Elections tribunals: PDP accuses Buhari of interference

C M Y K

2 — SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 3

4 — SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 5

ELECTION TRIBUNALS: PDP accuses Buhari of interference •Says Amaechi’s confirmation as minister, a death knell on APC’s anti-graft war •APC dismisses allegations, advises PDP to re-brand

By Henry Umoru

N

ATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the presidency of undue interference in the Judiciary, Legislature and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which it said was unacceptable.

Specifically, the PDP accused the presidency of using the Department of State Service, DSS to influence election petition tribunal and court rulings in favour of the APC. Rising from a meeting held at the Ondo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the PDP National Caucus also lampooned Senators elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, for confirming former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as a minister, saying the action was a death knell on APC’s war against corruption.

Amaechi was on Thursday confirmed by Senate when all but one Senator in the PDP caucus walked out of the Senate Chambers.

Hailing its senators who staged a walk out from the Senate Chambers during the confirmation of Amaechi, the PDP describing the action as good for democracy.

It said: “We salute the courage and unity of purpose of our senators especially as demonstrated in the Senate chambers in their collective stand against impunity and corruption, in line with the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian people. The PDP states that what the APC senators did is a death knell on their party’ s pretentious war against corruption.

“The PDP further notes that whilst former APC governors are being rewarded with ministerial appointments, their PDP counterparts are being hounded and harassed in the selective war against corruption. The party reiterates its commitment to the unity of Nigeria and the continued development of democracy in the country.”

In a communiqué signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the the opposition party urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and save the nation’s democracy from drifting into a dictatorship.

The Communiqué read: “The National Caucus carefully reviewed the

political developments in the nation’s polity and resolved as follows.

“That there is serious cause for concern in the nation’s political environment, especially as it concerns the survival of the nation’s democracy.

“That the gains recorded in the 16 years of nurturing of democracy in the country by the PDP is rapidly being eroded with non-functioning of basic tenets of democracy and perpetuation of actions tilting towards dictatorship.

“That the insensitivity of the ruling government to very critical issues being raised by the opposition is a huge threat to viable democracy and dangerous to the peace, unity and progress of the country.

“That the undue interferences by the executive arm of government on the activities of the judiciary, legislature and INEC using the DSS is clearly unacceptable to the PDP as well as the Nigerian people and the party resolved to vigorously resist such.

“That the party finds it offensive and provocative, the judiciary’s handling of cases involving it in election tribunals in some states, particularly, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Taraba, Ogun, Plateau and Lagos states.

The tainted judgements of these tribunals, which are evidently products of armtwisting from the nation’s security operatives under the direct command of an APC member remains unacceptable to us.

“The PDP states that the conclusive evidence of external influence on the Rivers State governorship election tribunal is the fact that it was able to deliver its judgement within 24 hours, in a case that had nearly 100 witnesses, 1000 pieces of documentary evidences and nine counsel’s final written addresses; each not less than 40 pages. The decision, in view of the rather interesting history of the case, indicates that the judiciary, like the PDP and the Nigerian electorate are victims of the APC-led Federal Government.

“The party expects the judiciary, as an institution to restore its image by taking immediate measures to protect itself from political interferences as well as ensure that needed steps are taken at the appellate levels to remedy the embarrassing ruling by some of the election petitions tribunals.

“The party has also noted

clandestine moves by the APC to use various agencies of government, to manipulate the processes and rig the outcome of the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states in their favour and vowed to deploy every means within the law to resist such.

“That the party calls on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the leader of the country, to stand up for justice and equity and halt the undemocratic attitudes of agents of government in the interest of peace and stability.”

APC dismisses allegations Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the allegation, describing it as a rehash of the opposition party’s infantile whinnying which will not save it from going down unless it rebrands most urgently.

APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in his reaction said: ‘’It is time for the PDP to take a long, hard look at itself in the mirror and change everything that is ugly about the party, instead of wasting its energy and time on irrelevancies,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

It said the PDP cannot continue to do things in its trademark old, crooked ways and expect a different result. ‘’The PDP just doesn’t get it, despite being the architect of its own fall from power.

The days of winning elections with the aid of slush funds, brigandage, deceit and rigging are gone forever, hence the PDP must return to the drawing board to fashion out decent and empirical ways of repackaging and selling itself to Nigerians, just like the opposition did when they decided to come together,’’ APC said.

The party said the PDP’s ceaseless and ill-advised attack on the judiciary, now its favourite whipping boy, the endless put-down of government agencies and the demonization of everyone but itself will fetch the party nothing but political grief. ‘’Instead of a blanket and unsubstantiated accusation against the judiciary over the election petition tribunal rulings in Rivers and Akwa Ibom, the PDP would have shown itself to be a serious party if it had provided statistics on how many of the

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in a handshake with the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria , Perry John Calderwood during his visit to the Vice President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Thursday. cases filed at the various election petition tribunals nationwide, after the 2015 elections, have so far been decided in favour of the PDP and the APC, so that Nigerians can see whether the PDP has not won any single petition or whether all the cases have been won by the APC. ‘’The PDP has forgotten that the same judiciary that it is wilfully castigating today had decided many election petitions in favour of the party and against the APC, whether at the Governorship, National Assembly or State Assembly levels, and the ruling party has not opted to bring the whole house crashing down on everyone just because of that. ‘’Going down the memory lane, when the PDP took itself to court in 2007 over the

Governorship election in Rivers, the same judiciary that has now become an apparition to the PDP awarded the Governorship to a candidate who never even featured on the ballot because the party crookedly substituted his name. Then, the PDP did not see the judiciary as being used by the then PDP Administration, neither did the opposition castigate the judiciary,’’ it said.

Asks PDP to re-brand APC admonished the PDP to stop yowling and engage in strategic thinking that could propel the party forward, rather than continue to be nostalgic about its past, which is neither dignifying nor enlivening. ‘’The 16 years of the PDP which the party has continued to shamelessly celebrate - are nothing to

celebrate, either for the impunity that characterized the party’s governance, the massive looting of the national treasury that is still being assessed or the bastardization of all the values that the nation holds dear. Thankfully, President Muhammadu Buhari has brought sanity to governance even as the PDP has continued to try to distract him with their endless wailing. ‘’Our parting word for the PDP: Stop throwing juvenile tantrums against everyone, especially the judiciary. Stop wasting your energy on frivolous accusations. Learn how to communicate your thoughts to Nigerians in a more civilized way and put your shoulder to the wheel if you want to reincarnate as a force to be reckoned with in our country’s political firmament,’’ APC said.

Alleged false declaration of assets:

Saraki loses appeal, goes to S-Court •Appeal Court Justices disagree over legality of charge

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

L

EGAL dispute over the propriety of the13-count criminal charge pending against the Senate President, Dr. Olubukola Saraki, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, has shifted to the Supreme Court.

This was even as Justices of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, disagreed on whether or not the charge which was preferred against Saraki by the Federal Ministry of Justice, ought to be quashed.

Whereas two of the appellate court Justices that heard Saraki’s appeal, Justices Moore Adumein and M. Mustapha, were

of the view that the criminal case was properly instituted, a third member of the panel, Justice Joseph Ekanem , in his dissenting verdict yesterday, not only declared the charge before the CCT as incompetent and legally defective, he went ahead and discharged the accused person.

Meantime, before he dismissed Saraki’s appeal, Justice Adumein apologized over their failure to deliver the judgement on two previous occasions that it was slatedOctober 19 and 21, saying “we had to labour to reach a consensus”.

He said: “This is not unusual in a case of this nature that was heard by learned jurists. It has been

so for many centuries where learned Justices had to disagree among themselves”.

Though Justice Adumein, in his lead judgement yesterday, faulted the legality of the summon that was served on Saraki from the CCT, he said the fact that the accused has already submitted himself before the tribunal made the issue of “improper service a mere irregularity that does not vitiate the validity of the charge”.

According to him, “The appellant was charged and arraigned in his personal capacity and not in his capacity as the Senate President. Having been so Continues on page 7

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

Another trigger-happy cop shoots bus driver dead

By Esther Onyegbula, Faith Ake, Ebere Aham & Ufuoma Tiveruahor

L

ESS than a week after a Mobile Police officer attached to Mountain Troop Police, killed Beauty Nnenna Macleod at Emperor’s Place in Lagos, another trigger-happy police officer has shot dead a commercial bus driver in Lagos.

A police officer attached to Area E Police Command, Festac, yesterday, shot dead a yet-to-be-identified commercial bus driver at Second Rainbow Bus Stop along Oshodi/Apapa Expressway, for allegedly refusing to play ball.

According to reports, trouble started after some policemen stopped the commercial bus driver for allegedly driving against traffic in a bid to escape the traffic gridlock that has continually plagued the expressway.

It was learned that an argument ensued between the two after the commercial bus driver refused to give in to his demand.

According to one of the passengers (name withheld) inside the vehicle, “the police officer stopped the driver and ordered him to reverse to the right lane or pay an undisclosed sum of money to avoid arrest. It was during an argument that the aggressive policeman shot him.”

Another eyewitness at the scene who simply identified herself as Aina said: “I saw when the bus driver took ‘one way’ and was stopped by one of the Amuwo-

Odofin policemen on patrol who attempted to arrest the driver. He told the driver to pay him some money as a condition for the driver to proceed but the driver insisted that he was not paying since other drivers were engaged in the same act and nobody was arresting them. The conductor, to support his

oga, told the policeman that they had passengers to drop off and they had not made any money for the day.

Angered by their resistance, the officer opened fire on the bus driver, who died on the spot.”

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the conductor also got a fair dose of beating from the other policemen who pounded on him for daring to challenge their

colleague who shot the driver.

Lamenting, Musa Yusuf, a motorcyclist, said “the bus driver was shot because he committed an offence of plying ‘one way’. But it’s not his fault in all truth because this road is always blocked.

If he remains on that road for two hours, do you know how much he would have lost for the day? If I were in his shoes, I would have done same.

One killed as police, vandals clash in Lagos buried in the ground. They force, CSP Valentine

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

T

HERE was pandemonium yesterday, at Ilashe Island, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, as men of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism engaged armed petroleum pipeline vandals in a shootout, killing one in the process.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that over 2000 jerrycans, some of them loaded with PMS, and a Nissan Patrol Jeep, were abandoned by the vandals during the exchange of gunfire. It was further gathered that the vandals, who were said to have been vandalising petroleum pipeline belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, from Atlas Cove Depot.

Sources disclosed that the vandals, who stormed Abule Kamoru axis of the Island, in several speed boats and a Nissan patrol jeep, had meticulously bore a hole on the pipeline, which was

were said to have connected a valve in between a pipe and a hose which is used to siphon the products into the jerry cans.

TheCommanderofthetask

Olumese, while confirming the report, disclosed that the vandals opened fire on his menwhentheysighted them approaching the scene and policemen responded.

Court jails oil thieves for 84yrs Wilson Bonsi; Okaraodi

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

J

USTICE Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday convicted seven men to 84 years imprisonment for illegal and unlawful dealing in 1,459 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.

The court sentenced each of the convicts to a jail term of 12 years each commencing Friday after the Judge found them guilty of the five count charge preferred against them.

The convicts are; Adedamola Ogungbayi; Olaniran Olabode; Suraju Gasali; Moses Emmanuel;

Uche and Onyeogo Happy.

Apart from the jail term, Justice Abang also ordered the forfeiture of the vessel, ‘MT Good Success’, used by the convicts in stealing the said petroleum product, as well as the recovered petroleum product to the Federal Government.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the sums of N66.6m and $975,000 belonging to the convicts’ company, Hepa Global Energy Limited, domiciled with the First City Monument Bank to the Federal Government.

To ensure a compliance to his judgement, Abang ordered the filing of an affidavit of compliance with the order within 21 days of the judgement.

Our audit opinion on Stanbic IBTC 2013, 2014 financials unchanged – KPMG

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

K

PMG Professional Services has reaffirmed its audit opinion on the 2013 and 2014 financial statements of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, saying its position on the said accounts remained unchanged.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) had last week announced the suspension of Chairman of Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Atedo Peterside and three other directors of the bank from signing any financial statement over allegations of improper disclosures in the bank’s 2013 and 2014, financial statements. Also suspended was the FRC number of Ayodele H. Othihiwa, the Engagement Partner of the bank’s audit bank for years ended December 31, 2013 and 2014 pending substantiation of the extent of the negligence of KPMG on the said accounts. However, in a reaction to a ‘final letter’ notifying the KPMG of the suspension of its partner by FRC, posted on its website, the firm said FRC’s decision is flawed and did not reflect the true state of the matter.

It added that FRC’s decision is not in keeping with the ‘requirements of the FRC Act’, while saying that it would utilise all lawful steps in addressing the situation.

The statement signed by Yomi Sanni, Partner & Chief Operating Officer, KPMG in Nigeria, reads: “We wish to state categorically that KPMG does not agree with the decision taken by the FRC, as it does not reflect the true position in this matter. Our position is that the decision of the FRC is erroneous on its merits and the process that led to it is significantly flawed and not in compliance with the requirements of the FRC Act. “We reassure all our stakeholders - clients, regulators, vendors, etc. – that KPMG will take all necessary lawful steps to address this situation.”

Pwajok’s death, great loss to Nigeria — Buhari

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of the immediate past senator who represented Plateau North Senatorial District, Senator Gyang Pwajok as a great loss to both Plateau State and Nigeria in general.

It will be recalled that Pwajok who died on Wednesday was also Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election.

News of his death reached President Buhari in the course of his official engagement in India, from where he offered heartfelt condolences to the ex-senator ’s family, the government and people of Plateau State.

The president also extolled late Pwajok’s invaluable contributions to the enthronement of peace in his state and development of the country

SATURDAY Vanguard, 0CTOBER 31, 2015 — 7

B-R-I-E-F-S NYSC seeks financial support as Lagos donates 10 hectares camp

Electronic fraud: CBN partners police to fight menace

By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja.

FOLLOWING the disclosure by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), that financial institutions and related industries losses to electronic fraud activities have grown to a staggering N400billion, Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase has directed the immediate setting up of a ‘Dedicated Payment and Card Crime Unit in the Nigeria Police Force to tackle the menace.

The unit is to be set up by the Force Criminal Investigations Department.

Disclosing that electronic fraud and the huge consequences on the nation’s economy had become unacceptable, the IGP said the police force under his leadership has made it a policy to ensure that its crime fighting activities are intelligence driven.

Arase spoke when the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank (Operations), Alhaji Sulaiman Barau and the Chairman, Nigerian

F

HE Lagos State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Mr. Cyril Akhanemhe has appealed to stakeholders and the general public to assist in financing the ten hectares of camp site donated by the Lagos State government. Speaking at the swearing in of 2686 corps members of the first stream of the 2015 Batch ‘B’, held at Ipaja Camp yesterday, Akhanemhe said: “Now that the State Government has given us a camp site, I urge all stateholders and well meaning Nigerians to join hands with Lagos State for quick construction of a befitting camp for corps members.”

The multimillion naira ten hectares of land situated at Ikorodu, according to him, will take the combined efforts of government and private sectors to give a befitting camp.

Speaking at the event, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who was represented by Mr. Tinubu Hassan, Ministry of Special Duty, Lagos pledged to do everything possible to ensure that corps members in Lagos State get a befitting accommodation.

T

•L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode with C.E.O & President of Laing Consulting and Research Group, Mr. Zhivargo Laing and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, during the State Leadership Retreat at the Golden Tulip Hotel, FESTAC, Lagos, on October 29, 2015.

Electronic fraud Forum, Mr. Dipo Fatokun paid a working visit to Force headquarters.

According to the Deputy Governor, ‘The purpose of setting up the Nigerian Electronic fraud forum is aimed at checkmating

electronic fraud which became rife following the take-off of the cash-less policy in Lagos.

“Given the importance of providing secure payment systems whilst ensuring public confidence in electronic means of payment,

it attracts elite children within and around Kano city.

Acting Governor of the state, Professor Hafiz Abubakar has directed the private and secondary schools board to seal the college immediately to pave the way for investigation.

Professor Hafiz Abubakar further announced a 14member committee under

the leadership of Professor Abubakar Mustapha to investigate the allegations and submit its report within two weeks.

There was panic among guardian and parents of Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo private boarding school yesterday following a hearttouching story aired by a private radio station on

Saraki loses appeal, heads to S-Court continued from page 5 charged, the summon issued by the tribunal ought to have been served personally on the appellant.

“Failure to effect service is a fundamental issue which divests the court of its jurisdiction to hear the case. Where however a defendant or his counsel appears in court and fails to raise the issue of nonservice or improper service.

He will be stopped from raising the issue again.

“Under section 101 of the Criminal Procedure Act, where an accused or

T

Dudu-Osun storms Lagos Intn’l Trade Fair with new brands

the role of proactive fraud management could not be over-emphasized. It is in this context and leveraging on the lessons learnt from past experience that the Nigeria e-fraud forum was established.

Kano shut college over allegation of sodomy OLLOWING uproar generated by alleged case of sodomy recorded at Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo private boarding School, Kano, the state Government has closed down the college to defuse tension.

Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo College is owned by a renowned economist, Professor Ibrahim Ayagi and

By Dayo Adesulu

defendant appears before a court whether voluntarily or otherwise, the trial can be held despite the irregularity.

“In the present case, the appellant has since appeared before the tribunal without raising the issue of improved service.

I therefore resolve the issue against the appellant”.

On whether the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal was properly constituted to try the offences against Saraki, Justice Adumein, placed reliance on paragraph 15(1) of the Fifth

Schedule to the 1999 Constitution and section 20(2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 2004, and held that the two-man panel of Justices at the tribunal

continued on page 49

alleged rampant cases of sodomy in the college in which a 9-year-old JSS student of the college claimed he was overpowered and sexually violated by unknown person.

Similarly, the police in Kano have also launched a full blown criminal inquest to unravel the mystery sorrounding the sexual assault in male dominated boarding school.

The Public Relations officer, Kano Police Command, ASP Magaji Musa Majia told reporters in Kano Friday that one of the victims of the alleged sexual violence was receiving treatment at Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital.

15 Adamawa Lgs ravaged by flood—NEMA

By Umar Yusuf

F

IFTEEN of the 21 Local government areas of Adamawa State have been ravaged by flood displacing no fewer than 230,000 persons during which three lives were lost.

The Managing Director of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Alhaji Sani Sidi announced this in Yola yesterday that the people have not heeded the calls for them to move out of the flood-prone areas, hence the present predicament.

NEMA Managing

Director, who was in Yola to present relief materials to the flood victims to Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla that all the relevant agencies have consistently called on the people in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer places.

“We’ve made a lot of sensitization on the need for the people, especially those along the bank of the River Benue to relocate to safer zones. But, our appeals and sensitization fell on deaf ears and this has brought us to the present situation”, the NEMA Director General regretted.

ROPICAL Naturals Limited, manufacturers of DuduOsun Black Soap and other range of personal/skin care products like Dudu-Osun moisturizing lotion and tropical naturals shea butter, will feature at the forthcoming Lagos International Trade Fair slated to commence on November 6, 2015 through Sunday November 15, 2015.

According to the Brand Manager, Mr. Lamidi Kazeem, all hands are already on deck to make the experience memorable for all guests that will be visiting the stand of Tropical Naturals Limited during the fair.

He said the brands were specially formulated and ideal for the entire family by providing adequate protection and nourishment for their skin. “At Tropical Naturals, we carefully select our natural ingredients for the well-being of the family and we harness the power of nature to satisfy the skin’s need. From the #1 African Black Soap to our new entrant body lotions, we keep the entire body diseasefree.

Trouble looms in Saki over chieftaincy title

T

By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan

HREE ruling houses in Saki community in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State are now at daggers’ drawn over the stool of Bagii, a chieftaincy title as one of them advised the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi not to give any approval to alleged candidacy of Kasali Rashidi.

The selection of Rashidi, according to them , contravenes the laid down procedures of appointing a new king.

The three houses contesting for the stool are Soledolu, Ladubu and Kujenya .

They alleged that the person purportedly chosen does not belong to any of the ruling houses.

They claimed that the said Kasali has never identified with them adding, “We saw him for the first time after the death of the former king, Bagii Murtala Oladepo. He is therefore a total stranger to the culture and tradition of Bagii stool”.

The ruling houses, according to a statement signed by their representatives, Prince Sunday Jolasun (Ladubu ruling house), Prince Raimi Olabode (Kujenya ruling house) and Prince Mathew Olawuwo Adesola, Kasali is in the Oyo State Civil Service and that he is yet to resign.

MAN urges Buhari to embark on devt of infrastructure

T

By Yinka Ajayi

HE Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Remi Ogunmefun, has called on President Muhamadu Buhari to speedily embark on infrastructural projects that would boost real sectors in manufacturing and agriculture and add up to 40 per cent to the nation’s GDP. He stated this recently in an exclusive interview with Saturday Vanguard, calling on policy-makers to come up with policies that would discourage importation of goods that are produced in Nigeria. His words: “If we have improved infrastructures on ground and policies that are friendly to manufacturers, these would help manufacturers that plan to expand their factories as well as new investors that want to come into Nigeria.”

Speaking further, he said if it could be achieved in China, then it was possible in Nigeria. “We are a very hard-working people. Today Nigeria manufacturers are contributing about 9.2 per cent to our GDP. We can have a progressive match to the target of 40 per cent if our government is determined to diversify our economy.”

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

B-R-I-E-F-S

We’ll complete Corps members hostel soon — Ugwuanyi T

HE Governor of Enugu State Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has promised to complete the ongoing NYSC 500-bed female hostel accommodation initiated by the last administration before the end of March 2016.

The Governor noted that he has directed the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Patrick Ikpenwa, to request the contractor handling the project to intensify efforts in completing the camp facility for use before the end of the first quarter of 2016 and to vigorously pursue the upgrading of other facilities in the camp to meet the increasing needs of corps members deployed to the state.

The Governor in an address by his deputy, Hon Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, during the swearing in ceremony of two thousand, three hundred and fifty-five (2,355) members of the 2015 NYSC Batch ‘B’ (stream one) at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Awgu, disclosed that his administration would continue to support the scheme with a view to making it more functional, efficient and effective for its contribution to the development of the state.

Governor Ugwuanyi also approved the immediate release of one Hilux van to the scheme to enhance monitoring of its field operations, stating that his

administration is committed to improving the welfare of corps members and smooth operation of the NYSC in the state.

According to the Governor, “Youths play effective roles towards national development, and for us to achieve effective

change in our national life, we must create the requisite enabling environment to optimally harness the creative and productive capabilities of ou youth.”

In their separate speeches, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr Charles

WO suspected members of a fiveman robbery gang terrorizing Aba and environs have been arrested by the Mobile Police Force, MOPOL 55, for allegedly robbing workers and customers of a hotel located at the city.

The suspects identified as Chikadibia Orji, Ifeanyi Clement alias ‘Don’ and others still at large were accused of taking advantage of power outage during a party holding at the hotel to dispossess their victims of cash and property worth over N200, 000.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that luck, however ran out on one of the suspects, Ifeanyi Clement, a victim recognized him while he was hurrying out

HE Federal Ministry of Justice has recommended the trial of three top members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State over alleged forgery.

The recommendation by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, followed a petition to the police headquarters, by Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi, representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, dated July 6, 2015.

Amadi alleged that the PDP members forged documents which a former member of the National Assembly benefited even as reports indicated yesterday that the police in Abuja have invited the alleged beneficiary for questioning.

In its report submitted to the Commissioner of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, by the Investigating Police Officer, ASP Emmanuel Mordi, the Police stated that, “considering the overwhelming evidence that flows from the finding of facts in this case, it is conclusive that the suspects may have committed the offence of conspiracy to wit: forgery, impersonation, altering and perjury.”

T

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in a handshake with the Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. George Ugwu, during a courtesy call on him by the state executive members of the association, at the Government House, Enugu...yesterday. On his right is the Deputy Governor, Hon. Cecilia Ezeilo and the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sam Ngwu, left. Photo: Govt. House, Enugu.

National Lottery Commission generates N5bn in 10 years

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE & SAMUEL UJAH

T

HE National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) says it

has remitted over N5 billion to the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) in the past 10 years of its operation for execution of people oriented projects.

•Another for dispossessing man of N300, 000

T

T

BY EMEKA MAMAH

Glo’s Dance with Peter to send more dancers packing today

Police nab 2 for robing hotel in Aba UGOCHUKWU ALARIBE, Aba

Ndukwe and the Coordinator of Enugu State NYSC, Barr.

Nwano Eze Ukagha, noted that the NYSC scheme was established to promote national integration by exposing the Corps members to the ways of life of other nationalities that make up the country.

Three Enugu PDP chieftains for prosecution over alleged forgery

of the hall with members of his gang. Clement and his suspected accomplice, Orji, were later arrested by men of the Rapid response Squad of the State Police Command.

“They carried out their operation smoothly, but while they (5man-robbery gang) were going out, the power was restored back suddenly and while they were rushing out from the hall, one of the people in the hall saw his face, but he (Clement) didn’t know.”

It was gathered that the two suspects confessed to the crime as other members of their gang were still at large.

In a related development, the Police have arrested a man identified as Loveday Onungwa in Aba after he allegedly inflicted bodily injuries on one

Chikwendu Sunday and later made away with the sum of N300, 000, belonging to the victim.

The incident, it was learnt, took place at a hotel located at Ajao Estate, Lagos State where the suspect and the victim had gone to lodge during a business trip.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that Chinwendu who lives at No. 7 Leo Street by Osusu Road, Aba was in Lagos with Onungwa to help him buy an L300 bus he intended to use for commercial transportation in Aba. While they were lodged at the hotel, the suspect attacked the victim with a knife and cut off one of his fingers and inflicted deep cuts all over his body but the victim managed to raise alarm which attracted the hotel authorities.

The Director General of the Commission, Mr. Adolphus Ekpe, disclosed this yesterday, during the 2015 Lottery Achievers Award, to mark the 10th year anniversary of lottery regulation in Nigeria held in Abuja.

Ekpe told the audience that the figure was made possible despite the daunting challenges and misconception the Commission had gone through beginning from 2005, when lottery regulation and lottery industry were not known and appreciated by the Nigerian public.

“So far, over N5 billion has been remitted to the NLTF for the execution of good causes projects. This was possible, though with stark reality of educating the people about what lottery truly represents.

“The general public was hardly aware of the existence of the National Lottery RegulatoryCommissionorits sister agency, the National Lottery Trust Fund in 2005.

Even after five years, public perception of lottery was negative and viewed as a venture not for decent members of the society, as it was equated more with gambling,” said Ekpe.

HE rank of dancers evicted from the Globacomsponsored Dance with Peter reality TV show will be swollen this evening as more dancers exit the show.

The contestants who will be evicted during the broadcast of the show will join Ricky, Mannaseh, Captain Z and Fearless who were sent packing last weekend.

Globacom, the show sponsor and next generation network, announced that the theme of this weekend’s dance performance is hip-hop music, and that rap artiste Jude Abaga, popularly called MI, will join Peter Okoye, Kaffy and Don Flexx as guest judge on the show.

The company urged viewers to tune in to Africa Magic Channel 153 on DSTV at 7 p.m. on Saturday to watch their favourite dancers fight for the next stage of the competition.

A total of 26 contestants are left in the Dance with Peter academy.

NAFDAC impounds fake skin bleaching creams, soaps in Lagos

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

T

HE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday impounded fake and substandard fast moving skin lightening cream, bating soaps as well as serum worth millions of Naira in Lagos even as it sealed three shops in connection with the offensive products.

The fake products identified as Q7 Range of products impounded during the Agency’s raid exercise at the Lagos Trade Fair complex includes; Q7 Whiteniser body milk strong treatment, Q7 Carotte Multi- active Whitening Serum, Ndak Q7 Whitening body lotion with manufacturing dates: 07/2015 and expiry dates: 06/2020 and Q7 Gold soap among others.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 9

Orubebe for trial over alleged false assets declaration, N70m bribe •I sacked my aide who accepted N20m donation for church project—Orubebe

By Emma Amaeze, Soni Daniel, Ikechukwu Nnochiri and Ikenna Asomba

S

EVEN months after his attempt to disrupt the announcement of the results of the 2015 presidential polls, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe, will be arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on November 9, over alleged false declaration of assets and acceptance of about N70million bribe.

During final collation of the 2015 presidential election results in Abuja, Orubebe accused the then Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC National Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega of bias and partisanship and disrupted the exercise for several minutes in an attempt to stop Jega’s falsification of results.

According to reports, it took the intervention of then President Goodluck Jonathan for him to back down for the exercise to be continued and completed leading to the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the polls.

Barring any last minute change, Orubebe will be arraigned before the CCT on November 9.

The four-count charge filed on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) by Peter Danladi of the CCB on October 8, 2015, is currently pending before the CCT. CCT’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Al-hassan, who confirmed that a charge was pending against Orubebe before the tribunal, said summons was served on the ex-minister on October 29, adding that the tribunal has scheduled his (Orubebe’s) arraignment for November 9.

These ‘re fabrications against me – Orubebe Speaking on the issue, Orubebe, who said he will address the media tomorrow, dismissed the allegations as false.

His words: ‘’ Former Niger Delta Minister, Elder Godsday Orubeb, has denied allegations of graft leveled against him.

He said he did not demand and collect bribe of N70 million from a contractor handling a skill acquisition project for the ministry when he was minister and does own the plots of lands in Asokoro and Kyame, as alleged.

He said it was one of his aides who collected the sum of N20 million from the said contractor in aid of a church project in his community without his knowledge.

Orubebe said that when he got wind of the money he quickly ordered his aide to return the

donation to the contractor and also punished his PA for collecting the donation without his authorization.

On the land said to be owned by him in Asokoro and Kyame, the former minister said he could not have laid claim to such plots of land having donated them to other persons.

“I cannot lay claim to plots of land I had since donated to other people and moved on in life.

“I have an image and integrity to keep and none of the people who know me can say that I have ever collected a bribe from anyone,” the former minister said.

The charges Count one reads: “That you, Godsday Peter Orubebe, while being a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Niger Delta Affairs, on or about June 29th 2011 did make a false declaration in your asset declaration form by failing to declare plot 2722 Kyamu District Abuja on assumption of office on 26th September 2007 and on leaving office (at the end of your tenure), on June 29, 2011 and you thereby committed an offence under section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 and as incorporated under paragraph 11(1) & (2) of Part

1, Fifth Schedule to the Constitution and punishable under section 23(2) of the CCB & T Act. Count two: “That you Godsday Peter Orubebe, while being a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, on or about June 29, 2011 did make a false declaration in your asset declaration form by failing to declare plot 2059 Asokoro district, Abuja on assumption of office on September 26, 2007 and on June 29, 2011 and you thereby committed an offence under section 15 of the CCB & T Act, and punishable under section 23 (2) of the CCB & T Act.

APC can’t take South-South states from PDP – Onuesoke

C

HIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Par ty (PDP) in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has expressed confidence that despite the present annulment by election tribunals, affecting some governors and lawmakers in the South-South Region, there is no way APC can take the South-South states from PDP. Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt while on solidarity visit to PDP Secretariat, Onuesoke said if re-run elections are held several times in the SouthSouth states where both the governorship and state legislature elections have been annulled by election tribunals, PDP will still emerge victorious.

Referring in particular to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states where the governorship and some House of Assembly elections were annulled, he argued that APC agenda to take over PDP states in the SouthSouth Region would fail because the region is made of people with democratic ideas and not republican.

Onuesoke stressed that APC cannot take the South– South states by force because they are in control at the national level.

He also advised the ruling party to allow the Constitution of the country to determine the fate of the people of the South-South, adding that any attempt

by APC to force itself on the people would be futile hence the people know no other party than PDP.

Edo 2016: Esan indigenes challenge Ugbesia over zoning of guber seat

A

L-R: John Goldsmith, Head Marketing, Artee Group; Edwin Scholly, Master Chef; Tope Ashiwaju, PR & Event Manager, Tolaram Group; Isioma Omumero Ogwilaya, Anchor, Digital Media Business Development Executive and Idono Edewor Gbenro, Creator, Making of a Chef, at the 2nd Season of the making chef held in Lagos, recently. PHOTO BY AKEEM SALAU

Bayelsa PDP slams APC over alleged plot to rig election sults and announce their ..we believe in one man, one vote - APC

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

A

CTING Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, has raised alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig theDecember 5 governorship election in the state.

Dokubo-Spiff in a statement in Yenagoa, alleged that the opposition party in the state was planning to use the same cloned Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) that were used illegally during the botched APC primary to rig the governorship election.

The use of the cloned PVCs at the primary election, he alleged, was what caused the crisis that engulfed the party.

Dokubo-Spiff, who deplored the move, said from all indications, APC was not ready to contest the election

but only interested in finding a way to rig and take over the state.

According to him, the PDP had uncovered the rigging plot following intelligence gathering as he claimed that some elements in the APC willingly gave information about the planned use of the cloned PVCs said to be in circulation among members of the party and which would be used during the election.

Already, he further said, there were moves to compromise the relevant agencies constitutionally mandated to conduct the election so that they can have their way.

“The APC leadership is poised to rig the election at all cost. They are desperate and rigging is now their last resort,” he declared.

“Clearly, the APC in Bayelsa State is not prepared for any election. From all indications, all they want is a situation whereby they will collude with some INEC officials to help them write re-

candidate as winner and then the PDP will go to court.

“We want to assure them that such will not happen.

We will do everything within our power to ensure that no rigging takes place. We are mobilizing our people to vote and wait to protect their vote,” he said.

He, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to take urgent steps to investigate the rigging plot with a view to arresting the situation.

But the APC in its response to the allegation, carpeted the PDP for making baseless and unsubstantiated claims.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Fortune Panebi, said the APC was prepared and ready for oneman-one-vote.

He said the APC could not be distracted by such unfortunate allegation, adding that the party was working tirelessly to ensure that it wins the governorship election by a landslide without any hitches.

professional group, Esan Journalists Forum (EJF) has challenged former minister and two time senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Odion Ugbesia, to name Esan leaders in Edo Central who zoned the 2016 governorship slot to the Bini of Edo South, which he alluded to at a recent event. The group in a release by its President, Timothy Okojie-Ave, wondered how Ugbesia could make such a pronouncement on such a very sensitive issue without proper consultation with critical stakeholders in the zone.

Recently, Ugbesia reportedly said during the inauguration of the new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State capital that Esan leaders had ceded the governorship slot to the Bini.

Describing the statement as unfortunate, the group said that it was difficult for it to believe that a man who has benefited so much from the slot of Edo Central, having been senator twice could so easily turn his back against his people at such a critical time and become a sell-out. They advised him to immediately speak up to debunk the said story, if indeed he was misquoted.

Kidnappers abduct wife of DESOPADEC MD’s security officer

By Emma Amaize

S

USPECTED kidnappers have abducted Mrs Emily Oyokose, wife of the Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Warri, Delta State. She was taken hostage on Thursday night from her husband’s residence at Oghara, Ethiope West local government area.

Sources said the hoodlums stormed the home looking for her husband, Mr Daniel Oyokose, who was away, but took the wife away when they did not find him. According to an eye witness who preferred anonymity, “We the people of Oghara kingdom are shocked at this kidnap of our daughter. At about 9:00 pm on Thursday, some unknown gunmen came to ransack Daniel’s residence looking for him; but when they could not find him, they then decided to kidnap the wife.”

However, the Special Assistant on Media to the managing director of DESOPADEC, Dr. Prince Orhomonokpaye, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on phone, condemned the kidnap entirely, urging the kidnappers to release Mrs Oyokose unconditionally.

Transition

D

eaconess Bridget Jako Agbatutu has died in Warri, aged 83. The deceased who is survived by children and relations was the mother-General at Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Ibukun.

The remains will be interred today at Ekiugbo, Ughelli after service of song last Thursday in Warri.

10 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

B-R-I-E-F-S

Customs retires 34 officers B

ARELY 24 hours after five Deputy Comptrollers-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, tendered a joint voluntary resignation letter, the Service has announced further retirement of 34 senior officers.

In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, said the retirement was part of the reorganisation in the service. He said the retirement of the affected officers was with immediate effect.

The statement read: “As part of the ongoing re-organisation in Nige-

ria Customs Service, 34 senior officers have been retired from Service with immediate effect. The re-organisation of the Service is one of the core mandates of the Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali.” According to the statement, some of the affected officers include the five Deputy Comptrollers-General: John Atte (Finance, Administration and Technical Service); Musa Tahir (Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection); Akinade Adewuyi (Tariff and Trade); Austin Nwosu and Ibrahim

Mera, Recall that the five DCGs had in a joint resignation letter said it was time for them to leave the service having attained the pinnacle of their career.

Adeniyi also disclosed that the three Assistant Comptrollers-General involved are Madu Mohammed, Secretary to the Nigeria Customs Board, Victor Gbemudu, Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’ and Bello Liman, Assistant Comptroller-General (Headquarters).

Others are comptrollers serving in customs headquarters, zonal of-

Why CBN won’t devalue Naira —Emefiele *Says introduction of PAVE under-way

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

G

OVERNOR of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Goodwin Emefiele, has re-affirmed that the CBN will not devalue the Naira any time soon to revive the falling economy.

He said that the Bank had to depreciate the currency from N155 to N197 in February, recalling that even President Muhammdu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had also re-echoed the position of the CBN. Emefiele however stated that the CBN would soon launch a policy called PAVE, “Produce locally, add value and export your product and earn your foreign exchange for your imports” to help local industries.

Emefiele spoke yesterday with State House Correspondents after a meeting on the economy with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the

presidential villa on Friday. He said: “There has been a lot of talk on whether or not we want to depreciate our currency again. The truth is that we had adjusted the currency by depreciating it from N155 to N197 in February this year. There is no intention to depreciate or adjust the currency any longer.

“The President has been very clear on this.

The Vice President has been very clear on this and let me further reiterate our position at the Central Bank of Nigeria that we are not considering any further depreciation of the currency.

“What we are trying to concentrate on right now is how to improve and deepen the foreign exchange market by improving supply of foreign exchange into the market. “And to do so, we are trying to encourage people to export and earn export proceeds and use export proceeds to import whatev-

er you need to import.

We are also concentrating on how to reduce the import of items that we can produce in the country today.

“So, that is our focus.

The CBN will be launching a campaign called PAVE, which means ``Produce locally, add value and export your product and earn your foreign exchange for your imports” because this is the only way we can support the efforts of CBN in intervening and providing foreign exchange in the market to meet the import needs of our people.

“It is very clear, what we need to do is reduce our propensity to import but we will not depreciate our currency.

For now we will not.”

Emefiele also noted that the CBN was working a list to exclude a number of items from foreign exchange market. First of all, the CBN does not have the power to ban the import of any item.”

fices and various area commands. The statement quoted Ali as saying that the retirements were part of measures to kick-start the repositioning of the service for improved performance.

This development is coming two months after Abdullahi Diko stepped down as the Comptroller-General of Customs. After Diko’s exit, Buhari appointed Hameed Ali, a retired military officer who is reputed for his anti-corruption stance, to head the service.

On resumption of duty, Ali had promised to transform customs, which has been enmeshed in different allegations of corruption over the years.

“The days of corruption are gone. Anybody caught shall not be left to go scot-free. I am a stickler for the enforcement of the law. There is need for law and order, and it is important to follow the rules as they are so that we all do not have problems,” he had said during his maiden working visit to Lagos recently.

Warri Boys Association elects new Exco

P

IUS Enakerakpo has emerged President of Warri Boys Association, a leading non-partisan, non-religious social organisation based in Lagos. The new Exco will take charge of the affairs of the association for 2015/2016. In a keenly contested election which was conducted peacefully without acrimony or mudslinging, Mr. Enakerakpo emerged as the President unopposed, while other members were voted into various positions as the new executive members.

In his inaugural speech as the new President, Mr. Enakerakpo paid glowing tributes to the association’s late President, Mr George Ogheneakoke for his unflinching commitment to the association, adding that his demise was a monumental loss not only to the association but to the entire Niger Delta people and the nation at large. He also commended the camaraderie and spirit of oneness that exist amongst the members, stressing that with this brotherly love and spirit, the association will surely attain greater heights in no distant future.

The newly elected members include Mr Gbemi Arueyingho, Vice President; Mr Ovie Oghenekaro, Financial Secretary; Mr Martins Nomuoja, Secretary; Mr Frank Chibogu, Assistant Secretary; Mr Tabuno Akpomuje, Welfare Officer; Mr Patrick Okorosobo, PRO; and Mr Francis Obilome, Sergeant- At-Arms.

YSF condemns Prof. Noibi’s comments on Yoruba race

T

HE Yoruba Solidarity Forum, YSF, has condemned in strong terms the comments made by one Prof. Dawud Noibi describing the tradition of the Yoruba race as baseless.

Reacting to the advertorial placed in one of the dailies on Thursday, October 29, titled “We Condemn Afenifere Secession Threat” YSF said the comment was not only destructive to the belief of the Yorubas but also dishonourable.

In a statement signed by the YSF publicity secretary Olajide Odumosu, the group warned that the continuous role of Prof. Noibi in working against the religious belief of Yoruba leaders should be seen as avenue capable of destroying the struggle that has brought the Yoruba race thus far.

House C’ttee to investigate CBN over N1trn intervention projects Uzo Federal ConstituenBy Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

T

HE House of Rep resentatives has mandated its Committees on Banking and Finance, Public Procurement and Works to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN on how N1 trillion intervention fund on projects was spent.

The House alleged that out of the 21 intervention projects contracted by the apex bank, only three

were certified by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). The House in a motion to investigate the level of compliance of the CBN with laws in its various intervention projects sponsored by Toby Okechukwu directed the relevant committee to investigate the legality and propriety of these contractual transactions and other related matters by the CBN and report back to the House within four weeks.

Okechukwu who represents Aninri/Agwu/Oji-

cy of Enugu State in the motion noted that the apex bank had executed and continued to execute various intervention projects and other contracts in the education sector and other sectors across the nation running into billions of naira of tax payers’ money.

He further noted that CBN spent over N1 trillion in violation of the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, only 3 intervention projects already contracted or procured by the CBN were certified properly.

FUNERAL MASS FOR LATE MIKE ENAHORO

From right Mr Meshack Enahoro,Rijan Enahoro-Dederichs,Myon Enahoro, Magaret Enahoro-Bepo, Temilorun Bepo, Michael Enahoro and David Enahoro all children at the service. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye

From LeftMr Dele Adetiba, Chief Jibade Fashina-Thomas, Chief Bisi Lawrence, Sen Ben Murray-Bruce and Mr Peter Arigbe at the service.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—11

TRIBUNAL JUDGMENT:

PDP wails, APC celebrates,

peace reigns amidst tension in Rivers

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

F

OR the people of Rivers State, varied reactions have since trailed the judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which on Saturday, October 24, 2015 quashed the election of Governor Nyesom Wike during the April 11 governorship polls.

The tribunal asked the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election for the office of the governor. Expectedly, the verdict may not have gone down well with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and its national headquarters in Abuja. Reports indicate that the party’s loyalists including lawyers have since launched investigations concerning the membership of the tribunal with some of them said to be trying to establish family or marital relationship between the tribunal chairman and some top government officials. In fact the APC in the state says it is still stunned that the spokesman of Governor Wike, Mr. Opunabo Inko-Tariah would go to the extent of suggesting that, “the tribunal has delivered the ruling it was asked to deliver.” The APC condemned the insinuation describing it as “unguarded vituperation” by a government official against a tribunal of eminent judges, adding that, “in summary, the APC understands that by turning to destroy the Nigerian Judiciary, the PDP is only employing its usual tactics of intimidation and blackmail whenever their members find themselves at the wrong end of the law, whether over corruption cases or electoral matters as is the present case.”

Wike as well as the Speaker of the House of Assembly have in separate statements expressed worry over the nullification of the governorship election results alleging that it is an indication of gang up against the PDP and the Governor. They also appealed for calm from their supporters, The security agencies are apparently not unmindful of threats to peaceful co-existence arising from the tribunal judgment as the Rivers State Police Command has since assured residents of readiness of its men to handle any threat to peace. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Grace Koko, the police are fully mobilized to tackle any ugly reaction to the judgment.

But all appears to be calm even after the nullification of the election of 20 members of the state House of Assembly on the platform of the PDP by another tribunal in Abuja.

A cross section of residents have hailed Wike for not organizing what they describe as sponsored protests to shut down the economy of the state. “There has been peace and we have not seen any attempt to cripple the economy of the state or create unnecessary tensed atmosphere with sponsored protests,” said Ibiene John Bull, a Port Harcourt resident said.

Continues on page 12 C M Y K

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

TRIBUNAL JUDGMENT:

PDP wails, APC celebrates, peace reigns amidst tension in Rivers Continues from page 11 As expected, the APC leader in the state, former governor Chibuike Amaechi, governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC in the governorship election, Mr Dakuku Peterside , state Chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ikanya and other members of the party have continued to hail the verdicts, describing them as victory for democracy. The two camps have adduced arguments in support and against the verdicts.

Residents have also been divided on the judgment but a point of unity among residents appears to be on the issue of peace as the state has not known political stability since 2003.

The assassination of Marshal Harry, A.K Dikibo during the reign of former governor Peter Odili and the cult related crisis that followed are still fresh in the minds of a number of residents. There were the assassination of Ambassador Ignatius Ajuru, Charles Nseigbe during the first tenure of Amaechi and the cult and political related killings that also played up In the last days of his administration.

A Port Harcourt resident, Ahaemefule Chidi, said the judgment of the tribunal had capacity to further plunge the state into deeper security crisis. According to him, the two key actors battling for the political soul of the state, governor Wike and his predecessor, Amaechi were two different people of the same kind.

According to him, “for me, Governor Wike and Amaechi are like two sides of the same coin.

They

fight to finish. Today, you see Amaechi pulling his federal might against Wike.

Yesterday, it was Wike doing so against Amaechi. The ordinary people and the state suffer in the face of all the drama.”

On the verdicts of the tribunals, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani, said that the card reader was not an issue in similar elections in other states as he argued that it was a point for nullification of the election of the governor in the state.

However, according to him, “ we have strong faith in the Nigerian state and its judicial system.

We believe as legislators that conscience not placed on the canvass of justice is unconscionable. We believe that the same principles in law should be applied in all circumstance.

If Ambode in Lagos state has nothing with card reader why should the Wikes in Rivers have. Justice is one element that keeps the faith of the people of a nation. It is my plea that wherever we find ourselves as people of Nigeria the Nigerian state should give us justice.” And, according to Nko-Tariah, “ what is going on right now can best be described as judicial gangup against Governor Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people as evinced in the April 11 general elections.” Nko-Tariah said at the time the tribunal was relocated to Abuja, Court of Appeal and federal high courts were sitting in the state, stressing that the decision to relocate the tribunal to Abuja was part of an alleged plan to subvert the will of the people.

“The courts are setting pernicious precedents by hinging their verdicts on inane points. Rivers people overwhelming gave their mandate to Governor Wike but a microscopic few want to wrest that mandate from him through the back door. As at when

the Tribunals were set up, the Court of Appeal and the Federal High court were sitting. The state was also peaceful. Why move the juridical seat to Abuja then,” he asked.

The answer, according to him, “is simple, to subvert the will of the people. The issue of security was ostensibly used. It is only a veneer for the compromising bias of our adversaries. But like Winston Churchill said:”truth is incontrovertible: malice may distort it, ignorance

C M Y K

may deride it but there it is. I believe that sagacity shall prevail at the Supreme Court on the substantive issue of who won the governorship election in Rivers State.

Rivers people will not resign themselves to fate and allow their mandate freely given to Governor Wike stolen. I enjoin all the political and judicial coup plotters to give this a penetrating thought. We shall defend our mandate. The voice of the people is the voice of God and the people have spoken: it is Wike or no one.”

But Amaechi, the APC governorship candidate and Ikanya have all lauded the judgment, saying it vindicated their earlier position in the party that the April general elections in the state were not credible.

The party further accused Wike of launching a smear campaign against the Judiciary over pronouncements on the elections.

In a statement, Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Finebone, said it was unfortunate that the PDP and its governor in Rivers state would denigrate the Judiciary for doing its job creditably.

As he put it, “we recall that the APC have had a number of rulings against the party and its candidates at the various National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals especially for Rivers State where over 90 per cent of the rulings favoured the PDP and its candidates.

Neither the APC National Working Committee nor the various affected state chapters of the party came out to

impugn the integrity of our Judiciary. The APC took those outcomes with equanimity and proceeded on appeal in most cases without declaring and levying war on the Judiciary the way the PDP is doing now.”

We believe as legislators that conscience not placed on the canvass of justice is unconscionable. We believe that the same principles in law should be applied in all circumstance

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—13

T

he Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja on October 24 annulled the declaration of Chief Nyesom Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship election in that state. Reviewing the development in this interview with Agaju Madugba, the Rivers State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, describes the judgment as fundamental and recipe for peaceful conduct of subsequent elections in the country.

Why the Tribunal annulled election of Wike What you hear concerning the judgment of the tribunal are reactions from the PDP who were not favoured by the ruling. The tribunal judgment was sound. The tribunal held that the respondents could not produce even one credible witness.

The tribunal did not believe any of their witnesses because they were not credible. The tribunal was also convinced that the election in Rivers State was marred by violence. Even INEC staff in Rivers state wrote a report that the election was marred by violence, and, using his word, he said it was terrorism.

There were three separate reports that said the same thing including the monitoring team from INEC office in Abuja. We also tendered a certified true copy of that report which said that the Rivers election was marred by massive violence. Reports of all the international observers also affirmed that there was no place in Rivers State where the election held peacefully. There were also discrepancies in some areas where for example you have 70 people on the voters’ register but with 800 votes returned. The irregularity was massive.

Then, there was the issue of the card reader which was supposed to aid accreditation. In some places, the card reader accredited 200,000 registered voters but at the end you have well over a million people who voted. So, how did you get that? It is clear that the election in Rivers State was rigged massively by the PDP in connivance with the INEC in Rivers State.

But I believe that God has blessed Nigeria given that there are still judicial officers who stand up to be counted.

Nyesom Wike had boasted that every Nigerian has a price. But today, we have seen that not every Nigerian has a price.

There are Nigerians who have integrity and who will always stand for the truth.

The tribunal stood for the truth. They thought they could go about bribing their way through but they discovered that there are still judges who will not compromise their integrity. So, I thank God for the tribunal that delivered that judgment. That judgment is solid and if they want to test it at the Court of Appeal, they should do so but I am sure that the Court of Appeal will uphold the judgment of the tribunal. Let me also tell you, you know that when the tribunal ruled earlier on the issue of jurisdiction, the matter went to the Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal upheld it, that the sitting should be in Abuja because of the prevailing violent situation in Rivers State. They were not satisfied, so, they went to the Supreme Court which also upheld that ruling, that from the tribunal level, those judges were right. The PDP does not know that the days of impunity are over. They do not know that the days are also gone when you used violence, snatched ballot boxes and allow somebody to occupy a position against the will of the people. By this judgment people now know that it would be meaningless to harass people during elections at gun point. If you do that, the tribunals will upturn the results of that election. So, there will be no need again to shoot guns during elections, there will be no need again to snatch ballot papers and ballot boxes during elections and

C M Y K

The PDP people feel that Amaechi was instrumental in the ousting of the PDP government

Rivers: Tribunal judgment’ll check election violence write results because if you do that, the tribunals will tell you that you have gone against the law and people will learn to surrender themselves to the democratic process and I assure you that the judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal is going to assist Nigeria.

One of my fears before the judgment was that if the tribunal had given a judgment the other away, it would mean that during future elections, anybody can just go and shoot people and snatch ballot boxes and go free. If the judgment had been the other way round, elections in this country would become a question of hooliganism. The Rivers State House of Assembly Petitions Tribunal gave a similar judgment and it means that they justified the decision of the governorship tribunal because they nullified about 19 out of the 32 seats. It would have been more than that but the tribunal decided that some of our candidates did not meet the mandatory 21 days. But we are not worried about that because we will go to the Court of Appeal. We are law-abiding and we follow the due process of the law.

On reports that Rivers State is not a catchment area for the APC The APC cannot be said to be a northern dominated party. The only thing that makes the APC look as if it does not have much following in the South-South

is the psychology that former President Goodluck Jonathan is from the SouthSouth and people were cajoled into believing that since he is from that area, the people should support him and the PDP. A few persons bought the idea and supported him. If there was a free and fair election, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states would have voted for Buhari because people were fed up with the PDP and the way the former President was conducting the affairs of the nation. It is wrong to suggest that the APC is not popular in Rivers State. Rotimi Amaechi, the former Governor, is a member of the APC. The same thing with me, a former local government Chairman, former Commissioner, and a prominent politician in the state, I am also in the APC. So, I do not see why anybody would say that there is no APC in the South-South. If you go to Akwa Ibom State, if Akpabio had allowed a free and fair election, the APC would have won the governorship election there. Wike is saying that if you conduct elections 10,000 times, that the PDP will still win. Then why is he rushing to appeal the judgment? He should allow INEC to conduct the elections without appealing the judgment of the tribunal. It will even save more money for him if he agrees to go for fresh elections now. I challenge them not to go to appeal and let us go for fresh elections.

The APC preparedness and the

possibility of fresh violence We started preparing for this election a very long time ago. Everybody is asking for change. Now, look at Nyesom Wike as governor. Since he came into office, for three months now he has not paid civil servants. He has borrowed N55 billion and he has not done anything. Students who have been on scholarship during the Amaechi governorship period are now being deported because Wike has refused to continue paying their fees. Again, during Amaechi, you paid the same amount as fees in the state university whether you are an indigene or not but Wike came and increased the fees with non-indigenes paying higher. The academic staff union of that school has gone on strike for that reason.

No, there will not be violence this time.

We have a President who does not tolerate that kind of thing. Even the militants who were used to perpetrate violence the last time were not paid, so, I do not think any of them would want to be used again. And, I think that, Mr. President will keep to his promise of investigating and prosecuting all those who were involved in the last electoral violence. If that is done, sanity will return to the state. Moreover, you know that the election is not going to hold in other parts of the country, so, there will be adequate number of security men on ground to check any form of violence. The re-run election will be more peaceful and INEC would have also learnt from the mistakes of the past. So, it is going to be a different scenario and another lesson is that people already know that it does not pay anybody to snatch ballot boxes because at the end of the day, the results will be annulled. In previous elections, people who carried out violence did it and got away with it but with the tribunal judgment, there must be compliance with the electoral laws during elections. It will no longer be business as usual. Now, people will vote and their votes will count and the number of voters in the register should tally with the number of votes cast and the number of accredited persons. You can no longer accredit 70 voters and declare 700 or 1000 votes.

The controversy over Amaechi’s ministerial nomination, screening There was no controversy at all. It was a normal reaction. This is somebody who championed a common sense revolution that ousted a government in power, for the first time in Nigeria’s history. It was not just an ordinary government in power but with a sitting President who comes from the same zone as Amaechi. The PDP people feel that Amaechi was instrumental in the ousting of the PDP government. They are correct because Amaechi left the PDP, joined the APC and worked for the success of the APC, more so as the Director-General of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organization. So, the PDP senators saw ministerial screening as a fertile ground to fight Amaechi. Nyesom Wike knows that if Amaechi is minister, it is going to be a problem for him if he continues as governor. If you recall, Wike used his ministerial position to fight Amaechi when he was governor. Wike knows how a ministerial position can influence the people back home and that is why he did not want Amaechi to become minister.

14—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBERBER 31, 2015

Intriguesthat thataborted aborted Intrigues

APC’s conquest in Delta

•W ielding Emer hor ffor or a rerun – PPar ar ty leader •Wee disagreed on ffielding Emerhor arty •It’s fictional, people‘re inventing stories – O’tega Emerhor •The plot w as real; how we aver enne th Gbagi was avertt ed it – KKenne enneth

BY EMMA AMAIZE, Regional Editor, South-South

Classified information

F

ORMER Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, called Saturday Vanguard period before the Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States Governorship Election Petition Tribunals delivered their verdicts to relate what he said what he would have loved not to reveal. It was meant to be off record at the time.

He made the phone call when the Akwa Ibom and Rivers Tribunals eventually nullified the elections of Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers) almost in sequence penultimate week and swore, “We will not allow it in Delta because our candidate (referring to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa) unmistakably won the election.”

Five days to October 26 judgment of the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, he invited Saturday Vanguard for an interview at his country home at Oginibo in Ughelli South Local Government Area to discuss his unsettling concerns.

Still, he kept meat of the matter a top secret, chiefly saying in the chat, published, last Saturday, that it would be illegal for the tribunal to annul the election of Okowa, as Deltans overwhelmingly voted for him. It was no doubt an attempt to preempt the tribunal •Okowa from executing what he believed was a hidden plan.

He claimed that anxiety had built up in the state over alleged plan by the tribunal to invalidate the election, and order a rerun, adding that some people were already boasting that it was a done deal. Gbagi urged the tribunal to uphold justice.

The judgment came and went on Monday. The threeman tribunal presided over by Justice Nasiru Gunmi threw out the petitions by All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and Labour Party’s Chief Great Ogboru on grounds that they woefully failed to prove that the election of Okowa was not in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.

Unwary confirmation

Unwittingly, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was knowledgeable on the affair confirmed to Saturday Vanguard 24 hours after the judgment that the clandestine high-level plan was C M Y K

•Emerhor

Unwittingly, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was knowledgeable on the affair confirmed to Saturday Vanguard 24 hours after the judgment that the clandestine high-level plan was actually to sweep out PDP in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta

actually to sweep out PDP in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta states.

He said, “It was sealed and delivered until Saturday, two days to the judgment when those behind the scheme aborted it. It was easy in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states because of certain factors that worked in favour of the APC candidates there, but in Delta state, we had a different case because of our candidate.”

“The game plan was known only to selected leaders in the state, two other South-South states and Abuja because we did not want it to leak. The problem that came up at the last minute was if the tribunal cancelled the election and ordered a rerun in Delta, who would APC field for the election? It was not a question of that Delta could not go; after all, it

Continues on page 15

SATURDAY

The plot was real; how we averted it — Kenneth Gbagi Continues from page 14 was the same thing that happened in Akwa Ibom and

Rivers.

“When Wike tried to do something funny, the tribunal was moved from Port Harcourt to Abuja, this was done to tell him that he was not in charge and cannot be in charge under this dispensation. Our challenge really was our candidate, O’tega Emerhor, whom many think is not strong enough to dethrone Okowa.

“You see, there was no need to nullify the election and also leave the room for PDP to win again. We tinkered with the option of getting a replacement from the Delta North (Anioma), Okowa’s senatorial district, recall that Emerhor is from Delta Central (Urhobo). The APC leaders involved agreed to the replacement option but there was a problem,” he said.

Obstacle

According to him, “The INEC guidelines do not allow substitution of governorship candidate in a rerun. So if the tribunal ordered a rerun, it would still amount to the same thing that we were trying to avoid, that was how we had to let it go.”

APC had no power to control judges - Emerhor

Olorogun Emerhor, who was still waiting for his lawyers to obtain a certified copy of the tribunal judgment as of Wednesday. He dismissed the theory when Saturday Vanguard contacted him.

He said, “People are just trying to speculate, some people are throwing up the theory, which they fabricated to gain significance. I have not heard of such plan before now, somebody is trying to be smart.”

“APC does not have the power to control judges, if there are people who have the power to influence judges, it is not APC, which is why I told you that I am waiting for the copy of the judgment to read it and know what the judges even said,” Emerhor said.

The APC governorship candidate said from what he heard, the tribunal said it did not annul Okowa’s election because the petitioners were unable to prove that the data uploaded by INEC, which they relied on was the complete one, adding, but they did not say that the respondents

proved otherwise.

“I think it was just a loophole they created to pave way for Okowa, but it is not going to stand at the Appeal, that I can assure you,” he confidently asserted.

For those saying he should forget going on appeal, Emerhor asked them to perish the thought, as he was not only going to the Appeal Court but Supreme Court if need be.

APC’s game plan is to takeover S-South states

Gbagi, who spoke again on Wednesday to Saturday Vanguard, said, “All these 14 days to 15 days before the judgment, the people had completed what they wanted to do; they were already nominating commissioners in Delta state ahead of the October 26 judgment because of where their power was coming from. The target of APC is to take all the SouthSouth states.”

“What I can tell you is that we did what we needed to do and at the end of it, we agreed that we must unleash several projectiles to put them in check. Everything put together, Okowa should go and thank God and for being sensible, to make the contacts that he made at the right time. Otherwise, the plan to throw him out had been concluded.” he said.

Gbagi asserted, “In Nigeria, it is not enough that you won an election, you have to struggle to sustain your victory. Like I told you before this time, it is not everything that one can discuss, some of the information will be too shocking to talk about now, a lot of mathematics went into play. Nobody in APC gave Okowa any chance to continue, but we proved them wrong. “ “When it is time to declassify the information, we will do so but for now, let us watch their next and subsequent moves,” Gbagi said.

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—15

Opposition cohesive against Okowa- Jaro

An APC stalwart, Olorogun Egbo Jaro, who corroborated Emerhor’s claim, said it was fallacious that the opposition in the state was at each other’s throat over how to dethrone Okowa.

“I am a firm believer that the opposition should work together in Delta state and there is an understanding that we will all work together to present a candidate. We are already in advanced negotiation between Emerhor and Ogboru to maximize our potential to present a single candidate,” he said.

Jaro said PDP has been on 16-year hegemony in the state and “ we know that we cannot break the hegemony if we fight from a disunited front, we have not determined who will run the ticket, but we are hopeful that the Appeal Court will overturn the judgment of the Delta tribunal and order a rerun.”

APC leaders, however, claim that the PDP influenced the tribunal with N3 billion to turn the verdict against it. They pointed to the report in an online medium same day the tribunal delivered judgment.

Okowa never influenced tribunal- Aniagwu

However, Mr Ehiedu Aniagwu, Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to Governor Okowa, said anybody that believes the story of the medium in question could believe anything.

He told Saturday Vanguard that Governor Okowa, who was looking for money to develop the state had no such fund to throw around and there was nothing like that. He maintained that PDP was the only party on ground in the state and those hoping that tribunal would overturn the wish of the people would fail.

RIVERS: Nothing unusual about tribunal’s ruling — Anyadubalu • Says Ngige, Omehia, others’ election had been nullified in the past Mr Pat Anyadubalu, a legal practitioner, prolific writer and public affairs commentator, in this interview, speaks on the the Rivers Election Petition Tribunal ruling on the 2015 governorship polls in Rivers State among others.

By Clifford Ndujihe

A

s a lawyer and author of Law books, what does the recent sacking of the Rivers State Governor, NyesomWike portend?

There is nothing extra ordinary about it. This is not the first time the election of a sitting governor is being nullified. Mr Celestine Omehia was sacked by the Supreme Court and replaced by his cousin, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Chris Ngige was also sacked and replaced by Mr Peter Obi ditto Mr. Andy Uba. In Wike’s case, a rerun was ordered. Again, mind you that Governor Wike has appealed against the judgment and there are still two hurdles to go via Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. It is not yet Uhuru for any party. The legal contest is still open.

What are the chances of the parties?

I have not read the judgments and the notice of Appeal by the Appellant. Therefore, it will be inappropriate to comment on the chances of the parties. We should C M Y K

refrain from making inflammatory or derogatory attacks on the judiciary.

Some of the vitriolic attacks on the judiciary especially by politicians are condemnable. If the judgment is unacceptable to you, please exercise your right of appeal.

What is your take on the perceived marginalization of the Igbo by the Buhari Administration in political appointments and ministerial nominations?

I think the outcry was not unfounded especially regarding the appointments. Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended guarantees that the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and conduct of its affairs shall reflect federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national Unity, the government has a moral duty to observe this provision.

Recently, over 20 appointments were announced and non among these appointments came from the South-East Zone.

However, there are ministerial nominees which the South East has got its equitable share of one ministerial nominee from their States.

But even with the ministerial nominees, the agitation is still on Yes, there is the contention that the ministerial nominees were based on the constitutional provisions that each State must have a minister. Therefore it cannot be a replacement for the earlier denial of the appointment.

How do you think Buhari Administration can pacify Ndigbo in terms of political appointments?

The answer is simple. While Ndigbo are waiting for their fair share of political appointment, Mr President can use this opportunity of appointment of ministers by ensuring that ministers from South- East are given Grade A ministries.

These are Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige and Ogbonna Onu, two •Anyadubalu prominent faces of All Progressives Congress (APC) and well loved by Ndigbo.

This is without prejudice to other nominees or other members of APC

from the South-East.

Ngige for example is articulate, assiduous and has proved himself as a performer. Ngige is a game changer and he did same in Anambra State. His presence and his brother, Onu no doubt will, to a great extent, begin to restore the confidence of Ndigbo in Buhari Administration pending when the Ndigbo will receive their fair share from the Administration.

How will Ndigbo be compensated regarding other appointments?

There are other boards of parastatals, which Ndigbo may also be prominently represented. Above all, there are certain facilities that are very dear to Ndigbo like the Second Niger Bridge, the rehabilitation of federal roads like Enugu- Onitsha Expressway, Enugu – Port Expressway, full implementation of Enugu International Airport, Energy etc.

President Buhari will write his name in gold if he completes second Niger Bridge and tackle corruption.

The system is built on corruption therefore it will be difficult to eradicate it. We only talk about corruption of political office holders who are products of the society. To eradicate corruption, we must start from the citizens, when the citizens are exorcised of corrupt tendencies, there will be revolution to fight against corruption and corrupt officials.

16—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

AKPEKI: Egbo, APC leader slams Delta PDP chair •Says PDP mourning Akpeki’s exit, didn’t pray for his departure

By Emma Amaize and Perez Brisibe

A

LL Progressives Congress, APC chieftain in Delta State, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, has carpeted the chair, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Chief Henry Uzor, over his recent statement that the party prayed for the exit of veteran politician and former Chief of Staff to the Delta State Government, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, from PDP. Egbo, a leader of the Urhobo Nationality Council, UNC, told Saturday Vanguard that the naked truth was that PDP has been thrown into mourning since Chief Akpeki, a sagacious politician pulled out of the rudderless party.

The PDP chair in Delta state, Chief Henry Uzor, said his party prayed for the exit of Chief Akpeki and others from the party. Ironically, APC is celebrating him and other defectors, are you rejoicing over rejected stones?

(Laughs) How can he tell you that the PDP prayed for the exit of a political tactician like Chief Paulinus Akpeki from the party? The naked truth is that PDP is jittery over his exit and has been in a state of mourning since he left. Let me tell you, Chief Uzor was being economical with the truth; he cut short his overseas trip and scurried back to the country when he heard the news that Akpeki left the party because he knew his influence. You could see his shock and anger as he addressed the press; he was using abusive language and could not control what he was saying because he was devastated.

Except for a neophyte politician, there is nobody who does not know that political sagacity of Chief Paulinus Akpeki, the Ugo of Okpe Kingdom in the politics of the state. If he is a liability as claimed, why did he serve as Commissioner and Chief of Staff to the Delta State Government before he dumped the party? The reality is that Akpeki is an asset to any political party in the country, not just Delta state.

Which prayer did they pray for his exit, then? If they prayed, it is obvious that their prayers did not work because they would not have prayed for such an asset to leave the party. May be they prayed for him not to leave, but he left and that explained why Uzor had to race back. In fact, we are celebrating and still celebrating because God refused to answer their prayers and many more are going to leave the party.

What do you mean that many more are going to leave the party?

What people do not understand is that Akpeki’s defection was just to show what is in the offing. We took not just Akpeki from Delta Central alone, but Misan Ukubiyenje from Delta South, and Ebifa Ejioma from Delta North senatorial districts. Now, I tell you with all sincerity, this is just a tip of the iceberg because as I speak to you, there are many waiting to cross over. They include former members of the Delta State House of Assembly, serving members of the House, a former Speaker of the House, serving members of the House of Representatives, a former senator and other top government functionaries, who are eagerly waiting to defect to the APC. For each of these persons, there are like a hundred standing behind them.

We have asked them to wait until after the ministerial screening so that we can plan a very big rally to welcome them into the party. Owing to the huge debt owed most of these individuals by the state government, they have also confided in us to wait so that they can recoup the debt C M Y K

The naked truth is that PDP is jittery over his exit and has been in a state of mourning since he left

owed them before formerly announcing their defection from the PDP to the APC. Based on this, we are very confident that by February 2016, PDP would be a carcass in the Delta State. That aside, you would have noticed that at the end of every election in the state in the past 16years, those who contested elections on the platform of other parties, normally move back enmasse to the PDP, but that did not happen this time. Rather, they are trooping out of the PDP. For the first time in the state, we are seeing a party that is standing up to the ruling party and all these are possible because people are tired of the deceit by the PDP- led government. This is what has endeared them to the change mantra of the APC. Even the principal of PDP in the state is making moves to dump the party for APC at very high quarters, some of them do not know that, they are there making noise.

How would you describe the judgment of the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which threw out the petition of your party and governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor?

Clearly, I am displeased with the verdict of the tribunal. It is broad daylight robbery of the people of the state, not just APC or LP. The facts before the court showed that the election did not take place in several places while in other areas, there were over voting. The tribunal robbed Deltans by shutting its eyes to these irregularities for which its sister tribunals at Akwa Ibom and Rivers ordered a rerun.

Our party is definitely going to appeal the judgment because we believe that given the evidence before the tribunal, the wisest option open to it was to have ordered a rerun. Since it muddled justice, the Appeal Court will clear the mess and I can tell you that in a rerun, we would give PDP a run for its money.

There is going to be a shocker because the APC you see in the state today is not the same APC you saw at the time the election took place in April. The party is more vibrant with a renewed vigour and with the high level of discontent among the populace and acrimony within the PDP family; we can take over the state.

In addition, in a case of an expected rerun, there is already an understanding between the leadership of both APC and LP in fielding a single candidate because divided we fall, united we stand. We would sit down and work out the details on that but I can assure you that we already have that MoU so that we can push PDP out.

How would you describe the ministerial nomination of Ibe Kachikwu by President Muhammadu Buhari?

He is eminently qualified to be a minister and the President chose him so that he can carry on with the reforms he has embarked on in the oil industry.

I must quickly say that the Urhobo Nationality Council, which I am one of the leaders, had earlier written to Mr. President on the need for Urhobos to get the ministerial slot for Delta State. However, with that out of the way and given the way the political equation is in Delta State today and being the biggest ethnic nationality in the state, it would be proper if we (Urhobos) are considered to head other key positions like the NDDC and NIMASA, where it would affect the people positively.

•Olorogun Jaro Egbo

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—17

Bizarre:

Village where periwinkles are gods •No indigene trades in them •No indigene trades in them

and live to tell the story— Village Chief

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA & EMEM IDIO

M

ost people of the coastal areas of the Niger Delta Region hardly prepare a meal without periwinkles, the delicious species of small edible sea snails.

Periwinkles are harvested from the

seabed and are such a veritable source of income. Expectedly, these molluscs of various species enjoy immense acceptance among the Nembe people of Nembe Local Government Area and the ancient town of Twon Brass and Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Interestingly, unlike other people of the region who also cherish periwinkles, Nembe people who occupy the Atlantic fringe of the East Senatorial District of Bayelsa State are forbidden from selling their prized periwinkles on the pain of death.

Though periwinkles are nutritious sea food that are found in abundance in Nembe territories especially in the mangrove swamp, it is a taboo for the people to trade in periwinkles as the consequence is fatal.

While the trade in periwinkles is a thriving business among some ethnic nationalities, the Nembe people can gather as many as they can but they must not be turned into a means of livelihood.

According to a source, whoever is caught selling or making a living from the sale of periwinkles among C M Y K

the Nembe people would be dealt with in accordance with the tradition of the land.

While Western civilization and the coming of the missionaries into the country adversely affected most African tradition, the people of Nembe still hold this aspect of their rich cultural heritage dear to their heart.

“It is forbidden for a Nembe indigene to sell periwinkles. You can gather as much as possible from the sea, but you must not sell them. You can only give them to your neighbours or visitors free of charge,” said Tari, an indigene of Nembe.

Periwinkles shell are very strong and reliable in construction.”

Chief James-Eriworio corroborated: “The periwinkle is what God has given to us as a free sea food for consumption and usage before we were born. Here in Nembe, you will see that most of the structures of the ancient Nembe City were built with periwinkles.

“Before we were born, our forefathers had made a vow that the periwinkle will not be used as a trading commodity. Since then it has been a taboo for any person of Nembe descent to trade in periwinkles, especially to sell them.

“When we find ourselves in the urban centres outside Nembe territories and we are in need of periwinkles, we exchange them instead of buying them because in our tradition, we are not supposed to buy them,” Chief James-Eriworio said.

Though the sanction on trading in the commodity is only placed on Nembe descendants, the people do not welcome intruders who may try to take advantage of the situation.

“We give out the periwinkles as a gift to our visitors. If we see any non-indigene picking periwinkles for commercial purpose, we will not be happy and we do not allow it,” he said.

Origin According to a respected Nembe chief, Nengi James-Eriworio, the origin of the taboo on trade in periwinkles in Nembe dates back to time immemorial.

It is believed that their ancestors made a vow not to trade in the commodity in whatever form because of its abundance in the area.

The sea food is not only a source of protein for the people of Nembe, it’s shells are also used for building construction.

According to another Chief Nengi source, “we James-Eriworio, use the shell Chief of Nembe as granite Kingdom when doing construction.

Consequence On the consequences of trading in periwinkles, Chief

James-Eriworio narrated that no Nembe indigene has engaged in it and live to tell the story.

“I have seen the reaction and consequence on a Nembe woman who traded in periwinkles in Kaduna and Lagos. This is no folk tale; I am a living witness. The

woman was trading in the commodity and some Nembe people approached her and rebuked her.

“Soon she fell terribly ill and all efforts to cure her were abortive. And immediately she stepped her feet on Nembe soil, she was transformed into periwinkle – that is, her whole body was mysteriously covered with periwinkles and she was screaming.

“She was kept in isolation before she eventually died horribly. This is not what I heard. I witnessed it live. No Nembe man toys with it, no matter your religion,” he declared.

Reverence Fondly referred to as isem in the Niger Delta, periwinkle is also revered in Nembe land where a festival is marked annually to underscore the importance of periwinkle to the people.

The festival called Isem-Olali, which translates to Periwinkle Festival is one of the oldest and most renowned festivals among the Nembe people.

Explaining the significance of the festival, Chief James-Eriworio said, “The IsemOlali is one of the renowned ancient

festivals of Nembe people. The festival is an opportunity to invoke the isem (periwinkle) to be more abundantly seen in our mangrove and since we don’t trade in it, the gods of the periwinkle will be pleased to multiply abundantly.

“One special feature of the periwinkle festival is that all the delicacies that are made that day are prepared with periwinkles and perhaps crayfish. It is a day we enjoy the periwinkles so much. These are the things that keep the Nembe people going.”

18—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBERBER 31, 2015

BY SHEDDY OZOENE

R

ural women in Enugu state, who now live in fear and torment of Fulani herdsmen, are now asking their husbands and the government they elected into office, to protect them. The women whose main preoccupation is subsistence farming, can no longer venture into distant farms alone for fear of being raped and/or killed

by Fulani herdsmen who have virtually taken over their farms.

The horrendous incidents prevail in several communities in Igboland, but in Udi and Ezeagu Local Governments Areas of Enugu state, the impunity of herdsmen has become more pronounced.

Hundreds have suffered humiliation in their hands and the hapless women had borne their burden silently, expecting that their husbands will rise to the occasion of protecting them. Though the state government has on several occasions assured that something was being done to arrest the situation, their efforts are yet to yield any impact.

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has since stepped in to give the victims a voice and be in the forefront of addressing the issue especially in Udi and Ezeagu LGAs. Under the aegis the Church’s Mothers’ Union/ Women’s Guild led by the Bishop’s wife, Mrs. Achogaonye Eze, they had decided enough was enough. Penultimate Tuesday, they had mobilized women in their hundreds from the adjourning Local

Some of the placards read: ‘Fulani herdsmen kill our people’, ‘Herdsmen Now Carry AK 47;’ ‘Fulani herdsmen should leave our farmlands’

C M Y K

Of Fulani Rapists and

Enugu Women Protest

Governments of Enugu-North, EnuguEast, Udi and Ezeagu Local Governments Areas of Enugu state on a protest march to the state government.

At the state House of Assembly, they displayed placards calling on the state government to quickly halt incessant attacks by Fulani herdsmen who have taken over their farmlands and rendered them unable to feed their children. Some of the placards read: ‘Fulani herdsmen kill our people’, ‘Herdsmen Now Carry AK 47;’ ‘Fulani herdsmen should leave our farmlands’. The protest which drew attention to the heinous activities of the herdsmen, also warned of an impending anarchy in the event that government at both state and federal levels continue to remain indifferent to the security threat in the area in particular, and Igboland in general. It was indeed a peaceful demonstration but the anger in them was unmistakable.

Their leader, Mrs Eze lamented that the herdsmen have so far defied every entreaty by community leaders and public-spirited individuals to resolve the recurring problem, adding that the

women whose lives are now in perpetual danger, cannot continue to keep quiet.

“Women are daily being molested, maimed and raped while their farmland and livestock are routinely destroyed” she said. Just the other day, they were alleged to have killed two men at Eke community, while incidents of robbery have become commonplace on the major roads, especially at Ugwu Onyeama, the major entry into the state capital. According to Mrs Eze, “unless the government at state and federal levels rise to the duty of protecting defenceless citizens, the herdsmen will continue to put women in Igboland in grave danger”.

The women, like their menfolk in Udi and Ezeagu areas, are obviously helpless.

Having complained to the law enforcement agencies to no avail, the herdsmen who are usually armed with sophisticated weapons have become even more daring, defying even the community vigilante groups. Women and young men are now afraid to go to the farm unless they are in groups for fear of rape or outright killing. Apart from the recent incident at Eke community where two

men were allegedly killed by the herdsmen, they had also allegedly kidnapped a woman and her pregnant daughter in Nze community on the allegation that the family benefited from a stolen cow. They had stormed the villages claiming that their cows are missing and threatening to kill people if the cows are not found.

In other places like Umuoka, Aguobu Owa, Olo and Ngwo, men have received machete cuts and others killed outrightly for daring to ask why his farmland was destroyed or why their wives were raped in their farms. In Okpatu, Obioma, Nsude and Abor, men hardly go to farms anymore for fear of being killed, resorting only to farming around their homes. There are ongoing cases between the villagers and the Fulanis over rape of women and wanton destruction of crops which were reported to the police to no avail.

Two days ago, Mrs Eze had again gathered women of the area at the Ejindu Centre of the Diocesan headquarters in Ngwo to review the last protest march and plan their next line of action. Not only has she forwarded a formal letter to the state government as requested by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, they also plan to take the demonstration to the state governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the state Government House the next time around.

The activities of Fulani herdsmen who came into the various communities subtly and were well received as tenants and fellow Nigerians, have become a thorn in the flesh of the people of Enugu state. While they have terrorized their hosts with their sophisticated weapons and raped their women with abandon, there is the general feeling of helplessness among the hosts whose complaints to the police have met with little attention.

The situation may not be different in other parts of the North Central and Southern Nigeria as the fatal clashes in Benue state and the abduction of Chief Olu Falae in far away Ondo state attest. If the events of the past few years are not enough to drag state governments in Igboland out from their comfort zones, the question must be asked: for how long will this anarchy prevail before they act to address the issue?

•Sheddy Ozoene is Director of Communications for the Anglican Diocese of Enugu North

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—19

O

ur electoral commission was in the news most of last week for all kinds of reasons. It was the week the name of the new electoral umpire was presented to the Council of States and subsequently to the nation. Regional positions that had lapsed were also filled with fresh names. It was also the week some election tribunals delivered landmark judgements in the South-South. And for those who thought the Ekiti State election and the role the Army and Security Agencies played in the events leading to the gubernatorial election had gone the Nigerian way, last week was when the Government announced a revisit. And as if to draw some parallels and teach a lesson or two, it was also the week Canada announced the result of its national election.

First, the fact that there are so many petitions and tribunals shows that INEC at best, is still a work in progress. One can argue that Nigerians are bad losers and that the stakes are way too high for losers to just walk away. But I am yet to see any good loser anywhere in the world.

Like the saying goes, a good loser is a loser; period.

I

know many Canadians who are not pleased with the emergence of the young Trudeau as Prime Minister. Many felt he was too young and too soft to grapple with the problems confronting Canada. Many simply did not like his politics and wanted a continuation of the status quo. Many scoffed at his chances especially because he had a slow start. But at the end of the day, he won fair and square to use the Nigerian cliché and the losers—good or bad—had no choice but to accept the result of the polls. What Canada, and many similar countries in the world have is a system, a process that lets you know if you have been chosen by the very people you want to serve.

It is a system in the main, that is easy

Our new electoral umpire to follow, easy to understand, easy to implement and therefore easy to accept.

It is also not a system that depends so much on the integrity of the electoral boss or the magnanimity of the head of government. In fact, you hardly get to know the head of the electoral organisation. This is what we don’t have in our country. And this is precisely what we must strive to have – a system that is simple, effective and transparent. A system that does not cost an arm and a leg to set up and thus does not lead to financial compromise of the electoral officers. A system that is not overly concerned with the tribe and private politics of its boss. A system that is allowed to do its work unhindered.

Until then unfortunately, we have to worry and fret about things we should ordinarily have taken for granted.We have to worry about the integrity of whoever is chosen to head INEC. We have to make a fuss about his religion. We have to be concerned about his geo-political zone and the dominant politics of his zone. We have to fret about his antecedents and his friends. I believe these, and many more, are the things the government of the day looks at when deciding who the next electoral umpire will be.

Professor Mahmoud Yakubu is academically accomplished by any

standard. In fact, his C.V indicates a very brilliant man. He also seems to have had requisite experience working for quasi-government organisations.

On the face of it, he is a good fit. But he is a Northerner and a Muslim, the same as the incumbent President who could be contesting in 2015.You cannot blame those who are concerned with where Prof.Yakubu’s sympathies might lie in a crunch situation. A government that is sensitive to the nuances of ethnic, religious and geo-political balancing would have chosen someone from the south, preferably from the South-East or South-South. As an illustration -and this is not taking anything away from Prof.Jega’s character and efforts—would a change in government have been possible if the INEC boss for the 2015 election had been from the south? Especially South-East or South-South?

Now with the appointment of a Muslim Northerner as the INEC boss, the onus is on the Federal Government to de-emphasise the position of the chief electoral umpire by setting up a clearly transparent system that allows the true will of the people to triumph. President Buhari knows what it is to contest for an election and lose in a manner that is far from fair and free. He should not allow it to happen to anybody else. He also knows that what we get from the tribunals is not

Our President has to prove that he is not only incorrupt, he is incorruptible

W

hile going through my archive, I found out that I made a promise since December 1, 2013, to write on communication in marriage on this column. A promise is a debt and it is better paid late than never fulfilled, so here we go. By now every married person or persons preparing for marriage ought to know that good and effective communication is an essenco (essenco means essential commodity, for the younger ones who were not born or were very young in the early 80s) to the success of every marriage.

Communication is the live wire of any marriage; the day couples stop talking or start talking anyhow, the marriage starts dying. If the trend Three, communication should be is not stemmed, the marriage becomes empathic. Stephen Covey says: “Seek physically dead or brain dead, that first to understand, then to be is, the couple lives as if the other party understood.” In other words, when does not exist: no feelings, no discussing with your spouse, your first intimacy, no attachment; they are just duty is to understand what she/he is familiar strangers. saying, where she/he is coming from.

The first thing couples must realize Having done that, you are in a better in marital communication is the position to respond to what she/he enormous power of the tongue. The said. This is not what happens in many Book of James reminds us that man marriages. Many spouses simply wait has been able to tame wild creatures, for their other half to “finish their own “but no one has been able to tame the so that they can say their own.” You tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, can scarcely get the desired end result full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). in such communication.

The tongue is small but mighty, it can Additionally, like many other people, cause irreparable damage to your I believe that God created us with two marriage in a twinkle of an eye or over ears and only one mouth so that we time. It can cause separation, divorce, can listen more and talk less. Many fights, resentment, homicide, people suffocate their spouses with manslaughter and suicide. Spouses, talk. They talk too much and seldom watch your tongue. have time to listen.

Two, anger and the tongue are a Four, communication should be deadly combination. I strongly genuine. Let your “yes” be yes and suggest spouses keep their mouths your “no” be no. Trust is also an shut when they are angry. essenco of marriage and genuine Communication can resume when communication breeds trust. Genuine tempers cool down. People say terrible communication and trust are like things in a fit of anger. As I said some Siamese twin. The reason many time ago, “even if you apologise married people do not trust their thereafter, you cannot erase what you spouses is because of lies. have said from your spouse’s Unfortunately the advent of mobile memory.” “Reckless words pierce like phones has worsened the situation. a sword, but the tongue of the wise Many spouses tell lies with impunity. brings healing” (Proverbs 12: 18).

It hurts when a spouse betrays your

Marital communication

C M Y K

trust. “A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:4).Many spouses are also manipulative. Only if they realize sooner than later that they cannot manipulate their way through marriage. Before long, the scales will fall off the eyes of their spouses.

Timing is also very important in marital communication. I have advised my wife not to tell me anything, when I am watching Arsenal matches, if she wants my full attention, especially now that things are looking up for Arsenal.

Of course, emergencies are exceptions.

As long as there is genuine communication, you can work through your differences. It is not compulsory for spouses to share similar views on all issues, although the fewer the points of divergence or areas of conflict the better, especially on core issues. But understand your spouse’s point of view and respect it, even if you do not share it.

Non-verbal communication is just as punchy as verbal communication, especially when negative. Couples should be careful with negative nonverbal communications: frowns, long faces, gestures and body language. I remember a particular cantankerous couple. They were always fighting and non-verbal communication was responsible for more fights than verbal communication.

necessarily justice but legal manipulations of a flawed process. In any case, Nigerians do not troop to the polls in their millions to have their will and say interpreted by a three-man panel.

The new INEC boss also has the added pressure to prove he can rise above his religious and regional affiliation with the incumbent President. Being brilliant is not enough—many of his predecessors were brilliant but they ended up being tarnished. Being loyal is not enough— many were loyal to the government of the day but ended up disgraced. In fact, only Jega and maybe Chief Michael Ani in recent times left the office with their heads high. He should also recognise that for all his efforts, his predecessor left a flawed process that is open to manipulations and abuses. It is left for him to straighten the system and put forward a simple process that we can all identify with.

The card reader system can be improved upon; electronic voting should be introduced. Nigerians in the diaspora should be included in our voting system. Option A4 introduced

by Prof Nwosu can be revisited. Above all, his words and actions in the coming months must allay the fears of some sections of the country who believe he is there to protect some interests.

President Buhari has made some appointments that have been curious.

Not necessarily in terms of competence but in terms of the need to balance power and positions in the country.

This appointment seems to be another one of them. He should realise that his current appointments have put him in under closer scrutiny as to his intentions for EVERY section of the country. Corruption is not just in people stealing money from the public purse as bad as that is. Corruption entails much more than that. Our President has to prove that he is not only incorrupt, he is incorruptible. After all, according to him, he is for everybody and for no one.

Couples should also refrain from answering questions with questions, aka, Cain’s communication. God: “Where is your brother Abel.” Cain: “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

(Genesis 4:9). Husband: Honey, is the food ready?” Wife: “What kind of questions is that? Didn’t both of us get back from work at this same time?” The outcome of negative communication is still as deadly as it was in Cain’s time.

It has led to separation, divorce, manslaughter, homicide and murder.

The irony is that a positive answer takes less time, words and energy.

Husband: Honey, is the food ready?”

Wife: No. We say that marriage is the only institution of learning in the whole world that has not produced a single graduate. I also believe that many courses in this marital institution never end. Communication is one of them.

Sometimes, when I have communication-related issues with my wife, I just wonder when I would master this course and get it behind me.

Part of the problem couples have is their different backgrounds. No matter how much we try, we are still enslaved to certain aspects of our upbringing and it gets in the way and creates communication-related problems in marriages. So every couple should keep straightening the crooked paths and smoothening the rough edges.

Couples should also be weary of the internet, video games, television, Facebook, twitter and instagram and many other social platforms. They have become refuge for many couples who do not want to deal with their problems.

Couples should empathically and genuinely talk things over and resolve their problems.

Unsolved problems only grow worse, not better.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

T

he itinerant luxury bus medicine dealer starts with prayers , sings choruses and sells fake ‘omnipotent’ drugs to both the sick and the healthy. He touts a particular knowledge of staphylococcus and expertise in improving watery sperms and weak erections. He will suggest his bag contains cures for every known disease. He will jump off the bus but not before he is done . He tells tales like the ‘zoo’ story, playing on the vulnerabilities of an impoverished and ignorant society. The police escort on the bus stands aside and lets his aloofness authenticate the scam . The consequences will fall on pockets but more on public health. When they realize it is not benevolence the nomad has dropped off the bus.

The sons of Sceva have taken center stage.

It is noble and often effective to ignore obnoxious attention seekers. But when rabble rousers show signs of lunacy they deserve attention. Because when speech comes to be filled with hate and incitement to violence , continuing silence becomes recklessness. When the rabble is roused, devilry is afoot and typically dissent is not brooked.

Soon Igbos whose opinions contradict radio Biafra and its reprobates will become enemies of the land, saboteurs or Efulefus (misfits). And since hysteria occludes reason, fellow Biafrans , supposedly shackled by ‘zoo’ keepers , would be the first targets because , like the Hutus and their interahamwe theorized, an efulefu is worse than the real enemy.

Biafra should be sacred because at the cost of over a million lives with torture and horror on scales that make Rwanda pardonable , Biafra should be strictly ‘out of the reach of children’.

Biafra should not be trivialized or desecrated, neither by conceited scoffers nor by peripatetic con men with confused minds and mobile radio transmitters.

When shadowy megalomaniacs given to flimsiness and gifted with volubility run out of life options but seek emergence from obscurity, nothing is sacred. You can wonder if they contemplated opening a church and selling fake gospel before opting for Biafra . Yes, shed anonymity like Simon the socerer , the man from Gitta, by holding people bound with spells of charm, magic and sophistry until those who can find them him out. But I guess Igbo politics is so bereft of integrity and purpose and destitute of true apostles now that radio Biafra can continue with its sorcery for quite sometime .

But the tragedy is that, like Simon who later took to following the apostles with magic in his pocket and greed in his heart, these latter day Biafran magicians insinuated themselves into Ojukwu’s politics, temporarily and only for ulterior interests. Simon, the wolf, needed apostolic clothing . His flirtation with Christianity, like the pimps hawking Biafra, would yield money but will adulterate doctrines and values .

There is no pogrom. Igbos are not under any life threatening siege. These hustlers are enticed by Ojukwu’s fame. Yet they wont form a political party as he did and mobilize the people. No. They do not even want a referendum. They want guns and bullets.

They , with irritating nonchalance , say violence is unavoidable.

Their Biafra is a sham. Simon, like many fake pastors today, profited from hoodwinking the public, selling the counterfeit . Like fake pastors , these Biafran speculators do incalculable damage to the authentic concept by inviting mockery and scorn rather than belief, dignity and conversion. Radio Biafra has made a laughing stock of the Igbos. Charlatans, whether on buses selling fake drugs or on Radio Biafra polluting Biafra , selling adulterated toxic freedom, can be charming. And many susceptible to razzmatazz succumb to the seduction of the false promise of paradise.

Biafra is dear to many Igbos and is guarded jealously.

Though perhaps a mere vent for ethnic chauvinism for those devoted to chest beating and superficiality. For many thoughtful Igbos and many who saw the war or its aftermath, the attachment is more meaningful and deeply emotional. A struggle against murderous oppression. An excruciating toil to withstand death before a ‘no victor no vanquished’ gallant capitulation

. A collective resolve to overcome annihilation, to grasp at freedom, to pursue greatness undeterred by staggering odds. Biafra is hope in the face of impossibility.

Hopefully, the scar of a bad wound.

Igbos are sensitive to the contempt Biafra receives from others whose sense of patriotism or of conceit , as conquerors, mandate a disdain for the supposed vanquished and anything Biafra . All who cant help but see Biafra as real nuisance. As an impracticable fantasy , a manifestation of the perceived greed and domineering tendency of Igbos whose crude penchant for disregarding bounds of propriety is consuming.

These victors are often confounded by the egotism and vainglory they read in the attitude of Igbos towards Biafra, and the incongruous air of triumphalism they furnish themselves even from that defeat.

W h e n scorn is

poured on Biafra rather than the fraudsters peddling its counterfeit , Igbos are forced into defensive sympathy with charlatans.

Only a few doubt that the breathtaking ingenuity , imagination , creativity and resourcefulness worthy of veneration that Biafra unveiled can be owned, even fleetingly, without feeling special. Biafra , in spite of the horrors, manages to leave some room for some nostalgia.

Some still regret the loss of a greatness that could have been or that had begun. That wistfulness must be more harrowing 45 years after, ‘one Nigeria’ still imports toothpicks. The susceptibility of some Igbos to the incantations of radio Biafra is not therefore totally inexplicable Biafra isn’t just unity and oneness , it is justice, moral justice. Because regardless of the interpretation that may be given to the events leading up to the pogrom , the pogrom in itself, in being allowed to fester unrestrained, in its scale , was egregious evil. Innocent everyday people hunted and disemboweled? The pogrom made Biafra almost inevitable. Then the agony of dying and death of infants in state sponsored starvation . Asaba saw savagery that the Hutus in their murderous prime may not have matched. Recurrences of disturbances and dislocations have continued to grate scars.

And persistence of injustice and lack of equity continue to make the idea attractive to many. And groups are morally and legally entitled to right to self determination. Biafra is not necessarily treason.

But true freedom fighters are easy to discern. Personal sacrifice, dedication, honesty to the course and painstakingness make freedom fighting not just arduous and valorized but a vocation not undertaken by flippant merry making fellows attending wild and wet parties thousands of kilometres from where the shackles are. It doesn’t start and end with delusions of grandeur and with threats of making Nigeria worse than Somalia .

A shallow , scheming , manipulator remarkable for overt opportunism and glibness cannot be a freedom fighter. A man of promise? A visionary rather than a scoundrel? Mbanu, no.

And because the number of many lives and livelihoods needed to service these delusions , to catapult to a position of some influence , money and crumbs of power is subservient to such outsized ambitions , mania rather than sheer cruelty could be responsible.

Desperation impairs diligence and cautionary appraisal.

When frustration and hopelessness engender or entangle desperation even a drug addict hallucinating in the right direction , any direction of remote promise, will be embraced. And they, his zombies, believe that Nigeria is a zoo. Yes impunity reigns here. But there is no lopsided distribution of social evils.

Prophecy has taken the place of philosophy, even in universities. And practicing atheists clothe their guiles with the refrain “ to God be the glory”. It does appear that any hallucinating youth , incapable of sobriety and self reflection let alone charity, can , if he chooses, become an emancipator, a messiah. Igbos have a God that is exclusively theirs, we are now told . Europe has a secret she wont admit – the realization of Biafra would end human existence. When he speaks red herrings, syllogisms, fabrications and confabulations tumble over themselves. “ We are being deported and killed in Lagos. Our shops have all been burnt. So we need guns and bullets …… Everything happens in triangles, Hausa Fulani fixed Rochas in Owerri , once they take Uyo and Port Harcourt , we are finished “.

He pauses and lets a sardonic smile create an impression of wizadry. Inscrutability is lent to the mundane to create mystery.

Everything , blasphemy included, is done so barefacedly that cringing is forced on the audience.

Archbishops now sprout overnight, like weeds. So a depressed charlatan can look at himself in a mirror in London and see an emperor and look in the atlas, see Igbo land , and say “ Yes I can”. Yes, he is the leader of a new farce. The fellow whose pedigree needs some archeological excavation to unearth, in a society where even confessed fraudsters publish colourful biographies and flaunt their habitation of the National Assembly . He remains deliberately as rootless as a ‘UFO’. But pedigrees and values and convictions are superfluities where vice competes with virtue for honors. The last time a similarly named apparition hovered around Abuja, he was choreographing a charade that was earnestly, in all honesty, yearning for servitude.

A Nigeria where equity and fairness reigns, where lives and property are sacrosanct, where potentials are maximized, is Biafran. It is not a sin, however, to seek self determination. It is not a sin to canvass iconoclastic political options and alternatives. But these endeavours must respect the rights of the collective enshrined in the constitution. Boko haram wants a sharia region and they could have gone about it sanely. When greedy politicians recruited sharia to exploit the people they laid foundations for radical Islamic fundamentalism because they sold the counterfeit. They sought not societal transformation but private political profit. And that was why even boko haram managed to attract sympathy rather than blanket scorn in their early days. They came selling fake sharia.

Things have gone full circle and the northeast is decimated.

March visited gnashing of teeth on may southern politicians . Let these politicians leave Biafra out of their intrigues.

Ojukwu we know, Achuzia we know , Okpara we know, Mbakwe we know, Ekwueme we know, Nwabueze we know. But who are these?

Sceva’s sons have arrived.

This Nnamdi Kanu, that Radio Biafra and the tragedy of charlatanism

C M Y K

Ojukwu we know, Achuzia we know , Okpara we know, Mbakwe we know, Ekwueme we know, Nwabueze we know.

But who are these?

Sceva’s sons have arrived

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—21

THE OONI STOOL AND YORUBA NATION

How the Geisi family joined the ruling class HON (BARR) FEMI KEHINDE

Ooni Ogbooru, after reigning for 70 years, was deposed, and he left for IfeOdan, where he settled with his family and followers.

Six princes of other dynasties were appointed successfully within a year and all died uncrowned, without completing the coronation ceremony.

O

oni Ogbooru, after reigning for 70 years, was deposed, and he left for Ife-Odan, where he settled with his family and followers. Six princes of other dynasties were appointed successfully within a year and all died uncrowned, without completing the coronation ceremony. The throne was therefore boycotted.

Ile-Ife, as a religious and cultural matrix of the Yorubas and its cradle, has unique importance in its history. Many, if not all Obas in Yorubaland, left Ile-Ife for their various settlements.

The recent nomination, of Ooni elect –Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, a forty-one year old real estate magnate and Prince from the Geisi Ruling House of Ile-Ife did not come easy. He would become the 51st Ooni of Ife after fulfillment of all processes for the exalted stool.

He had even contested the seat with over 20 contenders, including his forty-eight year old brother, Adetunji. Before Ogunwusi’s appointment, the last descendant of Geisi Ruling House, that occupied the position, was Ooni Derin Ologbenla, who reigned from 1880-1894. Ologbenla was succeeded by Oba Adenekan Olubuse I, from the Ogbooru Ruling House, who also was on the throne between 1894-1910, C M Y K

while the Lafogido Ruling House, produced his successor, Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun, who reigned from 1910-1930. Oba Titus Martins Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, from Osinkola Ruling House, succeeded Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun and reigned between 1930 and 1980. Oba Okunade Sijuwade II, who succeeded Adesoji Aderemi, was also on the throne from December 6, 1930, to July 25, 2015.

It is interesting to note, that when Ooni Adenekan Olubuse I, died in 1910, he was succeeded, by Prince Adekola, from the Osinkola Ruling House, who only reigned, as Ooni Elect in the Ipebi for two months. He did not come out of the Ipebi (the traditional period of seclusion, tutelage, and

performance of traditional rites). He was quickly succeeded by Ooni Ademiluyi Ajagun (1910-1930), from the Lafogido Ruling House and after that, Adesoji Aderemi (1930-1980) from the Osinkola Ruling House.

Principally, since the reign of Lajamisan as the Ooni of Ife, the crown has remained in his family through his son, Lajodogun. Lajodogun begat three sons, who succeeded him one after the other. They wereLafogido, Osinkola and Ogbooru. The Geisi Ruling House is an adjunct of the Ogbooru Ruling House.

Ooni Ogbooru, after reigning for 70 years, was deposed, and he left for Ife-Odan, where he settled with his family and followers. Six princes of other

The throne was therefore boycotted

dynasties were appointed successfully within a year and all died uncrowned, without completing the coronation ceremony. The throne was therefore boycotted. They had to resort to Ifa consultation, and they were instructed to recall King Ogbooru -the deposed Ooni. All efforts to recall him failed, the old man bluntly refused to return. They approached Moropo, his eldest

and beloved daughter, to beg him to come back and she succeeded in gaining her father’s ears, but instead of returning at his old age, he agreed to bless GeisiMoropo’s son as his successor, if the Chiefs of Ife would accept him. The chiefs were glad to hear the news, and they accepted him. Geisi was blessed, by his maternal grandfather and was instructed to remove certain things, at certain places in the palace and the gate, before his proclamation. After carrying out the instruction, he presented himself and was proclaimed king and successor of his deposed grand –father. He had a successful reign.

This was how the Ife ruling houses became four, namely (i) Lafogido (ii) Osinkola (iii) Ogbooru and (iv) Geisi.

The Lafogido branch has produced:- Lafogido, Dejinle, Olojo Agbele, Akinmoyere Odunle, Wunmonije, Adegunle Abeweela and Ademiluyi Ajagun.

The Osinkola branch had also produced:-Osinkola, Aribiwosi, Ojigidirin Lambuwa, Adekola (who died in Ipebi within two months) and Adesoji Aderemi Atobatele.

The Ogbooru branch has produced:-Ogbooru, Gbanlare, Adenekan Olubuse and Sijuwade Olubuse (immediate past Ooni).

The Geisi Ruling House had produced:-Geisi, Agbedegbede, Gbogbajo

Continues on page 22

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

Continues from page 21 (Ajila), Degbin Kumbusu, Orayigba (Ojaja), Derin Ologbenla.

The Geisi Ruling House has also now, produced the Ooni elect, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

It is an interesting historical coincidence, that the two previous Ife monarchs and the

new monarch-Enitan Ogunwusi were destined for the Royal Stool of Ile-Ife, right from birth.

On the day of Adesoji’s birth on the 15th November 1889, his father, Prince Gbadebo Osundeyi, had just arrived from a war expedition and as a gifted seer, Prince Osundeyi, carried the baby onto his lap, gazed intently at his face and was happy with what he saw.

He instructed Adekunbi (Adesoji’s mother), to search for red beads, which they presented to this special baby, pronouncing him an Ooni, who is, however, an ancestor Ooni, who had come back through their family. Prince Osundeyi, named this unusual baby, Tadeniawo Ayinla Aderemi, who took his first footsteps at seven months and started walking. As a restless spirit, everything about Aderemi was quick and fast. He started schooling in Jan 1900 at the St. Philips School, Iyekere, Ile-Ife. He left School in 1906, became a pupil teacher in 1907 and immediately registered with an overseas correspondent school for private tuition, backed up by private lessons with the Late Bishop A. B. Akinyele, from whom he paid regular

How the Geisi family joined the ruling class visits in Ibadan.

As an interesting corollary, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade II was born on the 1st January 1930 to Prince Adereti Olubuse and grandson of Oba Adenekan Sijuwade Olubuse I, who was the first Ooni ever to travel out of his domain. At the invitation of the colonial governor, Oba Adenekan visited Lagos in 1903 to give his ruling, whether the Oba Elepe of Epe was entitled to wear a beaded crown.

From his early days, Okunade Sijuwade’s name was not complete without the addition of Prince. He had a regal look that conjured the image of “Ooni Lola” (future king). Prince Okunade Sijuwade (as he was then called) started his elementary education at Igbehin School Abeokuta, owned by the C.M.S Mission and later proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar School under the tutelage of famous Reverend Ransome-Kuti between 1944 and 1947. While in Abeokuta Grammar School, his Principal, Reverend RansomeKuti, wanted to flog the young Sijuwade, for some misdemeanor. As the principal raised his whip, the young prince dared the great disciplinarian, not to hit a ‘KING”. Anyway, this rebuff did not stop the famous disciplinarian from hitting the ‘king”. However, the young prince had made his point.

For a short while in Oduduwa College, he was always mistaken for a school teacher but deliberately, he did

not correct the impression because he was always impeccably dressed. Okunade Sijuwade will be remembered by many of his classmates, who usually referred to him as “Mayor”, and also, as a particularly diligent student and quite mature, for his age and as someone, who unlike many of his colleagues at school, had been familiar with the cosmopolitan life in Lagos at that time , the centre of good life in Nigeria.

As a strange coincidence, the early life and circumstance of birth of the new Ooni of Ife, Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was also full of mysteries. He was born in 1974 to Prince Ropo Ogunwusi, a radio and television anchor at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Ibadan (BCOS) and Late Magaret Wuraola Ogunwusi from Ile-Opa Family compound, Ile-Ife. Enitan’s birth and circumstance of birth had been predicted by a prophet who told his fatherRopo, that he will become a

From his early days, Okunade Sijuwade’s name was not complete without the addition of Prince

famous and a distinguished personality from birth and will be a distinguished leader. He would be born, as the seer predicted, at exactly 1 p.m. and that everything about his life will be quick and fast. He was born at exactly 1 p.m. on the 17th of October 1974 and was instantly named “Enitan” by his father and Adeyeye by his grandfather. Like the seer predicted, everything about him was quick and fast. He had his first child at the age of 19 years and grew into early maturity. He went to school at Loyola College, Ibadan and Ibadan Polytechnic, where he earned his HND in Accountancy. Like his distinguished forebearsAdesoji and Okunade, who were successful businessmen and entrepreneurs, and whose versatile wealth of exposure and enterprise formed a formidable backdrop to their eventual rise to the throne of Ile-Ife; Enitan also went into business early, shortly after school and his endeavours became an instant success. He has been involved in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) in Nigeria and internationally for 12 years. He has been directly involved in the development of over 2500 housing units in Nigeria over the last eight years. He led the government delegation team to Canada, for strategic alliances and partnership with Ondo State Government on solid mineral potentials of the state in 2002 at the age of 28. This led to the formation of Amalgamated

Mining and Exploration Company Limited, owned by the Ondo State Government.

He also facilitated the biggest lead and aluminum recycling plant set up in Nigeria by the National Steel Company of India in Ota, Ogun State.

The new Ooni employs over 300 youths and has over 400 direct employees in his various companies. Ooni Enitan Ogunwusi has carried out real estate development for several monarchs and high profile Nigerians. Adesoji and Okunade, dominated the landscape of the Yoruba nation, for an uninterrupted period of 85 years.

They were modernists, trail blazers, path finders, role models and proselytizers of the Yoruba

tradition, culture, norms and mores. It is a justifiable expectation that the new Yoruba monarch and potentate, -Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi will lift up higher, that noble touch, carried by Adesoji and Okunade, for an uninterrupted period of 85 years. It will also justify their long cherished dreams of a worthy successor, because, success, without a worthy successor is unsuccessful.

•Hon (Barr) Femi Kehinde Former Member, House of Representatives National Assembly Abuja, representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003) & Principal Partner Femi Kehinde& Co (Solicitors) 84, Iwo Road, Ibadan.

Ndukwe vvss Uba – Anambr or cchange hange Anambraa South and Ques Questt ffor

npopular statements have U been swarming the media outlets in recent times with most

frivolous insinuations regarding the Tribunal judgment of October 13, 2015 of the petition filed by Dr Ernest Ndukwe against Senator Andy Uba, regarding the non-compliant manner the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC conducted and declared a winner of the senatorial contest of March 28, 2015. That exercise, as conducted in Anambra South Senatorial District, generated a lot of interests as the Tribunal in Awka took exactly 180 days to review the election results and deliver its judgment. Justice Joseph Nayai Aganaba from Bayelsa State dismissed the petition for reasons he and other members of the Tribunal could not convincingly explain. But that is not the main crux of this piece. Statements credited to a group calling themselves Uga Democratic Vanguard are propagating certain sycophancy theories that are obviously dangerous.

According to the Uga Democratic Vanguard, “Anambra people and the PDP will not forget in a hurry how Dr. Andy Uba brought a new lease of life into political campaigns since his entry into the murky waters of politics in Anambra State and would even wish that his likes would aspire for more elective positions in the future. Uba has influenced most political office

C M Y K

•Andy Uba holders positively and even the petitioner, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe benefitted immensely from the people’s Senator when he used his position with the Presidency then to protect Ndukwe from being disgraced out of office as the then Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission.” Interesting how glaring facts could be distorted in the face of politics of corruption, sycophancy and greed. Putting the perspectives straight, let us recall that during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Uba was his Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Matters. In fact, the Uga-born politician was widely reported as usually the last person who saw Gen. Obasanjo to

•Ernest Ndukwe his bed. Probably this explains the statement from the Uga Democratic Vanguard as outlined above. The people of Anambra South Senatorial District will no doubt wish to be properly educated on this ‘new lease of life’ being bandied by an organization with questionable identity.

They may start by being honest in telling Ndi Anambra the new “lease of Life” their community man brought to Anambra. Could it be the July 10th 2003 broad-day kidnap of a sitting governor? Or probably the Oba -Nnewi -Uga -Okigwe federal highway that passes through his community which has remained a death trap till date amounts to new lease of life even while he was acclaimed to be more powerful

than the then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar? Or perhaps the new ‘lease of life’ is the guerrilla rigging technique introduced in the last senatorial election in the zone? The fact that their paymaster did not even campaign during the build-up to the March 28th Anambra South Senatorial election, did not bother to visit wards and communities like his opponent, Dr. Ndukwe religiously did should be a new ‘lease of life.’

The dear people of Anambra South Senatorial zone will be certainly eager to be shown one good thing that has happened to the zone or even anywhere in their state courtesy of Senator Andy Uba. Even more outrageous and outright arrogance is this one, “Engr. Ernest Ndukwe benefitted immensely from the people’s senator when he used his position with the Presidency then to protect Ndukwe not to be rubbished out of office as the then Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission.”

Still on Engr. Ernest Ndukwe (OFR), it is important to note that this University of Ife graduate was the first Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC that organized the most transparent GSM spectrum auction in Nigeria. Previous attempts at GSM licensing processes failed due to ethical shortcomings. The licensing process led by Dr. Ndukwe was acknowledged internationally as

the most transparent auction in Africa at the time.

Furthermore, during the tenures of previous Executive Vice Chairmen of NCC, the number of mobile telephone lines was just about 25,000 compared to the revolution that happened with the addition of 80 million lines during Ndukwe’s 10-year tenure at the NCC. Without mincing words, Dr. Ndukwe is the architect of GSM revolution in Nigeria and he has been acknowledged locally and internationally for his work in the ICT field.

How could one with such intimidating pedigree and jinxbreaking achievements be under the canopy of Uba who was yet to join President Obasanjo’s cabinet when Dr. Ndukwe was appointed the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC in 2001?

How could Uba have ‘protected Dr. Ndukwe from being rubbished out of office’ when indeed, the GSM revolution was clearly President Obasanjo’s best singular achievement in eight years?

Those who spew without chewing usually end up embarrassing themselves and these statements from this Uga Democratic Vanguard is a huge embarrassment to the association, if indeed, it is one.

Valentine Amala Ulasi wrote in from Onitsha

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—23

Bad r ecor d labels opened my eyes to music business

By FLORENCE AMAGIYA

J

ennifer Oduah who goes by the stage name, Ego, now SAFARIE may not be so popular in the music industry because she has been on sabbatical for her Masters’ degree. But her days as a finalist in MBGN 2005 cannot be forgotten in a hurry. Since then, she has upped her game by becoming an international model and a holder of University of Lagos’ Masters degree.

In this interview, she talks about her former record label, her new stage name, her plans to have her own record label and artiste management company, her relationship and more. e haven’t heard from you in a W long while; what have you been doing?

Actually, I had some personal obligations to fulfill and other things to accomplish before l give my all to music. Basically, my life is about music, but along the way I learnt a lot about the business behind music. What happens behind the scenes. I got issues with record label owners. After l left my initial record label ‘Question Mark’ I got signed to this new record label in United Kingdom, but they didn’t understand the market and how the music industry works in Nigeria. So it was yet another disappointment for me.

What was the issue you had with Question Mark?

We had differences with the brand ‘EGO’. I was not satisfied with the package the record label had offered, so I couldn’t give it my all. I had to walk away from it all. And I did something; I changed the brand name as another artiste was also bearing that name ‘EGO’. It became a bother to me each time I go for shows or awards and you are asked your name and whenever I say ‘EGO’, the next question l always hear is which one? I got tired of answering all these questions each time l go out. So I changed the brand name to SAFARIE. The name is a combination of African and international blend.

So, if your name is not EGO why did you bear it?

EGO was my brand name, but

•Jennifer Oduah

since there is another artiste in Nigeria bearing that name; I gave the name up to avoid clash of identities. So, after leaving the first record label, l joined another.

When it didn’t work out also, l decided that it is time I have my own record label as l already have the technical know- how of music business in Nigeria.

What do you think of the music Industry now?

When we started, the industry was pre-dominantly a male affair and each time we go for show you hardly see ladies, just guys. But the story is different today because women have taken their place.

Although I haven’t been around all this while, I was on the side-line watching and taking note of the happenings. The industry is beginning to accept the female folks; we are earning our respects.

We are getting endorsements and many more. Today you can mention names of female artistes who are holding their own in music. Gone are those days when we sit at the background. Again that the world is actually listening to us and the type of recognition we have today can only get better.

I must confess that what is happening now is very encouraging.

What kind of music do you love doing?

I love afro-pop and reggae.

And I would encourage my artistes to stay original in creating their own songs even though we are looking at the marketability of the songs. I want to be able to do songs from my soul. I would do sexy, beautiful music that would take my fans breath away. I plan to allow my own artistes to be themselves as l have been on the receiving end before in my life.

— Jennifer Oduah, SAFARIE

You are talking about setting up your own record label; how long have you been in the industry?

I have been in the industry more than four years now. And setting up a record label is not an easy task.

Before now, record label wasn’t common in Nigeria and we had just few. Today, the story is different as we have a lot on ground. And they are beginning to act the way our counterparts around the world are acting. These record labels know about branding, how to market their artistes and all that.

But how can you accomplish such a feat knowing you have been on ground only four years and that you haven’t been around for awhile now?

I am a professional. I studied creative arts at UNILAG. I am not just a singer; I studied Theatre Arts, visual arts and all that. I am in the music business. So I have been around. I have been on all sides. I am experienced enough; I know what it means to get a successful record label. But first, I had to add to my knowledge. When I was doing my first degree programme at UNILAG; I wanted to attend a production school to study cinematography. With it, you are not only controlling glamour business but the production, the shooting of the videos, treatment of the artistes and all that. I also went to a music school in France to learn the keyboard and to really dance.

You said that you are looking at creating music without the usual commercial value; how are you going to sell if your music isn’t loved by the public?

Yes, I plan to create beautiful music with great lyrics, sound and beats, but they would definitely be sellable.

Africa has reached a stage where people are getting enlightened; the public do not have to buy a particular song because of the noise, but for

lyrics. I don’t have to sing like a particular artiste to sell; the artiste Asa isn’t a copycat yet she is standing out and making money.

The kind of beats l plan to do would be recognised in countries you don’t know existed.

So l am not looking at the Nigerian market only

So how do you plan to hit the industry?

Well, if l tell you then it won’t be a secret anymore. But what I know is that l would come on board brand new. My videos, my songs, my dress sense, all would be new, like a new me. I wouldn’t mind if l am even refer to as a new artiste.

Why did you choose SAFARIE? I wanted an African name with a foreign blend. Like SAFARI Africa and all that. The kind of beats l plan to do would be recognised in countries you don’t know existed.

So l am not looking at the Nigerian market only. I want a situation where l would be popular like the Late South African Brenda Fassie. I am starting small but l am really going to fly high. The bottom line is that l would still make commercial songs.

How do you intend to fund your music?

I know what you mean! There are so many talented artistes in Nigeria, but as we all know talent alone cannot make your CD get played at radio stations. Talent alone can’t make these radio people play your songs to the extent it gets popular; you must pay for air time. You do not hear these artistes songs not because they are not talented but because of funds. In this country even to be an Artiste you need money for it.

So do you have a sponsor?

I have a team l would be working with in future. They are going to be involved in some of the decision making and some other important stuff also.

24 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

n u f r o f x e s e v a h t ’ Don h a i d r o l A of it, Eva adies l s e s i v d a

How I met 2face — Annie Idibia

M

ost of the fans and lovers of African pop icon, 2face Idibia hardly knew the story of how he met his wife, Annie Idibia. This unknown part of their love story has been revealed in 2face’s biography titled Very good bad guy. In her tribute, Annie poured glowing remarks on her husband, looking back at the day they first met.

“The moment our eyes met at Even Ezra Studios many years ago, I knew you were the one for me and I for you.

Innocent is an extraordinary being. It really seems like yesterday, (can’t believe he is 40 already) he was 24 and I was 15. And I still see the same man when I look at him. So full of life. So much energy. He is always so optimistic about life. He is never afraid of the next day with the little or nothing he had.”

E

•Annie Idibia

Julius Agwu honours Arik Air

M

ulti talented comedian Julius Agwu recently honoured Arik Air for their contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry. The event took place on Friday th 24 of October 2015 at Arik Air office.

According to Julius Agwu: “Arik is proudly Nigerian. A brand like Arik Air who understands the impact the entertainment industry is making should be appreciated.

The entertainment industry has put Nigeria on a global map; Arik keyed into this and

started supporting the Nigerian entertainment industry. You have not achieved, if you haven’t impacted on your society.”

In his acceptance speech, The M.D of Arik Air, Mr Chris Ndulue, commended Julius Agwu and other Nigerian entertainers adding value to the entertainment industry.”We are very grateful that you have thought it necessary for you to come and demonstrate your appreciation of the little that we have added .Thank you very much for the award it is very much appreciated”.

•Eva Alordiah

El-Levite shines in Falling in love

va Alordiah’s album was scheduled to be released on Thursday, 1st of October 2015.

Many of her fans were disappointed when that day came and it didn’t happen.

While she’s keeping her fans waiting for the promised album that seems to be taking her forever she’s busy doing other thing which seems to be giving her some kicks – dishing out relationship tips on her blog! In one of her recent post she advises ladies not to have sex with someone who isn’t committed to them “From my heart wrenching, deprecating experiences, I can give you a hundred reasons why you shouldn’t even have sex with someone who isn’t committed to you in the first place but who am I to make that decision for you? Sometimes, I look back in time on a guy from past and I see how I could have benefited from just being his friend and making the most of a friend zone. Not every man who comes into your life has to end up in your heart and between your legs; just because he got in between your legs doesn’t mean he’s gonna stay in your life.”

H

ilary Ogbuagu a.k.a El-Levite is a reggae gospel and dancehall artist who has been influenced by the likes of Frankie Paul, Buchi and Stitch. His love for reggae music makes him an exceptional singer that leverages on his reggae background to make good music.

The blossoming artiste gives you another reason to listen to reggae music In Falling in love, a song off his new album. In the single he sings about his love for God and the joy he derives when he thinks about God’s faithfulness. One of the bright sides of the song is his captivating voice, musical clarity, patois and the harmony displayed in the song. With ElLevite, reggae music perhaps will be rekindled.

•El-Levite

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 25

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

How Segun Demuren saved my music career — Banky W

S

uave singer and honcho of Empire Mates Entertainment (EME), Banky W has revealed that at a point in his life, he almost gave up on his music career, but for the intervention of his fellow EME founder, Segun Demuren.

Taking on his Instagram page during the week to congratulate Demuren on his birthday, Banky W wrote, ‘The morning of Jan 1st 2009 was one of the worst of my life. I went to Church the night before to pray in the New Year...and there I poured my heart out to God. You see, I moved back to Lagos on Feb 14th 08. It was a tough decision quitting my well-paid engineering job in NYC and moving back, but I felt incomplete and unfulfilled…and then Segun walked into my room and said ‘hey bro.. I know it’s really bad right now. But the good news is, this is rock bottom. You have hit it, and you’re still alive. It can only get better from here, but you can’t let it defeat you’…I didn’t have a

penny to even pay for the studio time.

He asked me to find out how much it would cost to record with Cobhams; I did. The next day he walked into my room with the entire amount in full that he had borrowed •Banky W from someone.

Plus extra for cab fare. God has used Segun to guide, direct, help, support and save me on too many occasions.’

In conclusion, Banky W admitted that he intentionally shared the story to inspire other young ones out there. In his words, ‘I shared this particular story because I also want to encourage you all. I know life can be hard and harsh, but don’t give up hope after the darkest of nights, because your morning is right around the corner.’

Wizkid attacks Nigerian bloggers, calls them dumb — Wizkid

•Wizkid

S

tar Boy Entertainment singer, Wizkid is in the eye of the storm again. This time, some students of the American University of Nigeria in Adamawa, accused him of failing to honour an invitation to perform in their school, even after he had been paid the sum of N8.9m.

One of the students with the name @Mr Tawiti went on Twitter to attack Wizkid in a series of tweets. He accused Wizzy of failing to show up at their school, after he had allegedly been paid N7m as artiste’s charge, N1.2m for Logistics, as well as feeding and accommodation for ten people who were supposed to come with the ‘Pakurumo’ singer. @Mr Tawiti also stated that Olamide had

initially turned down their offer, claiming that he can’t afford to come to the North for just N4m. However, Wizkid, in his characteristic manner, did not take it lying low, as he also took to his Twitter handle with guns blazing towards bloggers. He wrote, ‘Even when you’re trying to be lowkey and keep it cool, they still try to spread false rumours. I love my fans in the north.

Love to you and yours…so anyone can get a Twitter account and tweet something crazy about you and the dumb ass bloggers will share the story without confirmation? I just wanna (sic) make music, perform to my amazing fans and live my life low key!

No bad vibes!!’

It should be recalled that this isn’t the first time Wizkid will be having this type of issue with students. In 2013, some students of the University of Lagos had dragged him to the police on the allegation that they paid him for a show, but he refused to perform. Wizkid later stated that it was a case of mistaken identity as the person who the students communicated with about the show wasn’t a member of his team.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact Wizkid and his team proved abortive as at the time of filing this report, even as the student maintained that Wizkid was actually paid the said sum of N8.9m after long negotiations.

TOP 15

TRENDING MUSIC AND VIDEO

1. Flavour featuring M.I and Phyno – Wiser Flavour is back with a new tune titled Wiser. The talented singer collaborates with M.I and Phyno on this song. The video is directed

by Clarence Peters.

2. Asa -The one that never comes Nigerian soul singer, Asa unveils the video off her Bed of stone album titled The one that never comes. The video shows another beautiful side of Asa. 3. 9ice- Ogara Self proclaimed Alapomeji; 9ice unveils the video of his song titled Ogara. He collaborates with his producer; ID Cabasa to produce a melodious tune. The video is directed by Alexander the great.

4. Koffi -Party People Ace comedian, Koffi who also has been romancing music for a while now, is out with a new video titled Party People. The video is directed by Tosin Igho 5 Lezlee Singz featuring Cynthia Morgan -Wantin Leslie Oputa a.k.a Lezlee Singz is a new kid on the block who is convinced of his music abilities. He teams up with Cynthia Morgan in this song titled Wantin. The video is directed by Ehison Films

6 Karma featuring Olamide -Islander Naija Ninja artiste, Karma unveils the visuals of his song titled Islander. He collaborates with badoo, Olamide in this song. The visuals of the song are clean and appealing to the eyes.

7. Lk Kuddy featuring Yung6ix -With you Flux Factory artiste, Lk Kuddy unveils the video of his song titled With you. He collaborates with Yung6ix on this song. The video portrays him as a youngster who strives to get the attention of a lady.

8. Temple -Centre Afro-pop artiste, Temple releases his new track titled Centre. The song is produced by OY Beats.

9. Praiz featuring Patoranking -Harder RnB sensation, Praiz unveils the video of his song titled Harder.

He teams up with Patoranking on this tune. The video shows a perfect blend of gothic and urban visuals, sprinkled with elements of Pop. It is directed by Mex 10. The Mavins – Jantamanta The Supreme Mavin Dynasty presents a new song titled Jantamanta. The song once again shows the Mavin crew as a music group that continually improves themselves. It is produced

by Don Jazzy 11. Sound Sultan featuring Olamide -Monsura What do you get when Sound Sultan and Olamide collaborate on a song? It’s a blend of melody and groove. The song is produced

by Tee-Y mix 12 Ikechukwu featuring May D -Amina Ikechukwu returns with a different sound. He collaborates with May D on this tune titled Amina. The song is produced by Philkeyz 13. Sisan- Oh lord This sixteen years old gospel artiste is a youngster with an amazing voice. This groovy song is produced by Don Jazzy

14. Shaydee featuring Iyanya and A - Pass-Higher remix EME artiste, Shaydee shows the reggae side of him in this song titled Higher. He teams up with Iyanya and Ugandan artiste, APass in this song.

15. Itunu Pepper- Odinma Itunu Pepper is an upcoming artiste from the western part of Nigeria. She unveils her single titled Odinma. The song is produced

by Echo

26 — SATURDAY Vanguard,OCTOBER 31, 2015

BON awards 2015:

Sadiq Daba set to make another history N

IGERIA’S seasoned actor and broadcaster, Sadiq Daba, who was adjudged the Best Actor in a Leading Role in Africa at this year’s Africa Movie Academy Award,AMAA, is set to make another history as he has been nominated for the Best Actor category in the forthcoming Best of Nollywood Awards.

Sadiq was nominated again for his role as Inspector Danladi Waziri in Kunle Afolayan’s thriller, “October 1.”

He will be battling for the award with the likes of IK Ogbonna (My Rich Boyfriend), Mike Omoregbee(Invasion 1897), Gabriel Afolayan (Ojuju) and Okey Uzoeshi (The Date). Also, Femi Adebayo and Odunade Adekola will battle for Best Yoruba Actor award alongside Muyiwa Ademola, Lateef Adedimeji and Bayo Alawiye.

However, Stephanie Okereke’s “Dry ”alongside Kunle Afolayan‘s “October 1” emerged top of the list with 11 nominations each. Nominations bagged by ‘Dry’ include, Best Actress in Leading Role (English) –Stephanie Okereke, Best supporting Actress (English) Liz Benson, Best Child Actress – Zubaida Ibrahim Fagge, Movie with the Best Social Message, Best Special Effect, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Track, Movie with the Best Production Design, Best

*(m)Gov.Olusegun Mimiko, BON founder, Seun Oloketuyi and government officials at the event.

Cinematography, Movie of the Year and Director of the Year. will be different in subsequent years,” Announcing the he added. nominees earlier in the Emphasizing the importance of week, at an unveiling indigenous movie, Adedokun ceremony, which held said, “ apart from the fact in Akure, the Ondo that we celebrate the State capital, BON’s success of movie making in head of Screeners’ Nigeria, BON awards Committee, Niran specifically concern itself Adedokun, a with the promotion of the Marketing Nigerian culture. Our Communications young ones hardly speak expert and or understand their entertainment mother tongues. Film enthusiast said, making is one of the about 150 films ways in which we can were entered preserve our indigenous for the 40 languages. In this categories regard, BON is set to look at that lacuna that this year, out exists in the art of film of which 27 making in Nigeria.” were short Speaking further, Adedokun films. said, “Judging from the entries Whereas a lot we got for this year’s awards, of English and we can boldly say that Sadiq *Sadiq Daba Yoruba films filmmaking is moving were entered forward in Nigeria. Despite for different the challenges associated with piracy, categories of the award, Adedokun lack of structures in place and lamented that the Screeners’ organized private sector nonCommittee received only one Igbo film patronage, our film makers are again this year, five Hausa films and producing wonderful films that can one Idoma film. “I hope the situation

What Nollywood practitioners must do to re-brand Nigeria — Mimiko GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko has stressed the need for Nollywood practitioners to start a new narrative that is capable of portraying the country in good light before the international community. The governor made this remark while speaking at the BON nominees’ unveiling event.

Mimiko who was visibly excited to host this year ’s BON in his state believed that as a creative industry, Nollywood practitioners have what it takes to brand the country appropriately.

According to him, “ My own piece of advice to the practaitioners is that you should be deliberate in terms of your story lines. Nollywood practitioners have the opportunity more than any other sector of the Nigerian economy to brand the country appropriately. Your canvass is very wide. You can tell stories about the other side of this country but at the end of the day, it must be with the mindset to re-brand the country for what we hope to be. Nollywood must heighten our reality, the Nigeria we are all looking forward to. You must start a new narrative and stop de-marketing Nigeria. Let’s prophesy positive things C M Y K

*Gov.Olusegun Mimiko speaking at the event. in the life of this nation.”

Mimiko, however, urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem of piracy in the country.

For him, “Nollywood has proved itself to be a major export commodity we have in our country. When our economy was rebased as our GDP moved from under $400 billion to $510 billion and we became the biggest economy in Africa, Nollywood contributed about 1.2 percent which is about $7.2 billion to Nigerian GDP.” “I also learnt that apart from Agriculture, Nollywood is the biggest employer of labour in Nigeria. This is a big industry.

The government can use technology to fight piracy.

“We are aware of the challenges facing the industry, especially that of piracy. I am also told that not up to 20 percent of the total quantum of money generated from that industry go to the genuine practitioners. It is a major problem in that industry and in moving forward, the government must find a permanent solution to that problem. Piracy eats into one’s creative energies.

“I am confidence that Nigerians have come to appreciate the importance of this industry,especially the economic value of the industry.” He said, he accepted to host the award in his state this year, because the project tallies with his administration’s vision to make the state the number one event destination in Nigeria.

compete favourably with any movie produced anywhere in the world.”

Earlier in his remark, the Founder/ Executive Producer of the awards, Seun Oloketuyi, expressed gratitude to Governor Mimiko for accepting to host this year’s award ceremony in his state. He promised that this year ’s BON awards will turn out to be one of the best they have organized in recent times. The award ceremony comes up on Saturday,December 12, at the newly constructed International Conference Centre, Akure.

Yomi FFash ash Lanso bags cultur al cultural ambassador

BY IYABO AINA

P

OPULAR Yoruba actor, Yomi Fash Lanso who recently emerged cultural ambassador of Olokun festival 2015 has urged Nigerians to embrace the traditional beliefs and values of the people to avoid being culturally alienated.

Yomi Fash was officially unveiled on Thursday, October 22, at Suntan Beach Badagry, Lagos.

In a chat with HVP, the screen icon said, “It was a beautiful event and I am proud to have been a part of it, not just about the Yoruba culture, but I would love to see changes in our cultural tourism industry.”

Adding, he said, “The Yoruba culture is meant to be cherished and passed on to generations to come. The essence of the Olokun festival is to remind our people of those values, the traditional beliefs so they do not get lost”.

“Nigeria as a nation has been so blessed that we need to share some of these values with others, the more we talk about it and promote it, the more our children learn, and we are sure that it doesn’t get lost in the race for survival.”

*Yomi Fash

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 27

T

OP actress cum producer,Lilian AmahAluko, is stopping at nothing in actualizing her dream of becoming the next president of the Association of Movie Producers,AMP. The well rounded thespian, recently declared her intention to run for the prestigious office of the president of the association in their forthcoming election.

Although there are indications that the embattled actress may not be the favoured candidate, she, however, appears undeterred as she gathered the industry stakeholders and eminent Nigerians last Friday, for a fundraising dinner in support of her ambition.

Held at the prestigious Protea Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, the event was anchored by popular acomedian, Teju Babyface and actor, Bambino Anaechina. It had in attendance the likes of Mrs Oyindamola Ogunsanwo who represented the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Ambode, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Sam Obiakheme, Franca Brown, Tunji Bamishigbhin, Alhaji Teju Kareem, Yomi Fash Lasso, Mr and Mrs Sam Boye, Kate Adepegba and Memuna Yahaya. Others were Mrs Jackie Omotosho, Obi Madubuogu, Chief Phillip Odi, Wisdon Nwankwo, Judith Nwachukwu, Agatha Amata, Kalu Ikeagwu, Dan Chris Ebie,

AMP PRESIDENCY:

Lilian Amah-Aluko wooes stakeholders Olatunbosun Olaigbe, Franca Brown among others.

In her remark, Aluko, who was inspired by one of Pope Francis quotes said; “I am running for the presidency of our revered, valued, and totally denigrated association because I have identified key areas where I would like to and believe I can make an impact, that will take the association to a different level and bring a huge change to the industry."

“Having served for two terms as vice president under the leadership of President Emeritus Paul Obazele and the out-going President Mr. Zik Zulu Okafor, I know that steering the ship of this association needs more than any one man can muster. It requires the combined effort of a dynamic team of individuals to table their various skills.”

She added that together with her team, her vision will include working to expand the entire ecosystem for all members thereby lifting ‘our noble association to national and global prominence.’

Lilian presentation, however, was greeted with a standing ovation as many stakeholders at the event extolled her virtues, describing her as "a woman of substance who has the strong will, courage, vision, honesty and rare commitment to succeed as the first female president of Association of Movie Producers, AMP." Among them was respected public commentator, Agatha Amata who passionately vouched for her as a gogetter. She therefore, appealed to members of AMP to give her the needed votes that will enable the screen goddess to redirect the association.

EbonyLife TV acquires CBSSI’s Melrose Place and Dynasty EbonyLife TV, Africa’s first Global Black entertainment and lifestyle network, has acquired from CBS Studios International the formal rights to classic blockbuster series “Melrose Place and Dynasty.”

Set in and named after an apartment block in the West Hollywood district of Los Angeles, Melrose Place chronicles the lives and loves of a group of young adults, each with their own dreams and drives. A doctor and a budding fashion designer, roommates who later fall in love and a man with no love life round out the first round of tenants in this tiny apartment complex that boasts a very interesting and spellbinding way of life.

Dynasty is an ‘80s American drama series about a wealthy but dysfunctional oil rich family and the conflict between two large corporations: Denver Carrington and Colby Co. It is an irresistible C M Y K

*Mo abudu and spellbinding story of passion, glamour, catfights and the biggest shoulder pads in Denver. Dynasty was the longrunning primetime soap fueled by an all-star cast and ‘sexsational’ storylines.

Commenting on the new deal, Executive Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, says “We’re highly pleased to have acquired the format rights for Melrose Place and Dynasty, two of the most iconic and unforgettable series from CBSSI, the home of some of the world’s most amazing

•Lilian Amah-Aluko

Chioma Ude, Wangi, others bag jewels of Ndigbo award The coal city of Enugu celebrated the triumphant homecoming some leading lights of Igbo extraction recently, among

storylines and electrifying series! Coming on the heels of our co-production partnership with the Walt Disney Company on the production of Desperate Housewives Africa, based on the multiple award winning ABC Television drama hit series, "Desperate Housewives," we can’t wait to bring our viewers globally Africa’s versions of these multiple Golden Globe nominee thrillers.” Roxanne Pompa, Vice President, International Sales & Production for CBS Studios International said.

them two notable women in the film and television business; Ms Chioma Ude, Founder/CEO of Africa International Film Festival and Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, Regional Director M-Net/Africa Magic.

The event was the 2nd Ola Ndi Igbo (Jewels of Igbo), a biennial summit organized by a group of volunteers in Nigeria and the Diaspora that promotes values-driven change in Igboland.

Although about 700 indigenes attended the Wangi event, the summit resonated with the presence of the female achievers, who also include the likes of Oby Ezekwesili, Sandra Obiago, Adaora Nwandu, Chioma Omeruah (Chigul), Ijeoma Ononogbu, ChiomaUgochukwu, Ndidi Nwuneli, Nkiru Okpareke, Ndidi Obioha and Yvonne Mbanefo.

Held at De Dome Event Place on October 17, 2015, the event followed the success of the first edition which took place in Lagos in 2013 and inspired a range of initiatives to promote development in Igbo land including the creation of an entrepreneurship and vocational training centre for youth in the Southeast, a soul searching summit titled OluNdi Igbo and a business training programme for Igbo traders in markets across Nigeria.

Incidentally, Chioma Ude’s AFRIFF which is already warming up for its 5th edition in Lagos from November 8 to 15, 2015, is collaborating with Wangi Mba-Uzouk-

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

By KEHINDE AJOSE

O

Don Jazzy, D Coal t

luwatobi Wande Ojosipe, a.k.a Wande Coal, is one youngster who was instrumental to encouraging the likes of Davido and Wizkid to pursue their passion for music. The social media went agog earlier this month when he announced the release of his sophomore album. Fondly called ‘Black Diamond,’ the former Mohits/Mavin artiste opens up on why it took him six years to release another album, why he avoided the media, missing Don Jazzy, and the joy of fatherhood.

It took you six years to release another album; What happened?

I was with Mohits and the company dissolved in 2011, then, I was left alone to choose where to go. Either to go with Dbanj or Don Jazzy. I just moved with Don Jazzy because we had bonded, It’s not that I didn’t like Dbanj but I just had to move with Don Jazzy because he is a producer and I am a singer. I moved with Don Jazzy without no contract .

It was based on love and I had no contract. At some point I wanted to be in charge of my own creativity and have my own personal growth .I have been working with Don Jazzy for a while and I wanted to give other people the opportunity to produce my music. It takes time.

I left Don Jazzy in 2013 and we were already working on my second album, which was almost done. But at the end of the day with business, you disagree and agree. It just didn’t work out .That is why I had to start all over again .Songs like Rotate are no longer on the album. I had to start all over again creating new songs, getting a new producer that is why it took this long.

How was it for you transitioning from a known record label to becoming an independent artiste?

Nothing good comes easy; we have to keep working. A lot of people said my career has declined. All these things motivate me. I like good criticisms. I met Don Jazzy in 2006; they didn’t sign me until 2010. I have been working all that time, writing songs. It wasn’t too hard, but I just needed sometime to create my own sound. New producers are coming up and I decided to give them a chance. The song I did in Ghana with R2bees became a hit, but it wasn’t Don Jazzy that produced it. Don Jazzy doesn’t have a problem with that. People like Wizkid and Davido, I practically influenced them, telling them this is how to go about it. People must grow, table must turn, and people must change. I don’t want to be stereotyped with my sound. I don’t want people to feel that if I don’t have Don Jazzy, I cannot make it.

Why should everyone get this album?

I feel like the album covers all demographics. My last album covers songs for mamas, papas and young people. This album is just my own creativity and personal growth from over the years. I think it’s a must-get album. I spoke about different things. I spoke in my dialect, I C M Y K

First of all, I will have to say that Dbanj, Don Jazzy, Wande Coal, D’Prince and Dr Sid are one big family. We are all brothers. I am sure that you have brothers at home that at some point you argue over things. We are still family because of the training and the hardwork we have been through and all the time we have shared together. I just felt like I have worked with them a lot of times so it’s better to give other people chances. In the future we can do something by the grace of God.

•Wande Coal

spoke in pidgin, I spoke in English. I focused on different topics for each song in the album. It’s going to be a great album.

I have been planning to work with 2face for a while now and everybody has been expecting Wande Coal and 2face to work together. I have always been putting out good music everybody knows me for that.

Eight producers worked on this album and unfortunately Don Jazzy wasn’t one of them.

Why didn’t you work with any of your former label mates in the new album?

Why are you avoiding the media?

I am not running away from the media, I just felt that at that time, I needed to create my own self again. This is me right now, Black Diamond. I had to give myself some time. Like I said earlier, we had already done the album and I had to start all over again. Every time I am called to grant interviews I would say : “What do you want me to say, If I get there now and I am asked where is your album”? That is why I took my time to work on the album, got a good team, got everything structured and now I am here. I am not running away from the media anymore.

What inspired the title of the album Wanted?

Everywhere I go people ask me for the album in spite of the fact that I have released a couple of singles. Even my mum asked for the album. She wants to listen to songs that will motivate her and motivate her friends. So I just got the title Wanted just like that Do you think your sophomore album will surpass Mushin to Mohits?

I will say all glory to God for getting me out there.

It’s a case of two magical people coming out to create a magical sound. It’s not by one man, it’s by God. A lot of people expect a lot from me because of the standard of the previous album. I created the new album just like the old one, the difference is that my fans will get to see the better me. The debut album

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 29

Dbanj and I, Wande tells his story was all about the young Wande. My new album is focused on experiences I have gathered from that time of Mushin to Mohits, to this time When last did you visit Mushin?

Mushin will always be my home. From 12 in the midnight I can just drive to Mushin. My grandma always opens the door. All I need do is just to call my friends that I am around. It’s something I do regularly. My grandma is from Mushin; my mum lives in Mushin. My maternal family is from Mushin. I grew up with my grandma. She practically paid my school fees. I owe it to her,without her, I won’t be able to associate with Mushin Do you charge for collabos?

You have to be good. I don’t charge for collabos. Why I featured in My woman My everything is because it’s a good song.

A lot of people believe that though the song belongs to Patoraking, you have promoted it more?

I didn’t make the song my own, that is why I dropped Ashimapeyin.

Ashimapeyin is my own song. Collabos help you get into new dimensions as an artiste Many people would argue that you got the concept from KWAM 1.....

(Cuts in) That is our father. He is our legend. It’s allowed once in a while to go back in time and look into the future.

Do you miss Don Jazzy?

There are no two ways about it, I miss Don Jazzy. When we are in the studio we make ourselves laugh that is what

people hardly know. Hopefully, we work together sometime in the future. There is no beef

c a n

Are you open to having collabos with your former label mates?

I am open to having collabos with them. There is no ‘beef ’ between us. It’s about having a common ground to make good music.

Are you ever envious of the likes of Korede Bello, Reekado Banks and Dija?

I said you have to give people chances. I have been in their shoes.

I am not envious of them, I have been Korede Bello, Dija , Reekado Banks and I have grown past that. I have grown to a level where I need to create my own thing. I feel like they are with the best producer and we should learn from it.

A lot of artistes are resorting to skin bleaching, would you do that anytime soon?

I don’t want to bleach, trust me I like my colour like this What is your opinion about nudity in music videos?

I don’t think you have to be nude to do a music video. I don’t think nudity should define a music video What will you say about fatherhood?

Fatherhood has been good to me. My child is seven years old. It was part of the reasons why I had to be out of circulation. I had to take care of my child.

Do you still intend to get married?

By the grace of God

I am not running away from the media, I just felt that at that time, I needed to create my own self again

•Wande Coal

Are you considering getting married to your baby mama?

If God says so; I am leaving that in God’s hands.

I am a single dad for now. I love my son, he is smart and brilliant. I am happy. It has taught me to be responsible basically.

How many tracks do you have in your new album?

I have 18 tracks.

Don’t you think that will make you sound monotonous?

I didn’t repeat any beat, sound or lyrics in all the 18 tracks. It won’t sound monotonous.

What do you wish you had done differently?

I wish I had done the things I know now.

I did everything based on love back in the days which I think I shouldn’t have done . I didn’t separate business from friendship. Every little thing in life teaches you a lesson What has music not done for you?

Music is everything to me. I won’t say it hasn’t done anything for me. I won’t be here without my music. The press won’t be here if I have no music. Music brought me out there.

How long did it take you to work on this album?

It took me two years. I had to start all over again.

What is your take on the beef between Wizkid and Davido?

I have been blessed by their music. The only person I can say we have been through a lot together will be Wizkid.

Nobody can blame Wizkid for who he is. He has learnt and I think he is a great kid. I love him to death. He is my brother. We bonded .With Davido; I think he is a great artiste and doing his own thing C M Y K

30—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

By BENJAMIN NJOKU njokujamin@yahoo.com

L

adysmith Black Mambazo, Diamond Platnumz, Casper Ynovest, Yemi Alade, Charlotte Dipanda, AKA, Olamide, Stanley Enow, Davido, Stonebwoy and 162 other African superstars have confirmed attendance for African music and culture, the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA 2015 slated for Sunday, November 15 at Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Confirming their performance at AFRIMA Awards, band’s manager, Majozi Christopher Zolisile, stated: “AFRIMA 2015 will be staged in November which coincidentally is the month for Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s 55th anniversary. It will be amazing and electrifying to perform on a big stage like All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) 2015 in Nigeria. We are looking forward to it.”

Other artistes billed to perform at the award ceremony include Yemi Alade from Nigeria, who broke records with her hit single, ‘Johnny’ in 2013. Her counterpart from Cameroon, Charlotte Dipanda, an Afro pop singer, who has worked with Congolese singer, Papa Wemba and provided background vocals for Manu Dibango, Rokia Traore and Axelle Red will also grace the AFRIMA stage. The duo of Diamond Platnumz, a Bongo

172 African superstars to light up AFRIMA in Lagos

Flava recording artist and dancer from Tanzania and Olamide from Nigeria will set the stage on fire at the AFRIMA 2015. Both have won numerous awards.

Other artistes and nominees that that have confirmed attendance from Eastern Africa include Vanessa Mdee, Bebe Cool, Tsedenia, Alikiba, H_Art the Band, Dr. Jose Chameleone, Danny Kalima, Makadem, Lilian Mbabazi, Sauti Sol,

Cindy, Lulu & the Zakaleo Band, Liron, Suzanna Owiyo, Ben Pol, THT, and Teddy Afro.

From Southern Africa are top acts like AKA, Busiswa, Amantle, Cindy Munyavi, Gazza, Blade Deep/Delura, The Soil, Kunle Ayo, Cassper Nyovest, and KO while representing Central Africa are Awilo Logomba, Stanley Enow, Charlotte Dipanda, NG Bling, Jovi, Daphne, M’vula, Betty Akna, Mani Bella, Featurist, Vumomse, Missy BK, and DJ Malvado.

Miss Commonwealth Nigeria, Queen Beauty Istifanus flags off pet project

Confirming attendance from West Africa region are Sarkodie, Stoneboy, Toofan, Kiff No Beat, Dark Suburb “The Skeleton”, DJ Arafat, Wiyaala, Sekou Kouyate, Gangbe Brass Band etc. Representing the host, Nigeria include Davido, Wizkid, P-Square, Timaya, Nneka, Flavour, Darey, Brymo, Seyi Shay, Wande Coal, Praiz, Niyola, Patoranking, Adekunle Gold, Kiss Daniel, Aramide, Timi Dakolo, and J. Martins among others.

The Central and Northern Africa regions’ delegates

will be led by Awilo Logomba, Stanley Enow, Charlotte Dipanda, NG Bling, Jovi, Daphne, M’vula, Betty Akna, Mani Bella, Featurist, Vumomse, Missy BK, and DJ Malvado, and Manal, Don Bigg, Monsif Jilali and Ahmed Soultan, Cheba Sabrine, Alsarah, Souad Massi, Samira Said, Gabacho Maroconnection among others.

The 2015 AFRIMA Awards will be broadcast live to 84 countries on 109 television stations across the world with the support of AFRIMA media partners.

•Ladysmith Black Mambazo

By TOFARATI IGE

W

inner of the 2014 edition of the Miss Commonwealth Beauty Pageant, Queen Beauty Istifanus, has flagged off her pet project which is tagged, ‘Literacy Campaign for Every Nigerian Girl Child.’

Speaking with a posse of journalists at the Best Western Starfire Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, October 21, 2015, Istifanus stated that she has always had a passion for assisting indigent children, especially in the area of education. In her words, ‘I started modeling at the age of 12 when I did a photo-shoot for the then VMobile. My pageantry life started when I gained admission into the University of Jos. I was Miss UNIJOS 2007/2009, then I became Miss Glamour Nigeria. In 2012, I was Miss Peace Ambassador Nigeria. Now, I’m Miss Commonwealth Nigeria, and by God’s grace, come 2016, I will be crowned Miss Commonwealth International.’

Commenting on the reason she decided to focus on education, she said, ‘I’m from Kaduna State, and in the North, girl-children don’t usually have the right to get what they want. They end up marrying early, and do not have the opportunity to go to school. And all these have terrible effects, as giving birth too early comes with a lot of C M Y K

Gordons thrills Guinness’ distributors H

•Beauty Istifanus, Miss Commonwealth

health challenges. The belief there is that a woman is only important in her husband’s house. For the boys, they are usually sent to school and encouraged, but it is not so for the girls. With this project, I want to educate the people more, and let them know the power of education.’

On where she’ll be starting her campaign from, she said, ‘They say charity begins at home, so I’ll begin in Kaduna, before moving to other states.’

The CEO of Strud Models, who are the holders of the Commonwealth franchise in Nigeria, Ayomikun Daniel Akinwalere, stated that he is fully in support of Queen Istifanus’ decision to provide education opportunities for indigent students.

By ANOZIE EGOLE umour merchant and actor, Gordons, was at his very best when Guinness Nigeria, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc celebrated its distributors as partners of growth in a conference and award night held recently in Lagos. The superstar comedian dished out a dose after dose of jokes, getting the distributors groggy with laughter while music from Asa and Bob Marley softened the tempo to make the day an exhilarating experience of business networking, fun and dance.

Speaking at the occasion, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr Peter Ndegwa, commended the distributors for their contributions to the growth and success of the company’s business in the previous fiscal year. He noted that their efforts have helped the company maintain its market leadership, while referencing Guinness Nigeria’s effective and efficient distribution model, which has ensured impressive investment returns, expansion of retail footprints and improved customer experience at every touch point. The high point of the night was the announcement of Abuja-based Managing Director of Edinho Nigeria Ltd, Dr. Edmond Okafor as the winner of the National Highest Volume Award category.

He was rewarded with a plaque, sum of over N20 million and a new Toyota Rav4.

•Gordons

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 31

(Text Only)

Exercise for health, fitness and wellbeing

}•Spread Eagle Spread Eagle

Heels-to-Crotch

Technique: it down and spread the legs out as much as possible.

Holding the legs just below the knees, lower the trunk while sliding the hands down to the ankles and resting the chin on the floor. Remain very still and breathe normally for a few seconds and then straightening up the trunk, bring the legs together and lay on your back for a brief reast.

Technique:

S

T

he Heels to Crotch pos ture is executed by sitting with feet drawn in and the soles of the feet brought together.

Hold the toes and pull the feet till the heels touch the crotch. In all this, keep the thighs and legs flat down on the ground.

Benefits:

T

his helps to warm up the inner thigh muscles before lowering the legs for the full count between 10 and 20 seconds.

In men,it increases their staying power.

Benefit: he spread eagle stretches the spine rejuvenating the nervous system.

T

}•Heels-to-Crotch Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays The Triangle Technique:

S

tand with the feet very wide apart and turning the trunk to the left, bend the left knee till it's at the same level as your waist.

Place the left hand on the inside of the left foot and pass the right at the back with the palm on the left leg. Breathe normally and retain the position between five and 15 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

Benefits: he Triangle like the chair strengthens the leg muscles. It also stretches the spine and trunk muscles. It tones the spinal nerves and abdominal organs. It reduces or eliminates back pain.

T

}•The Triangle C M Y K

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

08 1 1 6759 759 081 6759759

Now that's a holey festival!

H

undreds of men in Thailand forced horrifyingly sharp spikes, huge knives and the barrels of guns through their cheeks as they celebrated their annual vegetarian festival.

Devotees of the Chinese Samkong shrine and the Chinese Ban Tha Rue shrine walked through Phuket yesterday in a procession that worshipped abstinence from meat. The festival, where

mediums also attempt to call on spirits, sees followers give up various products during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.

Many believe their abstinence will help them obtain good health and peace of mind.

Pictures from the festival, which lasts for nine days, show men with dozens of silver spikes pierced through their lips and cheeks, while others shoved serrated metal bars and poles through their skin.

Ritual vegetarianism in Phuket is believed to have started in the early 1800s.

Participants believe the act of body piercing helps to shift evil spirits.

'Stop inventing nonsense'

Chinese man eats more than 5lbs of chillies every day...

S

A

man from a small village has become an unlikely celebrity in China for his incredible appetite for red hot chillies.

Li Yongzhi, who lives in the village of Shawoli in Henan province, enjoys the heat so much he

consumes up to 5.5 lbs (2.5 kilograms) of chilli peppers every day. Mr Li, 48, even uses chillies as mouthwash in the morning, according to People's Daily Online. According to local reports, Li Yongzhi has taken a liking to spicy food since his childhood.

The villager, who is dubbed 'king of chilli' in China, told Zhenzhou Evening News that he could have a meal with no meat or eggs, but never without a handful of chillies.

He said: 'Most people brush their teeth in the morning, I just eat chillies to freshen up my breath.

'Without chillies, any meal is tasteless.' He added that chillies also helps him kill time as he eats them as a snack in the evening after he finishes a day of work. In order to satisfy his daily needs, Mr Li grows eight different types of chilli peppers in his garden.

Mr Li's fondness of chillies seemed perfectly normal to him until 10 years ago.

Around that time, a hit-and-run accident left Mr Li's elder son with two broken legs. Mr Li was faced with tens of thousands of Yuan (thousands of pounds sterling) of medical bills and, at one point, he barely had money left for food.

One day, a starved Mr Li fainted on the side of the road and this made him realise that he had to eat

C M Y K

food in order to have strength to take care of his son. After he regained consciousness, he went into a restaurant but was told they had sold out all the food. Mr Li decided to sit down and eat two bowls of chilli powder with a glass of tap water. Since then, Mr Li discovered that he has a much higher tolerance of spicy food than others. n 2009, Li was crowned the 'king of chilli' by the provincial government of Hunan after beating other competitors in a chilli-

eating contest. Mr Li's insatiable appetite for chillies seems to bring benefit his health too. He said he rarely gets sick and is very healthy.

He told Zhenzhou Evening News: 'I don't have any super powers. I just like eating and I can eat a lot. 'The doctors say I'm as normal as everybody else.'

ofia Vergara has fired back at a radio station that suggested it was ‘ rumored’ that the Modern Family star was one of Bill Cosby’s victims.

The radio show, En Candela, made the claim on Friday after a cringe-worthy video surfaced of Cosby interviewing Vergara on The Late Show more than a decade ago.

A video of an interview of Bill Cosby and a young Sofia Vergara came out. It's rumored if she could've been one of his victims,’ En Candela tweeted out in Spanish. The actress shot down claims, Tweeting in Spanish to her followers the same day: ‘Respect people. Stop inventing nonsense’.

The video resurfaced on YouTube after Cosby, 78, was accused of sexually assaulting more than 50 women.

In the 2003 interview, Vergara speaks with Cosby, who was guest hosting for David Letterman, about her thenupcoming film Chasing Papi. The interaction between the two is

cringe-worthy at points, as Cosby at one point tells Vergara that she makes him feel ‘excited’.

'Men look at you, and they think only of sin,” the comedian said in the video. “What you have on tonight is wonderful. This is just wonderful. When you walked out, many people became attentive.”

Vergara laughed at Cosby, and said she was worried he might die of excitement.

'Don’t die on me!” she joked.

“This is my first time on American TV. Don’t die here! But maybe if you do die, I will be very famous. Tomorrow, everybody will know me. Bill Cosby died interviewing Sofia Vergara.”

‘Not during the interview,’ Cosby responded, saying that it’s he would die ‘because of what he was thinking’ while speaking with Vergara. Two more women last week joined the more than 50 accusing of Cosby of sexual misconduct and assault.

The comedian has denied all allegations and has not been criminally charged.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 33

In about three years from now, Angel is expected to go professional, a development which may attract global attention

BEREAVED TENNIS STAR:

My mum’s killer must die too “I don’t know where my father is and policeman has killed my only parent”

By JOHN EGBOKHAN

F

•Angel Macleod

C M Y K

OR 14 years old Angel Macleod, October 26, 2010 may remain indelible in her mind for that was the day that a policeman murdered her 38 years old mother, Beauty Nwankwo, at a Lagos hotel. A rising Chevron tennis star, Angel had returned from Accra, Ghana, the previous day, after participating in a tournament and mother and daughter were lodged at a guest house somewhere at Victoria Island.

Circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder are still shrouded in mystery but reports said that the late Beauty may have had an altercation with the killer mobile policemen and in the scuffle that ensured, the armed man cocked his weapon and fired point blank, killing the woman in cold blood.

Angel is actually yet to come to terms with the development as she still finds it difficult to believe that she will never see her beloved mother again, forever. And to compound her problems, Angel does not really know who her father is, that is if one actually still exists. “I just keep thinking that it’s not true,” Angel cries, noting that, “every time I think about it, I just break down and life feels strange without her. My father is not here. I don’t know where he is. I don’t know who will replace my mother.

“When my mum did not come back the next day, I tried calling her and all of a sudden, my auntie, auntie’s husband, my mother’s friends came to my room and asked If I was okay and I said yes. I asked them where my mum was and they all looked at each other and said that she had gone to the village

but was not picking up her phone calls. I said okay. Then every ten minutes, the receptionist would come and ask if I was okay and in case I needed anything, I should come and ask her. It was really strange. I tried to call my mum for the last time but she didn’t pick and I called my auntie to verify if my mum was in the village and she said that she was leaving the village now.

“It was then I knew that something was wrong because my mum can’t just go to the village and be on her way just like that. It takes hours and hours to go the village and she would not go without telling me.”

Apart from her dream to rule the world of tennis, the late mother was all she had. Beauty had prodded her on, leading her to various tournaments both within and outside the country,

It’s hard not think of it, knowing she died at an early age. She is with me in the spirit.”

preparing Angel for a possible role in the future as a tennis star.

“The killer doesn’t deserve to live any minute longer,” Angel said adding that “the only way he can pay for his crime is to pay with his life because what he did was devilish and evil and I can’t believe that a policeman can kill my mother just like that.”

She got the news of the killing a day after the incident and she felt as if the world had come to an end. “We did everything together, went out together, attended tournaments together.

She helped me with my studies and was virtually my engine room and I don’t know what I am going to do without her. I don’t know how I will cope without her around me again.”

Still in tears, Angel wants to see the corpse of her mother before burial, “to actually confirm that she is dead.” Then she has another request – to see the policeman who killed her mother. “I am not going to do anything to him. I just want to see who killed my mum,” hopefully before he faces the wrath of the law.

In about three years from now, Angel is expected to go professional, a development which may attract global attention as in fact, she says she is determined to be the Maria Sharapova of African tennis. “Just because my mum died does not mean I am going to stop doing the thing I love most, playing tennis. Since I was a kid, she was the one who brought me into tennis. She always pushed me to struggle harder for success and I am going to keep on fighting. Her death won’t bring my head down as far as tennis is concerned. Her death will push me on because that is her dream for me.”

“I try not to think of it but every day, I get phone calls from people around, in Africa, my mum’s friends, some of the coaches who trained me, contacted me after reading the news. It’s hard not think of it, knowing she died at an early age. She is with me in the spirit.”

34 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 31, 2015

MURDER IN LAGOS HITS SPORTS

Enahoro, Kienka, Ndanusa mourn death of the mother of a 14- year- old tennis star killed by a policeman in Lagos •Say Nigeria should stop police killings NOW

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

“W

hat happened to my mother?”, were the first words that the face of junior tennis in the country, Angel Macleod, uttered, upon meeting the coordinator of Chevron Tennis Academy, Chris Enahoro on Tuesday evening in Victoria Island.

Macleod, 14, who had just returned to Lagos from Accra, where she had gone to participate in a junior tournament, had last seen her mother, Beauty, on Sunday night.

And it so happened that it was the last time that the promising tennis girl was going to see her beloved mother, who was on Monday morning killed by a policeman.

According to initial reports on the day of her death, Angel’s mother, was reportedly killed by a bullet that came from the gun of the unnamed Mopol, who we learnt was engaged in a slight altercation with the deceased at a Lagos hotel.

It was alleged from a source that the Mopol, who was guarding the hotel premises, had hit the deceased, who reportedly hit him back with a object and irked by the retaliation, he subsequently fired a shot from his gun, which eyewitnesses said resulted in the death of Angel’s mother.

For a girl, whose mother was her mainstay and ever present friend, not seeing the latter for two days gave her cause for concern but it was learnt that close friends of the deceased had told her that the mother travelled to settle an emergency matter in the village.

But after concealing the sad news from her in their hotel room on Balaraba Musa Crescent, at the back of the 1004 Flats in V.I, Enahoro was mandated by the family to tell the player the true situation of things.

And as he approached the premises of the Guest House, where C M Y K

the Chevron tennis player was living, Enahoro prayed for special grace to comfort her.

“It was a difficult situation for me because this was the first time that a promising tennis player would be losing her mother in such a bizarre and tragic circumstance, so it was clear that one needed special grace to handle the situation, in a way that would not emotionally destabilise the young girl”, Enahoro told Saturday Sports Vanguard.

Narrating how he broke the message to Angel Macleod, Enahoro said “ when she saw me, she asked if I knew where her mother went to and when she was coming back. I later told her that her best friend, Oyin Quadri, who is in the ITF Academy in Morocco, asked after

•Beauty Nwankwo

her welfare. I told her that she will join Quadri in Morocco soon because of the need to take her tennis to the next level, to which she shouted “thank you sir”.

BREAKING THE SAD NEWS

C

She cried for an hour and we allowed her to pour out her emotions because of the tight bond that existed between her and the deceased mother.

ontinuing, Enahoro said “after thanking me, I told Macleod that I came to tell her something about her mother. I told her that mother was involved in an accident, to which she shouted hysterically, “what happened to her and how is she doing? I said that the accident was bad but she was well but sadly was not going to be with us again. On hearing the words never again, Macleod went numb and was held by the uncle, who came from the east to comfort his grieving niece. ‘’She cried for an hour and we allowed her to pour out her emotions because of the tight bond that existed between her and the deceased mother. After an hour, she was about falling on

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 35

I can’t say much on the matter but all I can assure you is that the talent of Angel Macleod will not waste. She is an exceptionally talented player, whose talent cannot be allowed to waste” the chair when her uncle held her and carried her, consoling her. She broke down. The news shattered her. Enahoro, a former President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation for two years runs the Chevron tennis programme for kids and mentors many of them.

CLASH WITH POLICE AND CONFLICTING EVIDENCE

B

efore meeting Angel Macleod, Enahoro had gone to the Maroko Police Station, where the Police Officer that allegedly killed Beatrice, was attached. Narrating his experience there, he said ‘’I was told that the Police officer said that he shot in the air and the bullet hit something before hitting Macleod’s mother in the leg and causing her death. But the eye witness at the spot, said that after the officer accosted the deceased and slapped her, she struck him with a stone and in retaliation, the officer allegedly shot her point blank. But it’s ridiculous to say you shot into the air ‘’And only on Wednesday, one of our senior players, Destiny Da-Silva, who was on Channels TV, with the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, quoted the CP to have said that the deceased was struggling with the gun of the officer when the incident happened.

“My first question to the CP is was he at the scene of the crime when it happened to now act as a witness in such a clear-case of aggravated murder? How can the CP turn to a witness for the officer, who had earlier said in a statement that he shot into the air? Is the CP trying to cover up for the officer in question when the trial has not started?

He better not because we are prepared to see that the guilty is punished’’.

MURDER FOR MURDER

•Chris Enahoro

E

• Angel Macleod,

nahoro said the accused officer must face the ultimate punishment for allegedly murdering an unharmed and defenceless woman. ‘’As far as I am concerned, Police Force should realise that their officer shot an unharmed woman and the Policeman will be charged with murder and condemned to death. I specifically told the D.P.O in charge of Maroko Police station, I.G Adamu that if what I heard, that the accused has been transferred to the north East, in the course of this case, he will lose his job.

He confirmed to me that he arrested the officer and that he was in cell in Panti Station’’.

Adding bite to Enahoro’s voice, President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, sani Ndanusa said that ‘’this officer must be made to face the full wrath of the law. He can’t be allowed to get away with murder just like that, especially against an unharmed woman’’.

In his reaction, national junior tennis coach, Mohammed Ubale said ‘’this is not acceptable because the woman

was the live-wire of the young girl and whoever committed this grievous offence must face the capital punishment’’.

Reacting, the father of Oyin Quadri, Sikiru Quadri said ‘’what the officer did is unacceptable and he must pay for his action. We were expecting Beauty at the club on Monday for a match because she was ahead on the ladder’s board and to hear of this death just beats me and speaks much on how our police handle simple disputes with defencelss citizens’’.

MACLEOD’S TENIS SURVIVAL

T

he deceased was a good player during her time on the court but never got to the level that the likes of Margreth Olagundoye and Fatima Abinu attained. But she was a good hitter of the ball, a trait that is evident in her only offspring, Angel Macleod, the undisputable female junior champion in Nigeria.

The travails tennis players face are well documented, leaving many to worry over the future of this blossoming teenager, who has won all the junior tournaments that she featured in this year. Her mother was always with her, pushing and

caring for her and hoping to make a Serena Williams out of her.

In a country where little premium is placed on the welfare of players, there are fears that this tragedy might be the beginning of the end for Macleod, who was always guided by her deceased mother, who always travelled with her to tournaments.

With her mother ’s death, who will guide, guard, train and manage the Angel of Nigerian tennis?

Taking the lead, Enahoro said: ‘’my plan is for her to go to Abuja next week to play in the NPA tournament and when she comes back, I will start processing her visa papers for her to proceed to the ITF school in Morocco.

Oyin was sent to Morocco by donations from members of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan and I hope that when I knock on their doors, they will not hesitate to be involved in the sponsorship of Angel to Morocco because her survival depends solely on us”.

Also speaking, the Founder of the International Tennis Academy and former national player, Godwin Kienka assured that he would not allow the talent of Macleod to waste with her mother’s death.

“I can’t say much on the matter but all I can assure you is that the talent of Angel Macleod will not waste.

She is an exceptionally talented player, whose talent cannot be allowed to waste”, said Kienka.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS MUST STOP

W

orried with the rising cases of extra-judicial killings and police brutality, Enahoro said “almost on a monthly basis, reports in the newspapers have a familiar pattern. A bus driver, refuses to part with a N50 bribe and is shot on the spot in full view of by-standers, who watch the uniformed assassin flee from the scene. What the press report does not tell readers in the coming weeks is what happened to the policeman at the checkpoint, who shot the driver. With time, the issue is forgotten, until the next such incident happens. Killings by policemen have thus become so normal but the time to stop it is now and we must act to ensure this evil is stopped”.

C M Y K

36 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

3 ways to wear the little red dress Another essential for any woman is the red cocktail dress. It’s not as important as the must-have LBD (little black dress), but it’s nonetheless an indispensable piece. With a red evening dress, you’ll feel sassy, bold, alive and beautiful.

Here is how to wear

3. Make black your go-to neutral. Sometimes women do not know what to wear with a certain color dress and just throw on a black shoe...nothing makes an outfit look clunkier more quickly.

But when it comes to red, I think a black shoe totally works. Navy is a good alternative, but any other neutral—nude, a metallic, brown or beige—should definitely be avoided.

•CURVY • WEAR WITH MINIMAL JEWELRY 1. Choose something tailored. You want to send a message that you’re sophisticated, not slutty. Go for something with sharp lines and a fairly conservative cut, like Michelle, to avoid looking too comehither.

2. Don’t overaccessorize. Red is an undeniably powerful color and it speaks volumes on its own.

Cluttering up the look with a pile of necklaces or a loud printed scarf is a no-no. Follow Mrs. O’s cue and wear one pretty piece of jewelry, like a simple bangle or a great pair of earrings.

Fashion Art Fusion holds tomorrow

A

ll is now set for the exquisite second edition of the Fashion Art Fusion, a show which is a celebration of fashion and other art forms.

Tagged, “Roots Inspired” this year’s edition aims to project our culture, arts and music, it will feature amazing designs from prominent designers Luzol, Ejiro Amos Tafiri and Austria based designer Ayo Van Elmer.

Speaking to members of the press in Lagos recently, initiator of the show, Nigeria’s prolific designer, Austin Aimankhu also known as Luzol, revealed the fashion show which holds tomorrow 1st November 2015, at the Oriental hotels Lagos, is a matrimony between the C M Y K

runway and visual arts an artistic foreplay of the runway, spoken word and alternative music”.

As part of the commitment to help budding talents, Luzol revealed that students from Yaba College of Technology, Fashion Department will be privileged to share the runway with other professionals in the industry. Luzol emphasised “We have three upcoming designers from the Yabatech who are part of the show.

They are not just taking part in the show; we will mentor them and help them in setting up in the industr y. It is something we intend to do yearly as a way of giving back to the fashion industry and

the society at large.” Also speaking at the press briefing, Khadijah Junaid, Executive Director, GAC Motors, sponsors of this year’s event, revealed that Fashion art fusion is a synergy with the company’s brand, Cars have become fashionable over the years and we at GAC Motors believe fashion and cars go together. So we are lending our support to the show, for the growth of the fashion industry.” she said.

Musical and poetry performers at the show include Ijodee (dancer), Adunni Nifattiti, Ivori (Poet), Donna the poet, Tonnie amongst others, while Ifedayo Olarinde aka Freeze of Cool FM is compere of the day.

From Left; Mrs. Rosemary Aimankhu, Co-Ordinator Fashion ArtFusion, Mrs. Khadijah Junaid, Executive Director, CIG Motors, Mr.Ifedayo Olarinde( Freeze),Mr. Austin Aimakhu of Luzol.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—37

Cocktails is about lifestyle — Lara Rawa L

ara Rawa, the founder of Eventi Cocktails is a lawyer by profession. She holds a Master ’s Degree in International Business Law from Queen Mary University of London. Her passion for Cocktails and event planning, made her shelve her law certificate to follow her dreams.

As far as Lagos and Nigeria is concerned, Lara Rawa is a name to reckon with in cocktails known for creating distinctive cocktails and custom mixology for luxury events, conferences, wedding, social and corporate events.

In this interview with Esther Onyegbula, she talks about the upcoming Lagos cocktail festival and other issues in the industry.

When I got jobs, I called people who I knew could do the job and they will take all the money. And I used to wonder how they made profit

Why did you go into this business when you are a professional lawyer?

I went into the sector because I love to drink cocktail. But there was a point when I didn’t have a job and I felt that rather than stay at home doing nothing, let me go into cocktail business.

How is starting and staying in the business been like?

Well starting a business is easy, the difficult part is staying in it and being able to move with the trend. What that means is that you always need to horn your skills by going abroad to train.

For you to

What is Lagos cocktail festival about?

The Lagos cocktail festival is a week-long event aimed at providing individuals, businesses, corporations and global brands a platform to interact, connect and share brand value. There will be exhibitions, master classes, tastings amongst other side attractions and activities.

This festival can also be described as a gathering of cocktail enthusiasts as beverage brands and lovers of great cocktails and mocktails alike get to indulge their taste buds at designated hubs. This year, the event has been renamed ‘Lagos Cocktail Week’ and will be different in various ways; for one, we are switching up some of the competitions and encouraging more of our guests to try their hands at making cocktails at some of the different hubs. We are also signing up partnering bars who will offer cocktails at a discount to LCW wristband wearers. Anyone interested in taking advantage of the promotions and offers happening during the week, will need to purchase wristbands from the official hub, The Milano Bar at the Intercontinental Hotel.

C M Y K

What should people expect at the festival?

It is going to be educative, informative and entertaining.

Entertainment is happening when you are going to the different hubs and enjoying cocktails at a discount while chilling out with friends. The educative part is when you get people registered to attend classes. We also want to create a platform for the cocktail trade vendors to network.

They need this relationship because sometimes, two or three of them have to work together at a big event. So far, the response has been very encouraging and positive. The N2,000 is to get the wristband while the training cost N10, 000 and the training will run for four hours, from the best facilitators.

Do you have plans to partner with the government?

The partnership is with the Lagos State ministry of tourism and obviously, this is a

Do you think Nigerians are very much into cocktails?

Nigerians are visual people.

They like to see things. From the response I got, I won’t say Nigerians are different, I will beg to differ. They know exactly what cocktail is, they know what Chapman is because everybody drinks it. But we are trying to tell them that, Chapman is the least of it all. Cocktail is a lifestyle thing, you just need to be creative with it and be dedicated and passion driven.

For me, what is more important, is the success of this event. Once the event is successful, next year, the turn out will be huge. But my expectations of the cocktail is that I will get the brand to give us their full support, to bridge that massive gap that we have been talking about between the brands and the consumers, when people are educated, and informed and then the attention of the international community, and obviously next year we will get better response.

How do you relax?

How I relax is so easy, I just go to my room, put on my television, put on my AC, watch movies maybe with a glass of cocktail that is how I relax.

What was the earliest challenge you faced running your business?

When I started, I didn’t know how to mix cocktail, I just loved to drink it and there was no place here where I can learn. When I got jobs, I called people who I knew could do the job and they will take all the money. And I used to wonder how they made profit.

Did you ever dream of becoming an entrepreneur?

Initially, as a career person, I wondered why people stress themselves to do a business when they can actually have a 9 to 5 job and get paid and if you perform brilliantly, you get promoted.

Then I became an entrepreneur and now, I am like, I don’t know how people work for other people, because as an entrepreneur you are able to set the pace of how you want to go.

Who are your target markets?

We are reaching out to people who are in cocktail business; we are also reaching out to the brands, the Liquor companies, the grape company, beverage company, those directly and indirectly involved in the Nigeria cocktail business.

As the organiser of the event, what is in it for you?

I guess you are asking about my long term goals and vision. My goal is for Lagos to host the International Bartender Association, for us to have the master class skills come to Nigeria, for us to have the mixicologist guru in the world to come to Nigeria and train Nigerians so that we can also be on the same platform with the rest of the world in the art of cocktail.

acquire these skill, you will need travel tickets, pay for hotel, and then you have to pay and be trained which is why we have decided to bring it home.

platform that will encourage tourist activities as we go along.

So there is no reason why they shouldn’t support such an initiative. I believe they are also supportive of young people who have fresh ideas and who are trying to make things better.

How do I balance work?

I don’t even know because I do a lot of things like school run, I am also actively involved in church work, I do events, I am doing Lagos cocktail week, I won’t lie to you because I have been asking myself how do I do it? My day starts from 4am and I don’t sleep until 11pm when I have responded to all my emails. I will just say it is the grace of God that I am able to balance everything because I can’t say it is my strength.

Lara Rawa

What is my driving force?

My driving force is trying to be better, wanting the best for my child and also wanting to be known for impact the industry and people around me.

38—SATURDAY

Vanguard,OCTOBER 31, 2015

This piece was written by Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

S

ometimes the technical words we use to describe a problem mask its true nature. Such is the case for the tens of thousands of women who die during pregnancy or delivery each year in Nigeria. For them, the official cause of death may be recorded as postpartum hemorrhage or uterine rupture.

Similarly, for the alarming number of newborns who perish, their mothers may be informed the cause was asphyxia or birth trauma.

Yet in each of these cases, the underlying cause of death is actually something far more fundamental: lack of access to basic health care. The vast majority of the mothers and newborns who die in Nigeria are lost to preventable health problems. They would have survived had they lived in a wealthier community with more doctors, hospitals and resources.

Unfortunately, this picture is representative of a much larger crisis in maternal and newborn health.

According to UNICEF and the World Health Organization, 800 women worldwide die each day of preventable complications related to pregnancy and delivery. And every day, 7,400 newborns die, most also from avoidable causes.

It is a gross injustice whenever the joyous occasion of birth instead is a preventable death.

But there is reason for optimism.

Over the past generation, global efforts have significantly reduced maternal mortality, and newborn deaths have declined as well.

New data released this (last) week confirm that Nigeria is making progress battling maternal and newborn mortality.

Since 1990, Nigeria has reduced both under-five mortality and maternal mortality by approximately half.

Progress comes at an important time. Last month, world leaders gathered at the United Nations

•Mother and newborn

Reducing maternal and newborn mortality to advance Nigeria’s future

•Melinda Gates

Headquarters in New York to adopt an ambitious set of Sustainable Development Goals for eliminating extreme poverty and building a prosperous, healthy planet.

These goals, which call for further reductions in maternal and newborn deaths, have the potential to accelerate progress even further if we stay focused on what works to save lives.

Simple interventions go a long way.

These include exclusive breastfeeding, keeping a newborn’s umbilical cord wound clean and dry to prevent infection, and promoting skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers to regulate the baby’s body temperature and breathing.

Meeting women’s health needs is just as important, and a newborn’s wellbeing is closely tied to her mother’s.

Providing women with greater access to family planning and other essential services, as well as nutritious food, can help to ensure that women and their children stay healthy and strong enough to contribute to the development of their families and communities.

We also need to help countries strengthen their primary health care systems so that more women and newborns have access to quality services and vital medicines before, during and after delivery.

Countries and international donors can do this by increasing funding levels for primary health care, collecting better data on where gaps in services are greatest and by training more front-line health workers to deliver basic education and care to people and places that have little or none.

If we take these steps, I believe that we can end most preventable

The vast majority of the mothers and newborns who die in Nigeria are lost to preventable health problems

maternal and newborn deaths—as well as eliminate the health disparities within and among countries so that every child has the chance to prosper—within a single generation.

This is the message I took with me to Mexico City this week, as experts from around the world came together to discuss how to align their efforts at the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference.

While in Mexico, I thought about young women like Sarah Briton, who I met recently in Malawi after she gave birth to her first child, a healthy baby boy.

Late in her third trimester, Sarah made the five-hour journey to Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe, where she could stay in a home near a women’s clinic to ensure that she and her baby had access to lifesaving care when she went into labour.

Sarah wasn’t willing to accept the idea that her and her baby’s lives could be cut short simply because they were born in extreme poverty. She knows that progress is possible, and she’s ready for it to begin with her and her family.

Many women across Nigeria undoubtedly share Sarah’s story. If we’re willing to match their commitment with our own, we can help guarantee a healthier, brighter future for women and children everywhere.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—39

Vanguard, SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2015 —41

Lifeline

J

UST in case you have not heard, processed meat has been classified as a definite cause of cancer, while red meat is a probable cause.

The new announcement by the World Health organisation is significant. But what exactly does it mean to the average consumer?

What this new report means Processed meat has been classified as a ‘definite’ cause of cancer (or Group 1 carcinogen)—the same group that includes smoking and alcohol. And red meat is a ‘probable’ cause of cancer (or a Group 2a carcinogen)—the same group as shift work.

Remember that these groups show how confident researchers are that red and processed meat cause cancer, not how much cancer they cause.

Prolonged meat diet isn’t good for you A prolonged high-meat diet isn’t really good for you, however, a steak, bacon sandwich, suya or sausage roll once or twice a week probably isn’t much to worry about. And overall, the risks are much lower than for other things linked to cancer.

Beware of red and processed meat SEXUAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

T

here are several ways by which women can prevent the occurrence of yeast infection in the vagina and these include; -Do away with nylon or synthetic underwear and use mostly cotton or silk underwear, loose fitting pants and skirts which allows dampness to evaporate -Wash your underwear and dry them thoroughlyand do change them regularly to prevent dampness.

-Change out of wet clothes such as swimsuit as quickly as possible -Avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, such as for colds or other viral infections.

-Don’t use douches or deodorant feminine hygiene sprays.

-Don’t leave tampons or sanitary pads in place for a long time.

-Eat yogurt that contains active cultures to add to the good bacteria that help your body control yeast.

Hello Viewden, I started reading your article about two weeks ago about yeast infection and I tried using the Cleanshield you prescribed and I must really confess that by the 5 th day of using it, the infection symptom has really disappeared and I went for a test, it was totally cleared and that is a miracle.

Thank you very much for coming in just in time. I regularly have severe headache due to the nature of my job in which most time I use the

Processed meat and cancer: What you need to know ‘Red’ meat is any meat that’s a dark red colour before it’s cooked, such as beef, lamb and pork.

‘Processed’ meat is meat that’s not sold fresh, but instead has been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved in some way.

Examples are bacon, sausages, hot dogs, ham, salami, and pepperoni.

These types of meat are distinct from ‘ white’ meats, like fresh chicken or turkey, and fish. These do not increase risk of cancer.

Body of evidence There’s now a large body of evidence that bowel cancer is more common among people who eat the most red and processed meat. There’s also growing evidence for a possible link to both stomach and pancreatic cancers.

Processed meat is more

•Processed food strongly linked to bowel cancer than red meat.

How red and processed meat cause cancer The main culprits seem to be certain chemicals found in the meat itself. In red meat, the problems seem to start when a chemical called haem—part of the red pigment in the blood,

haemoglobin—is broken down in the gut to form a family of chemicals found to damage the cells that line the bowel, so other cells in the bowel lining have to replicate more in order to heal. And it’s this ‘extra’ replication that can increase the chance of errors developing in the cells’

DNA—the first step on the road to cancer.

Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as grilling or barbequing, can also create chemicals in the meat that may increase the risk of cancer.

Should you still eat red and processed meat?

Yes, but in moderation.

Regularly eating large amounts of red and processed meat, over a long period of time, is probably not the best approach if you’re aiming to live a long and healthy life. Meat is fine in moderation—it’s a good source of some nutrients such as protein, iron and zinc. It’s just about being sensible, and not eating too much, too often. The risk is lower the less you eat.

INFECTIONS ANDSEX – YEAST INFECTIONS INWOMEN(III) laptop, what can you recommend I use- Jenny Hello Jenny, I’m glad you got a remedy for the yeast infection through Cleanshield.

Cleanshield is very powerful alkaline drink that helps the body fight off any infection whatsoever and it also works for so many other health issues. The best to handle the cessant headache associated with laptop usage is the eye massager.Its precisely positioned airbags soothingly squeeze and vibrate to melt away headaches, stiff neck and fatigue.

Hello Viewden, I’m an ardent follower of your article and I decided to try out Vimax with Gingkotea some weeks backto help fight my weak erection because I’m a diabetic 60 year old and to my surprise, apart from the fact my diabetic level reduced, I was able to get an erection after such a long time. Anytime I ejaculate, the semen released is very small and I’m not happy with this. What can you recommend I take? Boyo Hello sir, like I usually say on this tabloid, Gingko tea helps reduce the level of diabetes and hypertension and that’s why it also allows Vimax to take its effect in giving good erection. Both can be taken by people with health issues and men free from it, since its herbal and has no side effects.

Volume pills is the best to help increase the volume of semen produced in men, both old and young; and you don’t need to be worried as Volume pills is also very safe without side effects cos

its herbal.

I got a product called Plant Vigra from you last year which has been the only product that has ever given me strong erection after trying so many; I called in several times to order, but I was told it’s not available.

Can I know when it will be available? Chuma Plant vigra is now available and you can place your order at any time. Good to know you got an amazing result with Plant vigra which doesn’t give headache and gives good erection at the same time.

I have been taking Prosolution for the past two months just as I was instructed to take so as to correct early ejaculation. I must confess to you that I now stay longer than before and can even go for more than one round if I want. Now that I’m about completing the 2nd pack, hope I will not experience early ejaculation again? And the result I have will be permanent? JT In most cases, it takes two or more months for Prosolution to totally correct early ejaculation, it all depends on your body type.

Permanent result can be enjoyed when you live a healthy lifestyle like not smoking, eating healthy diets, reduce stress and the likes.

These are all we can take for today. Adults who needs any of these aphrodisiacs can call us on 08034666358,07059294782 or place your orders at www.viewden.com . For further enquiries, send us an email at vieweden@yahoo.com, viewden@ymail.com Kemi Fawole (MD)

40—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

Edo State Dep Gov buries mum in style

P

From left: National chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, Dr Pius Odubu and wife, Governor Adams Oshiomhole & wife, lara.

rominent Nigerian, elder-statesmen and political leaders across the country including Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State stormed the burial ceremony of the mother of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mrs Imuegbeyoghor Odubu, who died at the age of 80.

The memorable event also had in attendance the family, relations and kinsmen of the Deputy Governor. The event was rounded off with a thanksgiving service

P a Anumudu laid tto o rest

I

t was indeed celebration of life well spent at Ewulu in Aniocha-South area of Delta State, as Pa. Joseph Abanim Anumudu father of Miss Juliet Anumudu, Account Officer,Vanguard Media Limited, Asaba was laid to rest. Photos by Nath Onojake

Some children of Late Joseph Anumudu (L-R): Mrs Stella Gunton, Mr.Lucky Abanim, Mrs Blessing Odia, Miss Juliet Anumudu, Miss Lilian Anumudu and Mrs Doris Ednmi

L-R: Chief Chief Useni Elamah, Dr Pius Odubu (Dep. Gov of Edo State), Chief David Edebiri and Zakawanu Garuba.

Dr Odubu and wife , Endurance and clergy-men R-L: Mr. Sunny Arawolo, Dep. Business Development Manager,Vanguard, Asaba, Mr. Franklin Okotie, Business Development Manager,Vanguard, Asaba and Tunde Balogun

Ordination at Pentecostal Fello wship Abuja ellowship Enigies of Benin Kingdom at the burial

O

rdination of new men of God took place penultimate Friday in Kubwa, Abuja at the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, FCT Chapter. Some 17 men and women were ordained Dr Odubu (center) and other family members by the church. Among those present were Pastor after the burial thanksgiving.

Mike Akpami, Vice-President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Bishop Zukka Bonet International President of Christian Ministers and Ministries Network International (CMIMNI) and Bishop (Mrs) Alice Bonet.

8th Day Fidau prayers for Disu Ola yink a and Ezekiel Olayink yinka THE 8th Day Fidau prayers held for the late Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Mr Tajudeen Ajibola Babatunde Disu took place penultimate Wednesday at Landmark Events Centre, Lagos

THE wedding ceremony between former Miss Olayinka Olawunmi James, daughter of Mr & Mrs Shina James and Mr Ezekiel Ekundayo,son of Engineer & Mrs Olusegun Omole took place in Lagos recently. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye

L-R: Ms Zummy Disu, daughter in-law of the deceased, Mrs Bella Disu , first son , Mr. Jameel Disu, Newly wedded couple Mr & Mrs Ezekiel Olayinka widow, Mrs Folasade Disu, son, Babatunde Disu , Ekundayo flanked by the bride's parents, Mr & daughter, Tolulope Disu and Bukky Disu Mrs Shina James

L- Pastor Mike Akpami, Vice-President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Bishop Zukka Bonet Int'l President of Christian Ministers and Ministries Network Int'l (CMIMNI) and Bishop (Mrs) Alice Bonet

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—41

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

I couldn’t confess to my best friend I slept with his wife! that she was too familiar with me. She immediately arranged for us to move in with her parents. I’d earlier turned up my nose at living with my inlaws, but she threatened to tell Gboye if I refused to come with her. To be frank, I was enjoying the attention of two women but I love my wife too much to jeopardize my marriage. So, we left our hosts and I had some peace of mind. When we eventually found a fourbedroom flat and had a housewarming, Rita brought bowls of food that my wife wanted to dump in the bin. I had to plead with her not to because of Musibau, the innocent one out of the nightmare. I thought I’d seen the end of my affair with Rita until the day she called and I told her my wife was with her parents because her aunt died.

“I was shocked to discover her at my door minutes after her phone call. When I let her in, puzzled, she started clawing at me, wanting sex.

That was when I told her enough was enough. That I couldn’t make love to her in my own home with photos of my family staring at me from all corners of the room. She did not understand at all. If I could make love to her in her matrimonial home, why couldn’t we do the same in mine? I told her to beat it. She was so furious I was apprehensive she might do something rash.

“A few days later, I was relaxing with a bottle of beer in front of the TV when my mobile bleeped a message: ‘Is it true you’re sleeping with Rita?’ It was from Gboye. I was still deciding on what to say when he drove up— we live a few minute’s drive from each other.

He looked really ragged as he came in. ‘How could you?’, he howled, ‘my best friend?, after all I did for you?’

“He plunked himself on the nearest chair, his head in his hand and he was sobbing. I’d never seen him this unhappy before. Of course, I denied everything. Who did he think I

I

’VE often warned against tempting fate. When you have a relationship and are getting on fairly comfortably with your partner, it’s almost fatal to the relationship to bring in a third party to live with you under any guise. That is why, no matter how repulsive we find it, male domestics continue to dip into the same pots as their masters and male partners throw caution to the wind and pant after the maids! When Musibau came back from the US years back, the first person he got in touch with was Gboye, his friend of several years. I’d known them together even before they travelled abroad and when Musibau called that Gboye was throwing a welcome party for him, I gladly attended. Gboye’s wife, Rita, and the mother of their three children, was the perfect hostess, she seemed to get on with Musibau, who she hadn’t met until his return.

When I asked Musibau what his plans were and where he was staying, Gboye cut in: “The silly man went to stay in the family home until his wife joins him with their children.

I’ve told him it was a silly thing to do. The place is a bit dilapidated and crowded. First thing tomorrow, I’m moving him into the guest room. It would be a temporary arrangement. His wife is expected in a couple of months, and, until she arrives, he has a home with us.” Rita beamed her approval and, when I cornered Musibau later on and asked him of the rationale behind his moving in with a married couple, he saw Rita virtually lunged at me. knowing looks, even when no problems at all. “You don’t That night, she kissed me full her husband was around. I understand,” he tried to assure on the lips again and I became nervous. Rita is an me, “Gboye is not only my best responded. She’d sent too extremely pretty woman but mate, he’s like a blood brother. much signal for me to I have my pick of female We went back a long way and remember any friendship that friends.

Only I dare not we’d shared a lot of things in existed between Gboye and I. bring them home because of the past. We even lived Soon we were at it, brushing my friend—he’s a married together once with our the sheets off their bed. She man after all. I can’t wait for girlfriends. No problem at all,” felt really triumphant and for my wife to come back in a I shrugged. Who was I to put a the next two weeks, she month’s time—she’ll save spanner in any works? couldn’t keep her hands off me from making a fool of Musibau eventually moved in, me. I felt guilty, of course. and I’d seen him with his hosts myself. I shook my head Luckily, when Gboye came sadly. Trying to stop a at parties and they seemed to back, we acted normal and he scheming woman, I warned, get on well. didn’t suspect a thing. was like trying to stop a Too well, if you’d asked me.

Having gotten away with it, charging vehicle with one When next I saw Musibau, it we grew more adventurous. hand. My warning came too was at one of these fancy malls We’d even had sex up late.

I’d heard Musibau ‘s on the Island and he looked as against the sitting room door wife was back and I heaved if he was dying for a chat. while Gboye slept. That way, a sigh of relief.

At least, now, “Why did you warn me if he tried to come in, we’d Rita would check her randy against living with Gboye at know about it first. libido. “She’d already my welcome party?”, he asked.

“But my wife smelt a rat as seduced me by the time my Well, why did he want to soon as she came back with wife arrived”, Musibau told know now? “I think Rita has our son. She hated Rita on the hots for me!” he said, not at me sadly weeks later when sight and pointed to the fact he came visiting. “You’re the all bragging. “My friend has only one I can confide in. turned into a home body but “My Waterloo came the Rita is the swinging type. day Gboye had to travel to Whenever Gboye refuses to go f you have some rashes and you are Abuja officially for a couple on an outing with her, she of weeks. As soon as he left, worried, here is a guide to help you alley suggests taking me and Gboye some of your fears. Is it dry and itchy in the instantly agrees. A couple of crook of your arms, knees and wrists or on weeks ago, I was watching the your hands? It is probably a topic eczema — TV late in the night when she the commonest form of the condition. Other joined me on the sofa. She couldn’t sleep, she said, and symptoms include redness and inflammation. when the film got really Don’t scratch it because you’ll infect it and steamy, she placed her hand end up with scars. Instead, ease the itching on my thigh. ‘Do you like me at with an unscented moisturizer, and if it all?’ she asked. ‘Gboye is my continues, visit your doctor. Good news, it is best friend’, I reminded her. not contagious. Do you have dry, itchy, scaly She simply got up, said good skin on your forehead, nose and scalp? night with a full kiss on my Seborrhoeic eczema is a common harmless lips! I gulped but she’d rash affecting the face and the scalp. It looks disappeared to the bedroom. like the skin-folds of the armpits and groins.

From then on, she gave me It looks like dandruff, but is actually caused

I

Having gotten away with it, we grew more adventurous

C M Y K

was to sleep with a friend who’d meant so much to me?

Did he realize that even my wife suspected the same thing and insisted we should all stop being so friendly. Where did he hear of such nonsense? He then showed me a message on his mobile. I went cold as I read it:”If your wife hasn’t told you she’s sleeping with your best friend, then you ought to know: the sender had no name. A mischief maker? My wife”? Relieved that it wasn’t Rita that went confessing to her husband,’ I told him to forget the message. Had he confronted Rita? I asked him.

He said he had. That Rita was so indignant she insisted he came to me for reassurance. She even wanted to come with her husband to show how innocent she was but Gboye declined.

“Phew! To be let off the hook that easily. Gboye told me he loved his wife and children and wouldn’t want his home to break. I assured him I would be the last person to do so. Didn’t I also have a family I cared so much about? That sort of convinced him and I offered him a drink. I was hoping he would refuse. The state he was in, I didn’t want my wife to meet him in the house. But, he took up my offer. When my wife came in, she went to the kitchen and I pleaded with Gboye not to complicate things by telling her, that we must salvage what was left of the friendship we shared, and, to my relief, he agreed.

“If only I’d listened to you when you warned me I shouldn’t stay with Gboye.

You know, even now when we run into each other, Rita still smirks? That girl is shameless. All I know now is that she’s a nymphomaniac.

If it wasn’t me. It would be the next man. Only heavens know who she’s currently luring into her loins...”

When a rash could be a health warning by yeast that generally lives harmlessly on the skin. Your doctor should be able to give you an anti-fungal cream.

Are the outsides of your knees, elbow wrists covered in red scaly patches with silvery-white scales? Sound like psoriasis, it’s quite common and is usually cause by stress, and aggravated by alcohol and smoking. Slap of loads of unscented moisturize after washing and learn some relaxation techniques to be stress free.

Does it come in jewelry on hands? Chances are you’re allergic to your jewelry. Often, it’s the cheap costume stuff that does the damage, because chances are it contains nickel. Just stop wearing it, especially if you also use skintoning creams.

42—SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

What happened to Funbi!!

F

or residents of Olorunfunmi Street, as missing. So, they were told to go home and Oworonsoki and it's environ, Friday, 23 exercise more patience as he was an adult and October, will remain memorable in could return anytime. On returning to Funbi's their minds for a very long time to residence, his aged mother had arrived from her come. Indeed, those who have lived on abode in Somolu area. They were all still gaththe street for over 30 years insist they have never ered outside, deliberating on the strange develwitnessed an occurrence of that nature. A opment, when his friend, Ali, came to announce murder, so gruesome; so pathetic; so illogical that he'd heard some people shouting at the back that it left everyone in shock. For the victim, street that they've found a dead body somewhere.

Funbi, did not fit the profile of one such an evil Tufiakwa! It cannot be Funbi, everyone chorused. could befall, even had the oracle predicted it.

But still, a few young guys went to verify, just to be Neither could anyone have guessed that the sure. Alas! It was indeed Funbi. Time was 7.35am, perpetrator of the dastardly act, Ali, capable of many workers had left home. School children were such evil. And to Funbi, his friend and confidant just setting off and the women and other artisans of many years too! As I write, most residents still were about opening their shops for the day's gather in groups discussing the unfortunate activities. I had an 11.15am flight to Abuja to catch incidence, an ill wind that has blown no good, too, and was preparing for my trip, but everything especially Funbi's poor aged mother and family. and everyone came to a halt. Time stood still. Not What happened to Funbi: Unknown to everyone, Funbi! Why Funbi? What happened? Who could the drama that led to the final discovery of have done this?

Funbi's body that Friday morning, began unfoldAlthough, I can count the number of times I've ing late Thursday evening spoken with Funbi on my when he received a call from finger tips. His, was a someone who was later identihousehold name. He was What happened to fied as Ali, his bosom friend. a friend to my children, Funbi: Unknown to Funbi who ran a retail neighespecially my little daughbourhood shop selling provieveryone, the drama that led to ter who would always sions informed his neighbour come home clutching the final discovery of Funbi's that he wanted to dash out for a wrappers of sweets or gum while and simply locked the body that Friday morning, began in her tiny hands, gifts Iron Gate, leaving the main Uncle Funbi. So, he unfolding late Thursday evening from gate open and his generator did for many other chilwhen he received a call from running, an indication that he dren in the neighbourwas not going far. No one knew hood. Everyone simply someone who was later that he only walked across the loved him. A very respectidentified as Ali, his street to Ali's house and into a ful chap, he was a devout death trap. One of those who Christian and Redeemed bosom friend stopped by to ask after Funbi at church member. Easy about 10pm that night was Ali. going and generous even By 11.00pm when other shop owners were to a fault as many acknowledged. At 32, he was retiring for the night, Funbi had still not restill single but had stabilised himself financially turned, so they helped him turn off his generator through his dedication and devotion to hardwork. and shut the main gate with the belief that he He was the darling of many elderly residents who would lock up properly later when he returned. were always eager to offer him advice and assistBy dawn, he was still nowhere to be found, and ance. Funbi had been brought to Lagos from Agonot known for such irresponsible acts. His Iwoye in Ogun State about 12 years ago by his neighbours became worried that Funbi must older brother who handed him over to a female have fallen victim of some foul play. They acquaintance who needed a shop attendant at the notified his older brother who lives streets away time. The deal was that after a stipulated period, and by 6am they were at the Oworonsoki Police she would set him up with his own provision store.

Station to lodge a complaint about missing She kept her promise after 6 years, handing over Funbi. Police procedure requires a period of 48 the shop at Olorunfunmi and relocating to another hours before a person can be officially declared area of Lagos. Now his own boss, he rented a room

C M Y K

in the same compound as his shop and began building his own world with the love and assistance of all around him. In an area mostly populated by young, unemployed and desperate youths as well as area boys and other miscreants, Funbi stood out and stood tall above many. He'd dusted his School Certificate and returned to school to earn himself an Ordinary National Diploma, OND and had recently also enrolled for his Higher Diploma at the Lagos State Polytechnic. To consolidate his business further, he delved into transportation and with the help of Ali, his friend of as many years as he'd lived in Lagos, bought his first motorbike, known as Okada, and gave it out to Ali's relative. With time, he bought three more, though we've only been able to recover two, and Ali gave them all to his relatives, including his younger brother. For over the years, Ali, though a gateman, Muslim and native of Kano, had become his best pal and confidant. He was Funbi's agent and banker before official bank. That Ali lived in the house opposite must have made things easy for him too. The two were seen having a meal of rice together in Funbi's shop on Thursday evening, before he later called him to his death.

Trouble began when revenue from the Okadas were not being delivered as expected anymore. Funbi's shop had been burgled three times in the spate of less than a year. It was only natural that he would try to reorganise himself and his businesses. Thereafter, he began to pressurise his friend and agent, Ali, to help him recover his money or return his bikes.

Unfortunately this turned to be his undoing!

What happened to Funbi: According to Ali's younger brother's confession, Ali, along with five others, including himself, lured Funbi into the unoccupied two storey building he watched over. There, they tied a rope around his neck, covered him with a sack and hit his head with a crow bar, sending him unceremoniously to the great beyond! Ali went asking after him later in the night to be sure that no one knew they were together and around 4.30am Friday morning, they opened the back gate and placed Funbi's body, wrapped in a plastic bag across the gutter! This later turned out to be a grave mistake on their part. Having confirmed that the body was indeed Funbi's, neighbours remembered that Ali's compound stretched across the two streets and it had a gate on both sides, so they asked him to open the gate, in order to pass through the compound.

Alarmed, Ali rushed back inside and locked the gate.

Everyone initially thought he was concerned about the house being linked to a murder under his watch.

Even so, should that supersede his friendship and love for his dead friend? So, they prevailed on him and forced him to open the door. Before long, evidence that led to the murder laid bare before everyone. Ali and his brother had earlier fetched gallons of water from Funbi's compound in an attempt to wash away his spilled blood that morning. The prints from their bloodied hands were seen all over the compound, leaving a trail to the back gate. Broken pieces of glass from their struggling littered the hallway to the back flat. Ali's bloodied clothes were also found in a bucket of water, same for the murder weapon.

What happened to Funbi: Unknown to Ali, though Funbi had always insisted that everything that transpired between them be kept secret as he did not want his relatives who also lived in the neighbourhood to know, he was also updating a few older friends. These people would later reveal all these information, including the fact that he just collected a loan of N300.000 from a MicroFinance on Tuesday and gave it to Ali to keep.

What happened to Funbi: Like me, you might be wondering why Funbi would confide in strangers rather than his brother who brought him to Lagos?

The gist is that at some point, they have also had conflicts bothering on financial matters. So, Funbi might not really be at fault. If you can't trust blood relatives, you turn to outsiders. Perhaps, if Funbi had told someone his destination that night, Ali might not have killed him that easily. Many have asked what Funbi and Ali had in common to warrant such trust and magnitude of business between them. They ought to be like day and night, being of different worlds. An uneven yoke, as they say. Hmm! Now Ali who everyone knew was from Kano State has announced that he is from Niger. For a man who has lived in the community for over 10 years, even the Hausa community have denounced him, insisting he is not Nigerian. Yet, he has committed this grave evil against the community. Olorunfunmi is still mourning over what happened to Funbi! Nothing but justice will pacify them and they are depending on the Police to grant them this! Do have a peaceful weekend!

SATURDAY

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—43

Labour and Ugwuanyi’s passion in Enugu

BY LEVI ONYEBUCHI

T

here is no doubt that the recent turn of events in Enugu State over the Labour unions’ allegation that the state government plans to acquire Toyota Prado jeeps for members of the House of Assembly and political appointees free of charge has generated a lot of debate and mixed feelings among the political class.

To an average Enugu citizen conversant with the political dynamism of the state and the policy direction of the present administration in terms of commitment to the principles of fiscal discipline, accountability, and transparency, it was a needless distraction that almost borders on an orchestrated smear campaign.

The distraction which also bears all the imprimaturs of a calculated attempt to de-market Governor Ugwuanyi and incite unsuspecting members of the workforce in the state against his administration further shows that as far as some political actors are concerned, the 2015 contentions over the governorship of Enugu is far from over.

This submission is borne out of the fact that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has distinguished himself creditably since he assumed office on May 29, 2015 and has not hidden his commitment to selfless service to the people of the state as well do all he can to provide good governance and navigate the state through the present economic challenges. These he has pursued vigorously and with every sense of commitment, dedication and passion.

One of the factors that stands Governor Ugwuanyi out as a people-oriented leader is his ability to demystify the office of the Governor by creating an unprecedented and unfettered access by the people to their governor. Unlike the usual malady where people wall themselves off and become puffy once they step into high public office, Ugwuanyi has sustained his spirit and natural qualities of simplicity, humility and kindness.

The governor has on several occasions gone out of his way to ensure that the state moves C M Y K

forward, to the extent that he still lives in his private residence with some of his personal vehicles also added to augment the official convoy. He certainly appreciates •Governor the fact Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that the of Enugu State state is not buoyant at this period to finance Ibagwa Nike, Enugu. But these the renovation of the are only a tip of the iceberg of dilapidated Governor ’s Lodge the numerous people-oriented and the procurement of vehicles programmes and policies for the governor’s convoy.

Governor Ugwuanyi initiated to Unlike the norm, he did not cater for the welfare of the even deem it fit to procure new workers in the state. official vehicles for himself.

It is against this backdrop Rather, he makes do with the therefore that the shock that vehicles used by his greeted the allegations of predecessor. He strongly financial imprudence in the form believes that there is need for of exotic cars bonanza for personal sacrifices to save cost Commissioners and members of and respond sensitively to the the House of Assembly by a present economic realities in section of Labour in the state the state and that he has to lead came to many as a surprise. the way in the belt-tightening Although the state chapter of the paradigm and order which his Trade Union Congress has since administration seeks to tendered public apology to the enthrone.

Enugu State government over its Moreover, Governor Ugwuanyi misinformed letter which was also has shown the Enugu workers leaked to the press, one would the human face in governance. have expected the body to have Despite the dwindling revenue thoroughly investigated the profile of the state, his information at its disposal before administration has ensured that going public with it, especially workers receive their salaries since such allegations overtly every 25th of the month. contradict the intents and thrifty On the N32 billion dispositions of the governor. outstanding salaries for nonOne would have also expected permanent staff, pension and the unions to display some sense pension arrears and subventions of maturity and sincerity of for parastatals, institutions and purpose in handling this sensitive boards for workers of the state issue with a government that has and local government areas made a lot of efforts and which his administration sacrifices, widely acclaimed by inherited, apart from the fact the the unions, to address their needs governor has made arrangement in spite of the prevailing to access the N4.2 billion CBN economic realities and the bailout fund to offset workers’ backlog of workers’ liabilities it liability, he personally invited inherited. and consulted the Labour unions Indeed, such hasty and on how the fund will be utilizedunfounded allegations run a paradigm shift which Labour against the strong opinion that described as “a new beginning the Enugu State government for Enugu State workers”. under the leadership of Governor It is also on record that the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi remains governor within his first 100 days Labour-friendly and the in office extended his spirit of commitment of the people’s goodwill and passion for workers governor to continue to attend to to 100 lucky civil servants in the the demands of workers and state, between grade-levels 1-10. cement the well cherished cordial In this regard, his administration relationship between both parties. under its housing scheme for I believe that this government public servants, paid 30 per cent will, in spite of this provocation equity contribution of the total and unwarranted distraction, cost of each flat for randomly and remains committed to the transparently selected 100 principles of transparency, workers who won one bedroom accountability and prudent apartment at the Elim Estate,

management of its lean resources for the development of the state.

It is pertinent and soothing to note that the truth about the Toyota Prado SUVs for members of the House of Assembly, according the clarifications made by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele, and the House Leader, Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, is that the vehicles were not procured for the legislators as personal property as was erroneously reported but was assigned to them from government vehicle pool for their committees, for oversight functions, on the condition that the vehicles will be returned to the pool at the end of their tenure.

Governor Ugwuanyi has shown the Enugu workers the human face in governance.

Despite the dwindling revenue profile of the state, his administration has ensured that workers receive their salaries every 25th of the month

Whatever may be one’s misgivings over the hasty utterances and actions of Labour, I believe leaders of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council and Trade Union Congress deserve commendation for back-tracking on their earlier threat of showdown and apologizing to Ugwuanyi for their actions after getting adequate information of the scheme.

The leader of TUC, Comrade Igbokwe C. Igbokwe, who spoke on behalf of the workers said, “ we met with His Excellency who gave us clarifications on the scheme of the project and at the end of the day we discussed and reconciled the issue. Let me commend His Excellency’s modus operandi because each time there are issues, he makes out time to bring people to make explanations. The governor discussed extensively with us and we are satisfied with his explanations”.

It is noteworthy that Hon. Ezeugwu who passionately displayed the paper of allocation of his own vehicle regretted that the genuine intention of the governor to save the state the cost of buying new vehicles for the House members on ownership basis in view of the economic realities was misrepresented in the media due to communication gap.

In all, now that the issue has been tabled and addressed, and the true position of the matter clarified, one must emphasize the need for continued cordial relationship between Labour and the state government.

The vision of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, his efforts to give governance a human face in Enugu, and his new ethos of leadership geared towards prudence, the wellbeing of the people as well as advancement of good governance and development in the state to take the state to the next level must be appreciated and supported.

Levi, a political analyst writes from G.R.A, Enugu

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

By FEMI ADESINA

A Passage to India W

hat do you do during a flight that lasts nine hours and six minutes? You read. You sleep.

You wake, and sleep again. You eat. You pray (if you are the praying type). You discuss with your co-passengers. And of course, you ruminate about your destination. What you’ve heard, or read about the place, particularly if you were visiting for the first time.

But first, due credit for this headline.

‘A Passage to India’ is the title of a literature text I read in the university some 32 years ago. It was a 1924 novel by the English writer, E.M Forster. The book was on the struggle for Indian independence from British colonial rule, and the book is today regarded as one of the 100 Great Works of the 20th Century by the Modern Library, while Time Magazine also includes it in its ‘All Time 100 Novels’ list.

A Passage to India. That was what I embarked on, alongside my principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was billed to attend the 3rd India-Africa Forum Summit, scheduled for New Delhi, the Indian capital, between October 27 and 30,2015.

What had I heard about India? You probably heard those childhood tales, too. India, the land of potent talisman.

India does not take part in world soccer competitions, because the world football ruling body, Fifa, had banned it for life.

What was the offense? Well, France had met with a country that nobody knows, in a game of soccer. But instead of depending on natural skills, India deployed its famed talisman. The opponents kept kicking the air, because the Indians had made the ball invisible.

While the opponents did all the gyrations, however, the Indians did all the scoring. When the game ended at the end of 90 minutes, India had scored 90 goals.

Blue murder, Fifa screamed! This is unnatural, and would bring the beautiful game into disrepute. So it banned India for life. Well, that was the story we heard as young boys. Believe it, and you’d believe anything.

And what of athletics. The International Athletics Federation had to ban India for life, too. What happened? It was an Olympics Games (nobody seemed to know what year, and who the host country was). India was competing, and ended up winning gold medals in all the races. You would see all the athletes at the starting blocks, and the moment the whistle is blown for the race to begin, Indian athletes would already be breasting the tape at the other end.

Talisman at work!

This is unfair competition, the rest of the world screamed. So the athletics federation banned India again. And that was how the country was left to play cricket, hockey and other such games.

But the question we did not ask ourselves was; if talisman worked with soccer and athletics, why doesn’t it work with cricket and hockey? At least, India gets defeated in those games. Some imaginations are simply fertile.

Well, we were passing to India, and it was for serious business. India and Africa had found common grounds, and were cooperating for development in what Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister calls “partnership beyond strategic and economic benefits.”

C M Y K

•President Buhari

India and Africa had found common grounds, and were cooperating for development in what Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister calls “partnership beyond strategic and economic benefits.”

We landed in the land of film stars, beautiful damsels (hope my wife is not reading this) and, of course, medical tourism, at nighttime. Straight to Lalit Hotel, where our President and his entourage were to stay. Lalit. You need to hear a bit about the story of the hotel. It was part of the Lalit Hospitality Group, established in 1988 by Mr Lalit Suri, a very successful businessman and politician, who represented his people in the Indian parliament.

Lalit Suri had the Midas touch. The hotel chain was very successful, and can be found today in most major Indian cities. He had great plans for expansion, and was growing steadily towards the goal. But in 2006, while on a trip to London, Lalit suffered a massive heart attack, and died. He was only 59. But his wife, Dr Jyotsna Suri, took up the gauntlet, and is today keeping her husband’s dreams alive, along with their four adult children.

A day before we travelled, a massive earthquake had occurred in Afghanistan, and the tremor was felt both in Pakistan, and New Delhi. But the organizers of the summit said ‘no shaking,’ that delegates had nothing to fear. There were presidents and top government officials from more than 41 countries, and it was, indeed, a great outing for India and Africa.

Wednesday began with a bilateral meeting between President Buhari and Prime Minister Modi. Discussions focused mainly on three areas: strengthening relations between the two countries, oil business, and helping Nigeria and Africa to develop their potentials.

India would be quite willing to cooperate with Nigeria on the military front, the PM said. She had helped set up the Nigerian Defence Academy in the early 1960s, provided instructors, and also took in Nigerian officers in its military academy.

In fact, President Buhari was at the Defense Services College, Wellington, between July 22 and November 24,1975.

India wants Nigeria’s oil on government to government transactions, and President Buhari said the request would be

•Prime Minister Modi

considered in the context of ongoing reforms in the industry.

Back to Wellington. The alumni of the academy paid the Nigerian president a courtesy visit at the Lalit Hotel. Led by Gen V.K Singh, it was time to go down memory lane. The then Lt Col Buhari had been described thus in a confidential report by H.W Kulkam, the Chief Instructor of the College:”Tall, slim, and well-turned out, Buhari is a quiet, unassuming and honest individual.”

Major General S.P Malhotra, Commandant of the College, on his part, had written: “Sober and balanced.

Straightforward, simple and mature.”

Memories are made of such.

In almost all the countries he has visited, President Buhari always spared the time to interact with Nigerians in the Diaspora, at the grounds of the Nigerian Embassy or High Commission. It was not different in New Delhi.

Ambassador ‘Sola Enikanolaiye, the acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to India had put together an impressive assemblage of professionals, post-graduate students, businessmen, indeed, Nigerians from all walks of life. He reeled out the many ways in which the High Commission supports Nigerians in India, and from the way he was repeatedly hailed, he seems quite popular with the people.

Nigerians asked many questions. The President answered them all. And he gave them his usual charge: be law abiding. Don’t lord it over your hosts. Obey the rules. Be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

From the High Commission, it was time to meet with the CEOs of Indian companies, particularly those who do, or are aspiring to do business in Nigeria. All the big names in pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, construction, manufacturing, power, oil and gas, agriculture, and many other sectors, were there. They spoke earnestly. The President responded frankly. New vistas were opened, promises were made. A very rewarding session, if you ask me.

That parley did not end without President Buhari warning the Indian businessmen not to connive with unscrupulous people to send sub-standard food and pharmaceutical products to Nigeria. To show how dear this was to the heart of the Nigerian president, it formed part of his paper at the plenary session of the summit the next day.

Thursday was the main day, in which 41 heads of government gathered at the Indira Gandhi Stadium for the high point of the summit.

After a colorful opening session of cultural display, Prime Minister Modi took the floor. He underscored the raison detre of the summit: “The dreams of one-third of humanity have come together under one roof. Today, the heartbeat of 1.25 billion Indians and 1.25 billion Africans are in rhythm.”

He said further:”india is honoured to be a development partner for Africa. It is a partnership beyond strategic and economic benefits. It is formed from the emotional

bonds we share, and the solidarity we feel for each other.”

Modi backed his position with statistics. In the past few years, trade between Africa and India has more than doubled to over $70 billion. India is now a major source of business investment in Africa, and 34 African countries enjoy duty free access to the Indian market. The country has equally committed $7.4 billion in concessional credit and $1.2 billion in grants since the first summit held in 2008.

In the immediate future, according to Modi, concessional credit of $10 billion would be given to Africa within five years, while grant assistance will total $600 million.

The presidents spoke one after the other. Trust Robert Mugabe, who spoke in his capacities as Zimbabwean president and chairman of African Union, he used the opportunity to fire darts at the West.

According to him, one-third of the world’s population must be respected, therefore, the United Nations must become the United Equal Nations, with its Charter amended.

Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, submitted that Africa and India could no longer be rationally excluded from the permanent seat of the UN Security Council, a position supported by almost all the presidents.

One thread ran through the presentation of nearly all the African leaders. This was a good time to promote cooperation between Africa and India. Southsouth cooperation must not just be political slogan, but an opportunity for the countries to to meet their growing challenges.

“Africa needs mutual partnerships leading to development, rather than aids,” submitted King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Idris Deby Itno of Chad said India and Africa had had mutual exchanges since time immemorial, stressing that partnership will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

President Muhammadu Buhari said India and most African countries have similar historical experiences, and the summit was an opportunity to review what had been achieved since 2008, stressing:”India and Africa must develop new spirit of solidarity to confront challenges.”

He equally brought the message home, saying:”as a government, we have demonstrated our strong determination to change the direction and content of governance, including the management of our resources through accountability, transparency, and resultorientation in governance. We are confident that India, as a tested friend and dependable partner, will always stand shoulder to shoulder with us in the discharge of the mandate entrusted to us by our people.”

With the summit over, and planning to return home, I sent text messages to my friends in Nigeria, saying since I was in the land of talisman, they should indicate the type they wanted. The responses were rib-cracking, but you can’t beat this one from Steve Nwosu, Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Newspapers. He wrote: “Get me a money doubling ring.

They call it evergreen pocket.

Every money you spend finds its way back to your pocket.

Hahahaha.”

No doubt, India and Africa are onto a strong partnership that may be enduring, mutually beneficial, with strong implications for development. That is the true talisman. Ever potent, ever sure.

.Femi Adesina is Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to President Buhari

SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 45

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

W

hen 31-year-old Israel Damascus, a Ghanaian, decided to relocate to Nigeria, little did he know that a day would come when he would abandon his work as a truck driver and start engaging in vices that will land him into trouble.

This is because he was recently arrested along with two others identified as Chuks Ikechukwu,30, and Kingsley Ebere, 28, by the police at the State Investigations Bureau (SIB) Lagos State Police Command, for allegedly being involved in a case of stolen vehicle.

According to the father of one, “My trouble started when I helped a friend to sell a vehicle. I didn’t know it was a stolen vehicle.

Unfortunately, I was arrested four months later when he was caught with a stolen Honda car. I made N500,000 as commission for selling the vehicle. I did not know the vehicle was stolen. All I did was connect him to a buyer. If I knew it was a stolen vehicle, I wouldn’t have showed the man my house.

“That was how my trouble started.

I was arrested and transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) last year, where I spent six months in their custody before I was eventually charged to court.

With the help of my people, I was granted bail. Unfortunately before I was released, my house rent expired, my wife gave birth and then I lost my job where I was working as a truck driver.

“I used to transport goods to different parts of the country. After I was released from SARS, the stigmatization was too much as people who knew me before refused to associate with me. They treated me as a criminal and because I needed to survive, I had to contact one Orji who I met while I was in SARS custody. It was Orji that introduced me into this business. Before I was arrested, I had successfully stolen two vehicles from my employers.

“I was arrested because I stole a Hyundai Accent car in July.

When I stole the vehicle, I was employed as the driver. I actually applied through an agent. So, the agent connected me to the family and I worked with them for three days. I drove my boss to the pharmacy to buy drugs then I disappeared with the vehicle.

Immediately, I drove the vehicle to Ijebu-Ode and called my friend Orji to come because he knew I was going to steal a vehicle. That Hyundai Accent was the third vehicle I was stealing from people who unknowingly employed me as their driver using the same method.

“The first time I stole a vehicle from my employer was in the month of May, 2015, through a different agent. I was asked to fill a form by the first agency that helped me secure the job. Then, I went to my employers and C M Y K

The suspects (Chuks Ikechukwu Israel Damascus and Kingsley Ebere)

My exploits as car snatcher —Ghanaian truck driver

resumed. I worked with them for a week before I stole the vehicle and took it to Akwa Ibom State where I sold it to Chucks for N400,000. Most times, I had little left by the time I finish settling all the people who introduced me to the transaction.

Most times, I would be left with about N18,0000. The second car I stole from my employer, I sold it to Chuks for N300,000.

Usually when I come to Lagos to hunt for job, I lodge in a hotel. The last job agency I applied through demanded for a guarantor. In a bid to get a guarantor, a friend of mine directed me to a photographer at CMS. He sold people’s passport to me at the rate of N400,000. I would then use the passport to fill the guarantor ’s form with names of people I don’t know.

“Right now, I feel very bad. I feel bad about my actions. I regret my actions, not because I have been arrested, but because it is not in my character to steal. It was bad condition that actually led me into crime. When I was arrested last year, I spent 6 months at SARS. By the time I came back, I faced a lot of stigmatization. I lost my job and my house rent expired. My woman delivered our baby in someone’s house and things became really difficult. I lived in Port-Harcourt for four years before I got involved in this business. If I am released, I will go back to my country in Ghana. I am from Central Region in Ghana.”

In his defence, Chuks Ikechukwu, 30, a native of Ohafia, in Abia State, said “I was arrested in Aba because someone called me to come and buy a vehicle. It was actually my town person that called me. It was Orji that introduced me to Damascus. The first vehicle he sold to me was stolen, but I did not know. I bought the vehicle for N650,000 but Orji collected N200,000 while Chuks got N400,000. I didn’t suspect the car because it was a used vehicle. I do not have a car but I help people to sell their used vehicles. When they brought the second vehicle, Orji opened up and told me that it was a stolen car. I bought the car because my wife was pregnant and I wanted to use it for my personal use. But at a point, I had to sell it when my mother became sick and my pregnant wife delivered through Caesarian session. I bought the second vehicle for N400,000. I gave Orji N200,000 and Damascus N200,000. Later, I sold it for N1m. When people bring their used vehicles for me to sell, they bring original documents of the vehicles which correspond with the chassis number and engine number so I didn’t know they were forged. I feel bad for my actions. I was into boutique business before I got involved in car business. I am married with a child.”

Kingsley Ebere, 28 “I have known Chuks for about a year.

He said he gave me a vehicle to sell for him but the truth is that he did not give me any vehicle. I am from Imo State, Ideato LGA. I have done re-wire work for him before because that is my job. I am innocent. I do not know anything about the case.”

Unfortunately, I was arrested four months later when he was caught with a stolen Honda car. I made N500,000 as commission for selling the vehicle

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—47

Ooni: Installation rites in progress as Ogunwusi spends Day Two in Ilofi

•Prince Ogunwusi

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA AND GBENGA OLARINOYE, OSOGBO.

T

raditional Installations rites for Oonidesignate, Prince Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has entered its second day as members of Isoro cult barred visitors from paying visit on him.

Although Prince Ogunwusi entered Ilofi, a place an Ooni-elect is prepared for the throne on Thursday, full traditional rites only commenced yesterday.

Saturday Vanguard investigation in the ancient city of Ile-Ife yesterday revealed the heavy presence of security around Iremo where Ilofi is located and residents appeared to be avoiding the area.

Other rites expected to be performed on the Ooni designate according to sources is lighting of ancient traditional lambs, each of which has its significant role in the ancient town.

A shop owner around Iremo Quarters told our correspondent that the deserted street was not unconnected with the ongoing rites, adding that many people, despite assurances by the traditional chiefs, still entertained fear.

Another source also said heavily armed security men were guiding Ilofi, and that, only members of Isoro Cult were allowed into the premises. A shop owner along Iremo road, in a chat with newsmen, said: “some of us chose not to open shop for business because of the ongoing rites.

“We have been assured C M Y K

•What indigenes sa sayy about him that business can go on.

Apart from the ongoing rites, Ife is also in celebration mood and some of us chose to just enjoy the moment with other Ife indigenes.”

Across Ife metropolis, the ongoing installation rites dominated discussions, while residents were also speaking on their expectations from the the new monarch.

Meanwhile, the Oluomo of Ife and former Chairman Ife East Local Council, State of Osun, Chief Gbenga Owolabi has described the emergence of Ooni elect as long expected one saying, he would transform the town beyond expectation.

He felicitated with him on his appointment by the state government as Oba elect and prayed to God to guide and give him wisdom of governance.

Owolabi expressed delight at the choice of the new Oonielect by Ife kingmakers while speaking with journalists at Ile-Ife. He said “I charge the new Oba to bring his vibrancy of youth, wide contacts and wealth of business experience to bear in the development of Ile-Ife and the State of Osun.

“I also implore him to work assiduously towards the enhancement and sustenance of the globally- acclaimed rich cultural heritage of the Yorubas as a means of uniting the race for peace and progress.”

What people say about him He’ll bring development for the people

The emergence of the new Ooni is a clear reflection of the disposition of the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni ‘Rauf Aregbesola, towards allowing fairness, transparency and openness in every process Mr. Sunday Akere, Osun State Commissioner for Information, The emergence of the new Ooni is a clear reflection of the disposition of the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni ‘Rauf Aregbesola, towards allowing fairness, transparency and openness in every process. Contrary to some opinions that because of the closeness of some of the contestants to the governor, that transparency may not be allowed, but the governor allowed the people Ile-Ife to make their choice. The emergence of Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi shows that there is nothing God cannot do. The father even reflected that when he said they had a revelation that he would become the Ooni. And the government believes that his emergence will bring development, peace and prosperity to Ife, Osun and the Yoruba race in general.

“We believe like others that Ife is a cradle of civilization

everything will be done to ensure that we support what will bring peace, orderliness and tranquility to the area.

The reception given to the new Ooni by the entire citizenry of lle-Ife is a reflection that he is the man of their choice and our prayer is that his period should bring development and progress to Yorubaland.

His resume speaks for him Professor Muheeb Opeloye, former Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. We thank God and we are happy that God has given us a new monarch within three months of Kabiyesi Oba Sijuade Onibuse’s demise.

And, that is God’s choice for us and we believe God will do the right thing for Ife because we are a prayerful people. So, as for the new Ooni, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, his resume is all about peace and development which we need in Yorubaland and in Nigeria. Because of his exposure, I believe that he will be able to help Ife especially as an industrialist.

I believe that the people of Ile-Ife will cooperate with him. The elite, the young, the elderly, the educated and the uneducated, everybody should rally round the new Ooni to ensure that he succeeds throughout his reign.

He’ll pursue policies of his predecessor

Professor Ishaq Akintola, Lagos State University The Ooni-elect, Adeyeye

Ogunwusi, is young, agile and he has a good record of commitment to industry and growth and I think during his reign, such a person is most likely to change the game. He has the capacity to be a game changer in the area of employment, youth empowerment and others. I wish him all the best.”

The king makers did their best. Doubting Thomases can continue to doubt. From all we know so far, they were transparent and they followed the due process and I also commend the state government for its prompt as it did not dillydally. We expect the new King, the Ooni of Ife, to be objective and we also expect him to be non-partisan. I equally expect that the new Ooni will pursue the policy of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi regarding peace, cordial relationship and mutual respect between Ile-Ife and Modakeke.

Well brought up Professor Fola Lasisi, pioneer Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State It is not just that the new Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi is a young man, I learned that the selection process which led to his emergence was transparent. Oba Aderemi must also be congratulated even though he has gone because in his time, he wanted things to be done well not just for Ife and for Yorubaland but for the whole of Nigeria. Many people forget very easily that Oba Aderemi was very much involved in governance in his time but he was not a noise maker. I congratulate the young man, Adeyeye. He did not talk much while they (the contestants) were running around and I congratulate the father because he brought him up very well.

48—SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 31, 2015 he consumption of palm oil in Nigeria amounts to 1.0 million MT per annum. 90.0 per cent of palm oil is consumed by food industry and the remaining 10.0 per cent used by the non-food industry.

Foods like noodles, vegetable oil, biscuits, chips, margarines, shortenings, cereals, baked stuff, washing detergents and even cosmetics thrive on palm oil.

Noodle industry alone consumes 72,000 MT of imported palm oil and the leading, domestic palm oil producers fail to meet this demand.

Saddened by unavailability of sufficient oil palm in the Nigerian market, some industries have proactively

T

CBN’s ffore ore orexx restrictions on CPO: Implications ffor or the econom economyy

announced strategic alliances to invest in oil palm plantations.

Large estate in the palm oil plantations and output in Nigeria which is the only category producing palm oil used by the food industry produce 80,000tons annually, which is only 10 per cent of local production and the overall domestic oil production was 1.35mn tons, the consumption demand was 2.25 million tons, resulting in a shortfall of 900,000 tons.

Of course, the Federal Government is striving to sustain the crude palm oil industry, but the country needs to have a stable economy and survival in the palm oil industry as the local production is currently unable to meet the quantity as well as quality requirements of the industry which leads to scarcity of raw materials and inflation.

Also, the economy is feeling the impact as there is inadequate supply of palm oil, and desperate food producers’ use non quality palm oil, thereby jeopardizing public health and safety.

Reason for Forex Policy The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) uses forex exchange policy to achieve certain macroeconomic goals of price stability, low unemployment, and reduce inflation among other objectives. These goals are attained by manipulating the money supply and influencing credit conditions in the economy. Because money as a means of exchange is the major lubricant of the nation’s economic activities, the techniques of manipulation of forex policy are often dictated by whether the apex bank wants to pursue an expansionary or contractionary policy.

Recently, however, the application of forex policy by the CBN has drawn the ire and criticisms of stakeholders in the manufacturing and private sector, with some describing the policy measures as emasculating. In a move to promote locally-produced goods not only to build robust foreign reserves, but also to create jobs for the teeming population, the CBN shut out Crude Palm Oil with the 41 other imported items from the foreign exchange (forex) window. Though the CBN maintained that its action was necessary for economic stability, members of the organised private sector believe the move may have been wrongly conceived without the apex bank properly appraising domestic capacity for production of some of the excluded items.

Announcing the forex restriction on the items, recently,

the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said, “My personal as well as the bank’s institutional analyses of the situation compelled us to believe that we needed to aggressively begin the process of feeding ourselves by ourselves and producing much of what we need in this country.

“The huge amount of money the country spends on importing things we can produce locally has become a significant drag on our Foreign Exchange Reserves.

Most of you are aware of the oftenquoted number of CBN: Governor, Godwin Emefiele N1.3 trillion, which is what we spend on average importing rice, fish, sugar, and wheat Dr. Chike Obidigbo, former every year,” he said. zonal chairman, Manufacturers Since the announcement of the new policy, Association of Nigeria (MAN) for a few have wondered why Crude palm oil Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra (CPO) was included in the list while many states, was of the opinion that the commentators have also passionately intoned CBN’s measure was a mere on why the country continues to import CPO, scratch of the problems besetting when the vast quantities of palm oil produced the real sector of the economy. by our hardworking farmers across the belts According to the President, of the country are being wasted or simply Lagos Chambers of Commerce ignored. and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Reacting, renowned economist, Bismarck Remi Bello, expressed concern Rewane, observed that the decision by the that many of the products on the apex bank sends a signal that there is a cash list of the 41 products are flow problem, adding that it could affect the intermediate goods, citing crude level of inflows and outflows in the country.

LPGas Expo: Asiko Energy, partners encourage more use of gas

A

t its recently concluded inaugural LPGAS energy Expo, the management of Asiko, one of Nigeria’s leading supplier of gas powered products has encouraged more Nigerians to develop the interest of using gas domestically because of its unique uses. This was said when Asiko management inaugurated its LPGAS energy in Lagos among 500 audience that embraced the occasion.

According to the source, not too long ago, major oil price shifts, changes in capital investment budgets and the general economic landscape has made the energy industry particularly dynamic. So, gas, as an alternative to liquid fuels are more efficient, cleaner and more economical in operation and maintenance when compared with conventional diesel fired power plants.

At the exhibition, it was also gathered that gas powered generators are not only cheaper but better for our environment compared to diesel generators.

It carries innovative heating system that makes industrial boilers and water heaters easily.

According to the Managing

Management crew of Asiko Energy fixing the newly inaugurated LP Gas energy in Lagos.

Director, Felix Ekundayo, the gas powered cooling systems has up to 86% reduction in electricity requirement with 20 year service life. Its virtual pipelines is reliable and efficient with fleet of trucks that provide clean gas energy to all parts of the country.

Ekundayo said further that, this inaugural gas expo was to promote the strong capabilities of Asiko Energy, its subsidiaries and associate companies. We are very pleased with the turnout and quality of visitors we got to

meet. Our aim is to provide Nigerians with an option of clean healthy living by getting them to switch their energy needs to gas,” he added.

From the management of Asiko Energy’s technical partner, ILF Engineering, said, the Nigerian energy industry is changing and evolving, and we can no longer ignore the benefits of gas. With Asiko’s range of gas products we will have access to cheaper, cleaner, renewable forms of fuel.

palm oil which is critical input for many manufacturing firms as well as other critical sectors of the economy as an example.

He revealed that the development will put several investments at risk with implications of job losses, quality of loan access in the banking system and the welfare of citizens.

He said the list is prone to multiple definitions and discretionary interpretations by agencies and institutions responsible for implementation.

Bello stated that the alternative foreign exchange markets are not deep enough to meet the demand of the essential intermediate products on the exclusion list, saying the exclusion of the items from the forex market is as good as import prohibition.

He noted that the policy measure will lead to widening of exchange differentials between the interbank markets and the parallel markets, adding that the immediate consequence will be rampant round tripping of foreign exchange, which the apex bank has limited capacity to stop.

He also said the policy has far reaching implications for investors in fabrication, construction and real sector, adding that facilities granted to investors affected by the shock of the policy are also at the risk of going bad.

Besides, in a communiqué issued at the end of an interactive session with the Central Bank of Nigeria in Lagos, the chamber said the new CBN policy is ambiguous as the restricted items are not well-defined and specific, plunging both manufacturers and banks into confusion regarding the intent of the apex bank.

The chamber urged the CBN to immediately amend the policy with full product definition and specification of all restricted items. “Forex is required for the enhancement of the nation’s capacity to process raw materials into finished goods, such as factory production lines which help in the economic growth of the country.

Ikeja City Mall rewards customers

By Juliet Ebirim

A

s part of its activities to mark Nigeria’s 55th Independence day anniversary, the management of Ikeja City Mall recently rewarded about 55 customers of the mall at the Independence Promo organised by the mall.

A threefold programme was put in place by the mall to mark this year’s independence anniversary; an independence concert, photo contest and an independence promo. The concert which held at the mall premises featured live performances and rib-cracking comedy from artistes. The photo contest saw shoppers uploading branded pictures with goodwill messages for Nigeria unto various social networks. The best photos uploaded were selected as winners of the contest.

The promo was capped off with a draw where three winners emerged. The draw was witnessed by journalists and some of the mall’s management officials.Ogedengbe Ebenezer emerged winner of the first prize with a reward of N100,000 voucher, Deremi Shittu and Obieze Kelvin emerged second and third respectively with N25,000 each and independence branded sourvenirs, while 52 others received consolation prizes. Marketing Manager of the ICM, E n i o lMr. a Ositelu, explained that the promotion w a s designed to reward l o y a l customers and to mark t h e countr y ’s 5 5 t h independence anniversary, hence the target of 55 winners.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 49

Saraki loses appeal, heads to S-Court Continued from page 7 formed a quorum to entertain the charge.

“The above provisions are very clear and unambiguous and should be given their ordinary meaning. This is in line with the golden rule of interpretation. Words should be prima-facie given their natural and grammatical meaning.

“There is no provision on minimum number of members which the tribunal must have before it can sit to hear cases. Therefore this is a lacuna”.

He said that section 318(4) of the constitution specifically made the Interpretation Act the only legislative tool to fill the lacuna, adding that section 28 of the Interpretation Act provides for quorum which shall not be less than two members including the chairman, provided the chairman and member will be present throughout the trial.

“Without any legal impediment, the provision of the Interpretation Act is applicable to the CCB and Tribunal Act. It is therefore my view that the tribunal was a proper panel constituted by the law. The issue is resolved against the appellant”.

More so, Justice Adumein dismissed Saraki’s

contention that the tribunal is not a court with criminal jurisdiction.

Relying on the decided case law in AGF&2 Ors vs Atiku Abubakar, 2007, 8NWLR, he held that “there is no inherent difference between a tribunal and a court”.

He said: “The tribunal is a special court established to adjudicate on cases relating to breaches by public officers.

It has power to impose appropriate sentence where it finds a public officer guilty”.

He stressed that the use of words like ‘plea’, ‘guilty’, ‘witnesses’, and ‘trial’ in the statute that established the tribunal, showed that it has the power to conduct criminal proceedings.

Besides, he held that contrary to Saraki’s claim, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja never summoned or ordered the Chairman of the CCT and CCB to appear before him.

He said that Saraki misled the tribunal into believing that the high court made an order against it.

Consequently, Justice Adumein said he would not dissipate his energy towards determining whether the tribunal has coordinate jurisdiction with the Federal High Court or not, as he was

prayed to do by Saraki.

“This court will not engage its precious time in entertaining academic and hypothetical issues”.

On the competence of the charge, he held that in the absence of a substantive Attorney General of the Federation, the Solicitor General of the Federation, SGF, or any other legal officer in the Ministry of Justice, has the power to institute a criminal action.

He said that a Deputy Director in the office of the AGF, Mr. M.S. Hassan, who signed the charge against Saraki, had the power to institute the action, saying he had from the bar, told the court that he was authorised by the SGF to initiate the criminal proceeding.

“Having resolved all the issues against the appellant, this appeal is hereby dismissed and I hereby uphold the decision of the tribunal.

“But that is not the end of the matter, I will now give my learned brother the chance to also deliver his own judgement”, Justice Adumein added.

At that juncture, Justice Ekanem, took over and delivered a dissenting verdict wherein he quashed the 13-count charge and discharged Saraki.

1/2page advert

50 — SATURDAY

C M Y K

Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

SATURDAY Vanguard,

OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 51

BY LAJU IREN 07017860213 ELLEJAYMEDIA@YAHOO.CO.UK

“We must run montessori schools the right way’’ •Mrs Bukky Ifedayomi

BY LAJU IREN or many, only the surname of Dr. Maria Montessori would ring a bell. And that was her aim. The name Montessori holds the legacy that the foremost educationist sought to leave. Her rationale: children below seven years of age should not be taught in the abstract. Instead, the focus should be on the development of a child’s own initiative and natural ability, especially

F

through practical play.

Mrs Bukky Ifedayomi, Director of Little Saints Montessori School in Ilupeju is also of the same mindset. Now thirty years in the business of running a montessori school, she is quick to say: “Montessori is not nursery school. It is special type of education created and designed by Maria montessori, who had the philosophy that you do not train children under the age of seven in the abstract form.

She believed that for everything you are going to teach a child, let the child see, let the child feel. For instance, if you are going to teach a child about a plant, bring the plant into the classroom, and as much as possible have enough for every child. Let them see. Let them smell. Let them see all the parts of the plant, as much as possible. It has seeds, plant the seed and let the children watch that plant

grow, and for life, it is in their subconscious.”

For Ifedayomi, growth in the education sector must be measured with the right metrics. Her words: “Growth for me is in terms of the children you have passed out of the ïnstitution. Where are they? Are they successful? And for us, the answer is yes. One of of the students who finished from here is now one of the personal assistants to immediate past governor of Lagos State. I have Taiwo Misore, who is doing very well in the entertainment world. He is an ex-student of this school. I have about three or four of my exstudents who are in the very high levels in the banking industry. Many of the children are doing well. For me, that is growth. Everybody is fighting for numbers, but I am not bothered about numbers. We have just over 200 students but I am content with the number of children that are doing exceedingly well.”

This passion for education has been this proprietor’s ambition since she was a child herself. “Even when I was in primary school,” she said, “I would leave my class, go to the junior classrooms and be teaching them how to write their numbers. Even then, my report card had said, “Bukky would be a good teacher because she loves children.”

52—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

•Buhari

BY MICHAEL OSA EWAHSIHA

L

ast week, the Emir of Kano and immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, roundly criticised both the monetary policies of CBN as well as the fiscal policies of the new Muhammadu Buhari administration. Given his public profile, it is not surprising that his comments have received strong media attention but sadly in a manner that strengthens the popular, simplistic and illinformed arguments of some so called experts and international forces led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank as well as portfolio investors who want to buy Nigerian assets on the cheap entering and exiting as they choose.

As an analyst, who has closely monitored the evolving global economic developments, and the measures taken by the CBN and the government to manage their challenging consequences, I believe it is important to respond to the issues raised by the emir who seems to have all the access to the corridors of the presidential villa, Abuja.

Has the emir told the president all of these privately and then given the presidency – where the emir also has good friends ample time to consider policy actions before using the platform of the CNBC global media to advise his president who he says needs help? Does the emir realise that Buhari came to power

•Emefiele

•Sanusi

The politics and economics

of Sanusi’s intervention on the back of the support of millions of teeming poor masses of Nigeria? Would he then be “helping” the president by advising a devaluation that will immediately drive up inflation and reward the support base with more economic hardship?

ECONOMICS OF SANUSI’S ARGUMENTS I will not discuss some of the politics and contradictions of these comments but will dwell mainly on their economics as one wonders how someone who vehemently opposed any form of devaluation as

Nigerians should therefore hold the government accountable for what our debt is spent on rather than on its size

governor of the CBN would suddenly become its most vocal proponent as Emir of Kano? Though some have suggested that the emir who is now Chairman of the Board of Directors of Black Rhino, a leading US-based private equity firm, is speaking for the global private equity establishment, who will be the biggest beneficiaries of devaluation, I know the emir is smarter than to allow himself to be used. While the motives and politics of these comments are legitimate grounds to explore, one must now go on to the economics of his arguments.

TRUTH ABOUT NIGERIA’S GDP It is truly disturbing that someone as knowledgeable as a former governor of Nigeria’s CBN, who was one of the key backers of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), will so insouciantly dismiss the size of Nigeria’s economy and its ranking in the world because of fleeting concerns about the size of our debt. According to Emir Sanusi, we “spent years deceiving ourselves as the 21st largest economy in the world because of rebasing but our Debt-to-GDP ratio is 11 per cent”. There are several points to note here.

The new size of Nigeria’s GDP was arrived at after years of painstaking work at the NBS with close assistance from international statistical agencies and the CBN in line with global best practice. In fact, all the leading international financial and development agencies, including the World Bank and the IMF have applauded and approved both the methodology and outcome of the process. It is therefore not fair to either politicise or diminish our GDP estimates.

While it is critical to keep an eye on our rising debt (which, of course, was not accumulated by the Buhari government), one must note that a debt to GDP ratio of 11 per cent is not a disaster.

WHERE NIGERIANS SHOULD HOLD GOVT ACCOUNTABLE The real question that should be interrogated is not the size of the debt but what exactly the money was used for. It is in fact advisable to incur debt as long as the money is spent on basic infrastructure and other capital projects that can spur long-term economic growth.

This is why some of the largest economies in the world today also have some of the highest debt-to-GDP

ratios. For example, Japan’s debt to GDP ratio is a whopping 246.1%. Italy is at 132.6%, Belgium’s ratio is 101.5% and France is at 97%.

Even the United States, the world’s largest and leading economy has a debt to GDP ratio of 105.6%, far larger than that of Nigeria. This means that the amount of money the US Government owes is more than the size of its entire economy!

Nigerians should therefore hold the government accountable for what our debt is spent on rather than on its size.

NAIRA DEVALUATION Furthermore, the continued calls for devaluation sadly do not recognise that the naira has already been devalued by over 20 per cent in the last one year, from N155 to N167, and then to N197 per US dollar. So the question is not whether the CBN should devalue or not, but how much devaluation is warranted by current economic conditions. We have to keep in mind that determining the true value of a currency is not an exact science. Although there are widely accepted methodologies for exchange rate assessment, their Continues on page 53

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015—53

The politics and economics of Sanusi’s intervention Continues from page 52

accuracy depends on lots of underlying assumptions and data. For instance, a key input for the methodology is the volume and value of imports. But in Nigeria, we all know that most of our imports are either not captured, under-declared, or over-invoiced. How then can one speak so clearly about the true value of the naira when some of the critical data needed for its computation are flawed?

Relatedly, the emir blames the slow GDP growth of the first half of 2015 on the CBN’s refusal to devalue the naira. Yet, in making this statement, he willfully ignores several facts. First, Nigeria is dealing with a set of exogenous shocks including the sharp decline in oil prices, the slowdown in global growth (which means less imports from Nigeria), and the geopolitical tensions along important trading routes around the world, which has also significantly lowered prospects for global growth.

In recognition of these shocks, the IMF recently reduced its forecast of global growth in 2015 from 3.5% to 3.1%. Every country in the world has slowed down markedly, and Nigeria is not an island of its own. How then can one simply blame Nigeria’s slow growth on the value of the naira while ignoring the fact that the government is losing more than 50 per cent of its revenues as a result of falling oil prices?

DRAWING FROM GHANA, RUSSIA, ZAMBIA AND BRAZIL EXPERIENCES But if devaluation were the simple answer, let us consider what has happened to comparable countries that allowed a full depreciation of their currencies during the last several months. For example, Ghana, Russia, Zambia, and Brazil have all allowed depreciation of their currencies to the tune of 27%, 40%, 45%, and 42%, respectively. Yet, Brazil and Russia are in recession. In fact, analysts now expect Brazil’s GDP to shrink to 0.8% in 2016. In Ghana, the latest growth rate is less than 1% while Zambia just declared a National Day of Prayer because of slow growth! What is clear from these countries is that depreciation is not a silver bullet to the economic challenges that we are facing today. To accurately interrogate these issues require much greater analytical depth than is

What is clear from these countries is that depreciation is not a silver bullet to the economic challenges that we are facing today

being shown these days.

Similarly, the assertion that the demand management policy of the CBN has deprived certain industries of critical imports ignores the fact that these are the same policies that have helped the country become selfsufficient and a net exporter in cement and other areas.

Today, cement imports would have been costing Nigeria about $3 billion yearly.

That comment also ignores the fact that most manufacturers of the 41 items restricted from accessing FX are witnessing tremendous increase in demands for their products.

For instance Erisco Foods (manufacturers of tomato paste), GZ (manufacturers of aluminum cans), Obasanjo Farms, and the association of cold rolled steel manufacturers of Nigeria have all reported significant increase in sales and are already employing more Nigerians and expanding their operations to meet with the demand.

LOCAL INDUSTRIES What are the “essential raw materials” for the production of items like tomato, palm oil, toothpicks, rice, cement, margarine, vegetable oil, poultry products, chicken, wooden doors, furniture, clothes, and table wares? We have no choice other than to revitalise and encourage the growth of local industry.

Not too long ago, Nigeria used to control 40% of the global palm oil market but today we spend billions importing palm oil yearly, while Malaysia and Indonesia control 80% of the global palm oil market. This is clearly not the way to go and we must not allow personal interests to becloud our sense of objectivity.

MONITARY POLICIES The emir also incorrectly stated that the central bank is currently “pursuing tight monetary policies” and that “it is time to loosen monetary policy”. At the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the CBN, the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) was reduced from 31% to 25%. And owing to the policies of the CBN, the interbank interest rate has crashed to a 5-year low of 0.8% and both lending and deposit rates are falling accordingly. The truth, therefore, is that monetary policy is already loosening significantly. The Nigerian banking system is awash with both naira and dollars and there is no sound economic basis to call for a further slackening, especially in the face of rising inflation.

PORTFOLIO OUTFLOWS While the emir’s declaration that “portfolio flows are gone” is true, he presented it as if their exit is a result of flawed policies in Nigeria. However, it is a global phenomenon.

According to a recent report

by London’s Financial Times, portfolio outflows from emerging market countries, including Nigeria, in the third quarter of 2015 have been the worst since the 2008 global financial crisis. Portfolio investors from emerging market countries have offloaded an estimated US$40 billion worth of securities.

Everyone knows that portfolio investors settle their fears on their side of caution, and as such, once commodity prices start to fall, they quickly pull their resources out of commodity-exporting countries. Besides, there are strong indications that the US Federal Reserve may be raising interest rates sometime later this year. Of course, given the perceived stability and safety of US securities, most portfolio investors prefer such investment and are therefore preparing to invest in the US market once the Fed raises US interest rates. It is therefore a symptom of intellectual laziness for anyone to simply blame outflows of portfolio investments from Nigeria on the country’s monetary or exchange rate policies.

One must also highlight the perils for policy-makers when everybody pretends to be an expert on the current economic situation facing our country. All through the

emir ’s four full years as governor of the CBN (2010— 2013), the average price of oil was a very healthy $108 per barrel, as against the current average of $52 per barrel. The last time Nigeria was in this situation was in 2005 when the price of oil averaged $55 but with an import bill that was about N148.3 billion per year.

Yet, today, at about the same average oil price of $55 per barrel, estimates from the first nine months of 2015 show the country’s import bill is about N917.6 billion.

In truth therefore, we have never been in this kind of situation before as a country.

Likewise, the emir never experienced this magnitude of exchange rate crisis or foreign reserves pressure and cannot claim to have expert opinions on how it should be resolved. It is unfortunate that the emir who obviously enjoys his status as the darling of the western media is attempting to create the impression that any economic policy of the Buhari government that western “experts” don’t approve of is wrong. If his forays into public discussions is to make simplistic and biased prescriptions to Nigeria’s complicated economic problems, may be it is time for him to spend much more time thinking about how to create employment and spur real growth in Kano.

•Ewahsiha is an economic analyst

54—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

Tr ansparent cont exts and dat ain contexts datain pe tr oleum tr ansactions petr troleum transactions I

n logic transparent context is an expression in which the true value is not changed when any term is replaced by another with the same reference. We may not be in a syllogism class but permit itthatis what it is. “Transparency pertains to impartial behaviour, implies openness, communication and accountability.

Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame ’’ says Dr. Anil Kumar Sinha.

Too many of us believe that transparent context means nothing. Data are bandied as if they are ours to repossess withoutempiricism and statistical basis.Data derivable are rather guesstimatesand factitious in nature.

Data are manipulated in population census, elections and for revenue sharing.

We do not care to know genuinely how many children are born, how many are enrolled for primary school, how many qualify for the secondary school, for tertiary education and then for employment. Biometrics is collated bybanks, the Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigerian Communication Commission, and of late the National Identity Management Commission.

Thebottom line is that fictitious data are for selfish and ulterior motives; we are never transparent about them.We live in our world where there are unbelievable claims of ghosts as workers. Our actions consistently make data extremely difficult to use for planning and effective execution of projects for growth and development.

Our high-tech

Data derivable are rather guesstimatesand factitious in nature. Data are manipulated in population census, elections and for revenue sharing Petroleumindustry which is a major revenue earner in Nigeriais a major casualty that is not spared in this bewilderment. Reliable data on petroleum business transactionsare not readily available. Often times they are shrouded in secrecy for mischiefor otherwise.Data sourced in thedownstream sectorare either from scoops or from overseas where crude is exported or products are imported.

Lacks of transparency and unreliable data have been the bane of the National Oil Company, the NNPC and the country has paid dearly for it. Some may argue otherwise but the issue is more of reality than perception, as major buyers of different Nigerian grades of crude had

over the last 10 years shied away from participation in bid rounds for lack of transparency.

One is happy they alluded to that fact last Tuesday. I recall that Nigerian crude oil became an overhang commodity to be hawked in the international market this year.Reason was that our crude buyers were third party vendors.As storage levels spiked in June in the Dutch and Belgian ports in Europe, lots of our supply had no interested buyers.

Agreed there was glut in the second quarter of 2015 but the issue was that there was a low level of confidence from trading hubs. It was all Nigerian crude floating on the seas and in storage tanks with no destination because there was no refinery demand in the world’s largest oil trading hub, the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA).

It is gratifying to note that the NNPC GMD and Minister designate, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, last week pledged to sustain the ongoing reform in the NNPC which has witnessed the monthly publication of Financial and operational transactions for public scrutiny.He said the recent public harvesting of bids tendered for the new offshore processing arrangements was for the best yield in terms of value addition.

At the Crude Oil Term Contract Bids opening at the Amphitheatre of the NNPC Towers last Tuesday, one could see the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing, Mr. Mele Kyari, beaming with smiles that their new management was on its way to a breakthrough as there was a significant increasein bidding companies this year put at 278.

Kyari said with transparency in the process, third party vendors would be eliminated for credible and competent end users as buyers. Such major buyers would preventoverhang of cargoes, net value reduction and therefore guarantee relative price stability of our crude.

On the products side I still rely on my foreign source that Nigeria imports 1 million tonnes of PMS monthly. Procuring data from Nigerian petroleum managers is like the proverbial camel’s head

passing through the eye of a needle. This attitude of managers is indeed a cog in the transparency question.

For four months now I tried without success to get from the NNPC what it costs the NOC to process a barrel of crude into productsthat make up 80 percent in refining; videlicet PMS, DPK and AGO in our now partiallyfunctioningrefineries.

The spokesman of the NNPC Ohi Alegbeat last Wednesday gave the constraints of the refineries; being taken out of their topsy-turvy states.

But we must determine what quantitywe refine locally, what is in Overseas Processing Arrangements,what we import, what we consumeof premium motor spirit (PMS) and Household kerosene (HHK) and other products.It is only when we have verifiable data that we determine the veracity or otherwise of what isclaimed to be subsidy in Nigeria.

Until we do that it may all be deceit.

How can a nation like Nigeria be in this kind of situation of no data to work with?

Ordinarily we have not degenerated to that level of ignoramuses. Happy they are thinking our way. They talk about subsidy when nobody can confidently put a tab on what quantity of products we import, consume and at how much.

One recalls the 2012 petroleum investigation by the Farouk Lawan ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on the downstream (even with its controversy), how government departments, Customs, PPPRA, NNPC, PPMC, CBN etc. all bandied different figures on PMS imported into the country for which documents were processed for payments.

It is gratifying that the new management in NNPC is coming to terms with reality in transparency and data management. Until we getour acts right as its GMD is trying to do now, Nigerians would continue to wallow in ignorance in an industry that ordinarily is universal in operations.Without empirical statistical and economic data Nigerians are not to be fixated on unsubstantiated claims of subsidy not being sustainable.

have just revisited a literary text I read, sorry, studied some time ago. The title I of the text is The Crucible and the author is

a renowned America playwright, Arthur Miller. This text is quite popular all over the world. It is found in formal schools’ syllabi in many countries including Nigeria. It has been staged a number of times within and outside the US and there is no doubt that its import on the contemporary society or even the society of all times cannot be overemphasized. In part of his prefatory notes, Arthur Miller, the author, claimed that “he had known of Salem witch-hunt for many years and it had always remained an inexplicable darkness to him, until he saw in a modern parallel the essence of its sources and its evil power.”

Salem witch-hunt is the source of inspiration for the play, The Crucible, which is a reenactment of the events in a Puritan society in the early days of America.

Precisely, in 1692, there was an unusual development in Salem Massachusetts, USA, where it is believed that several harmless people were thrown into jail and in fact about twenty people were hung because they were alleged to be involved in witchcraft. The same seemed to be playing out once more in his time, America of the 1950s. Precisely, between 1950 and 1954, a senate committee headed by Hon. Senator Joseph McCarthy carried out intense investigations with a view to “hunting” down communists who are believed to have penetrated the state department and thus posed a threat to the internal security of the country.

The subject of witchcraft – bewitching and witch-hunting has indeed remained incomprehensible to humanity. The word, witch, is “an inexplicable darkness.”

Usually, there is a claim, out of personal or collective illusion, of “bewitching;” more or less, coming under the influence of witchcraft. In simple terms, bewitching entails charming. Simple folks associate it with magic, sorcery and a reasonable dose of the supernatural. In all, witchcraft is perceived as negative. I see it as any form of manipulation or carefully organized steps to influence a situation or a person against the natural desires of the person; or against the natural trend of a situation. It is

C M Y K

WITCH HUNTING AND BEWITCHING:

Our PPer er sonal and Collective Crucible ersonal perceived as a threat to the peace and healthy development of a person, persons or societies. Quite frankly, nobody talks about witches and witchcraft until there is animosity. It is when a society is grown hard and there is partial or total lack of joy that reasons would be sought as to why things are the way they are and why people do what they do. At that stage in any society, the imagination adduces many reasons for the situation and one of such reasons is mostly recognized as the presence of the devil. The devil is synonymous with sin and damnation. Since the devil is the author of witchcraft, damnation is the natural consequence of involvement with it.

There are religious, albeit, spiritual as well as social aspects to witchcraft. The Salem Massachusetts society dealt with the religious aspect but McCarthism of the 1950s America was more tilted towards the socio -political angle. The Puritans discouraged what they perceived as frivolities and all other manner of sins and literally promoted the fear of the devil side by side with the fear of God, just like many religious and social organizations do today.

Members of the community served as their “brothers’ keepers,” so they watched and reported any act considered to be a contravention of the statutes and codes of the society. People involved in such acts were made to face the ultimate punishment after their public confessions. They were forced to make a GUILTY plea. From the socio-political perspective, for some reasons, Senator McCarthy was afraid that some communists had infiltrated the State Department and thus would mischievously affect state policies. This led to forced

confessions (of course the natural experience in witchcraft charges) and the natural trend of such is to get accused persons reveal as many names as would be pleasing to the cleansing authorities. By the way, in every situation of alleged witchcraft, there is a likely emergence of some form of cleansing authorities. Pleasure is usually classified unholy and thus sinful. In a nutshell, witch-hunting thrives on two major premises, namely guilt and fear; fear on the part of the hunter and guilt on the part of the hunted.

In our dear country Nigeria, there are a number of allegations of witch hunting. This presupposes that there are witches at large and if I am correct, witches are unholy, evil and diabolical. They operate in hiding and never own up to their acts. They are dangerous to the society. These are some reasons they are forever condemned by the public.

The victims of witchcraft are normally bewitched and this results in loss of peace, happiness and good health. The magic that has for long bewitched people in our society is CORRUPTION. I therefore, am convinced that we are dealing with social as against spiritual witchcraft. To the self acclaimed Hercules generation who arrogates to itself the sole responsibility of cleansing the Augean Stable, there is a lesson and that is, its target should be restoration of joy, and not destruction of joy. Therefore, as many as have been bewitched by corruption are guilty or must be made to plead guilty; and in accordance with the trend in witchhunting, equally reveal all accomplices to the sin. This is probably why it appears as if we are reenacting the McCarthy

The victims of witchcraft are normally bewitched and this results in loss of peace, happiness and good health.

The magic that has for long bewitched people in our society is CORRUPTION experience of America of the 1950s in Nigeria today.

It is great to desire a cleansing of the Augean Stable, but one who so desires must know that the strength required for such an act must be Herculean. It is also good to smoke out witches but one who so desires, must be ready to address “the essence

of its sources and its evil power.” The present approach, whereby manifestations are focused on without adequate recourse to essences can at best be described as superficial.

There is a need to get to the root of the matter and it is probably there that the real sources of the evil power of witchcraft – corruption – will be unraveled. However, it may be shocking to know that one thing that may appear more dangerous than witchcraft is witch hunting. Witch hunting leads to a crucible. It ushers in a difficult and trying time even though the ultimate end is to clean up an existing mess. Nigerians, be careful. We need to know who has the moral justification and the right spiritual standing to pronounce a witch and to pass judgment against it.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 31, 2015 — 55

Evra eyes derby win against Torino P

Mourinho fights for survival against Liverpool

I

f things get any worse, Jose Mourinho might not last much longer in the Chelsea dugout.

Chelsea, which host Liverpool today, expressed their ‘full support’’ to their most successful manager at the start of October. The public vote of confidence didn’t initiate a change in fortune, however.

The team have only one

win in four games since and Mourinho’s behaviour has become increasingly erratic.

He’s facing a stadium ban over his latest misconduct charge for confronting match officials.

Until now, Mourinho seemed to be the byword for success. But this season the Portuguese coach has the London club in a scrap at the bottom of the standings

rather than in a more familiar elevated position. Since cruising to the Premier League title in May, Chelsea have lost half of their 10 games.

Mourinho can’t even count on the cups. Stoke eliminated the Blues from the League Cup on Tuesday and they have only four points from a possible nine so far in the group stage of the Champions League.

After taking on Liverpool at Stamford Bridge today, Chelsea host Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday. And the Blues might have to cope in both games without Diego Costa unless the striker can return from a rib injury.

Although Chelsea, 15th in the standings, would draw level on points with Liverpool, which are currently ninth, with a win on Saturday.

atrice Evra has voiced out that Juventus were throwing away chance to make history “I’m angry. When you play for this team you must always believe you can win the title every year,” he told Sky Sport.

“This is clearly not the best time to talk about it, but when I wake up every morning, I tell myself I could be lucky enough to lift a fifth consecutive Scudetto.

“Instead, as it stands, we’re currently throwing away this chance to make history. A message to my team-mates? Let’s respect this shirt”.

Juve, now 11 points behind leaders Roma, will be looking to return to winning ways against local rivals Torino tomorrow and Evra is determined to make amends for Wednesday’s loss.

“I know that it’s a derby game and that beating Juventus means as much as winning the league for Torino fans,” he said.

“This isn’t my philosophy. I want to win and all I can say is that our approach on Saturday will be spot on.”

Guardiola goes for treble P

Pellegrini banks on Iheanacho A

s Manchester City host Norwich today at the Etihad Stadium, Manuel Pellegrini believes Wilfried Bony and Kelechi Iheanacho can keep the Blues firing in the absence of Sergio Aguero Bony and Iheanacho were on the score sheet as City secured their place in the Capital One Cup quarter finals with a 5-1 win against Crystal and Pellegrini says the duo have proved their value to his squad.

“I think in this moment it is very important for the team to have Kelechi and Bony,” said the Chilean.

“Sergio is injured. They can play both together.

“Kelechi is a young player, very impressive, but Bony knows he has all the trust of me and the team. Kun is impossible to replace, but we have other options.”

C M Y K

ep Guardiola believes Bayern Munich have a realistic chance of winning the treble this season if they remain focused until the very end of the campaign.

The Bavarians have been in superb form in 2015-16 and already hold a seven-point lead over second-placed B o r u s s i a Dortmund in the Bundesliga table, while also impressing in Champions League and DFB-Pokal.

Guardiola has warned they have not won anything yet, but is optimistic they can go far in all three competitions if they keep their feet on the ground.

“I am completely convinced that we will be fighting for every title right

until the very end if players, coach and club can keep this up,” Guardiola said at a news conference.

“The most important thing for me as a coach is to make the players realise that we have not won the Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal yet. We have not won anything yet.

There is no such thing as perfection. Things are going very well at the moment, but you never know how long things last. We have to be hungry for the ball each game.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 31, 2015

Mourinho fights for survival against Liverpool >>55

BEREAVED TENNIS STAR:

My mum’s killer must die too TODAY’S FIXTURES EPL Chelsea Crystal Palace Man City Newcastle Swansea Watford West Brom

v Liverpool 12:45pm v Man Utd 3pm v Norwich 3pm v Stoke 3pm v Arsenal 3pm v West Ham 3pm v Leicester 3pm

LA LIGA Real Madrid Valencia Villarreal Getafe Real Sociedad

v v v v v

Las Palmas Levante Sevilla Barcelona Celta Vigo

BUNDESLIGA Cologne FC Augsburg Hertha Berlin Schalke Werder Bremen Wolfsburg

v v v v v v

Hoffenheim 2:30pm Mainz 2:30pm M’gladbach 2:30pm

SERIE A Juventus Inter Milan

Ingolstadt 04

2:30pm

Dortmund 2:30pm Leverkusen 5:30pm

v Torino v Roma

FRENCH LIGUE I St Etienne Bastia Gazelec Ajaccio Guingamp Toulouse Troyes EREDIVISIE Groningen Ajax Excelsior De Graafschap

3pm 5:15pm 5:15pm 7:30pm 9:05pm

v v v v

v v v v v v

5pm 7:45pm

Reims Caen Bordeaux Lorient Montpellier Lyon

PEC Zwolle Roda JC Kerk Vitesse Arnhem PSV

4pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 7pm

5:30pm 6:45pm 6:45pm 7:45pm

“I don’t know where my father is and policeman has killed my only parent”

>>33

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1)Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Emmanuel_(8) 5)Ukranian Capital City (4) 7)Insect (3) 8)L.G.A in Benue State (4) 9)He invented the Telephone, Graham_(4) 10)United States President, Mr. Barack_(5) 12)L.G.A in Akwa-Ibom State (5,4) 16)Delta State Capital (5) 18)Former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony_(5) 19)Igbo Girl’s name (5) 21)Chairperson, Women’s Football Committee, Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Mrs. Dilichukwu_(9) 24)L.G.A in Kebbi State (5) 27)Super Eagles Striker, Ikechukwu_(4) 28)State in Nigeria known as “The Sunshine State”? (4) 29)Adult Male Sheep (3) 30)Land Measurement Unit (4) 31)Former Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Abduljelil_(8)

DOWN 1)Nigerian Currency Unit (4) 2)Country in North America (4) 3)Pakistan Capital City (9) 4)L.G.A in Imo State (5) 5)L.G.A in Sokoto State (5) 6)Spanish “La Liga”Club-Side (8) 11)Vehicles (3) 13)Shell-Fish (5) 14)Nigerian Premiership Club (9) 15)World’s Longest River (4) 16)Ogun State Capital (8) 17)Companion (4) 20)Young of a Goat (3) 22)Super Falcons Defender, Ngozi_(5) 23)Ethnic Group in Nigeria (5) 25)Former Tunisia “ C a r t h a g e Eagles”Coach, Andre_(4) 26)Country in Asia(4)

Solution on page 48

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355.

Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K