Real reasons i conceded to Buhari, by Jonathan by Vanguard Media Limited

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 3

Kidnapping: Panic grips Delta royal fathers

*Abductors demand N50m ransom to release Olomoro monarch BY EMMAAMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTH-SOUTH, FESTUS AHON AND OCHUKO AKUOPHA

EAR enveloped roy al fathers in Delta

MARRIAGE: From left: Governor State David Umahi of Ebonyi State the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachi Lawal and the President of Dangote Group Aliko Dangote, during the wedding of the SGF’s daughter, Wabiya, at the Spirit and Life Embassy, Yola Adamawa State, yesterday.

State following the kidnapping, weekend, of the Odio-ologbo of Olomoro Kingdom in Isoko

South Local Government Area, HRM Josiah Aghaza I, 24 days after the king of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South, Edward Ofulue III, was abducted and killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen. However, abductors of the Olomoro monarch called the family on Friday night with his phone, demanding N50 million

ransom. They switched off the phone after the call to obstruct tracking. The Chair, Isoko South, Mr. Malik Ikpokpo, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard after a security meeting, in Oleh, yesterday morning, confirmed the demand for N50 ransom by the kidnappers. Community leaders in Olomoro also held an emergency meeting to deliberate on how to secure freedom for their monarch. Security agents are, however, on the trail of the kidnappers, who abandoned their car at Agbarha-Otor and moved to a hideout from where they contacted the family. Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Celestina Kalu, said “no update yet” when this paper called her yesterday afternoon. Our findings showed that traditional rulers in the state, who met last Thursday, in Asaba, the state capital, to deliberate on the kidnap and murder of Ofulue III, were alarmed when, barely 24 hours later, kidnappers abducted Aghaza I. Some of them told Sunday Vanguard that they did not have adequate security and wondered whether kidnappers in Delta had made traditional rulers their targets. A source said: “The royal fathers are human beings too, they are afraid and a number of them have beefed up their security with more vigilante men around them. Some have called the police to deploy officers to them and also adjusted their movements.” One of the royal fathers said: “Most of us that you see do not even have money to buy fuel for our vehicles, let alone pay for security. For some of us, who have some policemen guarding us, it is not easy. When I get my monthly stipend, pay the policemen, local vigilante, there is nothing left even for my domestic staff.” The parmount ruler of Siembiri Kingdom, Burutu local government rea, HRM Charles AyemiBotu and traditional ruler of Akugbene Mein Kingdom, Bomadi local government, HRM S.P. Luke-Kalanama VIII, who spoke our reporters, described the situation as worrisome to the monarchs.

PAGE 4 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

THE SEPLAT VICTORY: From left: Chief Operating Officer, SEPLAT, Smart Connal; Chief Executive Officer, SEPLAT, Austin Avuru and Managing Director, Chevron, Clay Neff, after SEPLAT and Chevron won their case against Brittania–U over OMLs 53 and 55 at the Supreme Court on Friday.

LISTING: From left: Group Chief Executive Officer, United Capital, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni; Managing Director/CEO, Transcorp Hotels, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo; and Managing Director/CEO, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange Plc, Mr. Bola Onadele Koko, at the listing of N10bn Transcorp bond on FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, held in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau

Seplat wins case over OMLs 53 and 55 S

EPLAT Petroleum De velopment Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) have won the case brought against them by Brittania -U Nigeria Limited over OMLs 53 and 55. The Supreme Court gave the verdict in favour of Seplat and C hevron at the weekend. The litigation had prevented the full transfer to Seplat of a 40.00% working interest in OML 53 and effective 22.5% working interest in OML 55 (held through 56.25% ownership of the share capital of Belemaoil Producing Limited) that the company had acquired from Chevron in February 2015. “We are naturally very pleased with today’s ruling, not least because it means we are now free to deploy our proven operating expertise to realise the significant reserve, production and value potential these blocks hold. To give an idea of scale, we estimate these blocks to hold recoverable volumes of around 200 million barrels of oil equivalent net to Seplat, a material volume by any standard and one which has now been unlocked for us,” said Austin Avuru, the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat, leading Nigerian indegenous oil and gas company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange. “OML 53 fits neatly within our strategy of securing, commercialising and monetising natural gas in the Niger Delta to supply the rapidly growing domestic market and will further reinforce our

position as a preeminent supplier of gas in Nigeria. OML 55 provides us with a number of attractive opportunities to boost oil and gas output, and is consistent with our strategy of prioritising assets that offer near-term production growth, cash-flow and reserve replacement potential in the onshore and shallow water offshore areas of Nigeria”. On February 5, 2015, Seplat had announced that it had acquired a 40.00% working interest in

OML 53 from CNL. Simultaneously the company announced that it had concluded negotiations to purchase 56.25% of the share capital of Belemaoil Producing Limited (“Belemaoil”), a Nigerian special purpose vehicle that had completed the acquisition of a 40.00% interest in the producing OML 55, also from CNL. Seplat’s effective working interest in OML 55 as a result of the acquisition is 22.50%. NNPC holds the remaining 60.00% interest in both OML 53 and

OML 55 and, pursuant to the Joint Operating Model, Seplat was designated operator of OML 53 and OML 55 (together the “Assets”). However, the full completion and transfer of these assets and operatorship was hindered by a litigation brought against CNL and Seplat by Brittania-U, one of the counter bidders that also sought to acquire the assets from CNL and contested the outcome of the sales process.

Stakeholders seek Emergency Trust Fund in states By Festus Ahon, ASABA

ARTICIPANTS at the annual consultative meeting between the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs, have called for the establishment of Emergency Trust Fund by state governments to be funded with one percent of internally generated revenue and 1% of monthly allocation from the Federation Account to the states, through appropriate legislations. In the consultative meeting, held in Asaba, Delta State capital, the participants said this had become necessary due to lack of defined funding sources and allocation criteria for the SEMAs by state governments resulting in over reliance on NEMA.

They observed that most of SEMAs are either not funded or are inadequately funded in spite of the enormity of disaster management activities in the states. The participants observed

that most SEMAs were not established by law and those established by law were not functional and they lacked proper structure with full complement of departments, units and staff.

DO State has put measures in place to check the spread of Lassa fever.

Executive Director, Media and Public Affairs, Governor’s Office, Mr. John Mayaki, stated this after monitoring the first environmental exercise for the year in Be-

LADUNNI Ogunnu bi, a final year student of Transport Management Technology of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, has been selected by Boeing Company International, manufacturers of the Boeing range of aircrafts, to participate in its 2016 internship programme in the United States of America. Ogunnubi, who will spend between six and 12 months in the company’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington, was selected based on her academic results and performance during the electronically-conducted oral interview with the Selection Board of Boeing. Selected undergraduates students are exposed to the field of transport engineering and management through an all-round experience in

•Oladunni Ogunnubi Boeing Aircraft Industry. It is also meant to serve as a veritable source of providing international job engagement for outstanding students. Ogunnubi will b e joining other interns from Kenya, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Togo, Trinidad and Morocco, who will be attached to a designated manager during the programme scheduled to begin in May.

My senatorial seat not an issue in Gov Bello dissolves boards and S’Court case, says Andy Uba parastatals

ENATOR Andy Em manuel Uba, representing Anambra South Senatorial District, has urged members of the public, particularly the people of Anambra State, to disregard the insinuation that the verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of Ejike Oguebego and other versus People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other, affected his seat in the National Assembly. Uba, in a statement

from his office in Abuja, said he was not a party to the suit just as his name or his seat was not mentioned at any stage of the suit which commenced in 2014 at the Federal High Court. He added that the issue in contention in the case, decided by the Supreme Court, was the Chairmanship of the Anambra State chapter of the PDP and the constitution of its State Executive Committee.

‘Edo has measures in place to check Lassa fever’ By Victor AhiumaYoung

BRIEFS Boeing selects FUTA student for internship in US

nin metropolis. A statement from his office said the monitoring of the exercise commenced as early as 7 a.m. from Ring Road, Benin-City and ended at Ramat Park.

Speaking on the steps taken by the state government, Mayaki noted that part of the measures was the ongoing fumigation of markets across the state.

By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

OVERNOR Yahaya Bello has dissolved all boards and parastatals in Kogi State. The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, also directed all political appointees, members of boards and parastatals to handover to the most senior officers in their offices with immediate

effect. The statement said this became imperative to enable government commence the restructuring of the boards and parastatals where necessary, as well as reposition them through new hands for efficient services. However, three statutory boards: The Judicial Service Commission, Civil Service Commission,State Independent Electoral Commission, and the Accountant General of the state, were not affected.

Air Peace leads Nigerian brands on the internet

EW entrant in the aviation space, Air Peace, led the list of top 10 trending Nigerian brands on the Internet in 2015, according to a latest ranking released by Google. The list tracked “brands that had the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2015 as compared to 2014.”

Allen Oyeama runs the airline, which made its debut in 2013. Online and offline retail store, Yudala, took the second spot after launching in August last year. Free online classified site, jiji.com, came third, ahead of online retail site, Payporte, online classifieds site, Efritin.com and online shopping site, Kaymu.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 5

TENSED MOMENTS AFTER 2015 POLL

Real reasons I conceded to Buhari — Jonathan “Should I, then, ffor or the lo ve of power atc love power,, w watc atchh Nigeria slide int intoo a war ar,, with m myy ffellow countryy men and women dying, and man manyy theatre of w ar ellow countr more pouring into other nations in Africa and beyond, as refugees? myy cchallenger hallengers”. Should I hang on ttoo power and tussle with m hallenger s”.

ormer President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken of the tensed moments he faced on March 28, 2015 ahead of his decision to concede victory to President Muhammadu Buhari after that year ’s presidential election. “I was actually in that valley on March 28, 2015”, he said. Jonathan also narrated why he relinquished power to Buhari, saying he did not want Nigeria to slide into a theatre of war, with his fellow county men and woman dying, and many more pouring into other nations in Africa and beyond, as refugees. “I never knew that the human brain had the capacity for such enhanced rapid thinking. One hundred and one things were going through my mind every second. My country was at the verge of collapse. The tension in the land was abysmally high and palpable, in the months leading to the election. The country became more polarised more than ever before, such that the gap between the North and the South and between Christians and Muslims became quite pronounced”, the former President said. “In fact, it became so disturbing that some interest groups in the United States began to predict indeed, many Nigerians did buy into this doomsday prophesy as they began to brace themselves for the worst. “As the President, I reminded myself that the

Government I led had invested so much effort into building our country. I worked hard with my top officials to encourage Nigerians and nonNigerians to invest in our country to be able to provide jobs and improve the lives of our people. “We worked hard to grow our economy and to improve and bring Nigeria up as the biggest economy in Africa, with a GDP of about half a trillion dollars”. Jonathan told his story, last week, during a dinner in his honour by Cercle Diplomatique, Geneva, Switzerland. The former President also spoke about his foray into politics, the allure of power and future plans. He began: As you can see, I have not come here with a prepared speech, since what I consider appropriate for this occasion is to just thank you all, members and everyone else in attendance, in a few words, for the dinner and the award, in order not to make the evening look boring. But having said that, I am still tempted to note that if I were to present a written speech, the title, would probably have been “Power Tussle in Africa: A Stumbling Block to Economic Growth.” When Mr. Robert Blum, your President, made his very interesting opening remarks, he introduced me as the former President of Nigeria. He was absolutely correct. My foray into politics “However, I believe that not many of you here know that

the story of my foray into politics has a peculiar ring to it. I entered politics in 1998 and, barely one year after, I got elected as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, my state. I later became Governor, Vice President and eventually got elected as the President of my country. I remain the only leader in my country to have travelled that route. As the President, I served out my first term but, as Mr. Blum had pointed out earlier, I lost the bid to be reelected. I am encouraged by the fact that many of you here appreciated my decision not to reject or contest my loss at the polls, not even in the courts as many people had expected. The allure of power “Again, I have to agree with Blum that it was not an easy decision to take. This is because the allure of power and the worries about what would become of you after leaving office constitute an irresistible force. It has an attraction so controlling and powerful that it takes a man who has the fear of God and who loves his people and nation to relinquish power so easily in Africa. Alone in the valley “I was actually in that valley on March 28, 2015. I never knew that the human brain had the capacity for such enhanced rapid thinking. One hundred and one things were coursing through my mind every second. My country was at the verge of collapse. The tension in the land was abysmally high and palpable, in the months and days leading to the election. The country became more polarized more than ever before, such that the gap between the North and the South and between Christians and Muslims became quite pronounced. In fact, it became so disturbing that some interest groups in the United States began to predict that Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015. And, indeed, many Nigerians did buy into this doomsday

•Goodluck Jonathan

prophesy as they began to brace themselves for the worst. As the President, I reminded myself that the Government I led had invested so much effort into building our country. I worked hard with my top officials to encourage Nigerians and non-Nigerians to invest in our country to be able to provide jobs and improve the lives of our people. We worked hard to grow our economy and to improve and bring Nigeria up as the biggest economy in Africa, with a GDP of about half a trillion dollars. Posers I had to contend with “Should I then, for the love of power, watch Nigeria slide into a theatre of war, with my fellow country men and women dying, and many more pouring into other nations in Africa and beyond, as refugees? Should I hang on to power and tussle with my challengers, while the investments of hard working citizens of the world go down the drain? I then said to myself, NO! Resisting the lure of power “I promised my God that I will not let that fate befall Nigeria under my watch, hence the historic telephone call I put through to congratulate my challenger

even when the results were still being tallied. I believe that for a country to be great, both the leaders and the led must be prepared to make sacrifices. This is why, everywhere I go, I always advise that the new generation of African leaders must think differently. We can no longer afford to wilfully sacrifice the blood of our citizens on the altar of dangerous partisan politics. It is not worth it. This reminds me of one of my campaign statements to the effect that my ambition was not worth the shedding of the blood of any Nigerian. Some people took it then as mere political slogan but I knew that I meant it when I said it. We mu st all fight for the enthronement of political stability in Africa, for in it lies the panacea for sustainable growth and development. For Africa to record the kind of advancement that will be competitive and beneficial to our citizens, we must have stable states supported by strong institutions. That appears to be the irreducible minimum that is common to all developed societies. Africa’s political odyssey can distinctly be categorised into three eras, and probably another that would later signpost its classification as a developed continent”.

Continues on page 6

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Real reasons I conceded to Buhari — Jonathan Continued from page 5 Challenges “Some may doubt this, but it is no fluke that Africa is growing and rising. However I will admit before you here that we still have challenges. That is why people like us did all we could to ensure that Nigeria, the biggest black nation on earth, would not drift into anarchy because such a situation would have spelt doom for the rest of the continent. It would have affected not just Nigeria alone, but the GDP and economy of the entire West Africa. And if the economy of West Africa crashes, it would definitely affect the performance of the economy of the whole of Africa. As you know, the GDP of Africa is less than three trillion dollars, with only six African countries able to boast of nominal GDP above $100 billion. Even for those in this ‘elite’ category, you can’t really say that they are rich countries. Apart from maybe South Africa that has an industrially competitive economy, the rest are still mainly commodity exporting countries. Even the case of that of South Africa is not very encouraging, because we have a situation which we could refer to as a first world economic performance, yet the ordinary people live the life

of the people in the so called third world. In the case of Nigeria which is even the biggest economy on the continent, the reality is that we have an unenviable per capita GDP of $3,203, which is the World Bank average for a period covering 2011-2015. Africa’s future is bright “Even then, I still believe that Africa has a bright future; a promising prognosis that is supported by the fact that the continent remains a very fertile and attractive territory that yields irresistible returns on investments. I believe that in the next few years many more big investors will be jostling to come to Africa, if only we will do the right thing. The process of getting it right has already started with a democratic and increasingly democratising Africa. But we have to deepen and strengthen our democratic credentials through regular, free and fair elections. This will in turn bring about the stability necessary to improve the infrastructure that promotes rapid economic growth. These are the guarantees that would lead us into the next period which I would like to call the era of a developed Africa. I have no doubt in my mind that we will get there some day. My future plans “I will be applying myself

diligently to two key areas. First, is to work for good governance by promoting credible and transparent elections. This will bring about the strengthening of our institutions and the enthronement of stability. I also believe that there is the urgent need to create jobs for our teeming young population. This is another area that will be receiving my attention. I recall that the Vice President of your association made reference in his speech to my achievements in that regard through what we called Youth Enterprises with Innovation (YouWin) and the Nagropreneur programme which encouraged young people to go into agriculture. I believe more programmes like that should be established to promote youth entrepreneurship. That way, we reduce their reliance on paid employment. We will not only teach them to become entrepreneurs, they will also acquire the capacity to employ other people. We will be paying special attention to this segment of our society, especially young people and women. We will develop programmes that will inculcate in them business skills to be able to set up micro, small and medium enterprises. We shall

assist them to access takeoff grants when they acquire the relevant skills and capacities. There are many areas that they can go into; food processing, light manufacturing and the services sector are just some of them. I can tell you from experience that this works. As we speak, Our Nagropreneur programme, to promote youth involvement in agriculture

value chain, is being scaled up by the African Development Bank presently. It is already being replicated in 19 African countries because of the success of the programme in Nigeria. I invite all of you here today, cabinet ministers, diplomats and private sector people to remain committed to the cause of improving lives, especially those lives in Africa, and making our world a better place. For those of you that will be sharing in this vision for Africa, I assure you that you will not be disappointed. I am very optimistic that if we encourage young men and women in this continent to develop businesses of their own, the story of Africa will change within 10 years”.

Se ven die, ffour our rescued, other Seven otherss missing in Lagos boat mishap ascertain the actual cause of the accident,” Akindele stated. It will be recalled that a similar incident occurred two weeks ago when two commercial boats collided along the same route due to poor visibility.

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

boat conveying 17 passengers from Ijede to Badore in Lekki area of Lagos State capsized, yesterday, killing seven persons. The tragedy occurred at about 10.20 am shortly after the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state. Confirming the incident, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, Mr. Micheal Akindele, said there was joint rescue operations carried out by the agency and Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, National Inland Water Ways Authority, Lagos State Fire Service and local divers

The ill-fated boat at Tarzan Jetty, Ijede. Photo: Monsuru Olowoopejo following a distress call. According to Akindele, preliminary investigation revealed that the boat, belonging to Aki Marine, a private operator, had 17 passengers and two crew members on board. The boat was said to have collided at a dredging point on the way to Ijede. At press time, seven

passengers were confirmed dead, while four were rescued including crew members and were rushed to Ijede General Hospital for treatment. “Though, we are still expecting the boat manifest, rescue operation is ongoing while further investigation would be carried out by the appropriate agencies to

Nigeria Pension Consumer Symposium holds in Lagos By Alade Aromashodu aiden edition of Nigeria Pension M Consumer Symposium was

held in Lagos recently, at the Protea Hotel Leadway, Ikeja. In his keynote address, Mr. Longe Eguarek, Managing director of AIICO Pension spoke on the future of Nigeria Pension industry. The symposium which was designed to create a window of opportunity for workers in Lagos to be able to rub minds and ask questions on grey areas from leaders and professionals in the pension industry was also designed to sensitize employers and workers on the importance

of subscribing to the contributory pension scheme in Nigeria. Other dignitaries at the symposium are: Mr. M.A. Umar, Head, South-West zonal office; Mrs. Nkem Oni-Egboma, MD, Zenith Pension Custodian Limited and Mr. Babatunde Salawu of Optimum Continental formerly Skye Bank Resources Limited. Adesanya Abidemi, the project director said that the next edition of the program will take place in Abuja and Port Harcourt in April and July respectively. He also said that the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and other relevant stakeholders

will be invited to take part in future editions of the program.

Ijaws salute Gov Dickson at 50 By Tony Nwankwo he Ijaws of Niger T Delta has described the Bayelsa State Governor

Seriake Dickson as a blessing to the Ijaw in particular and the Niger Delta in general. In a congratulatory message to mark the Governor’s 50th Birthday Anniversary, they saluted the visionary leadership of the Governor despite the economic hardship facing the nation as result of the embarrassing low oil prices in the international market and the hopeless declining value of the Naira.

GOtv launches 2 Drama Series on airing on channel 14 on GOtv Telemundo Plus Monday, 8 February at

Otv will premiere two new sensational telenovelas, Under the Sky and A Passion for Revenge, on Telemundo starting from 8 and 22 February respectively. Under the Sky, one of the most watched drama series in parts of America, is the story of Carlos, an illegal immigrant widower working as a gardener to give the best he can to his youngest son, while bearing the pain of losing his eldest son to a gang. The telenovela will begin

4:10pm while the catch-up episodes run on Sundays at 11:10am. A Passion for Revenge begins on Monday 22 February at 5pm, while catch-up episodes come on Saturdays at 3:20pm. In A Passion for Revenge, Captain Nestor makes a gruesome discovery when he finds Alma Gallardo’s body. What happened in the past leading up to this shocking discovery? The Gallardos want justice for the Alma’s death, and they meet the Del Junco sisters. An investigation reveals that Alma took her own life.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 7

TRIBUTE

Obasanjo’s corruption allegation against NASS, an expression of frustration over failed tenure extension — Reps

EVENTFUL CAREER OF AN AMAZON

Ladele, quintessential educationist, bows out

•He cannot exonerate himself from corruption – Sen. Kaka BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, ABUJA, DAUD OLATUNJI, ABEOKUTA

ore reactions and vituperation have continued to trail former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to the leaderships of the two chambers of the National Assembly where he accused the lawmakers of being neck-deep in corruption. The House, through its spokesman, Abdulrasak Namdas, said that the allegation was probably for the fourth and fifth National Assembly during the administration of President Obasanjo. Namdas, who is Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs said that the House will not be distracted by any letter or allegation as its main concern now was to ensure the passage of the 2016 budget. Rep Chike Okafor, APC, Imo, told Sunday Vanguard that the former president’s letter was an expression of his lost bid to extend his tenure about ten years ago and that the former president ap-

peared not to have forgiven you the National Assembly for cutting his aspiration short. “It becomes worrisome when a former president, a two-term president and an elder statesman who also wanted to use the National Assembly to perpetuate himself in office for third term, to cast aspersions of the legislature. “So, I can understand where the voice of frustration is coming from because it is this same National Assembly that truncated his attempt to smuggle in from the back door a third term bid, so maybe he hasn’t forgiven the National Assembly. Also reacting, Rep Philip Shaibu, Etsako Federal Constituency, Edo State, APC, said he was not sure that such allegation came from a former president and an elder statesman Shaibu wondered why former President Obasanjo did not make the allegation when he was in charge, and advised him not to be casting unsubstantiated allegations. In the same vein, Rep Nnanna Igbokwe, Ahiazu/ Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal

Constituency, Imo Stat,e and Rep Jarigbe Agon Jarigbe, Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State, both of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faulted the claim that every allowances including the car loans for the National Assembly had been monetised.

Obasanjo can’t exonerate himself from corruption, says Kaka

enator Adegbenga Kaka, has also asked Obasanjo to come clean first before attacking others, urging him to desist from unwarranted assault on the legislature. Speaking in Ijebu-Igbo shortly after the inauguration and handing over of some projects he facilitated to his constituency, Kaka said, “What is happening is the executive is sitting on nearly 90 percent of the nation’s resources. From the President to the National Security Adviser to the ministers to the heads of agencies, executive directors and all of

them, what have they been doing with the money? “We’ve been having oil jackpot, the crude oil price rising from $9 per barrel in 1999 to $147 per barrel in 2006/2007 and yet all that should be done were not done. From electricity to roads to waterways, we neglected everything. So, for somebody to come out and be pointing accusing fingers, they should first of all examine themselves. “They should come out clean first before attacking others. I’m not saying the National Assembly is not corrupt but nobody should attempt to exonerate himself. Some people were even corrupt against themselves and against their family and against their children and grand children. They should go and examine themselves.” Kaka, who handed over blocks of classrooms at Ansar-ud-Deen High School, Isiwo, Ijebu-Ode and Japara High School, Ijebu-Igbo as well as a primary healthcare centre for the use of various communities, restated his commitment to the completion of some uncompleted projects that he facilitated.

PDP Chairmanship: Adamawa PDP locks out ex-Jonathan’s aide, settles for Wilberforce Juta BY HENRY UMORU

he crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deepened as the Adamawa State Chapter of the party, yesterday, endorsed a former governor of the defunct Gongola State, Ambassador Wilberforce B. Juta, as its candidate for the position of the National Chairman of the party. According to the stakeholders, Juta was chosen from Adamawa after very wide consultations to complete the tenure of the North East which became vacant following the resignation of Alhaji Adamu Muazu after the party lost the 2015 presidential election to the All Progressives Congress, APC. A former Political Adviser to erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, a contender for the PDP national chairmanship, was apparently

locked out of the meeting where the decision was taken. In a reaction, Gulak, however, said that any decision taken by the PDP State Working Committee, SWC, National Working Committee, NEC, or the National Executive Committee, NEC, outside him would be “null and void and of no effect whatsoever” except if he was accepted in line with a court judgment. According to him, the 14 days given by a High Court for the acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to vacate the seat had expired without the party consulting to fashion out a way of replacing Secondus from the region, adding that party members in the NorthEast were in dilemma over the issue of replacement until he made a case. Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Gulak’s

spokesperson, Hon. Bernard Mikko, said, “The PDP leaders have turned themselves into administrative officers. After the three months constitutionally allowed to act had expired, the party leadership failed to do the right thing. So the window of 14 days has been closed for both the party and the North-

east to nominate another person other than Gulak. “Any attempt to bring another person will be illegal. It is contempt of court for the North-East zonal chairman to go ahead and say he is holding a meeting to send a replacement from the region. We are trying to bring sanity to the party. We will hold them for contempt of court”.

Ukafia for burial Feb. 13

RM Ubom (Apostle) Owen Ukafia Ede VI, Paramount Ruler, Eastern Obolo LGA, Akwa Ibom State, is dead. According to the funeral arrangement by the family, the Inter-denomination funeral service for late Apostle Ukafia takes place on February 13, at Government Field, Okoroete, Obolo LGA. Apostle Ukafia, is sur-

vived by children, among whom is Master Warrant Officer Sylvanus Ukafia, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

•Mrs. Olabisi Ladele

or three days, the Feder al Ministry of Education and the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Oyo, Oyo State, took out time to celebrate one of their own, Mrs. Olabisi Ladele, Director/Principal of the FGGC, Oyo, who just retired. Her retirement was not celebrated simply as a phase in her life, it was also done to mark the end of an eventful career. Ladele began her working career as a lecturer in the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti in February 1981. Her appointment as Lecturer 3 was confirmed in October 1983 and, in that same year, she was promoted to Lecturer 2. In 1984, she was admitted to the prestigious University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri, USA (popularly known as Mizzou) for a master’s degree programme in technical education. While there, she was offered graduate assistantship. This meant that in addition to her studies, she had to teach Sophomore Class i.e 200 Level students. She returned in1987 and lectured at the Federal College of Education, Technical, Akoka, Akoka, Lagos for a while. She later transferred her service to the Federal Ministry of Education. Ladele worked at various departments of the Federal Ministry of Education Headquarters. In 2006, she was posted to FGGC, Akure as Vice Principal. She later became the Acting Principal of the college in 2009. In January 2010, she was confirmed as a full Principal and posted to Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Usi –Ekiti. Ladele attracted a lot of development to the school during her four-and-a-half year tenure. Altogether, a total of twelve buildings were added to the college. The college also recorded improvement in the West African School Certificate Examination, NECO and NABTEB results. It came first in many competitions and represented the South West in Abuja. Thus, Usi-Ekiti was transformed to

a Center of Excellence and to a school which many parents wanted to bring their children to. By the time she left, the population of the school was over a thousand students, from 192 when she assumed office. Ladele was posted to FGGC Bida in July 2014. During her short stay in FGGC, Bida, she also attracted a lot of developments and goodwill to the college. She was posted to the FGC, Oyo in January 2015. Though her stay in Oyo was short the college greatly progressed under her administration. She enjoyed a lot of support from the members of the staff, students, the Parent Teacher Association and the Oyo community at large. It was commendations galore for this quintessential educationist at the send-off programme. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, described her as a ‘selfless worker, lover of humanity and educational icon” whose contributions to the educational development in Nigeria is unparalleled. The Olusi of Usi, Oba Adedayo Akande, eulogised Ladele thus: “Your doggedness and commitment to duty is exemplary. Your work at the FGGC Usi-Ekiti is written on marble and is a benchmark for us to measure the contributions of your successor”. Alhaji Ishaq Bello, Chairman, Parent Teacher Association, FGGC, Oyo, had this to say about Ladele: “She is an epitome of peace, progress and development. She left foot prints in the educational achievement of students and in the development of infrastructure. We will miss her enterprising drive and the strong desire to contribute to people’s lives”. The representative of the Federal Ministry of Education at the send-off, Mrs. Olushola T. Shoda, Desk Officer, South West Zone, Federal Government Colleges, described Ladele as a focused person who displayed exemplary acumen in the management of resources in institutions she was appointed to lead. Mr. Gbade Alabi, Chairman /CEO, CBC Emea Ltd., Lagos, who chaired one of the send-off programmes, described the outgoing Principal as a godly and ingenuous woman who has used her gifts to benefit humanity. Ladele, a Deacon at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, is married to Pastor Marius Bankole Ladele, a retired Air Force Officer. They are blessed with children and grand children.

PAGE 8 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Open letter to Minister of Information and “President (1) “The rate of change in our time is so swift that an individual of ordinary length of life will be called on to face novel situations which have no parallel in the past. The fixed person for the fixed duties, who in the old society, was such a “God-send”, will in the future be a public danger.” Alfred North Whitehead, 1861-1947.

nce Buhari was declared the winner of the presidential election in 2015, everybody’s thought turned to the persons who would be appointed ministers and the portfolio they would be given. In

every forum in which the discussions took place, and despite the long delay in announcing his appointees, I declared that one name would be on the list and the portfolio he would be saddled with. The man is Lai Mohammed – the Minister of Information and Culture. Let me quickly add that I also felt it would be a mistake to offer him that portfolio. The reasons were very simple and let me set them out now. In April 2014, writing under the title “M&M: The Two Most dangerous men in Nigeria”, the point was made that Mohammed of the APC and Methu of the

Let’s Kick out Lassa Fever He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he who prevents it is the safest physician. — Thomas Fuller The good news is, Nigeria is not on the top countries with the most dangerous cities to live in, but, the bad news is; that Lassa fever has entered Nigeria and not for the first time too. During 2012 and 2013, Nigeria recorded more than 2,900 Lassa fever cases across several states and this time around, it is beginning to spread once more. What we have been told is; Lassa virus is carried by wild multimammate rats (Mastomys species), and they sheed the virus in their urine and droppings. It is just the right condition for such disease to spread. With substandard living, overcrowding, poor sanitation, open sewers, open waste dumps it is easy to see how this virus can spread and with these infected rats they have ferocious ways of multiplying . They thrive and mingle where people live and work. It is a common fact that rodents populate in dirty environment. So, it is imperative that the public health and education reflect this and it should take an active role to limit the spread of this pernicious disease and help eradicate its propagation.

It is within the will of the people and the government to adjust our living conditions to help limit and prevent Lassa Fever. Although, like Ebola, the Lassa fever can and will potentially kill hundreds of people, unless, there is a massive concerted effort by all to contribute and work together to make their respective surroundings, homes clean and hygienic. Once these rodents are infected with the Lassa virus, they simply shed the virus throughout their life and can continue to spread the disease over and over again. The transmission of Lassa virus to humans occurs through contamination of broken skin, mucous membranes via direct or indirect contact and air-borne with infected rodent in rubbish dumps, open sewers, cracks in floors, work surfaces, any surfaces, in food or water and breathing in infected rodent droppings and urine. Transmission also takes place when the infected rodents is caught and eaten by humans, yes, some eat rats and sadly, Lassa fever is spread through these routes from person to person through infected bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, semen (Patients can transmit the virus via semen for up to three months) and once the patient has recovered, they can stay infectious via

PDP, National Publicity Secretaries for their parties, were driving the nation close to the brink of political madness. In fact one thing and one thing only saved Nigeria from the apocalyptic outcome of the frenzy whipped up by these two men – Jonathan’s concession of the election. Had Jonathan merely said “I don’t accept the result”, it is certain that Nigeria would not be the same today. To me, the two of them were seemingly irresponsible and a little unpatriotic. Undoubtedly followers of Niccolo Machiavelli, 1469-1527, who taught the world the unethical doctrine that the end justifies the means, M&M made statements which were admixtures of half-truths, deliberate lies, unsubstantiated rumours elevated to the level of sacred truths – while all the time barely avoiding being sued for defamation. Hitler ’s chief of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, 1897-1945, would have been extremely fortunate to have both of them on his staff. Granted a few people, also ethically deficient, would excuse their conduct, by saying that “all is fair in war ” and “ war is politics by other means”. That is only because everywhere in the world, where groups have gathered and are semen and urine so the patients must avoid sexual intercourse for three months. The onset of the symptoms of Lassa Fever can easily be confused with ordinary fever. It starts with fever and shivering, general unwellness, body weakness, headaches, aches and pains, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, cough, swelling of the head and neck, diarrhoea and in severe cases, bleeding can occur into the skin, mucisae and deeper tissues and major organ failure leading to death. For those who are fortunate to recover but they may suffer from extreme tiredness for many weeks after the initial diagnosis and others may have complications like deafness. The infection is fatal in 15% of patients and in pregnant women in particular, the Lassa Fever is severe and those in third trimester, in 95% of the cases ends up still birth or miscarriage. The most effective treatment is having a clean and hygienic surroundings and this could help reduce the prevalence of infected rodents , once diagnosis is made, the disease can be treated with antiviral drug called Ribavirin, which seems to be the most effective if it is started within the first 6 days of illness, and should be given intravenously for 6 days and additional fluid replacement,blood transfusion and ample recuperation period needed. It is the responsibility of the public health department to share information,deliver a concise and comprehensive health plan to assess, diagnose and manage those infected and ensure the health of the public is protected as a priority. Many moons ago, we use to have sanitation inspectors, who were

involved in conflict and contest, supporters are too ready to throw out morals and let some people do the dirty work. Society invariably pays for it. Lai Mohammed had been the longest serving National Publicity Secretary of political organizations in Nigeria. He assumed office under the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN immediately after his failed attempt in 2003 to become Governor of Kwara State. Thus, for thirteen years, the man had been operating in the “septic tank” of Nigerian politics. He had developed his art and

That precisely was my fear after Buhari was declared President-elect. Mohammed would become Minister for Information and Nigeria would have a problem on its hands. With his instincts for propaganda, as opposed to information, developed over thirteen years, the man might not serve the people of Nigeria well as Minister. Habits are difficult to change – especially after 50. The Ministry of Information, ideally, should be answering honestly the

That precisely was my fear after Buhari was declared President-elect. Mohammed would become Minister for Information and Nigeria would have a problem on its hands. With his instincts for propaganda, as opposed to information, developed over thirteen years, the man might not serve the people of Nigeria well as Minister. Habits are difficult to change had perfected it. Real truth was a commodity to be dispensed sparingly – unless it would help. Otherwise, truth was never allowed to get in the way of making a statement that would make headlines the next day.

this is not the time for punitive measures and recriminations. The moment calls for encouraging collective responsibility and with local and national support informed by best practice and comprehensive public hygiene standards dreaded and fondly called Wole,Wole. This may not be a bad idea to resuscitate the role of the sanitation inspectors and tasked them with the job of ensuring that cleanliness and hygienic environment is back on the agenda. This move is well overdue. These sanitation inspectors were dreaded because they had power to issue fines on errant householders and slack employers. Their presence and intervention may help save lives and prevent opportunistic diseases as it did in the past. It is about time, we go back to basics. And for those sceptics, can I remind them, how we reluctantly got behind the monthly Sanitation day and how over the years it had become part and parcel of the collective Nigerian mainstay. Admittedly, it was forced upon us and had to be rigidly imposed to ensure that it happens in every home, street, city, town and villages and state. This will be no different. We need a new cadre of sanitation inspectors, fully trained and given the powers to enforce the sanitation regulations to the letter. We do not have to reinvent the wheel; this could be an

questions people want answered on matters affecting their lives. For instance, the budget palaver – missing budget, doctored budget, two budgets etc – were the sort of things the Ministry of extension of the environmental sanitation day, the inspectors will ensure that over hanging bushes, stagnant waters, refuse landfills, markets and commercial buildings are up to sanitation and hygienic standards. After all, it is for the good of everyone that health remains high on the agenda. These sanitation inspectors would go into homes, schools, churches, mosques and work areas to ensure that hygienic standards are adhered to, and they should be given the powers to close down places down or slap a hefty fine for those who perpetually flaunt the hygiene regulations. Recently, I read that the Lagos State Environmental Health Officers killed over 8,000 or 40,000 rats (depending on the source of the report) since the outbreak of Lassa fever and I am sure there are other states with similar intervention. So the more, the better, this is not the time for empire building, this is the time to share best practice and data . I understand that the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare,has declared zero tolerance for environmental pollution to curtail the spread of Lassa Fever.The commissioner stated that the Lagos State government has given the Kick Against Indiscipline Brigade and the Kick Force, with the assistance of other enforcement agencies, to clamp down on all violators of its environmental laws. He maintained the mobilisations of personnel and equipment to ensure;" constant monitoring and enforcement for a sustainable environment" and to halt Lassa Fever,

Information should have taken the lead in providing assurances to the people or at least explaining the situation – honestly. The President should not have “eaten the humble pie” of admitting mistake if the Ministry had been on top of the issue all the way. Those concerns were still weighing on minds bent in that direction until Monday January 18, 2016, when Mohammed made the disclosure that 55 persons stole N1.3tr in seven years between 2006 and 2013. He provided the categories, number of cases and amount involved. In between he made a charge that $2.1b was meant to keep Jonathan in office. He did everything expected of a professional propagandist; he failed to do what is expected of a Minister of Information – he provided no names. And, it was deliberate because the disclosure was motivated not by patriotic zeal but by politics. By contrast, PDP: C O R R U P T I O N INCORPORATED stated amounts and provided names. Incidentally, more than N1.3tr was stolen; under Obasanjo alone, it was close to N8tr and some current APC Governors were involved. Those who live in glass houses should avoid throwing stones…. Lagosians must maintain personal hygiene, proper sanitation in their environment, especially clean-up of the vegetation in their premises, and proper bagging and disposal of waste to keep off the wild vector rats spreading the virus.’’ I agree, but this is not the time for punitive measures and recriminations. The moment calls for encouraging collective responsibility and with local and national support informed by best practice and comprehensive public hygiene standards. World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to control Lassa fever includes; the use of food storage containers, keeping cats along with other interventions such as house repairs and rodent extermination. It is imperative that there is a national and local incorporation of sanitation and hygiene programmes such as; health education leaflets,community health plays and drama programme in the media, in cities,public places and in villages that carry the same health sanitation campaigns. With the establishment of a National Centre for Disease Control, this would be best placed to ensure the programme is linked regionally and that it becomes the central hub for collective data and actions. Public health education is a very powerful tool and the more people are aware of the health message, the better. In Sierra Leone, for instance, the DfID-funded project called Wash (water, sanitation health) worked with dozens of villages and trained villagers on Lassa fever education and rodent control training with remarkable success. The success was due mainly in the control of the multimammate rat that carried the Lassa fever virus.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016 PAGE 9

Buhari’s INEC and the regime of confusion Having won the presidential election of March 28, 2015, the indifference of President Muhammadu Buhari to, and the seeming manifest disdain he has shown to constitutional provisions regarding the composition of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, suggests that he no longer cares about the sanctity, neutrality and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. By the same token, his shambolic attitude is begetting other further shambolic acts from the Zambezi Street, Abuja headquarters of INEC, as the macabre dance steps in Kogi, Bayelsa, Gombe and the unfolding drama in Anambra Central senatorial district could have been avoided had Mr. President paid more attention to the need for an improved electoral process by obeying the Constitution regarding the composition of INEC. Therefore, regarding the composition of INEC’s Board, Buhari needs to be asked whether his appointment of seven supposedly good heads are better than the 13 good heads constitutionally required to form a complete Board for the election management body. Similarly, what does the President hope to achieve, after benefitting from a process that was sanitised for effectiveness, only to watch it slide because of his manifest insouciance? This report will show clearly the dangers being courted by Buhari’s attitude, as well as the need to quickly fill the remaining six slots that would empower INEC with the full complement of its Board as stipulated by the Constitution over 20 states of the federation do not have RECs as at today, thereby opening the Commission to the mercy of malleable civil servants.

By Jide Ajani

NAMBRA CENTRAL SENATORIAL ELECTION AND THE DEARTH OF INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY Watchers of unfolding events in Anambra State over the court-ordered senatorial election are wondering if Nigerians learnt anything from past events and decisions taken, particularly by the courts. The latter concern stems from the backdrop of the planned senatorial primary election by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as well as the inconclusive and questionable primary conducted by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to nominate another candidate to replace its candidate in the cancelled election. Either as a product of ignorance, total disregard for the laws of the land or greed, or all, Dr. Chris Ngige who, though qualified to contest the re-run, but has now accepted appointment as a minister under the Buhari administration, is watching as his party continues to muddy the waters. Worse still, the questionable participation of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as observers of the so-called primaries, has brought to the fore concerns of Nigerians about the seeming absence of institutional memory in Nigeria’s electoral body. It would be recalled that this is not the first time that courts cancelled an election and ordered a re-run. In such instances, those who can participate have a clearly established electoral legislative framework in

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elections. Indeed, in Labour Party vs INEC, the Supreme Court - which is the highest court in the land-on February 13, 2009, delivered a judgment on this same subject-matter on who is qualified to participate in such election and whether political parties could conduct fresh primaries. It, therefore, comes as a surprise that INEC, which was a party to the matter, cannot advise political parties on the right course to take but, instead, continues to encourage politicians to embark on illegal actions through active participation of its officials, who are sent to observe such illegal primaries, whereas the apex court in the land has ruled on such matter. Why should INEC assist political parties to reinvent the wheel on the questions already answered by the apex court that only those who participated in the annuled election can participate in re-run? Why should INEC tolerate and continue to suffer the headship of one of its directorates that its own review committee had recommended should not head such a sensitive department that is very central to its operations and success of Nigeria’s electoral process? A review of the Appeal Court decision that led to the expected re-run and the subsisting judgment of the apex court below would clearly show how much Nigeria has been regressing since May 29, 2015. WHY THE ELECTION WAS CANCELLED IN THE FIRST PLACE It would be recalled that on December 7, 2015, the Court of Appeal, Enugu, in suit no CA/E/EPT/28/2015, between

Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh, OFR ( a former National Chairman, All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA) & Anor v. INEC & Ors, upheld the appeal of the former Chairman of APGA and senatorial candidate in the 2015 election. The Appeal Court held that the 11th Respondent, Hon. Uche Lillian Ekwunife, was “not the product of a valid primary and, therefore, not duly and legitimately nominated, that has disqualified her from contesting the election into the Anambra Central Senatorial District.” Consequently, the court nullified her election and ordered INEC “to conduct a fresh election into the Anambra Central Senatorial District, within 90 days from today.” It is this court-ordered fresh election, about the illegality of fielding a candidate in the first place, that is generating palpable confusion and political tension in Anambra Central Senatorial District regarding who will be the eligible candidates for the said fresh election. AN AVOIDABLE CONFUSION AND POLITICAL TENSION It is unfortunate that in today’s Nigeria, the authorities seem so prepared to waste so much public resources in conducting elections as was the case in the Kogi State supplementary election, which many consider unnecessary, but was conducted on the grounds of a so-called 91,000 voters, who were yet to vote, and who may not even have had the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, whereas the total number of people who had PVCs was just 25,000, and APC was already leading by well over 41,000

•President Muhammadu Buhari

votes. In the same vein, the prevailing confusion and political tension in Anambra Central Senatorial District could have been avoided given that it is a simple majority election that does not require spread. Hence it could have been called without equivocation, if the Court of Appeal had returned Umeh, as the winner of the senatorial election having obtained the second highest number of votes cast in the election. It was the most logical and legal conclusion the Court of Appeal should have reached to save dwindling public funds to be used again to conduct another election, having nullified the election of Ekwunife on the grounds of non-qualification which means, in the eyes of the law, the PDP candidate was never a candidate. There is no legal impediment hindering the Court of Appeal from returning the APGA candidate in the circumstance because the hitherto hindrance in Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) has been struck down by the Federal High Court as unconstitutional. For ease of reference, Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides thus: “Where an Election Tribunal or Court nullifies an election on the grounds that the person who obtained the highest votes at the election was not qualified to contest the election…, the Election Tribunal or Court shall not declare the person with the second highest votes or any other person as elected, but shall order a fresh election.” Interestingly, the provision above is no longer extant, because it has been struck down twice by the Federal High Court as acting ultra vires to the

Continues on page 10

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Buhari’s INEC and the regime of confusion the conduct of a fresh election after the nullification of a previous one is not an entirely new process that can be likened to starting on a clean state, nevertheless, it is also not the case of a fresh call to arms or a scenario of clarion call of “to thy tents O Isreal”. Rather, it is one of “as you were.” From the brilliant pronouncements above, why should INEC get itself involved in monitoring an illegal primary election for the APC purportedly held on January 19, 2016, or any other party other than those candidates who participated in the annuled election excluding the PDP and its candidate, Ekwunife, whose participation as an unqualified candidate led to the cancellation? To paraphrase Justice Oredola, the Anambra Central Senatorial District court-ordered fresh election cannot be a fresh call to arms and clarion call of: “To thy tents” all political parties. It is unfortunate that INEC’s illegal clarion calls have thrown these political parties into a frenzy of organising primary elections for the nomination of new candidates to participate in the courtordered fresh election in Anambra Central Senatorial District. The macabre dance of these political parties in Anambra State has continued unabated, notwithstanding the generally accepted fact that the time for nomination of National Assembly candidates elapsed since December 2014.

Continued from page 9 National Assembly and, therefore, unconstitutional. The judgments of the Federal High Court that struck down S. 140(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 were delivered on July 21, 2011 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/399/2011 Labour Party v. INEC and on June 30, 2011 in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/471/2011 ACN v. The National Assembly. Both decisions are subsisting and should have been relied upon to make a return that would have avoided the tension and more waste of public funds for the ordered re-run. Even though the Appeal Court is well aware of the status of S. 140(2) of the Electoral Act 2010, it, nevertheless, acted to the contrary, given its own observation in its judgment that: “Whether Section 140(2) of the Electoral Act is extant or not, no advantage can be conferred on the Appellants by declaring the 1st Appellant as a winner on the grounds of his obtaining the second highest votes as elected.” The observation, with respect to the Court of Appeal, is strange. Pray, how can declaring the winner of an election not confer an advantage on him? Certainly, declaring the winner of the election would have saved INEC the enormous cost/task of organising a fresh election. It would have also saved the electorate from the palpable confusion and political tension in Anambra State regarding who will be the eligible candidates in the courtordered fresh election. The prevailing confusion and political tension in Anambra Central Senatorial District could also be avoided if INEC clears the air by adopting the “common sense doctrine” established by the Supreme Court in LABOUR PARTY v. INEC (2009) 1 – 2 SC (pt. 11) 43 or (2009) 6 NWLR (pt. 1137) 315. FACTS AND LESSONS OF LABOUR PARTY Vs. INEC CASE AND COMMON SENSE DOCTRINE Relatedly, after the Court of Appeal nullified the governorship election in Adamawa State in 2007, on the grounds of unlawful exclusion and the court ordered for fresh election in the state, the Labour Party sought to submit a new list of candidates for the fresh election. INEC refused to accept the new list, informing the Labour Party that the Commission will conduct the fresh election with the list of candidates used for the nullified election. Aggrieved, the Labour Party went to court to compel INEC to accept the party’s new list of candidates. By way of a referral, the Court of Appeal was asked to determine, amongst other points, the right of the Labour Party to submit candidates of her choice for the fresh governorship election in Adamawa State. Without equivocation, the Court of Appeal held that where there is nullification of a general election and a re-run election is ordered, only candidates who were nominated to contest in the nullified election can contest in the re-run election. OKORO, JCA, in the lead judgment, elucidated as follows at pages 102 – 103 of the law report: “Where a general election has been held and there is a false start, for example, a candidate who ought to have been part of the election was unlawfully excluded or there was no level playing ground for all the candidates and that election is subsequently either cancelled by the regulating authority like INEC or nullified by an order of a court or tribunal and a re-run or re-start is ordered, it is my humble (view) that the re-run or re-start refers to that general election council (sic) or nullified, and not a bye-election. "The consequence of this is that all the candidates including the one unlawfully excluded would now get back to the starting line for a fair and free contest.

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* Letter from INEC to APC on its futile attempt to nominate candidates

INEC, as the constitutional watchdog of political parties, must step in, as a matter of urgency, and douse the confusion and political tension in the state. The Commission must make its position clear regarding who are eligible candidates in the coming election Mahmood Yakubu

“It does not admit of any other candidate since, as it were, the period for nomination and screening of candidates would have elapsed. It is just restoring the parties to the status quo ante belum. See Honourable Mohammed Salisu A. Alwa’u & Anor v. Abbas M. Yakubu & 2 ORS CA/K/EPT/SHA30/20C (unreported) delivered on 6th November, 2003". “Let me demonstrate this”, Okoro went on, “with a common place example. We are familiar with athletes who participate in, say, 100 metre race for example. They are ordered to the starting point of the race by the umpire. But before the gun is shot or the whistle is blown, there could be a false start maybe due to the mistake of one or more of the runners. The race is cancelled. They are ordered back to the starting line to repeat that same race with all the competitors who took part during

the false start. At that stage, no new competitor is allowed to take part. Only those who had been screened and had taken part in what usually called “the heat” and are certified fit for the final race that are allowed in the repeat race.” Underlining for emphasis. Similarly, at page 109, AUGIE, JCA, concurred that whenever an election is nullified, the implication is that “it’s the same candidates that were set to run in the election that must go back to run in the fresh election ordered .........Labour Party, though has a right to sponsor a candidate, cannot exercise that right when an election is nullified and a fresh election is ordered because the date and period for calling for nominations has elapsed.” (Underlining for emphasis).To cap it all, OREDOLA, JCA, admirably summed it up as follows at page 110 of the judgment: “Even though the order for

WHY INEC MUST SHUN DOUBLE STANDARDS Meanwhile, INEC wrote a letter, dated December 15, 2015, rejecting the nomination of one Hamma Adama Ali Kumo, though it made a u-turn, based on the advice of its legal services department in the court ordered re-run of Akko Federal Constituency of Gombe State. This was for an election that took place on Wednesday, January 27, 2016. So, why would the same Commission encourage new primaries in respect of same courtordered election in Anambra? INEC, as the constitutional watchdog of political parties, must step in, as a matter of urgency, and douse the confusion and political tension in the state. The Commission must make its position clear regarding who are eligible candidates for the fresh election. INEC, initially, made its position clear regarding Akko Federal Constituency of Gombe State to the National Chairman of APC that the submission of the name of a new candidate for the court-ordered election is “not acceptable” because “the period for nomination of candidate for the election has since elapsed,” but failed to follow it through to a logical conclusion . This, Sunday Vanguard discovered, through an inside source in INEC headquarters in Abuja, was based on the usual wrong advice of the head of its legal department. One Bawa heads the department. With INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakoob, not being a lawyer, the legal services department is expected to properly guide the Commission. Interestingly, a committee, set up within INEC, had suggested, some time ago, that the department should be re-organised for effectiveness. This was an elegant euphemism for the redeployment of the headship of the department but nothing has changed and the malady continues. The question now is, why would INEC fail to similarly notify APC that the period for nomination of candidates for the court-ordered fresh election in Anambra Central Senatorial District has elapsed? In addition, why allow the APC to dance naked in Anambra in the name of primary election and cause palpable confusion in the process? Or, does it mean that whilst the period for nomination of candidates has elapsed elsewhere, it has not elapsed in Anambra Central Senatorial District?

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 11

RIVERS

Wike, APC and the Supreme Court ‘shocker’ By Jimitota Onoyume

overnor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State can now move into the Government House, otherwise known as Brick House, Port Harcourt, following the Supreme Court verdict which upheld his appeal challenging the nullification of his election at the Appeal Court. Since May 29 last year when he assumed office, Wike has operated from his private residence at Number 21 William Jumbo Street, old GRA, Port Harcourt. This is probably the first time an elected governor of the state, since 1999, will reside outside the Government House for this long. Many reasons have been given for the governor’s choice of residence. Wike, on his part, said he had to stay away from his official residence because it was looted before he came on board, adding that he will only move in after renovation. But some opposition politicians felt the governor tactically stayed away from the place because he was not sure of what the outcome of petitions against his election might be at the court. The All Progressives Congress, APC, labeled him a ‘Caretaker Governor’, thus lending credence to the speculation that Wike was waiting for the final court verdict on his election before knowing what to do. The Supreme Court verdict, which restored his mandate, has finally silenced all wagging tongues. Before the apex court gave its ruling on Wednesday,

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Wike suffered another defeat at the Appeal Court, this time with 21 members of his party in the House of Assembly, nine in the House of Representatives and all the three senators representing Rivers State at the Senate. It was a major blow because the lawmakers lost their seats automatically. The PDP was rattled. A former aide to the governor, Mr Opunabo NkoTariah, resigned his appointment after the Appeal Court defeat. He cited several reasons, some relating to funding for his office for his action. Few days to the Supreme Court verdict, some members of Wike’s party also defected to the APC. The general impression was that the governor and his party may crash at the apex court.

supporters of Wike were seen dancing and jubilating in Town area of Port Harcourt, a situation that made residents to demandi to know if verdict had been given on the appeal by the governor. Sunday Vanguard later gathered that the dancing and jubilation was triggered by information from the court premises in far away Abuja that the counsel to the governor dazzled the justices during his presentation . “ When we heard this we had no choice but to start dancing because the direction of the judgement was clear ”, one of the supporters said. Rivers agog When news finally filtered into Rivers State, at about 6.27pm, on Wednesday, that the apex court had upheld the appeal of Wike, the state erupted in wild jubilation. Members of the PDP and admirers of the governor took to the streets, dancing. Fireworks rented the air as jubilant supporters of Wike sang his praise. Long walk to victory The victory at the apex court did not come easy for the Wike. When he lost at the tribunal, the development shook his party, the PDP, to its foundation. Some of his loyalists were apprehensive. But the governor was undaunted as he continued to reaffirm his faith in the judiciary. He headed to the Appeal Court to challenge the verdict. Wike and the PDP leadership continued to enjoin their supporters to remain calm. Another shattering defeat

We will provide a virile opposition, serving as a mirror for the conscience of government, in the interest of Rivers people

Shock Secretary of the opposition APC in the state , Mr Emeka Bekee, told newsmen at the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Wednesday, that the judgement was a shocker. “ We are shocked. But we accept the verdict since it came from the apex court “, he said. Wike, Peterside react Wike said the court victory was for democracy and people of the state. He thanked God for the judgement. In a statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor also commended the governorship candidate of the APC, in the 2015 poll, Dr Dakuku Peterside, for approaching the courts instead of resorting to violence. He further enjoined the APC and others to join in the drive to build Rivers. Peterside, on his own, said his party will transform into a virile opposition in the state, promising that they will assist the state government where necessary in

its development drive. “Consequently, we shall do our best to work for the peace and development of Rivers State and all who reside in it. We shall creatively offer our help to Governor Nyesom Wike. We will provide a virile opposition, serving as a mirror for the conscience of government, in the interest of Rivers people”, the APC candidate said. The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr Felix Obuah, hailed the judgement, saying the party was grateful to God for the victory. He urged everyone to join hands with the government to move the state forward. On his part, the APC, in a statement signed by its state Chairman, Mr Davies Ikanya, urged members to remain committed and united. He appealed to those who decamped to the party to remain firm. The party chief further assured that that the APC will serve as a veritable opposition at the state level and provide a link between members and the APC-led Federal Government. “The APC would continue to play the role of a responsible opposition party in Rivers State by protecting the peoples’ common interests and provide the bridge between our people and the APC Federal Government”, Ikanya said. Meanwhile, many Rivers State residents, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard, said they were happy with the verdict because it had saved the state of another round of possible violence. The Chairperson, Ijaw Mothers Union, Doris Mcdaniels, said mothers were happy as the court had saved children from violence. “We thank God. We probably would have lost youths in a rerun governorship election “, Mcdaniels stated.

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Wedding of Oyegun’s Daughter

Faces at the wedding of the daughter of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Eniyemamwan, to her husband, Flying Officer Umaso John Eketu, at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, yesterday. Photos by Bunmi Azeez.

*The new couple being honoured by the husband’s fellow air force officers

From left: Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State; Aremo Olusegun Osoba, a fomer Governor of Ogun State; Otunba Niyi Adebayo, a former Governor of Ekiti State; and Chief Segun Oni, another former Governor of Ekiti.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, with the couple, coordinating the cutting of the cake

From left: Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, a former Governor of Edo State; Senator Osita Izunaso and Bala Hassan, AIG, zone-2.

From left: Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, a former Minister of State,Works; Barr. Kenneth Imasuagbon and Senastor J.M. Danboyi From left: Alh. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture; Barr. Sharon Ikeazor, member, Board of Trsteees, APC; and Dr. Yomi Finnih

From left: Chief Bisi Akande, a former Interim National Chairman of APC; Hajiya Ramotu Tijani Aliyu; and Senator Ali Ndume, Senate Leader C M Y K

From left: Alh. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Governor of Jigawa State; Prince Eze Madumere, Deputy Governor of Imo State; and Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 13

Davido vs Sophie

he first of its kind was the Davido and his babymama dispute. Before the hilarious dispute hit news stands in the concluding part of 2016, reports had it that the HKN boss, Davido and the Momodu dynasty were already engaged in a closed door feud. What brought the initial closed door dispute to limelight was Sophia’s gross parental incapacitation, which greatly affected Imade’s health, Davido and Sophia Momodu’s out of wedlock born daughter.

#TooEarlyInTheYear Ufuoma McDermott put hers this way: “See trouble oo! Too early in the year for this please! Really what a way to mind your business” Uche Jumbo Rodriguez’s response came straight from the heart: “Shaking my head to all these rubbish I am seeing. No words! You have my number, don’t let the devil use you” The social media is agog with questions stemming from Chioma’s tweet with everyone asking what prompted her Twitter outburst.

Open season of beefs: Timeline of assaults and counter assaults

Don Jazzy vs Olamide

hockingly, the very first day of 2016 was a bit dramatic for the entertainment industry. Olamide Adedeji, a.k.a ‘Olamide badoo’ and Don Jazzy, threw tantrums at each other at the 10th edition of the Headies Awards. The YBNL boss climbed the Headies stage to express his discontent on the Next Rated Award Category given to Mavin signee, Reekado Banks. Don Jazzy promptly responded to Olamide’s reaction when he climbed the stage to receive a Special Recognition Award. The feud has long been resolved.

Dammy Krane vs Wizkid

ubsequently, it began to look like the entertainment industry was being bewitched. Shortly after the Olamide/Don Jazzy drama, Dammy Krane took to his social media page to accuse Wizkid of stealing his lyrics and slangs, which Wizkid used in one of his songs. The duo even went as far as engaging in a physical brawl at Quilox Night Club. Owner of the club, Shina Peller orchestrated the settlement of this disgraceful incident between the two music stars.

Cynthia Morgan vs Davido

By Rotimi Agbana and Kehinde Ajose Hardly had the New Year begun before the entertainment scene started to rock with beefs, scandals and hilarious controversies. Some have been settled amicably while others are yet to be resolved. In no particular order, we take a look at the beefs and controversies brewing in 2016

Blackface vs Wizkid

fter Dammy Krane and Wizkid’s fight, it seemed the music industry had been destined to crumble with scandals and controversies. Erstwhile rapper of the defunct Plantashun Boyz, Blackface, also publicly accused Wizkid of stealing his song. The dancehall, ragga and reggae artiste claimed that Wizkid’s ‘Ojuelegba’ is replete with his (Blackface’s) lyrics. The rapper who has been behind the scenes in the music industry for some time now has been accused by music lovers of being a social climber, seeking public attention because he needs to reintegrate into the entertainment circle.

series of beefs making the headlines in 2016. No one saw it coming when Chioma Akpotha took to Twitter and tweeted a picture of Blessing Egbe, Uche Jumbo, Emem Isong, Ufuoma Mc-Dermott and Omoni Oboli with the statement: “Sometimes, sisters aren’t really sisters #2016Mindingmyownbusiness #Stayingonmylane #Movingon. No one really knows what prompted the twitter outburst but the actresses who are in the picture didn’t find it flattering as they have all responded to her tweet. Blessing Effiom Egbe puts it this way: “And you know this because? If this is your way of announcing your interest? You don fail be that”

Chioma Akpotha vs

Omoni Oboli was much more direct in her response: “Ok, what is all this about? Minding your business by posting my picture?

Uche Jumbo and others

ancehall star, Cynthia Morgan clinched the best dancehall act at the 2015 Headies. However, she took to her Snapchat platform cursing Davido for endorsing Lil Kesh as his favourite Next Rated artiste. She used a derogatory word in describing him and also took shots at his label mates. Observers in the entertainment circle were expecting Davido to lash out at her in a more condescending manner, He however took another route. He simply said: “I hope you reach where I have conquered”

Blackface vs 2face

lackface, a member of the defunct Plantashun Boyz took to Twitter to express his aversion for how 2face allegedly stole his song. He stated that his former partner 2face stole from him .He also threatens to sue the African Queen sensation. Recall that Let somebody love you is a song on 2face’s Ascension album and features Bridget Kelly. 2face in a recent interview was asked what his thoughts were about Blackface’s allegation. He simply said: “It is just so unfortunate. I do not know where it is coming from but I am trying to think of different reasons. We will trash the whole matter but I got nothing but love and respect for him and it is just so unfortunate that he is coming at me like that”.

ike a premeditated Nollywood script, some Nollywood stars have joined in the

•Uche Jumbo

•Cynthia Morgan

•Davido

Blackface

• Wizkid

•2face

•Chioma Akpotha

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

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

I will be venturing into Nollywood this year

– Nikki Laoye

By ROTIMI AGBANA

YENIKE Laoye-Oturu, professionally known as Nikki Laoye, has announced her plans for 2016 and what should be expected of her. The recording artiste, singer, songwriter, on-air-personality and dancer, renowned for her eclectic musical expressions and captivating stage performances, recently disclosed that she has got a lot up her sleeves for 2016 and

plans to wow her fans beyond expectation. Speaking on what should be expected of her in 2016, Nikki revealed that besides other singles she is working on to be released later this year, she will be dropping a single on which she featured her very good friend Seyi Shay very soon. “We’ve been planning to do this together for a long time but we’ve both been extremely busy. Even when we were both in London, we tried to hookup but it was just

impossible. We finally found time to get in the studio, and in less than two hours we were able to put something together and it was done”, she said. The pretty diva further revealed that she will be doing something different from music. In a recent chat with a reliable source, Nikki said she will be finding her way into Nollywood. According to the Jill of many trades and mistress of all, “Yes, I will be going into the Nigerian movie industry pretty soon, so be on the look out for me.” Though she had previously featured on a series of stage plays, Nikki intends to step up her game by launching into Nollywood, alongside doing her music and several other commitments. Are you pondering on how she intends to manage her time switching between two time and energy consuming careers? The year has just kicked off, lets wish Nikki a successful 2016.

Emi Jackson set to shoot video of ‘Instagram love’ BY IYABO AINA

ast-rising music act, Okoro Eme Jackson, popularly known by fans as Enyi, is set to shoot a video of his debut single ‘Instagram love’. The single which is a massive tune that injected a breath of fresh air into the industry last year is currently making wave on air, as both radio and television stations play the song regularly. According to reports, the emerging music star and Durban Records

frontman, made grand entrance into the Nigerian Music Industry with this fire jam ‘Instagram love’, employing the services of rapper/comic figure Falz The Bahd Guy and amazing Ms. Kedike; Chidinma. Speaking on the idea behind the song, Enyi said it was a creative story of social media love that was rampant these days and Emi Jackson came correct with his very catchy lines and strong vocals while Falz delivered it in a comic way alongside Chidinma.

Upcoming Yoruba actress, Feyi Hassan shoots new movie ‘Aisan’ U

P and rising Yoruba actress, Feyi Hassan has just wrapped up production of a new film, writen and produced by her. The film ‘Aisan’, meaning ‘Sickness’ features a host of prominent Yoruba actors, such as Jide Kosoko, Sunkanmi Omobolanle, Allwell Ademola, Kunle Afod, Feyi herelf and many others. Feyi has been touted as an actress and producer to watch. Barely five years in the industry, this ebonybeauty has already produced five films of her own and has featured in over 30 other films. The film ‘Aisan’ according to Feyi is a story of love, betrayal and deceit. It is a story of an innocent girl from a poor background who fell in love with C M Y K

a rich guy who eventually betrayed her. Feyi Hassan has produced other films like Rokun Rosa, Fikayomi, Ipinle Ese, Aye Asan and now Aisan.

Chocolate City y Unsigned realitbuts music show dé By PRISCA SAM-DURU

HOCOLATE City, one of Africa’s biggest indegenous record labels is spearheading a new Music reality show, Chocolate City Unsigned which is a genuine home-grown reality show created to discover local talents and nurture them into international music stars. The reality show billed to take off in May 2016, is organised by Chocolate City in partnership with EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black Entertainment and Lifestyle network. According to Chief Executive Officer, CEO Chocolate City, Mr Jude Abaga a.k.a MI, the reality show is about creating stars. “I’m a living proof of this exciting reality and I and the team are now ready to take others on this amazing journey to stardom.” He stressed that the partnership between the two organisations was necessary because “We both create stars because we understand the local nuances of making stars. We find raw talent from nowhere and take them right to the top. Also, Executive Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, said the “Chocolate City Unsigned is unique in that it is homegrown and is dealing with organisations that understand the nuances and complications in the music scene. It is not just about pushing artistes internationally but also supporting music and promoting labels. We are committed to providing value for Nigeria and talents” Registration for the competition opens to interested participants across Africa on March 21 while the actual competition commences in Lagos in May, 2016. The show will be televised on EbonyLife TV and other select TV channels.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 15

GOV. DICKSON ATTACKS BUHARI:

Stop your political conquest ! •’How we defeated ‘federal might’

unit after unit, ward after ward, community after community, local government after local government. I said the other side was not just serious about election because they were not campaigning but simply hoping that violence would fetch them victory at the end of the day. The lesson from this is that after God comes the people in an election. For those who don’t believe, they will say the people first but I am a man of faith; so I believe God allows people to have power when He chooses to. We also saw the benefits of nonviolence because the story would have been lost if we hadn’t laid the foundation, warning everybody not to be violent and to resist intimidation, to turn out to vote, to insist on their right to vote, to insist that their votes count and their votes are counted.

•Dickson

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

ayelsa State Gover nor Henry Seriake Dickson, who was elected for second term, on January 9, says he cannot celebrate his victory because of the killings that attended the poll that reelected him. Dickson blames the killings on what he describes as the connivance of security men with thugs who unleashed mayhem on his supporters, many who are now recuperating in hospital. The governor, who describes his re-election as a war, asks President Muhammadu Buhari to stop what he calls his ‘political conquest’ and tackle urgent national challenges for the benefit of Nigerians. How would you describe your re-election? I would simply say that the election was more than just an election. It was more of a war as a result of what my main opponent did, prior to and during the poll. Indeed, we survived a war because the people of the state were resilient, steadfast and showed confidence in me as their governor. That is why, at the last count, I won seven of the eight local government areas of the state and had over 134,000 votes against my main opponent, who managed to get over 86,000 votes. To me, this is a resounding victory despite all odds because we were up against a full display of the totality of power at the centre deployed to the fullest to take over Bayelsa by force and my opponent’s

C M Y K

campaign was appropriately nicknamed ‘Operation Take Over Bayelsa’, which appeared innocent at first but, in retrospect, we now know what they meant from day one. This is one victory that led to spontaneous celebrations in families, local governments and communities in Bayelsa, across the whole of the South-South and indeed most states and cities in Nigeria. Millions of people stayed glued to television while collations were going on, hoping that the forces of evil would not triumph. I believe the Bayelsa election is a significant development in our democracy. It is significant in the sense that this is the first time a governor is winning an election in a core Niger Delta state on a platform different from the party at the centre. To us, this is a triumph of peoples’ will over might. Women and youths had to stay awake, forming a wall of protection in their voting units and communities with some of them using their bare bodies to block armoured personnel carriers. It means that the Nigerian democracy is on track and it also shows that our nation will not be a one-party state and, everyone, who is thinking that this vast land of proud and resilient people will be cowed and will only go in a particular way and coerced into a kind of totalitarianism, should begin to think twice. With my experience, our people are beginning to understand their roles in a democracy and they are now getting better educated about the democratic processes. It is a good development because this country shouldn’t be allowed to slip into a one-

party dictatorship. That is part of the significant thing that has happened in Baylesa; it is a victory for the people in Baylesa who rose up against the desires of the elite. It is instructive, too, that most of the elite, who resigned and joined the other party, positioning themselves for federal appointments, lost their booths and polling units. So, it is a good development for our democracy, for Bayelsa; good for the Ijaw people, good for the PDP and ultimately good for our country because it shows that our people are resilient and it will resist a one-party state. What is the unique lesson you learned from the Bayelsa election? What I have learnt, which I have always known but a lot of people underrated, is that for anyone seeking elective office, you must go to your people because power comes from God and the people. In the election, most of you know that I and my team spent almost six weeks campaigning in a way never done in Bayelsa. I believe the governorship politics of Bayelsa can never be the same again because we have raised the bar in terms of interacting and engaging the people. We visited community after community as against the former practice of a candidate making peripheral appearances in a senatorial district or two. Our campaign was penetrating and I was able to connect with the people who were solidly behind me. That is why I said, with all sense of seriousness, that if the election is conducted 100 times, I would win 100 times,

To us, this is a triumph of peoples’ will over might. Women and youths had to stay awake, forming a wall of protection in their voting units and communities with some of them using their bare bodies to block armoured personnel carriers

Would you then probe the loss of lives that were recorded during the election? First of all, I again condemn the unnecessary violence and destruction that followed; you need to know that all these people that were arrested are from one side. Those that had taken over communities, all of them are from the other party, the APC, while all the victims are from the PDP and my supporters. That is the reason we didn’t allow people to celebrate. There was no reason for celebration because the victory came with a heavy cost and I pray that those that were injured in hospital receive speedy recovery and, we will work with the families to bury the dead and we pray God will grant them eternal rest. Over all, the election went well, but it is the security bit that the agencies needed to get right. I want to thank the people for going against all odds and coming out to cast their votes. We were really concerned about the loss of lives and destruction that happened. I had thought that even on account of the violence that brought about the injured and the dead, my opponent would have accepted defeat, called and congratulated me and then join me to reconcile the state and then build a new Bayelsa from the ruins. But I am surprised that he and his party seem to be talking about litigation which they are free to embark upon, but that is disrespect to the memory of the dead and the injured because he seems to be saying he is not tired of supplementary election. He

Continues on page16

PAGE 16—SUND SUNDA SUND AY

Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Continued from page 15 appears to be insensitive because I defeated him clearly in seven of the eight LGAs in the state. As a matter of fact, by our records when he goes to court, eventually, we will prove that he recorded invalid votes in Brass LGA where he won. We will prove that somehow INEC officials connived, though at gun point, to write votes for him. He didn’t earn those votes. Even the few votes they credited to him will come under severe scrutiny and we may have a situation, at the end, where everyone will know we won in all the eight LGAs of the state. He seems to be suggesting that there should be another supplementary election which means he doesn’t care about the dead, the injured and the houses that were destroyed. It appears to me that he doesn’t care if the whole Baylesa disappears. I think that is too desperate to become governor. A man has lost an election clearly in the way the man did, but he is still not ready to accept defeat and allow peace to reign. It is most unfortunate. We are leading, at the end, with over 48,000 votes and he seems to be suggesting that he is not tired of election. To us, this election has been won and lost and the honourable thing, for the sake of our democracy and for the sake of Bayelsa and for the sake of the people he once led, is for him to stop this war against the people. He should stop boasting that they will manipulate anyone to give him victory or overturn the will of the people. It appears to me as though he does not care if people are dead and if the institutions are destroyed. He just wants to be governor of Bayelsa by all means. Having been re-elected for second term at a time oil revenue is dwindling and a potential return of militancy in the Niger Delta because of arms not retrieved from youths in the region, are you worried about how you will run the state? Well, I do know that we are heading to some tough time because of the steady decline in oil prices and revenue in the last one and a half years. It is possible that the APC didn’t see that coming; so I have made this call over and over. What I have rather seen is an insufficient and insensitive team around President Muhammadu Buhari and his government. For example, they seem to have taken their eyes off the economy, they seem to have taken their attention off core-national security imperatives and are now focusing more on political conquest and expansion of the sphere of authority of their party and all the intrigues going on even within their party. I am of the view that the President doesn’t have the best of advice; I am of the view that the President is not expansive and broad enough. I am seeing a lot of unnecessary restriction, unnecessary concerns about political ego. This President took over the reins of this country at a time that calls for all hands to be on deck. This is when we should be forming national consensus. For example, more people have died in the hands of Boko Haram between when the President took over till date than under the last administration. What this means is that, contrary to the public proclamations, Boko Haram threat remains a serious challenge. Our men and women in uniform are doing their best and we should all give them support, but what it means is that the national security team needs to have their eyes on national security instead of concentrating on political conquest. The President’s men should show more interest in the economic down-

C M Y K

I am of the view that the President doesn’t have the best of advice; I am of the view that the President is not expansive and broad enough. I am seeing a lot of unnecessary restriction, unnecessary concerns about political ego

•Dickson

‘How we defeated ‘federal might’ turn the country is facing, how to make progress in 2016 and going forward and not wasting time on issues that are myopic and less beneficial to Nigerians at the end of the day. Now with Iran getting fully involved in oil trade again, we are going to have more oil glut in the market with attendant reduction in the current price of crude. That is a serious matter because it will have an impact even in the maintenance of law and order, because a hungry man is an angry man. If the economy is weak, it may make it difficult for states to pay salaries of workers while the Federal Government might find it equally difficult to pay its workers, soldiers, law enforcement agencies and judicial officers. These are the real challenges facing the country and I am surprised and shocked that, in spite of all these challenges, what we see is that people are more interested in battles rather than making friends and building national consensus. After elections, no matter how you feel about the candidates and parties, you address the problems of the state and country and move forward. But, sadly, that is not happening and I am very concerned, therefore, the way the country is going in the area of security; not just in the Niger Delta but across the nation. In the Niger Delta, I don’t

think the approach of being selective in law enforcement and deployment of military and security personnel is the solution. Security agencies should promptly arrest and punish those who use youths to cause mayhem in the Niger Delta and other parts of Bayelsa to discourage others from engaging in criminality. There are different accounts of how Boko Haram started and one account is similar to this and I keep raising the alarm that security agencies should pick up these guys, cause investigation and deal with them appropriately. However, no action has been taken. So I am calling for understanding and for support from the Federal Government so that, again, we can keep Bayelsa and the country safe again. Economically, Bayelsa is in a better position now than when I started my first term. The good thing in Bayelsa is that we have spent the first term laying the foundation and we are now moving to consolidate the achievements we recorded in the first term. We have completed 90 percent of our schools with heavy investment made in infrastructure. For instance, our airport is about 70 percent ready. We just need to monitor and see to its completion. But then, there are challenges of meeting the recurrent obligations and of expanding social security that has been going on

in the form of paying school fees, WAEC forms, GCE, NECO, scholarships and all those people as all those things will be unfortunately affected. But, let’s get it clear, our country is in a very difficult economic situation with the drop in oil revenues and that again calls for seriousness on the part of the Federal Government to bail the economy out of the doldrums. The election seems to have torn the unity of the Ijaw nation apart. What are you doing to unite the people? To the best of my knowledge, the Ijaw nation is united. Yes, a contest amongst brothers is bound to generate divisions even in the family, but there are no sharp divisions as such. My opponent had his own party men and supporters, but majority of our people supported me. You talked about the unity of the Ijaw nation, the Ijaw nation is united. There are some efforts some people are making, using federal power to get a chunk of support for themselves. I wish them well and advise that they use legitimate means in doing so. Now that the election is over, we are looking ahead to reconciling our people and I have already offered a hand of fellowship to Chief Sylva and the APC and I hope reason will prevail. I see their reaction after losing that they wanted to go to court as a reaction borne out of shock because they thought they had everything. They had everything working for them somehow, but they did not have God on their side. That is why they lost the election to me. I hope they will accept my invitation to join me to work for peace, security and development of our people.

SUND AY Vanguard , JANU ARY 31 , 2016, P AGE 17 SUNDA JANUARY

Can a man ever stop a determined gold-digger? I

T'S amazing how much a little incident could open a flood gate of memories. Fadeke, a good friend and I had decided to go to a mutual friend’s party in the same car. I’d parked mine at hers but she first wanted to call on a relative who was having the wedding introduction of her daughter that day. She gave me her word we wouldn’t spend up to an hour. She knows I have a bit of an aversion to these traditional dos that go on and on, boring the pants off you. The ‘moderator ’ popularly known as ‘Alaga Ijoko’ was in her element when we arrived. Sighing, I fixed my eyes on my wrist watch praying for when we could make a decent exit. Then I felt these eyes boring into me. The face of the guy looked terribly familiar. He hurried from where he was and was sitting next to me in seconds. It was Kanbi, an ex of close to two decades. He was then a top notch in a manufacturing company and was always encouraging me to do a bit of contract job. I didn’t care for that kind of thing. He was a generous man and I was very happy with him and when Franka, an old school mate met him in my office, I confidently introduced them. Some

months later, Franka came to my office to plead that I should have a word with Kanbi. A boyfriend of hers had supplied goods running into a couple of millions to his company and the payment was being delayed. I called Kanbi to find out if we could pop in to his office and he agreed. It was when he called for Franka’s man’s file that it was discovered that the goods supplied were sub-standard. The best he could do was reduce the payment by 20 per cent. That was very considerate of him and Franka’s man got his money. ‘Months later, Kanbi’s secretary, whom I was very friendly with wondered why I could be so trusting as to send Franka to Kanbi to bid for contracts. My eyes widened. Was she serious? She told me Franka usually called early in the morning, bringing breakfast and other goodies to the office. She then arranged to call me next time she was around. She was true to her word I sped down to Kanbi’s office, and who was sitting on the sofa in his office but Franka? Kanbi was seated next to her and they were having mouth-watering breakfast together. Franka was surprised to see me and she jabbered on about coming early to process fresh payments for her boyfriend. I stayed put and she eventually left. Kanbi had a sweet tongue and convinced me nothing was going on - until I got a second phone call from his secretary and found them almost in a clinch. I was

enraged. I told Kanbi never to darken my doorsteps again. “Then became a series of heavy pleadings, but I refused to bulge. He couldn’t believe I could be so resolute afterall, he was a married man. I told him, it would have been different if I were having a fling with him. But I was in love with him and for him to betray me in such a cruel way and with a very close friend was too much to forgive. I stopped going to his office, and the petty contracts that gave me generous pin-

money stopped because I refuse to bid for them. “We ran into each other from time to time, but I ignored him. The last time I saw him was at a very exclusive party and he was there with Franka I left immediately they arrived. So, now here he was after all these years still looking good enough to eat. But as far as I was concerned, he would always be a traitor, “So where is your trollop?” I asked testily. His face clouded. He promised to see me at work, it would be a long story. I was curious about what he had to say when he called. He finally admitted he had an affair with Franka. “But it was not my fault”, he said, “Franka pursued me relentlessly but

I didn’t rise up to her antics. After she collected her boyfriend’s cheque, she begged me for some contracts of her own and I obliged - because of you. To show her appreciation, she invited me to lunch, and I agreed. She was living with her boyfriend and I convinced myself we wouldn’t be alone. “She’d arranged to call for me herself and we drove off in her car. It was then she said the lunch would take place in a plush hotel at Badagry. That she knew a new place where they serve mouth-watering lunches. The place turned out to be an hotel where she’d booked a room. She said room service was more private because both of us were attached and shouldn’t court scandal. The room was fair enough and before we could order anything, she’d gone into the bathroom and emerged stark naked! My eyes were on stalks as I surveyed her naked body. Now tell me Candy, what sort of man would face that kind of challenge and not rise to the occasion? That was how the affair started. It lasted all of three years and she used our relationship to corner every mouth-watering contract from the firm. “She was always generous

in her ‘thank you’ gestures - enough for me to trust her to front for me in a particularly juicy one. I funded the contract and she collected the cheque and disappeared. I couldn’t believe it at first, the money ran into millions and included my contract money. She changed her phone and when next I heard of her, she’d gone abroad to be with her daughter. A friend of hers gave me her daughter’s number. When I got through she was surprised I tracked her down. Before she could come up with any cock and bull story, I told her that I just called to tell her that whatever she did with my money would haunt her. And I placed a curse on her and her children. And the curse worked! The last time I saw her, she was so shabbily dressed that I asked the driver to slow down, called out to her and told her: ‘You see what happens to back stabbers?’ “I’m glad I have the opportunity to tell my side of the story. I have since gotten a second wife since you threw me out of your life. But Franka taught me a lesson I would never forget. I wish I could pity her, but I can’t. What she sowed she reaped!”

08052201867(Text Only)

Keep fit with these postures THE SPREADEAGLE echnique: Sit down with the feet stretched out in front. With the help of the hands, spread the legs as far apart as you can manage. Clutch the shins and, holding the trunk neck and head in a straight line, breathe slowly but deeply. Retain the position for as long as comfortable. Rest awhile and repeat. Benefits: The spread eagle tones up the muscles of the inner thighs and helps with the health of the pelvic region. THE HEELS-TO CROTCH Technique: Sit down with the legs stretched in front of you. Now, bend one leg placing the bent leg on the floor with the heel close to the crotch as much as possible. Do the same with the

* The Spread Eagle

next leg. Now you should have both soles of the feet touching and begin to lower both legs till the knees are either on the floor or very close with the hands holding down the feet. Note: A warm-up to this posture is to flop the legs up and down at the knees like the wings of a bird in flight. Breathe normally holding down the feet for 10 or 15 seconds. Rest and repeat. Benefits: Both deep and superficial muscles of the inner thighs are intensely stretched, toning muscles and ligaments of the pelvis and encouraging the health of the whole pelvic area. There’s improved blood circulation to the back and abdomen benefitting the kidneys and bladder and helping to deal with urinary disorders. A daily practice of this posture is said to hinder the onset of varicose veins and to reduce the harshness of labour pains. It

helps check nocturnal emissions and increases manly vigour. THE TWIST POSTURE

To assume the twist posture sit up straight. Place the right heel under the left thigh with the right leg lying horizontally on the floor. Turning the chest to the left, place the right arm in front of the left knee which is vertically erect and hold the left ankle with the left turning the head to the same direction. The left hand should be placed midway across the back at an angle of 90 degrees. Change legs for the other way round. On each side of the posture breathe with an even rhythm for as long as comfortable. The benefits of the twist posture are that spiral deformities are overcome and the nerves are strengthened. The qualities of selfconfidence and determination are also imparted by the twist.

* Heels-To-Crotch

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

*The Twist

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

Wife swears her husband’s affair with her friend saved her marriage! C

an you ever really trust a man who is so duplicitous he will spend years sleeping with one of your friends right under your nose? Tessy, married for close to 30 years was flicking through a pile of photographs she came across in her drawer when she looked closely at a particular one. It was of her, her husband Tunde, and Joko, a family friend who’d been in their circle of friends for decades. According to her, the photograph depicted a happily married couple enjoying a birthday party with friends. “But my husband has his arm placed protectively around the back of Joke’s chair with his hand inches from her cleavage as she beams into the camera. I am the wife whose head can just be seen poking out behind my husband, as if I’d crashed the photograph!” she said. “For over six years, Joko was my husband’s mistress. They were already an item when the photograph was taken. While studying their body language when I held the photograph, it seemed obvious. I was totally blind to it at the time. I only discovered their betrayal when Tunde confessed after being faced with undeniable proof of his betrayal. Most women would have been outraged. But hard as it was, I felt so sorry for him I said I forgave him. And now, incredible as it sounds, I believe the affair was the best thing that could have happened to our marriage - without it we wouldn’t be celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. The truth is, we had become complacent about our marriage, and the betrayal was the shock we needed to make it work. “Although I was still married to my first husband

with whom I had a son when I met Tunde, that love had long since died and I had left several time previously. Tunde was already separated from his wife, the mother of his two daughters. Within months, I’d left my husband - the irony that I started out being unfaithful to my own husband wasn’t lost on me later - and moved into Tunde’s house. We got married a year later. “Both of us are quickwitted and mercurial. We sparked off one another and made love three or four times a week. The occasional row was forgotten as quickly as it had begun. Our marriage felt like a fairy take. Only 10 years on, a storm was beginning to brew. I was beset with health problems which wore me down and left me less interested in the physical side. I was eventually diagnosed with endrometriosis. But we both found enjoyment in our friendship with three other couples whom we’d met at our social club. “While Joko, who was about seven or eight years younger than me and a travel agent, was a shameless flirt, she showed no interest in Tunde, at least to begin with, so I didn’t see her as a threat. But as the eight of us socialised more, I became unnerved by their flirtatious exchanges. On nights out, Joko would squeeze me out, ensuring she sat next to my husband in the club restaurant, never missing an opportunity to brush her hand against his. At the endof-year-party, she didn’t leave his side and she’d link hands with him as they went on the dance floor. Looking back, I can see part of the problem was that I didn’t fight for my husband’s attention. In the past, he’d always said he’d never met such a formidable woman

as me, and yet, in Joko’s presence, my selfconfidence withered. “At home, I was no longer fun and playful. Instead, no thanks to my health issues, I spend a lot of time bemoaning my appearance - my doubts about our marriage led me to question everything from my hair and clothes to my figure - even though I was still slim. In the end, everything came into the open after a fund-raising dinner at the club a few years back. I didn’t have my glasses on so hadn’t seen Joko mouthing ‘I love you’ at him over the table, but a few other guests saw it to tell me. “Back home that night, a row ensued as I confronted him, but he still denied having an affair. Unable to let it go this time, I woke him up in the middle of the night and ask him to swear on his mother’s grave he hadn’t been sleeping with Joko. That was when he burst into tears and begged me to forgive him. Many women would have either dealt him a few slaps

or sunk their teeth into him. Instead, despite my shattered heart, I wrapped my arms around him and we cried together. I knew some of the responsibility was mine and also that I didn’t want to lose him. “He was full of remorse. He was adamant that although he cared for Joko, he hadn’t loved her and had never stopped loving me. While I was humiliated, hurt and angry, I realised we were both guilty of not tackling the problems in our marriage which had led to his affair. He said he had done it because in Joko, he found a woman paying him lots of attention, telling him he was sexy and fun, while at home he felt weighed down with stress over money, my health problems and my low self-esteem. We’d both neglected our marriage and put barriers up so the only time we communicated was to have an argument. “Although the affair had gone on for over six years, he said he’d ended it six months before he confessed. Joko’s marriage had

Mudasiru Taofiki tkemcleaning@yahoo.com

I'm grateful

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel. Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

Live you life

Live by your own light, shine by your own star, Do what you always wanted to do with your life.

I want to show gratitude to all my friends,especially the ones that have shown great love to me...I love you all..... Mary Ann, maryannchizzy@outlook.com 07036470653

MEN TAKE NOTE

.Don’t take a woman for granted if she is giving you too much attention. Just consider yourself lucky because maybe she loves you so much that she doesn’t

broken up half way through their affair. He admitted it was only when he began to fear Joko may reveal all that he realised he stood to lose me - in his words, ‘the most magnificent woman I’ve ever met.’ What also stung me was that two members of our group, two people I considered friends, had known about the affair throughout, and never told me. “Like a lot of people who discover their partner ’s infidelity, I became thirsty for details, almost masochistically so. I’ve since discovered the affair had began in the year 2002. They’d met for a chat at the club after Tunde had told her we were having marriage troubles. By the time they’d finished their drinks, they’d agreed to meet for sex in one of the hotels near the club a week later. Tunde admits he didn’t even feel guilty, that he believed he deserved the thrill of a mistress as an escape from the misery he felt at home with me. After that, he met Joko at least

once a fortnight for sex. When the affair was exposed, it split our friendship group up. “Of course my husband and I didn’t turn things round immediately. It took several agonising years. While we made love a few days after his bombshell, I couldn’t shake the images of him in bed with her. I lost a lot of weight in a matter of weeks, yet I was resolute in my decision to stay with him. We loved each other deeply and had known what it was to have a strong and happy marriage. I was adamant divorce was not the only way. “Today, we laugh, we make love every week and we’re tactile even when we’re sitting on the sofa watching TV. And we face up to any problems before they become insurmountable. The irony is that, today, our relationship feels more secure and resilient than perhaps it ever would have done but for Tunde‘s betrayal,” What The Doctor Ordered! (Humour) A couple were going through a very rocky time with their marriage so the wife suggested they go and see a marriage counsellor. The man listened intently while the wife told him all the grievances she had towards her husband, particularly the fact that he had lost all interest in her. The counsellor nodded his head in understanding. Certainly the husband had shown no reaction to what was being said. So the counsellor decided on some radical treatment. He went over to the wife, took her in his arms and gave her a long lingering kiss. “There,” he said to the bored husband. “Your wife needs that at least three times a week.” “Okay,” he replied. “I’ll bring her in on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday.”

want anyone else to take her place in your life .If she cries for you don’t think she is weak but consider yourself lucky that she thinks you are worth her precious tears . . If she is jealous of the other women around you don’t think she is insecure but she doesn’t want to see anyone else to be in your arms. . If a woman says sorry to you even though it's not her fault don’t think she fears losing you but she considers her relationship worth another chance and she doesn’t want anyone else to have your heart.. Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015 #KriSpiration2016

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 19

Why what you are doing isn’t working with men BY ONOZURE DANIA

he fact is, most women take the same approach when trying to spark interest in a man. They leave it up to men,

or to “fate,” to decide what happens in their situation, and they are unaware of the kind of signals they are actually sending to the guy. They think they are making the right move

by “playing it cool,” but in reality they are coming off as disinterested, boring or maybe just “cold.” Now, most women won’t admit that in reality, when they meet

a man they are attracted to, they will try to do or say whatever it takes to get his attention and interest if they only knew what that was. And they won’t admit that they are even mentally anticipating what a man is going to think or do so they can

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For who is a student or a graduate, who is tall and good looking, enquiries, text or call 08026651636 •Goodluck, 25, a student and resides in Sapele Delta state, needs female friends, aged 25-30, who are Christians, tall, dark in complexion.09099737561 •Sampson, 30, from Akwa Ibom state, but resides in Lagos, needs a beautiful and an employed female, who is God fearing and has good character, aged 19-25 for serious friendship. 08103025035

DISCLAIMER!

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respond to it in the “right” way. The reality is that women spend a lot of time thinking about how to attract a good man, instead of doing the things that actually draw a good man to them.

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PAGE 20—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Congrats Governors Wike and Ishaku, but….

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike must have been greatly relieved when the Supreme Court last Wednesday confirmed him as the rightful winner of the 2015 governorship election in his state. The Apex Court upheld the elections of Wike with a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel whose lead judgment was read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Notwithstanding that the details of the judgment will not be available until February 12, 2016, it is only fair at this point for Wike’s critics including this column to congratulate him for emerging victorious in the laborious venture called election in Nigeria. Similarly, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had earlier reversed the judgment of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which sacked Governor Darius Ishaku of the People Democratic Party, (PDP). In a unanimous judgment, the

appellate court panel headed by Justice Justice Abdul Aboky held that the tribunal acted outside its jurisdiction when it invalidated Ishaku’s election on the premise that he was not validly nominated by the PDP. We similarly congratulate Ishaku Both governors have since commended the judiciary for their pronouncements. While Wike described his triumph at the Supreme Court as victory for democracy, rule of law and a confirmation of God’s backing for his election as governor, Ishaku said the court verdict shows that the Judiciary is for all Nigerians and not for “selective citizens.” Considering that the two governors either by themselves or by their spokes persons had earlier condemned the judiciary at a point when the decisions were not in their favour, it would appear that the qualities of the judiciary are usually seen by only the PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

The beauty of gratitude

n different countries throughout the world, people are so preoccupied with the quest for primitive accumulation and acquisitiveness that they tend to forget those behavioural responses and social etiquette which make life so humane and fascinating. Consider, for instance, the increasing tendency towards self-indulgent materialism and individualism. A little reflection will establish that most of the money and wealth people spend their energies accumulating are unnecessary, and that beyond the necessities of life such as food, shelter, clothing, education, good health, and simple recreation, virtually everything else can be dispensed with. I believe that the unceasing craving for more and bigger or expensive things is an outward manifestation, in those trapped within its gravitational pull, of existential emptiness and warped ideas concerning what human life here on earth is all about. In otherwords, idolatry of wealth and riches is a mental disorder, a psychological disequilibrium which disallows healthy relatedness between an individual, his or her fellow human beings, and the world. In our country, Nigeria, despite the exponential

C M Y K

increase in population of Christians and Muslims and in the number of worship centres, there is a noticeable decrease in public spiritedness, truthfulness, kindness, and respect for others. Most Nigerians erroneously believe that civilisation is a matter of driving big cars, living a highbrow area of the city, wearing the best clothes complemented by costly fashion accessories, and speaking Queen’s English. But some of us know better: we know that civilisation is basically the product of refined and enlightened mental disposition, an attitude of the mind characterised by humility, self-respect, healthy disdain for material possessions, truthfulness, and determination to treat others as oneself. It also entails an expansive world outlook that incorporates respect for thenatural environment. Thus, it is a big mistake to defined civilisation based solely on the quantity of material things possessed by an individual. At home, in schools, markets, churches and mosques, we treat one another as objects without the respect and dignity appropriate to human beings

politicians who win their cases. This is what puts a question mark on the value to be placed on the new posture of the Governors. The point to be made is that Nigerian politicians are not good players of the game of election as they always abuse and raise several insinuations against judges whenever decisions are against them. A good democrat won’t do that; rather he would follow due process by ventilating

To some extent, the judiciary ought to be commended for keeping its head cool in the face of undue provocation by politicians

his grievances through the due process designed for the game. When Governor Ishaku lost at the tribunal, he stated through his Chief of Staff, Rebo Usman that the judgment “plunged the state into chaos which led as such. Our political leaders habitually steal public funds because they are barbarians who have lost their moral centres of gravity, thinking that corrupt enrichment would save them from the existential emptiness at the core of their being. The renowned German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, correctly observed that each human being belongs to “the kingdom of ends,” which means that no one should be treated as a means to an end. There are several behaviours and attitudes widespread among Nigerians, which make me believe that our people are still operating at the level Lucien Levy-Bruhl called pre-logical mentality. These include aggressive driving habits, disdain for environmental cleanliness and aesthetics, pseudoreligiosity, and nauseating misuse of public funds and property. As I said a moment ago, a large percentage of Nigerian political leaders are uncivilised; they still function at the primitive level, given their monstrous proclivity to corruption. One of the attributes of a civilized human being is gratitude. These days, it appears that many parents have lost their sense of values; they no longer teach their children reasonable social etiquette such as respect for elders, decency in speech and conduct, as well as showing gratitude for favours received, among others. There is no doubt that appreciation of kindness and charity is an important attribute of a civilised person. It encourages people to do more good to others, and promotes the culture of solidarity and goodwill. Therefore, I will use this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to those who, in various ways, helped me to cope with the vicissitudes and existential challenges of 2015. First of all, I remain eternally grateful to

to wanton destruction of lives and property.” Such delinquency could only have been done by those the judgment didn’t favour. In addition, Ishaku was still State Governor at the point with an obligation to prevent the unwholesome behaviour. Did he? If not, would it have been right if the opposition party had organized a similar reaction to the reversal of the earlier decision which was in its own favour? Consequently, it seems quite rational to commend the then Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Aisha Jummai Alhassan, for adhering to the rule of law. She and her party deserve it more. The situation in Port Harcourt is not different. The previous attitude and disposition of Governor Wike and his aides were not salutary. They openly castigated the judiciary and indeed ran their own of form trial as they publicly commented on the proceedings of the tribunal in a manner that was purely prejudicial. Accordingly, no one knows how far they would have gone if the Supreme Court had dared to rule against them. It is hoped that the opposition party which has in the end lost the case will write its name in gold by constraining its members from taking the laws into their hands. Nigerians will similarly deprecate their

actions if they do otherwise. Incidentally, the two states are in opposition to the government of President Buhari at the centre. It is a matter of inspiration that the President has taken no step to follow the old order in which the party in power emasculates the judiciary to act in its favour or to disregard court decisions. It will be recalled that he was the loser in the convoluted election petitions of 2007 which many believe were bought by the government in power. The decision of the President to nominate Alhassan as a Minister seems to suggest that he had as a good player accepted from the beginning the results of the election in Taraba State which his party lost. To some extent, the judiciary ought to be commended for keeping its head cool in the face of undue provocation by politicians. As the Chief Justice said at a point, it is regrettable that Nigerian politicians attack judges over corruption and bribery allegations and look away when “thugs enter courts to beat judges, tear court processes and bomb the courts to prevent the delivery of some judgments.” In spite of all these and the negative reactions of politicians to unfavourable judicial decisions, it is worthy of note that those who abuse judges are among those

who finally win their cases. The Nigerian judiciary thus deserves commendation for refusing to be vindictive. Such glory should however not go to the few corrupt judges that are often used to win or lose elections. Indeed, there is the need to device strategies that can make Nigerian elections look like what happens in great nations-strategies which render unnecessary the rather critical intermediary roles that are played by non institutional actors. Nigerians must no doubt look with hope to very few election petitions as a result of a sanitized election process. A major aspect of this sanity refers to judicial decisions that the ordinary man understands-social and not technical justice. For example, if an allegation made against a candidate is being contested, it is better to find out if the allegation is true or false, instead of engaging 15 Senior Advocates to establish that the allegation was illtimed. Perhaps a better example comes from Ondo State where a petitioner proved that there was injection of unlawful names into a voters’ register which worked against him. Interestingly, the state governorship election tribunal dismissed the petition on the ground that it was a pre-election matter. Finally, let us do away with “inconclusive elections”

my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Ebere Anele, for the gift of life and for giving me good education, both formal and informal. Although both are dead, I will never forget all their efforts in making sure that my siblings and I were properly looked after. My gratitude also goes

Ihuoma and Ngozi, for who they are and what they mean to me. Emeka, my younger brother, together with his spouse, Chinwendu, are my “eyes and ears” in the village I am grateful to both of you. My profound appreciation goes to the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. R.A. Bello, and the two Deputy ViceChancellors, Prof. B. Alo (Academic & Research) and Prof. Duro Oni (Management Services) for their kindness to me last year. Thank you Prof. Atsenuwa (Chairperson, Admissions Committee) and Prof. Tunde Babawale (Dean, Student Affairs) for granting some of my requests despite the tremendous pressures of your assignments. My colleagues in the Philosophy Department, especially Prof. Muyiwa Falaiye, Drs. Modestus Onyeaghalaji, Fatai Asodun, Tony Okeregbe, Peter Oni, Chris Osegenwune, Benjamin Okoro, and also Surajudeen Owosho, Philomena Egbe, Peter Osimiri, Dan Ekere, Debo Gbadebo - I hereby acknowledge your help on several occasions. I am also grateful to uncle Tony Amaku, Drs. David Aworawo and Chris Obisi, Profs. Adeyemi Daramola, P.K. Fogam, Chimdi Mmaduagwu, Princewill Alozie, Demola Adeleke, H.O.D. Longe, Joe Abugu, and Iwu Ikwubuzo. My friends, Robert Obioha, Chief Ralph Obiduba, Chief Emmanuel Ofodile, Chief Innocent Egwim, Lincoln Nwafor, Clem Aguiyi, Chief Charles Edosonwan (SAN), Peter Iheanacho, Hajiyah, Merciful Mercy, Jude Obaro, Abiodun, Mrs. Eden-Okoro, Mrs. Philomena Abugu, and Mrs. Pauline Anyaokwu - all of you were good to me, therefore your shadows will never grow less. Uncle Sam Amuka, the publisher of Vanguard newspapers is a humble and kind-hearted human being. I thank you, sir, for being an inspiration to

many, including myself. Fred Udueme, AGM Brand, Vanguard, has been a good friend to me. I appreciate you, my brother. Jide Ajani, editor, Sunday Vanguard, and all those working with you, especially Abel, are gratefully acknowledged for your professional handling of my essays even when they arrive late. Prof. Ngozi Osarenren and her husband, Osas, Prof. & Mrs. Ezike, Dr. B.N. Nwabueze, Deji Medubi, Mrs. T. Solanke, Ifueko BelloFadaka, Dr. Nwadinigwe, Lugard, Matthew, Ojo, Odion and all the residents of C Block, Highrise, University of Lagos - thank you all for your help in various ways. Drs. Joseph Ekong, Rotimi Omosulu, and Dennis Otto; Mrs. Ojomo, Mike Enyinnaya, Stanley Nkemole, Babatee, Debo Adeleke, Samodi, Bede Egbufor, Simon Tashie, Joe Otogbolu, Charles Kalu, and Jones Usen. My Christmas vacation in the United States was highly rewarding because of the hospitality of Apostle Frank Uwakwe and his amiable spouse, Ngozi - I thank them sincerely. I genuinely appreciate readers of my essays, particularly those who agree with my views on issues of vital concern to our country and to fellow Nigerians, and who do not see disagreement as an opportunity to abuse someone they know absolutely nothing about. Of course, I will continue to write as forthrightly as I could, believing that my readers and I are fallible human beings willing to engage in civilised debate without insulting one another. This year, if I express an opinion you are not comfortable with, remember, your insults cannot stop me from expressing my views on issues I care about. Therefore, do not waste your time chasing shadows. Happy new year to everyone!

Our political leaders habitually steal public funds because they are barbarians who have lost their moral centres of gravity, thinking that corrupt enrichment would save them from the existential emptiness at the core of their being

to my wife, Ijeoma, and to my lovely daughters, Nwanyioma and Nwadiuto, for enriching my life. Without question, the three foremost females in my sojourn here on earth, despite occasional turbulence now and then, occupy the innermost recesses of my being. Ij, I know I have not lived up to your expectations in some areas; but I am grateful that you have continued to tolerate my weaknesses. I thank my two sisters,

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 21

Kaleidoscope TheOkowa Okowaagenda agendato to The 'leapfrog'education education 'leapfrog' *The diagnoses of Afe Babalola, Profs Obayan and Enaowho By Festus Ahon

orried by the poor education standard in the country, and Delta State in particular, the state government, last week, held a two-day summit to find lasting solution to the problems faced in the sector. Education, key to economic, political and social development of any society, has been in a poor state, resulting in the turning out of half baked graduates from the country's primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. The two-day summit, held under the theme, 'Leapfrogging Education in Delta State', attracted several eminent persons, including Chief Afe Babalola and Emeritus Prof. Pai Obanya, who addressed some of the key issues responsible for the dwindling standard of education, especially in Delta. And the state, in a proactive step, included, in its 2016 Budget, the establishment of a Teachers Professional Development Centre for in-service training, in an effort to build the capacity of those in the educational sector. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, however, expressed concern over the continued request for the establishment of more tertiary institutions in the state. The governor, who raised the issue during the question and answer session at the summit, asked know how best to go on the matter as funding the existing ones was already a big challenge in government's determination to providing the best education for the people. He informed the summit that Delta presently grapples with a university with three campuses, seven polytechnics and three colleges of education and yet more requests were being made by communities for higher institutions. Okowa noted that one determining factor in the establishment of the three campuses of Delta State University in Abraka, Oleh and Anwai as well as the first three polytechnics at Oghara, Ozoro and Ogwashi-Uku was senatorial district

C M Y K

•Governor Okowa addressing partipants at the two-day summit representation. He stated that the people were moving in the direction of state government establishing a higher institution in each of the 25 local governments, maintaining that the way the requests were being made, each ward in the state would soon be asking for at least one higher institution sited there. The governor pointed out the financial burden already faced by government to run the existing institutions in the state led to the education summit to find the way forward. Most of the participants said no to the establishment of more higher institutions in Delta. They maintained that what is most required now was for government to ensure quality in the existing ones, stressing the need for urgent revolution in the education sector. The summit participants stated that right and enabling environment must be created to leapfrog education in Delta. The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Afe Babalola, in his remarks, said: “The state government must be congratulated for identifying the need to set up an education summit. This is quite understandable as no right thinking Nigerian would deny the fact that there is urgent need for a revolution in our education system that would bring about quality and functional education having regard to the ever growing number of unemployable and unemployed graduates, the poor quality of teachers, cases of fake certificates, the rising list of illegal institutions, strikes and the unprofessional attitude of some teachers to education etc. “The aim of education at any

Some level of charges should be introduced because the present day education cannot be totally free of tuition

level and more importantly at the University level is to improve learning and also to mould character. A society which is interested in and concentrates only on learning at the expense of character is one that is bound to falter with time. “As a matter of fact, character itself aids and accentuates learning whilst learning on its own is empty without character. It is for this reason that University certificates are issued only to persons who have been found deserving of it in terms of learning and character. This is a carryover from ancient times when the first universities were established by religious organizations or orders. At that time much emphasis was placed on morals”. Professor Obayan, in his keynote address, said: “Education as a neverending process has a vertical as well as a horizontal dimension. On the horizontal axis, we see various modes for the aquisition of learning not only co-existing but in fact coalescing. Of the four modes of acquiring/ promoting education listed, only one belongs to the realm of the formal. “On the vertical axis, as the figure illustrates, formal education goes on from early childhood development, through primary and secondary to the tertiary level. In all natural conditions, non-formal equivalents of early childhood, primary and secondary education also exists. In order words, non-formal education is not simply for the basic life skills required for the basic level of education. It should also be available and accessible for persons in a variety of evolving life circumstances, in a variety of forms, for a variety of learning needs throughout life”. The Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, said "the ?summit is not about who is wrong but about what is wrong" and insisted that funding was critical to education. He said inadequate funding has

created anxiety for school heads "such that many have resorted to unconventional practices to make the system run". In his paper, a former Vice Chancellor of the Delta State University, Prof John Enaowho, advocated the scrapping of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and the National Universities Commission, NUC. Enaowho held that both establishments have outlived their usefulness. In the lecture, entitled, 'Fiscal Planning and Development in Nigeria Education: The Paradox of Autonomy and Dependence', the former VC decried that, despite the supervisory role of JAMB and the NUC, no Nigerian university has made the list of the 100 universities in the world. Enaowho, a two-time Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of PortHarcourt, argued that accreditation of courses in tertiary institutions should be done by professional bodies in the respective disciplines such as the Council for Legal Education, the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council and the Council for the regulation of engineering rather than the NUC which he maintained should be scrapped. He called for the removal of education from the purview of the Federal Government by decentralizing the educational sector in line with true federalism, urging the Federal Government to focus on other sectors such as defense, aviation and works. He insisted that it should leave education to states as was obtainable in foreign countries.“While noting that funding was the major challenge in education sector from primary to tertiary levels, Enaowho added: “Some level of charges should be introduced because the present day education cannot be totally free of tuition".“The professor disclosed that Nigerians spend billions on Naira for their children's fees abroad and in private universities but were not willing to pay fees in government owned tertiary institutions. In another lecture, entitled, 'Community and Parental Involvement in the Formal Education of the Child', Prof Cecilia Otete Okobiah said communities have abandoned their pivotal role in the education of the child even as she lambasted some parents for not paying adequate attention to sound upbringing of their children.“On how government could leapfrog education in the state, the university don charged the state government to revamp the existing educational structures to ensure they play their role effectively among others.

PAGE 22—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Buhari and governance: How to handle crises, by Patrick Dele Cole (OFR) BY PATRICK DELE COLE

ne way to deal with eco nomic crisis is to isolate the main elements and deal with them or go after those who caused the crisis in the first place. The worldwide economic crisis of 2007-8 (Black Wednesday) which still remains unresolved fully, was caused by several factors but mainly by banks who sold products and derivatives to people who clearly would be unable to pay or took advantage of regulations to make maximum profits in unorthodox ways such as leveraging the LIBOR rate etc. The banks sold prime mortgages to clients who had no way to pay because the mortgages had US Federal Government (Freddie May) guarantees. In some cases Governments borrowed far beyond their capacity to pay etc. The intentions of Federal Mortage guarantees were noble since it helped the common man to buy his own house. But in order to raise the portfolios of the banks, many sold to people who could in no way redeem the loans. Mr. White is living in a US$200,000 house in a middle class suburb. A housing development company has recently developed a new gated estate with gardens, swimming pool etc. going for US$400,000. Mr. White is now told that this new development was available to him at “nearly the same mortgage rate” if he agrees to move. He does so. His US$200,000 house is sold to someone who in reality can only afford a US$100, 000 house. But all these mortgages are federally guarantees. The banks portfolio has quadrupled; the bankers have received their normal large bonuses for “improved performance”. The developer had also borrowed money and he too has a seemingly profitable business. Then oil prices spike. Chinese goods flood the market. Mr. White cannot pay his mortgage. His company which cannot compete with Chinese prices is unable to retain him. He loses his job, but still has to pay for his car which he cannot. The car is repossessed. The government has to borrow more – sell more bonds. Mr. White cannot meet the monthly payment of his car, credit cards etc. similarly, the whole country is in economic meltdown. Many of the banks have done worse than the useless papers they have. Should the banks be

•Patrick Dele Cole

The President must convince all politicians from local Government, State to Federal levels that the fight against corruption is a serious sustainable battle. At the moment only the members of the past administration are feeling the ill wind of, according to them, “persecution” misnamed corruption

allowed to fail? No. To meet these crises the West comes together. The Governments seize percentage of the shares of the banks, only to find out that the government itself cannot pay its health bills; the merry round continues. What to do? Japan had the same problem. The governments could round up all the bankers who made money, earned bonuses etc. They could round up the developers, thus create more unemployment. Or they could start inquiries to find out whether the houses were not over inflated in prices, jail a few bankers, investors etc. Instead – they freeze interest rates at %. They hunkered down to produce polices that would grow their economy i.e. get out of the mess through growth. They pumped more money into the economy; propped up the industries etc. They banned all gas guzzler cars; recall all cars over 10 years old and give incentives to their owners to buy new cars and forced the manufacturers to make better cars, with

less fuel consumption, etc. Encourage modernization of ship yards, manufactured planes that are quieter, faster engines and encourage airlines to buy new fleet. They kept inflation low at about the same rate as interest rates. They outsourced - did all things possible to cut cost, increase efficiency and grow. Where and how does Nigeria fit? Old cars and planes not for the West end up in Nigeria, the dumping ground of all Europe’s rejects, including clothing, refrigerators, broken down computers etc. Without a proper analysis of our problems - do we chase the bankers, the looters etc. or do we put our economy right by growing out of our crises? The President must convince all politicians from local Government, State to Federal levels that the fight against corruption is a serious sustainable battle. At the moment only the members of the past administration are feeling the ill wind of, according to them, “persecution” misnamed corruption.

Almost all politicians were motivated by the need for self aggrandizement. At the local government level the Chairmen of the local governments simply take the money for their personal use; some money gets to the councilors. At the moment most local government chairmen are appointed. They do nothing. Political office holders are proceeding as usual, nothing has changed. They still openly demand gratifications and complain that they invested their own money to get to where they are now. And that they contributed to the success of the party at the election. If you remind them that they were put in office to serve, you may as well be whistling in a strong wind. Houses are still being bought by the corrupt public holders. In the universities, President Buhari’s change philosophy has not hit any responsive nerves. Ask any student who is registering or trying to finalize graduation arrangements. But the pursuit of corrupt people cannot be the salvation of a sagging economy. If we have to grow agriculture, where are the plans? Are we sure we are getting value for money in our purchases? Do we have conditions for peace in the Niger Delta to allow unimpeded exploitation of our natural resources? The President and his cabinet will do a lot of good to themselves by going and staying in the area where the golden goose resides. No one dears the source of his wealth unattended and unprotected. This Government is broke. It must live within its means – that means the politicians and the Governors, National and State assembly must cut down expense by at least 50% to 60%. No more free bees. Salaries of all who work in Nigeria must be in Naira; how people source for forex is entirely their business. We cannot run four parallel economies – one for the super rich, one for the rich, one for dollar earners, another for the normal people and even a fifth for the underclass. The President and all APC and PDP members must join in the effort of national redemption. A major public affairs effort that can communicate effectively with the people must be undertaken. For a Government committed to change, the paucity of its handling its image is incredible. The tardiness and complacency mind boggling. What is everybody waiting for? Running a country is more than a gladiatorial show.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 23

Government, Public Policy and the Reform Business BY TUNJI OLAOPA What comes after the end of roaming? He sees himself, white-haired, stooped, shuffling to the corner shop to buy his half-litre of milk and halfloaf of bread; he sees himself sitting blankly at a desk in a room full of yellowing papers, waiting for the afternoon to peter out so that he can cook his evening meal and go to bed. The life of a superannuated scholar, without hope, without prospect: is that what he is prepared to settle for? —J. M. Coetzee

n Disgrace (1999), Coet zee, the South African writer, painted a rather frightening retirement picture of Professor David Lurie. I am different from the fictional professor in so many ways. Unlike Professor Lurie, this is not the kind of retirement I see for myself at all. While the announcement calling for the retirement of the seventeen permanent secretaries was shocking to me, it was not at all unexpected. Whoever managed to reach a fulfilling career point in the civil service must have gotten there with a sense of history. If Nigeria could waste the incredible talents retired summarily especially in 1975, why should we be exception to what has literarily become a rule of a sort in our governance trajectory. I have had no doubt whatsoever what my retirement plans would be. I have nurtured it for over ten years, reflecting and adjusting and planning. This preparation originated from the foreknowledge that I would not always be in the service, but that the business of reform cannot dare stop. Like David Lurie, however, I am also a scholar; I am committed through research and advocacy to the urgent and rigorous reform of the civil service system in Nigeria. Since I became a public servant more than twenty seven years ago, it has become almost immediately clear to me that Nigeria’s greatness is hinged on the capability readiness of its civil service system. It is not hard to come to this conclusion—the civil service is the Nigerian state personified. The state therefore stands or falls to the extent of the performance profile of its civil service. Unfortunately, a critical mapping of the trajectory of public service performance, from 1960 to date, gives us no room to cheer. Most of the reforms read like an exercise in administrative damage control. For instance, since independence when the Nigerianization Policy intervened in the emergence of the Nigerian civil service, the idea of meritocracy became a critical issue because it was slaughtered on the altar of representativeness and nepotism which became the trademark nod to Nigeria’s plural status. And so, the idea of professionalism has been haunting the civil service ever since. Before the retirement, and with the mentorship and guidance of veterans like Prof. Akin Mabogunje, Dr. Christopher Kolade, and a few others, I had been certain what my post-retirement effort would be. The Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) is the final product of the iteration of many ideas. And its emergence goes beyond the need to backstop my retirement and ensure a regular source of livelihood. On the

Tunji Olaopa

contrary, the School is actually the most logical standpoint for my reputation as a reformer. What kind of reputation ends in the office? And what kind of reform is tied only to the dynamics of the inside perspective? The administrative reform and governance research that I have dedicated twenty seven years of my life to is essentially institutional. It concerns a persistent and rigorous interrogation of the public service structures, institutions and processes at the level of theory and practice. I have always been a practitioner who understands perfectly the reciprocal relationship that exists between the theoretical and the practical. My researches and advocacy has been based on the need to adequately perceive the problems of Nigeria, and the needed solutions, from these twin pillars. I am a bureaucrat driven to research by the need to understand the reality of practice i.e. the policy-implementation gap in Nigeria’s arrested development. My mission in researching the public service is to be an expert-insider in the vanguard of what I considered in the ‘80s as the most critical gap in the Nigerian development equation: the policy and development execution trap that the public service as a management system had become. When I came to this conclusion, I was a development policy researcher. At the time, implementation research had become a central issue driving development and policy work in government. It is therefore administratively logical for me that the framework of the ISGPP will be firmly located within the need to bridge this execution gap which is still critical to the performance metric of the civil service in Nigeria. The Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy is conceived to intervene actively in Nigeria’s governance framework in a manner that instigates, and participates in, a creative policy making dynamics that extends the frontier of development and democratic thinking and practice in Nigeria. Unlike the plethora of training schools, policy institutes and consulting outfits that abounds in Nigeria, the ISGPP has devised a broad-based approach to training, executive education and policy research that intersects development, democracy and governance issues. It is meant to become a focus for a sustained dis-

There is a deep sense in which the incidence of poverty, illiteracy, the infrastructural deficit, unemployment rate, crime and insecurity, the health pandemic and other socioeconomic woes that afflict Nigeria, and other African states, are the direct consequences of administrative neglect and policy weakness course on development and governance in Nigeria that draws insights and experts from Africa and around the globe. ISGPP is not just another business school; it is a school of governance. For instance, the ISGPP has a curriculum and faculty designed and assembled to tackle the issue of relevance. Relevance is defined as achieving the critical connection between local governance realities and global development discourse. Such a School is required given the context of pandemic administrative inertia and bureaucratic pathologies that assail service delivery and public service performance throughout Africa, and especially Nigeria. And to achieve comparative advantage, ISGPP is set to critically examine the little governance issues and the big governance dilemmas; it is set to generate hard empirical data and explore complex theoretical pictures; it will rigorously examine the local from the vantage dynamics of the global. There is a deep sense in which the incidence of poverty, illiteracy, the infrastructural deficit, unemployment rate, crime and insecurity, the health pandemic and other socioeconomic woes that afflict Nigeria, and other African states, are the direct consequences of administrative neglect and policy weakness. It is a fact that

Nigeria’s social policy dynamics is essentially flawed. The mission of the ISGPP is to facilitate a wide network of experts—academic and practitioners—across the private and public sectors, non-profit and non-governmental organisations and the Nigerian and African diaspora that would ensure a robust and rigorous framework that initiate a theory and practice dialogues and discourses on the possibilities of rethinking and rehabilitating Nigeria’s governance architecture. ISGPP therefore becomes a critical means of generating an outside perspective on the inside mechanisms of the public service management system as well as other institutional frameworks that generate policies and decisions that are meant to promote the wellbeing of Nigerians. I have been inside; now the ISGPP represents the best modality for looking back inside and continuing the reform diagnosis and institutional prognosis. But this time around, the business of reform becomes more urgent with the dialectical modus operandi that brings together a critical mass of renowned change agents with many years of perspectives, experiences, insights and capacities in a multidisciplinary framework that confronts the governance predicament from multifaceted dimensions. Thus, the ISGPP reaches into the significant recess of the academia—political science, philosophy, public administration, history, economics, sociology, law, educational management, information science, development studies, international relations, etc.—in active synergy with practitioners of public administration, ICT, human resource management, project management, public sector performance, industrial relations, business information, public communication, urban and rural planning, health policy, agriculture and ecotourism, environmental policy and the civil society. ISGPP is a total governance package. And since the School has been conceived to be significant to the development and policy project in Nigeria, it stands to reason therefore to bring its inauguration to the attention of the government and the public in a manner that announces its intention and critical relevance. This is the essence of the inaugural conference slated for February 1-2, 2016. The theme of the conference— Getting Government to Work—aptly summarises the essence of ISGPP. We are in the season of change, with the Buhari administration making preliminary but energetic efforts to ensure that Nigeria moves beyond its lethargic tradition of government business to a more corruption-free, dedicated, and even patriotic service to the Fatherland. The ISGPP Conference is therefore auspicious. It was conceived from the premise that it is high time the Nigerian government began harnessing the energies, resources and commitments of its citizens in order to become effectively capable of meeting their needs and aspirations. In the tradition of the National Economic Summit (NES), the conference on Getting Government to Work will be an annual event and flagship programme of ISGPP.. The fundamental question around which the ISGPP Conference is based is simple but profound: What are the fundamental

structures, institutional deficits, issues, processes and dynamics of government that have made the attainment of an all-inclusive development in governance , economy and democracy in a manner that conducive to peace and social justice difficult in Nigeria? With this question, the ISGPP hope to rally an entire intelligentsia and critical elites to a roundtable on the Nigerian governance deficit and possibilities—Olusegun Obasanjo, Emeka Anyaoku, Akin Mabogunje, Richard Joseph, Christopher Kolade, Kayode Fayemi, Isaac Adewole, Matthew Hassan Kukah, Pat Utomi, Eze Onyekpere, Chude Jideonwo, Akin Iwayemi, Amadu Sesay, Osita Ogbu, Ayo Teriba, Omobola Johnson, Nkoyo Toyo, Lola Dare, Isaac Adewole, Osita Chidoka, Foluso Okunmadewa, Pai Obanya, Ademola Oyejide, Akinjide Osuntokun, Alaba Ogunsanwo, Chris Imoisili, Ayo Olukotun, Odia Ofeimun, Adele Jinadu, Bayo Olukoshi, John Ayoade, Olu Sanya, Jibrin Ibrahim, Tunde Adeniran, Oladapo Afolabi, Adeoye Akinsanya, Tade Aina, Adigun Agbaje, and more. This is the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s intellectual, government, civil society and policy experts gathered to jumpstart the rethinking of the Nigerian governance space. The statement to be made at the ISGPP Conference is expected to go beyond the tradition of the communiqué. For Ezra Pound, the US poet and critic, ‘Any general statement is like a check drawn on a bank. Its value depends on what is there to meet it.’ The communiqué at the end of the Conference automatically commits the ISGPP to what it promises, a rigorous and radical re-examination of the policy architecture in Nigeria in a way that instigates reflection and action committed to birthing sustainable good governance. The Conference is therefore the signal to the commencement of serious and energetic operation that radically inserts the School into the governance processes and frameworks in Nigeria. Thus, once the Conference concludes, the ISGPP is expected to begin delivering on its mandate, which in part would be to implement the decisions, conclusions and recommendations of the inaugural conference, as the best Governance School ever to be conceived in Nigeria. With the ISGPP, I think all the disappointment of sudden retirement is being converted effectively into veritable opportunity to do more for country. While I am not certain this whole tradition of yanking people off their calling with impunity that started in 1975 is ever good for a nation that should harness the full potentials of its best resources, the complexity of getting change to happen in a confounding climate like Nigeria’s can hardly happen without government having to make mistakes, here and there. But more than this, my mind remain focused on the reform business as I have to give back to this great country and the tenacious institution of the civil service that has weathered the storm since 1960 and which has given me the opportunity to reach a point of fulfilment in a career that had become for me a calling. With the ISGPP and the learning journey which just commenced, I am about to step into a new shoe of a critical outsider. I am still professing reform; and I have nothing to fear from J. M. Coetzee’s terrible vision of retirement!

*Olaopa is Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP).

PAGE 24 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

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or’s hubb Editor’s hubbyy, Caleb Univ er sity Univer ersity sity,, at 6, hosts the A Ayyangburen, Kiddies Edit Ajumobi, celebrates 50 eminent scholars

th aleb University, Imota, Lagos, on Thursday, January 21, 2016, held its 6 Foundation Day Lecture at the school’s multi-purpose hall. The lecture, entitled, ‘Advancing the food production chain: Route to economic transformation and human development in Nigeria’, was delivered by Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, Vice-Chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State. . After the lecture, some notable guests, including the guest lecturer, were presented with souvenirs.

L-R: Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, VC,Bells University of Technology, Ota; Prince Bola Taiwo, a member of the Governing Council of Caleb University; and the Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Shotebi.

ast weekend was a joyous one for Funmi Ajumobi, Vanguard’s Kiddies Editor, as her husband, Pastor Vincent Adekanmi Ajumobi, celebrated the golden age of 50. The celebration was set off in full gear with a thanksgiving mass at Waterbrooks Ministry International, Agric, Ikorodu, Lagos, followed by a sumptuous reception at the same venue. Friends and well-wishers were on hand to celebrate with the family. Photos by Shola Oyelese

L-R: Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, Prince Bola Taiwo, Oba Kabiru Shotebi and Hon. Olatunji Olusoya, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture. L-R:Mrs Sheye Awobiyi , Pastor Vincent Adekanmi Ajumobi, celebrant, Ayomipo Ajumobi, son, Opemipo Ajumobi and Mrs Funmi Ajumobi with Mr Tunde Awobiyi, a former Editor Sunday Times

L-R: Prof Olufemi Oludimu, Ag VC, Caleb University, presenting a souvenir to Prof Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi.

L-R: Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Shotebi, receiving a souvenir from Professor Olufemi Oludimu.

L-R: Mrs Charity Eziegbo, Pastor Vincent Adekanmi Ajumobi, celebrant, Mrs Yetunde Arebi and Mrs Funmi Ajumobi .

L-R: Oba Kabiru Shotebi; the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Adelaja Atewologun; and Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi.

L-R; Mrs Folake Okor, Registrar, Caleb University, Oba Kabiru Shotebi and Dr. Atewologun.

Petr oleum TTraining raining Institut e troleum Institute long ser vice a ward service aw

Principal/Chief Executive, Mr. Avuakporeta J. Orukele, (4th left); Registrar, Mrs. Angela S. Ewere, (5th left); flanked by recipients and guests.

Mr and Mrs Tunde Awobiyi.

L-R: Mr. R. T Obashe, Chief Librarian (PTI), Mrs. N. Amanambu, Rep. M. D. NGC; Dr. C. K. Oghene Director Services; Dr. K. I. Idehen, Director of Engineering; Mr. A. J. Orukele, Principal/Chief Executive, Mrs. A. S. Ewere, Registrar, Mrs. E. E. Arhagba, Director of Science; Mrs. E.M.A. Dudu, former Chief Librarian;… Mr. A. D. Ishuh, Director of Finance, all of PTI

L-R:Pastor Vincent Adekanmi Ajumobi, Mr Igbekele Iwalokun, Mrs Adebisi Adeniyi and Pastor (Mrs) Seyi Aniya

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 25

EHANIRE’S FAMILY THANKSGIVING A thanksgiving service was organized by the Ehanire family in honour of Dr. Osagie Ehanire on his appointment as Minister of State, Health. The service took place at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Lagos Street, Benin City.

L-R: Mr Solomom Asemota (SAN) & wife, Hon. Omoregie OgbeideIhama, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, Isekhure of Benin Kingdom, Col. Paul Ogbebor (retd), Ehanire & wife

•R-L: Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, the Chairman of the reception, with Dr. Osagie Ehanire and his wife

•Bishop of Benin, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. P.O.J Imasuen, prays for Ehanire

Col. Paul Ogbebor (retd), delivering a speech at the reception, Ehanire & wife •Ehanire with the APC National Chairman and some guests at the church service

•R-L: Mr Solomon Asemota (SAN) & wife, a guest, Senator Daisy Danjuma and Dr. Edugie Agbonlahor

•Ehanire with a former Edo State Governor, Prof. Osariemen Osunbor C M Y K

•Ehanire with Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Egberamwen Odubu

•R-L: Chief Sam Igbe, Alfred Eghobamien (SAN) and Prof. Gregory Akenzua

•Ehanire with some guests at the reception

•A cultural troupe entertaining guests

PAGE 26—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

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Mystery as pastor drops dead, hours to ministering at burial service By Sam Eyoboka

he leadership of St.

John’s Anglican Church, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State was thrown into confusion when the church vicar, scheduled to lead a team of ministers at a funeral service, suddenly died after he was rushed to hospital. Venerable Stephen Eseteru Ogue, JP, 53, author of several Christian books, including ‘Escathology: The rapture of the Saints’, ‘Foundation for marital bliss’ and ‘The potential power of the Holy Spirit’, died at about 7.45 a.m. on Friday, December 11, 2015, two hours before he was billed to officiate at a funeral service. Until his sudden death of cardiac arrest at Lily Hospital, Deco Road, Warri, the Anglican venerable, according to his first daughter, Oghenenyoreme Ogue, was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. The hearse conveying the remains of the woman whose burial the paster was supposed to preside at, mourners, including a large delegation of the church’s Women

Guild as well as members of the Anglican Fasting and Prayer Society, had gathered in front of the church building as early as 9.25 a.m. for the service billed for 10.00 a.m. Unaware of the tragedy that had occurred, the mourners, who had been warned the previous night against lateness to the funeral service, waited patiently for the officiating ministers to receive the body at the West Door (entrance of the church) in accordance with Anglican doctrine but no pastor was in sight. Meanwhile, other members of the church and visitors kept trooping into the church premises for the funeral service. Worried by the development, members of the mourning family began to call the vicar’s phone line and a voice answering to urge them to be patient. The calls to Reverend Friday Erutere, billed to assist the venerable at the funeral service, were initially ignored until he answered to similarly sue for patience, saying he was on his way to the church. Erutere, who conducted the service of songs with Rev. Wisdom Eghagha, the previous night, had warned

*Venerable Ogue ... dies suddenly against lateness, stressing that, in Anglican Church, such lapse attracts a fine of N10,000. After about 45 minutes delay, a Toyota car, said to be owned by the vicar/archdeacon, hurried into the church premises and made its way straight to the staff quarters ,to the relief of those waiting outside the church. Immediately, people started regrouping around the hearse with the hope that the service would soon begin. But, the relief soon turned to despair when the regrouping band of mourners discovered that the occupants of the car were only two female members of the family and the pastor’s driver. The waiting had just begun. In the anxiety, nobody observed that the car, which was later learnt to have taken the venerable out of the

church premises that early morning, did not bring him back. The only occupants of the car at that moment besides the driver, were his wife, Felicia and his eldest daughter, Oghenenyoreme. Eventually, 60 minutes after the scheduled time of service, Erutere, accompanied by two others, arrived at the West Door to officially receive the corpse and proceeded with the funeral service. Despite the commencement of proceedings, anxiety was still palpable as church members continued to ask after the whereabouts of the venerable, who had, on several occasions, enjoined members of the Women’s Guild to be punctual for that particular service and had promised to lead the church delegation to Okpara

Man held in Delta for selling empowerment item •322 get working tools By Festus Ahon,

ASABA S part of its effort to

alleviate the sufferings of the people, the Delta State Government has given 322 young entrepreneurs’ starter packs and working capital. The enterprises which the gainers have been trained on include; event management and decoration, hair dressing, barbing, tiling and POP, and interlocking/landscaping. Speaking during the distribution of the working tools, Prof. Eric Eboh, State Chief Job Creation Officer, SCJCO, said a number of measures had been put in place to enable the artisans succeed. Saying gone were the days when such opportunities were abused by recipients of government gesture, Eboh said the artisans were established to become employers of labour and change the economic landscape of the state. According to him, monitoring and mentoring mechanisms have been put in place to ensure sustainability of the programe and its quality compliance by the recipients. He said: “The mentoring is in collaboration with the Micro Credit and Poverty Alleviation Programme of the state government. We shall then from time to time visit them, know how they cope with the business, advice where necessary in order to avoid the pitfalls of the past.” Meanwhile, a young C M Y K

entrepreneur who attempted to sell his starter pack has been arrested by the police. The suspect, who gave his name as Austin Igbaran, had

approached a driver attached to one of the Commissioners in Delta to buy the plastic chairs and tables given to him but the driver quickly drew the attention of the police after paying him the

N50,000 they had settled for. Igbaran, trained in the event management and decoration category said: “I sold the items in order to get money to boost the decoration aspect of the business”.

Oyedepo tasks FG on opportunities in agric By Demola Akinyemi

he Chancellor, Landmark University, OmuAran, Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has lamented the poor state of Nigeria’s economy and tasked the Federal Government to explore the unlimited opportunities in agriculture to resolve the problem. The clergyman, who said this at the sixth matriculation ceremony of Landmark University, said this became necessary because food insecurity is a major global concern as over one billion people are suffering from starvation and malnutrition. Oyedepo, represented by the Vice Chancellor,Covenant University, Ota,Ogun State, Professor Kayode Ayo, noted that,”Regrettably,Nigeria has transitioned from being a selfsufficient food country to being a worrisome net importer of agricultural produce. According to the Gover nor,Central Bank,Mr Godwin Emefiele,Nigeria’s annual report bill has risen above N630B.The current Nigeria situation,following the crash in crude oil prices at the

international market with its attendant depreciation of naira,has further validated our consistent commitment to driving agriculture as a panacea for economic downturn”. In her speech,the Vice Chancellor of Landmark University, Professor Aize Obayan, tasked the 513 matriculating students to,”lay

right now a solid foundation for academic excellence and good conduct which are essential ingredients of a quality campus life and glorious future” She further urged the students to,”key into the agricultural revolution of the university bearing in mind that agriculture will remain a critical industry for sustainable development”

Respect Okowa, Onuesoke tells APC chieftain

elta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has advised the Coordinator of Rescue Delta Media Group (RDMG) and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Fred Oghenesivbe, to respect the office and person of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Onuesoke who spoke to journalists in Warri, Delta State, said Oghenesivbe had developed the habit of subjectively criticizing the governor through publications circulated online with no facts to support his argument. “While I am not against anyone criticizing Okowa’s government to make him to work harder for

the benefit of all, I will however advised that such criticism should be done objectively for the growth and development of the state”.

Domino ‘love feast’

Domino’s Pizza is to show love to the nation in February. According to its Marketing Manager, Ufuoma Ogeleka, February is the month of love and Domino’s will celebrate in three locations. “Apart from constantly running attractive menu deals, starting in February, we will serve hot and fresh meals”.

Inland for the interment. Nobody was providing answers to questions. Not even his assistant who, some observed later, appeared agitated and confused to the extent that, for the first time in a funeral service, there was no communion and there was no offertory. By far, the most worrisome was the treatment accorded the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who took time off his church’s three -day crusade at the Warri Township Stadium, as a mark of honour for the fallen mother. As the mourners departed the church for Okpara Inland, venue of the interment, there was no word about the sudden death of the vicar of the Agbarho church where another Anglican canon, Rev. Benedict Akpoguma, took over proceedings. Put simply, neither the mourners nor well wishers, who had travelled from long distances, including Mr. John Salubi of the NNPC, Dr. Francis Eghwubare of Delta State University, Mr. Joshua Onoronimighwu of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Victor Onogagamue of Delta State Sports Commission, Barrister Joseph Ogedegbe, and a former NBA Chairman of Ughelli Local Government, were briefed on the reason for the funeral’s delay. When our correspondent visited the home of the vicar, the wife [Felicia] was lying on the bed despondent with a few church members shielding her and making sure her health condition did not degenerate. Only the first daughter, Oghenenyoreme, could volunteer comments,although, she was unable to explain the mystery behind the death of her father, as, according to her, they were trained to submit to the will of God in all circumstances. However, the daughter said they had prayed together that morning in accordance with family tradition, without any visible signs of danger, and the ebullient father retired to the couch in the sitting room apparently to relax. “After a while, I noticed that daddy was no longer breathing normally and I raised the alarm to draw my mum’s attention. She quickly called the driver and we carried him to the car and drove straight to the hospital in Warri. That is all I can

tell you, because nobody told us anything about his state of health until the bishop came later that day to break the sad news to us,” she tearfully narrated.

Osubi Rotary Club donates over 500 books to pupils

N its bid to continue humani tarian services to mankind, Rotary Club International of Osubi, has donated thousands of exercise and text books to pupils of primary schools in Delta State. This was revealed during the books donation by the club to Ewreke Primary school, Ugolo-Okpe, near Osubi in Okpe Council Area of Delta State. Mfon Otite-Douglas, Club President, said the gesture was in line with Rotary’s mandate to improve the lives and health conditions of people within and around their communities. The group had earlier visited PETIWAS Nursery & Primary School in the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, where it donated several primary text and exercise books to about 200 pupils of the school. Head Teacher of PETIWAS Nursery & Primary school, Mrs. Patience Igbigbi, expressed appreciation to the Rotary club of Osubi for the gesture.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 27

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N6 million lifeline or certain death for Taofeek!

•Retired police officer without pension cries: Please, don’t let my son die By Yinka Ajayi

aofeek Ishola, 18, is through with his secondary education. He wants to be a journalist. But his current situation is such that he may lunikely not only proceed in his educational pursuit, he may also not attain the age of 20 before his sun sets. Until early late 2014, Taofeek, the last of five children of his parents, was bubbling with life. He always dreamt of being a newspaper journalist. According to his father, a retired police officer, his son, since he was in senior secondary, had wanted to be a journalist. “ But I always told him he would have to finish his secondary education before proceeding to the university. If

you find any newspaper or magazine in the house, it is always certain that it is Taofeek that brought it. There is nothing that he doesn’t read: Novel, magazine, anything readable”. Meanwhile, by the time he finished his secondary education in 2014, reading became the least of Taofeek’s burden as he was constantly coughing and vomiting. Nobody took his situation serious until convulsion joined the symptoms. Of course, he was taken to hospital where he was treated and the symptoms disappeared. A month after, the same symptoms, but, this time, with acute stooling and repeated stomach upset. The father narrated: “That was when we thought we

•Taofeek Ishola...needs help

should go further beyond just going to hospital to collect drugs. He was diagnosed, and there , we

were told that his kidney was no longer functioning. There is no parent that would hear that that would not be demoralised especially when you know that kidney issue is not something to fix with thousands of naira. I have retired from the police force for more than five years now without pension. I have made repeated calls and even visited the headquarters with a view to finding what is happening to my pension, but it is the same reply that my pension is with a company. But for the grace of God and my wife, Taofeek would not have finished his secondary education. So, telling me that my son needs kidney transplant is not good news since that is the only way he could live, but i am also devastated that i don’t have one tenth of what is required for him to live.” According to Taofeek’s medical report from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital where he was diagnosed and signed by Dr. Ibiyemi M.E. Ibiyemi, he would require N6million to undergo a kidney transplant in India which should be urgently carried out, because his stage of kidney failure is chronic.

‘Agric offers a strong career option for youths’ By Victoria Ojeme

s. Zainab Husseini

Akwanga is the founder of Agricooolture, a platform where young Nigerians are empowered through skill acquisition and encouraged to consider agriculture as a strong career option. Akwanga speaks on the mandate of the body. What does your NGO do? With the aim to achieve poverty alleviation and youth empowerment, Agricoolture is a platform where young Nigerians can be empowered through skill acquisition and encouraged to consider agriculture as a strong career option. Nigeria has a significantly aging farming population with the youth population viewing agriculture as a backward trade due to the outdated methods still being used. The engagement of Nigerian youth in agriculture is essential to the future survival of our teaming population. Agricoolture aims to introduce the youth to agriculture from the subsequent to modern, innovative, technologically savvy perspective. We understand that the youth today are a generation of trends, therefore we aim to engage and empower them through agriculture by making agriculture fun and trendy: “Putting Cool in Agriculture.” Nigerian football legend and philanthropist, Mr. Daniel Amokachi, and Ms. Zainab Husseini Akwanga, a project development and media expert are the founders of Agricoolture. Who are the beneficiaries of this initiatiive? Agricoolture focuses on the youth, male and female. We aim to

C M Y K

keep the ratio of male and female participants at 1:1 How many branches has the NGO opened since it started operating? We are a new organisation and our leading team is located in Abuja FCT. Presently we are building a team of representatives from all the 36 states of Nigeria. We believe local intelligence is essential to successful and sustainable development, because it gives us an informed insight of the strengths and needs of the communities and the best approach to empowerment. How many students are being sponsored by your NGO? Our 2016 Pilot Project will begin in FCT, Nasarawa and Benue states. We just signed up 250 youths and the numbers are growing. In Nigeria, we have had many NGOs that came and collapsed. What makes this one different? We came at the right time. There is a desperate need for youth development. We are legitimate, and we possess a strong team of enthusiastic and resilient experts both nationally and internationally. We came at the right time because the majority of young Nigerians are idle and unemployed. Over 60 percent of the entire Nigerian population constitute is the youths. If the youths are not engaged positively, they WILL become a dangerous reservoir of potential criminal and terrorist recruitment. For the survival of our future as a nation, it is pivotal that the youths are engaged positively. Agricoolture sees Nigeria’s vast

youth population as an asset. We aim to play a role in educating, training, and providing young Nigerians with skills that would make them key players in a diverse empowered economy. Our NGO will survive against challenges because our goals are in line with the interest of both the citizens and the government of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari has been a pioneer of empowering youth through agriculture since his days as the Nigerian leader in the early 80s. Many Nigerians are not aware of the fact that he was the first leader to added agricultural science to your secondary school curriculum, made it compulsory for all secondary schools to have farms, and changed the secondary school calendar to enable students return home during the rainiy season to help their parents on the farms. Agricoolture also has a nod of approval from two government ministers who have agricultural backgrounds, the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the Irish Minister of Agriculture, Mr.

* Trainees of Agricoolture

Simon Coveney TD, who visited Nigeria in November 2015 on a “Trade Mission” with a group of Irish businesses and investors in agriculture and other sectors. Our main effort is to support Mr. President in youth empowerment by providing the necessary information and training for the youth in the wide-raging possibilities of agriculture as a goldmine. Is there any special thing you feel Nigerians should know about your NGO? We run training courses and practical in all aspects of agriculture, business management and entrepreneurship/leadership skills. Participants are trained in packaging, branding, and marketing of their produce The Agricoolture Farm arranges national and international offtake for the produce We also engage role models of the youth who are successful in agriculture as well as sports, arts, private sector businesses and government to come on board as mentors to the participants.

Taofeek is presently under going dialysis at the hospital which costs N70,000 every month. The beleaguered father continued: “Some times, the dialysis costs between N50,000 and N70,000 depending on the cost of drugs prescribed. I am a retired police officer and I have spent all my life earnings on this child. He is not my only child; my wife is a petty trader and we have other kids to cater for. His intelligence and determination to further his education is what is making me to cry out to concerned Nigerians to come to my aid. The doctors have repeatedly said the transplant must be done soon, otherwise, they cannot guarantee his life. We need N6m to take him to India. Please help me. I am pleading with Nigerians to come to my aid so that my son can live.” For kind hearted Nigerians that may want to help, Taofeek’s bank account number at First Bank is 30603184.

Catholic Dean warns against materialism By Chris Onuoha

he Dean, Obowo Catholic Archdiocese and Parish Priest, Immaculate Heart Church, Alike Obowo, Rev. Dr. John Iwe, has enjoined Nigerians to detach themselves from materialistic pursuit and seek the ways of the Lord. This, according to him, will not only help to cushion the hardship faced in the country today, but will also aid to define life purpose of an individual. Speaking at a crusade night at Alike Obowo playground in IhitteUboma, Imo State by Okogbue Foundation, Iwe said, “Children of God should detach themselves from materialism. This will guarantee peace of mind and prosperity without pains.” Quoting from St. John’s first letter to the apostles in the Bible, he said, “He who does the will of God abides forever”. The clergy charged the participants to embrace good moral conduct in everyday life dealing. Guest speaker, Rev. Fr. John Damian Adizie of Catholic Adoration Prayer Ministry Ekpoma, Edo State, also charged the people to shun seeking help from wrong sources and engage in meaningful and persistent prayers. Adizie admonished the participants to imbibe the importance of prayers as the only means of obtaining mercy and favour from God. Speaking, Dr. Ikechukwu Okagbue, founder, Ikechukwu Okogbue Foundation, organiser of the crusade, said, “It is an annual Christian crusade held in this land every December. It is practically a faith based programme meant to encourage and liberate my community who always sees life challenges as a curse from human enemies. This negative thinking has been causing retardation in moving forward including development around here. I initiated this annual crusade to boost people’s morale and faiths in God which will help in changing the belief that their destiny has been hijacked by someone’.

PAGE 28—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

N66.1bn target for stamp duties: Cost of finance services will skyrocket —Economist STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), after its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting declared that hard time awaits Nigeria’s economy, saying the Federal Government targets N66.1bilion revenue from stamp duties. Olu Ajakaiye, a professor of Economics, past President, Nigerian Economic Society and the Chairman, African Centre for Shared Development Capacity Building, speaks on CBN’s assessment of the economy he CBN said that hard time awaits Nigeria’s economy. Does it mean the economy is going to collapse? The CBN is showing true assessment of our economy, as Nigeria is still import dependent. We depend on import for production and consumption goods, so the capacity to produce is adversely affected. Now manufacturers need import of capital and intermediate goods to produce. Also, traders are making consumption import

If CBN cannot provide a window for emergency need and manufacturers are compelled to patronise BDC operators who will now source forex from autonomous market, it means exchange rate for manufacturing may be higher than what they obtain from official window dependent. Most items you buy in the markets are not produced in Nigeria, but the economy will not collapse since we still depend on informal trading and agriculture up to 60 percent. Government targets N66.1billion from stamp duties on deposits of N1.000 and above . How do you see this method of taxation? This type of policy can affect the cost of finance services.

•Prof. Olu Ajakaiye For instance, getting loan now requires high interest rate, so with N50 stamp duties on deposits, the interest rate may increase, because banks will still pay Valued Added Tax (VAT) on what they collect. So, imposing stamp duties will increase the cost of finance services on what producers pay. The positive side is increase in revenue generation for government to reduce borrowing from external sources.

But on the whole, it is an empirical question. The forex crisis is still persisting, as CBN said Bureau de Change (BDC) operators must get forex from autonomous markets. What is the economic implication of this for small scale producers? CBN is trying to conserve forex, in order to boost production. The thinking is that when you conserve forex and make it available for domestic production, it will help government to create jobs. But, we must not forget that the BDC have a role to play in making forex of small amount available to producers for urgent needs. For example, if a manufacturer is on the production process and a machine breaks down, he can quickly get forex of small amount from BDC to repair the machine without waiting to carry out all the processes of getting forex from the official window. Therefore, if the official window can’t meet such emergency need and BDC is completely removed, the flexibility for small amount will be a challenge. In that case, why is CBN restricting BDC from accessing

forex from its official window? The argument now is that BDC operators have moved away from that primary role of providing small amount of forex to producers into other areas not acceptable to the apex bank. For example, BDC getting forex from the official window market and selling to people who do not use it for the intended purpose of enhancing production. Now, what the CBN can do is to make arrangement for manufacturers who need small amount urgently to access it without waiting for the processes of getting forex from official window. The apex bank must provide a window for such emergency need of producers. If CBN cannot provide a window for emergency need and manufacturers are compelled to patronise BDC operators who will now source forex from autonomous market, it means exchange rate for manufacturing may be higher than what they obtain from official window. So, manufacturers will use that forex from BDC to set their own prices from the higher rate, instead of setting prices on the lower rate of forex from official window.

FRSC plans to achieve 25% reduction in fatalities T

he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Zone RS2, has unveiled three major strategic goals for 2016 operational framework, in a bid to curtail loss of lives and properties in incessant road traffic crashes, which constitute serious wastage to the nation’s economy. These include improved fleet regulation and sustained stakeholders consultation involving designing, planning and implementation of public enlightenment to achieve the goals of road transport safety standardisation scheme, collaboration with states on improved road safety administration, improved enforcement and public education. The goals aimed at achieving 15 percent reduction in road crashes and 25 percent decrease in fatalities, which are projected to align with the UN decade of actions on road safety. The Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone RS2, Assistant Corps Marshal, Nseobong Akpabio, disclosed this at the workshop for all Public Enlightenment (PE) officers within the Zone, organised by FRSC in Lagos. According to him, collaboration with states would enhance uniformity and effectiveness on road safety issues to ensure the same method of enlightenment, adequate documentation and arrest of offenders. “Officers must get data on the number of road crashes as well as arrests on regular basis”, he said.

Delivering a paper on the role of PE officers in expanding their network towards road crashes reduction, the Sector Commander, Lagos State, Corps Commander Hyginus Omeje,

listed education, enlightenment, engineering, enforcement, environment and evaluation as the six enlightenment strategies of FRSC. He said, “Evaluation involves talking to people and

asking questions for feedback account. The methodologies for doing this include motor park rallies, drama during rallies, motorised carnival, domesticated public enlightenment specially

structured for special audience, routine operations, which engage offenders during operational activities, road safety clubs and the use of special marshals.”

We can sustain uninterrupted fuel supply if ..., Babs-Ogundele Oil and gas expert crude is below 30, the price will of currency to meet with that BY LEKAN BILESANMI Mr Adebola Babs-Ogundele runs a gas and oil and logistics company. In this interview, he says the only way Nigeria can get out of perennial fuel scarcity problem is to deregulate the down stream sector conomic crunch affecting all businesses It is affecting everybody and all businesses. Nigeria is a country that has been under economic crunch in the last 20 years. So, it is the same story. The forces working against this nation are diverse and strong. If you read a newspaper of 1990 and you didnt check the date, you are probably think you are reading today ’s paper, because you will be reading about dollar devaluation, salary and wage increase, no power and bad infrastructure. It’s for you to ask yourself if you will allow the situation to depress you or you fight it. That is my attitude to Nigeria business. When the budget came out, I was only interested in the indices as it relates to my

•Mr Adebola Babs-Ogundele business. I don’t look at the negatives because if you do, you may not move forward. I operate from the downstream. When the price of crude is below 30, the products are supposed to be cheaper in terms of the pricing. But it is usually more expensive. Why? In other open countries, pricing is going down. Is it because of our extreme exchange rate? The exchange rate, at the time crude was 100 dollars, was about 150; one would have thought that now that the price of

automatically come down, so, nothing really has changed in terms of pricing. The landing cost of fuel right now is far above N87 they are selling. The landing cost is about N110. And that is because of the exchange rate. The government has a supplementary budget in order to meet up with the subsidy money which is for about two quarters ago. Which is better? A total deregulation of the down stream sector will help the sector to survive. We don’t have the machinery to combat the fraud that is in the subsidy regime. It is like the days of the commodity board when a cabal would leverage on the common wealth for their own interest. What happens in the subsidy regime is that, there is a lot of over invoicing that does not determine what actually comes into the economy. So, when you say you bring in 1m barrel of refined products, at the end of the day, you probably brought in 800m barrel; so you have about 200m over invoice. That would put pressure on the economy and exchange rate because there has to be creation

supply. At the end of the day, you realised that you are actually paying for what you didn’t get, and that would bite hard on the economy. But if you deregulate, everyone comes back to the table with his own imported product and with his own money. Government is not concerned. You can then determine at what rate you want to sell; once there is standardisation. This will reduce the pressure on government resources. Again, just as we have in the telecoms, operators will be pure businessmen and professionals, devoid of the sentiments of politics or change of government. Government comes, government goes, operations of the various private operators are going on. If we have investors in local refineries here, it would reduce the burden of of the NNPC. If there is deregulation today, the price might go to about N130, but within the next one year or so, the price will come down to as low as N60 to N70. Until we have a courageous government who has the political will to take this kind of measure, we might still be singing the same old song.

Custom Service arrests smuggler with trucks load of rice, used cars

he new strategies mapped out by Oyo/Osun Command of Nigeria Customs service (NCS) to curb smuggling of prohibited items is yielding positive result, as the Command seized two long trucks loaded with bags of rice. The officers also arrested a suspect along with the seizures. The arrest came only few weeks after the Same Command intercepted five trucks loaded with imported rice at a forest along Kishi- Igbeti area of Oyo State. Speaking, the new Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, C M Y K

Comptroller Tope Ogunkua, disclosed that the items displayed in two trucks and other vehicles were over 1,165 bags of foreign rice. “The items were intercepted through the intelligent network of the crack squad of our Command, along Saki axis of Oyo. One of the suspects was arrested along side the trucks. Also, six fairly used vehicles comprising three Volkwagen Golf cars, two Mazda E2000 bus and one green coloured Mazda were seized. Upon examination, five of the vehicles were loaded with 265 bags of imported rice, while one was arrested for duty

CAC Ogunkua displaying seized items

evasion. The estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) for the 1, 165 bags of rice in the trucks and cars is N10.5million”, he said. He went on, “We are result oriented and battle-ready for smugglers who are out to sabotage our economy. I am determined to build on the success records of my predecessors both in revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities. The NCS is very strategic in sustenance of the economy at this critical stage of economic down turn, hence maximum revenue generation is paramount in the

agenda of the current Controller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (retired). The current administration has zero tolerance for corruption and revenue leakages in all ramifications and we are committed to enforcing the same. I recognised the critical role the media can play in enlightening all stakeholders and the society at large, in order to achieve wilful compliance to duty payments on all imports. We will continue to re-invigorate strategies that will enhance our performance in anti-smuggling.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 29

2016 Nigeria Cybersecurity outlook BY TOPE ALADENUSI

cyber-attack hit the main website of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and its iPlayer Streaming service on New Year’s Eve. The BBC’s websites were unavailable for several hours as a result of the attack. This was the first widely reported cyber-attack of the year 2016. Whilst it is bad enough to hear such news at the start of the year, what should be of main concern is the number of unreported or stealth cyberattacks that have and will occur in 2016. As the Internet and technology continues to evolve, the world becomes more connected and no one is immune to these threats. 2015 was an incredible year for cybersecurity in Nigeria. In May 2015, the cybercrime bill was signed into law in Nigeria by erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan. The implications of this to individuals and corporations is that cybercrime is now properly defined and legal consequences are attached to any defiance of this law. At the start of last year, an annual forecast of Nigeria’s cybersecurity landscape was detailed in our 2015 Nigeria Cybersecurity Outlook. This included forecasts that the likelihood of cybersecurity issues were expected to reduce towards the last quarter of the year due to the successful implementation of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) exercise; an initiative powered by the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN). This prediction was confirmed in a report presented by the Chairman of the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NEFF) who is also Director, Banking and Payment System Department, CBN; Mr. Dipo Fatokun during the forum’s annual dinner. He stated that the loss arising from electronic payment fraud had fallen by 63% and there had been a reduction of 45.98% in attempted online fraud by the end of 2015 as against the beginning of the same year. This drop could be partly attributed to the successful implementation of the BVN; a commendable initiative implemented to secure Nigeria’s payment system in 2015. The 2015 forecast also indicated higher risk of current and former employees or contractors resorting to cybercrime as a means to maintain their standard of living. During the course of the year, forensic specialists were kept busy (hopefully with pockets full) as several companies had to engage digital forensic specialists to investigate cybercrime perpetrated by various suspects who are largely made up of employees and former employees of the victim organizations. The forecast further highlighted the fact that there would be an increase in cyberattacks of websites and information technology (IT) infrastructure of political organizations and public institutions, and these would appear as headlines in local

dailies. The prediction became a reality and at various points during the year, there were several allegations of hacking attempts on the websites of public institutions and political parties. Some worthy mentions are; the reported hack and defacing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website in March 2015 and also that of the Lagos state government in December 2015. 2015 segued into 2016 and the cybersecurity journey of

In 2016, there will be more focus on the growth of local home grown hackers

hacks, attacks and triumphs still continue. In 2016, there is undeniably a high likelihood these threats and countermeasures will take the following dimensions: Sophisticated phishing techniques will be on the rise With a lens on Nigeria, phishing mails which is a type of social engineering has become the attack of first choice. This has been a recurring theme in years past but in 2016, there is a likelihood of more sophisticated use of these attacks with the aim to cause havoc. Typically most of the phishing mails are poorly crafted oftentimes containing spelling and grammar errors, however we are likely to get to the era where the mails are properly crafted and the messages more targeted to the victims. Targeted messages might leverage prior information about the victims from social media, Internet or earlier compromises. It is envisaged that there will be more collaboration between the public sector, private sector and academia in promoting user awareness in identifying phishing and social

Samsung goes swag with Galaxy J7 By EMEKA AGINAM

HE arrival of Samsung Galaxy J7 in the smartphone market with its attractive features is expected to put large screen mobile phone in the hands of many users as a result its affordable price range. While many big smartphones tend to be highly priced beyond the reach of majority of people, the J7 which plays in the midrange segment of the mobile phone market, also offers impressive spec and features. From the brilliant screen, with advanced resolution, contrast, and color reproduction, viewing text, images and video, user experience has never been better. Viewing experience Samsung Galaxy J7 is truly a sight to behold, with large display, which showcases stunning imagery, thanks to the HD resolution, true-to-life colour reproduction, and excellent contrast ratio. Text appears crystal clear and easy to read no matter the font size. Images also appear to be colorful and sharp, while

video comes to life on Galaxy J7! The large 5 times display allows the user view everything and anything on the device comfortably. With the High Definition resolution of the Samsung Galaxy J7, users can now enjoy crystal clear images. Battery life A major complaint by users of smart mobile devices is that their device’s battery doesn’t charge fast enough, even after extended charging periods. With the Galaxy J’s Adaptive Fast Charging feature, users can finally enjoy everything the Galaxy J7 has to offer, without the fear of the battery needing a recharge so often. Its ultra power saving mode also lets users make the most of their last battery power, helping them stay connected for longer periods. In emergency situations, the use of Ultra Power Saving Mode squeezes additional juice from the battery to extend phone use. Camera Samsung’s Galaxy J features has advanced technology on both the front and rear cameras. Users

can now enjoy taking amazing shots with friends and of their surroundings. The 13MP rear camera, with greater F-stop variability, allows users to adjust how much light is being taken in. Using the lowest F-Stop value of 1.9 allows you to take incredibly balanced and striking photos even at night or in low light conditions. The device also features an advanced 5MP front Camera with LED Flash, palm recognition feature, which lets you take selfies easily and maintain a natural posture and a beauty face mode, which magically edits your photos as you take them by retouching the face for flawless skin for a brighter, more youthful look.With Samsung Galaxy J7, you get the best selfies. Performance Powering content creation, sharing and multitasking capabilities, the Galaxy J7 comes with the latest hardware technologies. An Octa core Processor paired with 3GB of

RAM delivers easy multitasking, lightning-fast screen transitions, powerful browser performance, and minimal application loading time. The Galaxy J7 is powered by the latest Android 5.1 “Lollipop” operating system that provides users with stunning graphical capabilities. Powered by a robust and fast CPU, users will enjoy instant multi-tasking and faster loading of pages and games. Users can also freely use the mobile for web searches, app enjoyment, game playing and more, and still have battery left over for days of standby! Competition Normally, this is where information about the alternatives on offer surface, but

engineering attempts. Rise of local hacktivism and recognition of Nigerian Hackers In 2016, there will be more focus on the growth of local home grown hackers. Both ethical and unethical sects will gain more recognition. Two (2) Nigerian teams represented Africa at the 2015 Global Cyberlympics Finals Competition and it is expected that more Nigerian teams will participate at the 2016 edition. The Cyberlympics is a worldwide international hacking competition to increase education and ethics in information security. Nigeria will be recognized as the hub of the best cyber defense team in Africa. As there will be more recognition for the ethical hackers in 2016, the unethical sect will also rise in popularity. Western style hack attempts by terrorists may grow in Nigeria as local hacktivists are likely to take it a notch higher to make hack attempts on government and private institution infrastructures. Enforcement of the Cybercrime Act The cybercrime act passed into law in 2015 is a welcome development but many key stakeholders such as the judiciary and law enforcement agencies are yet to come up to speed in understanding and implementing the Act. We should expect the enforcement of the cybercrime act to be more pronounced in 2016 and the office of the National Security Adviser will play a more active and leading role in the campaign. TO BE CONTINUED •Tope S. Aladenusi Aladenusi is a Partner at Deloitte Nigeria.

the Samsung Galaxy J7 has no rival in the mid-range smartphone niche. The Samsung J series has created its own category, in that there are no devices to be compared to the J7 device in the smartphone market before its advent. In fact, the only real rival to the Galaxy J7 is the Galaxy J5. Bottom-line The Samsung Galaxy J7 is a trustworthy and dependable device. The J7 is very affordable and you can’t go wrong with it. It has some of the best battery life you can get in a smartphone today, a big enough display for consuming media, reading, browsing and social networking and double the storage you get on the Galaxy J5. Coming at a time when features like removable batteries and expandable storage are being shoved aside in favour of elegant all-metal designs, the Galaxy J7 is one of the very few decent smartphones that you’ll find in the market that sets out to excite everyone to do more as a result of cutting edge technologies embedded in it.

PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Reminiscences By Femi Fani-Kayode

Jan 15, 1966 Night Of Terror: An eye witness account (2)

•Tafawa Balewa The first part was published last week At this point, the whole country had been thrown into confusion and no one knew what was going on. We heard lots of stories and did not know what to make of what anymore. There was chaos and confusion and the entire nation was gripped by fear. Two days later, my father finally called us on the telephone and he told us that he was fine. When we heard his voice, I kept telling my mother, “I told you, I told you.” Justice Ademola and his dear wife, Auntie Frances, were weeping, my mother was weeping, my brother and sister were weeping and I was just rejoicing because I knew that he would not be killed and I had told them. I never got to know who that soldier was (that promised me that my father would not be killed) but I believe that God spoke through him that night. I also believe that he may well have been an officer because he spoke with confidence and authority. These individuals who carried out this coup were not alone: they had the backing from certain elements in the political class who identified with their cause. Some have said that it was an Igbo coup whilst others have said that it was an UPGA (referring to the political alliance between the Action Group and the NCNC) coup but that is a story for another day. Unprecedented savagery Whatever anyone calls it or believes, two things are clear: the consequences of the action that those young officers took that night were far-reaching and the way in which they killed their victims was deplorable and barbaric. Such savagery had never been witnessed in our shores. There has never been another night like that and the results of the events of that night were devastating and profound. In my view not enough Nigerians appreciate this fact. Some in our country cannot forgive those who participated in the mutiny and, though I do not share that sentiment or disposition, this is understandable. Others believe that those young men (they were all in their 20’s) did the right thing and they say that those killings were necessary and heroic. This is a sentiment which I not only despise but which I also find unacceptable and appalling. There is nothing heroic about rebellion and the murder and carnage of innocent and

•Ahmadu Bello

I never got to know who that soldier was (that promised me that my father would not be killed) but I believe that God spoke through him that night. I also believe that he may well have been an officer because he spoke with confidence and authority

defenseless men and women . The Ironsi misstep The coup affected the country in a profound manner because the events of that night led to a counter-coup six months later. This counter-coup, which is commonly reffered, to as the “revenge coup”, was a devastating and disproportionate response. Yet it did not stop there. Sadly after that came the horrendous pogroms and slaughter of no less than 30,000 Igbo civilians in the North. This led to the civil war in which millions of people died, including innocent children. This was also horrendous and deplorable. Yet, the bitter truth is that if the new Head of State, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, had done the right thing and actually prosecuted the ringleaders of the coup, who were Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, Major Anufuro, Major Ademoyega, Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Captain Emmanuel Nwobosi, Captain Okafor, Captain Ben Gbulie, and all the other young officers that planned and executed the coup of January 15, after it was crushed, there would have been no northern revenge coup six months later. I have not added Major Emmanuel Ifejuana (who was actually the leader of the coup) to the list because he could not have been locked up or prosecuted by General Aguiyi-Ironsi simply because he ran away to Ghana immediately after the mutiny in Lagos failed and after he and his comutineers were routed by Lt. Col. Yakubu Jack Gowon. For some curious reason after the

•Samuel Akintola coup was successfully crushed, General Aguiyi-Ironsi just locked these young mutineers up and he refused to prosecute them. This bred suspicion from the ranks of the northern officers given the fact that Aguiyi-Ironsi himself was an Igbo. The suspicion was that he had some level of sympathy for the mutineers and the fact that they did not execute him during the course of the mutiny only fueled that suspicion. The northern officers also felt deeply aggrieved about the wholesale slaughter of their military colleagues and key political figures that night. In my view, that, together with Aguiyi-Ironsi’s insistence on promulgating the Unification Decree which abolished the federal system of government and sought to turn Nigeria into a unitary state, made the revenge coup of July 29t, 1966 inevitable. The revenge coup was planned and led by Major Murtala Muhammed (as he then was) and it was supported and executed by other young northern officers like Major T.Y. Danjuma (as he then was), Major Martins Adamu and many others. This is the coup that was to put Lt. Col. Yakubu Jack Gowon (as he then was) in power and, when they struck, it was a very bloody and brutal affair. The response of the northern officers to the mutiny and terrible killings that took place on the night of January 15, 1966 and to General Aguiyi-Ironsi’s apparent procrastination and reluctance to ensure that justice was served to the mutineers was not only devastating but also frightful. Hundreds of army officers of mainly Igbo extraction who were perceived to be sympathetic to the January 15 mutineers, were killed that night including the Head of State, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and the Military Governor of the old Western Region, who was hosting him, the courageous Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi. This was very sad and unfortunate. What happened on the night of January 15, 1966 was unacceptable and uncalled for. I completely disagree with those who think that there was anything good about that coup, the counter-coup of July 29, 1966 or indeed any other coup which took place in the history of our country. This is because blood calls for blood: when you shed blood other people want to shed your blood too. The minute that the shedding of blood in the quest to get power becomes the norm we are all diminished and dehumanised: and this applies to both the perpetrators and the victims. Cycle of events The January 15 coup set off a cycle of events which had cataclysmic consequences for our country and which we are still feeling till today. Coups may have occured in other countries in Africa but that did not mean that any had to

•Okotie Eboh happen here. In any case, the amount of blood that was shed that night and the number of innocent people that were killed was unacceptable. It arrested our development as a people and our political evolution as a country. Had it not happened, our history would have been very different. May we never see such a thing again. Yet regardless of the pain of the past, I believe that we should do all we can to put these matters behind us. We must not allow ourselves to become prisoners of history. Rather than being propelled by pain and bitterness and becoming victims of history, we must learn from it and be guided by it. We must move on. We must learn to forgive even if we do not forget and, equally importantly, we must establish and accept the truth about those ugly events and understand what actually transpired. What happened that night traumatized the nation. None of us has been the same since. I identify with that because I was a part of it, I witnessed it and I was a victim of it. Yet, by God’s grace and divine providence, my father’s life was spared: not because he was special but simply by the grace of God. Every day I think about those that were killed that night and I remember their families. We share a common bond and we are all partakers of an ugly and frightful history. I tell myself: “Were it not for divine providence, my father would have also died and I would not have been what I am today because he was the one who educated me and did everything for me.” If nothing else, I know there was a purpose for that. Never again We must resolve among ourselves that never again will people be attacked in their homes, dragged out, abducted and shot like dogs in the middle of the night. Never again will women, wives and children be slaughtered and terrorised in this way. Never again shall we witness such barbarity and wickedness in our quest for power. Never again must any Nigerian suffer such indignity, brutality and callousness. May the souls of all those that were murdered on January 15, 1966 continue to rest in peace. *Fani-Kayode was Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration. Concluded

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 31 Edited by: Morenike Taire

Who’s marginalising women in the Nigerian media? By Lande Abudu

entlemen of the press” was the title of a Broadway play in 1928. The following year, it was adapted into an all-talking film of the same title. What did male journalists do next? They simply assumed ownership of the four words and turned them into a catchphrase and wherever there’s a gathering of journalists, male and female, the salutation became: “Gentlemen of the press.” Not on this 20th day of January, 2016, at The Hub of The Journalism Clinic, in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. The gathering was made up of 16 top flight female journalists, business service provider, bank executive and creative professional and three male journalists. Meet the ladies: Dr Ibilola Amao, oil and gas consultant and writer; Oluwayemisi Mafe, corporate marketing communications/public relations specialist; Toki Mabogunje, lawyer and business support advisor; Oge Ekeanyanwu, copy editor/ freelancer; Ireyimika Awala, writer; Funke Egbemode, newspaper chief executive; Victoria Ibanga, Editors’ Guild executive and Clara Chinwe Okoro, TV show creator, host and director. Others are: Hadiza Olaosebikan, TV journalist and bank corporate communications executive; Funke Treasure Durodola, radio station GM; Ugonma Cokey, broadcast news director; Funke Osae-Brown, publisher, online luxury magazine; Morenike Taire, informed commentator and women’s page editor, Remi Adeoye and Rita Dokpesi, partners on a forthcoming radio talk show and Nike Sotade, a newspaper Assistant Editor. The gentlemen: Kanmi Ademiluyi, financial journalist and analyst; Pelu Awofeso, travel journalist and Taiwo Obe, journalism trainer, who convened the gathering, to discuss the seeming marginalisation of women in Nigerian newsrooms. Who’s marginalising whom, really? Just listen. First, the highlights. Women are marginalising themselves. No, they are marginalised by "

C M Y K

A cross section of participants.

nature. No, they are marginalised by lack of capacity. No, they are marginalised by limitations. Not really a consensus, because, of course, everyone has different perspectives about any issue, not even when they are of the same sex. But, what everyone seems to agree on is: women are under-represented at the CSuite. For instance, as at today, Funke Egbemode is the only chief executive and editor-in-chief of any newspaper in Nigeria. Mrs Maiden Ibru became the publisher of The Guardian, following the death of her husband, Alex, the founding publisher. Adesuwa Onyenokwe and Betty Irabor, with print and broadcast journalism backgrounds, publish their own magazines, on women, of course. Broadcasting fares just a little better, yet you can count the radio stations’ general managers who are broadcasters and female on the fingers of two hands. Mo Abudu is the only female Chief Executive of a TV network. In the online media space, even less so. Yet another consensus: women have to work hard to overcome the challenges of operating in a maledominated work environment; good things should come to those who diligently seek them. Egbemode, who is the MD of New Telegraph

Newspaper, shared invaluable advice on her journey to the top. Her words, “the system of the newsroom does not recognise gender” caused a universal nod of heads. In her experience, if a female journalist has a good story, an editor would find it

Discipline and determination are top on the list for any woman who wants to succeed in the newsroom and other media

hard to ignore. Much of what she says has stood her in good stead is the refusal to allow her gender to be a barrier. She believes that discipline and determination are top on the list for any woman who wants to succeed in the newsroom and other media.Choosing the right spouse/partner is also crucial. The wrong one can be the ruin of her career. As she put it, “we are not for all men. Only strong men can marry a female journalist.” She wasn’t referring to brawn, but the allencompassing strength that comes with a capital C. A man that will be supportive of a female journalist partner must, above everything else, be confident in his own skin. Dr. Amoo stressed the importance of value creation and continuous learning. By excelling in your area of competence, you ensure that you are in a position to set the agenda. Cokey who believes that marginalisation could be selfinflicted, talked about having clear goals and being focused from the outset. Women tend to associate the media with glamour and celebrity without thinking deeply about the sacrifices that will have to be made along the way. She walks the walk: even as agricultural science was one of her least favourite subjects while at school, she ended up covering this and reporting on the environment; this came about as a result of her reorienting herself and working hard to be taken

seriously in the field. The d-word echoed in the room. Develop yourself, ladies. Mabogunje recalled how she had to keep searching for free courses that would guarantee her advancement. If you wait for things to come to you, you might never succeed. You have to take the initiative. Ademiluyi, who actually was the first to contribute, and not because he’s a “gentleman of the press” said it was unfortunate that not a lot has changed from over 30 years ago, when, a newsroom he was a founding member of, made no provision for childcare responsibilities aside from the macho culture in newsrooms. Discussions did not centre only on working in and rising to the top in the media. How can media entrepreneurs, particularly the females – after all, this was their event – access funds? This being her turf, Mabogunje said there was need to formalise the business through incorporations, institute robust business processes and keep records of everything. In hearty agreement, Olaosebikan from the Bank of Industry said, “finance is the least of the problems that an entrepreneur faces.” In her view, a good business plan has nothing to do with gender. By translating your passion into the business plan and doing your research on the business angle, rather than working on the presumption that being in the media will automatically translate to success in a media related business. A good example of this is Mo Abudu who has succeeded in the media profession despite, or perhaps, because of a background in Human Resources and entrepreneurship. This perhaps also highlighted the need for media professionals to realise the importance of the business side of their profession, that it cannot be viewed in isolation to the creative side. In seeking solutions, the three Ds – Determination, Development and Discipline were buzzwords of the day. Women need to meet challenges head on, seek mentorship and retain a deep sense of self-belief. There will be natural challenges as a result of an entrenched patriarchal system. However, women can still make it to the C-suite in the media world. OK, you can go back to your “Gentlemen of the Press.” Lande Abudu is the Programmes and Mobilisation Associate, The Journalism Clinic.

PAGE 32—SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

The Assemblies and Executive bills

he Nigerian National Assembly has done great disservice to Nigerians in the nineteen years since the restoration of the Republic. It has accomplished little, and it has more or less aided and abetted executive brigandage, and reduced public governance to a criminal enterprise. Nigerians themselves are in part to blame. Over and over, they have elected legislators, many of whom are ignorant of the real significance of their mandate. Many of the people we sent to represent us in parliament are mentally, morally, and intellectually unprepared for the task of law-making, and most have never understood the place, or significance of an elected parliament in the workings of a democratic state. The Nigerian electorate it seems have also never understood the importance of seeking out and electing its finest into the Legislative Assemblies. The result is a terribly weak nation-state, an executive arm that has assumed more power than is healthy for the republic, and a law-making process that has generally enabled corruption, visionlessness, and the betrayal of the people. It is worse in the states where the Assemblies are mostly rubber stamp

conventions, where executive governors assert enormous influence, simply by doling out bribes to corrupt legislators who have never made laws to check executive subterfuge, nor provided the necessary oversight for the good governance of the federating states. Imo State is a case in point. It has had the worst state house of Assembly of any state since the restoration of the republic. It has never done its duty to the people who elected them. The Imo state Assembly has aided all the governors to destroy Imo state, and to bring it to her knees. Last week, Mr. Rochas Okorocha authorized the sacking of 7000 civil servants in the State’s Service. His excuse is that Imo state is broke and can longer carry the burden of personnel overheads. Payroll is high, and the government is in the red. Imo state’s problem he said is compounded by the payoffs it has to make to the Federal Government on the bail-out funds it recently collected. The question is actually quite simple: did the Imo state House of Assembly permit the Imo state governor to collect bailout funds on behalf of the Imo state government? Under which financial laws was the bailout secured? It

is the constitutional role of the Legislature in a democracy to make laws that give authority to the executive arm to enter into any financial obligation on behalf of the state government. Failure to secure such an act of the parliament before entering such a commitment amounts to executive recklessness, and is an impeachable offence. The Imo State people must, through their elected Assembly, summarily contest any indebtedness to the Federal Government on any bailout secured on its behalf without the authority of the state Assembly. In actual fact, the president of the Federation, just by a cursory look at the constitution, broke the laws of the nation in acting without the backing of a properly constituted National Assembly in authorizing a bailout for the states, and it seems to me made forfeit his claims to any moral or constitutional protection. President Buhari’s action in unilaterally approving bailout funds to the states ought not to have the binding effect of law, and is in actual fact, another example of executive overreach and recklessness subject to Parliamentary investigation, and possible impeachment – but only if Nigeria had an up and doing Legislature. The Executive Governor of Imo state seems equally guilty on many fronts of financial recklessness and by his actions has mortgaged the well-being of Imo people, and it seems appropriate to me that he ought to face a panel of the Imo State House, and his possible impeachment explored for such recklessness. But this is a vain call, at best, because the legislature have, as I have said, aided

every kind of executive recklessness, largely because Imo people have always managed to elect second rate people into such an important arm of government as the Legislature. It is sad that those who have been elected have never understood that the Legislature in any democracy is the highest power of the land. The parliament is funded by an Act of Parliament. The

The Imo State people must, through their elected Assembly, summarily contest any indebtedness to the Federal Government on any bailout secured on its behalf without the authority of the state Assembly parliament decides which mandate of the governor must be funded through its hold on the treasury. Without its authority no money can be released to the Government by the Accountant-General. The Executive could never pass a budget, enter into financial obligation, or even enter any contracts without the assent of the Legislature. The parliament can make laws to reform any government, investigate government’s accounts, and create any public mandate. Yet over the years, the executive has taken the initiative and subdued these Assemblies, and turned them

into rubber stamp Assemblies, where no serious issues are raised. Among the most awkward, and possibly unconstitutional and contradictory means by which the Executive has grabbed power is through something called the “Executive Bill.” It is the bill which the President, or the state governor introduces to pass into legislation. This is preposterous in a Presidential system. Under the Presidential system, the President has no right or power to introduce a bill to Parliament. The only one time the president can do this is when he sends in his budget, which is more of a “request” than a “bill.” The Bill is passed following work done at the Ways and Means Committee which pushes for the annual spending bill, after the Assembly has normally debated, sometimes shaved off or amended in some respect, the budget which it returns to the president or Governor for his assent. At no other time in a presidential system is a president or governor able to introduce a bill to parliament. The president may of course suggest the passing of bills, but on this occasion, he works with the Leadership of his Party in Parliament if his party has the requisite majority in the Houses, or if he has a minority party in the house, through very serious series of negotiation with the various Majority and Minority Whips of the Assembly. Only in a Parliamentary system can a Prime Minister, as head of government introduce or send a bill for debate in parliament, and there is reason for which the

SOCIAL ETIQUETTE

With Janet Adetu

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette JSK Etiquette Consortium — 08188135000

Grooming & Protocol in the Air (4) Continued from last week... Children It is never an easy task traveling with children; I remember the days I used to travel with my three children all under the age of five; what an ordeal it was. I quickly had to master my motherly travelling skills to keep them calm. Carry on their favorite toys, books and gadgets, children are either very excited or grumpy when they are flying, get them seated quickly and preoccupied. Ensure you curtail any unnecessary noise coming from them and teach them how to behave while on the plane. When kids are

restless they want to run up and down the aisles just to stretch or let some steam off when flights are long haul, this can create a nuisance to other passengers. If you are on a flight and the child behind you keeps kicking your seat, don’t shout at the child; politely inform the parent, and look at the child sternly, the message will be received, alternatively report to the air hostess. Eating/Food While completing your check-in procedures it is easy to indicate the type of food you would like especially if you are vegetarian. At times it is possible that this information was not

We have all had one experience or the other with air hostesses, some can be out rightly rude and lack courtesy regardless of any training they may have received. While others calmly make an effort to make you feel comfortable as well as enjoy your flight

received and you are given something else. Politely reject the food and ask for any other alternative available, be gracious when asking for extra snacks, bread or drink. The meal portions have been allocated according to medical and flight instruction. Be aware of how much you eat and your consumption of alcohol in the air. Many times

passengers get angry when they are not served food because they were asleep. One of my favorite airlines will actually ask you if you want to be woken up, they will place a sticker on your seat to remind them that you requested to be woken up to eat. Alternatively if this is not the case let the hostess know that you would like to eat when they are serving the food. If what you require has finished politely take what is available if you must eat. Talking Toms Some passengers are always excited to see people they know on

flights, this is their opportunity to engage in long chats. You will find passengers leave their seats to meet other know passengers to engage in long standing discussions. If you feel disturbed by their discussion, simply tell them directly that you will like to sleep or you are working, they will either stop immediately or lower their voice drastically. Noise Noise is never welcome; whether from your computer as you type, as you watch a movie, or from your

presidential system forbids this. It is because clear executive power resides with the President. To acquire extra legislative capacity countermands the firm balance of power under the tradition of checks and balances. This actually is quite elementary. But the Nigerian Legislators, since Obasanjo have allowed this anomaly, and it has corrupted the system. It was an executive bill, for instance, that was sent to the National Assembly, which placed enormous power to conduct the “war on terrorism” on the office of the National Security Adviser. This is a profound anomaly. Given that this office is an advisory position, its funding ought to be from the budget of the executive office of the president. It should have no capacity to dispense funds, or procure arms, or fight terrorism. But the 7th Assembly failed in its scrutiny, and in not doing due diligence, passed an “Executive bill” to law and here we are today. The National Assembly, yes, has failed Nigeria, and every member of that Assembly since 1999 ought to wear a sackcloth of shame. Many elected members of the Assemblies have no elementary knowledge of government or parliamentary process, and they have no expert legislative staff, nor is there any serious orientation conducted to guide legislative procedure. A weak parliament leads to the corruption of the state. Nigerians must now begin to put pressure on their parliamentarians and seek to recall weak and complicit legislators, and form citizen interest groups to elect capable legislators. Otherwise, we shall continue to go to the well until we smash all our calabashes.

earphones as you listen to music. Sometimes you can hear everything that comes out of your neighbor ’s earphones; just let them know without causing a stir or acts of irritation. Air Hostesses We have all had one experience or the other with air hostesses, some can be out rightly rude and lack courtesy regardless of any training they may have received. While others calmly make an effort to make you feel comfortable as well as enjoy your flight. At times flight attendants do forget your earlier request, may be due to pressure or other reasons. Call the flight attendant again, point out that you are making the request a second time. If you feel you have been treated unfairly, call on the attention of the senior flight attendant and make a polite report, alternatively call on the attention of another air hostess to avoid any conflict. Keep reading for more tips……

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 33

EDO 2016:

Oshiomhole’s successor and the Ogbemudia factor •Why I dumped PDP – Ex-two-time governor

SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

wo-time former governor of the old Bendel State, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, shocked many people, last week, particularly members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as he resigned from the party. Ever since his resignation, his New Lagos Road, Benin-City residence has become a Mecca of sort for politicians from both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State. Ogbemudia commands respect, especially from Edo and Delta states, due to his numerous achievements as governor of old Bendel. It was actually due to the pedigree that Governor Adams Oshiomhole appealed to the elder statesman during his 83 birthday, in October last year, to quit partisan politics so that he can be father of all. At that occasion, the governor faulted the idea by Ogbemudia to participate in the eregistration of the PDP and stressed that, at 83, he should be a father to both PDP and APC members. Three months after Oshiomhole’s advice, Ogbemudia quit the PDP, describing the revelations on how security money was expended by party leaders during President Jonathan’s election as shocking. In his resignation letter, dated January 20, 2016, addressed to the national leadership of the party, Ogbemudia recalled that the PDP was formed with the intention to provide welfare for Nigerians but a powerful minority held the party hostage for 16 years. The resignation, for sure, dealt a blow to the hope of the PDP to win the forthcoming governorship election in Edo. The elder statesman has not hidden his love for Oshiomhole’s developmental projects in the state as a result of which he has always thrown his support for the governor. The elder statesman, through his Edo Mass Movement (EMM), commenced the search for Oshiomhole’s successor since early last year after he vowed to C M Y K

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole

•Dr Samuel Ogbemudia

At that occasion, the governor faulted the idea by Ogbemudia to participate in the eregistration of the PDP and stressed that, at 83, he should be a father to both PDP and APC members

ensure that the next governor sustains Oshiomhole’s projects and even performs better than Oshiomhole. Of the three political leaders in the state, namely: Ogbemudia, Chief Tony Anenih and the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Ogbemudia is the only one the Comrade Governor relates with. So, there is no doubt he will have an input in who succeeds Oshiomhole. There was a time it was rumoured that the elder statesman was backing a former Minister of State, Works, Dr Chris Ogienwonyi, for the governorship, but he debunked the insinuation. “EMM is searching for a credible successor to Oshiomhole from any of the political parties and has not zeroed-in on any particular aspirant”, he had said. “EMM is not being funded by any of the aspirants; if we do that, then we will not get the best.

We will only go for the best candidate and, when we get that person, we will tell Edo people to support the person. We equally recognize that the governor must have a say in who succeeds him because you will not expect him to allow a thief succeed him. So, we are going to dialogue with the governor, to put heads together because I know he loves Edo and he will give the best advice. Oshiomhole is so intelligent that he will not want to make mistakes on the choice of his successor. So, I believe we all will get the best person for our people”. Sunday Vanguard learnt that most of the governorship aspirants, particularly from the APC, are scrambling to get the elder statesman’s endorsement. Those of them in the PDP, apart from Solomon Edebiri, have been far from Ogbemudia for obvious reasons. The two-

time governor was blunt when he informed the PDP leaders that it would be difficult to defeat whoever the Comrade Governor decides to project as his successor, due to Oshiomhole’s achievements. On one occasion that the PDP leaders visited him, he told them: “Which road did you people pass to get to my house?” The leaders were said to have explained to him that it was the road built by Oshiomhole. He informed them that it would be irresponsible on his part not to support the progress of the state at his age, warning that unless the state PDP got its acts together and be progressive-minded, they should forget the governorship of Edo in the nearest future. That comment did not go down well with the PDP leaders in the state and that is why some of its governorship aspirants have failed to solicit his support since they know what his answer will be. At it seems, while Ogbemudia’s resignation will further dwindle the chances of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election, it will boost APC chances. After consultations with the Comrade Governor and other leaders from the state, he is expected to endorse a candidate that the majority of the people of the state may vote for.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Edo 2016: I am the most

qualified to succeed Oshiomhole — Ize Iyamu •Sa es •Sayys PDP will rectify its mis misttak akes

•Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, BENIN

ASTOR Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a former Secretary to the Edo State government during the Chief Lucky Igbinedion administration. He was in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after irreconcilable differences with Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Now a governorship aspirant in the July 2016 gubernatorial election in Edo State, he speaks, in this interview, on the state politics. Excerpt: What are your expectations as your party settles down to pick its governorship candidate? As much as possible, we hope that it will be a family affair devoid of rancour and violence. It will also be an opportunity to show that we practice internal democracy, we follow party guidelines and INEC rules. We want to go about it in a manner that will make the public appreciate the reforms in our party and our desire to be the alternative party in our emerging democracy. What are those things people like you are trying to change in the PDP as opposed to the past? The mistakes we made at the party level include lack of internal democracy; trying to please certain persons. In that process, impunity became the order of the day and rules were ignored. The party did not also have a serious mechanism in place to monitor and supervise people that were elected under its platform. There should have been well-defined manifestos like we had during the UPN and NPN days. There should have been a committee in place in every state C M Y K

and area of control. So, there were gaps and these gaps created problems. When people started leaving the party when they felt they were not well accommodated, their genuine cries of marginalization were not addressed. Nobody made any serious effort to call them back because they thought there was no opposition. Those were some of the mistakes the PDP made. Because they say history has a way of repeating itself, even the APC that ought to have learnt from the mistakes of the PDP is also toeing the same path. They are even doing it in a more brazen manner. I think the Nigerian public is getting more and more enlightened. They are watching the unfolding scenario and every opportunity they have to vote, they will be able to vote with a lot of wisdom and enlightenment. I think it is good for our democracy. Looking at your preparation for the election, a lot of people have said that the level of your preparedness goes a long time ago and that becoming a governor is something you have always been desirous of. Why are you so keen about becoming a governor? Sometimes people tend to give the impression that it is a crime to have an ambition and prepare for an office. I think it is desirable that those, who aspire for an office, should not be those who were drafted in, had no plan and were not prepared for the office. It should not be a situation, whereby someone felt he could use them and conscript them into the race. Political offices are very challenging. Anyone aspiring to occupy political office must show proof that he is prepared for it. I have lived in this state all my life.

that the finances came, one will have expected that they would have grabbed that opportunity. Indeed, it was an opportunity to create economic legacy and change the perception of Edo State from a civil service state to an industrial state. (Chief Samuel) Ogbemudia laid a solid industrial foundation that was destroyed by the military. The seven years afforded an opportunity to reenact that legacy, but we only hear of red roofs that the state contributed between 35 and 40 per cent to and roads, whose costs are unknown.

What people call (political) structure is what I call goodwill. There is no part of the state, ward or local government that I do not have personal friends. I’m talking about people I could stay in their houses and eat based on long term relationships. So, when people talk about political structure, it does not necessarily mean control of political parties but being able to have credible men and women, who are close to you in all parts of the state. That, to me, is a credit. As for my ambition, I have had the opportunity of serving in government and I know the workings of government more than a lot of people. I also thank God for good education. I cannot see my state being misled and mismanaged and be indifferent. It is natural and patriotic to have an ambition under such circumstance. When people say that I have held the ambition for a long time, I laugh. In 2007, they said I had the ambition but it will interest you to know that nobody can point to a single poster that I printed. Yes, I was in the forefront of the Grace Group and we were very visible talking about internal democracy. Common sense told me that the outgoing governor then came from my senatorial district and there was the need for some form of equilibrium in the political arrangement of the state. I too also was in the forefront of ensuring that someone from another senatorial district became governor. I believe I have paid my dues and my ambition now is propelled by the mismanagement of our commonwealth and the need to redirect the drift in our state. What do you mean by mismanagement of the state’s commonwealth? I see the past seven years as years of plenty. In the past seven years, Edo State received unprecedented revenue. This present government has received over a N1 trillion. No government has ever got that. I served in the Lucky Igbinedion government. For the eight years that he was there, if you add all the money that came from the 18 local governments, it was N196 billion. So, for a government that has received over N1 trillion, you will have expected that their investment will guarantee the future of our state. Rather than do that, they embarked on reckless spending as if the good times will never cease. They finished what was available and started to borrow. Not only have they wasted the resources of the present, they have mortgaged the future through reckless borrowing. In these past seven years, we have a governor who said I never promised industry. Even if you never promised industry, seeing

Despite being in opposition, the PDP won the presidential election in Edo State. How did the PDP manage to do that? I mentioned that as long as the present governor was campaigning for General Buhari, it was going to be easy for us to win. If he had distanced himself, it could have been a bit more difficult. When he made the mistake of saying “a vote for me is a vote for Buhari” that was the end of it. The moment Edo people heard that, they said they must vote against Buhari. Honestly, Edo people now look up to the PDP. Edo PDP is not rigid to the extent of taking them for granted. When they felt the PDP did not appreciate their votes, they turned against the PDP at a time the whole country was PDP. That is to tell you that Edo is never afraid of being in opposition. One will have expected that the APC will have a sense of history and respond to the opinion of the people. So, our people are now saying if it is like this, then they need to look at the PDP again, especially now that the PDP has also changed in a positive way. In the governorship election this year, Edo people will turn out enmasse to vote for change, only that this change will not benefit the APC this time around.

In the governorship election this year, Edo people will turn out enmasse to vote for change, only that this change will not benefit the APC this time around

How optimistic are you of picking the PDP ticket? I’m not the only aspirant. At the last count, we were five. I think all the aspirants are all qualified. I will be willing and ready to support anyone that gets the ticket. I also hope that other aspirants will support me if I get the ticket as well. I have gone round the local government areas to see our party members and I can say that many of them see me as a very serious minded person, who knows what it takes to win and has an understanding of government. I want to belief that that confidence and knowledge will help me clinch the party’s ticket. Quite honestly, I’m interested in better governance in our state. If it is not me, then I will support whoever comes in but certainly not the person the present government is proposing because noting will change if they are allowed to continue.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 35

Aftermath of artists’ village demolition, stakeholders demand justice By JAPHET ALAKAM & PRISCA SAM-DURU ISSUES

he National Arts Theatre, Nigeria’s culture home located in Iganmu, Lagos State, has for long been in the news, sadly, for the wrong reasons. After series of threats by past administrations, to either sell out-rightly or concession the national edifice and, or to demolish the Artists’ Village located within the environ of the monument, the space which has in recent years, served as a community for over 100 Creative individuals, was finally demolished last Saturday. For the affected stakeholders, it was truly tragic to see Government officials who have statutory responsibility to promote and develop the Arts and Culture brutalizing Artists and destroying Government property with impunity. It was indeed a clear manifestation of the misrule that Nigerians have been subjected to in recent years. During a press conference organised by Noble Laureate, Wole Soyinka, the affected stakeholders narrated how the whole drama happened. According to them, “On Saturday, 23rd of January, 2016 at about 6:00 am, the General Manager of the National Theatre Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua acting on the orders of the Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed to demolish shanties within the place invaded the National Council for Arts and Culture NCAC Artistes’ Village which houses Arts Studios, Workshops, Dance studios and some service contractors with a caterpillar from CCECC and two truckloads of Armed Policemen and brought down the entire structures”. Reports had it that Kabiru and his team which included ‘thespians’ such as Steph Ogundele and Biodun Abe, ordered the demolition of Arts and Dance Studios, Galleries and restaurants servicing the community. Some of the demolished structures belonged to the NCAC whilst others built by artists had approval of the NCAC. The Resident Arts practitioners who represent some of the best in practice in the Nigerian Culture scene had no prior notice of the exercise and the NCAC was not informed. Kabiru carried out his vindictive demolition without allowing the Artistes and Business owners the opportunity to salvage artworks and belongings and as a result caused extensive damage to property and valuables. One of the Artists Mr. Smart Ovwie, a sculptor who arrived the scene later and saw the destruction of his properties and tried to question the rationale behind the action, was harassed and shot in the leg by the policemen. Reacting to the incident, the stakeholders disclosed that Kabiru hid behind the orders of the Honourable Minister to settle old scores with a Community of Artists that stood staunchly against the plans of the last Administration to privatize or concession off the Management of the National Theatre of Nigeria. Mammoud Ali Balogun who first recapitulated on series of moves stakeholders made in the past to halt the outright sale of the edifice noted that C M Y K

stakeholders during Obasanjo’s tenure suggested the engagement of public/private partnership. According to him, “This is a rehash or payback on those who stood against moves by the General Manager of National Theatre Kabiru who utilised the opportunity of the Minister ’s directive to destroy shanties within the environment. Artist Village is a part they cannot destroy. The GM is deceiving the Minister as regards what has transpired in the past. Stakeholders should ensure that the demolition and brutality of the Police be addressed.” Consequent upon the sad incident, the Honorable Minister for Information and Culture who paid a visit to the village, promised the Resident Artists of the NCAC Artists Village that the injured will get support for their treatment in hospital and that those who are legitimate residents will be duly compensated for damage done to their structures.

It is a very sad day begining to what we thought was to be change, there is too much of military mentality, democracy means a humane approach to resolving issues

Also, the Honourable Minister confirmed that he only asked Kabiru to demolish shanties at the back of the Artists’ Village along the canal that has been a route for miscreants and not Arts Studios and structures in the NCAC Artists’ Village.” Speaking on the issue, Nobel laureate, Prof Soyinka said “This is a very sad day. It is a very sad beginning to what we

thought was to be change. There is too much of military mentality. Democracy means a humane approach to resolving issues. We must relate with other people like human beings not like disease or dirt,” he said. Soyinka who stated that the purpose of the press conference was not to apportion blame but to get to the bottom of the matter by finding out who gave the order to

• Art works destroyed during the demolition

• L-R, Renowned Poet, Odia Ofeimun, Prof Soyinka and Mahmud Ali Balogun during the press conference demolish the Artists’ village, stressed that the artists must seek to be compensated for the destruction of their works and other belongings and should be prepared to head to court if none was forthcoming from the government. Renowned Poet, Odia Ofeimun, who ran a dance company at the village said the place had become a kind of refuge for up and coming artists, adding that artists basically built the village themselves and that many of the artists who used the village could not afford the rental cost of commercial venues. “In this city we need a place like that. I’m happy that Soyinka is here to save that place because the place needs to be saved, for 10 years, I operated a drama dance company that uses a space at the artists Village. Artists Village has for years, become a refuge for artists to brainstorm and rehearse before their final performance. We still need to create another community

like the Artists Village It needs to be saved. We need to be careful when they are describing shanties. The dance space built by Felix Okoro is one of the best in the whole world. People should also understand that there is no way an artist will work without splashing paints all over his studio,”he said. Mufu Onifade, who owned a studio at the Artists’ Village said Mr Kabir demolished the village on the pretext of demolishing shanties and illegal structures around the National Theatre. The Coordinator of the Artists’ Village and an official of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Aremo Babayemi, accused Mr Kabir of settling old scores by ordering the demolition of the Artists’ Village. He explained that the demolition was Mr Kabir ’s way of paying back the artists for standing against the concession of the

National Theatre. Babayemi went further to read to the audience, the demands of the victims which are as follows: That the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture makes good on his promise regarding injuries to affected Residents and damages to property. That temporary accommodation be provided for artists whose structures have been demolished pending compensation and rebuilding of such structures. The offices of the National Film Corporation (NFC) and the Centre for Black Arts and Africa Civilization (CBAAC) at the National Theatre are vacant. We implore the Honourable Minister to use his good offices to relocate the displaced Artists and their materials and works to these offices. That the Honourable Minister takes active steps to stop Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua from further preventing the NCAC from carrying out her statutory obligations to Artists and the Arts Community. That the Honourable Minister should as a matter of urgency, remove Kabiru Yusuf Yar Adua from office as he has become an embarrassment to the current Administration. The Nigerian Culture Sector is already in deep crisis as a result of a lack of leadership and direction from the Public Sector. Kabiru must be prevented from further demonstrating vestiges of misrule which characterized the last Administration.”

Your Death Hour is Ten O’Clock: Eghagha’s scary tales of kidnap By PRISCA SAM DURU READING

Few years ago, Professor Hope Eghagha of the Department of English, University of Lagos, Akoka, was kidnapped on his way to Asaba while still working as the Commissioner for Higher Education in Delta State, a position he held between 2009 and 2014. It was a terrible encounter which he said, he will never wish for his enemy. His ordeal in the hands of his abductors lasted for days that looked like eternity. Today, while others who suffered same dehumanising encounter remained daunted, psychologically imbalanced or dispirited, Prof Eghagha has chosen to look at his traumatic experience from a positive point. That encounter has birthed a short story titled “Your Death Hour is 10 O’clock, a factional presentation of his kidnap experience. As part of Arts Faculty Seminar series, Your Hour of Death is Ten O’Clock was read by Prof Eghagha to a mixed audience at the English Department UNILAG, last Thursday. It was thereafter, thrown to the floor for comments and criticisms.

In his review, Prof. Patrick Oloko described the story as a marriage of facts and fiction which emphasises the need to reinterrogate our values and morals. Fielding questions from the media shortly after the Seminar, Prof Eghagha praised God for delivering him and for helping him overcome the traumatic experience. “The first lesson I learnt from my abduction is that one must be very close to God, don’t take anything for granted. That encounter brought me closer, face to face with the rough guys of society and I saw the depth of their anger, sometimes misplaced. It brought me close to the ordinary people of the society,” he said. Recounting his ordeal, he explained that, “There was no certainty that I was going to come out alive, in fact I said my last

He described the story as a marriage of facts and fiction which emphasises the need to re-interrogate our values and morals

• Prof Hope Eghagha prayer three times. Much later I discovered that they didn’t want to kill me. Whenever they said your death hour is ten o’clock that scared life out of me.” On why it took him this long to write the story and in the third person narrative, he noted that, “I have to come to terms with what happened to me and also I wanted the to write my story after I left government office. Subsequently, I am going to do a play out of this short story. I chose the third person narrative because I wanted to detach myself from the story.” “I am grateful to Almighty God that I have overcome the trauma. I was given some pills and I sort

a Psychologist for 3 months and a Psychiatrist for 6 months so as to be fit once again. I really wanted to understand what happened to me. You see, when you go abroad, its a routine but here in Nigeria, people don’t have the time to go and see a psychologist. They will say they don’t need it but I discovered that I needed to go and reevaluate myself. Mental health is very important, your attitude to things, how you react to worries, bad news, are all very important.” Dismissing the speculations that his kidnap was politically motivated,Prof Eghagha said, “They were just hoodlums looking for money but must have had connections with me before the kidnap day. I don’t think it was politically motivated.” Eghagha who described kidnapping as a global challenge, stressed that the ugly trend should be “tackled through people oriented programmes that will create jobs for the young people. Security network should be made better, special unit should be created in the intelligence arms, the Police, Army, antikidnapping squad so that they can evaluate kidnapping.”

PAGE 36—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

•The Maritime University site in Okerenkoko

•Rotimi Amaechi By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

HE Lion of the tribe of Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, currently Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, had fought several battles in his actionpacked political career with very big support from the people. From the “little guy” position after his tenure as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, he bulldozed the strongholds against him in 2007 to emerge as the Governor of Rivers State and served two terms. This was after he dethroned his brother, Sir Celestine Omehia. Amaechi became a man to watch when he led other governors and top Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders to defect from the party after former President Goodluck Jonathan and others curiously attempted to deny him of his victory as Chair, Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, in 2013. Jonathan could not manage the crisis, which later saw Amaechi playing a noteworthy role as the Director General of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization. His effort contributed to the crushing of Jonathan by Buhari in the 2015 presidential election. Late last year, he dismantled the hurdles put before him by his political enemies when Buhari nominated him as Minister to stop his clearance by the National Assembly, last year. He support base grew massively in the Niger Delta and the country thereafter. Fishing for trouble However, Amaechi appears to have thrown spanner in the works when recently he announced that the Federal Government had scrapped the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, Delta State, which groundbreaking exPresident Jonathan performed May 10, 2014. The problem is that some of the indices he relied on in making the pronouncement were faulty. The university is located at Okerenkoko, an Ijaw community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State and is one of the biggest things the former General Officer Commanding, GOC, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, who C M Y K

AMAECHI AND MARITIME UNIVERSITY

The storm in Ijawland hails from the area, was able to attract to his people. NMU is a Federal Government project sponsored by the Nigeria Maritime and Safety Administration Agency, NIMASA, one of the parasatals under Amaechi’s portfolio as Minister of Aviation. The story is that, on January 19, when Amaechi appeared before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, headed by Senator Ahmed Sani, to brief the Senate panel on the activities of the agencies under his supervision, he guillotined the university. He words: “We are not going ahead with the university project (referring to NMU, Okerenkoko), proposed by NIMASA because we have an institution in Oron, we have Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria and we have the Nigerian College of Aviation in Zaria, which we could upgrade to a university status and NIMASA is proposing to build a new one. “Who will attend the university? How many parents will allow their children to go to such a place where it proposes to site the university? I do not think we are proceeding with the university proposed by NIMASA because it is a waste of resources, and, unfortunately, a lot of money has already been released for the university project, hence there is no structure on ground but just the feasibility study. “Whoever that is holding on to the money should better return it. The Chinese company contracted, confirmed that only the feasibility study was in place.” It looked as if that it was until Amaechi amplified his stance before the Senate panel that people took notice of his stand, if not, he had, in December, last year, while on familiarization tour of Lagos ports and maritime agencies, ordered suspension of construction works at the university. He stated then: “On the issue of misplacement of priority, I have already addressed it. When they came to me about the university at Okerenkoko, I said they should hold on because we need to build

Amaechi appears to have thrown spanner in the works when recently he announced that the Federal Government had scrapped the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, Delta State, which groundbreaking exPresident Jonathan performed May 10, 2014

the Oron school to the standard that we need in order to be able to compete with global institutions. “When we get there (MAN, Oron) and there is not enough space for the students, then you can go ahead with Okerenkoko. We are not saying that the school will not go ahead but we want to place priority on Oron first to see what is doable, there is no money so we must be careful before taking on new projects.” Minister is telling lies – Clark It seemed that that Amaechi did not out rightly mean to say that NMU, Okerenkoko, had been scrapped, but wanted to say that it was not of utmost priority now. Meanwhile, he had hardly left the Senate panel when attacks started pouring in against him. A former Federal

Commissioner for Information and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, who adopted Amaechi as one of his sons when the latter visited him at his Kigabodo country home in Delta State to thank him for his support, some years ago, was so flabbergasted that he accused the Minister of telling lies. In an open letter to President Buhari, the elder statesman said: “It is unfortunate that the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi , has come to lie and deceive the Federal Government and indeed, Nigerians. In the statement credited by the media where he said, ‘…it is a waste of resources, and unfortunately, a lot of money had already been released for the university project, hence there is no structure on ground… The Chinese company contracted, confirmed that only the feasibility study was in place.’ Mr. President, this is a blatant lie. “Mr. Amaechi carefully avoided mentioning the take-off campus of the University at Kurutie, which boasts of competitive and acceptable standard facilities that meet NUC standard for university campus, as part of the property of NMU, Okerenkoko and for which NIMASA paid the sum of about N13 billion.” Sunday Vanguard learned that the Kurutie take-off site of the university is the Mieka Dive Training Institute, covering an expanse of 6,597 hectares, built by Tompolo, which the government acquired. The money paid to the ex-militant leader for the acquisition is part of the charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Clark described Amaechi’s statement that government would not go ahead with the university, which the Federal Government had approved and licensed based on the recommendation of the Nigeria Universities Commission, NUC, as insulting. He said government had appointed a Governing Council, headed by a former Minister and renowned educationist, Prof (Mrs.) Viola Onwuliri, as Pro-chancellor

and Chairman of Council and Prof (Mrs.) Ongoebi Otebu as Vice Chancellor and it was set to commence academic activities in the 2015/2016 academic session from its take-off campus at Kurutie. Amaechi doesn’t‘ve final say Hon Reyenieju Member, House of Representatives, representing Warri, Hon Daniel Reyenieju, an Itsekiri, told Ijaw and Itsekiri youths, who besieged him in Warri, that the statement credited to Amaechi regarding the cancellation of the university was “provocative, vexing, insensitive and, consequently, unacceptable.” He, however, explained that the Minister’s outburst does not possess the forced of finality, saying that the House of Representatives would not allow such “brazen arbitrariness without subjecting it to parliamentary scrutiny.” The lawmaker wondered why the university, one of those established by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, “is being singled out for cancellation.” Fallacy of judgment – Aginighan A former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Power Ziakede Aginighan, who added his voice to those calling on Amaechi to retrace his step, described his statement as an error of judgment. He said: “Setting the records straight, the idea of siting a tertiary educational institution in the crude oil and gas-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State was first proposed and adopted under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo as a critical component in the roadmap to peace and sustainable development of the Niger Delta. “Gbaramatu Kingdom and

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 37

The SSttorm in Ijawland oover ver univer sity university Continued from page 36 other communities in the coastal belt of Nigeria, springing from Eastern Obolo/Ibeno in AkwaIbom through Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo to Ilaje and EseOdo in Ondo State account for over 70 per cent of the crude oil and gas output of Nigeria with concomitant devastation of the environment and threats on their means of livelihood. Paradoxically, this territory has been largely alienated from the mainstream of national development without any development. “This explains the boundless joy that greeted the decision of the Federal Government to establish the Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko, facilitated by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) with a temporary site at Kurutie, having satisfied the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC). With Governing Council inaugurated, Vice Chancellor and other Principal Officers of the University appointed and take-off fund in NIMASA 2015 Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly; it is clearly an error of judgment to contemplate scrapping the Nigeria Maritime University. “I will rather appeal to the Minister to review his position on this matter in favour of the immediate take-off of the University by directing NIMASA to release the already appropriated take-off fund to the Nigeria Maritime University. “For the Niger Delta and the Nation in general, the advantages of having the University far outweigh every argument to the contrary. Apart from capacity building for Nigerians in the maritime industry, bringing in direct foreign investment and arresting capital flight, the Nigeria Maritime University will play a key role in the re-integration phase of the Amnesty Programme.”

•Chief Edwin Clark Deceptive, offensive – IYC The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, umbrella body of Ijaw youths in the Niger Delta, in a letter to Buhari protesting the Minister’s decision, said: “Mr. President, the reasons advanced by your Minister of Transportation are not only weak, mischievous and misleading, but also highly provocative and inciting. If there is any statement or action that has painted your administration in negative light in Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta region, it is this statement.” IYC, in the letter jointly signed by its President and spokesperson, Messrs. Udengs Eradiri and Eric Omare, said, “The Maritime University, Okerenkoko is part of the post amnesty development plan of the Niger Delta. The reasons advanced by the Minister for wishing to cancel the university are not tenable. The fact that there are maritime institutes in Zaria and Oron should not be excuse to cancel the university at Okerenkoko. “The existing institutes in Zaria and Oron and the university in Okerenkoko have their different roles to play in the development of the very rich but underdeveloped

•Daniel Reyenieju maritime sector in Nigeria. The institutes in Oron and Zaria are meant to train medium class labor in the maritime sector while the Maritime University, Okerenkoko would train worldclass technical and managerial manpower.” Ijaw monarch, others react The Ama-Okosu of Ogbe Ijoh, Warri Kingdom, HRM Couple Oromoni, Monbene II, national coordinator of the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, Prince Maikpobi Okareme, Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekame, Okerenkoko community leader, Chief Michael Johnny and a host of others, also attacked Amaechi for the decision. Protests rock Asaba, Warri, Ogulagha On Tuesday, indigenes of Okerenkoko Federated Community, Delta State, stormed Government House, Asaba, protesting the alleged plan to abrogate the university. Before then, other groups had staged peaceful protests in Warri.

•Power Ziakede Aginighan At the weekend, villagers carried out a peaceful protest in the riverine community of Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu local government area of the state, over the issue. Arewa endorses Amaechi In the meantime, support for Amaechi on the plan to srap the university came from the influential northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, which commended the Minister for the move. The group, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, said, “Honorable Minister for Transport, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, we are really pleased with your continuous exceptional kind gestures towards the North, in spite of the attacks on your person and ideology from some sections of the country as a result of that. “We first took cognizance of your extreme love for the North when you courageously supported the then Jega-led INEC creation of additional 30,000 polling units, at a time southern leaders, led by former Vice President Alex

N-Delta Should Not Depend On Oil Alone —Ex-militant Leader By Innocent Onoja

elta State Chairman, Phase 2 Ex-militants under the Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Muturu, in this interview urges the Niger Delta to venture into endeavours other than oil which price is down in the international market. He also reacts to what he terms “blackmail” on the office of the Amnesty Programme. Excerpts: With the falling oil price in the international market and its impact on the economy of the country, what do you think it portends for the Niger Delta? This is a signal to all Niger Deltans that we should venture into alternative means of survival before any eventuality, both governments in the region and individuals. It is imperative to take measures and economic-based decisions because it is simply telling us to sit up and go into other potential areas of livelihood, specifically agriculture and vocational trainings to equip our skill, and not to depend solely on oil. That is why we are applauding the Federal Government for the Amnesty Programme, which has C M Y K

•Kingsley Muturu, graduated a lot of youths in various fields. The programme has trained and graduated many pilots for the nation, as in other areas. So, you mean those who have undergone training through the Amnesty Programme are now ready in the labour market? Yes, because they have acquired the necessary skills and training. As you know, most of them were trained abroad, while some are still on training there. They should be provided job opportunities, as well as empowered to enable them contribute their quota to the society, because our economy now needs such people. I also urge successful

trainees to do Nigeria proud with what they have acquired, they should not fold their hands and sit somewhere; those who are qualified should go and look for contracts, create jobs for others. In fact, we should all be able to tap our potentials and knowledge to move the economy forward. Those of us going to school should work hard on our books, those in skill acquisition should put in all efforts, because we are expected to give back to the society, positively. Recently, a group in the Niger Delta made an allegation that the Amnesty Office is selling slots to people; what is really going on there? I am not surprised at such allegations. If you ask why, I will tell you that, people have been making series of allegations as well as attacking the Amnesty Programme from the beginning in order to thwart its execution. Others came with inciting comments and calls on the Federal Government not to continue the programme. Let me tell you for the records, most of these crop of people have one grievance or the other with the management or whomever best

known to them in the office. Some are as a result of dashed expectations or interests, some out of malice and some are driven by envy. As far as I know, the Amnesty Office does not sell slots as alleged by the group. It is pure blackmail and smear campaign which may not be unconnected with any of the reasons said earlier. I advised Brig. Gen. Boroh (retd) to be focused with his good works for the programme and not to be cowed or disheartened by this wickedness he is seeing in the media. President Buhari is a man known for integrity, and in this short period in office, we, ex-agitators, have seen reasons why the President took his time to search for someone like Boroh to handle the programme. Are you saying that Boroh is doing well, contrary to these allegations? For example, how possible can the Amnesty Office sell slots in my group and I will not know? The blackmail and smear campaign have been on since inception of the programme and I urge Boroh to ignore them and continue to put in his best. Personal aggrandizement can never prevail against interests of the people concerned.

Ekwueme, Chief Edwin Clark, Senator Femi Okuronmu and Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, were strongly against it for favouring the North against the South. You boldly and openly criticised the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for halting it because it favoured the North. “Honorable Minister sir, we also appreciate the pivotal role you played in the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the APC presidential candidate as well as his victory at the polls. Even though it was totally against the will of your people, you shunned ethnic sentiments and placed the interest of the country first before that of your people. We salute such unprecedented patriotic gesture.” N-Delta group slams Arewa However, the Save Niger Delta Group, SNDG, led by Jacob Abai, mocked the Minister for the offputting endorsement of the ACF, saying, “It is becoming glaring that the Arewas are very happy because the Minister is obeying their instructions to cancel the proposed Maritime University to upgrade their own Aviation University, Zaria.” Abai said the plan to cancel the university was not in the interest of the entire country but for selfish aggrandizement and urged Buhari to “resist any sycophant idea or advice concerning the cancellation of the Maritime University in order for us to have absolute peace in the Niger-Delta and Nigeria at large.”

Esan group insists it’s Edo central turn to produce gov

san indigenes in diaspora have insisted that it was the turn of Edo central to produce the next governor in this year’s governorship election in Edo State, and advised Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, to zone the governorship slot to central. The Esan Unity and Peace Crusaders, in an online statement signed by its President, Evance Ilozobhie, said “ Oshiomhole and the APC should jettison the idea of zoning the governorship slot to Edo South, as such will only portray the governor as being selfish and fighting against Edo central”. He wondered what the people of Esan land have done to him. “Our Esan Enigies honored him with the prestigious title ‘Adolor of Esan land’ Is this how Oshiomhole will pay us back? The mother of his children is from Esan land, yet he has continued to marginalize Esan in his government”. “ The people of Edo central have been agitating to produce the next governor and most importantly we also have competent aspirants with the required experience to effectively and successfully consolidate on the laudable achievements of Oshiomhole, therefore, denying Edo central the government slot is against the spirit of equity, unity and fair-play”. It said “ Oshiomohle should avoid the temptation of laying a bad foundation that will certainly destroy his legacy after leaving office, his action concerning the governorship election if not properly handled would destroy the unity and love among Edo people, who have been united and living peacefully, irrespective of tribes and senatorial districts”.

PAGE 38 —SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Kogi, a state without deputy governor and the hurdles Bello must scale The Tinubu – northern elements proxy war

•

•James Faleke

Gov Yahaya Bello...without a deputy

By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, LOKOJA The inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as Kogi State governor without a deputy continues to raise dust. Apparently, the last has not been heard about the governorship election and Wednesday ’s inauguration of a new governor in Kogi State, but, for now, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has taken charge at Lugard House pending the outcome of the legal war that will determine the fate of all the contenders to the state number one seat. Aside the legal fireworks involving 12 political parties, and a member of the All Progressives

Congress, APC, James Faleke, Bello has to deal with, the House of Assembly has been factionalised while the labour tussle with government has led to workers downing tools since December last year. But the most urgent task ahead of him is how to produce a deputy to replace an unwilling deputygovernor-elect, Faleke. Though the National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, had, a couple of weeks ago, said the party had perfected plans to address the Faleke-saga, political pundits are of the opinion that the issue, if not handled well, could shake the party to its foundation. The Faleke and Bello debacle is

•Bola Tinubu

beyond the duo. It is more of a proxy war between the camp of the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and some northern elements who, it was gathered, fear that Tinubu could get hold of a northern state. To them, the presence of Faleke, a close associate of the APC National Leader, in Lugard House, is more of Tinubu incursion into the political arena of the North; a situation they have been working against, apparently ahead of the 2019 polls. The development has made the state a battle ground where political elephants fight and the grass suffers. Not only has it tainted Kogi as a jinxed state, it has also strengthened the belief that it always records a ‘first’ in virtually every bad political occurrence; it is the first state to have a leading candidate dying in election, the first state to have its civilian governor ’s election upturned, the first state to have three governors in one day...and the latest, the first state to have a governor sworn- in without a deputy. While the echo of a governor without a deputy is still reverberating,the APC and the

governor have made up their mind to replace Faleke by nominating a deputy and transmit a letter to the state House Assembly for ratification. The only ‘trouble’ on this political pedestal is that Bello and the party are at loggerheads on which zone of Kogi to produce the deputy. While majority of the party hierarchy favour Kogi West (the same zone with Faleke), the governor is said to be insisting on picking his deputy from the East. The ‘sin’ of the West (if it is sin at all) is that Bello believes that stakeholders from the axis, especially the traditional institution, did not do anything to persuade Faleke to withdraw his case and accept to be his deputy. The party leadership in Kogi and some political analysts are, however, of the opinion that it is politically wrong to visit the sin of a person on the whole ethnic group. To them, even if Faleke should be replaced, the new deputy governor should be by someone from his senatorial axis to calm frayed nerves in the area. To them, if Bello should go ahead with his option, he will make more political enemies for himself.

The APC has, in the meantime, raised a committee to submit three names for consideration from the West and East senatorial districts of the state. While the nominees from the East are Dim Nda Diche and Silas Egbuna, Sunday Vanguard, however, gathered that the governor prefers Simon Achuba (a two term House of Assembly member and former deputy Speaker from Ibaji Local Government). The West nominees are Barr. (Mrs) Justina Abanida, Dr David Atte and Mr. Kola Bamisaiye. In a related development, Concerned Youth of Kogi State, has called on the state legislators to zone the House speakership to Kogi West. The group said it is imperative for the West to produce the speakership in view of the fact that the new governor, Bello, hails from the same Central zone with the former Speaker, Momoh Jimoh Lawal. Coordinator of the group, Austin Aiyelabowo, said zoning the speakership to the West will be in the interest of peace, equity and fairness. “In view of the multi-ethnic setting of the state, and the fact that the executive power has shifted to the central senatorial axis, it will be a political aberration if the speakership position does not shift to another zone,”Aiyelabowo stated. “Equity and fairness must be adopted at the state House of Assembly in selecting the new Speaker. We, Concerned Youths of the state, have viewed all the variables and decided that Kogi West with consideration for the Kabba/Bunu State Constituency should be considered. Denying the zone the Speakership will amount to political coup de-tat on the zone who have contributed immensely to the socio- political stability of the state.”

Abia N or th re-run: VVot ot er s’ cchoice hoice will pre Nor orth oter ers’ prevvail this time —Onuoha-Bourdex DR David Onuoha-Bourdex, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, candidate for Abia North senatorial election, in this interview, recounts how the choice of the electorate was truncated in the March 28, 2015 election and how their choice will prevail in the re-run ordered by the Court of Appeal. How do you feel about the rerun election ordered by the Court of Appeal? I feel disappointed because we had a time line for the things we promised to achieve for our people. On the other hand, I feel the temporary setback would restore credibility to the process and legitimacy to us more than if the court had declared us as the outright winners of the March 28, 2015 senatorial election. Among the candidates for the Senate seat, we are the party that was prepared for election. We had a contact with the people and we communicated our manifesto to them. In my manifesto, which was well documented and give to the voters, we outlined the vision that would drive our senatorial representation. In the document aptly titled, ‘’the change C M Y K

you deserve is coming; we promised to mainstream the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Abia North Senatorial district in the legislative agenda of the National Assembly. You can therefore imagine our frustration when political jobbers that had no clear-cut vision or mission for the good of our people, used dubious methods to steal the mandate given to me by the good people of Abia North Senatorial district.

You are relatively new, what gives you the confidence that you were the choice of the voters? Our people have never been allowed the freedom to choose their representatives. The PDP had never won elections in Abia State. It has always been rigging, manipulation, inducement and falsification of results. The three evils of imposition, intimidation and impunity became the undoing of PDP in 2015.

I saw that the people had become tired and frustrated by these serial abuses of democracy. We saw the change that was coming and told our people that clearly. We may be new in politics as your question suggested but we have been around as leaders in various ways. That is how we earned the trust and confidence of the people! Those you call the old faces in politics are those that fouled the system and David Onuoharesponsible for the Bourdex alienation of the masses. They are those who see politics and public office as opportunity to plunder, kill and maim. Former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has been giving the impres-

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SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 39

Crude Oil Swap Contracts: How Reps uncovered the underbelly of govt agencies By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

O many calculating the figure-bearing headlines emanating from the ongoing probe by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Swap and Oil Processing Agreement (OPA), so much economic attacks and sabotage appear to have been spearheaded by the same agencies and officials of government who were being paid with the nation’s tax payers’ money to manage and administer the resources. However, to those who have closely followed the unfolding, events with patience for details, the much publicised “Dasukigate” or “Arms-gate” as the case may be, is just a tip of the iceberg given the level of alleged rot and profligacy perpetrated by both local and foreign oil marketing firms under the supervision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Petroleum Product Marketing Company (PPMC) while the Presidency folded its arms. The case with Nigerian crude oil theft narrative has been that of an owner stealing what belongs to him and at the same time raising the alarm over the theft. That explains the attitude of the Jonathan-led Federal Government and the management of the NNPC and PPMC aiding and abetting crude oil theft whilst shouting to high heavens that the nation was being robbed of her oil resources by thieves. It is no longer news that crude oil worth over $24billion was allegedly taken from the wells and shores of Nigeria by a company established as a subsidiary of the NNPC for the supposed advancement of Nigeria’s economic interest with regards to crude export, marketing and importation of refined products just like every other company involved in the

•House of Representatives in session. swap arrangement. During one of the hearings, last Wednesday, the Managing Director of the PPMC, Mrs Esther N. Ogbue, alluded to the fact that there was no record to show an agreement of crude oil lifting under the swap arrangement between the NNPC and the subsidiary company. Verbal agreement She said a written agreement between NNPC and the subsidiary was only made on 31st December 2014, even as the latter was awarded the contract and started crude oil lifting way back in 2011 through a verbal agreement. What this means is that a supposed official and legitimate business transaction between the NNPC and oil companies on behalf of the Nigerian government went on for four years with no documented contractual agreement providing legality. The situation with the subsidiary may have assumed the semblance of ‘mother ’s oil pouring into mother ’s beans’, given the parent-child relationship it has with the NNPC. According to the subsidiar y ’s Managing

Director, Abdulkadir Sa’I’d, they were awarded the contract with the purpose of building capacity, as “a family company ”, (how convenient) considering the helpless situation Nigerians often found themselves in terms of accessibility to petrol and kerosene which sells in most areas above official price while the NNPC and PPMC feign ignorance? If not, what justification do the NNPC and PPMC have to allocate 12.5million metric tons of crude to a foreign firm registered in Panama with a view to evading tax in Nigeria (because that has been its behaviour according to the Federal Inland Revenue Service boss, Babatunde Fowler, at the hearing). The NNPC subsidiary, Duke Oil Limited, then decided to engage three other companies - Duke Oil/Televaras, Duke Oil/ ITEO and Duke Oil/ONTARIO - as third parties for the crude lifting and delivery of refined products which to a large extent never was. Stating the tax losses of the transaction to the economy, Fowler put the amount at

The only government policy we are privy to is the non-collection of duties on petroleum products, but as far as our records can show, we only know that the foreign firm exported a total of 12.5million metric tons of crude without importing any refined product N1.1billion of payable tax on the part of the foreign firm alone. Meanwhile, Duke Oil paid N26.5million in tax out of over N250million. According Fowler, the FIRS was not aware of the said transactions involving the foreign firm because it is a non resident company just like Duke but is not registered with the FIRS for the payment of tax. Therefore, it has never made any tax return to the FIRS. More damning in terms of impunity and disregard for the socio-economic sovereignty of Nigeria was the revelation by the Nigerian Customs Service that the foreign firm was allowed to lift over 12million metric tons based on the swap arrangement and refused to return a single litre of premium motor spirit (PMS/petrol) or DPK (kerosene) in line with the swap agreement despite evading tax and both the NNPC and PPMC maintained

criminal silence. Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Alu Sule, in charge of Tariffs and Trade, said: “The Nigerian Customs Service is not aware of any swap arrangement or OPA with any company. If we are going to make any comment on it, it would be in a position of ignorance, and we are here to give the facts as they are. “The only government policy we are privy to is the noncollection of duties on petroleum products, but as far as our records can show, we only know that the foreign firm exported a total of 12.5million metric tons of crude without importing any refined product. “If the importation was done in a different name is what I can’t say, but there was no record of them bringing in any refined product”, Sule suggested that the transaction without an official waver for non-return of refined products represents a massive crude oil theft perpetrated by the company under the watchful eyes of relevant government agencies such as the NNPC and the PPMC. However, according to the NNPC Group Executive Director, Babatunde Adeniran, who was also the representative of the petroleum minister (state), Ibe Kachikwu, the companies involved in the swap cumulatively owed the Nigerian government a total of $203 million after reconciliation between NNPC and the companies based on legally contracted deals. By the time the hearings are over, Nigerians would know that Dasuki or Arms-gate is nothing but a child’s play, and that the nation has been handled in a worst way than the ‘Banana Republic’ could have in the absence of law and leadership, exposing the underbelly of the swap regime.

Abia N or th re-run: VVot ot er s’ cchoice hoice will pre Nor orth oter ers’ prevvail this time —Onuoha-Bourdex Continued from page 38 sion that the election was nullified because of his petition… If you are looking for those that are good at making impressions, I am not interested. I am only interested in how to change the reality of warped and imposed leadership that had kept our people to the ground. I told you that I set agenda by which the people evaluated my candidacy for the senatorial seat. And what were the salient points on that agenda? I said it loud that we needed to reposition our people to improve on the polity; that it remains my view that Abia North should be providing the alternative development and industrialized base and cities to Aba in Abia State. As an innovative entrepreneur, I know that we have huge potential in Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, Bende and Umunneochi to lead the change in urban city development. So I was able to unfold my vision to the people on how the available resources and potential in these areas

must be tapped through good political leadership with the capacity to interact and collaborate with others in the Senate. So it was not about impression. The rerun election is going to be a referendum on the candidates’ antecedents. The people of Abia North know their sons and daughters. They cannot be deceived by impressions. With a different party at the centre do you think that you can achieve all your lofty vision? The political grass is now greener at the national level than before. What I mean by that is that the rejection of PDP that started from the federal level can only make meaning if it trickles down. I am further strengthened by the rejection which my people handed to the old order. So by voting for APGA in Abia State, the people have ensured that all things shall become new. You see the same way PDP was rejected at the centre for APC, our people

and corruption.

As an innovative entrepreneur, I know that we have huge potential in Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, Bende and Umunneochi to lead the change in urban city development in their wisdom and ugly experience of past 16 years decided to vote APGA. We share in the national vision of purity, prudence and patriotism. You can see from the driving philosophy of APGA that the emphasis is on well-being of the people not in amassing too much money for the promotion of bribery

What are your chances in the rerun election? I can only boast in the confidence of the assurances from our people. In most hamlets, wards, polling areas and local governments, the people are united in one voice. They say that they would repeat the feat of March 28 by voting for me. During our electioneering campaigns in Isiukwuato, one woman took the microphone and said that they have vowed to vote for me again. She said, ‘’if we voted Bourdex under Pharoah, we must vote him again now that Pharoah is no more.’’ Those were her exact words and her fellow women concurred that that was their agreement. So I am no longer talking about chances but how can I adjust my time line to deliver on my promises. For instance, I know that education remains the life-wire of any enduring development and civilization. As such my challenge is now how to ensure that our

educational system is revived and the zone benefits from the federal government intervention agencies such as TETFUND, NDDC and other agencies for promotion of scholarship. I know I have less than four years to work to achieve the location of federal institutions that engage in manpower training in all sectors in Abia North, including the upgrading of the Arochukwu College of Education, (Technical) to a Federal College of Education, (Technical and Technology Development). I am already working towards encouraging our people to establish private universities in Abia North by pioneering the Bourdex University of Abiriba. We have a lot on our plate and we have assured the people that I cannot let them down. Our journey to the Senate is already charted by the people of Abia North Senatorial district. They know we are coming to serve their interest and that of the future generations. That is why the youths are solidly behind us. C M Y K

Page 40, SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

VIEWPOINT BY ABU QUASSIM VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A word of caution ahead of apex court judgment N Friday, the Supreme Court will give judgment in the case O filed by Senate President, Dr.

Abubakar Bukola Saraki, seeking its intervention on the charge against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Saraki has asked the apex court to declare the case filed against him and the procedure adopted as being incompetent and wrong, thereby making the entire legal process invalid. The seven man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court has been invited to decide five main issues. One is to give an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, CCB, CCT and others, their officers, servants, agents and privies from taking any further step culminating in arraignment and or proffering a charge against the applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the substantial suit. Two, the court is also being invited to make a declaration that in the light of Section 24 (1) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, LFN, 2010, the first defendant has not complied with the provisions of the Third Schedule to the Act before preferring a charge against the

VIEWPOINT BY DOMINIK UMOSEN

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A look at a former governor and his critics

VEN if we choose to discountenance the warning by the United States Republican presidential candidate, Mr Donald Trump, that Muslims might be restricted from coming there if he became the President, can we ignore the reality that Arab migrants have allegedly started creating problems in Europe, including the assault on women in Cologne, Germany that has refocused attention on the advisability of the policy of admitting over a million Arab refugees into Europe? Every one had wondered if the open door policy for migrants in Europe was advisable, but it has only gotten worse with the allegation that migrants were responsible for the assault that has

VIEWPOINT By Charles Obakpolor VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The strategies geared toward making Edo State a pride of place

hough, a pharmacist, one of his greatest dream and aspiration is to become the governor of Edo State because of his soft spot for the progress of the masses. Christopher Osasere Iyare, an indigene of Benin, Edo State, feels the appropriate time has come and that the opportunity will not elude him in the forthcoming election. He said if given the opportunity to become the governor of the state, “I promise to raise Edo State to number one position amongst all the states in Nigeria by industrializing the state in order to provide job

As Supreme Court rules on No. 3 Man’s Case... plaintiff. The Supreme Court is also asked to declare that in view of the provisions of Section 24 (1) and 24(2) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, Cap C15, LFN 2010, the defendants cannot proceed to arraign the Senate President at the CCT in the charge No: CCT/ABJ/01/ 2015 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria vs Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki. Another declaration that the charge against Saraki at the CCT is invalid because it was done at a time the nation had no Attorney General is also being sought. Finally, the highest court in the land is being asked to issue an interim injunction directing the parties in the suit to maintain the status quo ante without any further over-reaching actions on each other, and to return to their former positions prior to this suit, pending the determination of the motion on notice and substantive originating summons, filed before the court. These prayers had been canvassed before the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal. In the Federal High Court, the court declined jurisdiction. The appellate court however rejected the prayers in a split decision, thereby leaving room for a 50-50 chance likelihood of success for both the appellant and the defendant at the Supreme Court. This case has generated a lot of

interest because of the nature of the personality involved and the issues he has consistently raised in and out of the Tribunal on why he believes the trial is taking place at all. Saraki is the number three citizen who assumed office based on his popularity among his colleagues. There are some powerful elements in his political party, the All Progressives Congress ( APC), who do not want him to emerge as Senate President. Incidentally, the decision as to who occupies the position can only be made by senators, not by outsiders and he appears to enjoy tremendous support from his colleagues. Saraki’s supporters have claimed that the fact that the CCB went to the asset declarations he made in 2003 to raise a question of inconsistencies while neglecting the latter declarations he made in 2007, 2011 and 2015, means that he was just a victim of a vicious political game. The Senate President himself had stated at the Tribunal that he believes he is on trial simply because he is occupying the position of head of the nation’s legislative arm and that if he was not occupying that position, the alleged inconsistencies in his asset declarations will not be an issue, just like that of tens of thousands of other politicians have been ignored. Surprisingly, at every turn of the

The Akpabio legacy suddenly made the policy of Chancellor Angela Merkel to open the doors for migrants quite questionable. Because Arabs have made their position quite clear, I have since held that Europe may never be the same again since the admission of migrants which must certainly make Adolf Hitler turn in his grave regarding the invasion of Europe by lower races from the Middle East. Until I get the reassurance that uncle Adolf Hitler is happy with this development, I can only sympathise with Germany that this is just a passing phase that has nothing to do with the supremacy of the Germanic race. You can accuse me of so many things but you can not rightly say that former Akwa Ibom State governor and Senate Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio, laid a solid foundation for himself with his free and compulsory

education policy in the littoral state. Like the former Premier of the old Western Region, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, trending politics of bitterness and vendetta might not favour him, momentarily, but history will bear the eloquent fact that the free education policy will eventually vindicate the sage-to-be. Awolowo laid the foundation for the literary supremacy of the Yoruba race with his free education programme in the defunct Western Region, just as the Akpabio has done in Akwa Ibom but only history will vindicate this visionary. Like a waterfall in the desert where every thirsty animal goes for a drink, Akpabio provided succor for all with the free education policy but unlike others, he did his own with class and style. Every person resident in the state qualifies for the programme, unlike in some states where you have to satisfy such

case there had been surreptitious attempts to blackmail the judicial officers to toe a particular line. At the Federal High Court, a judge had to step down due to vicious media war declared against him. Even, at the Court of Appeal, the judgement was suddenly postponed at the point of delivery due to negative reports in the media sponsored against the judges. Already, there is an alleged campaign going on to force the hands of the Supreme Court judges to toe a particular line. The campaign is believed to the effect that the judges must refuse Saraki’s prayers to demonstrate their support and that of the institution of the judiciary for the present administration’s fight against corruption. The argument in this line goes further that if the judgement favour Saraki, then it will encourage other powerful people facing corruption charges to resort to the court to thwart the case against them. However, what these anti-Saraki group forgets is that it is a fundamental principle of our jurisprudence that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. It is also important to note that the anti-graft campaign can only become effective if it is seen to be following due process of the law and that the course of justice is

requirements of indigeneship to benefit. Throughout the eight-year regime of Akpabio in the state, you did not need to be an indigene to qualify for the scheme. Any Nigerian resident in Akwa Ibom qualified for the free education programme of his administration. We can only pray that Akpabio’s successor, Mr Udom Emmanuel can sustain the unparalled swagger of his predecessor. The reason the Yoruba are ahead of every other tribe in Nigeria today is basically because Awolowo laid a solid foundation. He may have been attacked when he laid the foundation but all that has been forgotten following the giant strides the race has made today, if you look critically at the Nigerian polity. Akpabio is headed for similar acclaim but trending politics of bitterness and vendetta seems to have precluded the admission of this fact. Before his advent, Akwa Ibom was the provider of domestic help to the rest of the country.

diligently pursued in determining the guilt or otherwise of an accused person. A situation where an accused person is subjected to media trial and convicted in the skewed court of public opinion before he gets his date in the court will only make a mockery of the campaign and continue to present it as a selective, witch-hunt campaign. When the person on trial exhaust his right to be heard in court to the fullest as allowed by the law, it not only enriches the process, it earns it a deserved credibility. It even allows the process and procedure to be strengthened and fully developed. Thus, it is in the best interest of Nigeria and that of the judiciary for anybody, even if he is the Senate President, to be given the right to appeal and the right for his appeal to be determined based on the basis of law and the merits or demerits of his or her case. With the understanding that the case can still be kept alive even if the Supreme Court rules in favour of Saraki on Friday, one will advise all the parties to this issue to allow their Lordships the breathing space to do justice as they deem fit, rather than being bullied to take a predetermined position.

•Quassim is based in Abuja. Making education available to all, not just to children of the affluent, was not the practice before he became the governor of the state. Like the products of the visionary Almajiri free education programme of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the products of Akpabio’s free education programme in Akwa Ibom will eventually testify to his ingenuinety. Nigeria might contemporarily be reeling under politics of bitterness and vindictiveness but when the chips are down, every one will remember and concede that someone tried to make a difference and that someone was Akpabio. Just as Awolowo was castigated for trying to give the children of the poor the voice and capacity to speak in their own language as recognizable by all, so also will every one remember that Akpabio rose in defence of the poor and weak in the society by instituting structures that have certainly outlived him.

•Umosen lives in Abuja

Iyare’s vision to lead Edo to greater heights opportunities for the teeming masses as well as improve the economy of the state.” Asked how he intends to achieve his goals if eventually elected, Iyare said, “I am keeping my cards to my chest lest; it becomes what other aspirants are tending without knowing how to do it. Born 43 years ago in Benin City, Iyare was educated at Immaculate Conception College, ICC, Benin City after which he got admission into University of Benin and thereafter, proceeded to Lagos where he worked as a National Secretariat Manager, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, P.S.N. He helped tremendously in the organization of the National Conference that held in Enugu. The conference was

tagged Coal City 99 Medical Representatives, Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited. Iyare believes he has all it takes to become the governor of Edo State based on his academic brilliance of which has attracted several prizes and awards to him. So far, he was the best student of Chemistry, 1987 at Immaculate Conception College, Benin City, 3rd position AWIPHA organized quiz contest for all its medical representatives in Nigeria during the cycle meetings, August 2000. He was also one of the best students in Mathematics in his days at Immaculate Conception College. Besides, he is the chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Edo State branch and chairman, General Saving

Committee Cooperative Society, Edo State from 2008 till date. He was the head of department, (Pharmacy), Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, Sokoto, Managing Director, Golden Berries Pharmaceutical Limited and Secretary General, PANS. An active member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, in 1998, he was the chairman, General Saving Committee Cooperative Society 2012, and chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Edo State Branch, 2015 till date. Some seminar works on the Pharmaceutical industry published by Iyare include “Drug management of Malaria in the community in 1994, and a review of sulphonamides (project work)

1996. “We in the industry value these books,” Iyare said. More so, Pharmacist Iyare has been prominent in socio political activities of which have uplifted and improve the lives of Edo State residents, which clearly qualify him for the race for Osadebe House. Besides, the resourceful pharmacist certainly stand the good chance of clinching the Edo gubernatorial ticket under the platform of the All Progressives Congress,APC, not only because he has excelled in his chosen profession, but has a social vision that would further elevate Edo State to greater heights.

•Obakpolor is resident in Benin City, Edo State

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016 — Page 41

VIEWPOINT By Victor U. Okon

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Moving Akwa Ibom to the next level

N January 26, an online portal carried a news item. The story screamed: ‘Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, boasts about his wealth, and his father ’s big house’. Reading the report revealed that it was just internet borne sensationalism. The sensationalism, however, reeled of ignorance. What was the story about? In it, Emmanuel was quoted as saying: “Look at somebody of my own status in life…. At the age of 40, I was already sitting on the Boards of 12 corporate bodies, including a group. And there is nobody at that level that will go home with a salary of less than $1 million per annum. At the age of 40, I was on the Board of one of the best banks on planet earth.”

VIEWPOINT By Muhammadu S. Abdu

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF On the reports of probe panels

HILE Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari forges ahead with the arduous task of revving up the development tempo as well as determining the dimensions of the alleged brazen looting of the state treasury, his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, and his associates continue to orchestrate a diversionary denial strategy. The Masari administration is the target of the media blitz alleging corruption against it in the vain hope that alleged bad governance of the immediate past administration may be forgotten. Even as findings of various probe panels instituted by the Masari administration continue to allege massive misappropriation of public funds under the former governor, his boasts of having

VIEWPOINT By Michael Tidi

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Repositioning education in Delta

IGHT months after assumption of office, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa organized a world-class education summit under the team, “Leapfrogging Education in Delta State”, to chart the way forward in conformity with the evolving global trends in the field. The summit, chaired by Chief Afe Babalola, had in attendance veteran and celebrated stakeholders in education who proffered solution to the perennial problems being experienced in the country and Delta in particular. Notable personalities who attended include Emeritus Professor Pai Obanya, Prof. Israel Olatunji, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, Prof John Enaowho, Prof. Mrs. Cecilia

Udom, Umana and the rest of us The point is that the governor was being factual and modest. He was speaking of verifiable data and facts. All he stated in the entire piece were about things even a doubting Thomas could affirm. The twist, however, is that the online portal and their sponsors are victims of their own provincialism. They just thought it out in print, that Emmanuel’s stellar accomplishment is beyond human achievement. To them, Akwa Ibom, like Hindustan India, must live in autarky, and not wagon up to the best practice the world can have. So, to them, the current state of Akwa Ibom is the paradise they know. Udom vehemently disagrees with this provincialism. He energetically canvasses that, given sweat and equity, given

human ingenuity and integrity, given dedication and grand vision, Akwa Ibom, so blessed by God, may be most loftily scaled up, rewired anew and made a New Jerusalem. So the quote attributed to the governor is a moral, an archetype, that the next Akwa Ibom man can do it, yes, he can, just like Emmanuel did it. It is an Obama-like gospel, given an Ibom interpretation by the governor that the world is our oyster, if we believe and are dedicated to make it so. Akwa Ibom, ‘Yes, We Can’. But to understand the dynamic difference between the Emmanuel’s moral narrative and that of the competing APC, let us look at the other party at play. APC’s ticket bearer in Akwa Ibom is Umana Umana. Well, all Umana’s life, he has been government worker. He has been a teacher, a non-

teacher, a bureaucrat, a nonbureaucrat and has lately been a politician. The greater issue, however, is that if there was a man lacking in what it takes to run a government, that man is Umana. The history of bureaucracy, shows that it slows down government. But what happened in the specific case of Awka Ibom was that Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past governor, came, put things in shape and brought the bureaucracy to speed. And Emmanuel has been elected with a mandate to press the accelerator pedals, take Akwa Ibom to her greatest heights ever. This is what frightens the Umanas of Akwa Ibom. They cannot imagine the ship of state take off on such a velocity. And it is only at such momentum that the entire living and ‘dead weight’ of a

As Masari goes after Katsina looters left “a debt free government and healthy treasury with billions of Naira” in government coffers is the main theme of his defence. His claims are however hollow following testimonies of civil servants before probe panels allegedly revealing the billions misappropriated through inflated and fictitious contracts. One example of alleged contract inflation relates to the construction of the drainage from Kofar Sauri to Adeleke Bridge which, though estimated to be worth no more than N35million, was allegedly awarded for over N2 billion. So also has the dualization of the barely one kilometre Malumfashi township road which drained N990 million only to fall into disrepair less than two years later. The Shema loyalists have also bottling to debunk the allegations of gross financial misdeeds, especially the alleged “direct

stealing” of up to N32billion from the joint state/local government account with the alleged complicity of the state’s chapter of the Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON). Similarly, N4.1billion was allegedly siphoned from the Katsina State Road Maintenance Agency (KASROMA) just as the Primary Schools Education Board (SPEB) and the Department of Girl Child Education were allegedly pillaged to the tune of billions of Naira. Meanwhile, Shema is alleged to be seeking the intervention of certain influential persons in order to secure the sympathy of President Buhari to prevail on Masari to call off the investigation. People close to him are also alleged to be behind petitions purportedly detailing allegations against the Masari administration and literally challenging the

Presidency to unleash its dreaded anti-corruption drive in Katsina State. While Masari is demonstrably on top of the situation, armed with reports of the various probe panels he instituted at the inception of his tenure in order to ascertain the Shema administration claims in hand over notes, he clearly is not preoccupied with getting his predecessor in the dock or behind bars. After inaugurating the probe panels with sufficient time frames to complete their assignments, Masari’s attention has shifted to the systematic delivery of good governance to the people of Katsina. The majority of people expect the recently rejuvenated EFCC and ICPC to move against the alleged looters of their state among other states but to no avail. The seeming inaction of the anticorruption agencies notwithstanding, the abundance

Okowa's educational revolution Okobiah, Prof Gabriel Yomere, Prof. Douglas Omotor, Dr. Tony Urhobo, Amb. Godson Echiejile, as well as numerous Delta State government functionaries. Any factually oriented narrative of the summit would be incomplete if it is not situated within the context of Okowa’s resolve to transform all facets of the state’s economy, which, of course, is in tandem with the SMART agenda of his administration. The governor’s focal points in the last eight months have included schools rehabilitation and construction; enhancement of pupils’ performance and learning outcomes; human capital development; quality assurance; and educational planning and management. Okowa has thus once more demonstrated his strong belief that Nigeria is well placed to catch up and pull ahead in the race to

development - “if only we set our educational systems right. As already suggested, this must be the essence of all our efforts. For agricultural, scientific, and industrial progress, Nigeria needs a well-educated citizenry, and by this I mean ‘well educated’ at all levels.” The challenge is not restricted to producing university lecturers, engineers, doctors, lawyers and similar professionals. Our auto mechanics, clerks, traders, builders, tailors, plumbers, law enforcement officers, etc can do much better for themselves and for the rest of the society if they come through a system that ensures qualitative education and certification at all levels. Beyond the demands of academic standard improvement, the Okowa administration realizes that social skills and the attitude of our youth are critical growth factors in meeting the socio-economic challenges our

nation must grapple with in order to emerge as one to be truly reckoned with on the global stage. Another challenge that the administration took on is that of vocational and technical education. Of course, we know that we cannot seriously advance and sustain our infrastructure development without a pool of well-trained artisans, technicians and other skilled manpower. The Delta government has therefore taken very firm steps to revamp and propagate technical and vocational education among our youths. Three technical colleges in Sapele, Ofagbe, and Agbor, have recently been rehabilitated and equipped for greater efficiency for this purpose. In general, training and professional development of staff in the education sector is a core value of this administration. As new challenges and opportunities

state can be lifted up against the inertia, sponsored by the APC. It is this stop instinct that drives them to align with internal and external, antiSouth-South and anti-Akwa Ibom forces. But our people of Akwa Ibom have gotten their eyes opened. For Udeme, a visiting post graduate scholar, the whole matter is a contest, a choice of Emmanuel against Umana. How can you compare Umana who wants to make the world in local terms with a governor who wants to drive Akwa Ibom into global vision? Emmanuel wants to transform Akwa Ibom into Nigeria’s first globally benchmarked state, GBs, while all Umana wants is local state, where they and their connections will be lords, answerable only to the powersthat-be in Abuja. •Okon is based in Uyo.

of evidence of the excesses of the alleged Katsina looters in the reports of Masari’s probe panels has restored the enthusiasm of the citizens. When next Masari turns his attention to the probe reports, there will be no hiding place for the alleged looters, running helter-skelter and seeking refuge from the long arms of the law. At the end of the day, the facts of the alleged looting of the state will not be determined by the avalanche of advertorials or even the influence-peddling and string-pulling capacities of y imaginative propagandists. The last word will be uttered by judges compelled by incontrovertible evidence before their courts to uphold the conclusions of the Masari probe panels and deliver commensurate judgments that will not only punish the culprits with imprisonment but also serve as a deterrent . The Masari Mission will prevail!

•Abdu is resident at 101, Bala Sokoto Road, Jabi, Abuja. emerge, we cannot ensure the required quality of education unless we keep our teachers well equipped with updated information and teaching skills while overhauling our school curriculum and tailoring it towards self-reliance as recommended at the summit. Instructively, and as if to confirm a fact that ought to be obvious to all by now, participants agreed that government alone cannot fund education, hence parents and the community must pitch in for our society to rise to the challenge of educating the nation. It is in this light that it is my fervent hope that Governor Okowa’s educational revolution will come to fruition with all hands on deck. Needless to say, it should be our common resolve as Deltans held together by bonds of unity, equity and love that by His Grace, the continuity of this administration shall be sustained through 2016 and beyond for the benefit of us all.

•Tidi is S.A., News Media to Governor Okowa.

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 31, 2016

Why local churches must be healthy, by Dr. Francis Bola Akin-John CHURCH growth consultant, Dr. Francis Bola Akin-John in an interview with SAM EYOBOKA, spoke on how to stem the tide of failing local churches in line with a new campaign his organisation, International Church Growth Ministries, an interdenominational ministry founded to equip ministers and local churches, has just launched. Excerpts: ou just launched a cam paign tagged Healthy Local Church Africa. Are you extending your tentacles to cover the entire continent? If God opens the doors, why not? From reliable research, Christianity has experienced geometrical increase in the last 100 years in Africa. At the turn of the decade, they were just about 60 million Christians in Africa. But just 15 years ago, Christianity has shot up to 760 millions. But a lot of them are not in any local church. So, where are they? A lot of them have left churches because of disenchantment with how we handle things. We are large in congregational meetings but we are short on discipleship and spiritual health. So, our intention is to have healthy local churches in the continent. It appears like a tall dream. How do you intend to go about it? We intend to organise seminars and conduct training for churches and ministers. We are also looking at consultancy and looking at how churches are not running their operations well. For example, a lot of denominations centralise operations in such a way that local churches are not allowed to function healthily. They are just there but not reaching their communities for impact. So, we intend to educate and mobilise people to begin to allow local churches function. That’s the only way we can reach communities. The idea of centralising everything is killing innovations and affecting the health of local churches. When you say centralising operations, what do you mean? It means a mega church with branches that are not allowed to function and grow. They are functionally, financially and morally to the headquarters. They remit 90 per cent, sometimes 100 per cent of their revenues to the central body. The control is so much that they cannot function or grow on their own. Everything is subjected to what happens at the headquarters. That is what is killing local churches in Africa. Yes, we can start them and have a measure of control in terms of monitoring their doctrines and pastoral authorities. But they need autonomy to grow on their own and move at their pace for growth. Take for example, the issue of pastoral transfer has killed many local churches. Yes, transfer is good in some situations but when pastors are transferred every two, three years; it is killing. When people know a pastor will soon be transferred, they won’t support him like they should. Research has shown that a local church will grow faster when people know he has come to stay for a long time. If you check churches that are growing worldwide, the pastor has been there

The idea of a healthy church is not about perfection because it is full of people with mistakes. So it is not canvassing for a perfect church but a growing, rapturable church

•Dr. Francis Bola Akin-John for 10, 15 years. What are the other factors that affect the health of local churches? Another factor is competence of pastors. Many local pastors do not know the peculiar nature of their environment. Then, you have to also consider the administrative structures of many local churches. Many of them are faulty. Many of our churches only focus on Sunday and midweek services. There is nothing on growing people and the communities. There is nothing on specific departments and groupings. Most people that worship in local churches only meet once. There are not bonding together and the love of Christ is not there. In most African churches, we have established elders and council members that have money but do not have the qualities of Christ. In some cases too, we have good elders that have to contend with bad pastors. Shouldn’t pastors be accountable also to church authorities in any way? Oh, they should be accountable. They must be accountable to God and the boards of the church. The church should not be a one-man show. The pastor must be a servant and the first among equals. The pastor should never see himself as the Alpha and Omega. He has to overcome inferiority complex and not fail to accept suggestions and criticisms from others. If he considers himself above all of these, he will create problems in the local church. He will drive away a lot of good people that want to contribute to the growth of the church genuinely. So, this campaign is for the next 10 years? Yes, it is. But I’m afraid it will be for the rest of my life. I don’t see myself doing anything different from this henceforth. With the kind of insights, information and passion that God has given, I will do this for the rest of my life across the globe. Why concentrate on local, instead of global or mega churches? It is local churches that make

global church. Global churches are created from local churches. It is through local churches that we can make communal impact. If you see denominations that boast of having many branches, ask them how many of them are truly healthy. Mega churches are created from local churches. If the local churches are not healthy, the global church is finished. They are the basic units of Christianity. If local churches are making impact in their communities, we’d soon cover the world for God. The sad thing is that we don’t care for local churches. Most district heads and provincial pastors are only interested in financial reports from local churches. It is at the local church level that we can mould lives and disciple people. If we fail there, we will fail everywhere else. It is unfortunate that most local churches spend 90 per cent of time, money and resources erecting physical structures. Nothing is wrong with that but if we pay as little as half of that on building people for the Lord, we will have changed the world. My fear is that if we continue building structures and not people, we will soon have the same scenario happening across Europe. You see many massive structures without people. Many churches have become monuments. There are only worshippers when there are terrorist attacks, funerals or New Year. It is happening here already. We have structures but we are not building people. We are almost repeating the mistakes of Europe in Africa. We should build structures but ensure the people there are discipled and committed to God. Is the idea of a healthy not just idealistic? Is it really possible to have a healthy church? The answer is absolutely and categorically yes. It is not idealism. Everyone seeks medical health. When there is any threat, we rest, take drugs or go to the hospitals. We don’t wait till we are sick to seek help. It is the same with the church because it is the body of Christ. If you ask can the church be healthy? I will throw it

back; can the human body be healthy? Yes, it can. You are here because your body is healthy. So, if you can be healthy, the body of Christ too can be healthy. There are criteria to know if a church is healthy. One is a healthy pastor who is competent. That church must have started by God’s expressed directive. Also, there must be healthy relationship. Four, there must be healthy members that are changed and transformed. There must also be loving atmosphere, not an environment where we gossip and back-bite one another. People must be able to use their gifts and endowments. You mustn’t pull down people because they are gifted. It must be a prayerful church for the light to shine in the commu-

nity. There must be commitment to evangelism through our conducts and words of mouths. The idea of a healthy church is not about perfection because it is full of people with mistakes. So it is not canvassing for a perfect church but a growing, rapturable church. Church health is not utopian or a figment of imagination. It is possible. It may not happen in a year but we keep working at it. Those who want healthy bodies watch what they eat and how they live. It is the same with the church. We can’t just run church without periodic check-ups. Big things don’t kill churches; it is small things that kill churches. Small things like what? Like a pastor falling into moral or financial failure; like not living in peace in the community. Constituting a nuisance through noise or parking indiscriminately. If you are at loggerheads with your neighbours, it will kill the church. Like someone falling into immorality and we refuse to discipline him or her, it will kill the church. If there is grumbling and murmuring yet we ignore them, it will kill the church. Pastors believe once people are coming and the anointing is working, the church is fine. That is erroneous. Physical bigness is not a sign of healthiness. You can be big and be unhealthy. We plant churches everywhere but many of them are not growing and healthy. Ministers must learn to watch over the health of churches the same way they are committed to planting them.

Adeboye tasks Nigerians on thanksgiving BY

OLAYINKA

LATONA

ENERAL Overseer, Re de emed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Adejare Adeboye has again enjoined Nigerians to always thank God despite the numerous socio-economic challenges they are currently facing in the country. Speaking during an annual thanksgiving service at the church's national headquarters, Throne of Grace parish in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Adeboye said: "There is every reason to give thanks to God. We should thank Him for His mercies upon us as a nation." According to him; "the Word of God says that if God were to mark iniquity, who will stand? Therefore it is by His mercies that God has been dealing with us as individuals. Despite what we are, He has been fighting our battles for us." In like manner, his Special Assistant on Administration and Personnel, Pastor Johnson Odesola described 2016 as a year of fullness, new beginning, new strength, new songs for as many as would appreciate God and believe in their Maker. In his word: "It is a year when those that trust in the Lord would laugh despite the pronouncement that Nigerians should be ready to face tough times because whatever has a beginning must surely have an end. Nigerians should believe the change they voted for would manifest greatly this year."

Adesola, however, advised Nigerians to be patient with the government, believing that the government has no magic wand to quickly restore the much that has damaged. He also advised Nigerians desiring a great nation, to be ready to contribute his or her quota to such development, saying: “We should do away with the attitude of maltreating others and buy into the adage that says that 'you should do unto others what you want them to do unto you.' "We should desist from taking things for granted and always pray for those in authority, because apart from the problem of governance, they also have their individual challenges," he noted.

TWOREM hosts prayer meeting

IRST interdenominational quarterly prophetic impartations, declarations and revelations of The Way of Reconciliation Evangelistic Ministries (TWOREM) a.k.a Prophetic & Solution Chapel, Lagos, tagged; BOJUWOMI (where the Lord looks down from His throne to bless believers) holds tomorrow at Sekunderin Miracle Prayer Mountain, Adegbayi-Olode, New Ife Road, Ibadan, Nigeria from 8am to 3pm. According to the convener, Rev/Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel (Baba Sekunderin), special prayer would also be offered for the nation.

SUNDAY VANGUARD,JANUARY 31, 2016, PAGE 43

ESUS took three of his disciples up on a mountain to pray and, suddenly, he was transfigured before them. They saw him covered in glory, talking to Moses and Elijah. Peter became so excited; he did not want to leave. He asked if they could make tabernacles on the mountain and stay there permanently. But while it is our privilege as sons of God for our Father to take us up to the mountaintop and show us the glories of his kingdom, it is not his will in this dispensation for us to remain there. Transient glory Everything is wonderful on the mountaintop. On the mountain, we don’t live by faith: we live by knowledge. On the mountain, we behold the glory of God with open faces. On the mountain, we stretch forth our rods, and the Red Sea parts. We march and the walls of Jericho come crashing down. On the mountaintop, we can move mountains. But the problem with the mountain is not the going up, but the coming down. It must have been exhilarating for Goodluck Jonathan to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But what does he do now for the rest of his life as a former President? Life must have been exciting for Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin when they were going to the moon. But after they got there they had to come back. What do you do with your life after you have been to the moon? What happens after you

LIVING IN THE VVALLEY ALLEY OF LIFE get that Olympic gold medal or after you win the World Cup? How many times are you going to tell your friends the same story and show them the same old photographs? What is going to happen after you finally get married? What happens after you get that dream job, build that mansion or buy that sports car? What happens is that you have to live in the valley. Valley of weeping On the mountaintop, we behold the glory of God. But we don’t live for his glory there. We live for his glory in the valley. However, the valley is a place of humiliation, a place of turmoil and of the mundane. Peter wanted to die with Jesus. But Jesus is not looking for people to die with him. It is very easy to die for Jesus. It is much harder to live for him. When we die for Jesus, we die once and that is it. But when we live for him, we die daily. When we live for Jesus, we live in the valley; a place full of slime-pits and ditches. Moreover, the valley is the home of Goliath. All

What do you do with your life after you have been to the moon? the giants we are ever going to face, we never seem to face them on the mountaintop. We have to face them in the valley. “And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.” (I Samuel 17:2-3). It is in the valley where our true worth to God is realised. It is in the valley where our genuine faithfulness to God is revealed. It is in the valley where we wait patiently for the salvation of God. It is in the valley where we are required to live in the knowledge of the glory of God, which was revealed to us on the mountaintop. It is in the harsh reality of the valley where we declare, against all the odds, that we know our redeemer lives. When God

opened the eyes of Joel, he saw multitudes in the “valley of decision.” (Joel 3:14). Divine encounter

I expected there to be pandemonium, but everyone remained in their seat. I was wondering if I was the only one who could see it. I thought: “Why is no one else afraid?” Then the lion climbed off the stage, walked down the aisle and came to stand in front of me. I was mesmerized in my seat. Then just as amazingly, it started to play with me. I could see that all eyes were on us, but I was most uncomfortable. How do you play with a lion? What if it suddenly remembers it is a lion and turns violent? I just could not take my mind off the fact that it was a lion playing with me. And then the lion did something even more puzzling. It showed me its claws. As it did, one of them grew out as if extended by some hidden hydraulics. Then it put the claw into my eye and used it to stroke my eyeball!

Which is real, the mountaintop or the valley? Can we face the challenges of the valley, in the knowledge of the reality of the mountaintop? That is the challenge of faith. Do the situations and circumstances in the valley panic us into faithless action, which deny the power of God? After every moment of exultation, after every revelation of his glory, we are brought back into the harsh reality of the humdrum and the mundane. Jesus appeared to me once in a dream. I was sitting in a big theatre with lots of people. It might have been a church service, except there was no pulpit and no preacher. Contradictions of Then suddenly, a lion faith came out.

I realised it was Jesus, “the lion of the tribe of Judah,” who had visited me, determined to tell me he is my friend. Nevertheless, that day of my dream turned out to be one of the worst days of my life. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. The devil attacked me ferociously, determined to negate what I had been shown on the mountaintop, and to force back into my consciousness the grim realities of the valley. However, the intensity of our attacks in the valley is the strongest testament that we have been to the mountaintop and that we are indeed the sons of God. It was in the valley of the shadow of death that Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead. Is your God a God of the hills? Let him also be a God of the valleys. The enemy loves to fight in the valley. Therefore: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” (I Kings 20:28). How do we live in the valley? We live in the valley in the sure knowledge that every affliction we go through is working in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (II Corinthians 4:17). We live in the valley confident that: “Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:5-6).

Prayer will solve Nigeria's problems — Mrs. Ambode BY

BOSE

ADELAJA

WIFE of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has identified prayer as the key to solving the sundry challenges confronting the nation. Speaking in Lagos during the 2016 prayer for the nation, organized by Fatimah Charity Foundation, a non-governmental organization, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, Mrs. Ambode insisted that though the country, like many other nations of the world, was facing a number of challenges, fervent prayers to God would speedily resolve them. According to her, “prayer is the solution to all challenges in the lives of individuals or nations. That is why this prayer session, meant to commit our country into the hands of God in year 2016, is a step in the right direction," noting that ongoing anticorruption war in the country, would restore the dignity of Nigeria, fix infrastructure, create employment and revive the nation. While commending the Foundation for its commitment to championing national rebirth, she urged Nigerians, to see beyond the current socio-economic challenges and be hopeful. In her welcome address, the Iyalode of Lagos and president of the Foundation, Hajia BintuFatima Tinubu, noted that the caliber of the invitees, was testimony that Nigeria would be prosperous again and live up to

her claim as the giant of Africa. She urged the citizenry not to despair despite challenges, stressing that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs and guest speaker, Dr. Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef, enjoined the three arms of government to participate ful-

ly in the crusade against corruption and to be sensitive to the plight of the citizenry. Speaking on the topic, “The benefits of anti-corruption lead-

ership in Nigeria”, he said good leadership entails good parenthood, proper child up-bringing which will assist the nation to end corruption.

RCCG launches Media Ambassadors T

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Thursday evening inaugurated the RCCG Media Ambassadors, a group of media practitioners who are members of the church across the nation, with a pledge to always liaise with the group to feed the public with unbiased reporting of happenings within the church organisation. In a welcome address, the RCCG Head of Media & Public Relations, Pastor Segun Adegbiji declared the church's position when he said: "We do not expect you to compromise your professional integrity. We do not want you to kill stories that concern us. As a responsible Christian organisation, we do not cover-up misdeeds; we deal firmly and ruthlessly with pretenders if and when we discover such in our midst." Acknowledging that the Redeemed Christian Church of God with presence in 186 nations of the world, has mem-

bers in different walks of life and is proud of its members who are media practitioners – Television, Radio, Print media, film producers, actors and music artistes, Pastor Adegbiji said: "We like to celebrate our own in the media, film and entertainment industries." Addressing the gathering which included the Managing Editor of Redemption Light Magazine, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, General Manager, Dove Television, Pastor Dele Oke, Pastor Soji Omotunde among others, Pastor Adegbiji said Public Relations department of any organisation cannot function without good media relations, noting that "reputation management of a faithbased organisation, cannot be successfully handled without media channels---traditional media and social media. God in His wisdom has influenced your choice of career, educated you, saved your souls and put you in key places."

He maintained that the church needs the Media in time of peace, when public and media perception of the mission is excellent as well as in time of issues, "when there

is need for issues management to earn mutual understanding and, God forbid it, in time of crisis for crisis management to achieve, support, sympathy and respect.

T.B Joshua ranks 13th most famous pastor BY

BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

GLOBAL digital media company, Ranker, Movement for Progress Initiative, has ranked the man at the Synagogue Church of All Nation, SCOAN, Pastor Temitope Joshua, as the 13th most famous pastor in the world. According to the report, the SCOAN’s founder was acknowledged because of his humanitarian efforts across the globe as recognized by the Ranker. Coordinator of the movement, Mr. Opahigbe Lawal, noted that Ranker which is based in Los Angeles, USA conducted the opinion data base where over

250 million users voted on over 100,000 people, places and things where Pastor Joshua emerged as 13th most famous pastor in the world. He explained that the agency list of ranked top prophets included dead and living in the world, stressing that other Nigerian prophet on the list is Pastor Joseph Ayo Babalola who was ranked 32. “It is great to break the news that Pastor T. B. Joshua was ranked 13th most famous prophet in the world by a global digital media company called Ranker. This feat was possible due to his contribution and support for humanitarian across the globe,” he added.

PAGE 44 —SUNDAY Vanguard,JANUARY 31, 2016

Why we should not sell Nigeria, by Babatunde Fashola W

e are gathered at a historic time to discuss an important

matter. Some may see a Pension Conference, but I see more. I see a future for Africa, led by Nigeria, using the resources of the people to build a future that includes the people. It is not a vision or an idea. It has gone beyond that. It is a journey, one that started a while ago when the Pension Reform Act was signed into Law. That journey started with the coming together of some Nigerian minds. Minds like that of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr Fola Adeola. It has been nurtured by the dedicated hands of men and women who have served in the pension commission who are represented by the current Director- General Mrs Chinelo Amazu- Anohu. It has reached a major milestone from where it must reinvigorate itself . The tools for that reinvigoration have been provided by our legislators in the Amendment they passed into in 2014. The success of this phase of the journey now rests with you and I. And this is why we gather. In the letter of the Pension Commission inviting me to be a Keynote Speaker at this event, no topic was assigned. However, some paragraphs of the letter which I have excerpted provide some directions as to the thinking of the organizers and I will share them with you: (a)“Two of the most strategic themes, positive that returns (on investment) and visible (measurable) impact on the economy” (b)“creating solutions to the binding constraints that Nigeria faces in developing “bankable projects” in infrastructure and real estate that pension funds can invest in…” (c)“While the pool of Pension Funds are a veritable source of capital, lack of suitable investable vehicles with low risk profiles and sufficient comfort continues to hamper the drive to make visible economic impact” It seems to me that the key words such as “positive real returns”, “visible impact on the economy”, “bankable products…that pension funds can invest in”, “low risk profile and sufficient comfort” makes it easy to create my own topic “Overcoming the Challenges and Managing the Risks and Constraints that Inhibit the Investment of Private Capital and Funds in Nigeria’s Infrastructure Landscape in Order to Make a Visible Economic Impact”. In seeking to address this topic, which I hope accords with the objective of the organizers, I will attempt to be empirical by a case study discussion where I will review some of the public infrastructure that have been funded by private capital, and I will do some comparisons of what the Pension Funds are achieving in other economies. In this way, I hope to highlight the differences between us and those economies, and in that way, make my recommendations about what we should be doing. The History of Pension Funds in Nigeria It is impossible in this kind of forum to exhaustively deal with the issue of Pension Funds and its management in the Nigerian public service. What is appropriate is to highlight the largely unsuccessful

•Fashola... If people put their money into what they believe in, it is likely to serve them better initiatives that have been characterized by such brand names as the National Provident Fund (NPF) and the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Those brands represent the era when pension was only the responsibility of the employer, What simply happened was that from a failure of governance, coupled with lack of funds as a result of planning deficiency, and sometimes incompetence, pensioners faced a life of uncertainty after a lifetime of service and at a time when they had become frail, unable to work or earn income and often then left disappointed by a system that had taken all they had to give. It is sad a story that is written on so many faces characterized by many living and dead people whose lives tell the story of anguish. It is a chapter of Nigeria’s story that is perhaps best forgotten, but regrettably they cannot yet be consigned to history because there are still debts to be paid, there are still beneficiaries who are owed, there are still Nigerians, who gave a lot, almost everything under a defined benefit scheme that is yet to give them benefit. The current pension regime, whose managers are the organizers of this event happily have a better story to tell. It is a story of mutual contribution, where the employee and the employer share the responsibility of planning for the tomorrow. It is a story different from the past, where the funds are safe and have exceeded N5 Trillion. It is a story of better management. It is the starting point for this discussion because there is a hard lesson here. If people put their money into what they believe in, it is likely to serve them better. The old scheme where there was no contribution by the employee perhaps reduced their role as stakeholders but does not justify the mismanagement. But the real story is about contribution, paying your share; and it takes me to the next point which is diversification and the relevance of diversification to our subject. Diversification For over 3 (Three) decades we have mouthed the need to diversify our economy in order to open up more sectors for productive activities, income, economic growth

As a people, we were willing to pay for these services outside our country but demanded that they be provided for free in our country and jobs. But we failed to follow through because of oil resources. It was quick and bountiful income even though there were boom and burst cycles. Every time the cycle burst, we scampered, and promised to diversify, we take tentative steps, we feel pain. We do not endure, and it is easy to escape because not too far on the horizon is a boom in oil prices and we go back to an old life. Remember 1970s up to 1976; remember the early 1980s and the burst. Remember the late eighties and Gulf War boom, remember the 1990s and the drop, remember the period of 2009-2014 when oil sold for over $100 per barrel for almost 5 years. What did we do? We went on a spending spree. Politicians promised everything free. Everyone got a wage increase, sometimes up to 80% (minimum wage from N7,500 – N10,000 raised to N18,000.00). Did our income as a Nation increased by 80%? As we sought after free health, free education, free fuel, free housing and free everything, we refused to confront the reality that life is not free. It was difficult to get private capital into critical sectors of our economy like infrastructure. Private capital and fund managers were not going to invest funds entrusted to them in infrastructure if we wanted to use them for free. As a people, we were willing to pay for these services outside our

country but demanded that they be provided for free in our country. The new pension fund has shown what can happen if people resolve to contribute and pay their way. Health insurance is another area that can open up access to top class health service for even the poor , if people are ready to contribute and save for their well being. Insurance will give them a choice and access to the best medical service when they need it. It will give them a second highway away from public health service, which even with its best intentions cannot provide every service free (examples). But today’s reality is that we are in another cycle of burst. Oil prices have crashed from over $100 per barrel and is now hovering around $30 per barrel and there is a real chance that it will fall lower. Put very simply, our main source of revenue has taken a big blow. This household has lost its bread winner. However, it is not without options. It has assets, it can raise money, it has savings such as the private money belonging to pensioners, but it cannot be used like oil money. Whatever is used must return. This calls for a new attitude. There is no free money. Ladies and gentlemen, I have news for you. After 3 (three) decades of prevaricating about diversification, diversification has walked into the front door of the Nigerian household. We must either embrace it, with a new attitude, or idle in agony and anguish until when hopefully the price of oil will rise again, as it will surely do. The pension funds, which are under the management of pension funds administrators will not go into roads, rail, housing, hospitals or universities unless we change our attitude. Attitude Change As I said earlier, I intend to be empirical. So instead of prescribing what to do, I will simply share the experiences we are all familiar with and leave us with the options first to make rational choices, and also to be agents for change in the areas where we can influence others. In the course of my public service, I have been privileged to be involved in getting private capital to operate in areas that were once the sole preserve of government and I will share the experiences and the results. (a)Lekki-Epe Expressway This is a 60km road in the eastern axis of Lagos State that was built in the 1970s and has scarcely seen any maintenance. Potholes had taken over its surface, the population it was serving was growing daily and neither Lagos State Government had the funds to rebuild it and the Federal Government at the time was not interested even though oil income was increasing. Accidents were claiming lives regularly and nothing seemed to offer a solution until the Lagos State Government in 2005 signed a concession with a private group of financiers. They were very skeptical of many things not the least our political environment and behaviour. We had previously nationalized assets of investors in the oil and gas sector and other sectors before. Investors don’t like that and they

don’t forget. But their sense of entrepreneurship if nothing else, keeps them from staying away. In spite of risks they sometimes come back when they think the waters have calmed. But they do so with conditions, which they hoped will mitigate risks, especially political risks. They are used to and trained to deal with business risks, but often unprepared to deal with, and frequently unable to deal with politically induced risks. In the Lekki-Expressway, after doing their traffic studies, satisfying themselves that the business was “bankable” (which is what the organizers of this event are looking for) they asked the Lagos State Government to pass a law; in effect to tie the hands of the next government that the concession will not be cancelled. In other economies, a contract, which Lagos State Government gave them, would have been enough; however, as I said, investors never forget, so they asked for a law, which the State House of Assembly passed. But when we thought that will suffice, they then asked for a “Federal Support Agreement”, which was akin to a sovereign guarantee. Of course Lagos and the Federal Government at the time had different political colours and a Federal Support Agreement was delayed by politics for 3 years. During that time, prices changed, exchange rates changed, many economic indices changed leading to cost impact, but eventually one was signed, during the tenure of President YarAdua. This meant that with the Federal Support Agreement, Nigeria’s Sovereign credit rating had entered the equation. Regrettably, when the road was finally built, and tolls were to be charged to repay the financiers, all sorts of informed and misinformed players took centre stage. There was no resistance during the painful period of construction when children had to wake up at 4a.m to get to school at 8a.m. But as soon as the road was motorable and ready for use and Tolling , some sympathizers of the Federal Government of the day, on a political front mobilized resistance to the payment of tolls. They promised that if they were elected, they will cancel the toll. That is not good news to investors. I got all sort of letters from around the world. Investors sent representatives from around the world to meet with us, asking what was happening. All lies were told against our officials after the road was built. But we were undeterred. We bore the lies. We managed the orchestrated protests. Some artisteswere mobilized to pour red paint on their faces and posted these on the social media as evidence to incense people falsely that we had used violence to stop their protests. One newspaper falsely and recklessly carried a headline that our government had killed a person protesting illegal tolls. That was the first and only time I used the coercive power of the State. We deployed Policemen to the toll plazas. They were instructed to allow protests which was legitimate, but they must also protect those who were not interested in protesting and wanted to pay tolls, because those who were opposed to paying had no right to obstruct those who wanted to pay.

KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE NIGERIAN PENSION INDUSTRY STRATEGY I M P L E M E N TAT I O N ROADMAP RETREAT ON JANUARY 21-23, 2016 To be continued

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016 — 45

Suarez joins Ighalo at Watford

Nwakali wants Kanu’s Gunners No. 25 jersey H

AVING seen his contract with Arsenal half done, Golden Eaglets star, Kelechi Nwakali is hoping to emulate Nwankwo Kanu who made a tremendous impact with the London Gunners. Kanu, remind the only Super Eagles player to star for Arsenal, but Nwakali and his Eaglets team mate Samuel Chukwueze signed for the Gunners, and will fully join the team in the summer. “Happy I made it. Now the work begins, Nwakali wrote on his facebook wall. The youngster said he has already asked to wear the currently-vacant No.25 shirt of club legend Kanu. The 39-year-old, a member of the great young Nigerian side that won gold at the 1996 Olympics, played under

Wenger between 1999 and 2004. A member of the Invincibles side Kanu scored 44 goals in 197 games for Arsenal, earning his place in the list of the 50 Greatest Gunners in 2008. Nwakali, 17, was voted Player of the Tournament at the 2015 Under-17s World Cup in Chile Arsenal scouted them during last year’s Under17s World Cup in Chile when Nwakali, 17, was the star of the tournament as he was captain and voted Player of the Tournament. Chukwueze, 16, scored three goals and three assists. Nigeria won their fifth Under 17s Word Cup crown in November last year, with a 2-0 over Mali in the final. Goals from Victor Osimhen and Funsho Bamgboye proved the difference for the Super Eagles.

Young Gunners... Kelechi Nwakali (left) and Samuel Chukwueze (right) pose with Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger and Nwankwo Kanu.

Emenike passes Hammers medical

ORMER Super Ea gles striker Emmanuel Emenike has passed his medical with West Ham and would hopefully conclude his deal with the Hammers today. Emenike is set to join the Hammers on loan for the second half of the season as Slaven Bilic seeks further attacking options with his striking

department hit by injury. The deal is expected to be an initial six-month loan spell with a view to purchase for around £7million and reports overnight suggest the Hammers are closing in on their man. “We’re about to loan [Emenike] to West Ham United’, revealed Fener-

bahce chairman Aziz Yildrim. “They will pay us € 1m for this agreement and they will have the option to purchase him for € 11m.” Emenike made 37 appearances for Nigeria before announcing his retirement from international football in October 2015, scoring 9 times.

Messi, Ronaldo rake in 1000 goals

Unstoppable... Lionel Messi leaves Atletico Madrid’s Gabi stranded during a match.

CHAN: Cote d’ Ivoire knock out Cameroon

OTE d‘Ivoire beat Cameroon 3-0 after extra-time in their African Nations Championship quarter-final in Rwanda. The first 90 minutes of the game produced very little in the way of quality football and ended goalless. Koffi Boua, Atcho Djobo and Serge N’Guessan scored the goals for coach Michel Dussuyer ’s (pictured) side. Boua headed in a cross from Krahire Zakri five minutes into extra-time. The second was also a

C M Y K

header this time from Djobo as he connected with a corner taken by captain Serge N’Guessan on 102 minutes. The

Ivorians will now play the winners of Sunday ’s Tunisia against Mali quarter-final in Thursday’s semi-final.

Akpom’s hat-trick buries Bury

ULL City eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup with Chuba Akpom hitting a hat-trick in their 3-1 win at Bury. The on-loan Arsenal striker gave the 2014 runners-up a 14thminute lead before converting a 57th-minute

penalty. The 20-year-old struck again 12 minutes later to claim his first treble in senior football, while Craig Jones claimed a consolation with four minutes left. Meyler then had a header cleared off the line by Rose, while Sone

RISTIANO Ronaldo (518) and Lionel Messi (482) have reached 1000 career goals combined following the Argentine’s strike against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Messi netted the equaliser in Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday - meaning that he and Ronaldo together have reached a huge milestone. The pair have been longtime rivals, and while Ronaldo wins the battle in terms of goals, Messi trumps the Real Madrid star in terms of club trophies won, as well as possessing a better goalsper-game ratio. Messi and Luis Suarez fired Barcelona to a priceless 2-1 win over nine-man Atletico Madrid to strike a huge blow in the Primera Division title race. Atletico got off to a fine start at the Nou Camp as Koke gave them the lead after just 10 minutes but Messi and Suarez each struck in the space of eight minutes to turn the game around before the break. The balance of the tabletop showdown then further tipped in Barca’s favour when Atletico defenders Filipe Luis and Diego Godin were sent off, and a frustrat-

ing afternoon for Diego Simeone’s side was later compounded as Augusto Fernandez was stretchered off with a suspected knee injury. The result sees the Catalan side move three points above their nearest challengers at the top of the table thanks to their fifth straight win over Atletico, and Luis Enrique’s men still boast a game in hand.

ATFORD have confirmed the signing of Fiorentina midfielder Mario Suarez for a undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old has agreed a four-and-a-half year contract with the Hornets, after completing a medical with the Barclays Premier League side. Suarez , a product of Atletico Madrid’s youth system, enjoyed huge success with the club, winning La Liga and finishing runner-up to rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League in the 2013/14 season. ‘I am very happy to be here because it is a dream come true to play in the Premier League,’ Suarez told the official club website. ‘I am very excited with the project of the club, to be trained again by Quique and to start playing for Watford.’ Flores had previously spoken of his admiration for the player, who he had worked with in the Spanish capital, for a year, when the midfielder was at Atletico Madrid between 2009 and 2011. ‘He is experienced and he plays very well, Flores said. ‘In the last year he has been unlucky a little bit as he hasn’t been able to keep up the level of the first eight years of his career, but now it is very important for him to recuperate . ‘We have the tools to recuperate this player and when Mario Suarez recuperates his level he will be amazing for Watford.’

Aubameyang’s double keeps pressure up on Bayern

IERRE-Emerick Aubameyang helped Borussia Dortmund close the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to five points as he scored twice in a 2-0 victory over Ingolstadt. Aubameyang netted twice in the final 13 minutes to take his Bundesliga tally to 20 for the season. The visitors enjoyed the better of the opportunities in the first half at Signal Iduna Park as Dario Lezcano saw one effort saved by Roman Burki and another well cleared by Lukasz Piszczek as the ball trickled goalwards. Controversy reigned when Mats Hummels inadvertently sent his back pass over the head of Burki and into his own net, only to be

Aubameyang bailed out by referee Guido Winkmann, who deemed that the defender had been fouled before he kicked the ball. Dortmund capitalised on their slice of good fortune as Aubameyang guided a close-range header into the top corner after 77 minutes and then notched a second four minutes from time by sliding a low effort past Ramazan Ozcan.

46 — S UNDAY Vanguard SUNDAY Vanguard,, JANUAYR 31, 2016

Do they know it’s 187 days to the Olympics?

•Musa

Musa: CSKA Moscow reject improved Leicester bid R

USSIAN club CSKA Moscow have rejected an improved offer from Premier League leaders Leicester City for Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa, BBC Sport understands. Moscow turned down a new bid of $26.5m (£18.7) which was an improvement on the original offer of $21.6m (£15.1m). The 23-year-old is believed to be open to a move to Leicester. The Nigeria captain has also attracted the attention of other top Premier League teams and has a $32.5m (£22.8m) buyout clause in his contract. His current deal with CSKA Moscow runs until 2019. Leicester are expected to return with an improved bid for the player before the transfer window closes on 1 February. A former VVV Venlo player, Musa has scored 10 goals in 29 games this season and 11 times in 56 appearances for Nigeria.

Musa, who made his international debut against Madagascar in September 2010, scored twice in Nigeria’s 3-2 loss to Argentina at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Nigerian-born Alokwe eyes Guinness World Record *Set to raise £20,000 for Charity

IGERIAN-born Omo Alokwe, a keen biker and volunteer with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) / Doctors without Borders. undertook a solo, unsupported motorcycle ride overland from Land’s End in England, UK to Lagos, Nigeria on 12 December 2015 and arrived Lagos on 15 January 2016. The ride passed through 11 countries including Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. In doing so he set a world record in the process as no one

Rio 2016: Ogoke confident on seeded alongside Belarus and D’Tigress Korea in Group C.

OLLOWING the successful Draws for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at the House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland, D’Tigress and Celta Vigo Basketball club Point Guard, Sarah Ogoke has said the team have what it takes to represent Africa at the Rio Olympics. The D’Tigress who qualified for Olympic qualifiers after pipping Angola to the bronze medal at the Afrobasket for women in Cameroon last September are

Iheanacho's Continued from B/P midway through the first half and completed his treble following a howler by ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Raheem Sterling then added a late fourth. Villa came into the match unbeaten in five games and held City to a goalless draw at Villa Park in November, but they offered little resistance in a dreadful performance. C M Y K

He scored the county’s fastestever goal at a World Cup - netting after four minutes - before becoming their first player to score twice in one game at the tournament.

“I am super confident in our ability and our chances of getting one of the five tickets to Brazil. Belarus and Korea will be tough opponents in the preliminaries, but I know we have enough talent to compete and get out of the group”, she said, adding, “Our aim in France is to end up in Brazil”. Sarah Ogoke led Nigeria in assists in Cameroun 2015 with 4.4 assists per game, scoring 6.9 points per game then adding, 4.2 rebounds per game and 1. 4 steals per game.

Pharaohs Continued from B/P examined both the old and new players,” Cuper was quoted as saying by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) official website. “We called 32 players for the Aswan camp. Some proved themselves while others were below the level. We will call a fewer number of players in the coming camp ahead of the Nigeria match. “I’d like to thank the football

had traveled overland from Land’s End to Lagos prior to he doing it. According to Alokwe, “Phase 2 of the project is to break the Guinness World Record for the ‘Longest Motorcycle Journey within a Single Country’ in Nigeria, currently 38,000 Km in India. This will involve travelling the length and breadth of Nigeria a few times visiting major tourist attractions and places of historical interest.” “The ride will be used to raise awareness and funds for the charity. I have set myself a target of raising £20,000 for the charity,” he said.

•Alokwe associations of both Jordan and Libya for accepting to face us outside FIFA dates. “I have already settled on the lineup that will appear against Nigeria,” the former Valencia and Inter Milan boss concluded. The Egyptians are on top of Group G of the Nations Cup qualifiers with maximum six points from wins over Tanzania and Chad. Nigeria are second on four points. Egypt are bidding to reach the Nations Cup for the first time since winning the last of their record seven titles in 2010.

HE last time I checked on the official website of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games holding in Rio de Janeiro, what I first saw was the Omega time piece tickling away, counting days to the most glamorous sporting event in the world. From that time piece, by today, January 31, 2016, it will be exactly 187 days, some fraction of hours, minutes and seconds to the Games which is expected to run from 5-21, August, 2016. The next information I saw and read was that about 10,500 athletes (excluding officials) from 206 countries( Nigeria inclusive of course) will compete in the “First Olympic Games in South America.” It further revealed that during the 17 days it would last, there will be 306 medals to be competed for by the athletes out of which 161 of them will be for men, 136 for women and nine mixed, that is for both sexes in double events. All these medals will be in 42 events including two others, golf which is returning to the Games after 112 years and rugby, making a comeback after 92 years. Of all the information I got, one thing I know is that my country, Nigeria will be among the 206 participating countries and her athletes will be among the 10,500 mentioned while she will be competing in only seven sports, athletics, wrestling, football, boxing, taekwondo, basketball and weightlifting, even though the authorities earlier said eight sports would make it. What I couldn’t find answers to are how many athletes would fly our flag in Rio and how many of those medals our athletes would be able to win. Again because it is said that to win a medal at the Olympics, an athlete should have started preparing for it immediately after one ends, I cannot say how prepared our athletes are. Our athletes should have started preparing after the London 2012 Olympics, which ironically was the worst in recent times for our country as we came back empty handed but it is sadly not so. Nigeria’s Daniel Igali, who is president of the Wrestling Federation is a very good example here. When he was spotted by Canada which eventually made him to switch nationality in 1994 at the Commonwealth Games they hosted that year in Victoria, they did not rush him into participating in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta but prepared him for the Sydney Games in 2000. How did they start? They first got him a sponsor which provided money for his needs. He then started training, then competing from time to time in national and continental as well as world championships. So he was ripe for a medal at the 2000 Olympics and he didn’t disappoint, winning for Canada her first Olympic gold in wrestling. There are many more Igalis here but have they been identified and how really prepared to win medals in Rio are they? If they have even been identified, how motivated are they and how are their trainings being funded? Our sports authorities may well tell you that the athletes have been training on their own but is that how it is supposed to be? Igali never prepared on his own, his trainings were monitored. He had specified time to train, time to eat, eat food that is monitored and given the right medication when it became necessary. Then he had a planned calendar to participate in competitions which are chosen so he doesn’t burn out before the Games proper. Do our athletes have all these already done for them? When they tell you that our athletes are training on their own, they are truly on their own. They train when they feel like and eat whatever they could afford which surprisingly include food like beans and bread they buy across the road. They take medication on their own and hence unknowingly become victims of banned substances some times. Recently eight of our athletes who won medals at the 2015 African Games in Congo failed drug test and have been banned for between four and eight years. This calls for concern and the anti doping unit of the sports ministry should be worried about what to do so we don’t get the same embarrassment in Rio. It is pertinent to point out to the sports ministry officials that it just 187 days to the Games and the athletes and their officials want to know when their camping, the closed one where those already pencilled down for the Games, will start. At least from then, the athletes could be monitored closely to know what they eat, the medications they take and how they train. After visiting the training facilities in Lagos, Abuja and the High Performance Centre in Port Harcourt, it is time for the sports minister to ask how about the athletes because we are way behind in our preparations. In time past, the athletes should be getting ready to embark on training tours abroad, not only to fine tune their training but participate in some championships so that they can peak as they enter into the Games. That was what the late Group Captain Brai Ayonote did for the boxers on their way to posting respectable results and podium performances at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. That was the era our athletics team gave the Americans a run for their money. It also important to remind the Minister that President Muhammadu Buhari’s call for a better performance in Brazil during the presidential reception for victorious athletes should be taken seriously otherwise we will be courting with a repeat of the London 2012 disaster.

S UNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, JANUAYR 31, 2016—47

Ikorodu United ‘ll bring back crowds to Onikan —Ogunsanya By Jacob Ajom

HE atmosphere was electrifying. The dominant colours in and around Ikorodu Town Hall were red and blue, depicting the colours of Ikorodu United Football Club, the newest addition to the Globacom Premier League, Nigeria’s topflight. Not wanting to be outdone, sponsors of the club, cable television network, Gotv draped its banners in every conceivable angle of the hall and its surroundings. The guest list was predictable as this included a representative of the Oba of Ikorodu. The chairman, League Management Company, Shehu Dikko was represented by the founding chairman of the LMC, Honourable Nduka Irabor, First Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos FA Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, ex-Nigeria internationals led by former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, Peter Rufai, Waidi Akani, Victor Agali, among others. The media, led by the giant Supersport crew and a large retinue of other

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electronic and print media representatives were also there. After a long wait for guests to settle in, activities marking the official launch of the club eventually took off with a ball juggler doing his thing to the delight of guests. It was not a day for long speeches as speaker after speaker made it fast to leave the podium. Vice Chairman of the club, Babatunde Akindele set the ball rolling with his brief but succinct statement of intent. “We are ready to play ball,” he said, and urged fans to come out in their thousands to watch their brand of football when the season commences. He promised good results. When it was turn for the Adewunmi Ogunsanya, chairman of the club, who doubles as chairman of Multichoice Nigeria, he was overwhelmed. He talked about the dream, the work and those who helped him nurture the dream to reality. He called on the board members to join him on the podium to celebrate the moment. “Ikorodu United is our testament,” he started, promising, “ with Ikorodu United, Nigerians will return

•Players of Ikorodu United in the Club’s jerseys during the lauch. to the stands to watch local football. It is a wonderful platform we are giving to the people which will be run as a truly professional football club.” Honourable Irabor was all too pleased to see a Nigerian clubside so well organised. He said, “Ikorodu United is the closest to the model the LMC have been talking about.- a truly privately owned and run club.” After the speeches, the club’s official jerseys were unveiled to

a loud applause in the hall. The head coach, a former international, Edema Benson, clad in a lack suit, white shirt and a red tie to match – just like all his players, was all smiles but not unmindful of what is ahead of him and his wards. Yet he was not cowed by the challenge. “We are aware of the challenge ahead of us and I will say without equivocation that we are ready. This is our first season in the top flight but we are not scared of any team as big names don’t play

football.” He added that the big boys I te topflight should be ready for a shocker as they have big plan for them. “We want to replicate what Leicester City is doing in England here in Nigeria.” As role models, Victor Ikpeba and Peter Rufai had words of advice for the players, hammering on discipline, dedication and hard work. Ikorodu Utd will play their home matches at the Onikan Stadium.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 31, 2016

Musa: CSKA Moscow reject improved Leicester bid —p.46

FA Cup: Iheanacho hat-trick sinks Villa T

EENAGE striker Kelechi Iheanacho gave Manchester City fans an exciting glimpse into the future by scoring his first hat-trick as Manuel Pellegrini’s men cruised into the FA Cup fifth round and kept their hopes alive of an unprecedented Quadruple. With Sergio Aguero given a rest, Iheanacho took centre-stage with his sixth, seventh and eighth goals of the campaign, against the Premier League’s bottom team. He followed up a poacher ’s finish after four minutes with a coolly-taken penalty

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Odion Ighalo (l) pursues a Nottingham Forest player during the match.

Ighalo’s late strike earns Watford 5th round ticket

ATFORD edged into the FA Cup fifth round after a late Odion Ighalo goal against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The Premier League side dominated possession and forced Forest keeper Dorus De Vries into a series of

Omorodion's SportsGuard on —p.46

saves during a lacklustre opening half, which ended with Forest forward Jamie Ward wasting the best opportunity to break the deadlock. Nordin Amrabat was denied a goal on his debut by a stunning De Vries save before Quique Sanchez Flores brought on Odion Oghalo, and the Hornets’ leading scorer duly netted a late winner with practically his first touch.

Kerber stuns Serena to Aussie Open title •FLYING HIGH...Kelechi Iheanacho leaps in celebration after netting his second goal of the game as he is joined by team-mates Jesus Navas (left) and Fernandinho

Pharaohs ready for Eagles – Cuper W

•Cuper

HILE Nigeria is still reeling from the early ouster from the CAF Africa Nations Championship, Egypt have put their squad in frame for the crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in March. Pharoahs coach, Hector Cuper said his team for the first leg tie to be

played in Abuja is ready, adding that the two friendlies against Jordan and Libya have put his squad in focus for the must win match for the Super Eagles. “We gained a lot from the two friendly matches in Aswan as we

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CROSS WORD PUZZLE DOWN ACROSS 1. Sample (5) 1. Governor of Sokoto 2. Niger state town (4) State (8) 3. Observe (5) 5. Assistant (4) 4. Lecture (6) 7. Praise (5) 5. Everyone (3) 8. Upright (4) 6. Use (6) 9. Lantern (4) 10. Inquires (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Exclamation (2) 15. Resistance unit (3) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 17. Coax (4) 18. Agent (3) 19. Rollicked (6) 20. Glitters (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 24. Forward (5) 22. Satisfied (4) 25. Nigerian state (6) 23. Nigerian state (3) 27. Boring tool (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 27 . African country (6) 31. Perform (2) Endure (4) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 28. 29. Child (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 30. Spoke (6) 36. Vow (4) 31. Adorn (5) 38. Musical quality (4) 33. Baking chambers 39. Inclination (5) (5) 40. Eager (4) 35. Asterisk (4) 41. Damages (8) 37. Possessed (3)

ERMANY’S Angelique Kerber stunned world number one Serena Williams in three sets to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Kerber, seeded seventh, won a thrilling final 6-4 3-6 6-4 at Melbourne Park. The 28-year-old is the first German to win a major singles title since Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open. Williams, 34, was beaten for just the fifth time in 26 Grand Slam finals, and the American missed the chance to tie Graf ’s open-era record of 22 titles.

•Kerber, seeded seventh, won a thrilling final 64 3-6 6-4

RESULTS FA Cup

See solution on page 5

•Serena

Colchester Arsenal Aston Villa Bolton Bury Crystal Palace Nott. Forest Oxford Portsmouth Reading Shrewsbury West Brom Liverpool

1 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 4 3 2 0

Tottenham Burnley Man City Leeds Hull City Stoke City Watford Blackburn Bournemouth Walsall Sheff Wednesday Peterborough West Ham United

4 1 4 2 3 0 1 3 2 0 2 2 0

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