Uproar over OBJ's letter to Jonathan by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62035

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Police teargas Rivers lawmakers, barricade House of Assembly

Police take over Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday. Inset: A man injured while running from the scene of the crisis. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Uproar over OBJ's letter to Jonathan

BY EMEKA MAMAH, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, TAYE OBATERU, WAHAB ABDULLAH, DAPO AKINREFON, CHARLES KUMOLU, VINCENT UJUMADU, HENRY UMORU & PETER DURU

AGOS—FORMER P r e s i d e n t Olusegun Obasanjo’s 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan sparked uproar in the country yesterday with

•Obasanjo meets Jonathan in Kenya

Continues on page 5

•Presidency, Tukur to meet retired Generals, leaders

COLUMNIST:

•Speak up, Atiku urges IBB, Abdulsalami, Ekwueme, others •Letter in bad faith, say Niger Delta youths, Odumakin, Orjiakor •David-West, Tsav, CNPP, others hail Obasanjo •It's frightening, I fear for the future — Sagay •I worked for Obasanjo — Buruji Kashamu

PDP asks court to Jonathan, student declare seats of five of Obasanjo 7 nPDP govs vacant 10 —Falana

•P.17

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

President Goodluck Jonathan receiving a bouquet of flowers from little Miss Beth Wanjiku during his arrival at the Nairobi International Airport for the 50th Independence Anniversary of Kenya, Wednesday. Photo: State House.

Uproar over OBJ's letter to Jonathan Continues from page 1 prominent Nigerians at one another’s throat over the missive. The letter in which Obasanjo accused President Jonathan of ruling as a dictator, training a killer gang, driving the country to the brink by allowing

corruption and mutual distrust, did not only raise dust it also unearthed a can of worms yesterday. Among those who spoke on the matter were former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Minister of Petroleum Re-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

The first step towards success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you find yourself – Mark Caine.

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

Hold in mind the long-term vision, whilst operating completely in the present moment, and you can’t help but become a powerful force for good — Mary Jaksch.

PERSON needs to think in long time scales to be more effective. Yet the only power you have is in the present moment. We dilute our effectiveness as soon as we come out of the moment. Because we worry about the past, we project about the future. This is the paradox. You need to be perfectly poised in the moment, and pull back your awareness and energy from everything else. Then you need to use the long-term plans to direct and guide that energy and manifest your goals into your reality. In essence, if you want real success and a sense of accomplishment in your activities, then learn to hold in mind the big picture at the same time as the day-to-day tasks. If you want to lead and contribute on a larger scale, then have a vision for outcomes that last longer than the next few months. Stretch yourself to imagine what you’d like to be building over the next 10, 20 years. Keep this enormous time scale in mind and heart, whilst remaining in the present moment, and you can’t help but become a powerful influence for the good of the whole.

sources, Prof Tam DavidWest; former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav; Senator Rowland Owie, Engr Anthony Sani, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), Chief Ladi Williams (SAN), Yinka Odumakin and the united Action for Democracy (UAD).

Presidency, PDP to meet retired Generals, leaders The letter also elicited reactions from many prominent Nigerians including the national hierarchy of the ruling PDP. Barely 24 hours after the December 2 letter became a public document, Vanguard gathered that PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, rushed to the Asokoro residence of Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih where he had discussions with him on the way forward and how to quickly nip the crisis in the bud. With Tukur at Anenih’s residence were some members of the National Working Committee, NWC. Sources said Tukur was not comfortable with the quick response of his Special Assistant, Media, Prince

Oliver Okpala who responded to former President Obasanjo on Wednesday. Tukur, as part of his trouble shooting mission, a source said, will also meet some founding members of the party. The PDP national Chairman as gathered will travel with members of the NWC to meet former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, General Theophilus Danjuma; former PDP National Chairmen - Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed. Others are Chief E m m a n u e l Iwuanyanwu; Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chief Shaiubu Oyedokun; Chief Bode George, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Ambassador Aminu Wali; Dapo Sarumi, Shettima Mustapha, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Engr. Abba Gana, Alhaji Adamu Mauzu, Dr. Musa Babayo, Professor Jerry Gana, Senator Ibrahim Mantu and Yekini Adeojo. There were also feelers that the presidency may set up a very strong Presidential body that will meet those Chief Obasanjo copied his letter. These leaders include former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and General Danjuma.

Speak up, Atiku urges IBB, Abdulsalami, Ekwueme, Danjuma, others Speaking on the issue, which he said was making him nervous, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday urged Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Dr Alex Ekwueme and others whom General Obasanjo copied the letter to speak up. According to Atiku Abubakar, although he was not competent to speak on the letter because he was not privy to the communication, he however said that General Theophilus Danjuma and other leaders who were consulted by the former President before the publication of the letter

should intervene and reduce what he termed, the tension created by Obasanjo’s weighty allegations. In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Abubakar said like every other Nigerian, he was nervous about the allegations made by the former President and that those elders mentioned by Obasanjo had a moral duty to add their voices to the issue. Stressing that the allegations were too disturbing to be treated with apathy by any political stakeholder, he added that at a moment of national anxiety or uncertainty, leaders across the country should rise to the occasion and reassure fellow Nigerians about the future. He explained that at a time the rest of the world was looking at Nigeria as a beacon of hope for stability, the content of Obasanjo’s letter should be urgently addressed by former leaders and elders. And with the attention of Nigerians focused on the 2015 elections, he noted that there was urgent need to reassure Nigerians, adding, “Our priorities for Nigeria are forging lasting solutions to our chronic unemployment, providing safety and security for all, and vastly improving our failing education systems. President Jonathan’s government has consistently failed to address these critical concerns. “That said, it is on record that I have firmly fought for a democracy where the voters choose their future leaders, not political party bosses. If the incumbent President insists on continuing to destroy his own party with vindictive internal wars and thinks his record of rising youth unemployment, never-

ending violence, corruption and scandals is worthy of another term, then he is welcome to run. We are confident Nigerians will exercise their democratic right to choose new leadership in 2015.”

I worked for Obasanjo – Kashamu Meantime, Prince Buruji Kashamu, a chieftain of the PDP denied Obasanjo’s allegations that he was a drug dealer and alleged that he worked for and hobnobbed with the former president. Addressing a press conference in Lagos yesterday, K ashamu maintained that Chief Obasanjo used him to reclaim the PDP machinery from former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. Faulting Obasanjo’s claims, he said: “In the 18-page letter, Obasanjo said, ‘how can the presidency be working with me?’ It is not the fault of Obasanjo. Obasanjo was my partner in 2010 and in 2011. It was obvious to everybody that I was working for Obasanjo, he was using me to fight Gbenga Daniel. Daniel had already disgraced Obasanjo in Ogun State. I was the one that risked my life for Obasanjo and I spent over N3 billion before I could take over the control of the PDP in Ogun State. I took back the party machinery from Daniel and returned it to Obasanjo. It was also Obasanjo who introduced General Olurin to me and asked me to work with him to win the 2011 governorship elections in Ogun State. But I told Obasanjo that Olurin was an old man and that we could not Continues on page 8

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Hajj agent accused of defrauding pilgrims BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

46-year-old Hajj and Umrah services agent, Mallam M o h a m m e d Salawudeen, has been ordered to be remanded in Police custody by an Ilorin Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding intending pilgrims to Mecca. When the matter came up yesterday, the presiding magistrate, Mercy Abikoye, ordered the accused person to be remanded at the state Criminal Investigation Bureau, CIB, of the Police headquarters till December 17, when the case will come up. The Magistrate had rejected the oral application for bail made by the accused counsel, Mr. Wale Obadofin, on the ground that the accused person had earlier jumped police bail, but was re-arrested in Kano International Airport on his way out of the country.

24-yr-old in prison custody over toy gun BY ONOZURE DANIA

AGOS— A 24-yearold school dropout, Yusuf Lawal, was yesterday remanded in Kirikiri Prison custody by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly being in possession of a gun, which was later discovered to be a toy gun. The defendant, who is standing trial before Justice Kudirat Jose, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, robbery and unlawful possession of firearms, preferred against him. The prosecuting counsel Adejumo Kester, said that the defendant and others at large on August 14, 2011 at Raji Oba in Alimosho, area of Lagos, conspired among themselves to commit, robbery.

ACCIDENT: Multiple accidents in Lafia, Nasarawa State, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Reps probe death of 15-yr-old Nigerian in Ghana on his late son’s body.

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

BUJA— THE House of Representatives, yesterday, vowed to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of a 15-year-old Nigerian student, Austine Chukwuebuka Ogukwe, in Ghana. Ogukwe, a senior secondary school, SSS 3, student of Ideal College, Community 5 in the Ghanaian port city of Tema, died on October 15, barely two weeks after he was enrolled in the school. Mr. Obioma Ogukwe, father of the deceased, told the House Committee on Diaspora that on October 16 he received a phone call from the police in Ghana and was told that his son drowned the previous day in a river and that he should come to Ghana. He said in Ghana, he was taken to the police hospital morgue, where the body of his son was kept. Ogukwe said: “At the morgue, I discovered that he was stabbed in the rib and there were other very serious wounds with blood on his forehead and sides.”

Police story

Ogukwe said the Police told him that his son’s house master had taken him and other students for a jogging exercise, but at a point the house master diverted the children to a river to swim even though the Ghanaian housemaster is aware that it is a taboo in the culture to go to the river on Tuesdays. He said he pointed out the injuries on several parts of his son’s body to the Police and told them of his doubts about their claims. He said when the Police showed him the picture of his

son that was taken at the spot where his body was found, after he went missing for over six hours, there were substances coming out of his mouth, which puts a lie to the report that he drowned in the river. He told the House Committee headed by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa that when the autopsy was conducted in his presence, blood was still gushing out from the wounds

Dabiri-Erewa's promise In her response, DabiriErewa said it was one killing that will not go unresolved as unresolved death of Nigerians in Ghana was becoming a reoccurring decimal. She said: “We promise you that this is one case that is not going to be swept under the carpet. We promise you that we shall do whatever is

needful in this case. “We will work with the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana to get to the bottom of this matter and other relevant groups would be consulted.” The committee also assured the parents of the deceased that now that the House of Representatives had intervened in the matter, they will ensure that the body is not buried by the Ghanaian authorities as they have been threatening to do until all issues arising from his mysterious death were resolved.

3 singers sentenced to death for robbery BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA— FOR abandoning their profession of playing cultural music to venture into armed robbery, three young men have met their waterloo as they have been sentenced to death. An Ogwashi-Uku High Court in Delta State, yesterday, sentenced the three men to death by hanging, having found them guilty on a twocount charge of armed robbery. The convicts are Benjamin

Chijioke, 25; Kene Okonkwo, 24, and Emeka Maduagwu, 24. They came from the eastern part of the country, where they were regarded as cultural music maestros, to carry out the robbery following a tip-off by an informant from Otulu village in Delta State, who is currently at large. Prosecution told the court that the convicts, with three others now at large, on or about 12.30a.m. November 26 at Ogwashi-Uku judicial division, robbed one Christopher Egbo, trader of

Otulu village of Aniocha North of N136,000, a Nokia handset valued at N7,500 while armed with rods, cutlasses and sticks. Prosecution further told the court that after the operation they were trying to return to base in Enugu when Police apprehended them. A witness said: “It was their suspicious movement that gave them out because when they saw the Police, although the policemen were not looking for them, they fled into the bush which made the patrol men to chase after them.”

6 cultists gang rape 16-yr-old girl BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE— SIX boys suspected to be members of a cult known as Blue Angel, have allegedly gang raped a 16-year-old secondary school student in Akure, Ondo State capital. The boys, who reportedly recorded the act with their mobile phone, while taking their turns on the girl, threatened to upload it on the Internet if she dares to report them to her parents or the Police.

However, two of the alleged rapists have been arrested by officials of the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, while four others are on the run. The victim (names withheld) said that the six boys blindfolded her and threatened to rip her open with knife if she failed to cooperate. Those arrested include Banjo Olasehinde, 25, A.K.A. Obanje Babalowo Sherry and Adewale Fadunsi, 28, a

fashion designer. Those on the run include Tope Oluwole; Tope, A.K.A Jigan and Muyideen, A.K.A. Gbem. Spokesman of NSCDC in the state, Kayode Balogun, said one of the suspects, Banjo Olasehinde, has confessed to the crime and the fact that they belong to a cult group known as Blue Angel. According to Balogun, the suspect said they saw the girl on her way from school when one of them invited her for a chat and the six of them raped her.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—7

Jonathan, student of Obasanjo— FALANA BY FEMI FALANA

N an 18-page letter dated December 2, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo accused President Goodluck Jonathan's administration of incompetence, abuse of office, corruption and gross mismanagement of the resources of the nation. Apart from accusing the regime of celebrating criminality, including drug trafficking, Chief Obasanjo has blamed the regime for the rising wave of impunity, terrorism and ethno-religious strife in the country. No doubt, the allegations which lacerated the controversial letter are weighty. Instead of dismissing the contents of the letter the Presidency should respond to the allegations raised therein seriatim. In particular, the allegation that the Federal Government is setting up a Presidential Strike Force to carry out terrorist attacks on political opponents should not be swept under the carpet. However, it is pertinent to point out that President Jonathan is a faithful student of the Olusegun Obasanjo School of Politics. While President Jonathan has been accused by General Obasanjo of diverting $7 billion from the Federation Account he (President Obasanjo) is yet to account for the over $20 billion which he diverted from the same account. The 36 state governments sued the Federal Government over the illegal diversion of such huge public fund by President Obasanjo and the case is currently pending at the Supreme Court. The Senate recently indicted Presidents Obasanjo, Yar'Adua and Jonathan for mismanaging the Federation Account to the tune of N1.5 trillion. The Senate has recommended the revocation of the fraudulent privatisation of public assets carried out by President Obasanjo. The Transcorp Hotel was bought by a sitting President through “blind trust” while the House of Representatives indicted the Obasanjo regime for spending $16 billion to generate darkness. Does President Obasanjo know any President who used public funds to establish a private university and a presidential library through extortion of funds from government agencies and contractors? On disloyalty to the ruling party President Obasanjo defied the Supreme Court when it pronounced Senator Ararume as the gubernatorial candidate of PDP for Imo State during the “do-or-die”

general election of 2007. The imperial presidency directed PDP members to vote for the candidate of the PPA who “won” the election. In his book, Accidental Public Servant, Mr. Nasir el-Rufai gave a vivid account of how President wanted General Buhari of ANPP to nominate Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his Vice-Presidential candidate as a precondition for ditching the presidential candidate of the PDP, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan during the 2011 general election. With respect to reliance on ethnic jingoists President Obasanjo deployed the likes of late Lamidi Adedibu to terrorise and intimidate innocent people in Oyo State. President Obasanjo equally entered into an alliance with the Afenifere group to facilitate the capture of the South-West region during 2003 general election. When there was a threat to impeach President Obasanjo by the House of Representatives, the Presidency mobilised a faction of the Oodua Peoples Congress to threaten a break up the country. Was Anambra State not made ungovernable by Chris Uba with presidential support? Did Obasanjo not know of governors who had killer squads? Why were the members of the Abacha Strike Force never demobilised and disarmed by President Obasanjo? On the presidential involvement in the case of the fellow who was recently acquitted in the charge of murder on technical grounds by the Court of Appeal in Lagos, it is on record that President Obasanjo also wanted him freed for political reasons while he was in power. Indeed, he pressured the Lagos State Government, in vain, to file nolle prosequi with a view to terminating the case on the eve of the 2003 general elections. Did General Obasanjo not take part in another celebration of criminality in Lagos the other day when a PDP chieftain completed his jail term. Did the General not turn round to say that he was misled into believing that it was a “family reunion”? Does President Obasanjo have the moral right to advise President Jonathan on how to convene a national conference? It is public knowledge that President Obasanjo too was vehemently opposed to the convocation of a national conference until he needed it for dubious political objectives. The Political Reform Conference which he eventually convened collapsed due to the refusal of the

delegates to endorse the satanic third term agenda of the President. Like the report of the Chukwudifu Oputa Commission of Enquiry on human rights abuse the report of the Political Reform Conference never saw the light of day. In the aforesaid 18-page letter President Obasanjo did not challenge the neo-colonial economic agenda of the Jonathan administration, which has continued to pauperise the masses. Hence the letter is silent on the crises of unemployment, illiteracy, ignorance, hunger, infrastructural decay, etc.

It is an intra-class feud which cannot enhance democracy in the country. President Obasanjo has a penchant for writing letters and granting interviews on regimes which he and other power mongers had installed. He dismissed the regimes of President Shehu Shagari, Generals Buhari, Abacha and Babangida and President Yar'Adua once they fell out with him. After the election of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola as President did General Obasanjo not say that he was not a messiah? For goodness sake when did

General Obasanjo discover that President Jonathan is incompetent? Finally, instead of celebrating the hypocrisy of frustrated power mongers, the Nigerian people should take advantage of the intra-class war going on in the ruling party to get organised and take their political destiny in their own hands. The time has come to put an end to the opportunism of discredited rulers who are in the habit of exploiting the frustrations and disenchantment of the people to become emergency heroes. Enough is enough!

AWARD : From left— AbdulKarim Chukkol, Head, Advance Fee Fraud Section, Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; Mr. Goddie Ofose, Chairman, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, BJAN; Mrs Bunmi Oke, President, AAAN; and Mr. Yemisi Fadairo, Special Assistant to Ogun State Governor on Information, at the 2013 annual BJAN conference and award in Abeokuta, Ogun State. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

NON-REMITTANCE OF $49.8bn: We can't deceive Nigerians, says NNPC

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has said that there is no reason whatsoever for the Corporation to deceive or mislead the citizenry about its operations, especially on crude oil sales that generate over 70 per cent of revenue for the nation. In response to an alleged publication of non-remittance of fund into the Federation Account, the Corporation explained that the story stemmed from a lack of understanding of how proceeds from crude oil sales are calculated. In a statement by the General Manager, Media Relations Department of the NNPC, Dr. Omar Ibrahim, the Corporation clarified that the allegation is borne out of a misunderstanding of the workings of the oil and gas industry and the modality for remitting crude oil sales revenue into the Federation Account by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN's Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

According to him, the alleged publication is a recast of earlier report in the dailies credited to the CBN Governor, Nonremittance of the sum of $49.8bn into the Federation Account by NNPC, from January 2012 to July 2013. He stated that, “for the avoidance of doubt, it is a wellknown fact that revenue generation from the crude oil sales is based on four critical fiscal terms. “They are royalty, cost oil (cost of running the business), Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT, and profit of the investor. Out of these four critical elements, NNPC is responsible for the payment of the Profit Oil, after removing the cost of running the business, into the Federation Account, while the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, is saddled with the responsibility for the royalty and PPT, respectively. “Revenues from each of these

categories are statutorily collected by different agencies of the government and paid into the Federation Account. “The sum total of these proceeds make up the total revenue accruable to the Federation Account. “As you may be aware, royalty, which is a first line charge accounts for between 0 oer cent (Production Sharing Contract, PSC) to 20 per cent in the traditional Joint Venture, JV, operations, while PPT ranges from 50 per cent (PSC) to 85 per cent in the JV. Thereafter, Profit Oil ranges from 7 to 18 percent. “Based on the foregoing, the major contributor of revenue into the Federation from crude oil sales is Royalty and PPT. As such, a significant percentage of the revenue generated from crude oil sales is expected to be paid into the Federation Account through the DPR and FIRS, respectively.

Continues on Page 11

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

targeted for elimination? I have read it and I am yet to understand it

Obasanjo’s attack not surprising –Owie

CHRISTMAS TREE: First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan (middle), Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide (4th left); wife of the Senate President, Helen Mark (Left) and some school children at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony held in Abuja yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Uproar over OBJ's letter to Jonathan Continues from page 5 win the elections. He said, ‘my son, my partner, go and work with him.’ Everybody is aware of this. Then, I and Iyabo worked together.” He said: “I dined with Obasanjo in his house over 30 times, I have entered Obasanjo’s bedroom, living room and also his office. Obasanjo was the one that introduced me during the South-West meeting of the PDP held in his house to the Minister for Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, Akala, Segun Oni and many other leaders. He was telling them to thank me that I assisted him in fighting Gbenga Daniel to a stand still. Obasanjo was my partner. I spent over N3 billion to return the PDP structure in Ogun state to him. It was also Obasanjo that introduced me to the National Working Committee of the PDP then.” In addition, he disclosed that Obasanjo “introduced me to Baraje. Obasanjo was the one that took me to the Presidency and said I was the one fighting on his behalf in the South-West and that I was the one mobilizing for him in the SouthWest and that with me, we can deliver the South-West for the PDP. Baraje is alive. During

our crisis, the president instructed the party to resolve the problem between myself and Obasanjo and it was Baraje that called for a meeting at Hilton Hotel between Obasanjo and I. The reconciliation meeting lasted for about two hours and at the end of the meeting, Obasanjo went ahead to create another parallel PDP in Ogun State.” A bitter Kashamu threatened to mention names of members of Obasanjo’s government and associates he alleged were drug dealers. “So, how can Obasanjo turn around and say that I am a drug dealer? When he was using me, he did not know me as a drug dealer. When Obasanjo was in government, almost 60 percent, including some former governors and former Senators that surrounded Obasanjo were all drug dealers. When the time comes, their names will be mentioned,” he said. Exonerating himself, he said: “I am a clean businessman. When they said I committed the offence they are talking about, I was the richest person in Benin Republic. What is my business with dealing in drugs? I have always

been a businessman and I have over 800 people working for me both in Nigeria and in Benin Republic. I do not know anything of this allegation leveled against me. “I was arrested, I won the case in a London court where they said it was mistaken identity. I returned to Nigeria to continue with my business before I joined politics. I went for interpretation of the judgment I won in London and at the end of the case, I got a clean slate. I am not a drug dealer, I am a business man and so, whatsoever Obasanjo is saying, is cheap blackmail.”

Obasanjo, Presidency were indecorous – ACF Reacting to the issue yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Anthony Sani, said while it may be indecorous for the former president to leak altercations between him and a sitting president, well known to be his political vassal, it is more indecorous for the presidency to resort to uncouth language for replies. “That is why I plead with the media and the public to concentrate on the issues raised and not

on how they have been presented,” he appealed.

I congratulate Obasanjo for speaking out —David-West

Also speaking, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof Tam David-West, said: ‘’I congratulate Obasanjo on that and I give him kudos for doing that. In fact, I identify myself with Obasanjo. I have been vindicated on my views on how Jonathan is ruling the country. I have been saying it but some people were abusing me especially E.K Clark. I cannot support Jonathan because he is an Ijaw man, I will support him if he is a good President but Jonathan is a bad President and a disgrace to the Ijaw people. He has been a colossal disaster and Obasanjo is right on his letter.’’

I don’t understand Obasanjo’s letter—Ezeife Asked for his view, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said: ‘’Are you asking about the letter where Obasanjo said that about 1000 people have been

Senator Rowland Owie said he was not surprised by Obasanjo’s letter, saying: “Fortunately Nigerians now know him as a political double dealer and the person that destroyed the foundation of politics in Nigeria. In 1979, OBJ because of envy of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo expunged the provision for electoral college in the 1978 transition decree when as head of state he knew that majority of members of UPN, NPP, PRP and GNPP, in the National Assembly then had made up their minds to vote for Chief Awolowo at the electoral college. That was when Obasanjo destroyed the Nigerian nation. If Awolowo had been president, he would have turned this country to Japan of Africa. “What did we get in his second coming as president? Corruption of the highest level, shielding of corrupt officials, who are his cronies, fighting perceived enemy governors and public officials. Destruction of national assets, like toll gates, fraudulent privatization of public assets like NITEL, Aladja, Ajaokuta, Bacita Sugar, Iwopin, Aluminum Smelting plant, Itakpe, Volkswagen of Nigeria, to mention a few, destruction and destabilization of the National Assembly, election rigging, wasted tax payers money on illegal third term bid. In addition, he wasted 16 billion dollars on power that was never real. What of his shares in Transcorp or the OBJ library? The Code of conduct bureau should publish OBJ’s assets from 1999 and what he had by the end of his tenure in 2007. I call EFCC to commence investigation on OBJ now. He is not a saint.”

Letter timely and appropriate – Tsav However, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, described Obasanjo’s letter as ‘timely and appropriate.’

He agreed with the issues raised by the former President stressing that “the nation is drifting backward and the quality of governance is actually deteriorating.” His words: “The letter by Obasanjo is timely and appropriate considering the deterioration of the quality of governance in the country and astronomical rise in corruption and the enhancement of the culture of impunity. “It is not malicious, self serving or hypocritical, Obasanjo has spoken the truth, he brought in Jonathan and has the right to advice and correct him if he veers off the path of honour as he is now doing.” “Those defending the president know the truth but simply want to remain sycophants to get ‘chop money’. Jonathan is selfish and self centered”, he said. The socio- critic also berated President Jonathan for not leading a delegation of former Nigeria heads of state to late Nelson Mandela’s memorial service like President Obama of the USA did, “because he was not properly advised.” Tsav noted that with the manner the president was running the government, he feared for the future of the country if urgent steps were not taken by the National Assembly.

It’s frightening –Sagay Legal icon, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, yesterday feared the future of the country on account of the controversial letter. His words: “They are very serious allegations and the letter could set the whole country on a state of alert and anxiety. Because for somebody at the level of Obasanjo, a former Head of State and I will say, the mentor of the current president to have made these very serious accusations, it sends an alarm bell ringing which could be troubling to every rational citizen. I am indeed very troubled. “And not only that, the one that even frightens me most is the allegation that snipers are being trained in the same school where the Abacha killer squads were trained and there are Continues on page 9

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—9

Uproar over OBJ's letter to Jonathan some Nigerians under political watch list. That is very frightening because it is not something you expect under a civilian democratic regime except under a military dictatorship. So, it is very frightening and I am very unsettled about it particularly given what happened to Professor Iyayi whose cause of death has not yet been resolved. It is very disturbing.”

Williams, Ubani speak On his part, Chief Ladi Rotimi-Williams, SAN, commented: “The president is like a son to former President Obasanjo. A father from time to time may deem it necessary to tonguelash his son when in his view, the son is going in the wrong direction. And this is what the former president has done. If I were privileged to advise President Jonathan, I will tell him to take it in good faith. “The criticisms are very powerful but I believe it is because of the love Obasanjo has for the country. He should not be misled by people, who in the first place did not even have a hand in how he became the president of Africa’s most populous nation. He should read the letter and act on it rather than consider it insulting. There is no doubt that a whole lot is going wrong in the country.” Mr. Monday Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch said, “It is a very grievous allegation. And if those allegations are true, then something needs to be done very fast in order to nip all those things in the bud. Clearly, Nigeria is on the verge of liquidation and if you place over 1,000 people on watch-list and you are going to use snipers to eliminate them as the president of the country, then that is very grave for this countr y. And then, given the fact this allegation is coming from Obasanjo, a top notch of the PDP tells you that there is more to it

than meets the eye.” 46 CSOs call for probe .Also, a coalition of 46 pro- democratic organisations under the aegis of the United Action for Democracy, UAD, yesterday called for a holistic probe of Obasanjo’s allegations that President Jonathan was hiring and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely and placing over 1000 Nigerians because it centres on credibility and tendency of taking Nigeria back to the dark days of late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha. Addressing Journalists yesterday on the theme, “A period of deepening Turmoil” in Abuja, National Convener of UAD, Comrade Baba Aye also lampooned the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal over recent statements credited to him where he accused President Jonathan of promoting corruption, saying that Tambuwal was hypocritical, alleging that the National Assembly was itself a haven of corruption like virtually all the institutions of elite governance. Flanked by the General Secretary, Comrade Zulu Ofoelue and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Steve Obodoekwe, the National Convener noted that Nigeria was drifting towards what might very well be a precipice in a period of global crisis, adding that Obasanjo cannot be exonerated from the country’s problems. “What needs to be added is that the pursuit of “selfish personal and political interests”, which is brewing a crisis of gargantuan proportions, is not limited to President Jonathan and his own clique, but is a general nature of the band of brigands that are the country’s leaders, and the neoliberal capitalist system which they run.. “The allegation recently made by former President Obasanjo that President Goodluck Jonathan has been training killer squads of snipers gives credence to our suspicion…The UAD

regards these allegations with utmost seriousness, and demand an urgent verifiable response from the presidency. We make bold to say that nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. The poor masses and other patriotic citizens in Nigeria rose against General Abacha and his military regime despite its arms and ammunition and triumphed. We will defend the democratic rights we have won, and not be cowed by cowardly militaristic machinations of the Nigerian state, supposedly in a civilian garb.”

Niger Delta blasts Obasanjo Relatedly, the Niger Delta Indigenous Move-

sible for the current crisis in the PDP just to distract President Jonathan but we are urging the President to be courageous and seek re-election in 2015,” it said.

Benue CNPP asks Jonathan to resign The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, has asked President Jonathan to resign “because Obasanjo has clearly spoken the minds of all Nigerian and it is clear that Nigerians have lost faith in this administration.” Benue State chairman of the CNPP, Mr. Baba Agan said “the letter was explicit enough and it has actually opened the eyes of all Nigerians

Continues from page 8

On the issues of Jonathan's body language for second term, I think the former president is also wrong because he did not only spend two terms in the office, he attempted third term of office, which was truncated. ment for Radical Change (NDIMRC) lambasted Obasanjo over his call on President Jonathan to forget about 2015, saying only God can stop the re-election bid of the President. In a press statement by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations officer, Mukoro Stanley, the group alleged that the former President was responsible for the woes of the country. “President Jonathan cannot forget about the 2015 general elections; he has the right to contest. All Nigerians should encourage the President to seek reelection in 2015 to fix the many woes of the country caused by former President Obasanjo who is today asking President Jonathan to forget 2015. We know very well that the former President and his likes are respon-

to how this administration is under-developing our country."

Obasanjo lacks moral right to blame Jonathan –Odumakin Publicity Secretary of the Pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, however, cautioned Nigerians to be weary of Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan because the letter does meant well for the nation. Odumakin alleged the possibility of ulterior motives, which might be dangerous for the country’s democracy. How? “If Obasanjo, who happens to be a retired general is now beckoning on fellow retired generals and at the same time inciting Nigerians against

a sitting president, something untoward must be going on.” Dissecting the letter, Odumakin referred to the issue of corruption, saying: “The former president has no moral justification to accuse the president because corruption was at its peak under his (Obasanjo’s) regime. Political murder was not as bad or rampant ever in the history of this nation like we all witnessed under the former president regime, while as a matter of fact cases of rigging of elections were unprecedented during Obasanjo’s regime. “On the issues of Jonathan body language for second term, I think the former president is also wrong because he did not only spend two terms in the office, he attempted third term of office, which was truncated.”

Groups react A civil rights activist and Director of the Christian Foundation for Social Justice and Equity, Mr. Jide Afolabi, said the letter was revealing but from a wrong messenger. “If Obasanjo who was widely believed to have installed Jonathan can talk of him betraying the masses, then the nation is doomed. The most damning aspect is the placement of over 1000 Nigerians under watch and training snipers just as Abacha did. “It further affirms our position that Nigeria is on the brink of collapse with the way the bourgeoisie and the political hawks are running it. It is a wake up call that Nigerians must be alert so as not to allow the 2015 elections to threaten the country’s unity.” On his part, Director of the Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Rights, Mr. Gad Peter viewed the former president’s letter as self-serving “even though there are a few elements of truth in it. Obasanjo was not any better when he was in power. He abused his office severally and even attempted to become a life president.”

Leave Jonathan

alone – Orjiakor Former Anambra State Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Chief Pat Orjiakor advised Obasanjo not to distract the present administration, saying it was funny for the former president to say that he signed an agreement with Jonathan that he would do a single term, noting that the statement was only aimed at causing confusion in the country. He said: “This is somebody who ruled for eight years and spent billions of the nation’s funds to bribe lawmakers to approve third term for him. Obasanjo was also the person that threw up Jonathan at a time he was not even in the picture among those wanting to succeed Obasanjo and he is turning around to castigate him.” He also said that by leaking his letter to the media showed that he has ulterior motive and argued that the former president’s motive, whatever it is, would definitely fail.

OBJ meets Jonathan in Kenya Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after Obasanjo’s letter was made public, which elicited divergent reactions from across the country, both former president and the incumbent met in Kenya where they both had breakfast together. According to report monitored on Channels Television, the unexpected meeting held prior to the anniversary event which was held at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani, Nairobi with former president, Obasanjo paying a surprise visit to President Jonathan at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi where they had a private breakfast together. Both men were among other African leaders that graced the 50th Independence Anniversary celebration of Kenya, yesterday. Obasanjo’s visit was said to have taken everybody by surprise as it contradicts the expected nature of the relationship between them, owing to recent public criticisms of the President by Obasanjo.

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Police tear-gas Rivers lawmakers, barricade House of Asembly BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME & EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

ORT HARCOURT— HEAVILY armed Policemen, yesterday, barricaded the two ends of Moscow Road leading to the state House of Assembly, thus preventing the pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers from reconvening the House. It would be recalled that a Federal High Court, Abuja, Wednesday, declared as illegal, the takeover of the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the House of Representatives. Following the court ruling, the 22 pro-Governor Amaechi’s lawmakers, therefore, gathered at the House of Assembly to resume sitting. But as early as 8.30 a.m. Police patrol vehicles were used to block the two ends of the road leading to the Assembly. Staff of the NNPC and other establishments whose offices were in the area were only allowed into their offices after their identities were confirmed by fierced looking anti-riot Policemen. An Armoured Personnel Career, APC, and two Police patrol vehicles were also used to block the entry and exit gates of the state House of Assembly complex. Nobody was allowed into the complex. Journalists who were able to sneak through the gate of the Assembly complex were ordered to go back. At about 9.30 a.m, the Police suddenly stopped even workers from entering the Moscow Road as some of the Policemen were seen clutching their walk-talkie to their ears, apparently taking and dishing out instructions. At about 9.55 a.m, a Coaster bus conveying the pro-Amaechi lawmakers were stopped by the Police at the Port Harcourt City Council end of the road. The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr Tony Okocha and Commissioner for Works, Mr Victor Giadom were among those stopped by the Police from proceeding beyond the Port Harcourt City council end of the road. Pleas by the lawmakers to be allowed beyond this point or to the state House of Assembly fell on deaf ears. The Policemen kept saying they were acting on instructions not to allow anyone go beyond the point or into the Assembly complex.

Mock sitting

When it became clear that the Police would not allow them into the complex, the pro-Amaechi lawmakers, who were about 22, suddenly commenced a mock sitting on the Moscow Road with the Deputy Speaker, Leyii Kwanee presiding. White plastic chairs were fetched for them from the Port Harcourt City council local government secretariat. They took turns to denounce the action of the Police.

APC vows to resist unconstitutional action Obuah's faction lauds Police

PDP asks court to declare 5 ‘rebel’ govs' seat vacant BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

Police vehicle at the entrance of the Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Teargas

Mid way into their deliberations, the Police started firing teargas, a development that made the lawmakers and onlookers to scamper to safety. Police kept firing canisters of teargas to ensure they did not regroup in the area. Some youths who had also turned up early to witness the sitting of the Assembly started hurling stones from a distance. It was not clear if their targets were the Policemen but their action triggered the Police to fire more canisters of teargas. Contacted, leader of the antiAmaechi lawmakers, Hon. Evans Bipi, said he was the Speaker of the House, adding that when he was ready to reconvene the House he would let Rivers people know.

Be professional, Chief of Staff tellsPolice

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, has called on the Police in the state to be professional while discharging their duties. Condemning the refusal of the Police to allow the proAmaechi lawmakers access to the state Assembly complex to resume legislative functions, Okocha said it was sad that the security body resorted to firing canisters of teargas at the lawmakers who were merely responding to a court judgment which restored the functions of the Assembly to the state lawmakers.

Obuah's faction lauds Police

However, the Felix Obuah's faction of the Peoples Demo-

cratic Party, PDP, in the state has lauded the Police for aborting a sitting of the pro-Amaechi lawmakers. Chairman of the party, Mr. Felix Obuah, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Jerry Needam, said the action of the Police, yesterday, saved the state another round of chaos. The statement which addressed Evans Bipi as Speaker of the House urged the Police to continue to maintain peace in the assembly complex.

House to convene legally, not to talk of at least 20 members— representing two third majority — that can constitutionally impeach the Speaker. ‘’We are, therefore, constrained to warn, in the strongest possible terms, that we in the APC will take any impunity in Rivers as an impunity to all, and will vehemently resist such with a spontaneous explosion of people power not only in states under our control but across the country."

APC vows to resist any unconstitutional action

....Advises Jonathan

On its part, the All Progressives Congress (APC)warned against any reliance on Wednesday’s judgment of a Federal High Court, to perpetrate mayhem or unconstitutional acts in Rivers State. In a statement in Osogbo, yesterday, by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also warned the police and other security agencies not to provide cover for renegades to engage in any illegality, saying their role must be to ensure the safety and security of all legislators if and when the House decides to sit. It said there is no doubt that the six legislators opposed to Gov. Amaechi will try to hide under the cover of the judgment to convene the Assembly with the sole purpose of removing the Speaker as a prelude to impeaching the state governor, but warned that any such act will constitute an illegality and trigger a cataclysmic reaction, the end result of which no one can predict. APC said: "The six legislators opposed to Gov. Amaechi do not and cannot form a quorum (nine members) that will even allow the

To President Goodluck Jonathan, APC said he must not allow personal and partisan considerations to blot his responsibility as the father of the nation and put in jeopardy his constitutional role of ensuring the country’s unity. It said: "We are aware of the letter to President Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo virtually accusing the President of destroying the same nation he was elected to preside over and uplift. We hope he will not allow Obasanjo’s prognosis about him to come true so soon by backing any move that can plunge Nigeria into chaos. "This is because we in the APC have resolved never to sit by and allow anyone, no matter how highly placed, to engage in actions that will make our country a laughing stock and a pariah in the comity of nations. Therefore, there will be no peace anywhere in the country if this Federal Government supports the perpetration of impunity in Rivers. This is not a threat, but the sure consequences of any act of impunity."

BUJA — POISED for a last fight, the Alhaji Bamangar Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, asked the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to declare seats of the five ‘rebel governors’ that left its fold to the All Progressive Congress, APC, vacant. The five governors are Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Alhaji Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara State. The party maintained that going by the express provisions of Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the court ought to declare that the governors are ineligible to remain in office, having defected to the APC. Aside the five Governors, PDP, equally joined the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as a defendant in the suit. In the suit which it filed through a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Alex Aigbe Iziyon, the party, beseeched the court for, among others, “a declaration that by the combined provisions of Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) the 2nd to 6th defendants who were elected on the platform of the plaintiff cannot continue to enjoy the mandate given to the plaintiff by the people/electorate of the respective states as the 2nd to 6th defendants have defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC). “A declaration that in the absence of any division known and recognised by law in the plaintiff, the 2nd to 6th defendants who were elected under the plaintiff’s platform have vacated or forfeited their seats forthwith upon their defection to All Progressive Congress (APC)." Besides, PDP further sought an order of the high court, mandating/directing the state Houses of Assembly of Adamawa, Rivers, Sokoto, Kano and Kwara, to forthwith, commence impeachment proceedings against the 2nd to 6th defendants. Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, is yet to assign the case to any judge for adjudication.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—11

We can't deceive Nigerians, says NNPC Continues from Page 7 It is an established fact globally that royalty and PPT contributes over 75% of the total Government revenue (especially in the JV arrangements in all jurisdictions) derived from the proceeds of crude oil sales while the balance represents cost of production and profit oil. “Therefore, the 24% of total crude oil revenue receipts which the publication acknowledged as a partial remittance represents the proceeds from the equity lifting which NNPC is directly responsible for in line with global trends. The alleged unremitted 76% was paid through the agencies that are statutorily empowered to receive them for onward remittance into the Federation Account”, Dr. Ibrahim explained. “While the CBN said its computation, based on preshipment details, showed that Nigeria sold N10.3 trillion worth of oil in 19 months, some online publicationsfurther alleged that Nigeria should rather realize N10.6 trillion in the first 10 months of 2013 based on average daily production of 2.11 million barrels of crude oil sold at $105.84 per barrel. According to NNPC, the Nigerian public may wish to know that the entire Federation Equity in JV is about 58%, hence only such equity and revenue derived from crude oil sales belongs to the Federation. As such, the alleged average daily 2.11 million barrels of oil converted to revenue for the Federation Account is an aberration as the online publication did not recognize equity holdings of the International and Indigenous Oil companies in the case of the JV and the economic interest of the Investors in the PSC in the entire value (revenue) chain. NNPC believes the alleged

publication is a clear demonstration of lack of understanding of the Petroleum industry operations and/or a well-orchestrated attempt to tarnish the image of the of NNPC and the present administration and most importantly a calculated attempt to deceive the Nigerian public as about 40% (representing about 900,000 barrels of oil per day) of the 2.11million barrels daily production is under the PSC regime that contributes less than 15% of the total revenue to the Federation Account annually. The low revenue generated from the PSC arrangement is due a significant portion of the revenue from the crude oil sales is used for cost recovery consequently contributing a small portion of the revenue into the Federation Account as

profit oil which is barely less than 7%. The General Manager, Media Relations of NNPC further stated that the balance of about 1.4 million barrels of daily production out of the 2.11 million barrels of daily production consists of about 58% Federal Government equity and 42% for the other JV partners. As such, the total crude oil receipts cannot be as stated by the online publication rather reconfirms data provided by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation of N5.8 trillion between January and October, 2013. He further stated that there is no reason whatsoever for NNPC to deceive or mislead the citizenry about its operations especially on crude oil sales that generate over 70% of revenue for the nation. However, the Corporation will continue to

advocate that all stakeholders especially the Media to verify information before going to the press. He stressed the need for the media to exercise constraints in their publication especially if information to be released has not be investigated thoroughly to ensure the generality of Nigerians are being provided with accurate and verifiable data devour of politics and sentiments. “It is also necessary to ensure media organizations publish balanced information on critical issues that affect the nation rather than sensationalize inaccurate information. The citizens deserve better education and information rather than go public with misleading information that is capable of creating disaffection.” He expressed NNPC’s availability at all times to meet and share with all relevant stakeholders including the media to clarify issues.

Traffic gridlock on Apapa/Oshodi express road, due to due to what many motorists and commuters termed "slow construction" of the road by Julius Berger. . Photo: Bunmi Azeez

NNPC/CBN oil revenue face-off: CBN warns against politicisation BY PETER EGWUATU

HE CENTRAL Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, warned Nigerian

politicians not to politicise the issue it raised accusing the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of not remitting the sum of $49.8billion,

Alaafin, Arisekola endorse Ajimobi for second term BY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN — THE coast is becoming clearer for the second term bid of Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the business tycoon, Alhaji Abdul Azeez Arisekola-Alao have given their support to the governor. They gave their nod that the governor should seek re- election for a second term at an empowerment programme of the Speaker, House of Assembly, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu in Ibadan. Oba Adeyemi scored Ajimobi higher than his predecessor in office, Adebayo Alao Akala.

According to the monarch, the governor has shown that he took advice and honoured elders and the Yoruba tradition. Alhaji Arisekola Alao in his own speech, commended the governor for transforming the state within a short period, adding it would serve the interest of the entire state to give Ajimobi another four year mandate in 2015. At the ceremony, the Speaker donated items including generators, tricycles, vulcanising machines, freezers, wheel chairs and a Nissan bus. About 700 members of her constituency benefited from the programme.

representing 76 per cent of the total crude oil revenues from January 2012 to July 2013. The NNPC had, however, refuted the claim made by the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. In a statement, yesterday, the Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, said: “The attention of the CBN has been drawn to an emerging

public discourse around a letter purportedly written by the Governor to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republc of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, expressing concerns over non-remittance of oil revenues by the NNPC. The CBN will neither confirm nor deny the existence of such a letter and considers any discussion by it on the alleged letter to be inappropriate.”

The Dove centre opens in Festac

HE DOVE, a multipurpose one-stop event centre with facilities of an international standard, located in a serene environment within Festac –Amuwo metropolis is opening for business from December 15, for varied events, like socials, corporate events, religious activities, among others. The world class event centre, promising to give users value for their money was constructed with fabricated marquees tent which could comfortably sit about 900 guests (banquet sitting) and 1,200

guests (theatre sitting), with other several facilities to showcase its uniqueness. Conducting journalists around the facility, Mr. Olumuyiwa Fagbola, Chairman of Erith Group, owners of the centre, explained that the distinguished feature of the marquees starts from its fabrication, adding that the entrance setting designed with glass and fabricated architecture is irresistible for any event , while the flooring is carpeted with a moveable stage to suit any event or sitting arrangement.

Traffic gridlock paralyses Oshodi-Apapa expressway BY SEBASTINE OBASI

AGOS — BUSINEsses on the ever busy Oshodi-Apapa expressway were paralysed, yesterday, as a result of the heavy traffic gridlock that began Wednesday night. Though construction work by Julius Berger had been going on, thereby causing traffic jam in the past, yesterday’s traffic which started from Sanya Bus-stop was said to have been caused by tanker drivers waiting to load their products at the tank farms located in Apapa. Motorists who plied the road literally crawled from the Second Rainbow Bus stop to both the Tin Can and Apapa wharfs as the road was completely blocked. As a result of the development, a journey that normally took about six minutes lasted about three hours. Most workers who passed through the road to their various destinations eventually got there after office hours had ended.

Fashola opens cassava flour factory, others BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

AGOS — LAGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, commissioned a cassava flour factory, aimed at tackling the growing food insecurity in the state, especially as the state population increases. Fashola also commissioned a 50, 000 capacity automated five unit broiler houses, 64 tonnes per day feedmills, 200 unit of two bedroom apartment for farmers and 2.34 kilometre road network, within the Agric Training Institute, Araga, Epe. The governor, who spoke at the graduation ceremony of 286 trainee farmers and the inauguration ceremony of the projects at the Agric Training Institute, Araga, Epe, said that the factory could produce 32 tonnes of cassava flour per day. He stated that these showed that the solution to

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

I’m not too old to govern Oyo again — LADOJA BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN — FORMER Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has said that his opponents should not use his age to campaign against his eligibility to govern the state for the second time. He will be over 70 years old in 2015. He was reacting to comments by his political rivals that he would be too

old to govern the state come 2015. Ladoja, who spoke in Ibadan, yesterday, said he was still fit to serve the state in any capacity if the people wanted him. He said: “You cannot possibly exclude me from 2015 elections. Age is a thing of the mind. I am as fit as a 40-year-old man. The Government House is not a place people go as governor to crack stones

and lift weight.” According to Ladoja: “It is all about administration. An administrator is an administrator. You cannot buy experience with money. If my people want me, I will not reject them. “My party will decide those who will contest in 2015. We have asked members to keep their ambitions to their hearts while we embark on mobilisation across the state.”

Counter-protest holds in Sango over planned demolitions BY DAUD OLATUNJI

B E O K U TA — BARELY 24 hours after some residents and traders in Sango Ota area of Ogun State protested planned further demolition of structures by the state government, a counter protest was, yesterday, staged in the same area. The protesters included market men and women, members of various unions and other interest groups, who declared their support for Ibikunle Amosun led administration in the state. Some residents had protested what they described as further demolition of their property , accusing the government of being insensitive to the plights of the residents. But another set of protesters who carried placards, yesterday, in Sango with various

inscriptions, registered their support for Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s 'Mission to Rebuild.' Some of the placards carried inscriptions such as: "We are authentic

indigenes of Sango Ijoko," "We support Amosun," "Amosun, more blessings, more grace," "Sango youths are in support Amosun for second term," among others.

....as Ogun housing ministry plans spending N4.3bn in 2014

R. DANIEl Adejobi, Ogun State Commissioner for Housing, yesterday, said his ministry had earmarked N4.3 billion for its expenditure in 2014. Adejobi spoke in Abeokuta while defending the 2014 budget proposal of the ministry at the Ogun House of Assembly. The commissioner said that N1.5 billion had been

projected as revenue, while N100 million would be spent on recurrent and N4.2 billion was earmarked for capital expenditure. He said that the ministry would provide 1,300 housing units in 2014 and would also provide 90 hectares of developable lands for private development in the next fiscal year.

British envoy lauds Aregbesola's govt BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the Government House in Osogbo lauded the SOGBO — THE British Deputy commitment of Aregbesola on education, High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. economy and infrastructure development. Peter Carter has described Osun State as Mr. Carter added that the three years peaceful and viable for investors and administration of Aregbesola has done investments. creditably in terms of infrastructure The envoy, who was on a business visit development, which has attracted both to the state during a courtesy call on local and international investors to the state. He said: “This administration within the period of three years has performed so well that investors are being attracted EOPLES DEMOCRATIC Party, PDP, governorship to the state. That is why our aspirant in Ekiti State and Afenifere Chieftain, Prince government has in various Dayo Adeyeye has described the state government’s forms been active in the reaction to the allegation of non-payment of pensioners' state. gratuity since last year as a say-nothing response “I am delighted to point Adeleye said: “Ekiti people simply want to know when out that our Department of last was pensioners’ gratuity paid, not how much has International Development been expended on pension and gratuity since the Kayode has been working with the Fayemi led All Progressives Congress, APC, government state on projects aimed at combating violence against took over power.” Adeyeye, who challenged the state government to tell women, gender budgeting Nigerians why pensioners in Ekiti State shunned the and education.” Responding, Governor December 11, 2013 Pensioners Day, insisted that “public servants who retired in the state since last year have not Aregbesola described the received their gratuities as against what was obtainable relationship between during the immediate past PDP government when Nigeria and Britain as legendary and historic. gratuities were paid within 60 days after retirement.”

Fayemi hasn't paid pensioners’ gratuities, Adeyeye insists

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—13

UNEP Report: FG to clean up Ogoniland F

OLLOWING the report of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, on the degradation of Ogoniland by oil companies, the Federal Government is set to clean up the devastated areas through the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, domiciled in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the ministry has launched the execution of eight emergency measures with material and logistic support from Bayelsa State Government, some local governments, communities in Rivers State, and a number of corporate organisations. In preparation for the clean up, the project officials also held stakeholders meetings across Ogoniland including a consultative meeting with the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni. The statement said restoration steps already taken include mounting of advocacy signage, provision of drinking water tanks across Ogoniland, development of a medical registry, sourcing of water testing and air pollution facilities and conclusion of clean up work plan and formation of work groups. Others include donation of lands for Center of Excellence for Environmental Restoration

and the Proposed Integrated Soil Management Centre, ISMC, gathering of commercial and technical information for the detailed design of the clean-up plan and a socio-economic study for the development of a livelihood strategy for Ogoniland. Aside the seven steps already taken, the project also created Emergency Call Centers, commenced discussion with Johns Hopkins University on epidemiological studies, development of cur-

riculum on environmental hazards, public awareness to highlight the dangers of artisanal refining activities and crude oil theft. The statement noted further that the restoration project had been repositioned, the technical working groups established in line with UNEP recommendations and a timely conclusion of all ongoing emergency measures ahead of the implementation of the various programmes and projects.

The UNEP report had made a number of recommendations to the Federal Government, which include establishement of HYPEP governance structure, creation of operational guidelines, preparation of a detailed work plan and implementation of certain emergency measures to ensure a seamless transition from the submission of the report to the commencement of full scale cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE: From left: Mr Herbert Wigwe,Dep. MD, Access Bank; Mr. G. Oyebode, Chairman; Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, outgoing GMD/CEO and Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, at Access Bank’s leadership conference in honour of its outgoing GMD/CEO in Lagos yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

No ghost workers in UNIBEN —ASST DEAN A

SSISTANT Dean, Student Affairs, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Mr. Faith Osadolor, has condemned those he accused of being bent on spreading falsehood against the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. O. G Oshodin. Osadolor, reacting to allegations of ghost workers on the payroll of the university, said nothing of such existed in the institution. He said: “As Dean of Student Affairs and Chairman, UNIBEN Security Committee, I am privy to the fact that there are no ghost workers within the system, neither are there cases of persons, who are not staff of the university, receiving salaries. “We are aware of a petition by one Samuel Kehinde, who is peddling falsehood against the VC. I can tell you, he is no longer in the

services of the University of Benin. “Under the Vice Chancellor, the institution has declared zero tolerance to corruption with strict enforcement and I wonder where the petitioner is getting his claims." Osadolor said the petitioner was peddling rumours of bitterness. The formal Director, Central Records Process Unit of the University of Benin, Mr Kehinde, had raised concern that there were some ghost workers on the pay-roll of the institution. He claimed, in a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that the ghost workers allegedly cost the university authorities about N50 million monthly between January 2012 through 2013. Kehinde, in a petition addressed to the Chairman of EFCC, alleged that as former chairman

of the bursary computerization committee and sub-head of the staff biometric exercise of the university in 2012, a total of 4,817 staff biometric records were duly captured and documented and only 74 staff records were compiled as those that were unavoidably absent during the biometric exercise. He said: “I wish to

draw your attention to the systemic and permanent drain of the University of Benin funds by the monthly payment of salaries to ghost workers in the persons of staff members on leave of absence (who were not entitled to salaries of any kind) retired and dead persons. “From the summary of the monthly salaries

paid, those found on the payroll that did not take part in the biometric exercise, led to the discovery of fraud in which there were duplications in the payment of salaries.”

Why expatriates dominate construction industry —FG BY CALEB AYANSINA

BUJA—FEDERAL Government, yesterday, said that the domination of expatiates in the construction industry in the country was due to lack of construction skills by Nigerians. The Supervising Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Musa Sada, said this at 2013 Induction Ceremony for Newly Registered Quantity Surveyors and Practicing Firms and 2nd Annual Professional Clinic on Value-For-Money and Contract Cost Auditing with the theme, Professional Clinic on Value-For-Money and Contract Cost Auditing, in Abuja. The minister noted that government would not apply sentiment in the award of construction contracts and endanger lives of its citizens, adding that this would not even ensure value for money spent. He said: “Using expatriates in construction industry instead of using Nigerians is a different issue entirely. It all goes with the skill, so we have to work on our own part. If we don’t have the skill, it is dangerous to submit to people without skill simply because they are Nigerians.”

14—Vanguard , FRISDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

PROFESSOR J. P. CLARK’S 80TH BIRTHDAY LECTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, UNILAG, YESTERDAY. PIX: KEHINDE GBADAMOSI.

From left: Prof. J. P. Clark, Prof. Rahamon Bello, VC, UNILAG, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Guest Speaker, and Prof Ayo Banjo.

FAMILY MEMBERS: From left: Ms Ema Clark, Mrs. Hephzibah Egede, daughter, Professor J.P. Clark, celebrant, his wife, Prof. Ebun Clark, Mr. Elaye Clark, his son, cutting the cake, during the 80th birthday of Prof. J. P. Clark, in Lagos.

Prof J. P. Clark, receiving the birthday card from Miss Tobi Tayo, of Vivian Fowler Memorial College, after the reading of a selection of his poems by the students on the occasion.

From left: Professr Rahamon Bello, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Babajide Alo, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic and Resarch, UNILAG, and Prof. Hope Eghagha, Commissioner for Higher Education, Delta State, representing Delta State governor.

From left: Archbishop George Amu, Prof. J. P. Clark, and Dr. Wale Okediran.

From left: Ambassador Akporode Clark, Amb. Olujimi Jolaoso and Mrs. Marcie Jolaoso, at the event.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 15

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

SESSION: From left: Customer Marketing Director, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Bayo Omole, MD/CE, Guinness Nigerai Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, and Managing Director, Scanad Nigeria, Mr. Rufai Ladipo, during the Johnnie Walker Tasting and Mentoring Session in Lagos.

CAMPAIGN: From right: Unit Coordinator, Shell Special Marshal, Mrs. Joko Olanitori, Assistant Corps Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Lagos Island Unit Command, Mr. Alao Abdulrahman, Shell Special Marshal, Mr. Shola Adeola, during the FRSC/Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Ltd, SNEPCo, ‘ember month’ roadSsafety campaign for NURTW’s members, Lagos Island, Lagos.

Uduaghan tasks Deltans on unity BY EMMAARUBI

ARRI—DELTANS have been charged to be more united and shun all divisive tendencies to make the state and people politically, economically and socially more prosperous and the envy of other states in the country. A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and House of Assembly aspirant come 2015, Mr. Vincent Uduaghan, made the call at the end of the 2nd edition of the Vincent Uduaghan Lawn Tennis Tournament, at the lawn

tennis ground of Warri Club, yesterday, to mark his birthday. He said the sponsorship of the yearly event was his contribution to sports development in Delta State as the secretary to the sport section of Warri Club. Speaking at the event attended by some important personalities, the Secretary to the Warri South Council and an executive member of the club, Mr. Eugene Ebisin called on Deltans embrace sports not only to keep fit but also to keep them more socially and politically united.

Group slams Obasanjo over letter to Jonathan

AGOS—A human rights group, Youth and Conflict Resolution Initiative, YCRI, has described as hypocritical, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in which the former accused the latter of destroying Nigeria through his actions and inactions. The group in a statement signed by its Director of International Relations, Comrade Efemena Agadama said it was against the norms of society and friendship for anyone to publicise a private letter to a president of a nation, even as it noted that the tone of Obasanjo’s letter lacked any iota of respect for the office of the president. While accepting the fact that it was

constitutional to criticise, oppose or discredit a government, YCRI maintained that it is unconstitutional to play tribes against one another or to falsify facts in an attempt to denigrate the office of the president. The statement reads in part: “It’s a tragedy of shameful acceptance that the said letter was written by a former president whose government entrenched lawlessness as constitutional order. “The writer, Obasanjo, should be reminded, if he has forgotten, that it was his government that created all the security problems plaguing Nigeria today. Boko Haram was founded by Mohammed Yusuf, during Obasanjo’s first tenure but he failed to nip it to the bud.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 —17

Baba’s explosive missive

I would like to think that I would have then rolled up my sleeves, embarked on a nationwide tour and hosted a series of town hall meetings during which I’d have REALLY listened to the concerns of regular folks, professional groups, etc

x-President Obasanjo’s leaked “Letter Of Appeal” to President Goodluck Jonathan has made huge waves and will surely go down in our history as one of the most controversial highlevel communications Nigeria has ever witnessed. Ominously sub-titled “Before It Is Too Late”, the letter accuses Jonathan of disrespectful conduct, serious lapses of judgment and various other sins. OBJ’s complaints include (but are not restricted to) the following allegations: That Jonathan has ignored previous correspondence from him, avoids straightforwardness, displays no real interest in tackling corruption and isn’t managing the economy, PDP, the oil industry or security crises adeptly… …and has allowed himself to be hijacked by self-serving aides and dangerously tribalistic Ijaws…and has enthroned a criminal who is Wanted abroad as their Party’s Zonal Leader in the SouthWest…and looks set to renege on a promise he made to his PDP comrades before the last election…ie, that he would only serve one term after he had completed his late predecessor’s term. Whew! Pretty explosive by any standards. OBJ insists that Jonathan has the ability to do much better, but clearly believes that the chances of Jonathan fulfilling his potential are receding. I have been wondering how I’d have reacted to these immensely damaging comments if I had been in Jonathan’s shoes; and I would like to think that if I’d received such a stinging public rebuke from a former Boss who happened to be much older than me and had made me Head Of State, I’d have resisted the temptation to respond angrily, either personally or via a

•Fmr. President Obasanjo spokesperson. I would like to think that I would have summoned up a) the humility to sit down and objectively analyse the points that my onetime Benefactor had made and b) the intellectual honesty to admit that at least some of them were valid. I would like to think that I’d have then quietly sloped off to beg my onetime Mentor to calm down, tell him that I felt that he had been very unfair to me on certain levels and assure him that I would nevertheless strive to drastically improve my overall performance and justify the tremendous trust he had placed in me and the enormous privileges he had bestowed upon me and my family. I would like to think that I would have then rolled up my sleeves, embarked on a nationwide tour and hosted a series of town hall meetings during which I’d have REALLY listened to the concerns of regular folks, professional groups, etc. I would like to think that I would hit the ground running as soon as I returned to base. I would like to think that I would immediately begin to address the above concerns and rapidly transform myself into an Action President. I would like to think that I’d quit regarding every criticism as unconstructive and every detractor as

•President Goodluck Jonathan evil…and that I would cease to depend heavily on a) sychophantic subordinates who specialise in shielding their Ogas from necessary home truths, b) misguided ministers who are

spoiling my name and c) amateurish cronies who don’t have a clue how a complex country should be run. Sure, some of Jonathan’s advisers, ministers, etc, are smart and as efficient and

ethical as anyone can be in a profoundly flawed environment like Nigeria. And those who are doing OK should not be humiliated. But Jonathan desperately needs to sack anyone who is ruining his reputation or simply not adding value. It’s possible that I am indulging in wishful thinking because I’m a Niger Deltan, but I share OBJ’s view that Jonathan has what it takes to save Nigeria….and reckon that if Jonathan gives Nigerians the progress they yearn for, many of those who are bitterly opposing him at the moment will suddenly change their tune, start to hail him as a hero and plead with him to stay put beyond 2015. Jonathan’s supporters sometimes say that he is making steady progress in a lot of areas and is not getting the credit he deserves. If this is the case, he needs to change his communication strategy and form a stronger relationship with the media. It is nobody’s fault but your own if your achievements go unrecognised at a time when you are in such a powerful position and can influence your image. Jonathan should stop being so hesitant for his own sake as well as ours! He has a PhD. He has access to a large pool of talent. He has enough brain cells to cope with tough realities and dynamically confront daunting challenges! Time is running out and I wish that Jonathan would Just Get On With It…and wake up and man up and pull his socks up and heal toxic political rifts and solve pressing problems…and silence detractors who are convinced that he lacks capacity and make fans and brethren who are disappointed in him proud. Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only). PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 THE tributes are endless. They all agree that a great man has gone at 95. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was extraordinary in his selflessness, generosity of spirit. The perspective, perception, and perspicacity he brought to all issues marked him out – they account for the endless panegyrics that have attended his transition. Here was a man who committed his life to the struggle from youth, spent 27 years in prison, since he was unwilling to compromise his stand that all human beings are equal and that black South Africans should not be prevented from aspiring to their potentials because they were black. Madiba was the star in the cast that understood human rights, fought for them, when a moralistic world ran on the superiority of the white race. It was a paradox that world leaders, whose claim to their places on the global podium was defence of human rights, boisterously excluded South Africa. The hypocrisy has not ceased. They are not apologising for the mistreatment of South Africans during apartheid. They have no appreciation for the tenacity of African

his desires within the context of the common good of South Africans, whether black, white or coloured. He was Spartan. He exemplified the practical side of living simply so that others may simply live.

Good Night Madiba (1918-2013) countries that sustained the struggle. Apartheid protagonists and their ardent supporters, who put Madiba away for 27 years, had no idea how their staid stand was engraving the man’s greatness on the conscience of the world. If they knew, they would possibly have applied other approaches. How would apartheid have run without Madiba? Who would have had the forgiving spirit of Madiba? If not Madiba, which South African would have given up power after a struggle that should entitle him to whatever he wanted in South Africa? Madiba’s was a life of sacrifice. He sealed

With his transition, the Madiba challenge to leaders round the world has increased. Would they take up the task of improving the world, to match the tributes they keenly paid Madiba or would their enthusiastic applause of his greatness end with graveside orations? Preaching would not solve the challenges the world faces. The annual congregation of world leaders, in New York, at the United Nations, has failed to make a better world because their selfishness is evident in their postulations. Madiba stood against racism. He enlisted in the struggle to end it, succeeding against overwhelming odds, and haughty western views that rated his efforts futile, stating that apartheid was ordained. His life spoke volumes about the triumph of good over evil and the shamelessness of perpetrators of evil. Adieu Madiba, you left the world better than you met it.

OPINION BY ABIMBOLA JONES

ANY issues naturally arise from the approval by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, last week, of a deep sea port for Lagos. The most prominent is the political significance of the decision against the backdrop of allegations that the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, may be hesitant in approving such a gigantic project with several positive draw-down effects on the economy of that hotbed of opposition to his presidency. Not only has it given a lie to that assumption, it has proven, once again, that the President on most occasions, rise above political partisanship on issues that border on the welfare of Nigerians. The Jonathan administration chose to approve the new Lekki deep sea port in spite of strong arguments against Lagos which already has two of the nation’s biggest ports. Not only do they handle over 80% of the nation’s maritime activities, port operations are chiefly responsible for the traffic congestion and environmental chaos in that emerging mega city. Indeed, the arguments against Lagos are strong. With as many as seven littoral states, five of which are controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party, President Jonathan could have chosen from several other options. But he would not be swayed. The gimmick-or is it blackmail-by the Lagos State government, also played a part. The state government and apologists of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, would have cried blue murder and imputed political meanings if FEC had decided otherwise, regardless of the plausibility of

Jonathan: Breaking barrier or barrierss with Lekki P Por ortt the reasons offered. This attitude-that politics is a factor in such decisions-has a foundation in time; it is understandably a throw-back to the running battles that former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu –now APC national leader — had with President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007. Though a fellow Yoruba of the South West, Obasanjo had issues with many of the projects and policies that Tinubu initiated, and for which he expected support from Abuja. Among them was the state’s $225 million barge-mounted electricity generating project in Egbin. Originally designed to produce a total of 290 megawatts of electricity, the terms of the deal initiated with Enron, the US power firm on August 1, 1999, was opposed by Obasanjo. The disagreement had forced the three barges brought in by Enron to generate an initial 90 mw of electricity for the emergency phase of the agreement to remain idle, at a huge cost to the Tinubu administration. The creation of 37 additional local governments (development centres) in Lagos was another source of disagreement for which the President had withheld the state allocations. Obasanjo had claimed that the Lagos State Government must revert to the 20 local government structures before its local government funds would be released, in spite of the pronouncement to the contrary by the Supreme Court. With the experience, Lagos State has always chosen to be on the offensive. Every action of the Federal Government that is not in sync

with its policies or expectations is attributed to ulterior political considerations. With time, it has become a convenient tool for blackmail. It appears not to have woken up to the new dawn that decisions are no longer subjected to such ulterior political considerations. Beyond all these, the other question is whether it makes economic sense to concentrate the nation’s maritime economy in a single state when Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar and other ports are begging for patronage. In Delta State alone, there are as many as three ports (in Burutu, Koko and Warri) with huge potentials only if they are expanded. Those who made-and won-the argument for the location of Nigeria’s first deep sea port in Lagos say it is the best option to decongest the Apapa port as well as the Lagos environment. A good argument, I dare say, though many experts may disagree. They insist the battle against road traffic and the challenges of congestion can hardly be won with such a project, arguing that the same argument was adduced when Tin Can Port was conceived in 1977 to decongest the ever busy Apapa port. It is difficult to discountenance that economic consideration may have won the case for Lagos rather than elsewhere since existing ports in Lagos-some of the busiest in Africahave, since, far exceeded their capacities. But it is equally difficult to discountenance the argument that another sea port for Lagos will negate efforts to decongest Lagos and

clean up the state’s environment, notorious for its traffic snarls and air pollution. Going by operational statistics, the Lagos ports with an installed capacity of 60 million metric tons per annum are over-stretched already. Today, they are forced to handle over 100 million metric tons per annum, with car imports accounting for the larger bulk. Last October, for instance, as many as 11,652 unit of vehicles were handled by the ports. Estimated to cost about $1.354 billion, the Lekki port will be constructed through a Public Private Partnership arrangement, with the federal and Lagos State governments contributing 20 and 18.5 per cent equity respectively, while other private investors will make up the balance of 61.85 per cent stake in the project. To be delivered within a record four years, the port will thereafter be operated on a concession basis for a period of 45 years, after which it will revert to the Federal Government. Its potentials for revenue accruing to government are enormous: more than $9.3 billion will accrue to Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, from marine services, royalties, customs charges and share profits from the investments. More importantly, in addition to the new port creating no less than 162,000 jobs, there are other benefits estimated at over $379 billion during the concession period. *Mr. Jones, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013— —19

HE world and South Africa was thrown into mourning since the passing of the Madiba, Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, who died at the ripe age of 95, in his country, last week, and will be buried on December 15, 2013. World leaders, numbering over 54, will attend the funeral because it will be in essence the celebration of a life of commitment, sacrificial release of forgiveness under a special grace, and a spirit of reconciliation and respect for the dignity of man on earth. A spirit that accepts that man, as of right, can make a wrong choice of actions and conducts which may afflict another with suppression, oppression, and segregation. It is the Madiba spirit, and is also the Tata spirit, which the world have found worthy of celebration as manifested by Nelson Mandela. When such a ‘big tree falls’, as we say in Igbo land, certain categories of people emerge as mourners and celebrants. The first to arrive are usually those who come just to confirm that the man actually died. They want to see things for themselves because, to them, the dead man lived as if he was a god; they feared and loathed him when he was alive. They say

to themselves: ‘ Let us go and see for ourselves that he is really gone’. Many others will attend the celebration because they want to thank God for the life of a man who touched their lives, gave them a reason to live, and a source inspiration and encouragement to trudge on along their own path in this unpredictable world. A world that once called Madiba a terrorist when it suited them, and later a Nobel Prize Winner, in their double standard games of exploitation and economic dominance. Yes, these ones know that when the world acclaims you, they have a plan to exploit, so they will come to the funeral in their thousands to see and evaluate, whether there can be any replacement to the Madiba spirit, a spirit which only God can give to a mortal being. Another group will come to the celebration not because they really cared for the message from the Madiba spirit, or for the Madiba himself. They will be at the funeral because, as eminent persons, it will be awkward if their absence was observed. These leaders, especially from Africa, have had direct contacts and dealings with Mandela, they ought to have contacted the Madiba spirit for which they had the calling, but they lacked the grace.

Amaechi: Wike, not Amalinze the cat BY JOHN ENEBELI

HE new PDP’s recent alliance with APC, which witnessed the dumping of the party by five progressive governors, including Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers State, was expected. Also expected were reactions from across the country. But unlike other parts of the country, the reaction from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, left much to be desired. The state PDP, under the grip of Chief Nyesom Wike, sent a rented crowd to the street to disturb the peace under the guise of ‘celebrating’ Ameachi’s exit from PDP. There are undeniable facts that it is the handiwork of Wike. One of such facts is that not long ago, when Ameachi complained of ‘suffocation’ within the PDP and threatened to dump the party if the situation persisted, it was only Wike that dared him to do so and see what follows; infact, he added that he was praying that Ameachi would leave the PDP so it wasn’t surprising that less than 24hours after the governor dumped the PDP (alongside other progressives), a rented crowd hit the streets of Port Harcourt – doing the dictates of their ‘master’. By that singular action, Wike once again, presents himself in the similitude of ‘Amalinze’ – the godfather of traditional wrestling in Chinua Achebe’s Things fall Apart, whose prowess and invincibility in the wrestling arena earned him the sobriquet ‘The Cat’. His show (of calling people out on the street) is condemnable, regrettable, unfortunate and indeed, myopic. (Come to think of it : Why should it be only in Rivers State that people hit the street when five governors dumped PDP? It only shows the overzealousness and sycophancy of the opposition in the state led by Wike). Although Achebe’s Things Fall Apart makes an interesting reading, just as it is celebrated world-wide, trying to mimick a character in it, for the wrong reason is ludicrous! (Let me dwell on this a little in the interest of readers who have not read Things fall Apart: Achebe told the story of a man who

They saw the Madiba spirit, interacted with it, could have carried the spirit, but they lacked the courage. They will attend the funeral because they had to.

et many will attend because they need to improve their profile. They, like the group just before them, will not learn anything from the Madiba spirit. They were there just to be able to show off, losing out from the many lessons from the Madiba spirit. Some in Nigeria have exhibited the characteristics of the Madiba spirit. Soon after the 1966 military coup, some army officers who

could not be beaten in the traditional Igbo wrestling contest. He was brave, bold, audacious, indomitable and near invincible. He was likened to a cat whose back donot touch the ground in a fight, as he maintained an unbeaten record! Amalinze’s albatross was when he dared his chi – his personal god, believed in Igbo methodology as the source of his strength, and sadly, that was the beginning of his downfall!). By assuming some of the traits of ‘Amalinze, The Cat’ - daring the mighty, the principled, the celebrated (needless drawing attention to the seven-day ultimatum he gave ASUU), Wike missed it! By daring Amaechi who made him, Wike will go the way of Amalinze The Cat, for he is setting the stage for his infamy, his downfall, just as Amalinze did when he dared his chi! Yes, Amaechi made him. How? Here is a man who was nominated by Governor Amaechi to fill one of Rivers State slots in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, – a nomination that fetched him his present job (as Education Minister). Thus, Wike cannot deny that he is a beneficiary of the Governor’s benevolence and generosity! This same Wike, it was, that sang the praise of Amaechi and the praise of Amaechi’s administration to the high heavens, while his stay at Government House, Port Harcourt as Chief of Staff lasted. He granted several interviews to this effect. One of the interviews will suffice here. In the November, 2008 special edition of Tell (page 58), Wike told the magazine, under the series:’Blueprint for a new Rivers State’ that Governor Amaechi is a man of ‘standard’ and ‘very active’ and pragmatic in the governance of the state. Hear him:”The governor as a very active person does not want some body who cannot meet up with his standard. As it is, he gives you an assignment and wants it done immediately. He doesn’t like excuses, he doesn’t like to hear that. By the time he says:’Let me have those documents’, don’t give him excuses. He is a governor that deemphasizes protocol; he doesn’t even believe

BY CLEMENT UDEGBE

Nigeria and the Madiba spirit

Today people who are completely devoid of the spirit of Madiba are very much around, creating disunity among ethnic and religious entities in Nigeria; to them, a humble, God- fearing leader is too weak to lead Nigeria

lacked the Madiba spirit, executed a counter-coup, with threats to subjugate the Igbo race. The result was the civil war from 1966 to 1970. Biafra was defeated in that war, and hatred and anguish flowed freely on both sides, but the Nigerian leader, Gen Yakubu Gowon, rose up to the occasion, committed to the spirit of reconciliation and declared that there was no victor and no vanquished from the war. Gowon had the spirit of Madiba and still carries it. While he toiled to build a reconciled, reintegrated Nigeria, as President, he was shoved out of power by some of his colleagues in the army at that time. By that singular coup, these men nipped in the bud, the growth of the spirit of true forgiveness from the Nigerian society. When Nigeria was almost destroyed by some military leaders in the late 1990s, Gowon rolled his sleeves, took his Bible and started prayers for the nation under a programme called "Nigeria Prays". Till tomorrow, Gowon remains accessible, humble, prayerful, kind, caring and loving, mixing with the poor, the comfortable and rich all the same, living a graceful life devoid of oppressive and manipulative politics. The apartheid system could have plunged South Africa into a civil war, but because South Africans respected their leader, Mandela, they followed him. In Nigeria, he would have been overthrown in a coup d'etre, and the coup plotters would blame, malign, probe him, and hang trouble on the neck of his close associates. It takes the

Governor Amaechi has endeared himself to the good people of Rivers State so they will move along with him to the APC and PDP will suffer its worst defeat ever in Rivers State

in it!’ That is on the governor. Now, on the Amaechi administration, Wike told the magazine that it successfully tackled insecurity in the state, subdued fiery militants and brought back investors who fled the state in the wake of militants’ escapades.

is words: “When we came in (in 2007), what was on ground was insecurity; there was insecurity in the state. This made alot of investors to leave this place (Rivers State) because of the activities of the so-called militants who we refer to as ‘common criminals’. They made sure that life was uncomfortable for people. The governor (Amaechi) believes that we cannot do anything without tackling the situation in the state.What it used to be is not what it is now, it is now under control. And that is quite commendable. If you go round the state, you will see that even though some have left, investors have started coming back”. Wike did not stop there; he even lashed out at Amaechi’s opponents in the same interview. I quote him again: ”There are some people naturally that no matter what you do , they will think you are not doing any thing. It is in this part of the country that your political opponents won’t even appreciate anything you do, even when you do something right! To them, it is giving you credit and by giving you credit, they feel they are making you popular...”. Readers can now see why I consider it

spirit of good and devoted followership to produce the spirit of Madiba among leaders. Today people who are completely devoid of the spirit of Madiba are very much around, creating disunity among ethnic and religious entities in Nigeria. To them, a humble, calm and Godfearing leader is too weak, too compromising to lead Nigeria. They woefully fail to imagine what could have happened to South Africa if Mandela died in prison, or if there was a military coup and counter-coups as we had in Nigeria. South Africa would either have been split by ethnic wars, or it would be carrying like Nigeria, the burden and shame of poor electricity, bad roads, poor hospitals and the rest as we have them now, because most of our leaders lacked the grace for the Madiba spirit. It is instructive that Madiba lived, treated himself in South Africa and died there. He chose not to travel overseas to treat himself because he built on what he met as first African President, left office only after a first term not allowing himself to be dragged into any bogus tenure elongation design. His environment allowed him to create a society that is devoid of acrimonious religious bigotry that could have easily spiraled into terrorism. It is the absence of the Madiba spirit that induces politicians to stash money outside Nigeria, rather than invest in their country.

*Mr. Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

ludicrous, laughable – that the same Wike now double-speaks! Yes, he now doublespeaks – shouts ‘hosanna’ in the highest’ yesterday and ‘crucify him’ today – having assigned to himself the role of a rabblerouser, attacking Amaechi (who made him) left, right and centre. Let me hasten to remind him and his group that Governor Amaechi has endeared himself to the good people of Rivers State so they will move along with him to the APC and PDP will suffer its worst defeat ever in Rivers State. His achievements speak for him! Here are just a tip of some of them recorded under the noise of Wike as Chief of Staff, which he witnessed and cannot debunk, and which the people of the state hold so dear. In sports: Rivers Angels Football Club of Port Harcourt was second on the league table for 2008/2009 season. The team came home with a silver trophy. Dolphins football club played Pro-League Division one in 2008/ 2009 ‘Super four’ in Abuja. Sharks FC came second at the Federation Cup played on the 11th July, 2009 in Lagos. Sharks also got a continental ticket to participate in WAFU competition. To cap it all, the state (Team Rivers) clinched the first position at the 17th National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt – beating the highly-rated Team Delta and Team Lagos. Finance: Pension arrears and gratuities outstanding for the period I983-2007 (24 years), amounting to N2,555,109,137.38 were cleared within one year of Amaechi’s assumption of office. Staff salaries regularly paid. The 15% consolidation salary structure for civil servants was implemented with effect from January 1, 2008. Education: Ameachi declared a state of emergency in the sector that was in a near comatose state and took over the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries that was the constitutional duty of the third-tier of government – the Local Government. He raised the budgetary allocation from 3.8% to 18% - just 8% from the 26% recommended by UNESCO, pumped money into the sector and cleared the backlog of salaries owned the primary school teachers.

*Hon.Enebeli, Rivers State liaison officer, wrote from Abuja.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13,

BY JUDITH UFFORD

T was a great day for Nigeria and indeed Africa as Dr.Bernard Olumuyiwa Aliu’s election by acclamation was confirmed on Monday, 18 November 2013. By this, he became the 5th president of the 70 year old International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. The 36 States which comprise the ICAO’s Governing Council registered their unanimous agreement during the body’s 200th Session. In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Aliu said : “I look forward to working with my Council colleagues over the next triennium, with the support of the ICAO Air Navigation Commission and Secretariat, as we seek to address aviation’s key areas of priority.” It was against this backdrop that a dinner was held in his honour at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja recently to celebrate the first Nigerian, indeed African to assume this high office. Present at the event were the representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Fedral government, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Hon. Minister of Aviation, departing Council President, Roberto Kobeh González of Mexico, George Uriesi, MDFAAN, Ms.Ene-Ita, SA to the President on Aviation Reforms, the Mexico ambassador to Nigeria, senators, House Committee members on aviation, members of the House as well as top notch in the aviation sector. Before his election, Dr. Aliu served for eight years as the ICAO Council’s Nigerian Representative (2005-2013). He was also Director of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Air Transport Regulation Directorate (20002004), Chairman for the formulation of African Civil Aviation Policy under the African Union (20092011) and performed many other professional and technical roles in the service of his State’s civil aviation sector over the past three

2013

decades. For him, “It is really a great day for Nigeria and Africa at large”. The reason for this is not far fetched. “Since the inception of ICAO about 70 years ago, we have never had an African president. Therefore, it is a big day for Nigerians and Africans to celebrate. The glory goes to God, the Federal Government of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah and all the officials of the Ministry of Aviation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have been involved in the process. The government gave me unprecedented support, which resulted in the success of the election. Likewise, all African states deserve to be commended because the African Civil Aviation Commission endorsed it. You can understand that this is an African glory. The Nigerian government and I have been involved in all the processes that led to the success as well as the development of the aviation sector. For an international organisation, it is important that all sections have a sense of belonging. The election is an endorsement and a manifestation of a sense of belonging that an African was elected as the president and I am grateful to the federal government.” President Goodluck Jonathan who was equally filled with gratitude to the Almighty God noted that the election endorses the aviation sector’s growth in African. The President also expressed gratitude and appreciation to the African Union, all member states of ICAO, AFCAC, and the United Nations members who made the election possible. The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah spoke in the same vein adding that while

From right: Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President-Elect & Mr. Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, President, ICAO.

An evening of honour for aviation Dr. Aliu served as Nigeria’s representative on ICAO council, he distinguished himself with exemplary performance, contributing to sustainable development of civil aviation globally. “It is therefore no surprise that he won the confidence of his peers and emerged as the president-elect”, she said. She was also appreciative of the Federal government’s support to her ministry stating: “On behalf of the aviation industry, and indeed the entire people of Nigeria, I want to give credit and gratitude to Mr. President who provided tremendous support, leadership and guidance that made it possible for our own Dr.

Bernard Olumuyiwa Aliu to emerge.” The occasion also opened a vasta for the minister to intimate her audience on the giant strides in the aviation sector since she assumed office.

20—Vanguard,

The election is an endorsement and a manifestation of a sense of belonging that an African was elected as the president and I am grateful to the federal government

From right: Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah; Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and Ms. EneIta, SA to the President on Aviation Reforms.

So, besides the renovation of airports across the country, the sector has invested heavily on the provision of infrastructure. According to her, the ministry has put in place air navigation and meteorological infrastructure. This she said has enhanced safety significantly in the Nigerian airspace while maintaining the country’s Category 1 Staus with the FAA, USA. “Our combined efforts on Communication, Navigation and Surveillance strategy have

seen the improvements and installations of various modern equipment across the nation’s airports”, she said. Dr. Aliu follows the departing Council President, Roberto Kobeh González of Mexico, who was elected in March 2006 after Dr. Assad Kotaite retired prematurely before the end of his term. Mr. Gonzalez took up his functions in August 2006 and was re-elected for consecutive full terms of Office in 2007 and 2010. Kobeh commented thus in response to Aliu’s election, “It has been my great pleasure to help lead ICAO and support international aviation during the last seven years. Having known and worked beside Dr. Aliu for much of this period, I am very pleased that the leadership of the Council will now be in such capable hands. Dr. Aliu’s broad diplomatic perspective and demonstrated skills at consensus-building will be essential to the success of ICAO’s continuing mission.” Dr. Aliu becomes only the fifth President of the ICAO Council in the almost 70-year history of the specialized United Nations aviation agency, which is responsible for the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) and the over 10,000 international civil aviation standards contained in the Convention’s Annexes. Dr. Aliu will officially take over the reins as ICAO Council President beginning 1 January 2014, for a three-year term.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 21

Local content: Experts harp on human capital development By KUNLE KALEJAYE

From left: Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Executive Director, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Mr. Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, NSE; Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, NSE and Mr. Banjo Obaleye, MD/ECO Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank (ITMB) Plc, during the company’s Facts Behind the Listing at the NSE, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Shonekan calls for more PPP on infrastructure development By WILLIAM JIMOH

ormer Chairman of the Interim National Government (ING), Dr. Ernest Shonekan, has called for a deeper Public Private Partnership, PPP, to improve infrastructure development in the country He described it as an effort that will increase private investment while solving unemployment problem in Nigeria. Shonekan stated this while delivernd ing a keynote address at the 2 edition of the Nigeria Leadership Summit held in Lagos. He noted the alarming state of infrastructure development in the country, saying this has negatively affected cost of doing business in Nigeria, which has also reduced the strength of new and existing entrepreneurs to fast track the development of the county. According to him, “Infrastructure is a big challenge to entrepreneurship in the country. The epileptic electric power supply and poor public supply of treated water means that entrepreneurs investing in the manufacturing sector must also bear additional cost of having their own standby electric power supply and bore holes. Such additional expenses often make locally ‘made products uncompetitive with their imported versions. “Nigeria is a land of opportunities waiting for entrepreneurs to unlock them. Apart from the usual oil and gas sector, there are lots of untapped business opportunities in the agro-allied sector, solid minerals, entertainment industry, technology, telecom sector

and a host of others where the country has comparative advantage. Speaking further, Shonekan said “At the same time, the government and the private sector would need to partner more than before to improve the conditions of the existing infrastructure in the country. In particular, the government should give more opportunity for private sector involvement in the development of infrastructure particularly roads, rail lines, ports development and electric power plants, among other critical infrastructure. He added that, “In particular, both the government and all stakeholders concerned must team up to ensure that corruption is wiped out in the country. Investors shun countries where there is corruption more so because it increases the cost of doing business and also truncates the laws for doing busi-

ness.” “Also, all hands must be on the deck to increase employment opportunities in the country and improve the quality of life of the people. Again, by involving the private sector in the development of the economy, more jobs will be created and there will be improvement in the standard of living of the people,” he urged. “The recent privatization in the electric power sector is bound to improve and stabilize power supply across the country and also encourage more entrepreneurs to invest in the sector. “This is because government alone does not have all the resources needed for the development of the economy. A~ the same time, the private sector can· pull more resources together than the government for investment in the economy” Shonekan noted .

O see Nigerians fully represented and actively involved in the petroleum and maritime industry, experts in both sectors have stressed the need for a deliberate policy to stimulate massive investment in human capital. They noted that indigenous operators in the industry are still at a disadvantageous position compared to their foreign counterparts in ship management, vessel operations and offshore logistics. They also noted that regular training is necessary to provide indigenous operators a better understanding of contracts and investment opportunities in the sector. Speaking in Lagos at a joint training workshop organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping and Richardson Oil & Gas Limited, the Director General, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, Mrs. Ify Anazonwu-Akerele, said such programme would ensure importation of technological skill. Aside from the importation of technological skill, Akerele said the programme will encourage huge maritime infrastructural development, improvement and maintenance, strengthening of administrative structures. It will also encourage full and unfettered implementation of the cabotage regime, closer monitoring of the activities of port/ terminal operators and encouraging them to employ better technologies. According to her, the recently passed Local Content Law has the potential of ensuring effective indigenous participation by guaranteeing cargo contracts that will stimulate tonnage building, financing and key developmental actions to the Nigerian maritime industry. The Managing Director, Richardson Oil & Gas, Mr. Akin Osuntoki, said the partnership is aimed at bridging the knowledge gap within the Maritime/ Upstream Oil and Gas Sector through the provision of professional human capital development programmes.

109.95

4.45

2,769.00

+8.00

16.65

0.1

LSLB clamps down on indisciplined players By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

he Lagos State Lotteries Board has vowed to commence strict enforcement on compliance to the rules and regulations by stakeholders. Meanwhile, the board has promised to ensure a conducive environment for all stakeholders towards the growth of the industry. Chief Executive Officer of the state Lotteries Board, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, disclosed this in a statement ahead of Friday ’s stakeholders’ forum with the Super

Agents, holding at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa. Gbajabiamila, said the meeting with the super agents, aimed at ensuring efficiency and the growth of the lottery industry in the state. The forum, according to him, would also provide a platform for the Super Agents and other key players in the industry to brainstorm on the way forward in the industry. Several papers are expected to be presented at the one-day occasion by key government functionaries, Super Agents and key players in the industry.

109.31 0.08 98.33 +0.99 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.73 254.4071 212.6764 173.7953 1.5006 0.3047 237.4343 25.4837 41.2525 28.5043 238.2068

155.23 255.2292 213.3636 174.357 1.5055 0.3147 238.2015 25.5665 41.3858 28.5964 238.9766

SELLING 155.73 256.0513 214.0509 174.9186 1.5103 0.3247 238.9688 25.6493 41.5191 28.6885 239.7463

CBN Exchange rate as at 12/12/2013

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

FBN Heritage Fund pays N10 per unit dividend By PETER EGWUATU & JIMOH WILLIAM

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo (right) welcoming the world youngest Celebrity Interviewer, Miss Zuriel Oduwole, to the bank’s headquarters, Victoria Island, Lagos.

nit Holders of FBN Heritage Fund, managed by FBN Capital Asset Management, a subsidiary of FBN Capital Ltd, the Investment Banking and Asset Management subsidiary of FBN Holding Plc have approved proposed dividend payment by the fund manager. This is the first dividend to be paid to its various unit holders for the year ended 31st March 2013. Addressing the unit holders at the fifth Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, Managing Director, FBN Capital Asset Management, Mr. Michael Oyebola, stated that the operating environment has

Dangote Sugar assures stakeholders of improved performance …To create employment opportunities By PETER EGWUATU

ANGOTE Sugar Refinery Plc, a quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE has assured stakeholders in the sugar industry of improved performance in the sector as it reaffirmed its commitment on adoption of backward integration strategy aimed to boosting production and create employment opportunities in the country. The newly recruited Group Managing Director/CEO,

Dangote Sugar Refinery, Mr. Graham Clark during a media chart, said “ I am committed to lifting the company to produce not less than 1.5 million tons of sugar. The model of sugar manufacturing will change as we are going to use sugar cane and refine it to produce sugar. We hope to produce three or four new sugar plants in the country. Our target is to satisfy Nigerian market before we begin to export to other African countries. He further assured

shareholders of the company to take care of their interest and ensure that their investment yield greater returns. Continuing, he said “ We will engage Nigerian farmers in sugar production and use the value chain to create more employment opportunities. We see ourselves employing a lot of people of about 150,000. Before the end of my tenure in Dangote Sugar, we hope to build a world class business . Our priority is to produce a product of high quality that

GTBank encourages saving habit, rewards GTCrea8 account holders

uaranty Trust Bank (GTBANK) Plc has advised the youth in the country to imbibe the saving culture in order to prepare against future investment in the country. To this extent, the Bank has rewarded the holders of its GTCrea8 account via promo, which saw ElishaWigwe, Shallom O, a three year undergraduate medicine student of University of Lagos, winning the star prize of a Mini Cooper car. The GTCrea8 e savers account is a cardbased interest bearing undergraduate account. Speaking to newsmen, the Deputy General Manager, Retail Banking, Mrs. Ibukun Odegbaike said, “The essence of the promo is to promote both a savings culture and an increased adoption of the use C M Y K

of alternate banking channels amongst Nigerian students. The promo commenced in March, 2013 and we have rewarded account holders with gifts such as Blackberry phones, ipods, laptops, Samsung Galaxy tab, LED TV and mini fridges in its monthly zonal draws.” She further revealed that the Bank also organized events on campuses across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria where students had the opportunity of winning prizes over the period of the campaign. According to her, “To qualify for this promo, students in tertiary institutions were required to open a GTCrea8 e-savers account. In addition, they were also required to conduct a minimum of three transactions per month

on alternate banking channels such as ATMs, POS and Internet Banking and also maintain a minimum account balance of N5,000.00 for six consecutive months.

consumer can rely on.” Clark stated that considerable progress has been made in strengthening its brand, re-focusing the business, managing its operational effectiveness and returning it on the path of profitability. “At this cusp of industrial revolution in Nigeria and dynamic market environment, we envisioned a tremendous growth in the Sugar sub-sector and beneficiation process associated with it. With our acquisition of Savannah Sugar Company located on a 32,000 hectares in Numan Adamawa State and planned development of other sugar fields across the country put at over 300,000 hectares, critical enablers such as innovation, talent and skills are key levers to put us on a competitive trajectory growth path” he added.

been challenging, just as government continued to earnestly pursue economic reforms in 2012. According to him, we witnessed measurable progress notably in the power sector with the successful auctioning of public power generation and distribution assets during the year 2013. The 2013 budget also signals government’s commitment to gradually scale up expenditure on capital projects that are capable of delivering economic value in the future. However, the country ’s growing attractiveness as an investment destination continued to be tainted by security challenges particularly in the Northern regions where activities of insurgent are et to be fully curtailed.” Meanwile, the heritage fund which offers investors superior medium-tolong term earnings by investing in a diversified portfolio of equities, bonds and Treasury Bills was created in April 2008. According to the Managing Director, FBN Capital Asset Management “We would like to thank all our loyal unit holders who have put their faith in the FBN brand and entrusted our investment team with managing their money through the FBN Heritage Fund. Besides the consistently strong growth that investors should continue to expect, they can now also expect a reward of ?10.00 per unit dividend”. Highlighting the Fund’s performance, Oyebola stated that “As at October 31, 2013, FBN Capital Asset Management has successfully turned around the ?5.3billion FBN Heritage Fund returning 28 per cent in 2012 and 15 per cent Year to Date (YTD) in 2013.Our strong positive returns are a result of our strategic positioning in the Fund throughout the year and our ability to accurately anticipate and respond quickly to changes in debt and equity markets.”

Dunn Loren Merrifield wins quality crown award 2013

unn Loren Merrifield, one of Nigeria’s leading investment houses has won the 2013 International Quality Crown (IQC) Awards in the Gold Category for Best Investment House. This was announced by the President -Business Initiative Directions (BID), Jose E. Prieto. The International Quality Crown award was presented to Dunn Loren Merrifield during the International IQC Convention in the United Kingdom recently in recognition for the company’s forward-thinking approach in leadership, innovation of unique investment products, total quality management and excellence in nurturing client service relationship.

BID President – Jose E. Prieto while presenting the International Quality Crown Gold trophy to Founder/ CEO Dunn Loren Merrifield, Mr Sonnie Ayere in a gala ceremony at the Guoman Tower Hotel, London, applauded the company for distinguished innovation in private investment banking. Prieto confirmed that “on the basis of IQC regulations and criteria, Dunn Loren Merrifield is named among global companies and organisations awarded as distinguished local and national leaders, or large corporations, all of which demonstrate excellence within each sector, increase market share and improve results as well as maintain sustainability”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 23

Nigeria investment in agriculture alarming — ActionAid …says govt policy unrealistic BY CALEB AYANSINA, Abuja

HE ActionAid Nigeria, yesterday, described as alarming the budgetary allocation given to agricultural sector of the economy by the Federal Government. The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr Hussaini Abdu also said that the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture is market oriented, centred on commercial farming, therefore, it is impracticable, because small scale farmers who are the base of the sector were not taken into consideration. Abdu, who stated this at the presentation of ‘Walking the Talk’ Report conducted by the organization, in Abuja, noted that the country’s commitment towards agricultural financing was declining on yearly basis. “Nigerian federal government within five years 2007-11 has allocated an average of just 3.5 percent of the national budget to agriculture risking even greater hunger across Nigeria,” the director said. He further revealed that the government budgeted 1.7 percent

Agric in Nigeria. and 1.3 percent to agriculture in the years 2012 and 2013 respectively, expressing fear that the figure might be dropped in the future projection. Rolling out the investment scale of African countries, Abdu disclosed that Ghana, Rwanda and Burundi with budgetary allocation of 9-10 percent, 10.2 percent and 10.9 percent respectively were only the countries that complied with the 2003 Maputo declaration, which pegged 10 percent of the country ’s

budget to agriculture to increase economy of the continent. He noted that the federal and the state governments not only spend less on agriculture in the country; they were also inconsistent in their commitment, adding that agricultural funding is critical to poverty alleviation, and that, this must not be done without taking cognizance of small scale farmers who are mainly women. According to him, “Despite promising 10 years ago to spend 10 percent of its budgets on agriculture, the Nigerian

government has increased its attention on agriculture in recent years by introducing a range of policies in place to increase productivity, yet Nigeria’s budgetary allocations and actual spending on agriculture are woefully inadequate to reduce poverty especially on the key service needed by smallholder farmers. “Nigeria spends very little on agriculture; figures for the states are also low varying from 2.0-5.9 percent. Not only is spending low- it is also extremely erratic. “For a sector that is a major branch of the economy, providing employment for 70 percent of the population and the largest contributor to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), contributing about 40 percent, yet the sector faces massive challenges. Agriculture spending is of critical importance to reducing poverty and promoting development in Nigeria.” The report further warned that “Nigerian government is failing smallholder farmers particularly women, who make up the majority of farmers in

Nigeria, and holding back food production across the country where Nigerians face food insecurity. “A major reason why poverty and food insecurity remain widespread in Nigeria is that successive governments have failed to give appropriate funding to agriculture. Nigerian government’s recent drive towards private sector investment which focuses on commercial agriculture is unrealistic and will further exacerbate poverty as smallholder farmers are the ones who actually produce 90 percent of Nigeria’s food. “African government have designated 2014 as the year of agriculture and food and nutrition security but this, warns ActionAid, will remain an empty phrase unless governments provide more money for agriculture and ensure that it is better targeted to help the million of smallholders farmers, especially women, who produce most of the continent’s food.” Abdu maintained that “government can find the money to increase agricultural spending by reducing wasteful spending, leakages and corruption and abolishing huge tax exemption given to companies.

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13,

2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 25

There’s

serious ethnic bias in Nollywood

– Rose Amrayebure

ose Amrayebure found her way into Nollywood, because acting is all she has ever wanted to do but the passion to pursue her dream was soon met with disenchantment and disappointment when she learned she would need more than talent to see her dream through. According to her, not being an Igbo has been the biggest challenge of her career and she bares it all in this inter view with Weekend Groove. Excerpts: BY AYO ONIKOYI AND JULIET EBIRIM When did you start acting? I started acting in 2005. My first job was in 2007. Then I left and came back in 2011. Between then and now, how many movies have you done? Between 2011 and now, I’ve done six movies and five soap operas. Is there any soap opera you have done that is currently running? They’ve shown the epilogue of ‘Married’ currently on TVC. Have you taken a lead role before?

A sub-lead. The one in which I took a lead role is coming out in January. The one I played a sub-lead is already out and that was ‘Tears for Revival’. The one coming out in January is called ‘Atmospheric Madness’ and it is directed and produced by Mr. Femi Okpeoluwa. Why did you choose acting? I have a flair for acting. Growing up, when I come back from school, my aunty would say, “Come and dance for me and all that”. So, I’ll say right from childhood, showbiz has been in me. Your journey into acting, how

Continues on page 26

I N S I DE:

Rita Dominic, Charles Novia at war

C M Y K

Trailer R evie w: Re view: Desmond Elliot’s Finding Mercy

Flockcare: You can no w now worship on your mobile phone

26 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Continues from page 25 has the experience been? It is by God’s grace and with God, I am still pushing up. I know it’s not a piece of cake to make it to the top in the acting industry, have you ever encountered anything like sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is everywhere not just in showbiz or the movie world. What has your own experience been as regards that? My own experience has more to do with the language barrier, it’s not easy. They prefer giving their own people the jobs. Like the ones I have done so far are mostly from friends. I’ve gone for auditions but I have only gotten two movies from auditions. There is this ethnic bias, you are not Igbo and all that. Though I speak Igbo. When you say language issues, is it that you are expected to speak Igbo? Not really, but they tend to see you as their own person. Has any director ever asked that you do otherwise before you could be given a role in a movie? Not a director, but some producers. I’m not going to mention names, but they tell you if you don’t do it, no job for you! Have you ever been tempted? No. One thing I have at the back of my mind is any job that comes, let God take the glory. No, I have never been and will never be tempted.

You’ve been in the movie industry for six or seven years, which actor do you have good chemistry with? Don’t get me wrong when I say chemistry, what I mean is for instance, you could be in an office, and there are five people in that office, but there is one person that you like working with.

Which role do you really like to take, that you believe you have natural affinity for? I don’t think there is any like that. I am an actress and if I am given any role, I put myself into the character. Most upcoming actresses are desperate, how desperate are you? Desperate in what sense, I don’t understand. If a big budget script falls into your laps now where you are required to do certain things like showing parts of your body, will you pick up the script considering the fact that it’s going to give you the big break you need ? I won’t do it, I can’t expose vital parts of my womanhood if that’s what you mean. I can’t! What about sexual scenes where you and a guy have to do a lot of smooching? In this job, there are people you have good chemistry with. It depends on who you’re dealing with. If I have good chemistry with you, I might say okay, let’s do this thing for

With Isabella Akinseye

Trailer R evie w: Re view: Desmond Elliot’s

Finding Mercy

The way you are putting it across, your chemistry thing is sounding like a crush ? No, it’s not a crush. It is just work chemistry. So, in your time as an actress, you’ve actually developed a chemistry with certain people? (Laughs) Fine. I have friends I like to work with...... Even under the blankets? No, I have never done any under the blanket job. It isn’t under the blanket chemistry I’m talking about, just work chemistry.

There’s serious ethnic bias in Nollywood

What’s the highest fee you’ve been paid so far? (Laughs).Highest fee, wow! A hundred thousand naira, and it was for a sub-lead role with ‘I beg’. Some people will tell you, it is when the movie comes out, they’ll pay. But you are doing it because you know the person will pay, you guys have a relationship. It isn’t everybody that will just say, come, after the job, I’ll pay. You guys must have an understanding.

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real. When I say for real, I mean when you guys are under the sheets, you make it look so real, meanwhile nothing is actually happening. When I mean chemistry, I mean people you like working with, that you flow with.

But these friends you are talking about, even though you’ve not had any under the blanket job with them, you wouldn’t mind having it with them because you have a good chemistry with them? No, they are females not males.

That brings me to another question, there’s so much about lesbianism in the industry, have you heard? I have not seen. Nobody has come to me. So no female has come to woo you or proposition you? No What actually is your mission in Nollywood? To make it to the peak of my career. I have people I want to carry along in the sense that whatever God gives to me, I want to be able to give it back to the society. Who do you look up to in the industry? None. So you don’t have mentors in the industry? No, God is my mentor. No role model? No. Is there any particular Nollywood movie that you think is a good film? The movie that really motivated me is an old film, ‘My Love’. Then I hadn’t dreamt of even coming to Lagos. I was watching that movie and shedding tears. One uncle who was watching the movie with me said, “Are you crying? One day, you too will be doing this thing” and I said “No, I can’t act o, I can’t cry now”. The movie featured Chiege Alisigwe, Ramsey Noah and Hank Anuku.

ello people and welcome to another edition of Nollywood Movies: To watch or not to watch? This week, Desmond Elliot’s Finding Mercy is under the spotlight. Enjoy! Desmond Elliot is no new kid on the Nollywood block, so when I came across the trailer of his latest effort – Finding Mercy, I expected a fairly good job. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. The actor cum director cum producer seems to be improving his craft by the day and this is evidenced in this Denziot Production. From the opening scene to the last credits, it is apparent that Elliot understands the craft of good storytelling. There is a good balance of dramatic scenes (yes, we have kissing, crying, shouting, threatening and the likes) as well as dialogue that moves the plot forward. Every scene that appears in the barely two minutes montage is there for a reason. We see all the major characters (Desmond Elliot, Uti Nwachukwu, Rita Dominic, Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha, Tamara Eteimo, Dabota Lawson, Abiola Segun-Williams, Oyindamola Lanpejo and Blossom Chuks-Chukwujekwu) in full action. We actually get an insight into their characters and mannerisms in the few shots. The sound is also properly mixed and you can actually hear the dialogue and background music. The graphics are also well done and not too heavy on the eyes. My only grouse with this trailer is that some parts of it suffer from poor lighting; something which I have realised is very common in Nollywood movies. The ending of the trailer sums it up when Jato says, “She [Mercy] is my life” and somehow, you just want to believe him. Verdict – You would enjoy watching Finding Mercy if you want a ‘different’ storyline with tried and tested actors alongside new fresh faces.

Do you agree with me on this review? Let me have your thoughts, comments and suggestions. Send me an email isabella.akinseye@live.com Isabella Akinseye is the founder of www.nollysilverscreen.com – a one stop shop for all lovers of Nigeria’s cinematic industry. We feature trailers, reviews, interviews, cinema listings, articles, videos and red carpet fashion.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 27

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 Stories by Ayo Onikoyi

Rita Dominic,

Charles Novia at war •Waconzy

We will alw ays alwa be brothers

— W aconzy mak es peace Waconzy makes with Fla ther Flavvour our,, o other therss

A •Rita Dominic

•Charles Novia

-List Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic and prolific producer, Charles Novia, are currently engaging in a serious war of words on Twitter over comments the latter made. Known for his scathing criticism of celebrities, Charles Novia had recently released a list of his top five actresses in Nigeria for the year 2013 and on the list, he placed Rita Dominic as number five. This apparently did not go down well with Rita. The actress who just won the Best of Nollywood Award as the Best Supporting Actress in English for the movie ‘Finding Mercy’, the same film Novia said

she did not perform well in and had used in rating her, came out firing from all corners, putting down the respected producer cum director. Read Rita’s fiery tweet: “Check that Charles has not drowned himself. Best Supporting Actress English (BON Awards): Rita Dominic for ‘Finding Mercy’.” Charles Novia replied her thus: “Dear Rita Dominic: I am still alive and won’t die for a long time. My opinion of your role in Finding Mercy still persists. Congrats”.

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My Wife is a Wonder ful onderful Person – OJB By Juliet Ebirim

P D’Banj, TTuface, uface, o ther o other therss tto hold concer or Mandela concertt ffor BY JULIET EBIRIM

ome Wednesday, December 18, 2013, some celebrities in Nigeria will gather for ‘Legacy Concert’ in honour of late antiapartheid leader, Nelson Mandela, who died on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at the age of 95. Top Nigerian musical artistes D’Banj, 2Face Idibia, Darey Art-Alade, Burna Boy, Ikechukwu, Eldee the Don, Zaina, Mo Easy, Engage and Chioma have been pencilled down to perform at the tribute concert. Others are DJ Babus, Timi

C M Y K

Dakolo, Waje, Julius Agwu, Mike Aremu, J-Martins, Niyola, Omawumi, Tiwa Savage, Rocksteady, amongst others. The event holds at The Oceanview Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. Going by what the organisers of the event said, it promises to be a very befitting and groundbreaking honour in memory of the extraordinary life and unselfish contributions of one of the greatest beacons of hope, inspiration and freedom to ever walk the surface of this earth.

opular music producer, OJB Jezreel , who just returned to the country after a successful kidney transplant surgery in India, is showering praises on his first wife, Mama J, for being there for him and donating one of her kidneys to save his life. While speaking recently after his arrival, OJB revealed that despite discouragement from family and friends, his wife still made the crucial donation to save him, even at the risk of her life. While describing his wife for the voluntary donation, OJB had this to say; “She is a wonderful person because it is one thing if God is telling you to do something but another to do it. It takes a lot of courage to actually do it. Just as Jesus had made the water for Peter to walk on, Peter needed a lot of courage to take that step and that was what she did at that dying minute. Even when the doctors came to tell her that they would have to cut her all the way to the back and would have to remove a rib so they could have access to the kidney, she still agreed to go through it. It takes courage to go through with it, so, I will say she is a courageous woman.”

fter the beef and misunderstanding that the Chairman and CEO of DV8 Media; Waconzy had with Tonto Dike, Olamide, Timaya Davido and his recent misunderstanding with Flavour, he replied positively to Flavour ’s apology and made reparation and also apologised to these celebrities. He cleared the dust, and made everyone comprehend that he has nothing against these companions. Fans on twitter see Waconzy as someone who possesses a sense of majority and right judgment and NoCoolStory sees the same. We hope he doesn’t fall a victim of any future misapprehension that would cause irreverent dispute.

Skuki releases remix for Lagos countdown 20 13 201 By Olasunkanmi Akoni

agos based Afro hip-hop duo Skuki has dropped a remix of a previously released single to commemorate the 2013 Lagos Countdown. Titled ‘’Happy New Year’’ the new single along with the obligatory video, hit the airwaves on Sunday 1 December 2013. Speaking on this development, Skuki said: ‘’The single is perhaps the most appropriate song for the New Year 2014 and we intend to perform it at the Lagos Countdown’’. The second edition of the Lagos countdown programme holding at Bar Beach, Victoria Island, would begin on December 7 and end January 1, 2014. The Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), Mr. George Noah, said this year’s event would be bigger and better. ‘’We welcome initiatives such as the Skuki single remix as a means of making this year’s countdown a memorable one’’ Noah added.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 29

30 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Flockcare:

You can now worship on your mobile phone T

HAT technology is fast changing the world is no longer news. In fact it has come to a point where we almost can no longer notice a new change, having become immune to the surprise and sudden changes that technology bring to almost everything around us. Today, most of the tasks that took years to achieve, take just seconds in the magical world of technology. The way people interact with each other, socially and business wise have totally

changed- advancement is the new name! But there is just about one area that technological innovation has not permeated so well -the Church. The Church itself has been a change agent but at a time like now it probably could do with a change from outside. Already, a foremost software Development Company, eKnowvate Solutions Limited, has come up with a new mobile application, FlockCare, which manages discipleship and create

interactive engagement with the wide body of the church. The application offers the subscribing church members instant access to audio sermons and teachings of Sunday service, mid-week and special programmes directly uploaded and made available all the time and anywhere. The Flockcare application enables effortless upload of video clips and allows seamless integration with YouTube. Videos can be streamed, allowing the church

congregation to view them wherever they go and can also help connect the congregation in a prayer wall as it allows members to stay connected and post individual prayer requests from their smart phones. The mobile application can be made available on Blackberry, iPhone and Android mobile platforms. It specifically brings church overseers and administrators closer to the congregation through a 2-way information platform. Developers of the software, said that the software gives church members timely information on church programmes, events and subgroup meetings in order to actively participate and network.

Flockcare can be specially branded for any church and made available for download globally in the Apple store and Android marketplace. Speaking on the idea behind the development of the software, the Marketing Manager, eKnowvate Solutions Ltd, Mrs. Ayomiku Ojeyomi stated that, “with the invigorated pace of evangelism, technological advancement and human mobility, the church in effectively carrying out its work of evangelism has to respond more radically to the management of church growth in discipleship and follow up of new converts beyond the traditional approach of one-on-one visitation".

New shoulder mounted HD camcorder revolutionises film shooting By PRINCEWILL EKUJURU

emember when television was the exclusive preserve of a select few? When no one really cared about picture qualit, but those who has access to movies on television were simply thankul to behold the wonders of motion picture? Well, those days are gone now. The average person now cares as much for the quality of a video as he does for the quality of a movie plot. Panasonic knows that. That’s why it recently introduced its latest camcorder product to widen the gap in fim shooting and photography with the pro-style shoulder mounted HD camcorder HC-MDH2. The camcorder is equipped with the “Simultaneous Recording” function, the camcorder allows recording on dual memory devices simultaneously. Panasonic’s new HC-MDH2 with greater advanced shooting performance, design and operability enables photographers to shoot still Photo’s at 20Megapixel resolution and videos in Full High Definition or in Standard Definition format. The direct manual control Of focus, Zoom, Iris, White Balance and Shutter Speed, via the manual ring, are incorporated based on user needs to have control over

varying shooting conditions. “Simultaneous Recording” in Dual Memory Devices for Added Dependability: With the Simultaneous recording function, a captured video can be recorded in dual memory devices at the same time, which means that even if a problem happens in one device while shooting, the video images are always backed up in the other device. This ensures high dependability. Relay Recording is also supported, making the camcorders effective for extended recordings. Automatically correcting the tilting of captured images to make them horizontally level for ease of viewing The tilting angle to the horizontal plane is automatically detected and corrected while the camcorder is stationary.

PETS tab for students debuts BY CHARLES MGBOLU

ast rising mobile knowledge provider, Mobile knowledge Solutions has unveiled it's Personal Educational Tablets into the Nigerian Tablets market. Mr. Ayo Yussuf, CEO marketing, explained that the product was born out of the need to salvage the mass failures suffered every year by secondary school students at the Senior School Certificate level. “The Personal Educational Tablet is embedded with a 16 gig SD card that contains past question materials of major school certificate examinations held in the country including WAEC, NECO and JAMB spanning back over 25 years along with instructional videos”, said Mr

Shola Daranijo of Business Development. Mr Yussuf further explained that the tablets have been approved by the Nigerian Educational Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Education. He said “We want to solve the myriad of problems in the educational sectors. Students no longer have to say they have insufficient preparatory materials or unqualified teachers; all they need to do is charge the batteries of the tablets”. “It is a product that has stretched over two years of research and testing. And we plan to partner with state governments to push the product to students in rural areas who may lack adequate learning facilities” Mr Yussuf concluded. C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 31

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

People led National Conference is panacea to insecurity Y

ESTERDAY's proceedings centered on the process of arriv ing at decision at the proposed National Conference. So far, we have examined the issues arising from the need to hold a national dialogue, the injustice that have been perpetuated by the fraudulent process of constitution making in Nigeria and the looming danger of insisting on the existing status quo. In this concluding part of this edition, the participants examine the issue of national security and Nigeria progress beyond 2015.

am telling you that it is on the basis of that fraud that three million barrels of crude oil are being sold everyday in Nigeria and the money is being shared by those who have declared themselves owners of the country. They put an accounting system that make the entire content of the treasury their private possession; they put immunity so that none of us can question them; they have put us in a formation of 36 states. Part of what they did in that 1977 was that the Constituent Assembly had changed so many things that were written in that document because they were after the debate. They did not want states that were created in 1967 to be retained; they did not want presidential system. In fact, there were so many things that they did not want of which the interview showed some of them. He even talked about parliamentary system of government. So at the end of September 1978, Obasanjo who was the Head of State, had to do the bidding, of the Constituent Assembly. So, the 1979 constitution did not come from the people of Nigeria. To tell you what one amendment can achieve, the country wanted parliamentary system , but one amendment changed it to presidential system, which is still bleeding us to death. The Land Use Act wouldn’t have made that constitution if the Constituent Assembly were to be asked. We lost our federalism at

the point the federating regions lost their autonomy. States were now created by the center, a long list of exclusive items that only the federal government can do are

Barr. Tony Nnadi

mental in dices. For instance, if you want electricity, only the center can provide it for you. If you want road, only the center can do it for you. There

Barr. Tony Nnadi want to have a right of the land and ethnic nadiscussion because tional that was in existthey are approximating ence in 1914 when lands resources that Lugard joined this are not his to himself,

They put an accounting system that make the entire content of the treasury their private possession; they put immunity so that none of us can question them; they have put us in a formation of 36 states.

, •Source: Movement for New Nigeria

•Fred Agbeyegbe now loaded in the constitution so that not only had not the minority become the political majority by the number of states and council areas that they created, they also took 72 per cent of content of the treasury as their right. They are in control of key develop-

are 68 items like that. So we are where we are in because we have left what we should have been doing to be doing the opposite. And for someone like Prof. Ben Nwabueze to advocate the same process of constitution making is a shame. I begin to see people like him in the National Assembly, who have this terrible idea of being the custodian of our sovereignty. I want to say that they are going to learn on the streets in the coming days that they are not the custodians of anybody ’s sovereignty. That is how bad the situation is. Elder Fred Agbeyegbe My message is that

place together, should be the basis for the selection of representations to the National Dialogue. that is to say there is not going to be any pirate national ethnic who suddenly comes to say I

the sovereign owners are the people who are coming to talk and if you do it like that, there would be no room for any body cheating anybody or anybody influencing anybody. Now when those ba-

•Mr. Marshal Kunoun am an ethnic nationality of Nigeria and I

sic decisions have been reached in all of those groups the issue of ref-

erendum that we are talking about, we must realise that we are not going to be in a position where we do not have the infrastructure or what it takes to hold a national referendum without the federal government coming into it because of the a m o u n t o f m o n e y, time, effort and resources it would take. The referendum that should be held must be at the levels at which basic decisions are been reached. For example, as the time the Itsekiri stock within themselves, nobody was likely to cheat anybody. By the time they talk with their two neighbours, the Ijaws and the Urhobos, it is their representative that will talk. When they have reached their decision, they would bring those decisions back to each of the ethnic nationalities involved in that decision making process , the referendum takes place there and then that is to say to make sure that Agbeyegbe who was sent by the Itsekiri did not sell out on the interest of the Itsekiri . They will on their own have a referendum, agreeing or disagreeing with what I brought back from my interaction with my immediate contiguous ethnic nationalities. The same would happen when you get to that stage two after all other groups have agreed to go together and come up with a federating unit, who ever is involve representation wise in reaching those decisions must be given an opportunity in a referendum to say YES or NO. by the time it gets to the top-most position where you are federating, everybody in that structure would have had a say on the matter and that is part of the sovereignty that we are talking about. So there would be no need therefore to have a national referendum which anybody can influence, either bribing people or what have

Continues on page 33

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013—33

People led National Conference is panacea to insecurity you. The other involvement of the government of course is that we have a center treasure as I speak. All the cost item have to be made available to the United Nations group and the committees that is to be set up in

It is a natural process that those who would draft the constitution will be elected and nominated by the federating units themselves and they are not going to create a new will. They are not going to make a constitution out of the

Col Tony Nyiam

accordance with this modalities that I have here by each ethnic nationalities themselves to make sure that there is no hitches in carrying out this modalities. After that everybody who would have had a right of say on any issue in the matter would have spoken through nationalities. Anybody who is an expert who is a professional expert or technically expert comes from one ethnic nationalities or the other. No matter your professional field, if your ethnic nationality does not chose you and put you for participating in this process, you have no business at the national conference because it is the use of experts that has brought us to where we are today. I am a legal practitioner but I am first and foremost an Itsekiri man. If my people does not nominate me to the conference I have no business going there. When it is time to federate the federating units at the upper most level where all the other states constitution would have been in place.

If you want electricity, only the center can provide it for you. If you want road, only the center can do it for you. There are 68 items like that. So we are where we are in because we have left what we should have been doing to be doing the opposite

constitution of all the other federating units which would be there

Mr. Hugo Odiogor

in their hands as at the time they start to write it. So there is no magic about it, there is no monopoly of knowledge that entitles anybody to take the right of the other man and sit over it. A typical example of it was the presentation of the Ijaws in Calabar in which they have said and I have a map here which they gave to the committee. It is a map of the lower Niger as at 1885 to1906, that is before 1914. this map exhibit what I am telling you. If you look at it am not saying that am accepting it like they are but it s makes a crucial point for me. You will not see Isoko on this map. There was nothing call Isoko in 1914, Isoko is part of Urhobo nationality as at 1914. they became Isoko by their own making in my life time because I was not born in 1914, I was born much later. You will also find out that there is nothing called Ikwerre. They occupy those lands now, it is their own, they occupy them as part of known nationalities who were there in 1914. so my process is not necessary depriving them of their land. They are just a sub-group of a group by another name and

I am saying that any ethnic nationalities that comes out from what was known in 1914 can not be land owning in this country and therefore has no right to come and be determining how the resources on any land is going to be shared Moderator: But that would create conflict because an Isoko man will say he has been excluded. Elder

Continues from page 32

Fred

Ag-

We lost our federalism at the point the federating regions lost their autonomy

beyegbe: No. you misunderstood me. I said the Isoko man’s land is there and the land belongs to him but as at 1914 that’s the only reason why his name is there he was not answering Isoko. So he works out his own arrangements within the Uhrobo’s who were known as at the time, that’s all.. Moderator: Mr. Ambah am free to come to you. Nigeria is a country of NOW! NOW!! We also see an

•Mr. Ambah Binebi interesting time that an Ijaw man who is a minority group in the presidency and suddenly the entire country is in turmoil. But how can we redress the issues. These modalities out lined by Elder Agbeyegbe are they achievable within the frame work or time frame available Can we achieve this in the life time of this presidency? Ambah: Thank you very much. A lot has been said about this issue particularly the technicalities in making this national dialogue work has been said by a lot of person here. But the most important thing we must border ourselves with is the life of Nigeria. Do we want Nigeria to survive or we want Nigeria to die? We actually want Nigeria to survive as a child, a youth or an adult. We must do things that would make that child

or adult to survive but if we do things that would make the child to die, there would be no Nigeria and we will not be talking about Nigeria tomorrow. This 100 years amalgamation treaty is coming to an end come December 31, 2013 and that is why it is most important at this time for us to talk because anything after 31, 2013 is on a temporary ground. The president would be a temporary president of this country, National Assembly would be an Assembly of the country on a temporary base, everybody would be a Nigerian on a temporary bases. So, any action that is taken after 31 of December 2013 would come to stand still because from that point Nigeria would be standing on nothing that is the believe and I want to assure you that the opinion back home believe that come December 31, 2013 Nigeria would expire. Anybody can take any action. So if the president dim it fits to organise a conference as a way forward, I think it is of the best interest of Nigerians equally for those people that want Nigerians to be to-

Continues on page 34

34— VANGUARD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem. “And If you would count the blessings of Allah you would not be able to count them…” (Surah Ibrahim 14:34) “Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” (Suratul-Baqarah 2: 152) “Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?” (Surah Ar-Rahman) “Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is mankind. The blessings not the case with anyone else bestowed by Allah are more except in the case of a than what we can count. believer for if he has an Showing gratitude is one way occasion to feel delight, he of recognising the favours of thanks (Allah), thus there is a Allah and if you do, you are good for him in it, and if he bound to have more. Allah gets into trouble and shows says in the Quran: “If ye are resignation (and endures it grateful, I will add more patiently), there is a good for (favours) unto you”. In the him in it.” [Muslim Chapter word La-inshakartum La 14, Book 042, Number 7138] azidannakum” in verse 7 of Suratul Ibrahim, the Obviously, there is no limit underlined La in the second to the favours of Allâh, a word is used to confirm, Muslim should unceasingly without doubt, that Allah will keep himself occupied with further blesses the person the remembrance of Allah who show gratitude to Him and expresses gratitude to and that it is actually in the Him. No matter the iota of form of an oath. So, Allah is goodness, it is worth more promising any being who than anything human being gives thanks to Him would be can give in return. further blessed. Indeed, People spend their entire Allah never breaks His lives in beseeching Allah for promise. “And remember! one thing or the other. From Your Lord caused to be the air they breathe to the declared (publicly): “If you food they eat, from being able are grateful, I will add more to use their hands and feet to (favours) unto you; But if you being able to work and walk, show ingratitude, truly My speak, hear, smell; from punishment is terrible shelter to laughter and from indeed.” happiness to healthy living; Some are wont to wait for these are indeed Allah’s special occasion to render blessings. Then He added thanks to Allah. They failed to onto us other extra favours understand that every that most people moment in someone’s life is erroneously think come as good a time for showing solely with their efforts and gratitude to the Creator. In endeavours. fact, every breath in our lives Some think that everything worth more than a million happens spontaneously. No! gratitude to Allah. If one Nothing happens except that reflects only for a moment, he it has been decreed to happen. would instantly comprehend Working hard to achieve a that he is always surrounded goal is necessary though, but with infinite favours. At every God decides how he rewards

Count your blessings moment, every minute, there is an uninterrupted flow of favours reaching him: his life, good health, intelligence, consciousness, his five senses, the air that he breaths; in brief, everything that makes life possible is given to man as a favour. In return for all these,

Again, no punishment shall befall those who have faith and are grateful: “What will Allâh gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe? Nay, it is Allâh that recognises (all good), and know all things.” (An-Nisa, 147) This

What will Allâh gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe? Nay, it is Allâh that recognises (all good), and know all things

a person is expected to serve Allâh in gratitude. Those who are heedless of these favours and accordingly refused to turn to Allâh, only acknowledge the importance of these favours when they are deprived of them. This is indeed a punishment for their ingratitude. Gratitude to Allâh is one of the acts of worship mostly emphasised in the Qur’ân. In almost 70 verses, the importance of rendering thanks to Allah is stated. If you give thanks to your creator, you are sure of getting more rewards as He as promised that expression of gratitude attracts more blessings while failure to glorify God over the blessings of God attracts punishment.

verse, together with many others give good tidings that Allâh rewards those who remain grateful to their Creator: Expression of gratitude is a

part of the test by Allah. Man is surely endowed with favour from Him and is informed about how he should benefit from this favour. In return, man is expected to assume a submissive attitude towards his Creator even as he rejoices and expresses gratitude to God. Ibn Majah recorded that Ibn ‘Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, (A servant of Allah once said, ‘O Allah! Yours is praise that is suitable for the grace of Your Face and the greatness of Your Supreme Authority.’ The two angels were confused as to how to write these words. They ascended to Allah and said, ‘O our Lord! A servant has just uttered a statement and we are unsure how to record it for him.’ Allah said while having more knowledge in what His servant has said, ‘What did My servant say’ They said, ‘He said, ‘O Allah! Yours is the praise that is suitable for the grace of Your Face and the greatness of Your Supreme Authority.’ Allah said to them, ‘Write it as My servant has said it, until he meets Me and then I shall reward him for it.) Always say Subhanallah, wa-lhamdulillah. My Lord, Sustain me that I may be thankful for the favours that You have conferred upon me and my parents, and to do what is righteous that I may receive Your satisfaction. Alhamdullilah RobilAlameen.

Quotes And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is [due] worship constantly. Then is it other than Allah that you fear? And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help. Q16:52-53

Ask Your Imam Question: The month of Safar is regarded as a month of illfortune and bad luck, please explain?

• From left: The Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou; the Muazim and other eminent Muslims at a special Jumat prayers held at Lagos Central Mosque, Lagos.

Answer: That is not true. It is only a superstition, and the handiwork of pagans who use that to taint Islam. Islam is a pure religion from Allah. First of all, Allah controls everything both the good and the ugly. He is the fashioner of every thing that happens in life. The Qurans says: “No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine Preordainments)] of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart [to the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has befallen him was already written for him by Allah from the Qadar (Divine Preordainments), and Allah is the All-Knower of everything.” Qur-an 64:11 Again, Islam does not have any room for superstitious beliefs. Muslims should not believe in any inauspicious days, weeks, months or years, that are said to be ill-luck. There is nothing that bring bad luck in Islam. The Messenger of Allah, (s.a.w) also condemned these in the following hadith related to the month of Safar: “There is no superstitious owl, bird, no star-promising rain, no bad omen in the month of Safar”. (Muslim, Bukhari) There is no bad omen in the month of Safar and no evil spirits. (Muslim) Muslims must shun all superstitious beliefs regarding the month of Safar. We must continuously keep reminding ourselves that anything good or bad, favorable, or unfavorable comes only from Allah (God).

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 35

Obviously, there is no limit to the favours of Allâh, a Muslim should unceasingly keep himself occupied with the remembrance of Allah and expresses gratitude to Him. No matter the iota of goodness, it is worth more than anything human being can give in return. People spend their entire lives in beseeching Allah for one thing or the other. From the air they breathe to the food they eat, from being able to use their hands and feet to being able to work and walk, speak, hear, smell; from shelter to laughter and from happiness to healthy living; these are indeed Allah’s blessings. Then He added onto us other extra favours that most people erroneously think come solely with their efforts and endeavours. Some think that everything happens spontaneously. No! Nothing happens except that it has been decreed to happen. Working hard to achieve a goal is necessary though, but God decides how he rewards

Count your blessings mankind. The blessings bestowed by Allah are more than what we can count. Showing gratitude is one way of recognising the favours of Allah and if you do, you are bound to have more. Allah says in the Quran: “If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you”. In the word La-inshakartum La azidannakum” in verse 7 of Suratul Ibrahim, the underlined La in the second word is used to confirm, without doubt, that Allah will further blesses the person who show gratitude to Him and that it is actually in the form of an oath. So, Allah is promising any being who gives thanks to Him would be further blessed. Indeed, Allah never breaks His promise. “And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): “If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you; But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed.” Some are wont to wait for special occasion to render thanks to Allah. They failed to understand that every moment in someone’s life is as good a time for showing gratitude to the Creator. In fact, every breath in our lives worth more than a million gratitude to Allah. If one reflects only for a moment, he would instantly comprehend that he is always surrounded with infinite favours. At every

moment, every minute, there is an uninterrupted flow of favours reaching him: his life, good health, intelligence, consciousness, his five senses, the air that he breaths; in brief, everything that makes life possible is given to man as a favour. In return for all these,

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem. “And If you would count the blessings of Allah you would not be able to count them…” (Surah Ibrahim 14:34) “Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” (Suratul-Baqarah 2: 152) “Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?” (Surah Ar-Rahman) “Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (Allah), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.” [Muslim Chapter 14, Book 042, Number 7138]

What will Allâh gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe? Nay, it is Allâh that recognises (all good), and know all things

verse, together with many others give good tidings that Allâh rewards those who remain grateful to their Creator: Expression of gratitude is a

Ask Your Imam Question: The month of Safar is regarded as a month of illfortune and bad luck, please explain?

• From left: The Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou; the Muazim and other eminent Muslims at a special Jumat prayers held at Lagos Central Mosque, Lagos.

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Amaechi sacks Urban Devt Commissioner BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has sacked the Commissioner for Urban Development, Mr. Tammy Danagogo. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Dave Iyofor, said: “Governor Amaechi directs Mr. Danagogo to handover immediately to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development.” No reason was given for the sack. However, there was speculation that it was connected with a decision of the former commissioner not to move with the governor to All Progressives Congress, APC.

PPO celebrates Jonathan

EOPLE’S Promotional Organisation, PPO, has concluded plans to celebrate what they described as President Goodluck Jonathan’s successful implementation of his transformation agenda in the key sectors. A statement by its Director-General, Deacon Arede Edeinmene, said the event will hold December 23 at Hussey College, Warri. It said the event will be chaired by Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, while the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, will deliver a keynote address.

Oron Day

RON nation in Lagos, under the aegis of Oron Union, will celebrate its 13th annual cultural festival and Oron Day tomorrow at Calabar Community Playground, Surulere, Lagos. Chairman, Media and Marketing Committee, Mr. Godwin Akadu, said the event will also serve as grand civic reception for Prof. Atim Antai, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Education.

2015: Elumelu denies connection with guber posters BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN— THE member representing Aniocha/ Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, yesterday, disassociated himself from the 2015 governorship posters which flooded different parts of Delta State. He said that his focus was to continue to support the efforts of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in the development of the state and not governorship ambition. Elumelu, who declared this to newsmen in Benin after delivering a lecture at the Annual General Meeting of Resident Doctors, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, warned persons he described as political jobbers and desperate politicians in Delta State to shun actions capable of heating up the polity in the state. Elumelu said: “My attention has been draw to the activities of some mischief makers, who have been hired by some persons to cause confusion by printing 2015 governorship posters with my photograph on them and pasting them across Delta State. “I wish to make it abundantly clear that I have not taken a decision on whether or not to contest any elective position in 2015 and so have not mandated any individual or group of persons to paste my poster across the state. “It is against this backdrop that I strongly advice political jobbers and mischief makers, who have been hired by some desperate politicians in Delta State to stop heating up the polity with baseless speculations and imaginary assertions about the 2015 governorship election in Delta State. “My paramount concern at this stage and what should be the major concern of every elected person, office holders

and political aspirants at all levels, should be how to support Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to succeed in his programme implementation.

“It is most unpatriotic for any persons at this time to heat up the body polity by distracting the governor from his programmes. “My advice to all potential aspirants, including those who have over-zealously

LECTURE: From left— Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House; Dr. Dennis Goldberg, guest lecturer; Professor Lesly Obiora and Patrick Kheamba, Governor, Trans-Zoia State Kenya, at the Trinity Nigeria Series Lecture on the theme The Price of Freedom, organised by Trinity House in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

Tricycles banned on Asaba-Benin highway BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA— OPERATORS of tricycles, popularly called Marwa, were yesterday barred from operating along the Asaba-Benin highway. Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Benson Igbakpa said the ban became necessary in view of the high rate of accidents involving tricycles on the expressway, which he described as worrisome. Igbakpa, who spoke in Asaba, said: “It is really worrisome because available statistics from the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, revealed that between May and November this year, 30 crashes, six deaths and 22

injuries were recorded. “On monthly basis, we witness an average of five carnages involving tricycle along the Benin-Asaba expressway. “With the rate of carnages recorded so far,” he went on, “it is evident that we are gradually returning to the era of Okada in the state capital and its environs. “This is unacceptable and we are prepared to enforce the ban of tricycles on our expressways in the state.” Recall that Delta State government banned the use of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, in Asaba and some major cities about a year ago and introduced the use of tricycles in its place.

DESOPADEC commissioner advocates 50% producing states from 13 to 50 people-oriented projects, he derivation per cent. said the commission, as an BY FESTUS AHON

G H E L L I — COMMISSIONER representing Ethiope East and Ughelli North Local Government Areas on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi, has appealed to the Federal Government to increase derivation fund to oil

launched their campaign for the office of the Governor of Delta State in 2015 elections to patriotically disband their campaign and use half of their energy to support Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.”

Speaking after his thanksgiving service in Ughelli on his appointment and one year in office, Obiuwevbi blamed the failure to implement certain policies, which would have been more beneficial to the people of oil bearing communities, on the non-implementation of the principles of true federalism. While noting that the commission was leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit of

interventionist agency, was committed to the development of the oil bearing communities in the state. He noted that most of the projects he met on ground had been completed and commissioned, while others “are speedily ongoing.” Obiuwevbi called for true federalism, decrying that the 13 per cent being paid to the oil producing states was not adequate.

‘Stop distracting Jonathan’

coalition of youths under the aegis of The Ambassadors has said that it was too early for politicians to start campaigning ahead of 2015 elections, warning that heating up the polity by different strategies would only distract President Goodluck Jonathan. In a statement after its quarterly briefing, the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Opeyemi Ahmed, said the President needed support and not distraction in his efforts to deliver more dividends of democracy to Nigerians. The Ambassadors also commended the President over the ongoing process towards convening a national conference that the group said would ensure the sustenance of peace and unity in the country. Presents at the briefing were Mr. Taofeek Gani, Lagos State Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Alhaji R. A. Yusuf, Chairman, Elder Council of the group; Mr. Akinolu Israel, Deputy National Coordinator; Mr. Idris Adpitan, National Secretary; Mr. Taiwo Salami, Publicity Secretary; Miss Adewale Olaore, Director of Operation, Miss Ola Esther, among others.

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Apologise to our people, Edo indigenes in UK tell PDP

Esan S-East APC alleges marginalization

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN—EDO State indigenes in the United Kingdom have called on Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State to emulate what they described as the uncommon humility of Governor Adams Oshiomhole by apologising to the people of the state for its alleged misrule in over ten years. The group, in a statement by Mr Odaro Ize-Omoregie, after a meeting of Edo Professional Forum in the UK, noted that Governor Oshiomhole made them proud when he apologised to the widow following his uncomplimentary comments against her, regretting that “PDP that created poverty in Edo State, that caused the mess Oshiomhole is cleaning up today that led to his encounter with the widow, are still priding themselves in arrogance rather than apologising to the people of the state.” According to the statement, “the outcry of PDP is like a sinner becoming a preacher. PDP should be the one apologising to Nigerians for their misrule over ten years in government. Among the numerous examples is the unending ASUU strike that the PDP government had failed to address and the dead schools, dead health centres and many others that Oshiomhole inherited from the past PDP governments in Edo State."

Ebahor for burial

HE burial of Mrs. Esther Ebahor, who died on August 25, at the age of 50, comes up at her home town Uzere, in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, on December 14. Interment will be preceded by a funeral service at Divine Apostolic Christ Mission Inc., in Uzere. She is survived by four children,relations and an in-law, among whom are Okeoghene, Mrs. Uwomano, Ojogu Onakome, Obaro and Mr Ikechuku Ojogu.

Late Mrs. Esther Ebahor

INAUGURATION: From left: Chief Favour Izoukumor, Chief Samson Mamamu and Chief S. F. Ogbokeme, during the inauguration of Ogbe-Ijoh Governing Council.

Rivers APC alleges plot by five lawmakers to impeach Amaechi BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, has alleged a plot by five lawmakers to illegally impeach the state governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi. In a statement, yesterday, acting Chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Davies Ibiamu, said the party was aware of alleged moves by five lawmakers to exploit the judgment delivered, Wednesday, by an Abuja High Court to carry out the impeachment. The party expressed shock at the court’s verdict, saying it was capable of stirring up another round of crisis in the state. The statement said the party had appealed the judgment of the trial court, stressing also that it had uncovered plans to provide police protection for the lawmakers to carry out the alleged impeachment of the governor and his deputy at the state House of Assembly. Senior Special Adviser to the Chairman on media, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, who issued the statement, said the anti-Amaechi lawmakers would first declare the seat of the pro- Amaechi lawmakers vacant on grounds that they had crossed over to APC before proceeding with the alleged impeachment.

Decision not in interest of Rivers people The statement said in part: “We are surprised that the court could render this kind of verdict despite the persisting threat to life and peace in Rivers State as a result of the unpatriotic and sponsored activities of a few members of Rivers State House of Assembly, which informed the decision of the National Assembly to take over the functions of the House. We are convinced that this decision is not in the interest of the good people of Rivers State and have, therefore, instructed our lawyers to immedi-

ately appeal against it. “We wish to alert the Nigerian public about the imminent breakdown of law and order in Rivers State if the judgment of his Lordship, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, is allowed to stand. Already, the five rebel lawmakers in a House of 32 lawmakers, have concluded plans to illegally sit as soon as they can, to impeach Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his deputy, Tele Ikuru. The aim of these misguided agents of destabilisation sponsored by Education Minister, Nyesom Wike, is to pave the way for Evans Bipi, leader of the five rebel lawmakers, to be sworn-in as the acting governor.

Lawmakers to get police protection “Information at our disposal has it that the five rebel lawmakers would be protected by policemen and men of the Armed Forces paid with taxpayers’ money, as they perpetrate this illegality and will first declare vacant the seats of the 26 legislators loyal to Governor Amaechi on the grounds that they have defected to APC. Of course, no part of Nigeria’s laws supports the intended action of the rebel legislators.

Procedure “Besides, the governor of

Rivers State, knowing the plots of these evil men, has got a High Court judgment restraining any impeachment act against him or the deputy governor of Rivers State. It is also a fact that before any impeachment act is carried out against a sitting governor, the offences of such a governor will be first transmitted to the Chief Judge of the state who will be expected to set up a committee to hear the defense of the governor based on the assumed crimes of the governor before the governor can be impeached or otherwise. But sadly, those plotting to put Rivers State into this unfortunate state may not know that at the moment Rivers State have no Chief Judge and no impeachment can be initiated against the governor in absence of a presiding Chief Jude. “But Nigerians and lovers of democracy all over the world know that impunity is the second name of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its government at the centre. So, we are pointing out these facts so that the world will be on the lookout before these undemocratic elements put into motion this act that is capable of derailing our hard earned democracy. We urge the good people of Rivers State to remain vigilant while we appeal to those behind this macabre drama to have a change of heart so as not to turn Rivers State into a theatre of war.”

ENIN—MEMBERS of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State, have threatened to dump the party over alleged neglect and marginalization in political appointments and government patronages. Meanwhile there is tension in the APC in the state as some top leaders of the party from Edo Central senatorial district, are at war with the interim leaders of the party, led by its chairman, Chief Osaro Idah and Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The leaders, Vanguard learnt, boycotted a leadership meeting last week at the party’s secretariat. They were said not to be happy with Idah's choice as the interim chairman of the party. But a top leader of the party in Edo South, disclosed that “those opposed to Chief Idah are people that want to pocket the structure of the party by wresting it from the governor who is the leader of the party. They will surely fail.” However, a leader of the party in Ward 2, Esan South East, Elder Jolly Ukpon, lamented that “ we are the only ward that has no state appointment in the entire local government and no contracts for our people whereas we are known to be the power house that decides the fate of elections in the local government. We thank Governor Oshiomhole for the construction of Ewohimi-Igueben road that cuts across Ward 2 and that was why our people unanimously voted him for a second term.” While appealing to the governor to look into their complaints, the statement warned that failure to do so might push the members to look to other political parties that might be interested in solving their problems.

Delta Beyond Oil worthy of emulattion —ODHOMOR

ARRI—GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan's drive to diversify Delta State's economy under his Delta Beyond Oil initiative has been praised as a model worth emulating by other states in Nigeria.

Chief Paul Odhomor made the observation during his conferment yesterday as Okobaro of Ellu Kingdom by HRM, Murphy Othuke Urugbezi, King of Ellu. "The governor has spread development across Delta

State with visible testimonies. He had done much more than previous governments to impact the state with his three-point development agenda,” Chief Odhomor stated. He said with the initiative the state could only flourish more.

38 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Man remanded over alleged possession of gun

Sealing of 8 banks paralyses economic activities in Imo BY CHIDINKWOPARA

ONOZUREDANIA AGOS—A 24-year-old school drop out, Yusuf Lawal, was yesterday remanded in Kirikiri Prison custody by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly being in possession of a gun, which was later discovered to be a toy. The defendant, who is standing trial before Justice kudirate Jose, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, robbery and unlawful possession of firearms, preferred against him. The prosecuting counsel Adejumo Kester, said that the defendant and others at large on August, 14, 2011 at Raji Oba in Alimosho, area of Lagos, conspired among themselves to commit robbery. Kester also alleged that the defendant had a toy gun in his possession with which he intentends to use for the robbery operation. According to the prosecutor, the offences committed is contrary to section 297 and punishable under section 296(3) of the criminal law of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011. Earlier the defendant whom the charge was read to in Yoruba Language, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. However, the defendant told the court that he was innocent of the charges against himn stating that he is a school drop out. BY

Vincentians end retreat today

INCENTIAN RETREAT Centre, 1, De Paul Close, Yakoyo-Ojodu, Lagos, will end its three-day end of year retreat today, starting from 9p.m. The event, which began on Wednesday, will feature healing, deliverance, stations of the cross, mass and vigil. It will be conducted by Rev. Fr. Roland Ntangban to be supported by other Catholic Priests. It is hosted by Vincentian Fathers.

WERRI—ECONOMIC activities in Imo State came to an abrupt halt yesterday, following the summary closure of eight commercial banks operating in the state by agents of the state government. Confirming government’s action in a press conference, the Commissioner for Internal Resources and Pension Affairs, Mr. Nick Opara-Ndudu, explained that the banks were sealed for failing to pay the state withholding tax on interest paid to customers. “The Board of Internal Revenue, in exercise of its statutory powers today, sealed the premises of eight commercial banks in Imo State for their failure to pay to the withholding tax on interest paid to customers,” Opara-Ndudu said. According to the commissioner, the action was taken in compliance with a court order granted the BIR, authorizing it to seal the affected banks after their failure to heed the repeated demands to fulfill their statutory obligations to the state. “The action of the BIR is intended to send a clear signal to all organizations and institutions

operating in the state on ten need for them to meet their statutory obligations to the state and it’s citizens,” the commissioner said. While noting that the action was taken in a very civil manner, Opara-Ndudu also revealed that the amount owed the state government was roughly N2 billion.

“We are not going to use thugs to collect this money. It was done with the Nigerian Police. We had gone through the records of these banks and determined that it is something verifiable,” he said. Opara-Ndudu gave the names of the affected banks to include United Bank for Africa, UBA, Fidelity, Diamand,

Enterprise, Keystone, Ecobank, Union Bank and First Bank. The commissioner was particularly irked that Imo had one of the lowest compliance rate in the payment of taxes in the entire country, stressing that government’s action was not punitive or meant to discourage anybody from doing business in the state.

PARTY: From left: Mrs. Uju Umeozulu, Head, Adminstration & Human Resources, Equitable Health Access Initiative, Mrs. Nkiru Nwamba, Father Chrismas, Mrs. Gladys Aghedo, Proprietress, Sumen Nursery & Primary School, Ajegunle, Lagos Mrs. Onyinye Obimdike, CEO, Zazazi Ltd, Mrs. Uche Ugo-Nwosu, CEO, Treasure Box Ltd, and Mrs. Uche Ejikeme, during the end of year party for the school children, ogranised by Love Angels Foundation, at Sumen Nursery & Primary Shool, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Conflicting reports over alleged face-off between Okorocha, dep

BY CHIDINKWOPARA

WERRI—THERE are conflicting reports from staff of Government House, Owerri, over the alleged face-off between Governor Rochas Okorocha and his Deputy, Prince Eze Madumere. A school of thought hinged the alleged face-off between the duo to an alleged plan by Madumere to build a political structure to actualize his gubernatorial ambition in 2015. According to the source, “the frosty relationship between the governor and his deputy has led to the absence of Madumere from public functions for quite some time.” Another source however explained that Madumere “has been down with a critical leg fracture”, which requires urgent medical attention.

They equally maintained that the deputy governor had been suffering from this medical problem since his days as chief of staff. Vanguard gathered that “when the pain became very

BA—THE Oganiru Ndigbo Foundation has offered free medical services to residents of Aba in Abia State during this Christmas season. To this end, 15 medical doctors from different fields, led by United Kingdom-based Dr Chin Akano, are expected to participate in the free medical service. Other medical personnel from

making the rounds that there was a crack between Okorocha and Madumere. He also denied the suggestion that the deputy governor had abandoned his office, adding that what the man needed now was prayers and not baseless rumours around his person.

Rep hails Obi’s emergence as APGA BoT chairman BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU BUJA—THE member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Victor Afam Ogene, has said that the emergence of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State as the new leader and chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT, of All Progressives Grand Alliance,

Foundation offers free medicare to Aba residents Nigeria and Igbo in Diaspora

serious, Madumere reported his predicament to his boss and was granted permission to travel to United States of America for surgery.” Reacting to this development, the Deputy Governor’s media aide, Mr. Uche Onwuchekwa, debunked the rumour now

would also participate in the exercise. Speaking to newsmen in Enugu yesterday, chairman of the Enyimba Retreat Committee of the group, John Kalu, said patients with surgical cases or requiring long term care would be referred to Abia State University Teaching Hospital at Aba.

APGA, was an important turning point in the quest to ensure that the Igbo remained relevant in Nigeria’s sociopolitical equation. In a statement by his media aide, Mr Edward Dibana yesterday, Ogene noted that over the last decade, Governor Obi had slowly but steadily, through solid personal achievements and deft political engineering, grown to become the most potent voice in promoting Igbo and panNigerian ideals. “All through his political trajectory, from the strenuous judicial battle to recover his stolen electoral mandate, to the fight against his unlawful impeachment, onto his successful tenure interpretation case, “Governor Obi has so positively impacted on Nigeria’s body of electoral laws, such that it is to his credit that

staggered gubernatorial elections in the country has become a fait accompli,” Ogene said. Ogene, who is also the Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs in the House of Representatives, observed that one of the last public acts and symbolic gesture of raising Governor Obi’s hands by the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, clearly foretold the imminence of the governor stepping into the shoes left behind by the erstwhile Igbo leader. Contending that the Anambra State governor had made enormous sacrifices for the people of the state and Ndigbo at large, including shunning several offers to take over structures of rival political parties at a time when it was convenient to do so, Ogene thankedAPGANationalChairman,Chief VictorUmeh,andmembersoftheNational Working Committee, NWC, of the party, for the honour done to Gov. Obi.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013â€”39

ENROLMENT: Senate President, Senator David Mark (middle) displaying his National Identity Number, NIN, and his Transaction Slips, after his enrolment; Chairman, Senate Committee on National ID and Population Commission, Senator Maina Lawan (right), and the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission , NIMC, Barrister Chris Onyemenam (left), at the National Assembly NIMC Enrolment Centre, Abuja.

BURIAL: From left, Assistant Corps Marshal, Nseobong Akpabio; Chief Don Etiebet, Mrs. Monica Ibanga, wife of late Professor U.A. Ibanga, during the burial, at Professor Ibangaâ€™s country home, Abak, Akwa Ibom State.

PARLEY: From left, Mr. Samuel Udeji, Brand Manager; Mr. David Allison, Chief Executive Officer, and Miss Lynda Okachie, Head, Customer Care, all of adibba.com, at the media parley with the adiba.com team, an online shopping platform, in Lagos . Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Oyenola Koyejo, KAI officer, showing his Exemplary Male Officicer award; Mrs. Giwa Lateefat, LASTMA officer , displaying her s; Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Lagos State Governor, and Dr. Mariam Masha, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Fashola on Trasport Education, during the official launch of Lagos State Enforcement Training Institute, and graduation ceremony of officers of LASTMA and KAI class of 2012/2013, at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

LAUNCH: From left, Chairman, Primlaks Group, Hemnani Ram; Chairman, Venus Processing and Packaging Company Ltd, Otunba Adeoye Tugbobo; Group Managing Director, Primlaks Group, Mr. Anil Hemnani, and Iya Oge of Lagos, Chief Opral Benson, during the formal launch of Sympli products, at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau

COMMISSIONING: General Manager, Human Resources, Bristow Helicopters, Mr. Femi Collins; Principal ii, Mr. Solomon Adeoye; Principal i, Mr. Alimi Kehinde, both of Wesley Primary School, at the commissioning of 14 computers & Internet and solar system donated by Bristow Helicopters.

CALL TO BAR: From left, Chief Sunday Obi, Mr. Austine Obi, and Mrs. Roseline Obi, during the call to bar of Austine Obi, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

AWARD: Chairman, House Committee on e-Parliament, Hon. Razaq Bello-Osagie (left), receiving certificate of credence as Ambassador of Ethics and Conscience, having emerged most ethically responsible member of the House of Representatives (from Edo state) 2013, from rep of the Executive Director of Ethics and Self Evaluation, Mr. Bashir Umar, in Abuja.

INVESTITURE: From left, Mr. Adebayo Adenubi, Past President, Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, (Chartered), Mrs. Margaret Adeleke; Past President, NIM, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole; Immediate Past President,NIM, Dr. Nelson Uwaga; President and Chairman of Council, NIM, and Dr. Chinyere Uwaga, at the investiture of Dr. Nelson Uwaga, as the 19th President and Chairman of Council of NIM, at Muson Centre, Lagos. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu

CONCERT: Mr. Larry Annetts (left), Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, in a chat with Mr. Michael Collins Ajereh (a.k.a Don Jazzy), and Sidney Esiri, popularly called Dr. Sid (middle), during MTN 'Loud in Naija musical concert,' in Ikeja, Lagos.

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Borno pledges assistance to NIS

CBN invests N6.1bn in ABU BY EMMANUEL

BY NDAHI

ELEBEKE

MARAMA

AIDUGURI— BORNO State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has assured the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, that his administration would assist the organization, especially in the area of logistics for the effective control of the porous borders across the state. Shettima gave the assurance when the newly deployed Borno State Comptroller of NIS, Alhaji Modu Musa, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House Maiduguri. He said the NIS in the state needed a lot of logistics and financial support to effectively police the porous areas bordering three neighbouring countries, Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic, adding that, despite the security challenges, the NIS in Borno was doing a good job and deserved to be supported, as the state was the only one in the country which shared borders with three countries. On the recent attack on Maiduguri by the Boko Haram insurgents, the Governor said, it was a wake-up call on the side of the security agencies and urged them to change their methods of operation, as according to him, the terrorists were becoming more daring on a daily bases. Earlier in his speech, Musa had commiserated with the governor and the people of Borno over the Boko Haram attacks that have claimed so many lives and destroyed property worth millions of Naira.

CSP Yinkore for burial

HIEF Superintendent of Police, C SP, David Yinkore (rtd.), of Adoboukeme town in Esanma town, Bomadi council of Delta State, aged 65, is dead. He will be buried today. His body will leave Oboro Mortuary for his home town, Esanma, for lying-in-state at his compound and interment.

PRESENTATION: Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (left) receiving the 2nd overall best Prize won by the state during 2013 Abuja National Carnival from one of the participants from the state, Miss Baliqees Adebayo, of Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin at Government House, Ilorin.

Plateau trains youths on unarmed combat, security consciousness J

BY TAYE OBATERU & MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

OS—PL ATEAU State Government is currently training 1,000 youths from the 17 local government areas of the state on “unarmed combat, intelligence gathering and security consciousness” to empower them to tackle insecurity and terrorism threats in the state. The trainees are leaders of 4,000 Operation Rainbow youths, a state-based security outfit, who were earlier trained on neighbourhood watch in 2011 and are now working in the 325 wards in the state. Speaking with newsmen yesterday at the Leadership and Citizenship Training Centre, Shere Hill, Jos, where the first batch of the youths are receiving the four weeks training, the Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, AVM Bala

Danbaba said the trained youths will be team leaders who will train others in their respective communities across the state. He disclosed that the training which encompasses physical and intellectual training, is aimed at making trainees prepared to disarm terrorists and safeguard their local communities, adding that the state will also “set up security studies in the state university and secondary schools so that everyone in the state will be security conscious.” Danbaba recalled that 30 members of the neighbourhood watch were trained in Isreal to become instructors to the team leaders in Nigeria because of the cost and “ we are training people to protect their communities and build people’s capacity to defend themselves and not to attack anybody.” He maintained: “The train-

ing will ensure ability to think, develop inner strength, toughen them to disarm attackers and create a society that cannot be intimidated.” The chief executive officer of International Security Academy (ISA) which is conducting the training, Mirza David, whose organization said their goal is to partner with Plateau State by using secret weapon which is security consciousness. According to him, “Isreal’s secret weapon which has been and will always be in our entire society is the education, training and preparation of Isrealis have defeated and mitigated the violent crime and terrorism and have helped and will continue to help bring healthy economy and high living standards to our country ’s population.” The youths were seen undergoing various degrees of training in the camp.

Shema signs bill amending sections of Penal Code

AT S I N A — K AT S I N A State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, yesterday, signed into law, the bill passed by the state House of Assembly, amending some sections of the Penal Code Law, for harsher punishment for homosexuality. The new law prescribes 14 years imprisonment, without option of fine, for those found guilty of homosexuality, lesbianism and sexual harassment. The State House of Assembly recently amended Sections 284 and 285 of Penal Code Law, Cap. 96, Laws of Katsi-

na State, 1991, to provide for stiffer punishment for those found engaged in the illegal acts. The law states: “Whoever has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with 14 years’ imprisonment and liable to N10,000 fine. “Any woman, who employs means of satisfying her sexual desire through bodily contact with another woman or otherwise, with or without her consent, shall be liable to 14 years’ imprisonment together with N10,000 fine.

“Whoever commits gross indecency upon another person; sexually harasses or causes fear by use of force or otherwise or threatens another person with failure in examination, promotion, admission or employment, or colludes with others to commit the above offences, shall be punished with 14 years’ imprisonment and N10,000 fine.” Hajiya Fatima Jibo, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, told newsmen in Katsina that the law also empowered the court to ask the offender to pay compensation to the victim.

ADUNA—THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is investing about N6.1 billion in the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Pustapha Abdulahi has said. Abdulahi spoke yesterday, when the Good Governance Team, NGGT, visited the institution to inspect some projects. He said that the money was being channelled into the construction of students’ hostels for both male and female students of Business Administration, Accountancy and Economics Departments. The project, according to him, also included the construction of faculty blocks with 200 capacity bed space of five star standards. He however, explained that the project which was expected to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the university started in 2009 as part of the corporate social responsibility, of the CBN adding that they would be ready by 2014. “The project will improve teaching and learning in this university, with regards to post graduate students,” he said. ABU is one of the six premier universities in the country which would benefit from the CBN int e r v e n t i o n . In his response, the Senior Personal Assistant to the Minister of Information, Mr. Kingsley Osadolor lauded the efforts of the CBN in upgrading the standards of infrastructure in the nation’s universities.

Church holds Messiah’s Banquet

RIUMPHANT Baptist Church, Akowonjo, will on December 15, hold this year ’s edition of Messiah’s Banquet. The programme, which holds at Ben Auto Events Center, Santos Layout, starts at 10am. The theme for the event is Celebrating the Indescribable Gift. The Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Festac, Rev. Dr. Victor Akerele is the guest speaker.

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C M Y K

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48—Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 IT is a matter of fact that the great statesman is gone, and gone also with all his attributes recognized throughout the world. Never in African history has such array of dignitaries (including 91 Heads of governments) ever assembled in African soil to honour a departed soul. The other great African, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana became dictatorial in his last days before he was ousted in a coup organized by his country’s military adventurers. Among the many virtues of Nelson Mandela was that spirit of forgiveness – a trait alien to many African leaders, who like the French Bourbons have ‘learnt nothing and forgotten nothing‘. His personality was assaulted, abused and his family serenity was disturbed during his long period of incarceration. It is often forgotten by many that Mandela‘s forgiving attitude was borne out of the salient point of realism. It is a fact that though political administration of the country in the 1990s was in the hand of Mandela and his African majority, but the economy and the brutal military force were in the firm control of the minority whites. Nelson Mandela was not a stupid man when he was in ‘power‘ The outspoken but troublesome Zulus were among his bitterest enemies and his reconciliatory attitude was responsible for the emergence of Jacob Zuma as the country’s current President. The sad departure of Nelson Mandela has created a great vacuum in African political panorama. The need for a ‘statesman‘ and not a politician is more obvious now more than ever. A s recognized by our own President Goodluck Jonathan, the local politicians are fussy and petty and with insatiable appetite for power, prestige and money. They can maim and kill, if necessary, to satisfy their objectives. Apart from lust for power and prestige, the bad local politician is very corrupt,

civil war (1967-70) but his advisers might have informed him about the ethnic components of the Nigerian war generals. It is unfortunate that since the return of Democracy in 1999, ethnic and religious disturbances have become more rampant throughout the country, especially in the Northern sectors. Also, issues of political dissents have become more acrimonious, leading to assassinations in the South. However, President Jonathan‘s idea of a ‘National Discourse‘ (if genuine) and his pursuit of peace and reconciliation with G7 (rebellious PDP Governors) appear statesmanlike. in criminal activities is unabated, oil theft APGA’s victory and oil pipeline vandalisation are not The victory of APGA‘s reducing significantly and the scourge of poverty through unemployment is candidate in the recent widespread. That is the heavy burden ‘inconclusive‘ and later, of responsibility carried on the ‘supplementary‘ elections‘ shoulders of President Jonathan on his though expected, but raised some questions of legitimacy in journey to and back from South Africa. Could President Goodluck Jonathan the present electoral processes in rise above the pettiness and corruption Nigeria where the declared of the local politicians and their ever- winner scores less than 50 per learning process and view the problems cent of total votes cast. Some political pundits believe of Nigeria with the eyes of a Statesman? The problems of the that the Ikemba (Ojukwu) country to me, are so fundamental and wanted APGA to be the sole complex that they require “Helicopter political party for the Ibo as the View” approach. Since it appears that AD was the political party for the such a lofty approach is not one of the Yoruba. Both parties were to form natural gifts of the present leadership, a block against the “Colossus” of it could be purchased at any price for the North. the prosperous future of Nigeria It The idea could not survive the requires a strenuous effort to convince rampaging forces of PDP under Nigerians that the present Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. What is happening now that administration is not for enhancement the South-South and South-Eastern the Yoruba are being driven into zones and to influence the seemingly the warm arms of the Fulanis/ dangerous political alignment. The Hausa strategists? It looks as if the expected seemingly dangerous political alignment of North-West; North-East Yoruba/Ibo political alliance has and South-West political zones. The become a mirage even with cases President might be an adult during the of long interaction and mixed marriages.

Reshaping the destiny of Nigeria surviving and promoting corruption in a corrupt society. The leadership which is corrupt would always find one excuse or the other to prevent eradication of corruption or the extirpation of any germ of social disease. Anywhere the leadership itself is immersed in corruption, impunity would be the other of the day and those in the anti-corruption crusade would be regarded as avoidable jokers. Thus, the beautiful country called Nigeria harbors many corrupt leaders and numerous jokers seeking attention of the people. The bad politicians with their bags of money would always win any time and in any day in a country with deepening poverty and high rate of unemployment. However, there is always a narrow gap between a hard-working politician and a Statesman which could be filled by a complete change of attitude. A local politician, even if he becomes the leader, would concentrate only on those aspects which could keep his party together and plan always for the success of the party in future elections. At present, the ruling party (PDP) is busy patching up its own internal problems of indiscipline, sabotage and disloyalty to avoid defeat in 2015. The opposition, too, is throwing its doors wide-open to all comers, irrespective of difference in political ideology or economic philosophy in order to capture power in 2015. The political parties are at each other‘s throats in the pursuit of political power in 2015 when in 2013, the fires of destruction of life and property, arising from Boko Haram insurgency, are still rife, the surge

Oshiomhole hasn't unfixed Anenih — Agbonayinma A CHIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, in Edo State and former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Foreign Relations, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma in this interview describes the present administration in the state as deceptive, dismissing as false the governor’s claims of having reduced Chief Tony Anenih to a community leader. BY CHARLES KUMOLU

RE you not worried that people will begin to see you as a rebel, first you were in Gov Oshiomhole’s government and you stormed out and secondly, you are a member of the NRC Board and you spearheaded the revolt that led to the forced resignation of Alhaji Baraje as the Chairman of the Board? I am not a rebel. Over the years, I have always spoken my mind. When I left Oshiomhole, I didn’t join the PDP, I went home to be doing my business. I even travelled out for months; I was not ready to join any political party. I didn’t resign because of any political party. I resigned because of the way that Oshiomhole was conducting himself to the people. He has no respect for anybody; there was deception in government and so, I couldn’t bear it any more. I said to myself: this is not the same Oshiomhole that I knew; this is not the same Oshiomhole that

was very humble, fearless. You talk to people nicely, respect people, but all of a sudden, you change. So it was worrisome to me and I decided to leave because I did not want to be part of the bashing. I am a good son of my father; I was brought up by humble parents; I was raised in the village; I never knew there was light but today I have travelled far and wide, live in America for over 28 years, have been able to sit with presidents of various countries, and I know my onions. I didn’t resign because I wanted to join the PDP; I resigned because of the failure of Oshiomhole to fulfill all the promises that he made to the people. Apart from that, I was called upon; PDP approached me; yes, I was one of the founding members of the PDP. In the beginning, myself and Chief John Odey ran the activities of a critical committee of the National Convention of the PDP in 2005; I had played many roles in PDP in the past.

•Agbonayinma

Now talking about the Board of the NRC, yes I worked for PDP and they found me worthy and when the position came the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih and our great leader, Chief Tony Anenih as well as our leader in Edo South, Captain Hosa Okunbo and others said that they should give it to me. I didn’t leave Oshiomhole Government because of the NRC Board appointment, I was nominated

and Mr President approved it. On the resignation of the Chairman of the NRC, you know when you are given an opportunity to serve your country, you must serve it to the best of your knowledge; we were all given the opportunity; Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, having served as the National Secretary of our great Party, acting National Chairman of the Party, we found him very formidable to be our chairman at the NRC, but down the line, we didn’t know what was happening. Before he decided to go and join the new PDP, he never consulted with us; after a while, months gone, no Board meetings held, I placed calls to him to know the directions, he would never return my calls. Would you say that the PDP is still relevant in the state? The PDP is still very much on ground in Edo State and it is waxing stronger by the day. The people in Edo will attest to that reality. I am from Edo; I can tell you categorically what is on ground in the state as of today. Edo today is nothing to write home about when you are talking about governance, never mind what you have been hearing on the radio and television or what you have been reading on the pages of newspapers. People in government tend to deploy the

instrumentality of propaganda to hoodwink people living outside the state. Indeed, PDP is on ground. At a time, the party had its downside; that was one of the reasons Oshiomhole came on the scene but you cannot tell me that as of 2013 that PDP is not on ground. PDP is formidable and fully on ground because of what Oshiomhole has turned the socalled ACN that is now called APC into. Oshiomhole is a man who said “let the people lead,” but he is now the one leading the people. Edo state is comatose to the extent that in Benin city where I come from, there is nowhere you can see any road that is motorable apart from the Federal Roads that the governor is competing with the Federal Government for; he is doing the gutters when the Federal Government had already done the roads and is now praising himself that he has constructed roads! But he has constructed the airport road in Benin. Is that not so? Looking at the Airport road that he used almost N15 to N16 billion to construct, the road that is less than seven killometres, up till today, for almost four, five years or thereabout, the road is not completed.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013— 49

Jerry Utethe seeks N4m for kidney transplant

• Jerry Utethe undergoing dialysis

Nigeria records longest breakfast cereal table

ERRY Utethe, a patient of end stage kidney failure, requires immediate financial intervention for proper medical treatment for his worsening health condition. Prior to his current predicament, the 51-year -old had undergone a previous kidney transplant in India in 2009. He had functioned without any mishap until August this year when problem reared head again. Now a shadow of his usual vibrant and energetic self, Jerry has been diagnosed of a second kidney failure and is now rendered totally incapacitated. The illness has turned the Utethe family's joy into anguish and misery, as he now compelled

to undergo regular haemodialysis just to stay alive. Each session of dialysis at Life Support Medical Centre, Ikeja, costs N25,000 N30,000. Currently, Jerry who lapses in and out of coma, has amassed a huge medical bill, that is being undertaken by family, friends and other well wishers. The Utethes are appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians, corporate bodies, philanthropists and the general public to assist in helping to raise the required sum that is now the key to their bread winner’s survival. Donations can be sent to EcoBank, Utethe Jerome Emonena, 0962006914.

EADING nutrition, Health and Wellness Company, Nestlé Nigeria, has attained a new world record for the longest breakfast cereal table. An estimated 1,700 people sat and ate together the world's largest cereal breakfast on Saturday, November 30, 2013, at Cocoa Mall in Ibadan, Nigeria. The previous world record, held in Dubai, registered 1,354 participants. Speaking on the historic feat, Gerben Kamps, Category Business Manager, Nestlé Milo Crunchy Cereals described breakfast as the most important meal of the day. “Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast miss out on many vital nutrients, which they are unlikely to make-up for during the rest of the day. With this event, we have informed over two million people in Ibadan about the need to eat breakfast.” Beyond setting a new world record, over 5,500 bowls of delicious nutritious Milo Crunchy Cereals were served, underscoring the nutritional benefits of eating breakfasts made from fibre-rich wholegrain with the full complements of vitamins and minerals.”

• Participatnts at the world’s longest breakfast cereal table in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

NAFDAC destroys N525m substandard products BY RACHEAL OLAYIWOLA

HE National Agency For Food And Drug Administrative And Control, NAFDAC, recently destroyed fake and adulterated goods valued at N525 million at the destruction site in Sagamu Local Government Dump site NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mr .MacDonald Garba said the products were voluntarily handed over by compliant companies, states ministries of health, Nigeria Navy Reference, the Air Force clinic as well as andard and expired food products, cosmetics and other regulated products seized from different establishments in the South West States of the country, Garba said the Agency had over the years embraced collaboration with stakeholders to organise capacity building workshop for regulated industries in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical sectors to ensure only safe medicines and wholesome foods are sold to Nigerians. “I wish to call on all Nigerians especially on this Yuletide Season, to be watchful of drugs, foods and other regulated products and not to hesitate to report suspicious activities within their environment to the nearest NAFDAC office,” he stated.

Over 45: Questions men, women should ask their doctors I N this part of the world tradition holds the patient at the mercy of their doctors decisions and instructions. I have seen even the most educated and informed patient hold back when opportunities arise for discussion with their physician. This is more cultural than geographical because these same people do exactly the same thing at doctor visits overseas. When you are finally seated in front of your Doctor, especially men and women above the age of 45 years, this not the best time to talk current political issues or the next Premier League match. There are health related topics relevant to your age-group on matters well within your control. Yes, we don't mind chatting with you about Arsenal and Manchester United, and we too believe that Nigerian students have suffered from the unhealthy stare-down between ASUU and the Federal Government. However there are some questions you should ask us that will affirm your determination to

STAY HEALTHY. Ask these 5 questions below with trust and confidence. Ladies first......

Am I at a healthy weight?

Tell us about your diet and exercise and ask how to improve them. Hormones changes after menopause, making weight management difficult. Ask us if there are other reasons you might be gaining weight, such as diabetes or thyroid issues. "And ask what your healthy weight should be and how to get there. We may refer you to a nutritionist or fitness trainer.

Lately, I've lost interest in many things and feel sad. Am I depressed?

Depression affects many people. As we get older it occurs twice as much in women than men. If you have felt down, sad or hopeless, or had little interest or pleasure in doing things for the last two weeks ask your doctor to screen you for depression.

When do I need my mammogram, pap smear and colon cancer test?

Ask your doctor to tailor

screenings based on your personal, medical and family history, and your values. Women over 50 should ask about mammograms, pap smears and colorectal cancer. Discuss screenings for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and osteoporosis also. Ask to be referred to a one-stop shop for well woman health screening. Some women, and some husbands too, are personally, traditionally and culturally more comfortable in facilities run by women for women.

I think I've started menopause. Any advice?

Menopause, which officially begins 12 months after your last period, increases your risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in women. And address menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep difficulties and vaginal dryness. Hormone replacement therapy may help reduce menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and night sweats. A large Study in 2002 found that women who took

HRT were at increased risk for breast cancer, stroke and heart disease. But then a 2012 16-year study in Denmark found that hormone therapy begun right after a woman's final period protects women from heart attack and heart failure. And cancer risk for women who did or did not take HRT was the same. Ask your doctor about the timing, risk and benefits.

What's my diagnosis and my treatment options?

If you are diagnosed with a condition, don't leave the clinic or hospital without asking how sure your doctor is of the diagnosis. If he doesn't know, ask how to get more information. I often direct my patients to specific internet sites. A blanket advice to "look online" may lead unsuspecting patients to suspicious and incorrect medical information. According to 2012 statistics published in The American

Journal of Medicine, 15 percent of medical cases in DEVELOPED countries are misdiagnosed. Ask about the benefits and side effects of each treatment option and about alternatives, too. Ask about interactions between your medications. If the treatment is surgery or a procedure, ask why you need it and how often the doctor has done it. You want to hear "I've done quite a few" not "It's a procedure I'd love to try". Next week, I will write about the five questions men should ask. •Dr. Femi Ogunyemi, FRCA, FWACS, is a member of the British Pain Society, American Pain Society, the North American Neuromodulation Society and the Aerospace Medical Association. He is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management and a Fellow in Pain Medicine from Emory University.

50 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 20 13 — 51 2013

Vanguard CLASSIFIED OBI DADSON—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Elizabeth Obi Dadson, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elizabeth Joseph Shoyombo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKORO—I, formerly known and called Miss Chikaodi Joeann Okoro, now wished to be called and addressed as Mrs.Obi Chikaodi Joeann. All former documents remain valid. Eko Electricity Company, EKDC, Lagos and general public take note.

IDRIS—I, formerly know an addressed as Miss Muhsina Arinola Idris, now wish to be known an addressed as Mrs. Muhsina Arinola Atunnise. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKORO—I, formerly know an addressed as Mr. Okoro Samson Odiri, now which to be known an addressed as Mr. Reuben Samson Odiri. All former documents relating to my documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODUMODU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifeoma Christiana Odumodu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Christiana Nwagwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DERIBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Deribe Chinwendu Eze, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eze Chinwendu Wendy. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Immigration Service and general public please take note.

A K A K E M — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Akakem Chizomam Prisca Brascidis, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tagbo Chizomam Prisca. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EHIMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Seth Ozoemena Ehima, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Seth Ozoemena Odoemene. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FRIDAY—I, formerly known and addressed as Prince Friday Ekponbor Omonjiahio, now wish to be known and addressed as Prince Fredrick Omonjiahio. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOKOLO—We, formerly known and addressed as (1) Nelson Okolie Mokolo, (2) Helen Loma Mokolo, (3)IfeanyiChukwu Joy Mokolo-Ben, (4)Chukwuagbogwu Elijah Mokolo-Ben and (5)Uchechukwu Elisha Mokolo-Ben, now wish to be known and addressed as (1) Onyekachukwu Okolie Nelson, (2) Helen Loma Nelson, (3)IfeanyiChukwu Joy Nelson, (4)Chukwuagbogwu Elijah Nelson and (5)Uchechukwu Elisha Nelson. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGWUZHI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogwuzhi Maureen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogwu Maureen Nkeonye. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IWEREBOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Ferdinand Iwerebor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. F e r d i n a n d Chukwuyen. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. OKAFOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Chinwe Florence, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oputa Chinwe Florence. All former documents remain valid. University of Lagos and general public take note.

JINADU—I, formerly known and addressed as Jinadu Charles Jeremiah, now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwawalehinmi Charles Felix Ifeanyichukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AHINZECHUKWU—We, the family of Mr. Kenneth Ikechi Uwaezuoke & Mrs. Juliet Okwudiri Uwaezuoke, wish to change our family surname from Uwaezuoke to Ahinzechukwu, and now want to be known and addressed as Mr. Kenneth Ikechi Ahinzechukwu & Mrs. Juliet Okwudiri Ahinzechukwu. This change will also enable us bear the same surname with our children who are already bearing Ahinzechukwu as their surname. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

formerly

TAIWO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Moyofoluwa Grace Taiwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Moyofoluwa Grace Oladeji. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKINDELE-OBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Temilola Foluke Akindele-Obe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Temilola Foluke Adediji. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Correction of name UREMURE—The name Wisdom Uremure was wrongly written as (Wisdom Remure) in a First Bank savings account Number 3071109845. I therefore request the Bank Management to make the necessary correction by reverting to UREMURE for normal transaction with valid document of the bearer. First Bank and general public please take note.

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O L AT I G B E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatosin Modupe Olatigba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatosin Modupe Bankole (Nee Olatigbe). All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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AKPAN—I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Akpan Okon Ebukidiok, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Akpan Bright Stephen. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANABARAONYE—I formerly known and addressed as Miss Anabaraonye Chinasa Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Torere Chinasa Joy. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. OGBU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogbu Hannah Chidiebere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olaoye Chidiebere Hannah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NYA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Victoria Ita Nya, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Victoria-Nya Embassy Tapre. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A M O D U — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Amodu Olajumoke Mojisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeyemi Olajumoke Mojisola. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AYIGBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayigbe Onaome Irene, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bolarinwa Onaome Hannah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZENWA-ELUMELU — I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Gloria Chinyeugo Ezenwa-Elumelu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gloria Chinyeugo Chukwuka-Ehinze. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OVIVIE —We, formerly known and addressed as Richard Eniwomake Ovivie, Evi Ultra-King Ovivie, Efo Ovivie, Ogheneovo Eniwomake Ovivie, Erezi Ovivie , Ajiri Eniwomake Ovivie, Mrs. Beatrice Odezi Ovivie, now wish to be known and addressed as Richard Eniwomake, Evi Ultra-King Richard, Efo Richard, Ogheneovo Eniwomake Richard, Erezi Richard, Ajiri Eniwomake Richard, Mrs. Beatrice Odezi Richard Eniwomake. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

OYADONGHA — I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. O y a d o n g h a Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Olorogun Blessing. All former documents remain valid. I g b i n e d i o n University, Okada, NYSC and general public please take note.

IKECHUKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifeoma Ikechukwu Emerenini, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Dickson Oyovwi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ALABI—I,

known and addressed as Alabi Bamidele, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayodele Bamidele. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I H E O N U — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Iheonu Chidinma Stella, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osunwa Chidinma Stella. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. NWOFOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinwendu Lovely Nwofor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinwendu Lovely Tamunonengiofori Warmate. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. OJOGBANE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Laide Ojogbane, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Laide Okpe. All former documents remain valid. Federal Ministry of Science & Technology and general public please take note.

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52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

CHAN: Amokachi laments players’ exodus NYG: Cross-River state boxers dominate event D C ANIEL Amokachi moaned about the negative impact players movement abroad has had on Nigeria’s preparation for the African Nations Championship (Chan). The Super Eagles assistant coach decried the fact that most of players that qualified Nigeria for a maiden appearance in the competition are no longer available for selection, as they have moved abroad in search of greener pastures. While hailing the

competitiveness of the players in camp, Amokachi lamented the fact that the team has had to undergo a major overhauling within a short period of time. “About 80 per cent of the players we started with if not more have gone,” Amokachi lamented. “But these new sets are giving us hope that Nigeria is always blessed with talented footballers.” Amokachi has been in charge of the team in the absence of coach Stephen Keshi who is expected to arrive later today.

ROSS River state athletes were exceptional on Thursday as three of their boxers dominated in three categories of the final results of the boxing event released at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG). The Cross Riverians punched their way to the top after David David, Ekire Paul and Asa Etim punched their ways to victory in their final bouts on Thursday. David David had it raw

•Amokachi

SBMA honours Biz Law, Osugo, Demola Ali, Ojidoh, FashinaThomas for service to sports journalism

T was an emotional night, Saturday, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers when the Sports Business and Media Awards ( SBMA ) rolled out the red carpet in recognition of Prominent Nigerians who had served sports meritoriously in their time as journalists and broadcasters. According to Chairman of the occasion, John Momoh, CEO of Channels TV, it was quite emotional to see “physically, those men who were role models for us to follow”. In a telephone conversation, Chief Ojidoh who called in from his Sapele base, said he was delighted to have been remembered

at a time there is a dangerous tendency to forget “ the labours of our heroes past….” While receiving their awards Chief Ajibade Fasina-Thomas, erudite image maker of the National Sports Commission and Alhaji Demola Ali ( Alias Fireman) long time PRO of the Nigeria Olympic Committee were unanimous in thanking SBMA for remembering them while they were still alive. Top on the list of those who were honoured with the Evergreen category included the master himself, legendary Vanguard Columnist Bisi Lawrence, Peter Osugo of the then Daily Times and former Team Manager of the Green

Alampasu Continues from B/P Europe by the 16 - year - old in future as interested suitors might not know the legitimate club to do business with. Abuja based grassroots team, Football Academy claim Dele Alampasu’s economic rights belong to them having signed a four - year deal with the club before the start of the World Cup and he even traveled several times to Europe with the squad to participate in youth tourneys. On the other hand, Lagos State Festival Team stress that the Nigeria youth was not

properly cleared by Football Academy Abuja when they spotted him. Since Alampasu returned from United Arab Emirates, where he was chosen as the best goalie of the tournament, he has refused to rejoin FAA as Lagos State insists he is their man. Now Football Academy Abuja have threatened to report Lagos Festival Team to local regulators, the Nigeria Football Federation if Dele Alampasu fails to return to the capital in the coming days.

Eagles, Pa Ojidoh of the Bendel Observer fame. Also honoured was Robert Ndabai, West African Pilot and Concord, and Walter Oyatogun of FRCN. For the Gold Sports Journalist Icon were Paul Bassey, Sunny Ojeagbase, Fabio Lanipekun, Tony Akiotu, Isaac Ibhafidon, Muyiwa Daniel and Olu Amadasun. Mallam Danladi Bako, commissioner of sports in Sokoto State and former Chief Executive of National B r o a d c a s t i n g Commission ( NBC ) led the list of Active Practitioners honoured in the night.

•Bassey

•Serena Williams

Williams sisters inspired me, says Plateau tennis winner said she was usually Abuja.

LATEAU State tennis player, Lizzy Pam said that American tennis sisters, Venus and Serena Williams inspired her to win the final of her match at the on-going National Youth Games (NYG) in

Eaglets Continues from B/P Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and goalkeeper Dele Alampasu have been drafted from the history-making team to the 2013 FIFA World Cup in the UAE. “All the players including the young Eaglets have been tremendous at training sessions and I personally will not be surprised if they make the final squad for the CHAN tournament, but we will have to wait for our boss to have a look at them and make a final decision,” said assistant coach Amokachi. Eagles goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorunmu, said he has been very impressed with the team’s two new goalkeepers, Isah

•Bako

with Lawson Sakirudeen from Osun state but later secured a 2-1 split decision from the judges to win the 51 kg category bout. Ekire Paul humbled his opponent Wasiu Aderemi from Kwara through a unanimous decision in the 54 kg, while Asa Etim won through a technical knockout against Maxwell Caroline (Delta) in the Female 57 kg, to make it three wins in three boxing finals for Cross River. Delta State registered its name with two wins which were provided by two female boxers, Ekpelimode Sophia in the 51 kg category and Okoro Avwerosho in the 54 kg.

Danladi of Sharks and Alampasu. “They have been wonderful along with Dan Akpeyi and Chigozie Agbim, they can even challenge for World Cup places, but it might be too early in the day, so let’s keep our fingers crossed for now,” said the former Nigeria World Cup star. Amokachi said they are starting from the scratch with players for the CHAN as a good number of them has moved abroad. “About 80 per cent of the players we started with if not more have gone, but this new set is giving us hope that Nigeria is always blessed with talented footballers,” he said.

Lizzy Pam defeated her opponent Sarah Adegoke from Oyo state in the singles event. She won in two straight set (6-2, 7-5) to win the tennis female final. Pam, a 15 year-old student of Culford secondary school, Bury Saint Edmund, England

inspired by the performance of the Williams sisters whenever she played a match. She said she specifically travelled down to Nigeria to participate in the games and to showcase her talent, adding that she was proud representing her state in the tennis event.

Mikel Continues from B/P take all the games as they come with all seriousness. We will go for victory in the opening game against Iran because the first game is always very important in such a competition. Then, we do so for the other games. I am sure we will progress from the group.” On the strength f the teams in the group, Mikel said “Argentina are favourites but Iran and Bosnia may be tougher. We will face all of them with the same seriousness and the zeal to win.”

He said he was full of expectations ahead of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, having missed the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. “I missed the 2010 World Cup due to injury. I am looking forward to Brazil with great expectation. It will be a great and fruitful tournament for us and looking at our team right now, we are good enough to do well in Brazil.” He said he was ready to help the Eagles do well at the tournament, noting that “as a player, I want to do well and help my country do well.’

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 53

54 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013 — 55

08053068728

World Cup draw, Uduaghan and Sports Minister I have read some criticisms on the appointment of two foreign coaches for track and field by the sports minister, Bolaji. Some good points were raised. However, I do know that Bolaji Abdullahi means well for our sports. I was initially skeptical about his genuine interest for sports development until I saw some of his moves to correct many wrongs in our sports. He is human

AST minute changes in space allocation killed this column last week. I serve it today. But let me briefly touch on two things that happened after that. First, the 2014 World Cup draw. With Argentina, Iran and Bosnia in our group, Nigeria, many say, could not have had it better. I agree but may I recall that in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Nigeria also had an easy group with Argentina, Greece and Korea. It was even such that, at a time during the games, Nigeria needed just one win to qualify to the next stage. But we failed and woefully too. I therefore, plead that we stop celebrating the seeming good draw and plan well for a good outing. Yes, we have a chance to go far. Can we take our chance?. More on this later. After receiving the Nigeria Sports Award as the Best Governor in sports development and the Business Day Newspaper’s Best Governor Award, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State also nipped the Best Governor Award from Sports, Business and Media Awards all within one month. I had written before that if only five more governors could be like Uduaghan and Liel Imoke of Cross River State, Nigerian sports would shine again. Hosting national teams like Imoke does may not actually be developmental programmes but Imoke has been marvelous in track and field. He has a school programme that could produce results long after he would have left office. A little is manifesting now with their repeated victories in secondary school games. What has earned Uduaghan more accolades and respect is that he is into football, track and field, swimming, wrestling, tennis and he has continued to build and develop facilities in the state. The Governor’s Cup for soccer among the secondary schools, the Awoturo Eleya Cup, a track and field special event for schools and local communities in Delta, is a novel and the sponsorship of some athletes are some of the programmes that make Uduaghan stand out. His passion for sports appears not to know bounds. My only fear is that some of his programmes may die at the end of his tenure if his successor does not share his passion for sports. And that’s why I plead that he insists on sports curriculum in schools in Delta. Let the games masters resurrect in Delta, let there be track and field in schools in Delta. Let there be Delta School Sports Festival and a programme that could nurture talents from chosen sports like tennis, track and field, basketball, swimming etc. I’m sure that after one or two successful sessions, the corporate world can buy into the programmes and drastically reduce the financial burden on government. I plead with other states to try these out too and emulate Delta and Cross River States. And now what I prepared for last week.

and could err. And as far as track and field is concerned, hiring foreign coaches may not be a mistake. The mistake, would, however be doing so without adequate plan and set-out programmes that will produce the athletes that they will work on. For now, there are not many of such programmes. Do states have sports festivals? Do States have schools sports festivals? Where are the National Secondary Schools Games like we have in Jamaica and not the kind of games we had in Kwara, where athletes were running barefooted in a 21st century event? How do we reintroduce sports culture in schools and accommodate sports curriculum in every secondary and tertiary institution? Would a campaign to change the rot in our schools have been more appropriate now than signing foreign coaches? Some will agree while some will not. The minister hopes to change things in Nigeria with the youth games in Abuja. I welcome this but it will not be enough. Not much will be achieved until we take sports back to schools. I have written on this several times and I will not be tired of doing so until we begin to get it right. It will be a mistake to hire foreign coaches where you do not have funds to execute programmes that will be the springboard for any achievement or even their own programmes.

Sand Eagles begin title defence Copa Lagos BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

HE Super Sand Eagles will today start their hunt for another title as the 2013 Copa Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament begins at the Eko Atlantic. Senegal and Lebanon will set the competition rolling with the opening match while the Sand Eagles confront Germany in the second match of the day The Nigerian side are determined to win the trophy and will begin their title defence against Germany. “We will be looking to continue to do the things that we do well in our opening match. We want to get off to a good start”, said captain Isiaka Olawale. Nigerian striker Abu Azeez of Kwara United, will be the man to watch as he was the top scorer

at last year ’s Copa Lagos Beach tourney. The tournament will also feature plenty of entertainment with DJ Xclusive from COOL FM playing throughout the tournament, while 6 s e n s a t i o n a l cheerleaders will also be in on the action. The cheerleaders who hail from the Canary Islands, in Spain, arrived in Lagos ahead of today ’s kick off. Estefania, Lorena, Yurena, Begona, Arlene and Berenice and will bring their vibrant and sassy dance routines to the stadium. Arlene, head of the cheerleaders, said: “It is always so exciting for us to come to Lagos, because it reminds us so much of Spain. The energy here is incredible and the people are very warm and friendly. We love it here, and we always have a great time performing at COPA Lagos where the crowd are fun to perform for,” she admits.

and we may begin to throw stones as my colleague Ade Ojeikere would put it

It will be a mistake to hire foreign coaches if you do not have the funds to pay their wages for at least 10 years. I say 10 years for the rot in our sports is deep. It will be a mistake to hire foreign coaches when you do not have plans for Nigerian coaches who will work with them. I pointed some of these things out to Julius Ogunro, the Special Assistant to the minister in Moscow during the last World Championship, where they were concluding plans to hire foreign hands for track and field. His response was brief but instructive. “The minister is passionate about developing our sports and he is ready.” Against this background, I want to continue to observe and see how Bolaji Abdullahi will turn things around for Nigeria. It may be wrong to be pessimistic now. It will be in my character to lend my support until he clearly begins to derail and we may begin to throw stones as my colleague Ade Ojeikere would put it. For now, I want to wish Abdullahi the best and urge him to see what he can do to convince the Federal Government to insist on certain standards in our secondary schools and tertiary institutions. bdullahi has impressed but I do not agree with all he does. The fanfare his ministry bankrolled just to mark the reopening of the Abuja Stadium after it was re-grassed and renovated was uncalled for. Organising a retreat over the success of the Under 17 team in UAE will cost money that could be useful in another area. We did not hold a retreat to win in UAE. And the right thing to do is to start good preparation early like the Manu Garba team did with great support from the Nigeria Football Federation. The minister can as well ask NFF to document how they prepared the team and what transpired from their selection method to the African Championships and the World Cup in UAE. I don’t think we need a retreat on the Under 17 success for anything that cannot be produced or served by those who were responsible for the victory. If it’s not late, the minister could cancel that retreat and use the money for another aspect of sports development. We must not be wasteful in these hard times. The minister must also encourage some of us who maintain that he needs more money to achieve results. He will not be doing so to engage in programmes that will not readily impact on sports development. Otherwise, the minister has done well so far. The other day he said that track and field remained his number one sport. I was excited knowing that football could help itself and that we have a minister who could help other sports. Can he do something for tennis that is dying? Can he lift the weightlifters, wrestlers, boxers, basketball players etc? I have my eyes wide open, Honourable Sports Minister. Time will tell.

Neymar provides wow-factor

•Neymar

•Olawale

T was in the final game of the Champions League group stage, in an inconsequential match against Celtic, that Neymar made his European competition goalscoring debut. The Brazilian, who provided the assist for Pedro in Barca’s second goal, scored the third in an expertly orchestrated combination. Neymar only had to drop the ball into the empty net after a perfect pass from Montoya. With the second half only just underway, the Brazilian struck again in another incredible goal after a one-two on the backheel with Xavi, sealing his great European night of

football. And then the third, which brought Camp Nou to its feet, he put in with an extraordinary solo effort smashing through the Scottish defence. It marks Barcelona’s fastest ever Champions League hat-trick, achieved in just 13 minutes, with Neymar surpassing Messi’s previous achievement of 16 minutes. The Brazilian, who has scored four goals so far in the BBVA La Liga and one in the Spanish Super Cup, seemed to be missing out in the Champions League, but he has found his feet in the competition in one magical evening.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

Inside today's Sports Vanguard

Brazil 2014

Iran, Bosnia ’ll be tougher than Argentina — Mikel S

UPER Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi has said that he expects tougher opposition from Iran and Bosnia than Argentina in the first round of Brazil 2014. He, however, said he is confident the Super Eagles will reach the knockout stage of the World Cup. In an interview with

MTNFootball.com, the Chelsea midfielder said, “it is a good draw but not an easy one. All the teams at the World Cup have same dream and that is to win. We will Continues on page 52

Lagos, Football Academy Abuja fight over Alampasu Eaglets can fight for World T Cup places — Shorunmu

OACHES Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu have rated highly the three U17 stars in training camp preparatory to next year’s CHAN.

RARING TO GO: Super Eagles schemer, Mikel Obi.

Continues on page 52

PUZZLE

•Alampasu

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

•Shorunmu

HERE is an ongoing tussle between Football Academy, Abuja and the Lagos State Government over the ownership of Nigeria Under 17 international Dele Alampasu. Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that this may pull the plug on a potential transfer to Continues on page 52

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Courteous (5) 7 Clip (5) 8 Elector (5) 10 Pugilist (5) 12 Guided (3) 13 Bowl (5) 15 Rub (7) 17 Started (6) 19 Tank (3) 20 Postponed (7) 23 Appear (4) 25 Ascend (4) 26 Mottled (7) 30 Ocean (3) 31 Loathe (6) 34 Mechanical (7) 37 Dress (5) 38 Fellow (3) 39 Firearm (5) 40 Centre (5) 41 Go in (5) 42 Whiskers (5)

DOWN 1 Inexpensive (5) 2 Berth (5) 3 Pressed (6) 4 Detail (4) 5 Prop up (7) 6 Jam (5) 9 Beverage (3) 11 Devastated (7) 13 Brag (5) 14 Stitched (5) 16 Utter (3) 18 Lose hope (7) 21 Frogman (5) 22 Muscular (5) 24 Stonework (7) 27 Favourite (3) 28 Trader (6) 29 Round-up (5) 32 Tendency (5) 33 Rescuer (5) 35 Snake (3) 36 Quote (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Angel 7, Pass 8, Impact 9, Hinge 11, Dip 13, Mum 15, Eden 16, Pit 18, Baby 19, Debated 20, Alas 22, Gnat 23, Nestled 25, Lace 27, Yen 28, User 30, Ewe 31, Spy 33, Adore 36, Duress 37, Luck 38, Speck.

DOWN: 1, Rapid 2, Ash 3, Gun 4, Lie 5, Apt 6, Scrub 10, Glib 11, Debacle 12, Penance 13, Madness 14, Mystery 16, Petty 17, Taken 18, Beg 21, See 24, Lend 26, Awful 29, Epoch 32, Wed 33, Ass 34, Ode 35, Elk.

How to Play Sudoku

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number). Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.