 14,300 churches spread in Nigeria with its headquarters in Enugu, Enugu State. It has planted more than 50 missionaries in nine countries across the world with over 11,650 ministers.

However, the once peaceful members of one-fold family had been torn apart following a leadership tussle that is presently bedevilling the church.

Crisis of factionalisation of the church had been lingering as two senior Reverend gentlemen, Professor Paul Emeka and Dr Chidi Okoroafor have been at loggerheads, each laying claim to be the overall leader of the church, qualified to bear the designation General Superintendent, GS. The issue which resulted in litigation is currently at the last bus stop - the Supreme Court, awaiting the final arbitration.

Whilst the much-expected judgement is being awaited, members of the 27 Mount Street Parish in Enugu engaged in freefor-all recently.

The shameful act still centered on the crisis over who takes control of the parish which is believed to be lucrative.

Control of the parish The drama started when Reverend Nathaniel Udeze stormed the Mount Street parish with letters of posting and other court documents empowering him to be installed as the new pastor of the parish that morning.

But he was stoutly resisted along with his team of loyalists by the current Resident pastor of the parish, Reverend Amaechi Agbo who, along with his loyalists, accused Udeze of being an “intruder”. The disagreement led to a free for all when Udeze insisted on taking over since he had been officially posted there by the leadership of the church under Rev Paul Emeka.

He went on to inform the bewildered congregation that their resident minister, Agbo, had been transferred to another Parish since May 2015.

Earlier, supporters of both warring pastors were found

•The national headquarters of the church sharing different versions of the Sunday school manual during the school which angered the supporters of the divide until the two pastors began a shouting match that eventually led to the free for all.

The fracas attracted the attention of the police who raced to the place and the church was locked up.

That was not the first time members of the congregation would engage in such a show of shame.

Sometime last year, precisely December 3, 2014, hell was also let loose at the national headquarters of the church located in Enugu when the two warring factions engaged in a bloody clash that left no fewer than five persons seriously injured, while four cars parked at the premises were burnt beyond recognition during the free for all that ensued.

Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that the clash followed

•Happy to be alive... Gbemisola

•Show of shame... Security men battle to break up a fracas involving factional members of the church the invasion of the church headquarters by the Reverend Chidi Okoroafor-led faction in a bid to forcefully take over the national secretariat of the church which had been under the control

of the embattled General Superintendent, Reverend Paul Emeka and his loyalists.

Violence broke out that fateful Wednesday morning, December 3, 2014, when members of the

Okoroafor faction stormed the national secretariat in several buses and attempted to gain entry into the national secretariat but were prevented by Reverend Emeka’s loyalists.

••How we prevented bloodshed at the parish — PPRO

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Ours is to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order; what happened was that we intervened and averted what could have resulted to bloodshed

NUGU police command told VM surveillance has been mounted within the vicinity of the parish until normalcy would be fully restored which is still under lock and key as at the time of this report.

Speaking to our reporter, the State Police Command’s image maker, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said: “Please let me correct one impression. We (Police) did not lock up any church. Ours is to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.

What happened was that we intervened and averted what

could have resulted to bloodshed.”

“If not for our timely intervention that Sunday,” he went on, “it could have been a different story. When efforts were made to bring the two factions to amicable settlement,

which was not forthcoming, we gave our advice, so they locked it up and the keys are with them not with us (Police). But for now, we are monitoring the place to ensure that no unpleasant thing occurred there”.

••The CAC angle

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NOTHER angle has been added to the crisis as the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, had in a letter dated June 22, 2015 conveyed the withdrawal of the name of

Reverend Paul Emeka from the Certificate of Incorporation earlier issued pending the final determination of the case currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

— 21

Firm to drag Customs to court over looting of N50m cargo from port

By Godfrey Bivbere & Chizoba Nwaizu

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From left: Emezino Afiegbe, Business Development Leader, Visa West Africa; Nita Omanga, Risk Services Director, SubSaharan, Visa International and Osaretin Ekhator, Business Devt Manager, Visa West Birthday at a press briefing on the ongoing Visa Card Security week campaign in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

United Capital, CAL Brokers execute first trade under West African market integration

By Peter Egwuatu

Stock Exchange (GSE).

WACMIC was established to N an effort to boost capi harmonise a regulatory environtal market across West Afriment for the issuance and tradcan countries, Phase 1 of the ing of securities across the WestWest African Capital Market InAfrican sub region. tegration Programme, has The successful implementation kicked off with the successful of Phase 1 through the Nigerian completion of its first trade. capital market will allow brokers The West African Capital not registered in the Nigerian Markets Integration Council capital market, remote access to (WACMIC) which disclosed this the trading facility of the stated that the landmark trade Nigerian Stock Exchange was between United Capital Securities and CAL Brokers, en- through a local sponsoring abled by the Nigerian Stock Dealing Member firm licensed Exchange (NSE) and Ghana by NSE. Brokers in WACMI member countries can now trade on behalf of their clients and settle securities in Nigeria through local spon$121.30 0.90 soring brokers.

Other West African stock $3,186. 00 -7.00 exchanges such as Bourse Regionale des Valeurs $11.27 0.03 Mobilieres SA are expected to initiate similar deals which could be worth $52.93 an additional $2 million a day in capital market li47.38 -0.01 quidity to the Nigeria market.

CURRENCY BUYING Commenting on the deCENTRAL DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 velopment, Edoh Kossi POUNDS 305.4072 306.1863 306.9654 Amenounve, Chairman, EURO 216.2076 216.7592 217.3107 West African Capital MarFRANC 202.7307 203.2478 203.765 ket Integration Council YEN 1.5833 1.5874 1.5914 (WACMIC) said, “The CFA 0.3113 0.3213 0.3313 WAUA 273.3986 274.0961 274.7935 Council is proud to see the RENMINBI 31.5591 31.64 31.721 realisation of this important RIYAL 52.2653 52.3986 52.5319 target for regional integraSDR 273.8708 274.5695 275.2681 tion. The success of the folKRONA 28.9679 29.0418 29.1157 lowing phases depends on the participation of key CBN Exchange Rate as at 29/ 07 /15

I

C M Y K

market participants conducting transactions within the sub-region. Therefore, the support of all stakeholders across the West African capital markets is key to the success of the regional capital market integration program, which is gaining ground.”

As the leading Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) of the capital market to Africa’s largest economy, the NSE in conjunction with the GSE facilitated the trade conducted by United Capital and developed the framework for subsequent trades in the market.

“This inaugural trade affirms our commitment to regional integration and highlights the NSE’s resolve to partner with relevant bodies that will provide

The landmark trade between United Capital Plc. and CAL Brokers Ltd. signifies United Capital’s Pan African aspirations as it continues to expand its business dealings across the continent

our various stakeholders’ with platforms that will make them globally competitive. Through initiatives like this, we look forward to more cross border activities that will increase liquidity in the Nigerian capital markets, while strengthening our peers in West Africa. I extend my sincere congratulations to all parties that made this deal a reality,” stated Oscar N. Onyema, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Business dealings The landmark trade between United Capital Plc. and CAL Brokers Ltd. signifies United Capital’s Pan African aspirations as it continues to expand its business dealings across the continent.

“United Capital is fully committed to the objectives of the West African Capital Market Integration Programme. Having participated in the WACMI Technical Committee since inception, we are truly honoured to conduct this groundbreaking trade with CAL Brokers, a member of the Ghana Stock Exchange. This underscores our unwavering aspiration to make our excellent services available, in due course, to every African state, entity, and individual,” stated Group CEO of United Capital, Oluwatoyin Sanni.

FIRM, Messrs Elopetz Resources Limited, ERL, has threatened to drag the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to court over the theft of its consignment from Customs custody at Ikorodu Lighter Terminal.

Public Relations Officer of Ikorodu Customs Command, Ahmed Oloyede, told Vanguard that only one of the three containers was vandalised and that the other two were intact.

Solicitors of ERL, Okwudili Alagbu & Co in a letter of intent to sue the service said that the 3x40 containers of beer glass and mugs with container number, TRLU 8190033, TCLU 5464240 and TGHU 8550660 were originally destined to Tincan Island port but had to be re-routed to Ikorodu Terminal because of the complex clearing system there.

The letter signed by Okwudili Alagbu, noted that one of the three containers was completely looted and that parts of the other two containers were also being looted by unknown persons within the premises of the customs.

The letter stated that details of how it happened have earlier been conveyed in a letter written by the client to the NCS in April, 2015 which was dismissed with a wave of the hand because of the level of impunity in the Service.

Addressing journalists Alagbu explained that “during examination, it was discovered that one of the containers was completely looted. While the other two were being looted by yet to be identified persons. He said that the market value and cost spent so far in the clearing of the three containers, with containers numbers: TRLU8190033, TULU 5464240 and TGHU8550660 respectively, was approximately N50 Million (fifty Million Naira) excluding the interest rate which has accumulated from the monies borrowed by my client from one of the new generational bank.

“This is not just a stain on Nigerian Ports or NCS alone but a national embarrassment because my client’s foreign partners couldn’t believe their eyes when they were told.”

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

As an entrepreneur, you either lead your organisation to success or failure, there is no middle ground

,

,

Pitfalls entrepreneurs should avoid

W

hether you are old or new, being an entrepreneur is a very exciting thing. The thought of being in control of your life and that of your finances can bring a sense of accomplishment that only you can understand. There are dangers however, that can foil the happiness you derive from being an entrepreneur. What are some of these pitfalls and how can you avoid them?

Fund mismanagement As an entrepreneur, you either lead your organisation to success or failure, there is no middle ground.

Entrepreneurs however have the tendency to mismanage funds and make expenses that are not part of their budget.

When investing, it is advisable to seek the opinion of an expert in the field Frivolous spending can cause a lot of headaches for you and eventually lead to the downfall of your business.

Rather than engaging in expenses that are not necessary, concentrate on not losing sight of the more important things. Don't divert funds for the purpose not intended, over spending can lead to bankruptcy.

Overworking In a bid to make as much profit as possible, most entrepreneurs tend to overwork themselves. They forget that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. When they overwork, they become stressed to the point of not being productive enough. By taking care of yourself, you will be refreshed and energetic enough to have a qualitative output when you are ready to resume work.

As an entrepreneur, it is necessary that you take some time off to enjoy holidays. Don't work till late at night. Rest refreshes, without it you and your business may end up collapsing. Try to find a balance between work and duties, set a schedule and stick to it.

Laziness

Rest is okay for you as an entrepreneur, but problems arise when you spend the time that you are supposed to spend on work resting. There will be problems with your business if you combine work with rest. The rate at which your business grows will not be rapid enough and you may be phased out of business by your competitors.

When you fix an appointment, endeavour to meet up with it. When you resume in the morning, make it early enough as if you are going for a paid employment.

Just as laziness can get you fired as a salary earner, it can make you go bankrupt as an entrepreneur.

Bad decision making An entrepreneur is the boss.

He is in charge of everything going on in his business. This absolute authority can either be a strength or a weakness.

Since no one checks him or the decision he makes, an entrepreneur may make decisions that are not informed. This can be a policy regarding his business, and the finances. It can also be related to hiring and firing at will. An entrepreneur may structure his organisation in a way that is not suitable for the growth of his business even if there is nothing wrong with it from his own perspective.

He can also make an uninformed decision about an investment that may turn out bad for his business. This is a pitfall that all entrepreneurs must strive hard to avoid. When investing, it is advisable to seek the opinion of an expert in the field.

Over familiarity It is not economical to make friends with your business.

Some entrepreneurs tend to allow personal relationships interfere with the business proper. They turn their staff to friends such that the staff see no big deal when they fail to deliver on set target. This often happen with male entrepreneurs who take the costly step of dating their female employees. If this happens, it will be difficult for the boss to play his role of ensuring productivity. The business may end up collapsing. *Courtesy Wealthresult.com

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (27/07/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196

196.5

197

304.2312 216.7368 204.6356 1.5905 0.3077 272.3292 31.5616 52.2597 29.04 274.0864

305.0073 217.2897 205.1577 1.5946 0.3177 273.0239 31.6426 52.393 29.1141 274.7856

305.7834 217.8426 205.6797 1.5986 0.3277 273.7186 31.7235 52.5263 29.1882 275.4848

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Effective pricing strategies for business success

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency reports

O

ne of the secrets to business success is knowing how to set the best prices for your products. If you set your prices too high, you may scare away customers and favour your competition. If your prices are too low, you may be losing profits and running your business at a loss.

The best price for your product or service is one that is low enough to attract customers but high enough to make you a good profit. Can entrepreneurs set prices that attract customers and guarantees good profits? It is possible, but you'll have to know the strategies to apply and in what markets to apply them.

Value to customers One of the most effective strategies you can use is to price your product based on value.

The value of a product means different things to different people. The more

value a person places on a product or service, the higher the price they're likely to pay for it.

You may not be willing to pay N1,000 for a bottle of water, because there is water everywhere around you. But if you're lost in the middle of the Sahara desert with no water to drink for five days, if somebody shows up with a bottle of water and offered to sell it at N2,000, you will most likely go for it.

This clearly shows how consumers react to price when the product holds a lot of value for them. This value could be based on several factors such as emotions, survival, greed, scarcity, status etc. The higher the value customers place in your product or service, the higher the price they're likely to pay. It's a natural law and a fact of human behaviour.

Know your customer Analyse your market and study your potential customers when you're setting prices for your products or services. You can set any prices you want, but if your target customers cannot afford it, your business won't sell anything.

By studying your target customers' behaviour, likes, dislikes, preferences, tastes, lifestyle, income levels etc, you will gain a lot of insight that will help you to set the right prices for your products or services.

There are three main types of customer groups you should always consider when you•fre setting prices. Pricesensitive customers – price is the most important factor that affects their buying Conveniencedecision. centered consumers – Those who value convenience more than everything else.

Quality-conscious customers – They will pay anything to get the best quality of a product or service. The more you know about your target customers, the better you can set a price that will appeal to them. Putting your customer first is a strategy that always works.

Cover your costs To survive and succeed in business, you need to make profit. Profit means that you•fre selling your products or services at a price that is higher than the amount it cost

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

Change ($) +0.36

% Change +0.76

2.84

+0.05

+1.83

11.23

-0.01

-0.09

121.20

+0.80

+0.66

3,190.00

-3.00

-0.09

you to make the product or deliver the service.

Before you set a price for your product, you need to be very sure that it covers your costs and will make you a profit. Apart from the cost of making a product, you also need to know how many products you need to sell in order to turn a profit. Many entrepreneurs just set a price that looks good without first checking if the price covers their costs and will be profitable. If you set a price that favours your customers, but is bad for your business, it will only be a matter of time before you won't have a business anymore. You must consider your direct and indirect costs. If your cost is more than your price, it'll only be a matter of time before you run out of business.

Competition Everybody who does business knows that price is one of the effective ways of attracting customers to your product or service. This is why you need to always consider the pricing of your competitors.

Consumers are smart; they always want a fair price, and will always compare your price against your competition. If a competitor’s product is cheaper and there's no major difference in the value of the products, you could lose

The best price is one that is low enough to attract customers but high enough to make good profit

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What guides your behaviour as a leader?

COMMODITIES (28/07/15) Last 47.75

The truth is that comprising leaders would always end up having subordinates that will take after them

customers to your competition.

Business is a race. You need to constantly make sure that your product or service is competitively priced, especially if your products and services are similar to those offered by the competition.

Demand More than 99 percent of consumers only buy products and services they need or desire. But there are times when people are •'forced' to need and desire certain products and services. In such periods, the demand for these products and services skyrocket beyond the supply in the market. When such events occur, it's usually an opportunity to raise prices.

For example, during festive seasons like Christmas, New Year and other religious and national celebrations, the demand for food products automatically increases.

Because more people than usual will want to buy foods like rice, chicken, drinks etc. to celebrate with their families. Also, before the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, not many people knew about or had used a ‘hand sanitizer’ before. The demand and price of this gel, which is usually applied on the hands to kill germs, skyrocketed. The huge unprecedented demand for this product made it a highlypriced product overnight.

To get the best price for product or service, it's always a good strategy to target periods of high market demand. By targeting times of scarcity or excess demand, you could increase your pricing as a strategy to make more profits.

These opportunities are not available throughout the year so it makes perfect sense to exploit it the most you can.

Culled from Smallstarter.com

“Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone displays his own image”…Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

E

very well established company or organisation is expected to have set of core values. These core values are highly important and are carefully chosen by organisations to guide and drive their behaviours. Sadly, most of the problems we face today in organisations like: accountability issues, commitment issues and integrity issues etc come to be because the established core values have been pushed aside instead of being seen as “non-negotiables”.

If organisations are guided or expected to be guided by their core values as explained above, what then guides or drives a leader? In the world of today, competence or learned skills might not stand a leader out in troubled situations. Not also enough to build a lasting relationship and enhance performances.

This is because most leaders are building themselves up with the required skills and competency and as such require something more to stand them out and also guide their behaviours. What leaders need today that will guide or drive their behaviours is “personal values” synonymous to organisation’s core values.

Some people might argue with this, but I have not seen a leader who has set of personal values and who also lives by them that have not turned out to be highly remarkable. I had a personal experience that reinforced to me the need not to compromise one’s personal values. On the 27th of June, 2015, I and two other speakers were billed to speak in the Ace Graduate School conference in Enugu. I have only known one of the speakers and did not know the third speaker. On that day, as soon as our 7am flight landed, I was “unnecessarily” in a hurry to get out from the airplane. In trying to get my bag from the baggage compartment, it slipped and tapped a passenger’s shoulder.

Surprisingly, another passenger who was not

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

The world is looking for that leader who is driving results based on the right values affected by this incident retorted me: Why are you in a hurry to go? Why don’t you wait a bit for the line to clear up?

First and foremost, the man who was affected by the incident had accepted my apology and was fine, so what is the business of this third party? Sincerely, it is not the other man’s business to get involved in something that did not concern or affect him.

So when he said those things to me, two thoughts came into my mind. The first was “remember you teach people attitudinal change transformation”, and the second and most important was that “you cherish ‘relationship’ so much as one of your personal values.

Immediately, I stopped what I was doing sat back in my sit, and said to him, “you were right”, I would have waited.

He looked at me and smiled.

Here comes the shock of my life. Lo and behold, when we got out of the plane, the cab man who was to take me to the conference venue also warmly greeted the man who spoke to me on the plane. Do you know what? The man was the third speaker whom I did not know. Behold, we were inside the cab together going to the conference venue, and he said to me: you are a great man. That the way I behaved was exemplary. He said most people would have misconstrued him and end up giving him the insult of his life.

Within me I asked myself a

key question: what if I had quarreled with this man who I was going to speak with? I would have felt seriously bad and disappointed in myself.

But more importantly, I would not have been be able to speak courageously and tell the audience my message of “how they can be the best”, when their facilitator could not even handle a minor situation in the plane.

This is big lesson for everyone.

When a leader is guided by his or her personal values, he would be able to surmount lots of challenges that would have gotten him/her or others into trouble. Same also for organisations, when they live by their core values growth and sustainability are accelerated. The only reason why I did not create an unwarranted scene on the plane (that would have backfired against me) was not because I was smart, or I had people management skills, but because I was more interested in fostering better relationships with people – driven by my personal values. As a leader or manager, do you have list of personal values that guide your behaviour and performance? If you do, do you see them as something you don’t have to cut corners with or settle for less? The world is looking for that leader who is driving results based on the right values, who sees his or her values as non-negotiables.

Final note: Everyday leaders face situations that often times may lead them to compromise their personal values. When they are in that situation, some leaders compromise while others don’t. When personal values are compromised, our behaviours and directions are allowed to hang loose.

We simply go to the direction of the wind and not where we ought to go. The truth is that compromising leaders would always end up having subordinates that will take after them. This explains why lots of organisations find it difficult to live up to their core values. When we compromise on our personal values it will be difficult to be guided by the organisational core values. Ultimately, organisations suffer.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

FirstBank, Freedom Park promote creative industry

By Naomi Uzor

F

•AWARD: Ms. Caroline Abel, Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles (right)and Mr. Olumide Orojimi, Head, Corporate Communications, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), receiving the Regulator of the Year Award on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, at the 6th African Business Leadership Forum & Awards, in London, United Kingdom (UK).

IRSTBANK of Nigeria Plc. and Lork Enterprise, managers of Freedom Park, weekend, partnered to boost creative industry in Nigeria.

In a parley with the media to unveil the partnership, the Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Mrs. Folake AniMumuney, who was represented by the Head, Sponsorship and Events, FirstBank, Mrs. Bridget Oyefeso Odusanmi, said that the partnership is to join hands in extending the frontiers of Freedom Park as a one-stop integrated centre for arts, theatre performances and recreation.

She said: “The First@arts initiative was driven by the quest to promote entertainment as a veritable vehicle for cohesion amongst family and friends,

IMF calls for reduction in external imbalances

By Babajide Komolafe

I

N T E R N AT I O N A L Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on the world’s largest economy to take steps to reduce external imbalances to improve prospects for sustained global growth and financial stability The Fund made this call in its 2015 External Sector Report (ESR), released on Tuesday. The report among other things analyzes recent developments and provides updated staff assessments of economies’ external positions, including current account balances, real exchange rates, external balance sheets, capital flows, and international reserves.

Speaking with the IMF Survey, IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton discussed the findings of this year ’s ESR, noting that the

policy agenda to reduce excess imbalances remains unfinished. Steady, appropriate action on the part of both excess surplus and excess deficit economies is needed, he stressed.

Lipton said, “If we look back to the situation of around 2006-08, imbalances today are

The catch is that we’re not satisfied with current circumstances, which include a global recovery that remains subpar

much reduced. Still, the ESR finds that imbalances overall are still too large. In too many economies, current account surpluses and deficits exceed their staff-assessed norms. In general, the last few years have seen little progress in reducing such excess imbalances. To be clear, at the level of individual economies, there has been some progress but also some setbacks.

“For example, the too-large deficit of the United States has narrowed, but that of the United Kingdom and some emerging markets have widened. From a global perspective, such a “rotation” of deficits replaces one problem with another. What we need to see instead is a matched narrowing of excess imbalances on both sides, with further progress on both excess surpluses and excess deficits.”

Commenting on the impact of

recent currency movements on the problem of external imbalances, Lipton said, “The ESR emphasizes the need to evaluate the recent exchange rate shifts in light of other important recent developments. Much of the sizable currency movements we’ve seen since are natural responses to shifts in commodity prices, especially the plunge in the price of oil, and to divergences among economies in terms of growth, inflation, and monetary policy.

The pattern of real effective exchange rate movements generally will help adjustment to the commodity price. Among the major advanced economies, the divergence of their monetary policies and their exchange rates is likely to be beneficial for the global economy as a whole—under the given circumstances—including by directly and indirectly easing global financial conditions at a time of global slack..

Curves ladies-only fitness franchise opens in Nigeria

T

HE fitness and wellness industry in Nigeria witnessed the break of a new dawn at the weekend, with the entry of the world’s largest fitness franchise, Curves International, which added Nigeria on their map with the commissioning of their first Nigerian outlet in Lekki, Lagos State.

Curves, which is a ladies-only fitness and weight-loss outfit, is also reputed to be the fastest growing franchise in business history, with over 7,000 outlets in 93 countries and Nigeria now bringing the total number to 94 countries. Founded by Gary and

Diane Heavin in Harlingen, Texas, USA, in 1992, Curves ladies-only centres use equipment specifically developed for women, which in just 30minutes are able to work all the vital muscles of a woman to keep her strong and healthy. The Curves innovative 30-minute fitness concept combines strength training and sustained cadiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance, in very safe and secure environments.

Speaking at the commissioning, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle,

who was represented by the Commercial Counsellor, Mr. Brian McCleary, expressed delight at the entry of Curves into “Africa’s most populous nation, and biggest economy”, and praised the doggedness and resilience of the Nigerian women.

He said: “All Nigerians are very resilient and very hardworking, but the Nigerian woman is even more resilient, hardworking and entrepreneurial”, saying that he was particularly impressed that Curves addresses the need of the woman.In his goodwill message to Nigeria by the founder of Curves, Mr. Gary Heavin, which

was delivered by the Regional Director for Africa, Curves International, Mr. Clive Robinson, he observed that when Curves began 25years ago, little did he know that the vision was going to travel very far. Therefore with Nigeria becoming the 94th country of the world where the Curves banner is flying, he had a special sense of fulfilment.

Also speaking, the Country Director for Curves in Nigeria, Mr. Emma Esinnah, pointed out that Curves was offering the Nigerian woman a new experience in wellness.

and it demonstrates the banks dynamism as a provider of bespoke services that meets the needs of its strong global-wide customer base.

“Through the years, FirstBank has influenced the history and growth of the country through the sponsorship of several arts initiatives across diverse cultures. The bank has continually supported the annual Calabar festival over the years, Enugu carnival, Thespian Theatre and even the scintillating drama and dance group, Umoja, from South Africa among several others” she said.

She noted that there are common threads running across the arts irrespective of demographic, education, age, gender, social, religious or political inclinations and that arts come with inherent common denominators education, enlightenment and entertainment.

“This is the digital age. In line with the Central Bank’s cashless or cash-lite policy and our pioneering position as an innovative, creative and visionary brand, we will ensure that those who patronise Freedom Park purchase their tickets and pay for other services seamlessly by providing ATM machines and POS terminals at various destinations within the park; as well as various electronic cards for online payments.

“This would enhance the safety and security, convenience and ease of transactions, to foster true freedom for the users of the park.

“We are confident that this partnership with Lork Enterprise would open the doors to a new era in arts and entertainment. We invite artistes, art promoters and patrons alike to enjoy this new dawn provided by First@Arts and Freedom Park.”

The C.E.O, Lork Enterprise LLP, Mr. Theo Lawson, said Freedom Park was designed to create a platform for dialogue between the arts and the community.

“The partnership with FirstBank will totally change our capacity to engage and promote the bountiful latent talent we regularly come across as well as provide a rich menu of entertainment and experience of our visitors,” he stated.

According to him, the park is armed with knowledge gleaned from historical writings and was reconstructed with a blend of research and archaeology.

“It holds the key to history, mystery, culture and leisure.

Freedom Park answers the question of where historical preservation fits in - by maintenance and retention of existing historic property as it has evolved over time. It adds to a historic property to meet continuing or changing uses,” he stated.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 —25

PROTEST: Parents stage protest in front of University of Lagos over school’s admission cut-off mark, accusing the institution of refusing to accept JAMB’s approved cut-off mark of 180 and has imposed its cut-off mark of 250.

Stakeholders demand explanation of criteria for varsities placement

By Dayo Adesulu

W

HEN the students who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME, received their results, those who scored above 200 were elated that 2015 is their year of admission into universities of their choice.

However, their joy and hope of admission was short lived when the almighty JAMB came up with a new policy last week to reallocate candidates to other universities they did not choose.

The development has generated criticisms from stakeholders in the sector, questioning the competence and credibility of the

ExtendTETfund interventions to critical infrastructure Daramola PG. 27

Invest in education to promote peace, tolerance – Italy Consul General PG. 28

umpire.

While many people threw aspersions on the university authorities, many more are heaping the blame at the door step of JAMB, saying the examination body should be held responsible for the hiccups.

Many stakeholders who questioned the rationale behind the new policy believe a lot of things are wrong with the examination body saying that, instead of subjecting its candidates to the admission stress, why not allow them, from inception, to approach the university of their choice directly for admission.

Those calling for the scrap of

JAMB said they can recall the various inadequacies associated with JAMB in the process of conducting examinations for their children in the last UTME.

Insufficient exam centres At first, it started with registration of candidates for computer based test, followed by complains of insufficient examination centres which resulted into posting of students outside the state where they registered for the exams.

Subsequently, some students who registered in some states were posted to other states like

Kwara, Osun, Oyo for UTME. The development did not sit well with many stakeholders as candidates who could not travel alone were compelled to go with their parents. Which suggested that if such parents were to be civil servants, they would have to seek for permission from their bosses, pay for transport, book for a hotel and pay for feeding for those two days. All in the name of seeking for admission.

Meanwhile, the excuses tendered by JAMB at that time were; insufficiency of computers and centres for the examinations.

This was the same JAMB that generated about N10.6billion from students’ registrations. Each

How Prof Hattie's research faults government's education policies

By Dayo Adesulu

W

ORLD leading education expert Professor John Hattie has questioned some of the key reform policies pursued by governments in the last 20 years.

Hattie’s research promises to be useful for education policy makers in Nigeria, who are tasked with the significant duty of improving Nigeria’s struggling education system.

John Hattie in his report states

that “school choice, teacher performance pay and reducing class sizes are part of a “politics of distraction”. The papers are published by Pearson as part of its “Open Ideas” series, in which independent experts from around the world provide their views on the big, unanswered questions in education.

In his report, Professor John Hattie expressed that; “Despite the best of intentions, education has become fraught with the politics of distraction, most

drawing us away from the critical work at hand. That is, ensuring that each student makes at least one year's worth of progress for one year's worth of effort. If we truly want to improve student learning, it is vital that we shift our narrative about teaching and learning away from these distractions, and begin the critical work of building up collaborative expertise in our schools and education systems.”

Hattie continues by Continues on page 26

candidate paid N6,250 for registration, just as about 1.7 million candidates registered.

Why must students be subjected to untold suffering for the laxity of the examination body, parents queried.

Moreover, when candidates were filling the JAMB forms, they were specifically instructed by JAMB to choose, one university, one polytechnic and one college of education, which candidates complied.

New policy Now the latest is the new policy where candidates will be redistributed to universities based on the discretions of JAMB authority against the wish of the candidates. Students are saying that they were not carried along and argue that the decision is against their wish.

According to some of the students who spoke with Vanguard, a lot of things are put into consideration before a candidate decides to choose an institution. Some of the factors include; tuition fees, efficient programme, proximity to mentioned a few. JAMB should therefore explain to the public the criteria used to transfer and send names of candidates to various universities.

Reactions: Mr. John Kuye, one

Continues on page 26

26— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

How Prof Hattie's research faults government's education policies Continues from page 25

LECTURE: From right, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Femi Saibu; Principal Partner, Lekan Alabi Chambers, Mr. Lekan Alabi; a guest, and Professor Rasheed Arogundade, shortly after an inaugural lecture with the them: "The detective in a radiologist"at the University of Lagos.

Stakeholders demand explanation on criteria for varsities placement Continues from page 25 of the parents said: ''My daughter, who scored 222 in the UTME, chose University of Ibadan as first choice, but her name was shorlisted for postUTME at Ayo Babalola University. My daughter had since rejected it. As a teacher, where do I get the money for private university."

Also, Mr Kenneth Ehigiator lamented the untold sufferings JAMB had subjected him and the son to since the introduction of CBT to the redistribution policy.

He said: “UNILAG was the first choice of my son who scored 205, but was not short-listed for postUTME.

Cut off mark I knew how I had to travel with him to Osun state for UTME because JAMB relocated his centre from Lagos to Osun.’’On his part, Sunny Bling said:’’Please, I am concern about the increase in cut-off mark for UNICAL and other university to study law. At UNICAL is 239 and it was not like that before. The government should talk to JAMB to reduce the cut-off mark so that students could gain admission.’’

Mr Adeshina Sule said: ‘’I beg to reserve my comment till after Monday 5. But one can easily deduce from the rag tag defence from JAMB so far as a quick move to cover up a gone awry corrupt agenda.’’

Reacting to the brouhaha that greeted the new admission policy, the Head of JAMB, Lagos, Dr. Beatrice Okorie explained that the effort was only geared towards helping candidates of oversubscribed institutions gain admission to other federal or state universities rather than wasting their scores.

She said: “If we had not done this, many of the candidates would have fallen prey of the universities’ money-making

machine - post-UTME, without securing admission even with their high scores.”

Using the University of Lagos as an example, she noted that its carrying capacit is 5,000 students, yet it has about 32,000 candidates struggling for the slots.

“What we have done is to take those who didn't meet the cutoff points of UNILAG based on merit, catchment areas and the educationally less disadvantaged areas, but who have chances of securing admission in other federal and state universities and push them there to write postUTME tests,” she added.

Speaking with Vanguard, Professor Oyesoji Aremu, Director, Distant Learning, University of Ibadan said: “JAMB’s decision to unilaterally, willfully and ‘forcefully’ redistribute candidates whose scores are below 250 from the six Federal universities classified as the most sought institutions, is the most malicious and distressed policy ever made by the Board.

"I have personally x-rayed JAMB’s reasons for doing so and found same not to hold water by any standard. JAMB’s claims were that: a pruning mechanism, enhancing universities ranking and making them the best globally, and not to jeopardize

If we had not done this, many of the candidates would have fallen prey of the universities’ money-making machine - postUTME, without securing admission even with their high scores

the right of some candidates.

These reasons are not only baseless and unfounded, they are also unthinkable of a board like JAMB. "One, does JAMB possess the power to prune? Prune what and in whose interest? It is the traditional right of respective universities to prune through their admission policies who and who can attend such universities.

JAMB is not a clearing house.

"Two, the board’s reason that its decision is to enhance the six universities’ ranking to make them the best globally: When did the board usurp the power of National Universities Commission?

"Again, how would admission assessment to universities improve ranking when UTME’s scores having been found through studies not to have correlated with eventual academic performance in undergraduate programmes in Nigerian universities?

Aremu further said: “Setting aside some universities as the best is none of JAMB’s business.

The idea of making candidates who score less than 250 and ‘exporting’ them to other universities is to make them inferior to their counterparts whom JAMB claimed should be given a priority. More often, candidates who score high flying marks in UTME are found not to do better than others who don’t score as much in universities’ post-UTME. These are facts.

According to him, ‘’JAMB’s claim that the policy is not to jeopardize the candidates’ chances is not strong. Why would the Board want to cry more than the ‘bereaved’? It is practically against the right of choice and association of the candidates. How can the Board change the rules of the game in the middle of a game? It is not done. Abinitio, the candidates and their parents/guardians have decided and chosen the universities they want.

Muthar Bakare, Managing questioning widespread government focus on policies Director Pearson Nigeria, in including longer school days, commenting on the insightful teacher performance pay, and reports expressed that; “New reducing class sizes all of which technologies and innovations he says are less important than give us an unprecedented the variability in education opportunity to bring quality outcomes and teacher learning solutions to the world’s most vulnerable children and effectiveness within any school.

In the first report, titled What with the right focus, remote Doesn’t Work in Education: the communities in Nigeria and Politics of Distraction Hattie calls across Africa will be important out a number of popular, but low beneficiaries”.

He said: “By convening impact, policy “distractors”, describing; Longer school days development professionals, as lengthening the school day or innovators and businesses at the year, a very expensive fix and is Activate Talks, Unicef UK and shown to have little effect, as there Pearson, hope to broker a is no positive correlation between conversation that builds instructional time and student partnerships and develops solutions that contribute to the achievement.

Hattie goes to describe goal of giving the world’s most performance pay as marginalised children the compensating teachers based on education they deserve”.

Professor Hattie, is an performance alone, is proven to education expert at only increase the University of stress levels, Too much Melbourne who w h i l e attention is has dedicated his decreasing career to opening paid to the enthusiasm. up the “black box” H e differences of learning, rationalises between challenges that a better policymakers solution is schools, when around the world to increased pay the evidence re-evaluate their for increased strategies for expertise or shows that the improving learning helping fellow greater issue is using the available teachers evidence on what improve their the difference does and doesn’t skills. within schools, work in In smaller education. class sizes the particularly the Hattie asserts in evidence variability his report that “it is shows that our obligation to among teachers teachers tend provide every not to change their teaching approach, student with at least one year of regardless of class size; therefore learning progress for one year of smaller classrooms do not have input, regardless of their as much of an impact as academic achievement level when they begin”. He further anticipated. within-school Hattie continued that identifies technology as a magic bullet, is variability - most critically, the mostly used in the classroom as variability in the effectiveness of yet another way for students to teachers within any given school consume facts and knowledge. - as a fundamental problem to be In order to have a addressed.

Building on Hattie’s worldtransformational impact on teaching and learning, as such, renowned Visible Learning work, technology needs to be seen as which examines the relative impact of various education a tool to support teachers.

In choice of school, Hattie also interventions on student states that too much attention is learning, Hattie shows that paid to the differences between many of our most politically schools, when the evidence popular structural fixes, such as shows that the greater issue is school choice or reduced class the difference within schools, size, are simply “distractors”they particularly the variability among have had little impact on student learning despite costing billions teachers.

Hattie thus closes that the of dollars. The evidence tells us classroom that a student is that a much higher impact assigned to within a school strategy is to develop a culture matters more than the school of “collaborative expertise” in our itself. Studies show teacher schools and systems. education programmes have In his second report titled, What among the lowest overall impact Works Best in Education: the of all the influences on student Politics of Collaborative Expertise, achievement. Instead, more Hattie further lays out a series of focus should be placed on the tasks designed to reduce the first year of full-time classroom problem of within-school teaching, which is where the variability by seeking out and greatest learning happens for scaling up teacher expertise. teachers.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 —27

Over 90% of students cheat to pass exams —Educationist

By Dayo Adesulu

T

GRADUATION: Cross section of Emcoy Favoured School graduands and school proprietor, Dr. Femi Oyewole middle during their graduation in Ogba, Lagos.

Extend TETFUND interventions to critical infrastructure — DARAMOLA THE Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, in this interview with LAIDE AKINBOADE-ORIERE, urged the management of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETfund, to extend its intervention in tertiary institutions to critical infrastructure such as road construction, optic fibre for internet and hydro power plants. Excepts:

H

OW would you score TETfund intervention since it started its intervention in 1999?

A lot of the developments in Nigerian universities can be attributed to TETfund interventions. In fact, my friend who runs a state university once told me that the name of his university can appropriately be turned to TETfund University because a significant proportion of our capital projects are sponsored by TETfund.

If I must say, TETfund has done well but there’s room for improvement. The fact that there is room for improvement makes it developing. When there is minimal room for development, like Japan and America, they are developed countries.

Internet access Till today China is still a developing country.

You said TETfund has done well, in what areas would you want TETfund to improve?

TETfund intervention has been very significant but one of the areas that we wish TETfund could look into is infrastructure.

Right now they don’t fund infrastructure like road, internet access; I mean fibre optic cable, power etc. They don’t fund it but they are critical to tertiary education in Nigeria because the alternative to that is for governments, states or local governments to provide those facilities and since there are insufficient resources it is difficult to concentrate on any particular infrastructure.

TETfund can help in critical areas like students accommodation, but they don’t fund such. They don’t fund roads, they only fund things associated with reading and

learning like libraries, lecturers’ offices, lecture rooms and classes.

They fund computer centres, mainly buildings and some ICT buildings which are used for learning purposes. What we are saying is that yes; those things are important and we don’t even have enough of them, but we need power. Yes you and I would agree that we need power, investment in water provision for the environment to be decent enough, we need fibre optic for internet access and of course we need good roads.

In terms of covering all areas

by TETfund, you said hostel accommodation is not part of TETfund intervention but Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti state, has two big hostel blocks built by TETfund, what’s your take on that?

The situation of Federal University Oye-Ekiti, is peculiar because it is like a direct intervention from the Federal Government to give them a good start for a new university and one of the basic necessities is to have hostel on ground. Generally TETfund would emphasize that any facility that doesn’t have direct bearing with teaching and learning will not be covered.

Why can’t tertiary institutions in Nigeria fund road, student hostel, water and internet

TETfund intervention has been very significant but one of the areas that we wish TETfund could look into is infrastructure

HE proprietor, Emcoy Favoured College, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Femi Oyewole has stated that over 90 per cent of students in secondary school cheat to pass examinations.

Oyewole who lamented that many teachers are no more teaching the students as expected said , many students are lazy and very happy over the situation. The proprietor who spoke during the school’s 22nd Anniversary and Valedictory service noted that students no longer want to read but want to pass exams.

He decried what he called “Massive Malpractice” during WAEC, GCE, NECO and JAMB examinations in the country, urging the Federal and State Governments to intervene by banning any school or student caught cheating in exams from future exams conducted by the examination bodies to safe guide the nation’s educational system.

He said: “The word change which most of us have embraced will be a mere slogan if the fraud and malpractice being perpetrated in our various institutions, private and public schools' management and the so-called examiners should continue, the future of our education is bleak”, he warned.

Oyewole, specifically called President Mohammed Buhari to urgently introduce War Against Indiscipline and Corruption as he did in 1984 in various institutions in the country to stop what he described as “Slide” in our educational system.

He urged parents and the various schools' management in the country to have attitude change, adding that: “Any parent who does not believe in integrity, honesty, hard work and the fear of God, should not bring his children to any of my schools.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Ola Adebogun, Founder, Caleb University, Lagos, in his speech strongly warned parents to stop coercing their children into certain careers which are against the desires and aspirations of their children. He counsels parents to simply guide their children prayerfully when choosing careers. He told the youths not to expect success by accident, adding that it is the product of preparation met with opportunity that brings success.

His words: “Think big. Find out what you love to do and do it.

Maintain a positive mental attitude always. Believe in your capacity to succeed. Be open-minded to new ways of thinking and avoid conflicts.”

Expert urges Buhari on curriculum review Prof. Adebiyi Daramola provisions from the money given

by Federal Government for capital projects?

You and I know that Nigeria is going through some economic challenges, even before now many of our capital projects provided for in the capital budget of the Federal Government are usually not planned. So we have less than what is in the budget usually less than 35 percent or even less of fund released compared to fund budgeted or appropriated, but cash backing will be less than 35 percent or 40 percent. Some of the projects, even when we commence them, hardly have enough money to complete them.

Let us take a typical year we have a capital allocation of like N400 million to N350 million and at the end of the year we don’t get up to N120 million or N130 million, and those of us expecting the money have stipulated what we want to do with the money and at the strength of the allocation we have gone to award contract, only for you to be left with N120 million at the end of the year, then you discover that you are not able to deliver on that project because the money was not enough.

It is not that government is not doing anything, what we are saying is that the level of funding of capital grant is inadequate to provide the infrastructure.

By Ediri Ejoh

E

DUCATION expert and the Proprietress of Ruthwiphdale Schools and Foundation, Mrs Nike Odetola, has called on the Federal Government to restructure the country’s academic curriculum as a viable measure to enhancing sustainable national development.

Odetola, who is a Nigerian based in United Kingdom and a UK trained early years educator said this during the graduation ceremony of pupils of Ruthwiphdale Schools and Foundation, at Command, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.

According to her, the restructuring of the entire educational curriculum would improve the learning standard of the students in Nigeria. She also noted that the country’s educational system is at its lowest standard compare to developed nations.

Further stating that Ruthwiphdale Schools and Foundation, was established to provide adequate and quality education through the adoption of UK curriculum in training pupils, Odetola explained that the school decided to use both Nigeria and British teaching methodologies as a way of enabling pupils who might want to further their education abroad.

Her words; “The school standard is clear and consistent. We operate both British and Nigeria curriculum so that those that would remain in Nigeria will not have problem with the country’s education system and those that may want to further their education in Britain’s or outside the country will as well not have problem with the British system.

"Ruthwiphdale Foundation is established to help the less privileged in the country. The foundation has been able to reach out to the less privileged by visiting the SOS villages in Lagos and the rehabilitation of learning classes in state schools in Badagry and distribution of books to pupils. I urge government to change the pattern of deploying the resources in the education system, as change of the current curriculum would enhance the education system.

“Four five years plan is to have a secondary school and help more less privileged people to achieve their dream. My husband and I have decided to give back to the society by helping the down trodden to achieve their dream on this earth."

The school rolled out over 14 early years and junior primary grandaunts.

28— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Plan properly before making career choice — Experts

By Chris Onuoha

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COMMISSIONING: From left: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule commisioning Young Entrepreneurs's Club during the 3rd Lagos State Enterprise Day held at NECA House, Ikeja, as the Executive Secretary of LASTVEB, Engr. Olawunmi Gasper and technical students look on.

Invest in education to promote peace, tolerance —Italian Consul-General

By Glory Ekwenuya

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ONSUL General to Nigeria, Andrea Pompermaier has urged governments to invest more in education of their citizens, adding that education promotes peace, prosperity, progress and tolerance.

Speaking at Loving Gaze School's end of session celebration in Lagos, Andrea said: “Italy firmly believes that education promotes peace, prosperity, progress, reciprocal understanding and tolerance.

According to him, school is more precious than diamond, stressing that the experience and the knowledge gathered in school is inestimable which

accompanies us through our life’s journey in our minds and in our hearts.

Meanwhile, the General Manager, Loving Gaze School, Barbara Pepoli noted that the school was founded to provide quality primary education to all the children in the community, beyond the barriers of their social or economical background.

She said: “Over 60 per cent of our students have access to primary education. Thanks to the support of local and international donors who generously contribute to their needs. This is a fundamental educational choice made by Loving Gaze since its inception.

"Education shall be a right beyond socio-economical

circumstances and the quality of education should not be compromised if we want to raise adults who can see with an open heart, understand the value of each person, the respect and care for themselves and others.”

She, however noted that their students have been exposed internationally with the support of Lucia Melchiori, the School Director, and eight international volunteer teachers from France, Australia and Italy.

The event which took place at Ikate Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos offered an opportunity for students to bring on stage the “Little Prince” written by Antoine de SaintExupery, play together and showcase their singing and dancing prowess.

Stakeholders task prospective education minister

By Elizabeth Uwandu

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S stakeholders await the new education minister, Chairman of Intel Schools, Mr Godwin Okereke has tasked the prospective minister to see education as business that will add social value.

He made this known during the school’s graduation and valedictory programme held recently in Lagos.

Okereke said, ''I am looking for

a minister who will approach education from a business angle and as a social value process.

Business in the sense that resources given to education is well utilized in terms of achieving the objectives through control and monitoring. When education budget is made, he should know who implements these projects and how they are implemented.

Government should emphasise more on productivity and output in education and not just

budgeting which at the end nobody knows what it has achieved.

“I feel merit and hard work are the hallmarks of education.

It is not an issue of having 1000 children in one hall and teaching them the same course. It should be about teaching few people in a convenient and conducive environment. This is one aspect private education is better than public education."

ITH the effect of wrong career choice among secondary students in Nigeria, career guide experts has advised students to plan properly before choosing a career. According to them, this will in no small measure help them acquire requisite skills needed for their course of study and guide them in whatever career they choose.

The experts consisting members of Alumni 5 Association of School of Media and Communication, (SMC), Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, engaged students in their annual career enhancement programme at St Gloria College, G.R.A, Ikeja, Lagos.

This year’s theme, Media and Communications: Career prospects and emerging opportunities for secondary school students witnessed a large turnout of students where three career experts in the media industry guided, counseled, and

entertained questions from the students in an enriching and informative session.

The programme, meant to boost morale, encourage and guide young students in career selection, is for students in senior secondary 1 and 2 to acquaint them with necessary information before choosing a career to study in the university.

According Bolaji Fati, an alumnus of the SMC 5 association and a speaker said, “It is important for students to plan properly before making career choices. In my lecture, I have been talking about the importance of making career plans, preparing for the future and being able to project what the future will be. It is important for children to plan properly, for them to know the skills they possess and get experience working with adults. At the end of the day they will be happy doing what their passion is.”

Chart your own course, choose wisely — Solarin

By Tare Youdeowei

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RADUATES of Krisbethel College have been implored to chart their own course and choose their next actions wisely at their 12th Valedictory Service and Prize Giving Day of the 2014/2015 academic session where 30 boys and 21 girls were sent forth.

The call was made by the school’s principal Ms Oluwayemisi Solarin, as she gave the welcome speech at the event. “Class of 2015 you have concluded a phase in the race of life. I admonish you to choose your next actions to create the value you have chosen to create, to express the perspective you wish to express.

Be understanding and considerate while also being your own person. Be aware of the outer world while also being driven by your own unique, internal dreams and values.

"If you wish to be loved, appreciated and respected, then offer your love, appreciation, and respect. The way to get what you wish to have is to attract it by the way you live. You cannot receive anything of real value without giving real value.

“The more of yourself you put into all you do, the more successful you will be. Don’t struggle to fit into someone else’s mould. Chart your own course, be your own person, and harvest the real value in your own purpose. Your six years at krisbethel have given you a mind set to be a winner, a leader, creator of values, of opportunities. Direct your focus and energy into what you can do with these. Do not compromise the teachings we have given you to stand out and make positive changes. You have the opportunity to make things happen and to make a difference.” She said.

St Francis College holds 25th anniversary celebrations

S

By Tare Youdeowei

T Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos, has celebrated its Silver Baccalaureate Celebrations for its graduating class of 2015. This year’s celebration is unique because the school is celebrating its 25 years of existence, thus making the graduating class of 2015 the Silver Set of the school.

Events comprised a prom-night for the graduating students at the Sheraton Hotel and Suites in Ikeja, a thanksgiving mass at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Idimu, Lagos, which was conducted by Rev. Fr. Kwame Owiredu, SJ. Chaplain of LUTH/CMUL, Idi-Araba and pep talks at the school’s auditorium from an old-girl of the school, Dr Rita Igwilo and Nollywood actress, Mrs Nobert-Young.

Awards were also presented to outstanding graduating students as the day was rounded off with a speech by the school administrator, Rev. Fr. Chikere Ugwuanyi who admonished the graduating students to always follow the Jesuits motto of love and service.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015— 29

RESEARCH & DEVT

We are developing adjuvants from plants —Esimone PROFESSOR Charles Okechukwu Esimone is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The Professor of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology and former dean of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences spoke with Vanguard Learning in Awka recently on some of his research works on vaccine and how to make them work better. Excerpts:

By Ebele Orakpo

V

ACCINE development: The research is on vaccine development and how best we can make them work by developing vaccine adjuvants.

Adjuvants are substances that are included in vaccines to help them boost the immune system which vaccines are supposed to do. We are specifically interested in developing adjuvants based on indigenous medicinal plants because we have identified lots of compounds from our medicinal plants that serve as immunomodulators (substances that modulate the immune system.)

We have lots of medicinal plants which are blood boosters.

We have identified some of these plants and we are developing them into formulations that we can include in vaccines to boost their efficacy in animal models.

We have samples made from

spices and other herbs. These are still at the trial stage but we will perfect the formulation for human use and in the next couple of years, we will come up with formulations we can use as potential HIV and malaria vaccines.

Nano technology: Recently, we tried to use a technology called nanomedicine. If these adjuvants are formulated as small particles (at nano scale level), their capability to penetrate some normal barrier cells and stimulate the immune system is significantly increased.

Molecular characterization of resistance-causing genes: We hear a lot of stories about antibiotic resistance so we are looking at the genes responsible for such resistance in different microorganisms – bacteria, fungi, and malaria parasite. Many people in this part of the world experience resistance with some

of anti-malarial drugs so we have done epidemiological study to identify strains of plasmodium falciparum resistant to artemisinin now circulating in Nigeria.

I am doing a kind of mapping to see the prevalence of these

*Professor Charles Esimone

*Key roles of adjuvants in modern vaccines Courtesy: www.nature.com

resistant strains. This is very important because if you are not able to map resistance, people will be doing empirical treatment thinking the drugs are working because malaria parasite is not like bacteria where you do culture and sensitivity to determine the best drugs to use. Malaria parasite is difficult to culture; so we are trying to generate data to show there are some strains of the organism that are resistant in this area so that we can direct treatment empirically.

Herbs effective against resistant strains: I am interested in herbs that are effective against some of these resistant strains of the malaria parasite. For that, we need to develop the culture method for

malaria parasite. One of my PhD students will go and learn that technique and come back so that we can start culturing the parasite invitro. Once we are able to do that, we will be able to carry out all the various tests.

It will also help us to authenticate the claims of those who have formulations they say can cure malaria but because they don’t have a good model for plasmodium falciparum, if we are able to establish that culture here, we will be doing those studies and we can authenticate those claims and then let the public know which drugs are working and which ones are not working and the ones they could combine to work.

HIV:Before now, I had a stint in

HIV research, developing drugs for HIV/AIDS. Because of the risks involved in handling HIV, nobody wants to work with the virus frequently so we developed a system called single cycle replication where replicative elements of the virus are picked and cloned together and they can only reproduce at one cycle and stop reproducing. Then we added a reporter gene, luciferase, which can tell us when the virus is reproducing. You can monitor luciferase activity and know how the virus is responding.

We have published several papers on that.

We have had so many claims by people of medicinal plants with anti-HIV activities but no means of screening them so in 2003/2004, we developed a technique called Vector-based Assay technique by which we can actually screen large number of medicinal plants for anti-HIV activities.

To be concluded

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Okowa, DESOPADEC and vested interests

By Fred Omanufeme

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T was Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the former Central Bank Governor (now Emir of Kano) who in January 2014 enriched our political lexicon with the coinage of the term Vested Interests. At a youth summit geared towards national rebirth and renewal, Mallam Sanusi declared that Nigeria can only become great when as a people we “overcome the fear of vested interests.”

And by that he meant that those entrusted with leadership and governance must muster the political will to do the right thing no matter whose ox gored. In a thought provoking message that went viral soon after the meeting, Sanusi averred that “we must recognize that at the heart of the problem of Nigeria, at the heart of ninety per cent of our issues – from Boko Haram, to religious crisis, to ethnic crisis to unemployment, to the lack of education, to the lack of health care – is that there are people who profit from the poverty and underdevelopment of this country. ‘’And these people are called Vested Interests. And so long as they remain entrenched, and so long as we do not overcome our fear of them and dislodge them, we are not going to find a solution to this problem and we are not going to reach true potentials.”

Emir Sanusi’s narrative comes strongly to mind as I observe the heated and, sometimes confusing debate, over the proposed amendment to the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Act by the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

Proposed amendment The reactions to the proposed amendment have ranged from the ludicrous to the outrageous; ludicrous as in accusations that the proposed amendment is a ploy by the Governor to “control the DESOPADEC funds” and outrageous as in the Urhobo Youth Alliance for Equity and Justice threatening to “make Delta State ungovernable for Okowa,” if he went ahead with the proposed amendment.

As I observe the bluster, ethnic jingoism, and political demagoguery on display I have no doubt in my mind that Vested Interests are at work, and God help Governor Okowa. It was Arunma Oteh, the former Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission who observed that if you dare fight corruption in Nigeria, corruption will fight back.

First let us take a look at the proposed amendment.

Addressing the state chapter of Host Communities of Nigeria C M Y K

Delta State

Gov Okowa

Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, led by Dr. Peter Egedegbe, Governor Okowa explained: “We are not repealing the old law; it is not a new bill.

The amendment we are proposing is to structure DESOPADEC in line with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, model…I proposed that there should be a Managing Director and Executive Directors to run the day-to- day affairs of the Commission while there will be commissioners who will be on part time basis, representing different ethnic nationalities.

The Governor further assured members of HOSTCOM that the current practice of rotational leadership of DESOPADEC has not been tampered with in the proposed amendment, adding, “This is democracy and I am not expecting that the Amendment Bill will come out exactly as we proposed it. There will be public hearings where people will make their contributions. The final bill

I have no doubt in my mind that Vested Interests are at work, and God help Governor Okowa

will be the one that comes out of the House of Assembly. I don’t believe in forcing the hands of legislators.”

I have never been able to understand our predilection for speaking without thinking, or reacting based on sentiments instead of facts. Until that clarification by the Governor, you would have thought that the Governor had sponsored a totally new bill to the House of Assembly judging by the spate of attacks, sponsored newspaper/online articles, and sundry groups condemning the bill and calling for his head.

Service delivery What I expected after this explanation by the Governor was for opponents of the proposed amendment to dissect the new arrangement as envisaged by the governor and its relevance and suitability to our own situation. For instance, I expected them to ask questions like: Is the NDDC model the best we can have? How effective has it been in service delivery and in fulfilling its mandate to be a catalyst for infrastructural development and environmental renewal in the Niger Delta region? How many Executive Directors will be appointed under the new arrangement and how will they be appointed? How do we ensure that the Commission does not get bogged down by corporate politics and personality clashes?

These and many other pertinent questions should occupy the minds of those who truly mean well for the ethnic nationalities for whom the Commission was established. Instead I keep hearing mundane talk of some group being robbed of their chance to produce the next Chairman of the Commission or some other puerile argument. It is Vested Interests at work. And instead of taking advantage of the public hearing on the amendment these Vested Interests have been beating the

drumbeats of war in their selfish and dubious attempts to becloud the issue. The real issue here is one of development of the oil producing communities in Delta State, which have continued to languish in abject poverty and deplorable environmental conditions despite the billions that DESOPADEC has received on their behalf.

According to information posted on its website, “the Board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) was set up in July, 2007, to execute a clear and critical mandate; to rehabilitate, rejuvenate and resuscitate the peoples and communities of the oil producing areas of Delta State. This mandate is stated unequivocally in Section 13 (i) of the enabling law which set up DESOPADEC and states that the Commission shall “receive and administer exclusively the fifty per cent (50%) of the thirteen per cent (13%) Oil Derivation Fund accruing to the Delta State Government for: (a) The rehabilitation and development of Oil Producing Areas in the State, and (b) Other development projects as may be determined from time to time by the Commission.”

Environmental degradation There is no doubt that the government had noble intentions in setting up DESOPADEC. After years of painful neglect and environmental degradation it was imperative for the government to have such a special intervention agency to redress the injustice that the oil producing communities had been subjected to. But after eight years, I doubt if we can thump our chests and say that DESOPADEC has performed creditably when compared with the huge allocation it has received. We are talking about an agency that receives 50% of the derivation money that accrues to the entire Delta State.

The Commission’s budgets for 2013 and 2014 were N37b and N39 respectively. If we estimate the budget for the Commission at a conservative figure of N30b annually, that puts the total money that accrued to it in the last eight years at N240b. That is more than

the budget of states like Edo, Gombe, Anambra, and Jigawa.

Yet can we really say that the welfare of the people in the oil producing communities has experienced significant improvement? Can we honestly say that the Commission has done a good job of rehabilitating, rejuvenating and resuscitating the peoples and communities of the oil producing areas of Delta State? I reside in the oil-rich city of Warri where DESOPADEC has its headquarters and there is no gainsaying the fact that the oil producing communities are still bedevilled with infrastructural decay, urban blight, environmental degeneration, acute healthcare challenges, failing educational institutions, and crushing poverty. This is exactly why the Vested Interests cannot tout the achievements of DESOPADEC as reasons why the law setting it up should not be amended?

They have instead been championing their own agenda typically. For them it is always a question of who should get what and why contractors must be paid now as if our lives and that of the future generation depended on it. It would be a shame if Governor Okowa caves in to the Vested Interests and does not pursue the proposed amendment to its logical conclusion. My understanding from the proposed amendment is that it seeks to reposition the Commission for greater efficiency, best practices and responsive leadership.

Responsive leadership The idea of having a managing director and executive directors may have its own challenges but I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. It will serve the Commission well to have a hands-on management as is being proposed in the amendment. And collective leadership with checks and balances is to be preferred any day over dictatorship in whatever guise. Before now, DESOPADEC was run by an Executive Chairman who, more or less, operated like a sole administrator.

The members of the Commission, known as Commissioners, hardly attended meetings when they were called, and which was rare. They were, it seemed, only interested in the distribution of the largesse from the big honey pot. As long as the Chairman kept them happy with their own share of the ‘oil cake’ he was free to run the Commission any how he wanted.

For whatever it is worth, it is my considered view that we should give the proposed amendment a chance to succeed. Any reservations we may have about it should be properly andforcefully - canvassed at the public hearing. It is time we Deltans discard this penchant for feuding over every matter instead of engaging in constructive dialogue. Many of us glibly talk about change but we fail to realise that true, genuine change begins with each and every one of us.

•Omanufeme, a project consultant, resides in Warri.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 31

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 33

34 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2015

Trustee of the Lagos Country Club, Chief Kola Oyefeso (left) with the Managing Director of IsoBlack Concepts Limited, Mr. Igho Okor during Igho's inauguration as the new Secretary General of the Club in Lagos

Odusile pledges to use legislation to end quackery, non payment of journalists' pay AWARD: Mr. Olugbenga Kolawole, Commercial Director Coolworld, (m) presenting outstanding award to Abayomi Olomu (r) and Jeffrey Williams (l) representatives of Interswitch, during the Coolworld’ Partners Appreciation Dinner in Lagos.

By Emmanuel Elebeke

N

EWLY elected President of the Nigerian Union of

Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Abdulwaheed Odusile said, yesterday, he was determined to use a legal

instrument to end quackery and unnecessary delay of members’ salary in the country.

Odusile who made the pledge at the formal handover ceremony held at the NUJ Secretariat in Abuja, expressed dismay over the increasing activities of fake journalists operating in the country.

While reiterating his resolve to end quackery in the profession with a new legislation, he promised to take the union to a greater heights.

Odusile said that as part of fulfilling his campaign promises, his administration will in the next couple of days obtain form for the release of NUJ radio license as promised.

He said, “We will take the union to a higher level. I enjoin members to key into this administration and support us. All the promises we made in the course of our campaigns will be vigorously pursed.

We have taken the first step, we promised that we are going to give you a radio station. We have already started the process and are in consultation with the NBC and very soon, we shall take the form as a first step to the acquisition of radio license in the next couple of days.

While stressing his commitment to make the union more professional, Odusile said, “we are also poised to making the union truly professional in a way that Nigerian journalists can compete with any journalists in the world.

This is our promise, this is our goal. We will ensure that the issue of profession is pursued. We want to kickout the quacks in our midst because they bring our reputation down. This time around we need the support of the National Assembly in achieving these goals. With the right legislation, we will make quackery become history.

We need the support of the law to make a quack answerable to the law.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—35

Behold the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria THE rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) will swell with admission of 21 new silks to the Inner Bar. On September 21, the SANs will be sworn in as part of activities to mark the beginning of the new legal year.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) received 124 applications this year and it was pruned down to 50, out of which 21 were selected.

At the end of the screening, three academics and 18 advocates, including a woman made the final list.

According to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Committee, Mr Ahmed Saleh, LPPC took the decision at its 119th General Meeting.

Who are these new silks?

Vanguard Law and Human Rights profiled some of them.

By Dayo Benson & Bartholomew Madukwe

T

AHIR Mamman Dr. Tahir Mamman is the former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School.

Until his appointment as the school’s DG, he was the deputy director of the Kano campus of the institution,and also one time Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Maiduguri.

The law school celebrated it’s 50th anniversary at the twilight of his tenure as DG in 2013.

Born in Adamawa state,Dr Mamman attended the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and had his second and third degrees in Warwick University,England. He a recipient of the national honour, Order Of the Niger (OON).

Prof. Maxwell M. Gidado Prof. Maxwell M. Gidado was the former Dean of the Faculty of Law Nasarawa State University, Keffi, before his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

Born in Sugu, Adamawa State in 1960. A 1983 graduate of the University of Maiduguri , he was called to the Bar in 1984. He obtained the Master of Law (LLM) degree and PhD from the University of Warwick in England.

Gidado did his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1984-85 at the law firm of A.O. Arulogun & CO in Port Harcourt during which he was engaged in serious law practice and became a Professor of Law in 2011 at

Department of Private and Business Law, Nasarawa State University, Keffi before he was an Associate Professor.

He was a Deputy Dean of Law and was made Dean Faculty of Law in 2009, a position he occupied till his appointment as the Chief of Staff.

Gidado was Senior Special Assistant Legal and Constitutional Matters, to the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from 2003 to 2007 and Senior Special Assistant Legal and Constitutional Matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2003.

He was Secretary, Presidential Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution from 1999 to 2001, a former Assistant Director (Academic) at the Nigerian Law School Bwari from January 1999 to June 1999.

Gidado was also Special Assistant to the former Chairman Constitutional Debate Co-ordinating Committee Justice Niki Tobi JSC (rtd) which midwifed the 1999 Constitution from November 11 to December 31 1998.

Dr. Oladapo Olanipekun Dr. Oladapo Olanipekun, is the son of former Nigerian Bar Association president,chief Wole Olanipekun SAN. A product of University of Lagos Law Faculty,the younger Olanipekun who attended the Lagos campus of the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 2003. He studied for his PhD between 2005 and

We’ll make life an absolute hell for pirates — DG, NCC Pg 36 C M Y K

2009. He subsequently began his active law practice in his father ’s chamber, Wole Olanipekun and Co. He currently the head of chamber.

It was in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the advancement of the Legal Profession in the country that his name made the list of the new silk.

Prof. Paul Idornigie Professor Paul Obo Idornigie, is a University Scholar, holds a doctorate degree in International Commercial Arbitration, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (London), a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Member, London Court of International Arbitration, Member, International Bar Association and Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

He retired as a Senior Lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja where he taught Company Law & Practice (including Arbitration and ADR Processes) and Law of Evidence and later took up appointment as a Research Professor of Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Abuja.

He is a Resource Person to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He is on the Panel of Neutrals at the Abuja and Lagos Multi Door

He has in the course of his career represented corporate and individual clients in all the courts of record in the country, Commissions of Inquiry, Arbitration Panels, Election Tribunals, among others

•Edward Ashiekaa

•Kehinde Eleja Courthouses, Nigeria and the Panel of Arbitrators at the Lagos Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Lagos,and Nigerian Communications Commission, Abuja.

He was formerly at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE),the National Secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation,where he was a World Bank/Development for International Development Adviser (consultant) and General Counsel/Head of Secretariat.

In this capacity,Idornigie was the Legal Adviser to BPE and thus was involved in the drafting and negotiation of the privatisation,commercialisation and concession transactions and conversant with infrastructure regulation.

Kehinde K. Eleja Kehinde K. Eleja attended the Usman Danfodio University in Sokoto in 1992 and obtained a Second Class (Lower Division) from the Law School, Lagos in 1993.

He was called to the Bar in 1993.

Mr Eleja was a pupil state counsel at the Benue State Ministry of Justice ,Otukpo from 1993-1994 during his National Youth Service scheme .He was exposed to acts of criminal prosecution, rendering legal advice on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecution of the State and generally representing the State Government and its agencies in litigations in court.

Prof. Paul Idornigie

•Tahir Mohammed

•Goody Uche He joined the law firm of Yusuf Ali & Co. in October, 1994 as a junior counsel and rose to become the Head of Chambers. He is currently a partner in the firm.

Eleja, who is a member of International Bar Association, was the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin branch from November 2005 to October, 2007. He was also a member of the Kwara State Criminal Justice Committee from 2005-2007. He has been a member of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association since 2005. He was the Editor-in-chief of the Ilorin Bar Journal, a publication of the NBA, Ilorin Branch from 2004-2007.

He has in the course of his career represented corporate

Continues on page 36

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

S e r v i c e Committee and Member FCT Land Use and Allocation Committee.

His principal area of work are litigation and advocacy, arbitration and mediation, receivership and company liquidation.

Muiz Banire •Emeka Etiaba

E m e k a Etiaba Emeka Etiaba Abimbola Akeredolu is a Legal Practitioner, Capital Market Consultant (Legal) and a Notary Public.

He provides multi-specialist in a number of legal company & commercial law establishments including: services to diverse clientele. He Plateau State Ministry of is also known as a politician and Justice, Femi Lanlehin & Co, one of the sons of former Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) & Governor Virgy Etiaba of Co. He is on the board of several Anambra State. companies and is currently a He aspired to rule Anambra member of the prestigious Body State in 2010 with the initial of Benchers, Nigeria (the endorsement of late national highest ruling body in the leader of the All Progressives Nigerian legal profession).

Grand Alliance (APGA), Dim He is a member of the Odumegwu Ojukwu, but that following bodies: Federal ambition was frustrated in Judicial Service Commission; favour of the former governor, Member Governing Council, Peter Obi. University of Benin; Member General Council of the Bar. Emmanuel C. Aguma He was the immediate past Emmanuel Chinwenwo General Secretary of the NBA; Aguma is a Rivers State lawyer a past Chairman of the Nigeria and People’s Democratic Party Bar Association Abuja Branch; politician. He is the current former Member FCT Judicial Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state. Between 2000 and 2002 Gordy is also he worked as Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association Port knowledgeable in Harcourt Branch, and also Legal Assistance, chaired the Bar from 2006 to 2008.

Legal Writing,

Behold the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria Continues from page 35 and individual clients in all the courts of record in the country, Commissions of Inquiry, Arbitration Panels, Election Tribunals, among others. Though he is tested in all aspects of legal practice, he has bias for Administrative Law, Election Petitions, Commercial Law, Corporate Practice, Criminal Prosecution, Arbitration and Real and Property Law. Uchechukwu Obi Uchechukwu Obi obtained his bachelors of Law degree from Imo State University, Okigwe in 1991 and was called to the Bar in 1992. He later received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management in 2001 from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ABTU) Bauchi, and later proceeded to the University of Lagos where he was awarded a Master of Law degree in Corporate and Commercial Law. He is a partner in Alliance Law Firm and member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the United Kingdom (MCIArb), International Bar Association, the Honorary Secretary of the Capital Market Solicitors Association, and a member of the Lagos Country Club.

Obi has deep experience in Corporate and Commercial

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

C M Y K

legal practice, business start-up and combinations (including mergers and acquisitions), corporate restructuring and turnaround, consolidation and capital raising transactions, corporate finance and securities transactions, real estate, oil and gas businesses, and corporate governance.

Goddy Uche Goddy Uche obtained his LLB with Honours in 1990 at the Imo State University, Uturu and proceeded to Nigeria Law School for his BL (Hons), Law (1990 – 1991).

He is the Head of Chambers, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) & Co. He has skills in Arbitration, Alternative Dispute, Dispute Resolution, Corporate Law, Litigation, Commercial Litigation, International Law, Legal Advice, Legal Research, Civil Litigation.

Gordy is also knowledgeable in Legal Assistance, Legal Writing, Intellectual Property, Joint Ventures, Immigration Law, Corporate Governance, Criminal Law, Mediation, Family Law, Administrative Law and Employment Law. Olumuyiwa Akinboro Olumuyiwa Akinboro is the Principal Partner and founder of Akinboro & Co. He was called to the Bar in 1991 and thereafter set up his law firm, he worked

Intellectual Property, Joint Ventures, Immigration Law, Corporate Governance, Criminal Law, Mediation, Family Law, Administrative Law and Employment Law

Adeniyi Adegbonmire Adeniyi Adegbonmire is a Lagos based Lawyer. He is a Partner (lagos office) at Aluko & Oyebode & co. He is an experienced legal practitioner and has represented a wide range of clients including;multinational corporations, banks, financial institutions and overseas law firms. He advises on all aspects of Nigerian litigation practice and

procedure. His areas of specialisation include commercial litigation and arbitration, banking, corporate recovery and insolvency, company and partnership disputes.

He is also a core member of the Firm’s real property practice and advises on all aspects of property law with particular emphasis on acquisitions, conveyancing, leases and mortgages.

Ibrahim Bawa Ibrahim Anyars Bawa is the acting director in charge of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Legal Unit. He was member of INEC Task Force on how to get Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to vote in the 2015 General Election.

Muiz Banire Muiz Banire holds a doctorate degree in Property Law, from the University of Lagos. He was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Private and Property Law in the same University.

He is the National legal adviser of the ruling All Progressive congress APC. Banire was a three time Commissioner in Lagos State under former Governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola SAN,he has been active in legal practice for years with books written on different areas of law.

Under the two administrations, he was in charge of transport and environment ministries respectively. In the build-up to the Lagos APC Governorship primaries, his name featured as one of the notable contenders.

Abimbola Akeredolu Abimbola Akeredolu is the Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice of Ogun State. She is the first female AG of the State since inception in 1976. Before her appointment, she had a highly successful career in the private sector as a Partner at Banwo and Ighodalo, one of Nigeria’s foremost commercial law firm.

Abimbola holds an LLB from the University of Lagos. She is the only female among the 21 new SANs.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—37

Book presentation Public presentation of a book, ‘Commercial Arbitration Law and Practice in Nigeria," in Abuja authored by Prof Paul Idornigie.

Lagos NBA elects new officers

By Dayo Benson

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association NBA, Lagos branch, has elected new officials to run the affairs of the branch for the next two years in which the chairman emerged unopposed for the first time in the history of the association.

The new chairman, Mr. Martin Ogunleye, a bar activist was elected alongside Mrs. Uche Ikwueme, first vice-Chairman.

Erstwhile Social Secretary, Mrs. Omohafe Opara, rose to the position of second Vice Chairman, as Mr. Stephen Obajaja defeated two other opponents to emerge as General Secretary in a keenly contested race.

Others are Mr. Philips Njeteneh (Treasurer), Mr. Emmanuel Orohro(Financial Secretary), Mr. Celestine Nwankwo (Assistant Financial Secretary), and Mr. Emeka Nwadioke joined the Executive Committee as the only Ex-Officio member.

Ogunleye was called to the Bar in November 1988, at the age of 21, alongside former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, D r. Godswill Akpabio, and others. He began his legal practice in the chamber of Chief Bola Ige and had stints in other law firms.

Ogunleye founded his own law firm and served as Chairman of the Surulere Lawyers Forum (20082012); 1st Vice Chairman, NBA Lagos (2011-2013) as well as Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators, Lagos Chapter (2011-2014).

He is the General Secretary of FGC Odogbolu Old Students Association

and Ex-Officio Member of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers, NACL, since 2011. He is married with children.

Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Ayodele Akintunde, while swearing-in the new Executive Committee at the branch’s Annual General Meeting, AGM, urged the elected new officials to reciprocate the confidence reposed in them by the electorate.

In his inaugural speech, Ogunleye thanked members for their support, adding that it was “very humbling” to emerge unopposed as Chairman of Nigeria’s Premier Bar. Such consensus and unanimity of opinions is unprecedented, and would spur us to attain greater heights,” he said.

Ogunleye commended the former executive committee, led by Mr. Alex Muoka, for a job well done, saying that the new exco would build on the successes so far recorded.

Unveiling his major programmes, he noted that the new leadership would ensure that the branch office was totally overhauled to deliver prompt and efficient services to members.

According to him, a befitting branch office would soon be opened.

Ogunleye decried lack of a befitting Bar Centre for the branch and said that efforts were already in top gear to purchase land and commence foundation laying ceremony for the centre.

Aside from the establishment of a Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society to assist members in sourcing small loans for setting up their practice, the new chairman stated that a Home Ownership Scheme would soon be inaugurated to assist members to build their own houses.

Will Lagos Judicial Commission be dissolved?

By Innocent Anaba

W

ILL the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, LSJSC, be dissolved when the members’ tenure has not expired? This is the question on the lips of observers.

It was learned that the tenure of the current members took effect from February 27 and will end on February 26, 2020 following their reappointment by former Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN. However, the renewal appears not to have been formerly communicated to the new House of Assembly, which, on July 2, urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to dissolve the commission following the “expiration” of its fiveyear tenure in February.

The call followed a motion by Mr Sanai Agunbiade (APC- Ikorodu 1) and seconded by Abiodun Tobun (APC-Epe 1) during plenary session.

The motion to dissolve the commission may have been based on the assumption that the tenure of its members had either expired or was not renewed.

It will be recalled that the immediate past Attorney-General Mr Ade Ipaye,

by a July 30, 2009 letter, informed the LSJSC members of their nomination for a term of five years, subject to the lawmakers’ confirmation. On February 25, 2010, they were cleared by the House.

When their tenure expired, they received letters dated March 10 from the Head of Service Mrs. Shade Jaji informing them of their reappointment with effect from February 27.

Their reappointment letter, reads in part: “I am pleased to inform you that His Excellency, Mr. Fashola, has approved your reappointment as a Member of Lagos State Judicial Service Commission with effect from February 27, 2015. Consequently, your second tenure is expected to terminate on February 26, 2020.

“In approving your reappointment, due cognisance has been taken of your integrity, selfless service and record of impressive performance during your first tenure.”

“I, therefore, have no doubt that you will bring your wealth of experience to bear on the work of the Commission and continue to justify the confidence reposed on you by His Excellency, the Governor.”

From left: Dr. Sam Amadi; Dean Faculty of Law University of Jos, Prof.

Clement Dakas, SAN; former Chairman, NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN and Chairman NBA Abuja branch, Mr. Agada Elachi.

From left: Vice-President (West Africa) Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), Mr. Emeka Obegolu; former DirectorGeneral, NIALS, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SA) and General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe.

From left: Mrs Roseline Idornigie, Mr. Stephan Euchenhofer, HRH Alh. Ismaila Mohammed and Sir Oyaseh Denis Ivowi.

From left: Former Secretary NBA, Abuja branch, Afam Okeke, IBB Benabo and Elachi Agada.

From left: A. K. Kehinde, SAN, Olabisi Soyebo, SAN and Mr. Osaro Eghobiamen, SAN.

From left: Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, D r.

Ali Ahmad and Dean Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, Prof.

Mohammed Akanbi.

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

against book, software, broadcast, film and music piracy in different infamous piracy hotbeds across Nigeria, including Alaba International Market, Computer VillageIkeja, Ajegunle, Ojuelegba and Ijora in Lagos State ; Ariara Market Aba, Abia State; Ochanja market, electronic market, and upper Iweka Market in Onitsha, Anambra State; as well as other markets in FCT Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross Rivers, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Niger, Zamfara, Plateau, and so on. We arrested 443 suspected pirates.

We have removed 6,081,384 assorted pirated copyright works, comprising of books, software, DVDs, VCDs, CDs, MP3, and so on, from different piracy outlets and seaports across Nigeria with estimated market value of N6, 423,221,600.

By DAYO BENSON

THE Nigerian Copyright Commission , NCC, DirectorGeneral, Mr. Afam Ezekude, is a lawyer. In this interview, he spoke on the Commission’s mandate, unrelenting war against piracy, enforcement and prosecution of offenders, as well as sundry issues.

Excerpts.

H

AS the NCC been able to meet up with its mandate?

To a very large extent, we have been able to fulfil our mandate.

The primary mandate of the Commission is enforcement and prosecution of copyright offenders, and in those two key mandates we have done significantly well.

We have had a very good working relationship with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), which has led to the seizure of over 20 containers and this is unprecedented in the history of this Commission. The collaboration between the NCS and NCC has yielded very fruitful results in the last four years.

In terms of prosecution, our activities have been up scaled.

Before I joined the Commission four years ago, we have not had up to 10 convictions since 22 years. Now we have so far recorded 53 convictions and some of these convictions are not just a slap on the wrist of the offenders but severe prison sentences for copyright offences.

We intend to continue to prosecute copyright offenders In the course of enforcement, has the NCC suffered any causality?

We had challenges in terms of enforcement, especially when we go out to on raids; our men have been attacked on few occasions.

Market situation But in some cases we are overwhelmed by the mob that we confront, especially in a market situation where the market traders come out in full force against our officers. In some cases, we have suffered some causalities but not fatal.

We have got to realize that this is a risky job.

When you go to places like Alaba International market in Lagos, you do not expect that you are going to have an easy ride because these people see this kind of piracy as a way of life and they are ready to do anything to protect their so called means of livelihood.

But we have a job to do and we will continue to do our best against offenders so that the copyright owners can reap the fruit of their work and investment.

What are the vision and mission of the Nigerian Copyright Commission under

Anti-piracy operations

Ezekude

We’ll make life absolute hell for pirates — DG, NCC your watch?

Our vision is to harness the potentials of creativity for national development, while the mission is to advance the growth of the creative industry in Nigeria through the dissemination of Copyright knowledge, efficient administration and protection of rights.

What advice do you have for the pirates out there?

Pirates should know that in the last four years it has not been easy for them and the next four years, while I remain in charge, we are going to ensure that we make their lives an absolute hell. So my advice for them is to find another job because the people at the NCC are more serious than ever before to make sure that Copyright owners are protected and the owners of Copyrights get the benefits of their talents and investments; so pirates should beware.

What is the relationship

My advice for pirates is to find another job because the people at the NCC are more serious than ever before

between the NCC mandate and high level development policy initiatives of the Federal Government?

The importance of the Commission lies in its commitment to institute a viable copyright system, compatible with international best practices, and one that would ensure that owners of works protected by copyright and other investors in the copyright-based industries derive maximum economic benefits from their investments of time, energy, talent and money in creative productions for overall national economic development.

Economic development Suffice it to state that by their very nature, the copyrightbased industries situate right at the heart of efforts of government at poverty reduction, wealth creation and employment generation and tally with objectives of Vision 2020, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The linkage has been driven by the Commission on the basis of the fact that a sound copyright regime facilitates development through foreign direct investment, job creation, access to knowledge, information, transfer of technology, trade, services, domestic innovation as well as research and development.

The position of the Commission is further reinforced by the fact that nations are now obligated under multilateral, bilateral as

well as regional trade and investment agreements to demonstrate mutual commitments to implement Intellectual Property regimes (including copyright) that reflect international standard.

Specifically, what is your enforcement profile?

The Commission carried out the public burning of 722,000, 000 units of pirated copyright works and contrivances estimated at N6, 500,000,000 comprising literary, musical, film, including those from the broadcast industries which were confiscated between 2007-2011.

The purpose was to demonstrate the Commission’s commitment to zero tolerance policy on piracy and send a warning signal that piracy would no longer be a profitable venture.

We conducted 235 anti-piracy surveillances in piracy endemic locations across the country.

The Commission carried out 201 strategic anti-piracy operations

This value of the materials removed in the course of the anti-piracy operations represents income that would have been lost by government and copyright owners across the country to people who indulge in the criminal and nefarious act of copyright piracy. Also, is the unprecedented confiscation of a total number of twenty (20) 40ft./20ft. containers of infringing DVDs, VCDs and books of foreign and local titles at different seaports across the country, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service.

What are your major challenges?

The core challenges of the Commission are the increasing cost of overhead operations against drastic reduction of budgetary allocations of the Commission, inadequate human and institutional capacity, low level of awareness arising from lack of funds to execute public enlightenment campaign, lack of office accommodation, communication facilities, and insufficient operational vehicles, as well as rising cost of prosecution.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—39

•Sekibo: Lost the minority seat

•Akpabio: Got the backing of his colleagues

•Manager:The highest ranking South-South senator

SENATE MINORITY LEADER:

How Akpabio exploited rift between Manager, Sekibo PRIOR to last Tuesday’s resumption of the Senate after a one-month adjournment, speculations were rife in some quarters that the pendulum had swung towards the emergence of the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the next minority leader of the Senate

By Joseph Erunke

T

HOSE who knew the workings of the National Assembly, particularly, the Senate on the issue of ranking were quick to dismiss the rumour on the ground that there was a surplus of returning senators from his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who could fit the role.

This was mostly so, considering that he was not just coming to the Senate for the first time, but also, had never been elected at any point in his political career to the legislature at any level - state or federal.

Those who canvassed the argument that Akpabio was a novice in the legislature and so, was not qualified for any principal office in the Senate, built their strength on the ground that the South South zone, where the position had been zoned to by the PDP Senate Caucus, had Senators James Manager and

Thompson Sekibo, both representing Delta South and Rivers East senatorial zones respectively.

Senator Manager after the failure of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba to return had become the highest ranking senator from the zone, having first been elected to the Senate in 2003. Senator Sekibo on the other hand, was first elected in 2007.

Person and credentials So, when the news of the emergence of Senator Akpabio as Minority Leader, from the PDP Senate Caucus meeting held last Monday, filtered into the air, those who had dismissed Akpabio with the wave of the hand had a re-think about his person and credentials.

How did it happen? What were the criteria considered by the PDP Senate Caucus?

Why did the PDP senators

dump the Senate rule as regards ranking to pick Akpabio?

But the answer is simple, it is because the two most ranking senators from the South South geo-political zone, Manager and Sekibo, bluntly refused to concede the position to each other, thus giving the immediate past Akwa Ibom State helmsman the advantage to exploit their differences to push his case.

Akpabio was also helped with the argument that as the immediate past chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, PDP-GF, that he robustly elevated the status of the forum and that given the same opportunity that he would also do the same for PDP senators.

This is not to say that Akpabio, on his part was not interested in the position, and so, did not lobby for it at all.

Few would have forgotten allegations that he blocked the re-election of senators

from his state in the last election to ensure that no one would have higher ranking than him in the present Senate.

But the realization of

Senator Manager after the failure of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba to return had become the highest ranking senator from the zone, having first been elected to the Senate in 2003

Akpabio’s dream on Tuesday was not without the stiff resistance of both Senators Manager and Sekibo to concede the position to the other, after their other 15 colleagues from the region had given them the privilege to choose between one another who should be presented.

It was gathered that Sekibo stoutly opposed Manager ’s selection on the fact of the emergence of Rep. Leo Ogor, as the House of Representatives Minority Leader given that Ogor is from Manager’s Delta South.

Presiding officer Those supportive of Manager also made references to the fact that presiding officer slots for the South-South had in the past been monopolised by Rivers State in the persons of Chibudom Nwuche and Austin Opara.

Vanguard gathered that one of the combatants eventually got over to Akpabio and conceded the position to him at a meeting summoned by the South-South caucus last week. Following that a formal meeting of the South-South caucus was held on Monday where Akpabio was endorsed by 15 of the 17 PDP senators from the zone putting to shame the long esteemed rule of ranking.

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

SINCE the creation of Kogi State, never has the stake on who occupies the historic seat of government, Lugard House, been this tense

KOGI: The game, the players

By Fanwo Kingsley

I

N 1992, the triumph of Prince Abubakar Audu as the first elected governor of the state was truncated by the military take take-over in November, 1993.

On the return to democracy in 1999, Prince Audu was to make a bold return as the governor of the state on the banner of the defunct All Peoples Party, APP which is one of the parties that has now merged to form the All Progressives Congress, APC. His bid for re-election in 2003 was, however, lost in the hands of the industrialist, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris who came on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Ever since his 2003 defeat, Audu has continued to contest and lose every governorship election. He is in the race again to vie for the ticket of the opposition APC in the forthcoming governorship election. The PDP has continued to hold sway in the state since 2003.

Interest in contest Analysts are looking forward to an unprecedented political tempo ahead of the November 21, 2015 governorship poll in the Confluence State. The sparkled interest in the contest is informed by a number of factors.

First, there has been great apprehension in the PDP camp over the abysmal performance of the party during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections. But the party bounced back into reckoning in the House of Assembly election, wining the majority of seats in the State House of Assembly.

Also, the opposition APC has been banking on the euphoria of its triumph in the Presidential and National Assembly elections to stake a big hope of winning the governorship election. But the PDP has wasted no time in dismissing the victory as “not only pyrrhic but a reflection of Buharimania”.

While the incumbent governor has been criticised to have failed to perform by the

•Audu:First Civillian Governor of Kogi

•Ugbane:

•Wada: Kogi State governor

Political watchers in the state are envisaging an impending implosion within the APC which may hand the ruling PDP a leeway to roll back into the Lugard House

opposition APC with no signature project to his credit, his supporters have, however, countered pointing to what they refer to as developmental projects running through capital projects and human empowerment as the jokers that will return him to the Lugard House come January 2016.

The governor has no doubt scaled the first hurdle by retaining his control of the PDP party structure as demonstrated during last week’s congress in which his loyalists won all the positions in the State Executive

Committee of the PDP. He is believed to have put himself at a vantage position to clinch the PDP ticket unless something drastic happens.

However, it is not as if it is a smooth sail for the APC camp as key leaders of the party such as AVM .... Atawodi (rtd) and Sen. Alex Kadiri have

continued to kick against the possible candidature of Prince Audu. They reckon that, having failed to win in three contests, the party is doomed to lose again if Prince Abubakar Audu is fielded. While respite may gradually be returning to the PDP baring any clandestine political moves by antagonists of the governor within the party, the APC will go through a test of wits in the weeks ahead.

While Prince Audu sees himself as holding the aisle of the party in the forthcoming election, his opponents have accused him of highhandedness and attempting to hijack the process leading to the nomination of the party’s candidate for the election.

Candidate for the election In strong contention for the ticket of the party is 40-year old Alh. Yahaya Bello who hails from Agassa in Okene Local Government Area. The wealthy entrepreneur is seen by some as more marketable within the APC circles especially on account of his age. Other contenders within the APC include Senators Nicholas Ugbane, Alex Kadiri, Mr. Onukaba Adeniyi-Ojo, Mr. Olusola Olumoroti, Dr. Habib Yaqeen, Mr. Lanre Ipinmisho and more than twenty others.

Political watchers in the state are envisaging an impending implosion within the APC which may hand the ruling PDP a leeway to roll back into the Lugard House.

With the heightening political temperature, the political turf of the Confluence State is expected to witness more fireworks ahead of the November 21, 2015 governorship poll.

I'm man enough to succeed Oshiomhole — OMON-IRABOR BARRISTER CALSEY Omon-Irabor is a Warri based human rights activist and legal practitioner. In an interview shortly after declaring his intention to contest next year’s governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he unfolded his plans.

Excerpts:

By Gabriel Enogholase

W

HAT is the inspiration behind your campaign?

I am aspiring to lead Edo State not because of self aggrandizement or for cheap popularity and if it is popularity.

I am a council member of the World Bar, I belong to the Commonwealth Law Association and I am currently the National Chairman of the National Human Rights Defenders. So, I am not looking for fame now. It pains me every day that my people are suffering in the midst

of plenty and we are looking for leadership.

Our former governor, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia said that he is looking for a successor to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, so I want him to discover me now.

I want him to know that we must throw away all our primordial sentiments and move out. Don’t always say oh he is my brother, he is from my town, he is from my tribe but we should look for the real man, the real candidate who can deliver and I know that I have the antecedence and I have been in leadership; I know

what it takes to lead the people of the state. I am going to rely on Internally Generated Revenue to run the state and I will run the state in such a way that nobody will be unemployed.

Today our youths are in the streets and they have become like Roman soldiers with their own swords because nobody has engaged them. They must be constructively engaged.

They must be neatly dressed and happy on the jobs that they have been engaged. When you give a man a job and you under employed him and he is not happy, then you have not employed anybody.

So, I am going to do all I can within the limit of the law to ensure that Edo state has a good leadership. Remember, I am only Continues on page 41

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—41

No regrets supporting Jonathan — ODUMAKIN •I'm not an opportunist MR Yinka Odumakin is the National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere. In this interview, Odumakin declares that he has no regrets supporting former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last general elections. He, however, calls on Nigerians, irrespective of party affiliation, to unite against the Boko Haram terrorist group. Excerpts:

BY DAPO AKINREFON

I

N the last few months, the activities of the Boko Haram have been on the upsurge. What do you think is responsible for this?

I think anybody with rudimentary understanding of social science will know that a dangerous ideology like that of Boko Haram takes a superior ideology to defuse, which we don’t have. Two, the political class in Nigeria or sections of it, in a desperate quest for power and without any programme, saw Boko Haram as something to be used to access power. I am not saying they are sponsoring Boko Haram; I am saying that we saw some sections of our political class lionising Boko Haram through their body language.

When you look at it globally, how many countries have been able to defeat terrorism? Even in developed countries where politicians are not playing politics with it, it took the United

States of America 10 years to get Osama Bin Laden. All the most powerful countries in the world came together over ISIS, yet they have not been able to do anything about it.

For now, rather than to look at the causes of terrorism in our land, how to make our people better, we are playing politics with Boko Haram. We felt that once we remove one person, terrorism will be over as if it is a cap that you will just open and toss.

Recently, some Boko Haram suspects were transferred to a prison in Anambra State and that is raising tension within that state. What is your take on that?

The word 'terror', when you hear it, creates fear and an atmosphere of insecurity and fear of the unknown. It is the first time I am seeing this kind of thing in our country. We have fought a civil war, it was defined. So, I think they are making a point; those who are saying don’t bring them

I calculate the cost of my actions before I take them.

I counted the cost and I supported him (Jonathan) based on my belief that he would restrucuture Nigeria here. Their point is that, if you take one terrorist, just one, to a place that is peaceful, that one person can radicalise people in the prison because they are going to meet with prisoners there.

They can radicalise people in the prison and they can recruit from there. I think the way we

I'm man enough to succeed Oshiomhole — Omon-Irabor Continues from page 40 talking of being a governor; I am going to have a team; somebody will be the Deputy, Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Commissioners, etc and with that team that would be assembled, we are going to deliver Edo State.

Given the seeming determination of Bini stakeholders to secure the governorship, how do you intend to realise your plans?

Let’s put it in this way; I do not think that there is a general statement or sweeping statement noting that the Binis have sat down or addressed a press conference that they are going to produce the next governor of the state. I think it is just speculations. The fact you must know is that we are all together.

The Oba of Benin is the father of all Edo people and I give recourse to him. Every Edo person comes from Benin and it is a matter of time, miles and

•Omon-Irabor: I have the antecedence separation and overtime, people begin to change their dialect.

So, Edo state is a homogenous state. If the Binis are saying that it is their turn to produce the next governor, it is imperative that

people should fight for their rights. Chief John OdigieOyegun is from Benin and he ruled for two years; Chief Lucky Igbinedion also from Benin ruled for eight years.

And our brother Prof Oserheimen Osunbor came in and within one year it was taken from him. And now Comrade Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North and he is expected to spend eight years. But within the period of his administration so far, the Esan people have been marginalized.

The governor, deputy, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Chief Judge, SSG etc all are from Edo South and Edo North Senatorial zones and none from Esan land. And now that we have come home to roost, somebody must rise to take up the challenge and you must stick out your neck to take a place. In the wilderness that is hot, you either use your head to break the coconut and partake in it or you go forever.

•Odumakin: I never regretted any of my actions treated Ebola is the way we should treat Boko Haram.

We should contain Boko Haram where it is now and defeat them and not unwittingly helping them to create more cells outside where they are now. I think that is why the people are protesting, saying don’t bring Boko Haram into our premises.

So, I don’t think it is a good idea to begin to export them to where they are not supposed to be.

You were a member of the National Conference in 2014 and the conference came up with a lot of resolutions, which Nigerians see as the panacea to election malady. What is your opinion of the 2014 conference recommendation?

For me, there is no army in the world which can defeat an idea whose time has come. Forget about politics,the issues that were dealt with in that report, it is either we address those issues or those issue will address us.

Structural changes Already, the issues have started addressing us. We cannot continue on this template.

That conference had recommended that there should be a review in the revenue sharing formular, that is why we are saying we should open up the economy. There are excesses by the governors no doubt but what is available now cannot sustain us. If we should continue with this template for another one year, it will be disastrous. Unless we have structural changes to allow autonomy for states in Nigeria, we cannot move forward.

That is exactly what is recommended. At least we have seen the federal government taking about 40 per cent while the remaining goes to states and local government. They went

beyond that. But what I mean to say is that we look at the geopolitical map of Nigeria we saw that there is no state in Nigeria that did not have resources that will make it develop.

Do you think the Buhari administration can fix the problems facing the country given some of the steps taken so far?

I think it will be unfair for me to come to conclusions about an administration that is just over 40 days in office. Let us allow him some more time.

Do you have any regrets supporting former President Goodluck Jonathan?

I never regretted any of my actions. I calculate the cost of my actions before I take them. I counted the cost and I supported him (Jonathan) based on my belief that he would restrucuture Nigeria. I believe that Nigeria was already entering a terminal crisis and it is all over us today.

Most of the issues that made so many of us to conclude about the imperative of restructuring Nigeria are about to grind Nigeria.

So, if the hand of time had to be taken back and we are to go through the same process again, between those who say we are going to restructure Nigeria and those who say we should not restructure Nigeria, I will have no problem in doing what I did all over again. It is a principled decision, it is not about anything.

In the event that you are called upon to serve in the Buhari government, would you accept such offer?

I did not support the party (APC) during their campaign, I am not an opportunist, it would amount to opportunism. Some of us are principled enough to know what is right and what is wrong. I cannot do that for any reason.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Experts proffer financing options for malaria elimination

By Sola Ogundipe

M

OBILISING private sector involvement in the malaria elimination drive in Nigeria is part of the integrated solution required to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs 4, 5 and 6.

Making this known in Lagos during the just concluded Corporate Alliance on Malaria in Africa, CAMA, Technical Forum President, GBCHealth, Nancy WildfeirField, said Nigeria needed to look into the long-term impact of designing new methods that would ensure that the malaria elimination drive is well-funded.

Wildfeir-Field,who led a team of business technocrats to the annual technical forum it organised in collaboration with Access Bank, with the theme: “The Road to 2020: Mobilising Private Sector in Nigeria's Fight Against Malaria”, said with the deadline for attainment of the golas of the MDGs at hand, the outlook for progress beyond 2015, could not be over-emphasised.

Being at the helm of affairs of GBCHealth, a coalition of companies and organisations committed to investing and harnessing resources for a healthier world, she remarked that the private sector must be set to champion the integration process resources.

“Working with implementing partners, the goal is to maximise private sector support for malaria elimination. As an organisation, we have consistently worked with the business community on various issues starting from HIV/AIDS and now

FORUM - Left to right: President, GBCHealth, Nancy Wildfeir-Field, with Ambassador John Simos, Managing Partner, Total Impact Capital and Head, Sustainability, Access Bank, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, during the CAMA Technical Forum held last week at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos two other areas including tuberculosis and malaria. “The statistics have changed, TB is much more in control and malaria

Working with implementing partners, the goal is to maximise private sector support for malaria elimination

incidence is much higher around the world. Part of our goal is to address other areas like maternal and child health, and how we can help to accomplish the MDG goals 4 & 5 in collaboration with the business community" "Malaria is one of those areas that is really a cross cutting issue and if we can tackle some of the malaria incidences in a number of countries, Nigeria being one of them, then we can have a very significant impact and as such we can quickly save lives and

help impact the economy immensely."

In view of the economic impact of malaria, Wildfeir-Field said GBCHealth would assist Nigeria mobilise the health sector proffer solution to the malaria elimination agenda.

"Malaria has a health and economic impact and Nigeria is one of the countries with a high disease burden. The country has an ambitious plan of pre-elimination of malaria by 2020.

"It is very ambitious target but I have been working in the health sector for a number of yearsto know that ambitious targets can be reached with commitment and collaboration because partnership is very key. Government cannot do it alone, private businesses and NGOs cannot do it alone, we have to work together to come up with integrated solutions across borders and regions," she noted.

Also speaking, Managing Partner, Total Impact Capital, Ambassador John Simos, observed that the initiative towards eliminating malaria from Nigeria began with partnership.

“It starts with the public and private sectors working together. The progress that has been made to date is pretty outstanding, but yet more progress can be made. We have done well in the past, but we really need to redouble efforts to reach the ultimate goal, and that is going to take tremendous effort and more ambitious plans.”

Simos said as much funding that has been generated inthe past, there is still a large need for funding before the ultimate goal can be achieved by 2020.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

M

Y husband and I are in our early fifties. We got married quite early and our last child is in the university. Anyway, we don’t have a sex life. We are happy though. Nobody is complaining. It is just that we have not really felt like having sex in a long time. Is this a problem? Mrs Anyanwu Sex is a natural human impulse designed to fill a need.

When you stop feeling the need and your partner feels exactly the same way, it is hard to say that there is a problem in your relationship, especially since you say that you are both happy and nobody is complaining.

However sex has a lot of health benefits which is one of the reasons couples maintain an active sex life.

For example, frequent sex lowers the blood pressure and helps you lose weight by burning calories.

The average person burns approximately 144 calories for every thirty minutes of intercourse. So this is a good reason to be sexual. Also sex relieves stress, slows down aging and helps you sleep better.

And that is still not all. Sex decreases pain and lowers the risk of prostate cancer in men. So as you can see, a healthy sex life can benefit you in many ways, should you choose to go for it. You may have nothing to lose by not having sex but you have so much to gain if you do – Uche I will prefer if my breasts were bigger. Right now I have to make do with padded bras and it makes me feel like a fraud – Maureen Dear Maureen, first of all, it is important for you to understand that the way women feel about their bodies is not the same way men feel about female bodies. Men love female bodies of all types.

So this is important because women criticize their own bodies unnecessarily. Secondly, there is a cream we have called Max Enhance Breast Cream. It helps shape, lift, smoothen and increase a woman’s breast size. You can give it a try – Uche For a long time now, I have not really been in the mood for sex. Anyway, I came across your advert and

bought Total Diva from you. It has been good because when my husband initiates intercourse, I don’t say no.

How often am I supposed to take this drug? Bimpe Total Diva works for up to 72 hours in the body so take one tablet every three days or every week. You can also take it one hour before intercourse – Uche I am an old client and you sold me a penis enlargement pump. I only started using it regularly this year and you will not believe how big my penis is now. It is close to eight inches long and much thicker than before. This thing works and I am grateful. One just needs patience – Peter Wow Peter. Long time. We normally stress the importance of consistency to men who want enlargement. It is like going to the gym to build up your muscles. If you do it consistently, you will get results. Penis Pumps are the most reliable option for enlargement and I am glad you experienced it – Uche I am in my sixties and the last time I used Viagra for erection, it gave me a bad headache. Do you have something better that can give a man my age good erection without the headaches? John Dear John, there are milder aphrodisiacs that you can use for tackling erectile dysfunction. A good example is Sex Voltz. It is gentle and works gradually so it will definitely suit you – Uche I just got married and I am looking for things that can entertain a new couple in their honeymoon – Okpe Adult games will be perfect. Ask for the Bedroom Commands Game, Intimate Dares Game or Cosmo’s Kinky Sex Games. They are all engaging adult games for couples – Uche Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08171912551 or 08027901621 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 43

44 — Vanguard,

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Vanguard, THYURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—45

Why we blew up NPDC pipeline, by suspects

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—THE two suspects arrested by security agents in connection with the explosion that rocked an oil pipeline belonging to Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, at Ighwrenene community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, have said that they blew up the pipeline to force NPDC into awarding them pipeline surveillance contract.

The suspects Dennis Oneya (aka) General Touch and Emmanuel Joseph (aka) Ajegunle, both of Uduere and Afiesere communities respectively, told newsmen at the 222 Battalion headquarters, Agbarha-Otor that they embarked on the mission haven been promised job slots by their sponsors when awarded the pipeline surveillance contract.

Speaking on their modus operandi, while Oneya admitted digging the spot on the pipeline to be bombed in company of others, Joseph described himself as an expert in handling dynamites used for the explosion as well as other similar blasts.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Isa Ado, explained that the suspects had confessed to the crime and would be handed over to the appropriate authorities after investigation had been concluded for

prosecution.

Ado added that the suspects also hinted that the explosion was the outcome of a meeting at an undisclosed hotel in Ughelli, where it was agreed that they should embark on the act to hasten the approval of the said

contract by NPDC. He noted that while efforts were on to arrest fleeing members of the gang, a Toyota Hilux vehicle and one pump action gun with 77 live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

ADOPTION: From left, Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East, Obong Bassey Albert, Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus and Senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Chief Nelson Effiong, shortly after Senator Akpabio was adopted as the Senate Minority Leader at the National Assembly in Abuja.

NUPENG threatens strike over non-payment of severance entitlements by Chevron

W

By Egufe Yafugbori

ARRI—THE Warri Zone of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, covering Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Kogi and Ondo states, yesterday, warned of a major workers strike in the zone over alleged failure by Chevron Nigeria Limited to pay severance entitlements and pension to displaced contract staff.

The zone’s chairman of NUPENG, Cogent Ojobor, at the Chevron yard in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State where the aggrieved workers held a protest, said “At different fora, Chevron had admitted owing the workers, but from two weeks to more than 12 months running, commitment to pay the entitlements has repeatedly not been honoured. For now, it is a peaceful protest but it may turn to an industrial action if lack of reasoning by Chevron pushes us to that limit.

“When it gets to that, we will shut fuel supply, we will cut down supply of gas to power generating plants and BEDC may go down again and the economy will be affected and people we will start saying that NUPENG is at it again. This is no idle threat.”

Patrick Gbetah one of the sacked workers who explained the workers’ plight, said: “Under the collective engagement bargaining with Chevron and its contractors C M Y K

under which we work, we are entitled to end of contract bonus, redundancy and pension benefits in case of disengagement.

“For over 12 months, most of us have been disengaged in the name of transition without

these benefits paid. Those made to go back to work are also asking to access the pension fund over which several sums had been deducted from our salaries while we were engaged.

“At Premium Pensions, the firm overseeing our pension, we were

told that without termination or redundancy letters, we cannot access our pension account. We sought the termination and redundancy letters from Chevron, they said it is the contractor that should give it to us. We ask the contractors, they say it is Chevron.”

Boroh's appointment 'll strengthen Amnesty Programme —JARO EGBO SABA—NATIONAL Leader of Urhobo Nationality Council, UNC, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, yesterday, said that the appointment of Brig. Gen. P.T. Boroh as Coordinator of the Amnesty office would strengthen and eliminate all suspected inherent weaknesses and corruption that

had weighed down the effective operation of the amnesty programme.

Commending President Muhammadu Buhari for the well thought appointment of Boroh, Egbo in a statement, said “The appointment is in line with our position that rather than scrap the programme, it should be reorganised and strengthened to enhance its effectiveness and

NHIS LAND DEAL:

Allegation of fraud, malicious

—EX-BOSS

N990 million.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr Adeyemi Adesola, the former NHIS boss said: “When the management wanted to buy the land, as the practice, we called the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and they sent their evaluation department to come and evaluate the property, and the report by the ministry put the value of the property at N1.5 billion. Beyond that level of due process, the

By Festus Ahon

A

L

AGOS—THE former Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Dr Femi Thomas has described as false and malicious, allegations of fraud in the purchase of a parcel of land at the Scheme’s office in Abuja. Dr Thomas was accused of conniving with others to inflate the cost of the property from N300 million to

focus on addressing the plight of the ex militants.

He said: “We fervently believe that by the appointment of Brig.

Gen Boroh, a renowned peace keeping expert, he will deploy his wealth of experience garnered over the years and rise to the occasion and do the various ethnic nationalities proud and indeed the nation."

purchase was approved by the ministerial tenders’ board because it was beyond the approving power of the NHIS’ Tenders Management Committee and the negotiation was so tight that we could not pay agency fee."

He explained that the need to purchase the land was necessitated by the acute shortage of space as two or more staff were sharing a desk which may hamper operations and efficiency.

Okowa lauds Pondi on victory

A

SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, has commended the member representing Burutu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Julius Pondi for his determination, resilience and focus which earned him the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket and subsequent victory at the election.

Okowa at a thanksgiving service organised by the lawmaker to thank God for his victory at the poll at the church of God mission, Ejiyere zonal headquarters, Warri, noted that Pondi contested the House of Reps election against all odds having contested and lost at the House of Assembly election in 2011, stressing that he needed to thank God for His goodness towards him.

The governor who stressed the need for Christians to give God their lives, said He is worthy of our praise and worship.

The state Deputy Governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, on his part thanked the church for their prayers and support which enabled Pondi get victory at the poll.

APC,PDP, UPN members defect to APGA in Edo

B

ENIN—OVER 300 former members of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, including the executive members of Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Akoko-Edo chapter led by its chairman, Mr. Adebayo Joseph, have dumped their political parties for the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Edo State.

Ogbueshi Tony Eboka, APGA national vice chairman (South South zone), joined by the state chairman, Elder Godfrey Ehimen while receiving the defector in Igarra during the inauguration/ swearing in of Edo North APGA senatorial leaders and Akoko-Edo Local Government Area/wards executives, described the APC and PDP as seismic twin with the sole aim of plundering the

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

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48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

COMMISSIONING: From left— Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos (left); Stephen Rudy, CEO Gradian Health Systems; Maj. Gen. Patrick Falola, Commander, 68 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos (right), and others at the commissioning of Universal Anaesthesia Machine in Lagos, yesterday.

FOR CLIMATE: Sitting from 2nd left— Professor Chidi Ibe, geologist, and consultant to British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, BATNF; Desmond Majekodunmi, environmental activist; Jude Ibe, Manager, BusinessDay Training; Abimbola O., Managing Director, BATNF, and journalists at the training on Effective Reporting on Climate Change, Media Capacity Building for Scientific Journalists, facilitated by Businessday and BATNF in Lagos, yesterday.

ETISALAT: From left— Oluseyi Osunsedo, Head, Environment Compliance & Public Relations, Etisalat Nigeria; Nicodemus Onah, star prize winner of the Etisalat-Digital Sense Africa 2015 students essay contest on Internet Governance for Development, IG4D; Remmy Nweke, Lead Strategist, Digital Sense Africa, and Yetunde Johnson, contest judge, at the presentation of prizes in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

FAYROUZ L'ORIGINAL: From left— Walter Drenth, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries; Rhema Akabuogu, National Retail Artist, House of Tara; Kunbi Oyelese of April By Kunbi; Mai Atafo of Mai Atafo Inspired; Nnenna Ifebigh-Hemeson, Snr Brand Manger CSD & ACE, and Kelechi AmadiObi, celebrity photographer, at the Fayrouz L'original grand finale, in Lagos.

RCCG'S WISEMEN: From left— Mrs Victoria Aladewolu, Executive Director, School for Business Success; Engr. Charles Aladewolu, Chairman, TECO Group; Pastor Peter Egho, Pastor-in-Charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, LP 21, and his wife, Pastor Diana, at the church's Wisemen's 2015 Convention in Lagos.

FASHION/ART: From left— Victor Bassey, Creative Director, Victor Bassi Art Place; Aimankhu, CEO, Luxol Fashion Brand, and Didi Ben-Olisah, MD, Didi, during a briefing on the forthcoming second edition of the Fashion Art Fusion, in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

FELLOW: Femi Adeoti, Managing Director/CEO, Africa Operations, Inlaks Computers Limited (left) and Capt. Justin Paase, Chairman, Lagos Chapter, and member, Governing Council, Institute of Management Consultants, during Adeoti’s conferment as Fellow of the institute.

AGM: Mrs Florence Adebanjo, Chairman, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc Board of Directors (middle) and other shareholders at the bank's annual general meeting in Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 49

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—51

RIVERS GOV POLL:

APC fielded valid candidate

against Wike —TRIBUNAL

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, refused to declare that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC , in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, was not validly nominated to contest against Governor Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal, in its ruling, held that it was satisfied that Peterside was eligible to participate in the April 11 governorship election in the state.

The tribunal dismissed the preliminary objection against the APC and Peterside by Governor Wike.

The tribunal maintained that evidence that was brought to its notice showed that the APC had indeed sent a prior letter to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the follow-up letter it sent to the electoral body on November 18, 2014.

The tribunal, also, adjourned till

Friday to decide whether or not to strike out reliefs 1-4 of the petition against Wike, as it was prayed to do by the PDP. Meanwhile, aside the petition by the APC and its candidate, Peterside, there are four other

petitions before the tribunal that are also challenging Wike’s election.

The other petitioners before the tribunal are Mr. Charles Harry of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Tonye Princewill of the

Labour Party , Kemka Elenwo of KOWA Party and Minaibim Harry of the Social Democratic Party.

They are separately praying the tribunal to nullify Wike’s victory on the premise that the election in the state was not only fraughtwithmanifestirregularities,but was conducted with total disregard to relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

Y

PROGRAMME: From left, Assistant Director, ICPC, Mr. Demola Bakare, Chairman, Authentic Governance Institute, USA, Prof. Hubert Rampersad, CEO, Babcock Centre for Executive Development, Prof. Dayo Alao, and Chairman, Governing Council, Ethics Resource Centre, Nigeria, Mr. Ike Onyechere, during the opening ceremony of 2015 Senior Executive Certificate Programme, at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.

your donations, pastor warns politicians B

ENIN CITY—THE Overseer of the International Christian Centre for Missions, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, who is in-charge of the camp where Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, who are Boko Haram victims are being catered for in Ovia community in Edo State, has warned politicians against playing politics with the camp.

He urged politicians to be selfless in their donations rather than play politics while assisting the victims, warning that the management of the camp will henceforth, screen persons donating to the camp in order to avoid using the camp as a political ground.

Pastor Folorunsho who was reacting to comments by some politicians who donated food stuff and other items to the camp, described as unfortunate that “Those who want to do the work of God by helping the poor are using it to play politics and attack individuals, including the state

PDP chieftain faults criticisms against Dickson

By Samuel Oyadongha

BOKO HARAM CAMP: Stop playing politics with

By Simon Ebegbulem

N25BN LOAN:

government. That is uncharitable; it means you are no longer doing it for God.” Commending the efforts of the state government and traditional rulers in setting up the camp and

providing a conducive environment for the IDPs to be camped in that community, he said: “While we thank members of the public for the concern shown so far in taking care of the

over 1,500 persons we have here, we specifically want to thank the Edo State Government which has always sent people to us, such as the Commissioner for Women Affairs to look into our needs."

Buhari must ensure logical prosecution of graft cases —GBAGI

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By Clifford Ndujihe

AGOS—AS the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, bicker over how President Muhammadu Buhari should prosecute the anti-graft war, former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, has said that the president has no option than to ensure logical prosecution of graft cases.

President Buhari had limited his probe of past governments to the immediate past Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration. While the APC okayed the president’s

decision, the PDP warned against a witch-hunt and urged the president to also beam his searchlight on corrupt former governors and ministers, among others, who served on the plank of the APC. Gbagi in a chat with Vanguard, said given the perceived massive looting of the last dispensation, only logical trials will assuage Nigerians. ‘’The only thing that will give us and majority of Nigerians succour is to see that these persons are brought to book. Not the cosmetic arrangement of just

taking people to court, their lawyers bail them and they start branding in our eyes the looted wealth. If such arrangement happens under the Buhari government, there will be catastrophe. We must see a logical trial. We don’t want to see monkey trials by the EFCC and ICPC. They themselves will have themselves to blame. The Nigerian populace will this time haunt them and the Buhari government will be cut short if we do not come to logical conclusion with the trials.

Anybody, who had held public office and has stolen money must be made to return the money.’’

Gbagi agreed with Buhari’s decision to limit his probe to Jonathan’s regime just as he asked state governors to take up the battle in their respective states.

ENAGOA—A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State, Engr. Charles Dorgu, has faulted critics of Governor Seriake Dickson over his decision to seek N25billion loan for the completion of ongoing infrastructural projects in the state.

The state House of Assembly had penultimate week approved the governor’s request for the procurement of the fund for the completion of some critical projects in the state, a development that triggered condemnation from critics of the administration over its timing.

Dorgu in an interview in Yenagoa, rose in defence of the governor, saying that those opposed to the loan have shown lack of understanding of good governance and need for infrastructural projects.

He said that the decision to procure the proposed N25bn loan was done after due consultation with stakeholders on the need to complete ongoing projects in the state.

The state PDP pioneer chairman, said that the allegation of “wrongful timing” in the move to procure the N25billion loan was baseless.

Passage

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RS Favour 'Yawa' Egbe of Ugbunagwe and Effurun, Delta State is dead. She died in Lagos on Sunday, July 25. She is survived by children, grandchildren and many relations.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Late Mrs. Favour Egbe

52—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

20YRS OF PRIESTHOOD:

N30BN LOAN: Crisis in Abia House,

Buhari salutes Fr. Mbaka’s patriotism

Minority Leader suspended

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has hailed the patriotic spirit of the Catholic Priest and founder of Enugu Adoration Ministry, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka.

President Buhari’s tribute was in recognition of Mbaka’s 20th anniversary of priesthood.

In a statement by a senior aide on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said: “Father Mbaka is a great priest, who was not afraid to speak the truth even at the cost of his own life or being hated by leaders in power.”

According to the statement, “Mbaka was a remarkable example that religious leaders are the conscience and moral compass of the society.”

The statement added that the priest “raised his voice in support of good governance and identified with ordinary Nigerians in the face of despair and uncertain future.”

Obiano’s wife invites less privileged for skill acquisition

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—MRS. Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has invited all the blind, crippled and less privileged ones in the state to volunteer themselves for skill acquisition training under her pet project, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative, CAFE, to create employment and reduce crime in the state.

Mrs. Obiano, who extended the invitation at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Nkpor Junction in Idemili North Local Government Area, near Onitsha, during a solemn dedication of the multi-million naira ultramodern church building, by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Maduka Okeke, said the acquisition centres were designed to assist the less privileged ones in the state, so they could stop resorting to begging.

C M Y K

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—ABIA State House of Assembly has suspended the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Abraham Oba for addressing journalists to distance his party from the approval given to Governor

Okezie Ikpeazu to borrow N30 billion.

He was replaced by Mr. Ikedi Ezekwesiri, representing Umunneochi Constituency, as the new Minority Leader.

The APGA caucus had at a press briefing Monday, said that they were deceived by the Speaker of the House to pass the resolution approving the request of the

governor to source the N30 billion funds.

In fact, APGA law makers alleged that “a dummy was sold to them to pass the resolution”.

The action of the opposition law makers did not however go down well with the ruling PDP law makers, who quickly moved to remove the Minority Leader, who they accused of ridiculing

SIGNING: From left, Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Professor Bernard Odoh; Chief of Party, UNICEF A' FIELD office, Enugu, Dr. Charles Nzuki, and Governor Dave Umahi, during the signing of 2015 UNICEF Work Plan agreement between the state government and UNICEF, in Abakaliki, yesterday.

Ugwuanyi worries over slow pace of work at diagnostic centre

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work at the ongoing construction of late Dr. Sam Onwu Diagnostic Centre, Enugu.

The governor who took a tour around the complex, accompanied by the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Patrick Ikpenwa and the Special Duties/Inter-Governmental Affairs,counterpart, Rita Mba while on the spot-check of the facility was equally not happy about the shoddy job done in some parts of the project.

The governor who was not happy that some stakeholders on the project were giving conflicting explanations on the questions asked, enjoined them to put their records straight, adding that they should expedite action on the project with a view to completing it.

He equally warned that all

materials provided for the project should be made available without further delay.

The governor equally directed the appropriate authorities to investigate the encroachment on the

government land at the centre and brief government accordingly even as he left the centre in anger as work so far done was not in tandem with fund expended on the project by government.

the House of Assembly.

At the press briefing that sparked off the crisis, the APGA law makers said that the Speaker of the House, Mr. Martins Azubuike deceived them into approving the loan without giving them detailed information about it.

The Minority Leader, Chief Abraham Oba, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, alleged that the Speaker had at their executive session, told the members that the loan was meant to finance some developmental projects. Such projects, he said include dredging of Aba River, road projects and health facilities.

According to Oba, the Speaker promised to clear the air about some fundamental issues raised

by APGA members during the executive session but failed to do so at the plenary when the motion was raised and subsequently passed.

The Minority Leader said that they were shocked two days after the passage of the resolution for the loan, to learn through media reports credited to the Economic Adviser to Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, that the loan was not for development but money meant to clear the accumulation of debts owed by the state.

“We have been deceived by the Speaker. He lied to us. And we are no longer part of the approval, as we are disassociating ourselves from the deceit by the Speaker.

“Any bank negotiating to lend the money is doing so at its risk until the Governor comes up with the true position about the loan including mode of re- payment”, APGA law makers said.

In his own contribution, the member representing Ikwuano constituency, Theophilus Ugbaja, said “they sold a dummy to us that the state was only owing N6 billion and that the loan would be used to wipe off the debt and finance major projects in the state and now they a singing a different tune.”

Boko Haram: Senate asks Buhari to establish committee on North East rehabilitation •As Saraki leads delegation to IDP camps in Maiduguri

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA — WORRIED over renewed activities of members of Boko Haram with massive killings and wanton destruction of property, the Senate yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency establish presidential intervention committee on the rehabilitation of the North East geopolitical zone.

The Senate which condemned in very strong terms, the continued assault on the people of the North East geo- political

zone of the country and other parts of Nigeria, also asked President Buhari to do everything possible within his powers as enshrined in the constitution to nip in the bud, the disturbing Boko Haram Insurgency.

The Senate also mandated its President, Senator Bukola Saraki to lead a delegation of the upper chamber to visit the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Maiduguri, while at the same time commend the military personnel currently fighting insurgency in the North East.

The resolutions of the Senate

were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East, and 35 other senators from both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC across the six geopolitical zones.

The senate also directed its yet to be constituted committee on Special duties to monitor welfare of internally displaced persons across the country, adding that ending insurgency was paramount because security and welfare of the people was primary purpose of government as provided in Section 14(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 53

Controversy trails death of 26-year-old man in Police custody zAs family protests, accuses Edo Police of complicity

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By Simon Egbebulem

ENIN CITY— CONTROVERSY is trailing the death of 26 year-old Benson Obode, who was said to have been arrested in Benin City on May 21 2015, by policemen who claimed that they were from Lagos Police Command.

The policemen had accused Benson of buying a stolen vehicle, arrested and took him to an undisclosed cell in Benin. His family and lawyer were never allowed to see him, just as they alleged they were initially told that he was taken to Abuja and later Lagos, only to be informed last week that their son died in custody.

At press time, no formal information had been given to the family by the police authorities.

As a matter fact, it took a local radio crew that travelled to Lagos and Abuja on several occasions before the police in Lagos said Benson allegedly died from ‘mob action.’

Family members, friends and associates, yesterday, protested the killing of Benson, whose corpse it was learned was deposited at the mortuary in Benin by one Corporal Oniyon

Musa same day he was arrested.

The protesters stormed the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly, Edo Government House and headquarters of Edo Police Command, demanding an independent autopsy to

ascertain the actual cause of Benson’s death.

His elder brother, Solomon, said the police were yet to inform the family what happened to Benson since he was arrested, adding that N200,000 cash, phones and ATM cards belonging to his late brother

were still missing.

At press time, the family is yet to hear from the Police either from Lagos or Edo State.

However, when contacted, the Edo State Police Commissioner, Samuel Adegbuyi said he was on leave.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Stephen Onwochei did not pick repeated calls put across to his phone.

LECTURE: Professor Olu Akinkugbe (middle) being decorated with the University of Ibadan, UI, muffler, by Dr. Kemi Emina (right), National President,University of Ibadan Alumni Association, UIAA, and Sir Patrick Origho, Chairman, UIAA, Asaba chapter during the 90th birthday anniversary lecture in honour of the Asagba of Asaba, in Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Boroh promises to strengthen Amnesty programme zAs ex-militant leaders, IYC, others hail Buhari

By Emma Amaize, Soni Daniel, Samuel Oyadongha & Onoja Innocent

A

BUJA—THE new Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), yesterday, assumed duty with a promise to strengthen the programme and make it more efficient and beneficial to the people.

Meanwhile, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, frontline ex-Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND leaders, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Niger Delta exmilitants and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta, yesterday, hailed President Muhammudu Buhari over the appointment of Brigadier Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) as the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Niger Delta ex-militants, who congratulated the newly appointed chairman of the Niger Delta Amnesty programme, said that Buhari had made a wise and deserved choice from the Niger Delta.

Boroh, who arrived the PAP office in Maitama, early in the day, said that he will move quickly to sort out the issue of Amnesty beneficiaries, who are currently out of school abroad as a result of

non-payment of their fees.

He said he will do all within his power to consolidate on the gains of the programme and aid the efforts by Buhari to consolidate peace, safety and security in the Niger Delta.

He said: “Mr President is keen on the smooth and efficient running of the Amnesty Programme. He also wants things done properly. I am going to quickly look into the issue of beneficiaries, who are currently out of schools or training centres as a result of default in payment of fees and allowances. We are going to sort out these issues very fast and stabilize the Programme.”

Similarly, ex-militants and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta have described Boroh’s appointment as apt and responsive, noting it will help solve the concern raised by the people of the Niger Delta over the hitches in the amnesty programme and payment of outstanding allowances and scholarship of the beneficiaries studying at home and abroad.

For Tompolo, “This action shows that the President is a listening leader, and also demonstrates his desire to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta.

“It could be recalled that I

called a meeting of ex-agitators’ leaders and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta last week, as a result of the pressure on me to intervene in the seemingly troubled Amnesty Programme due to the non-payment of stipends and allowances to beneficiaries for months now.

“And so, it gives me joy for the President to appoint a high ranking retired military gentleman to coordinate the programme rather than any of the political jobbers, who had advertised themselves in very negative forms in order to be appointed. “ I want to use this medium to admonish Gen. Boroh to carry out his duty effectively and always consult stakeholders so as to succeed in this assignment,” he added.

While the Ex-MEND leaders, under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, LPCDI , led by Pastor Reuben Wilson, stated that though the delayed appointment had heightened tension among beneficiaries of the programme, “The choice of Boroh is welcomed and commendable.”

The IYC in a statement through its spokesman, Eric Omare described the appointment of

General Boroh as welldeserved, adding that the appointee is a true Ijaw son.

Pastor Rueben said: “We welcome the news of the appointment with happiness and expect the hitches experienced with the sacking of Amnesty beneficiaries in higher institutions of learning in Nigeria and abroad to be addressed urgently. It is more gratifying to know that the new appointee is from the region and from Bayelsa State.

“The happiness expressed over the appointment is coming due to the show of listening ears

by President Buhari to our appeal expressed by the exmilitant leaders on the heels of avalanche of complaints received by the indigent parents of the Amnesty beneficiaries home and abroad that their children and wards are currently experiencing hardship due to lack of funds."

“Mr President has shown that his administration did not lose sight on the germane issue that brought about the PAP and has shown that he will save it from total collapse. Mr. President, we use this medium to remind you and thegoodpeopleofNigeriaofpromises tothepeopleofNigerDeltaaboutmore positive changes.”

Ijaw oil communities demand full payment of derivation to DESOPADEC

By Emma Amaize

A

SABA—IJAW oil communities in Delta State, yesterday, demanded that 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation that accrue to the state be paid without interference of any sort by authorities in the state to Delta Oil Producing Areas D e v e l o p m e n t C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC. The communities when they visited Asaba to present their position to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said that their proposal was part of Ijaw amendment to the executive bill on DESOPADEC, earlier presented by Governor Okowa to the state House of Assembly.

Secretary of Ijaw oil communities, Pastor Ako Samuel, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “We have proposed that 25 per cent of the money be set aside for investment purposes in the oil communities.”

JSF marks 10th anniversary with donation to school

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EDDO—THE Jeddo Stakeholders’ Forum, JSF, as part of activities to mark its 10th year anniversary celebration, on July 24, 2015 donated educational materials to Ogiendo Primary School, Jeddo.

Presenting the materials to the school, Mr. Paul Onome, the President of the group, said the gesture was to compliment the efforts of Delta State Government in providing quality and affordable education to its citizens.

“JSF understands that the government cannot do everything alone; we want to give back to the society we belong. We want to put smiles on the faces of our people, especially the less privileged,”headded.

Receiving the materials, the School Head, Mr. Emmanuel Onyokpe thanked members of the forum for the gesture. He said that the materials will go a long way in meeting the educational needs of its pupils.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Church of God Mission dedicates new auditorium

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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B U J A — N AT I O N A L Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for helping to resolve the crisis in the House of Representatives.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, yesterday, Oyegun expressed happiness that the issue has been amicably resolved, noting that Buhari’s “presidential prestige” was brought to bear in the imbroglio.

Reiterating the supremacy of the party, he also commended what he called the patriotism of Speaker, Yakubu Dogara for toeing the party’s line eventually.

Oyegun, who dissociated the APC from the Senate President Bukola Saraki wife's travails in the hands of anti-graft agencies and President Buhari’s decision to probe the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said: “The misunderstanding in the House of Representatives has been very amicably resolved, thanks to the intervention of Mr. President who again made it quite clear to everybody, that there is no alternative but to listen to what the party says.

“I want to emphasise the fact that all of us were what we were, what we are thanks to the platform that the party provided for everybody. I think his message resonated very intensively with all the members of the House. He still did not interfere. I want to make that very clear and his parting words to us were that the presiding leadership of the House and the party should go and resolve whatever issues there are that were militating against the resolution of the problem and that is what exactly happened.

“We left there into consultations and discussions with the presiding officers of the House of Representatives. Let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to their maturity, to their sense of responsibility, tribute to their loyalty to the party and above all tribute to their sense of general good, meaning the patriotism displayed by the Speaker and his Deputy. It did not take long before necessary concessions that had to be made were made.’’

Be patient, he begs South-East

The chairman, who expressed regrets over the exclusion of the South-East in the sharing of principla offices pleaded with the zone to be patient, saying: “The sharing process is not over. I want everybody to get that very clear. Even in the House of Representatives, it is not yet over.

All these will be taken into consideration when other positions in the House are being distributed. I have no doubt.

“What is important is that the system functions. The system went out of gear. The first election made the planning of the

A

SABA—THE dedication of the ultra modern church auditorium of Church of God Mission International, DLA Provincial Headquarters, Asaba, Delta State, will hold on Sunday, August 2, 2015 at 2 Esenwa Street, off DLA road, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Church of God Mission International, His Grace, Most Rev. M. E. Idahosa JP. While in Asaba, the Archbishop will pay courtesy visits to the Governor of Delta State and Asagba of Asaba on Friday, July 31.

According to a statement jointly signed by Rev. Asuquo Akpa-Ekpo, Zonal Co-ordinator of Asaba zone one and the host Pastor and National Presbyter, Rev. Francis Umemezia, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta of State will be the special guest of honour at the dedication service, while the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien, JP, is the Royal Father of the Day.

VERIFICATION: Cross section of pensioners during the verification exercise for Customs, Immigration, and Prisons departments for Edo and Delta states which took off in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike.

Buhari's intervention ended Reps' crisis —OYEGUN zAs Atiku hails peaceful resolution of crisis party out of sync. So, you have to walk back and resolve it as best as possible, given the circumstances.”

Change agenda on course

The chairman dispelled apprehensions that the crisis in the House would affect the “change” agenda of APC even as he stated that President Buhari is right in saying he would probe the Jonathan adminsistration.

“Change agenda, I don’t see how it will be affected. I will be very sorry for any member of the House who demonstrates objection to any measures or proposed laws which are directed towards the change agenda. Will someone stand up and say he likes corruption to thrive? Will anybody stand to say we should not ask for any billions or trillions of dollars that have been stolen to be refunded? I don’t think that will happen on both sides of the divide. I do not see that happening,” Oyegun said.

Denying that the party or any of its members is responsible for the current travails of the wife of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki in the hands of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, he said: “I want to assure you without doubts that the APC absolutely has nothing to do with the matter. She’s not on trial by the way. It is an investigation that has to do with the Senate President’s wife.’’

Atiku commends APC on Reps’ crisis

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed happiness over the peaceful resolution of the House of Representatives leadership crisis which had before now crippled activities of the House.

In a statement released by his

Media Office in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Vice President recalled that the amicable outcome of the tension was in line with his earlier position that compromise and accommodation were necessary in

ending the deadlock.

He added that warring camps have demonstrated maturity, wisdom and sense of patriotism by finally arriving at a workable compromise.

MICROSOFT IMAGINE CUP: Optimism after live

presentation by Team Nigeria

By Emeka Aginam, in Seattle, Washington

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ASHINTON— ALTHOUGH Health, and game solutions topped at the ongoing Microsoft Imagine Cup in Seattle, Washington, after Team Nigeria, Lifewatch had finished their live presentation, yesterday, there were positive signals that they will advance to the final tomorrow.

With smartest global tech students currently battling to win Microsoft Imagine cup in Seattle, Washington, the United States of America, the competition is the world premier technology competition for the smart students.

Watching their live presentation, yesterday, one thing was clear. There was convincing evidence of the Team advancing to the final stage.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Team, Lifewatch made up of four smart students from the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUADAdeyemo Oluwaseun, Kevin Ahwin, Sobola David and Raymond Obianuju are currently flying Nigerian flag as they prepare to advance for final stage of the showcase.

Speaking to Vanguard after their showcase, leader, Microsoft Nigeria noted with optimism that ”the boys session was apt,

informative, educative and of course mind blowing. I think their solution is definitely a contender for the coveted title."

According to him, the Team’s presentation was captivating and instructive to solving asthmatic issues especially in Nigeria and the rest of the world.

Adebayo Ogundipe, Chief Mentor of the Team, said with optimism that Nigeria will take cup home.

“We will win. We will advance to the final stage tomorrow. Their showcase was convincing enough for them to win. There were positive signals during their showcase,” he said.

GROUP TO BUHARI: You can't stop ministers from

awarding contracts

A

By Soni Daniel

BUJA—A group, Organising Greater Nigeria, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari does not have the power to stop ministers from being involved in the contract-awarding process in Nigeria.

The group pointed out that while ministers were not the awarding entities, they were an integral part of the process under the law.

The group was responding to the claim by President Muhammadu Buhari that as part of his anti-corruption campaign, ministers would no longer be involved in the process of contract awards unlike what obtained in the past.

But the group in a statement released by its Executive Director, Nuhu Aliyu in Abuja, noted that doing so would be a violation of the Public Procurement Act of 2007, which vests the power of

awarding contracts under ministers.

Aliyu said: “We note with concern, a recent statement by President Buhari to the effect that ministers will no longer award contracts, without a comprehensive policy explanation on how he intends to award contract to conform with the tenets of the law.

“We are worried that the President may be taking us back to pre-1984 where contracts were awarded at the discretion of the Head of State."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015—55

Expert advocates strategic resources mgt for devt

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E N O W N E D management consultant and public policy analyst, Mr. Barry Gbe, has advocated proper management of resources as panacea for sustainable growth and economic development of the nation, or the crude oil resources would continue to be a curse rather than a catalyst for the economic growth .

He spoke at the annual general meeting of Sapele chapter of Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, on Nation building and the management of our strategic resources: Our collective responsibility.

Gbe said the proper management of the nation’s resources will plug all leakages and create equilibrium in wealth production and consumption, and develop a culture that will discourage corruption and ‘foolish’ accumulation of wealth.

9 suspects arrested in Lagos over 4-yr-old boy's murder L

AGOS—POLICE in Lagos, yesterday, said they had arrested nine more suspects in connection with the murder of a four-year-old boy in Ijaniki area of the state.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Patricia Amadin, who made this known, said the suspects

were arrested following a confessional statement by the teenage suspect in police custody, adding that detectives were on the trail of other fleeing suspects.

She said that the command would be thorough in its investigations to ensure that only those culpable were

prosecuted.

The 16-year-old suspect, identified as Azeez, was arrested on Monday over the alleged murder of the toddler.

Amadin added that Azeez was arrested with blood stains all over his body and had confessed to the crime.

By Aliyu Dangida

D

U T S E — GOVERNOR Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State has approved the appointment of Mati Ali as Managing Director of Radio Jigawa with immediate effect.

This was contained in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Adamu Abdilkadir Fanini, in Dutse, yesterday.

Before his appointment, Mati Ali was a Public Relations Officer, office of the Secretary to the State Government and Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare board.

A season journalist and former Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Chairman, Alhaji Mati Ali joined the journalism profession in 1990 at the old Kano State government as an Information Officer.

He is a graduate of Mass communication, Bayero University, Kano, and holds a Higher International Diploma in Journalism from International Institute of Journalism, Abuja.

Among the places he had worked are Ungogo Local Government Area, Kano State as Information officer, while in Jigawa State, he served as the Informa-tion Officer at Garki, Taura, Babura, Gumel, Birnin Kudu and Dutse Local Government areas.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (middle) and Leader of the Delegation, Sir Roger Gifford, Senators of the Federal Republic and members of the United Kingdom Emerging Capital Market Taskforce in a group photograph after a courtesy visit of the latter to the Senate President’s office, National Assembly Abuja, yesterday.

Adesina, Kwankwaso, others for HOG awards

el-Rufai appoints blind man Special Assistant Emergency Management Muazu.

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RESIDENT of African Development Bank, AfDB, and former Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso are among Nigerians to be honoured with Hall of Grace, HOG, awards on August 9 in Lagos.

The award, fifth of its series, which has Chief Alex Akinyele as its Grand Custodian and Mr. Rupert Ojenuwa as Managing Custodian, will also be bestowed on Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, Pastor Ituah Igodalo, Yaw, among others.

According to Managing Custodian of the award, Mr. Rupert Ojenuwa, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, as special guest of honour, will deliver a paper on Growing Nigeria’s Democracy: Our Collective Responsibility, while Mrs. Wilma Aguele, will give a lecture on Maximazing Potentials in Agricultural Sector.

Badaru appoints ex-NUJ Chairman Radio Jigawa MD

By Luka Binniyat ADUNA—GOVERNOR Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, yesterday, announced the appointment of a blind man, Mallam Aliyu Salisu, as Special Assistant on Persons with Disability.

A statement by spokesman of the governor, Samuel Aruwan, said Salisu hails from Sabon Gari, Zaria, and holds a diploma in Special Education from Kaduna Polytechnic and another diploma in Guidance and Counselling from Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria.

Aruwan said Salisu is a member of the National Association of the Blind and had worked at Kaduna State Rehabilitation Centre.

He is also the chairman of the Braille Production Centre in Kaduna.

He further revealed that the governor had approved the reconstitution of the boards of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission, SIECOM; Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority, KASUPDA; Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency, KASTELEA, and Kaduna State

Agency, SEMA. The statement said: “Dr. Binta Dikko-Audu will chair the board of SIECOM, where she will work with six commissioners: Bitrus Gwadah, Rilwanu Yahaya, Hassan Mohammed, Safiya Balarabe, Dr. Andrew Nkom and Ahmed Bamalli.

“Nasiru Aboki, a respected architect, was chosen as chairman of KASUPDA. Other members of the board are Ruth Alkali, Ya’u Shehu Usman, Abdullahi Cooler and Kabiru

“The new Chairman of the KASTELEA is Abba Zubair Ahmed, a retired colonel. The board also has DSP Adamu Kachiro, Saidu Adamu, a former commissioner for information and Ashiru Zuntu.

“Ezekiel Baba Karik, who was recently appointed Executive Secretary of SEMA, will be working with three other board members.

They are Umar Muazu, Dr. Yusha’u Ango and Sani Akawu.”

Lagos to prosecute 70-yr-old woman, others for child abuse

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS State government has concluded plans to prosecute a 70-year-old woman who robbed pepper on the manhood of a boy, 12, for allegedly stealing money.

Similarly, a woman who engaged in begging for alms with the two children she brought from the village to assist her trade will also be arraigned in court soon.

It was gathered that the children used for alms begging were brought to the

Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, after they were rescued in Badagry, Ajamgbadi and Maza-Maza areas of Lagos by government officials and the police.

Permanent Secretary, WAPA, Mrs, Omobolanle Ogunmola, who confirmed this, said the arrest of the septuagenarian who assaulted the 12-year-old boy was made possible by the text message to officials of the ministry.

She said: “Our team went to Badagry to rescue the boy who attends Ansarudeen Secondary School. From the information got from the school, the accused is around 70 years old and her husband, over 75. ‘’So we decided not to arrest them, but that does not mean we are not going to prosecute them.

“We are going to prosecute them. We will take custody of the boy and take him to school in one of our transient homes.”

She said government would also prosecute the woman who used two children for begging.

56—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Pakistani police kill al Qaeda-linked militant leader

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Catholics, Vatican, head for showdown over gay, divorce in Oct meet T

HE Vatican laid the groundwork this week for its highly anticipated global synod on family life with the publication of a document outlining its initial working positions for the October conference.

The newly released document indicated that the church will maintain its traditional stance on hotbutton issues, including outreach to gay Catholics, contraception, divorce and remarriage, in the latest

sign of the institutional resistance to the kinds of reforms and shift in tone promoted by Pope Francis.

The 78-page Italian document released by the Vatican on Monday mainly focused on restating previously adopted positions on these divisive issues while reiterating some of the cultural war language that has characterized the church’s tone in recent decades, according to the National

Catholic Reporter. The church also reaffirmed its moral teaching on issues like the prohibition on the use of birth control, while not offering any substantially new options for divorced or remarried people, who are banned from taking Communion in church.

The lack of emphasis on the issue of outreach to gay Catholics, something Francis had emphasized at the last synod, has

Pope Francis arrives to lead a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 26, 2015.

Afghanistan probes reports of Taliban head’s death

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ULLAH Omar, the reclusive supreme leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, is reported to have died two years ago of tuberculosis. The Afghan government is investigating those reports. The U.S. State Department had issued a $10 million bounty on Mullah Omar. Image courtesy of the U.S. State Department KABUL, Afghanistan, July 29 (UPI) — The Afghan government launched an investigation Wednesday into reports that Mullah Omar, the reclusive supreme leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, died two years ago of tuberculosis.

Sayed Zafar Hashemi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said an investigation began after several news organizations, citing anonymous or unnamed sources, reported Mullah Omar’s death.

“We have seen those

reports, but we are still in the process of assessing those reports,” Hashemi said.

There have been several reports of Mullah Omar’s

death in the past, but this is the first to be confirmed by top Afghan government sources, the BBC reported.

disappointed LGBT Catholic activists who were hopeful that the October meeting could herald a shift in the church’s tone on gay issues.

Despite statements from bishops around the world over the past few months indicating an eagerness to address positive ways to minister to gay and lesbian Catholics, the newly released document has not reflected “any of this positive movement which is in the air,” said Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Catholic LGBT advocacy organization.

“Bishops’ conferences have noted that their nations’ Catholics have responded critically to the official negative attitude toward lesbian and gay people,” DeBernardo said.

“None of this is reflected in the document.”

The document, DeBernardo argued, also betrayed a “stunning ignorance” on the part of church leaders with its use of the term “homosexual tendencies” in characterizing LGBT people’s sexual orientation. “For church leaders to continue to use ‘homosexual tendencies,’ which seems to connote impermanence as well as simply a controllable desire to act and not a personality trait, reveals a stunning ignorance of the topic, as well as a disrespectful attitude towards lesbian and gay people.”

US fire reignites, hundreds more evacuated

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fire in California’s Napa wine country that was nearly contained flared up late Tuesday, forcing hundreds out of their homes.

The so-called Wragg fire that began near Lake Berryessa in northern California a week ago already burned some 7,000 acres. Firefighters thought they had it mostly contained, but some brush caught fire outside the perimeter, fueled by high temperatures, low humidity and gusty winds. Nearly 200 local residents were evacuated.

More than 1,100 firefighters were battling the blaze by air and land. One

home has been damaged and two outbuildings destroyed.

“With the winds picking up, they’re challenging us,” said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, adding that firefighters have dug a secondary containment line. “We’re hoping those lines will hold it where it’s at.”

The fire was towering above the tall treetops, causing concern among local residents. It began last week possibly as a result of a car crash.

“This over here has me

kinda worried,” said Mike Creel as he pointed to some bushes near his home. “If the wind picks up, it’ll push it over this way.”

The wildfire battle comes as the state is struggling with historic drought conditions. With brush and trees bone dry from the lack of water, coupled with high temperatures, the conditions are perfect for huge blazes. Even the lakes that firefighters tap for water sources are running dry. “With conditions so dry, we’re hitting it with everything we have,” Cal Fire Chief of Public Information Daniel Berlant said.

AKISTANI police have killed the leader of an al Qaeda-linked militant group that has repeatedly carried out deadly attacks on the country’s Shiite Muslim minority in recent years, authorities said Wednesday.

Malik Ishaq, the head of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, was killed during a shootout after armed men on motorcycles ambushed a police convoy that was transporting him between prisons in Punjab province, Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department said.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is known for targeting Shiites

in Sunni-majority Pakistan, including a series of bombings in early 2013 that left more than 160 people dead in Balochistan province.

Ishaq wasdetained by authorities soon after those attacks.

In the clash with police early Wednesday, the motorcycle-riding attackers freed Ishaq and two of his sons in the ambush, but police responded with gunfire that killed the terrorist leader, both of his sons and 12 others, authorities said.

Hacking led to intelligence on North Korea weapons, Seoul says

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OUTH Korea’s spy agency said it attempted to hack into phones and computers hundreds of times, and subsequently uncovered cases of Pyongyang’s illegal weapons trade.

The disclosure follows a recent incident involving the death of a National Intelligence Service agent who left a suicide note that rejected claims Seoul was spying on ordinary civilians.

A ruling party member of South Korea’s National Assembly told Yonhap he and others were briefed on the

spy agency’s hacking program, and that they were told the program’s goal was counterterrorism and the gathering of intelligence on North Korea.

The National Intelligence Service did not reveal the exact number of hacks that were undertaken but said the general population was exempt from the cyberattacks.

Targets instead were specific groups or individuals, and the attacks involved email messaging, South Korean television network

North korea hints at ballistic missile launch

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ORTH Korea has in dicated it may be planning a new ballistic missile test or other military provocation, hours after it said it had no interest in dialogue over its nuclear weapons.

Analysts have speculated for weeks that Pyongyang may conduct a rocket launch in October to mark the ruling party’s 70th anniversary, a major date on North Korea’s political calendar.

When asked Tuesday about a possible test, North Korea U.N. Ambassador Jang Il Han told reporters that he could not rule out the possibility, adding, “I’m sure we’ll have a grand celebration.”

“We stated in the past that we will respond to the military deterrence and pressure of the United States with modernization and expansion of our nuclear forces,” Jang said during a rare news confer-

Afghan govt: Taliban leader died in 2013

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FGHAN government officials said yesterday that reclusive Taliban chief Mullah Omar is dead, and that he died more than two years ago in Pakistan.

A government statement said the findings were based on “credible information.”

“He was very sick in a Karachi hospital and died suspiciously there,” said Abdul Hassib Seddiqi, spokesman for Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security.

He did not explain what was suspicious about the death, or say how long his agency had possessed information about Omar’s fate.

President Ashraf Ghani’s office also said Omar died in 2013, but the Taliban itself claimed that Omar is still alive.

In Washington, the White House said the reports of Omar’s death appeared credible and that U.S. intelligence authorities are looking into the circumstances of his death.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 57

German citizen behind Mogadishu, Somalia hotel attack — Report

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HE suicide bombing of a landmark Mogadishu, Somalia, hotel this week, in which at least 13 died, was caused by a German citizen of Somali origin, a senior Somali intelligence officer said Wednesday.

“Investigations are still continuing and it is too early to give full update, but what I can confirm is that the male bomber was a German citizen of Somali origin who just came back (to Somalia) recently,” he said, adding the suspect had recently lived in Bonn, Germany.

The six-story Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu is the location

of the diplomatic missions of China and the United Arab Emirates, and a popular hotel of foreign government officials. It was struck earlier this week by a bomb-laden vehicle. Damage was extensive, and the Chinese government reported one of its embassy staff members was killed and three others injured.

The Somalia-based militant group al-Shabab took responsibility for the incident, calling it “retaliation for the killing of dozens of innocent civilians” allegedly killed during attacks in southern Somalia by Ethiopian military forces.

Somali President Hassan Shiekh Mohamud strongly

condemned the bombing Tuesday, saying in a statement, “This was an attack on a symbol. The Jazeera Hotel was a place where the international community met their counterparts in Somali politics, business and civil society, but I have a message for the terrorists: the Jazeera Palace will be rebuilt and it will soon be back in business. That is how we respond to callous attacks such as this, attacks that, as is so often the case, harm only innocent Somali citizens and our international colleagues who are here to help.”

The Suez canal

Cecil the lion: Zimbabwe hunter bailed over killing

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hunter accused of helping a US tourist kill Zimbabwe’s most famous lion has been released on bail.

Theo Bronkhorst pleaded not guilty to a charge of “failing to prevent an unlawful hunt”.

He was granted bail of $1,000 (£638) and ordered to appear in court again on 5 August.

His co-accused - farm owner Honest Ndlovu will appear at a later date.

Walter Palmer, the US dentist who shot the animal known as Cecil, has left Zimbabwe but could also face charges.

Mr Palmer said he paid for the hunt, but was not aware of the lion’s identity.

He said he regretted shooting the animal, and believed he was on a legal hunt. He had relied on professional guides to find a lion and obtain the necessary permits, he added.

Mr Bronkhorst and Mr Ndlovu could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

Cecil is believed to have died on 1 July, but the carcass was not discovered

until a few days later.

Mr Palmer is said to have shot and injured the animal with a bow and arrow.

The group did not find the wounded lion until 40 hours later, when he was shot dead with a gun.

Egypt finishes work on New Suez Canal

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GYPT has finished building its New Suez Canal, its overseer said on Wednesday, a project President Abdel Fattah alSisi sees as a symbol of national pride and a major chance to stimulate an economy suffering double-digit unemployment.

The army led work 11 months ago on the $8bn canal, flanking the existing, 145-year-old waterway and part of a larger undertaking to expand trade along the fastest shipping route between

Europe and Asia.

The Suez Canal is a vital source of hard currency for Egypt, particularly since the 2011 uprising that scared off tourists and foreign investment.

“We have finished work on time and even before the specified time,” retired Admiral Mohab Mameesh, chair of the Suez Canal Authority, said at a news conference.

Sisi had ordered that the canal be completed within a year.

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

Fred Agbeyegbe... torrents of accolades for quintessential dramaturgist

By Prisca Sam-Duru, Elizabeth Uwandu & Ogo-Oluwa Adelakun

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OR weeks now, focus has been on one of Nigeria’s most celebrated creative writers, accomplished and erudite barrister and an illustrious Thespian, Chief Fred Agbeyegbe who turned 80 on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Not even the series of events organised to mark the st 81 birthday of Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, could take the shine off the celebration of the dramatist personae who stands out as a committed individual who deploys the medium of theatre to challenge bad policies, set agenda on critical issues bothering on the human condition as well as helping to resolve conflicts in the society.

There were series of activities held to honour this Theatre Game-Changer which culminated in a grand event held at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Friends, family members, colleagues, mentees of the celebrant, the academia, public office holders, literary enthusiasts, Thespians, Nollywood big names and so many more, converged at the Banquet Hall of the National Theatre, for a colloquium themed, ‘Drama and the Niger Delta struggle’, held last week, to celebrate the man who has contributed greatly to the development of Nigerian theatre right from the Festac 77 festival.

Niger Delta struggle Mr Fred Agbeyegbe’s essences as The Grand Living Legend of Nigerian Theatre whose intervention in the narrative of Nigeria’s theatre development through Ajo Productions ( his theatre ensemble between 1983 and beyond) thereby, making tremendous impact in the struggles of the Niger Delta region as well as checkmating the excesses of past military dictatorships, was highly celebrated.

The high profile event featured performance of one of Agbeyegbe’s plays, Conflict Resolution, speeches, paper presentations and award presentation.

Roll call of eminent Nigerians at the occasion included; Former Governor, Old Imo State, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Rtd; Secretary General, NADECO,

Ayo Opadokun, Esq; Former Artistic Director, National Troupe, Prof. Bayo Oduneye; Dean, Department of International Law, UNILAG, Akin Oyebode; Former Attorney General of Lagos State, Mrs Hiarat Balogun Esq; who were the Guests of Honour. Others were, the Keynote Speaker, Profs G G Darah; Dean of Arts, University of Abuja, Mabel Evwhierhoma; Tony Afejuku of the Department of English, University of Benin; and a host of others.

In his keynote speech, Prof. G G Darah described Mr Agbeyegbe as one of the greatest theatre teachers Africa has produced, adding that as a poet, teacher, creator of plays , his works create meaning in our society.

Prof Darah said the celebrant’s works raise fundamental issues pertinent to Nigeria’s political struggles, the Niger Delta struggles and at the same time, questions authorities.

The events were put together to celebrate the heroic exploits of the renaissance of a man who signifies champion of a knowledge based society

*All for Agbeyegbe @80. a performance of one of Fred Agbeyegbe's My Grandfather's Ghost, by Ajo productions at the National theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

“Works like Conflict Resolution, showcased the struggle of political interest, the question about injustice and also awaken the consciousness of humans to the question the rats asked humans, “ How inhuman are the humans?”

Darah goes further to describe The King Must Dance Naked as a play that laughs at the vanity of man in ascending the throne and the plight of the Niger Delta in terms of marginalisation. Thus the play among other things explains the maxim “Monkey dey work Baboon dey eat .

For Budiso a radical play,(1986.) directly ridiculed military dictatorship has its title as an acronym where Bu represents Buhari, Di, stands for Idiagbon and So, as Sowemimo.

The eminent scholar asks a serious question, ‘Will another Budiso come back and should the book be scraped since we have one of the players as Nigeria’s leader? Budiso is a play that shows the arbitrary use of power and the mentality of democracy.

However, the keynote speaker criticised the celebrant for only promoting the struggles of the

Niger Delta and not actually pivoting their plight and ways to ameliorate them.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, University of Lagos, Professor Duro Oni, who was Chairman of the occasion, described the celebrant as one of the most important and industrious playwrights in the country. Mr Oni relived memories of the opening of the National Theatre during the Festac 77 Festival.

Industrious playwrights According to him, “There were series of performances, then in the 80s, there were also series of performances, but so unique was Fred Agbeyegbe’s The King Must Dance Naked. That is an intriguing title in which I later discovered that the King in question, is actually a woman.

The Playwright’s titles are always high level interventionistic works in the annals of both literary and performing theatre."

Prof Oni commended Mr Agbeyegbe for all his efforts at

using his publications to intervene on some of the pressing challenges faced by the nation. “In him, is found a quintessential playwright who many do not know as a lawyer and journalist.” He added.

Dramatist and culture communicator, Mr Ben Tomoloju who was the moderator/ Interlocutor of the event, noted that the event put together for the celebrant, was to celebrate the heroic exploits of the renaissance of a man who signifies champion of a knowledge based society.

Tomoloju described the dramatist as the Lord of the Creeks who weaves artistry into ideas adding that “Through his popular drama, Budiso, the playwright tackled the problem of the judiciary in the country.

“As part of the celebration, the celebrant’s drama, Conflict Resolution, was staged. The play which was directed by Muyiwa Osinaike, examines land as a subject matter of conflict between humans and rats. Like today’s conflict; conflict of ethnicity, minority versus majority, land owners, oil drillers and religion.

Lagos ANA honours Denja Abdullahi

By Japhet Alakam &Efughi Favour T was another creative moment for writers, students and book lovers as many writers read their books and received the baptism of fire during the Lagos State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors ANA’s July reading held at the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Akoka.

The group apart from the read-

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ing also honoured her vice president, Denja Abdullahi who is contesting for the ANA president come August in Kaduna.

The reading which is an avenue to promote writers, share their latest works and empower upcoming writers that will take over from the old ones lived up to its bidding as it afforded both the established and upcoming writers the opportunity to express themselves through their

L- R. Denja Abdullahi with Iquo Abasi during the reading

works.

As usual, many writers were put on the hot seat as they read their works, and after the reading, criticisms and commendations from the audience followed.

The book reading kicked off with Yemi Adebiyi, who read a poem titled ‘Riot’ from his book ‘Rapsodies of the corper ‘ published in 1988. He told the audience of how he published the book and how many copies it sold. An issue that raised the argument on what should be in the mind of writers before writing.

Some held the position that artists should not write for money sighting examples of ancient writers who were poor but made it even after their death. Others disagreed, saying “we should turn out quality works and make money in the process.”

After that, Brenda Nwankwo read from her poem ‘The Journey’ which was about the four

years of University, continuous growth and how the journey never ends. Nwachukwu Olusegun, in his poem -’pathway to freedom’ talked about sin as bondage and Jesus as the pathway to freedom.

While Linda Davies read from her latest poem ‘I pray’.

In the second segment, which was moderated by Iquo Abasi, Denja Abdullahi, the current vice president of ANA, who is aspiring for the ANA presidency presented his manifesto to the Lagos chapter. He outlined a lot of programmes to change the face of ANA as somebody who has been in the system for years.

Apparently, for someone who has held several positions including that of the Vice President and others, Denja said that he will put his experience into service to make sure that the body regains its lost glory.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 59

*A typical Nigerian way, dramatized by Clogs Reloaded

Nigeria 2060 –Back from the Future sets agenda for a new Nigeria

By Japhet Alakam

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ARELY few days, after the Grand Living Legend of Nigerian theatre, Chief Fred Agbeyegbe predicted that Nigerians will see a vibrant theatre culture again, his prediction actually came to light as people from all walks of life trooped to the Covenant Christian Centre, Iganmu to watch the much celebrated play Clogs Reloaded, with the subtitle Nigeria 2060 –Back from the Future.

As early as 3.00 pm people were already waiting at the children’s church while final preparations were been put in place and when the hall was opened for the show, there was a long queue of people waiting to enter the hall that stretched from the hall to the gate. The 3000 church auditorium was

filled with people, the large turnout to many might be partially because the day was a public holiday and it was free, but the main reason was the love of theatre, which made many families to turn up for the drama, an indication that theatre has really come back to live.

Clogs is a science fiction live theatre multimedia projection that brings to the fore the stark realities of the bad side of things happening in Nigeria, the failure of the system

The play which is a production of Snapshots, a Dept in Covenant Christian Centre saddled with the task of ministration through Theatre Arts actually lived up to its bidding as it succeeded in passing the much needed message of change to the viewers. In fact, what the pastor of the church could not achieve on the pulpit was realised through the drama.

Written by Omotunde Akiode, and directed by Mr. Duka Kachi, Nigeria 2060 –Back from the Future which featured most of the members of the church drama group is a wake up call to all Nigerians to embark on their own peculiar travail which is to build the Nigeria of their dreams starting now.

Clogs Reloaded is a powerful multimedia stage performance that sets agenda for Nigerians

on the country they should aspire to have rather than the current one that is bogged down by i n e p t i t u d e , inefficiency and corruption.

Set in 2060 Nigeria, with an energetic display by the youths, with many props and designed costumes to suit, the drama challenges the national psyche of today ’s Nigerian citizens. The Nigeria of today is not the dream of the founding fathers, a country that is blessed with abundant natural and human resources but which is truncated as a result of what can be described as organised political madness (self centeredness, greed) that has robbed the country of orderliness and progress.

Orderliness and progress In the play, which was divided into scenes, each scene brings to the fore the stark realities of the bad side of things happening in Nigeria, the failure of the system.

It opened with a discussion by four young free readers who were discussing the ills in a vendors stand, but were joined by a man who tries to tell them of the good side of life, an action they laughed over.

In reply, they showed him a film of where a man was duped and his company collapsed, another scene where a man was been abused by the wife because of harsh economic

condition and others.

Then, suddenly they were transported to Nigeria 2060 with the time machine where everything was working well, good roads, well equipped general hospital, standby working ambulance etc and when they came back, they met the country in chaos, robbery, fuel scarcity, no jobs, malfunctioning hospitals, dirty environment and others.

Congress sat to deliberate on way out but they failed.

The lawyers went back again to see things for themselves where they discovered the level of suffering by the populace, on coming back they met a riot as the masses felt that the past has overstayed and they chatted for the way forward.

Science fiction Clogs, a science fiction live theatre multimedia projection of Nigeria into the year 2060, is a re enactment of the present woes in the country, and message points to the fact that despite all those challenges, the country can make it, if only they will do the right thing.

In the words of the director Kachi about the play ’s projection, “If Nigeria becomes the greatest nation of the world by 2060 and Nigerians of today were transported there by a time machine, what do you think would happen?

Would we be the clogs in the wheel of progress with our old ideologies? So, let’s begin the paradigm shift now in order to partake in the future of our dreams”.

Career guidance for youth made easy

By Tele Shitu

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T is natural in the education industry for curriculum experts to design and plan academic contents of academic courses being studied in schools at all levels of education. With respect to this, to a large extent, curriculum planners in Nigeria have been worthy of their professional contributions to educational development in the country.

However, it is necessary to state that much still needed to be done in the realm of career-guidance, especially at the level of secondary school education.

Generally, the impression usually expressed by professional counselors is that career-guidance, as actually related to vocations and professionals, is just one aspect out of the many professional responsibilities they should uphold.

To wit, that it is not mandatory for counselors to devote much of their time to career-guidance,

especially when there seems to be no concrete or separate curriculum blueprint to enforce or encourage such concentration.

Be that as it may, the fact remains that most students in the post-primary institutions in Nigeria face confusion at the point of making career choice while in school. Students don’t have information adequate enough to guide the choice of courses to study in tertiary institutions. For now, the system is only providing information about subjects and subject

The book will serve a good purpose in homes where family discussions about ambitions of young ones could be discussed and guided

courses category pages in the introductory leaves of the book must have prepared to direct student readers to different courses in the book which are categorized under art, commercial and science groups.

This arrangement can be best appreciated by students in the senior secondary schools.

requirements for courses, as the case may be. Little effort is being put on giving comprehensive description of courses, careers or professions to give clearer pictures to students about their career interests.

In view of the aforesaid, the production and recent release of 40 CAREERS – a careerguidance book – into the book market by Oluseyi Olusanya seems to be very timely. As a career-guidance literature, the book defines and explains the features of forty different courses or professions which are practicable in Nigeria.

Average intellect It highlights the opportunities and prospects inherent in the practice of each of the professions.

40 CAREERS is a 212 page book which flaunts forty colour pages of visuals designed to introduce the different disciplines appropriately.

The contents are written in English language and are made of words, expressions and facts which could

be easily understood by readers of average intellect.

Apparently, the author must have done a lot of reading for him to have written about forty different careers.

Moreover, he surely has a clear

picture of the target readers in mind. From all indications, students in the junior and senior secondary schools in Nigeria are more like the target. Focus on subject requirements or combinations, as well as presentation of lists of Nigeria universities where particular courses can be studied, are stuff useful to secondary school students.

In addition, the contents of the

It is not a text book that can be read in preparation for an examination. The author has written the book in such way that could make one describe it as a family book. The book will serve a good purpose in homes, where family discussions about ambitions of the young ones could be discussed and guided.

Professor Olufunmilayo Sotonade, a Professor of Counseling Psychology, who wrote the foreword is of the opinion that this kind of book “is useful to the counselors, career masters and mistresses, subject teachers, students, parents and guardians alike.”

40 Careers – A Career Guidance book; Oluseyi Olusanya; Dodees Visual Ltd, Yaba, Lagos; 2015; PP. 212

60—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

NLC CRISIS: We believe in unity of labour-— AJAERO THIS is the concluding part of the interview Correspondent Johnbosco Agbakwuru, had with Comrade Joe Ajaero, factional President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, where he spoke on the crisis rocking the Congress and how it could be resolved. The second part was published a fortnight ago.

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HAT do you think is the solution to this crisis?

Well, I want peace in Nigeria, I want peace in the labour movement and I am an apostle of peace, but not peace of the graveyard and not peace at any cost. Things must be done properly.

As I said, anytime I am called, I will appear to give my own account of what transpired up to this moment. So, depending on the political will of the people trying to drive the peace process, they may find the solution. If not, instead of us to work together and suffocate, we will continue to work apart.

There is no law that says we cannot operate outside NLC, but we are NLC and we remain in NLC and nobody through any thinking will tell us that we are not NLC or we don’t have the right to organise ourselves or organize a conference of our own if the other conference is not properly conducted. These are the issues, but we want a united labour centre.

Can you give us a step-by-step method to be taken in achieving this peace?

Ordinarily, I should not be discussing this because we are in court. We have to explore the court option and if the option gives us peace, we will take it. But if we are out of court, we discuss out of court.

Genuine reconciliation This is because it is not a question of what I want. If you remove it from me and my person, we will go far. I don’t need any of those titles for my views to be heard in this country.

I am not boasting; my views will be based on what I believe or what I know, either for or against issues.

I have made myself available and I can step aside for genuine reconciliation if it is the wish of the people. That is why I said we have a peace committee of which I am not a member. It is for members to meet with this other group’s committee and if veterans are meeting, if they come out with conditions that are acceptable based on the reality on ground, we will fall in-line, but not anyone imposing anything on normal human beings.

Your union, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE,

with the privatization of the sector, what are the challenges?

We have a lot of challenges as a union, and the challenges were envisaged before privatization.

The major challenge is the fallout of privatization, but we strategized before now. We fixed the union in such a way that we can drive this union for the next 20 years without one member, because we knew what we were going to pass through.

After that arrangement, the privatisation came, and of course with the attendant job losses and the anti- labour position of the new investors, all these things came in together. So, the first six months, though they said they did not recognise the union, they did not pay dues, we said no problem.

Within that six months, we decided to fight, because the greatest achievement some of us met when we came to the leadership of the union was to make it a fighting organisation.

18 succesor companies reduced staff strength. But before then, that was part of the issues that came up on the floor of NLC. The cheque-off dues of the union was reviewed with over 120 per cent, four years before the privatization.

It was reviewed because there were massive salary increases which we negotiated. This made the percentage increases not to be felt. A worker that was paying N500 cheque-off dues before, if he starts paying N1,000 or N1,200 when his salary has risen from

zComrade Joe Ajaero

N50,000 to about N120,000, you will know that if you remove N1,500 or more he will not feel it.

That has generated some funds for the union. Before then we had over 11,000 persons they were calling temporary staff. We fought and brought them into the union by ensuring their regularisation.

Similarly, we had almost 15,000 who were under contract and

There is no law that says we cannot operate outside NLC, but we are NLC and we remain NLC

c a s u a l staffing. We again fought for their regularisation and we got it.

So, at the time the privatization was taking place, within two years or so, we had a massive membership of about 30,000. We now had it in mind that if we have that number, we had another increase in wages, by the t i m e privatisation would hit us, w i t h expected job losses, it could bring us to where we were before these new members joined and fund increase came up.

That brought us to the need for levies to have some investments that would be profit centres for us to survive within this period.

When they came and behaved the way the did, we smiled because they were dragging us to war that we had prepared for.

So, we allowed them some space, because if we had engaged them immediately, Nigerians would say the power situation was sabotaged by the union. But we took our time to start engaging them. I will say that only Port Harcourt electricity that was using its hand to design forms for our members gave us headache. That made us to fight its management. We shut down

power there for about one week.

They hired thugs; NUPENG and two other unions joined us to fight the management because NLC was singing another tune.

Even in Kano when we mobilised to shut down Kano, the NLC headquarters in Abuja started shouting at the Kano State NLC chairman. So, that was the level of sabotage we faced from the leadership of NLC. We discovered that the NLC at the centre started working for our fall, they were not comfortable with our rising profile.

So, in Port Harcourt, the NLC chairman went and signed agreement with the management.

We said no because he is from Nigerian Union Teachers, NUT, he can’t sign agreement on our behalf. So, based on that, the management hired thugs and fought us , even NUPENG bus was destroyed.

We went to Industrial Arbitration Panel, IAP, and got a ruling in our favour, but the management refused to respect the ruling and proceeded to the National Industrial Court, NIC. The matter is still pending at the NIC. But before long, we are going to hit them again because they had done one or two other illegal things apart from the issues in court. We can’t keep quiet; we have to address those issues.

Yola was another example.

We took them to court as well but they sought for out-of-court settlement. Apart from that, there are other areas we have moved in, and even those of them that seized three or six months check-off dues, they paid arrears of these dues. So, apart from our members that have lost their jobs , we are soldiering on. God willing, we will be there.

...Restates need for fairness, equity

By Victor Ahiuma-young

T

HE Joe Ajaero faction of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has reiterated its commitment to genuine reconciliation in the crisis rocking Congress and insisted on its belief in the unity of Labour movement.

At its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the faction commended NLC veterans for unwavering commitment to the process of reconciliation and building unity for the movement and assured them of co-operation and support based on the principles of fairness and justice.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting, said “NECin-Session reaffirms its

commitment to the unity of the Labour Movement in Nigeria based on the principles of trade union independence, fairness, strong internal democracy, equity, solidarity, gender balance and justice. NEC-in-Session reiterates that notwithstanding the hard stance and desperation for power by some elements in the labour movement, the leadership of the Congress headed by Comrade Joe Ajaero is committed to genuine dialogue with independent Reconciliation Committee of Labour Veterans and Civil Society Leaders with a view to addressing current challenges facing the Congress.

Our stand is consistent with the wise counsel of the Honourable Justice Babatunde Adejumo

when the case instituted by the Ayuba Wabba Group came up for mention at the National Industrial Court, NIC, on June 24, 2015 in Lagos.

“We salute our veterans for unwavering commitment to the process of reconciliation and building unity for our movement.

We assure them of our cooperation and support based on the principles fairness and justice. NEC in session reaffirmed its commitment to the Congress’ primary goal of defending the rights and advancing the interest of all Nigerian working people through the instrument of collective bargaining and social dialogue.”

Unfair labour practices According to the communique, “NEC in session recognized that organizing is key, to building union power.

Therefore Congress endorsed the programme of action of the Anti-casualisation committee to picket companies that violate the right of workers to organise and belong to the union and the campaign against precarious work.

NEC in session further commits to other campaign measures aimed at deepening and entrenching the observance of decent work principles. Congress therefore directs all affiliates and State Councils to work with the Secretariat to observe the decent work day on October 7.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 61

All Nigeria Championships:

Egwero craves for strong opposition

BY BEN EFE

N

IGERIA’S fastest man this season, Ogho-Oghene Egwero has stated that the All Nigeria Championships men’s 100m lacked the kind of competition that can produce a sub 10 seconds run.

The championships begin today at the Warri Township Stadium and according to the Delta-born athlete his aim, is to better his 10.15seconds season’s best and boost his creden-

tials for the World Championships and the All Africa Games. He stated that his only worry is the quality of the opposition, that will be presented by his fellow competitors in the trials.

“My aim is to go faster than my season best. But there has to be the push from the others, if it is not there I would have to run according body capacity and the training that I did,” said Egwero whose 10.06 personal best achieved in 2011 is still awaiting im-

provement.

He said that the tracks at the Warri Stadium not withstanding, he will be out to compete and win a place in Nigeria’s team to the two upcoming events. Egwero, is the athlete to beat in the 100m. His leading 10.15s seconds time is rivalled only by Seye Ogunlewe who ran 10.19 seconds. Jonathan Nmaju is the other runner who can stake a claim to the All Nigerian championships title.

Meanwhile, Egwero and Delta State have part-

Nigeria’s contingent to AAG departs August 31 “Athletes’ welfare will be

T

HE Director General, National Sports Commission (NSC), Al-Hassan Yakmut, yesterday said the country’s contingent to the All Africa Games would depart for Brazzaville on August 31.

Yakmut said that the contingent would converge on Abuja before travelling to the Congolese capital for the 11th edition of the games.

He said that Nigeria would feature in 19 events, including athletics, at the continental championships.

He said that the welfare of contingent was top on NSC’s priority, stressing that the commission

•Yakmut would ensure that the athletes were adequately cared for.

“The Federal government has released funds which will be channeled towards the AAG, World Youth Games in Samoa and preparation towards the Olympics.

Masai, Mutombo, Udoka for GOA basketball camp

T

HE coaches for the 2015 Giants of Africa basketball camp have been confirmed as the three-day programme gets set for the jump ball.

The Giants of Africa Basketball Foundation, in conjunction with Nestle Milo, is again sponsoring the annual Top 50 basketball summer

•Mutombo

camp, from August 3 to 5 at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

The international coaches who will be flying in the country to participate at this event are Masai Ujiri (General Manager, Toronto Raptors), Patrick Mutombo (Asst. Coach Denver Nuggets), Ime Udoka (Asst. Coach San Antonio Spurs), Jama Mahlalela (Asst. Coach Toronto Raptors) and Patrick Englebrecht (Toronto Raptors International Scouting Director).

There are also Nigeria-based coaches who have worked with the programme over the years and who have also been selected for the 2015 event.

our priority; the funds will be channeled towards their accommodation, feeding and flight, among others.

“We will ensure that the money given by the Federal Government will be used judiciously.

“It will be irresponsible if the money disbursed

by NSC to federations is not used appropriately,” he said.

ed ways. He will now be running for Anambra State at the national sports festival.

“They refused to pay my entitlements. So I have to go where my efforts will be appreciated,” said the athlete.

Also the Nigerian women 400m is generating interest as two athletes Patience Okon-George and Regina George are building up a rivalry.

In the absence of Folasade Abughan, who has taken time to bear a child, Okon-George has forged ahead with a season’s best of 50.76 seconds and established herself as the woman to beat at the All Africa Games. However, George on the other hand is hoping to make the world championship standard and this is what will come to play when the two women take to the tracks during the trials.

Okon-George at the Warri Relays, won with 51. 78, while George on the other hand ran 51.95 seconds at the London Anniversary Games.

•Regina George

Don’t distract Oliseh, Akanni warns NFF

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ORMER Nigeria in ternational, Waidi Akanni is worried over the dimension the employment of the new Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has taken even as he is yet to lead the team to their first match under him.

Akanni’s worry bothers on the terms of reference handed Oliseh by the NFF. According to the NFF, Oliseh will, in addition to handling the national team, be involved in the developmental aspect of football in the country.

According to head of the NFF Technical Committee, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu, “Oliseh is expected to come up with a five–year developmental plan to fashion a unique playing and coaching philosophy for all the National Teams, and will for this purpose, interface regularly with coaches of those teams.

Anyansi-Agwu added, “we are also looking at how he will periodically organize clinics and seminars for coaches of Clubs in the Nigeria Professional Foot-

•Oliseh ball League, probably once in a month, so as to strengthen the playing philosophy across board. A robust youth development programme, elite player development strategy and

performance programmes to drive higher standards, among other core sustainable development programmes, are also part of the proposal.”

But Akanni faulted this and insisted that Oliseh’s contract was a clear overlapping of functions with those of the technical director’s. “I consider this too much for him. Oliseh should be left to handle the national team and not be bothered with what the NFF is trying to heap on his shoulders. That will be too much for him and counterproductive.

“Let him handle the na-

tional team. If he fails, then we can hold him responsible; not to overload him with training of coaches and seminars. Leave that for the technical director, in this case, Shaibu Amodu.”

But the NFF has cleared the air on this, insisting that the schedules of the technical director and that of the Super Eagles coach would not clash as they have taken time to spell out every detail to the officials concerned.

“I want to assure you that we would not allow friction between Amodu and Oliseh,” Ayansi Agwu said.

Baba Ganaru takes charge at Pillars

M

OHAMMED Baba Ganaru has officially taken the reins as head coach of Nigerian champions, Kano Pillars.

Kano Pillars and Baba Ganaru agreed to a deal this week and concluded paperwork on Wednesday afternoon in Kano.

Baba Ganaru was officially unveiled at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano

around 4pm yesterday.

“We have just concluded talks with Baba Ganaru and we have agreed terms with him and he will be unveiled today at about 4pm. After that he will resume duties immediately with the team,” Kano Pillars spokesman said yesterday.

The board of Kano Pillars chaired by Kabiru

Baita wants Baba Ganaru to rebuild the playing personnel after a poor first round in the Glo Premier League in their standards.

Baba Ganaru, who is returning to Pillars on a second stint, said that he is happy and satisfied with the terms with the Nigerian champions.

62— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

NFF backs Oliseh U-turn T

HE Nigeria Football Federation has thrown its weight behind new Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh following his U-turn on the invitation of players to the national team.

Oliseh had on Monday through his YouTube page announced a change in his initial position not to invite players who are not playing in top-flight leagues in the world.

The Eagles coach noted that goalkeepers from the lower leagues who are exceptional and players in lower leagues who are exceptional would now be considered.

NFF president Amaju

Pinnick in a chat with journalists in Abuja said, “we support everything Oliseh is doing. He knows what’s best for his team and I can tell you that Oliseh has been working since he left the country.

“I am particularly impressed at his work ethics and professionalism. There is no action he takes that he does not first inform us (NFF) on the rationale behind the decision and the motive he intends to achieve with such a decision.”

The NFF boss further stated, “We need to give him time because everything he does is in the best interest of the country. We don’t have a

•Keleshi problem with his change of position.”

Sunday Oliseh is expected to announce his list of callups for the 2017 AFCON qualifier against Tanzania in the coming week.

Champions League: Fatai outshines Musa

L

ESSER known Nigeria striker Kehinde Fatai scored to outshine compatriot Ahmed Musa in a UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie Tuesday.

Fatai’s Czech club Sparta Prague must now fancy their chances to advancing to the group stage of the Champions League after they forced their hosts to a 2-2 draw inside Arena Khimki.

CSKA took a 14th minute lead, before former Nigeria U20 and U23 striker Fatai netted the equaliser a minute after.

NSC Continues from BP may have prompted the NSC to wade into the matter with a view to settling the matter out of court.

It was also learnt that the NSC had demanded from the NFF details of their agreement with Keshi who has also complained to them officially over what he described as defamation of character and wrongful termination of his contract.

To this effect, NSC Director General Alhassan Yakmut on Tuesday told journalists that the Sports Commission would not allow the matter to go to the open court, adding that Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism should be used to resolve the matter.

“I have asked the

football federation if they have seen the letter from Keshi, and they said they were aware of it. So it is left for the architects of that contract and Keshi to ensure that no provisions of that contract is violated”.

According to Yakmut, the immediate concern of the commission is to ensure that sports stakeholders seek amicable resolution of any crisis before thinking of seeking redress outside the “family channel”.

The DG insists that the issues at stake involve sports stakeholders whom he described as members of the same family, adding that he will not sit and watch a family matter go to the open court over issues that should be resolved in house.

Pinnick Continues from BP directed our legal department to study it and as I speak to you we have responded to the persons who sent the letter, so Nigerians have nothing to worry about.”

Former Eagles coach Stephen Keshi is claiming damages of a billion Naira, insisting that he was defamed by the NFF following the manner he was dismissed.

•Fatai

Platini

Continues from BP presidential rivals, hours after confirming he will stand for world football’s top job.

Platini announced on Wednesday that he wants to succeed Sepp Blatter when elections take place on 26 February.

The Uefa president, 60, says Fifa needs to “turn over a new leaf” after being dogged by corruption allegations.

However, Prince Ali Bin alHussein and Musa Bility claim Platini would be a bad

choice as a successor.

Prince Ali, who stood against Blatter in the last presidential election, said that “football’s fans and players deserve better”.

AmemberoftheJordanian royal family, he added that Fifa needed a “new, independent leadership, untainted by the practices of the past”. Bility, president of the Liberian Football Association, agreed, saying Platini would bring “chaos”, “more division” and “more problems”.

Buhari Continues from BP forthcoming All Africa Games in Congo will be sanctioned.

The Director General said the President’s approval came with a clause that a full audit report of the financial details must be given after the 2015 Games. He then urged the Presidents of the various federations to be prudent and ensure that all spending has to be properly accounted for in line with the anticorruption policy.

Speaking yesterday after announcing the release of N2.9b for Nigeria’s participation in the All African Games, in Congo and preparations for the Commonwealth Games and the 2016 Olympics by the Federal Government, Yakmut warned that for sports federations to justify

the huge amount being spent by government, such efforts must be backed by results.

He warned that coaches for the various teams must be recruited on merit, adding, “any coach who fails to carry the flag of Nigeria properly in Brazzaville will face sanctions”.

Mallam Yakmut made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja when he met with members of the Ministerial Technical Committee on the All African Games and Presidents of National Sports Federations participating at the 2015 All Africa Games.

Mrs. Hauwa-Kulu Akinyemi, Director, Federations of Elite Athletes Department, while giving updates on preparations for the Games, stated that out of

23 sports to be competed in Brazzaville, Nigeria will feature in 20 sports, adding that the Commission envisaged that President Muhammad Buhari will send forth the contingents to Brazzaville.

She further disclosed that arrangements were in place to ensure flawless passage of contingents who are to depart Nigeria on 29th of August, 2015 for Congo Brazzaville.

Speaking on behalf of Federations Presidents, Tijjani Umar, expressed appreciation on the openness of the Director General and disclosed that “there is better interaction and interface between the Sports Commission and the Federations now than in the past.

desperate.

“I wasn’t excited about the request and I refused to be agitated, I presented all the facts.

There was a phantom claim that I have executed street lights with the All Africa Games funds to the tune of N109 million naira.

All that we did as we have announced is 43 street lights to secure the athletes hostel and entrance into the stadium for the sum of N21 million naira and it was approved by the management and the minutes was signed by nine directors, only one director that did not sign and has made maximally the requirements of due process.

“We also sought the approval of the DG budget on the N750 million which was

clearly stated that the amount was strictly for the preparation for the All Africa Games and the Olympics as well as participation for sporting activities. And when we gave them the expenditure that the sum of N685m out of that money has been expended so far and all athletes are in camp, yet the petitioner claimed our participation was in jeopardy. In fact the EFCC was wondering whether they were investigating an expenditure that was done after the event or before the event.”

Yakmut who said he will not be hampered by such antics added that many people who are not core professionals still think they can continue in the old way of putting square pegs in round holes.

EFCC Continues from BP his recent invitation by the anti- graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (ECCC) last week as a result of a petition written by some people who were not happy with his appointment.

Yakmut told Sports Vanguard in Abuja that the EFCC drilled him for about six hours over a petition which claimed among other things that he was not qualified to be promoted to the office after the exit of the former Director General, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

He also revealed that the petitioner whom he refused to name told the agency that he was elevated to his current position by those who wanted to use him to divert public funds.

“Yes I was invited to

the EFCC and I was there for six hours because they were very professional, they were thorough, very efficient.They wanted to substantiate the credibility of the petition before them.

“The petitioner started with a serious allegation that I was a creation of manipulation to siphon funds by the immediate past minister but the petitioner didn’t mention that I have a Masters degree, the petitioner said I was desperate to become director general. I don’t know how someone who has spent 25 years at the Sports Commission with a Masters degree and a core professional who has also passed the Permanent Secretary as far back as last year should be described as someone who is

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015 — 63

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015

FIFA election: Platini’s candidacy Blatter deserves Nobel Prize — Putin under attack

M

ICHEL Platini has been criticised by two potential Fifa Continues on Page 62

EFCC drills Yakmut for 6 hrs •Platini

•‘It’s a futile attempt by my detractors to rubbish me’

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

D

IRECTOR General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Alhassan Yakmut has described

•Yakmut

Keshi v NFF: No cause for alarm, says Pnnick

T

HE Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation has assured they have responded to a notice by former Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi to sue them for alleged defamation.

NFF president Amaju Pinnick has said that the federation was not

perturbed over the decision of Keshi to drag them to court.

“We have received the letter from Keshi’s representatives and we have gone through it,” said Pinnick.

“There is nothing to worry about. We have Continues on Page 62

Continues on Page 62

NSC summons NFF over Keshi

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

A

S a way of finding an amicable solution over the c o n t r a c t u a l

disagreement between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and sacked coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, the National Sports Commission (

NSC) has invited the two parties to a meeting.

Last week, the news that Keshi had dragged the NFF to Court claiming N1billion naira Continues on Page 62

Buhari releases N2.9b for Sports, insists on accountability

T

HE Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut has warned that any coach who fails in the Continues on Page 62

•Keshi and Pinnick

•Buhari

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Lustre (6) 5 Torn (6) 9 Domesticated (5) 10 Deserved (6) 11 Noisier (6) 12 Decoration (5) 14 Scorch (4) 17 Gender (3) 18 Otherwise (4) 20 Consumed (5) 22 Mix (5) 23 Cut (7) 24 Send (5) 26 Singer (5) 29 Paradise (4) 30 Border (3) 32 Mature (4) 33 Broader (5) 35 Charm (6) 36 Molluse (6) 37 Storehouse (5) 38 Deposited (6) 39 Required (6)

DOWN 1 Penetrate (6) 2 Lasso (6) 3 Staunch (4) 4 Hell (5) 5 Ease (5) 6 Hero (4) 7 Pool (6) 8 Dashed (6) 13 Erased (7) 15 Loathed (5) 16 Sap (5) 18 Senior (5) 19 Pry (5) 21 Entrap (3) 22 Wager (3) 24 Disclose (6) 25 Repaired (6) 27 Pinched (6) 28 Halted (6) 30 Rented (5) 31 Fruit (5) 33 Paddle (4) 34 Ceremony (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Stray 7, Precis 9, Cur 10, Mad 12, Rural 13, Iced 15, Reset 17, Resist 19, Heed 20, Greet 22, Tar 24, Desired 27, Pot 28, Erode 31, Stop 33, Dulled 35, Irate 37, Wide 38, Erase 39, Ear 41, Tan 42, Demure 43, Adder.

DOWN: 1, Spring 2, Severe 3, Vim 4, Sure 5, Truth 6, Awakened 8, Sari 11, Destitute 14, Deed 16, Star 18, Step 21, Restored 23, Reel 25, Soda 26, Drew 29, Odious 30, Eleven 32, Piste 34, Lead 36, Rear 40, Rep.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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C M Y K