August 22, 2015 by The Nation

THE NATION, SATURDAY AUGUST 22, 2015

News

Senate crisis: Saraki’s loyalists beg Buhari S

OME loyalists of Senate President Bukola Saraki are beating a retreat in the lingering cold war with the All Progressives Congress (APC) hierarchy over the leadership crisis in the Red Chambers. They have already reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari for the purpose of reconciling with him and, by extension, the party leadership. It was learnt that members of the peace team are also likely to meet with a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. However,the Saraki loyalists were said to have left the first meeting with Buhari “uncomfortable” on account of his body language. Saraki and his loyalists had defied the party by rejecting its candidates for principal positions in the Senate. They shunned the June 9 meeting convened by the APC to resolve the matter and teamed up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect their own candidates including Saraki as Senate President and PDP’s Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy. It was gathered that House of Representtives Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s compliance with the APC’s directive on the choice of principal officers in the House was largely responsible for the change of heart by Saraki and his supporters having being put under pressure by Dogara’s move. It was gathered that the Buhari/ Saraki’s loyalists and strategists meeting took place at the Presidential Villa a few days ago. It was shielded from reporters for what a source described as “avoiding media backlash on the fresh peace process.” The “peace team” ,according to sources,was led by Senate Leader Ali Ndume. Among those who accompanied him were Senators Adamu Aliero, Danjuma Goje, Kabiru Gaya and Abdullahi Adamu. Two of the Senators admitted last night that they were at the meeting. The others could not be reached. Investigation revealed that

•Ndume, Gaya, Aliero lead emissary •Dogara’s compliance with party’s directive puts Senate President under pressure Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation the Senators were disturbed that all is not well between the Senate and the Presidency. The mild drama at the Abuja Eid ground during the last Eidel-Fitr festival when the President and Saraki barely exchanged greetings was said to have made the “peace session” inevitable. Besides, the President is said to have refused to meet and discuss policy issues with Saraki,causing more anxiety for loyalists of the Senate President. A reliable source: “These Senators, comprising mainly of some former governors came to explore peace between the Presidency and the Senate. “Obviously, the Senators were subtly running an errand for Saraki. I think their trip was a consequence of the Abdulsalami Peace Committee’s meeting with Saraki.” One of those at the meeting with Buhari said: “It was actually a family affair thing. When you see a threat looming, you do not need to wait till it becomes a bigger challenge. “We are doing everything to reconcile the President and the Senate President and other stakeholders in APC to move forward. “We want to see that everything goes on well. Whatever is the problem, we are going to sort it out. “There is no point pretending. The President and some APC leaders have been unhappy with the Senate President. We cannot allow the crisis of confidence to fester. This is why we decided to intervene.” Another source on the trip said: “Yes, the President gave us audience in spite of the fact that he was not too happy with some of us on the roles we played. But I commend his magnanimity. “We explained the situation of things to him and why he should forgive and forget

whatever went wrong. We know what to do in the spirit of reconciliation to accommodate the Ahmed Lawan group.” Asked about the countenance of the President after the session, the source added: “Uncomfortable but hope is not lost. I won’t tell you what the President said at the meeting. “I think the President’s grouse was that the party’s directive was ignored despite his appeal that Senators should respect party supremacy. He does not hate Saraki.” It was gathered last night that some Senators had been approaching a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for reconciliation on the Senate crisis. It was learnt that Senate Leader Ndume is also coordi-

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja nology to do that. “You will recall the unfortunate incident in Chibok. I mean when those innocent girls were abducted by Boko Haram. The security agencies and the Ministry of Education could not provide our country the data of those who were abducted. “It was the WAEC that provided the pictures, names and dates of birth of the abducted girls. This was possible because of our secure and credible database.” The WAEC boss said some ministry officials, parents and teachers help students to cheat while writing their examinations. Eguridu said: “Some parents have not shown good examples. What we are having today in Nigeria is organized examination malpractices being perpetrated by parents, school authorities and, in some cases, ministry officials.

President and the Senate President.” The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John OdigieOyegun, on June 23 letter wrote Saraki on the party’s position on the sharing of principal offices in the Senate. The letter, referenced APC/ NHDQ/NAM/01/015/05, said: "Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)—NorthEast; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)—South-West; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader) —North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim (Deputy Chief Whip) —NorthWest.”

But Saraki said it was impossible to comply with the directive of the party because the principal officers had already been selected before the letter was received. A source in Lawan’s camp said: “We were aware of the meeting between the President and the affected Senators. They said they are after peace, but without putting options on the table.” Saraki himself is confident that the Senate will bounce back after what he calls some distractions. The Senate President in a tweet yesterday said: “Although the 8th Senate has had some distractions,we have hit the ground running. “When we return, Nigerians can expect more oversight actions.”

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right); father of the bride and Governor of Oyo State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi (middle); and Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during the wedding of Governor Ajimobi’s daughter in Ibadan...yesterday

Our dream is to reposition health system — FG

HE Federal Government has said that its immedi ate target is to build a health sector that is capable of responding to any health challenge.

Boko Haram: ‘WAEC provided Chibok girls’ data’ HE Head of the Nigerian National Office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mr. Charles Eguridu, yesterday revealed that he gave the Nigerian government data of the abducted Chibok girls. Over 200 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were abducted on April 14, 2014 by the Boko Haram sect. The girls, who were writing their West African Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when they were kidnapped, are still missing. Speaking with the Education Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja on recent developments in the WAEC, Eguridu said security agencies and the Ministry of Education could not provide the data. He said: “We do not rely on invigilators or security operatives to detect examination malpractices; we have tech-

nating the “reach-out- to-all initiative.” There were strong indications last night that Ndume might have made some shuttles to Lagos to meet with Tinubu and some APC leaders. The overtures could not be independently confirmed from Ndume as at the time of filing this report. A respected APC top shot said: “I think it is a jealously guarded script being driven by Ndume. “The reality is that Dogara’s deference to party’s directive has put pressure on Saraki and the APC caucus in the Senate. “While Dogara opted to be his own man at the last minute, Saraki’s loyalists stuck to their script which has put the Senate on the edge and created mutual distrust between the

We have teachers dictating the answers for their candidates and parents registering their children in two places. “Let me quickly warn that, like Chinua Achebe said in his book, Things Fall Apart, since hunter has leant to shoot without missing, the WAEC too has learnt to fly without perching. On 13 states owing the WAEC, Eguridu said: “We are under threat by creditors. Their assumption was that we have money, but we do not want to pay. We are not a profit-making organization. We are a service organization, and we were established to conduct examinations in the public interest. That public interest is defined by the government of the day. We are responsible to the government and the people of Nigeria. “We are confident in our expectation that the governments that owe will keep to their promise and pay. I believe in a matter of weeks, the money will be paid.”

Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, disclosed this when he received 30 motorcycles donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Director, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, at the office of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Abuja. Awute assured Nigerians that the government is committed to achieving a strong and resilient health system capable of responding to any health emergency. He noted that support from partners and UN agencies would help significantly to move the health sector forward. While thanking the WHO for its gesture, said the world health body had been offering valuable support to the ministry. He went down memory lane, recalling the role that the WHO played last year during the period of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, describing it as highly commendable. The WHO Country Director, who was represented by the National Professional Officer, Health Emergencies, Dr. Ifeanyi Okudo, said the donation was to complement the ef-

forts of the ministry in the areas of health surveillance and emergency response. Earlier, the permanent secretary led directors of the ministry on a facility inspection of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The National Coordinator, NCDC, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi, assured the permanent secretary that the NCDC reference laboratory and administrative offices would be ready

for commissioning before the end of September 2015. The permanent secretary was impressed with the level of work on the projects. He said when completed, they would be enduring legacies that would compare with state-of-the-art facilities in advanced countries. When in operation, the NC DC will also serve as the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control.

IGP tells doctors to assist accident victims, others

HE Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has urged medical personnel and members of the public to attend to accident victims and persons with gunshot injuries. He, however, noted that the police should be informed for necessary action after attending to them. He explained that the call is necessary due to neglects and untimely death of victims following fear of being implicated without police involvement. The Police High Command also ordered its officers not to harass good Samaritans in this regard, but endeavour to elicit correct facts in relation to inci-

Faith YAHAYA, Abuja dents from them. This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Force spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu. The statement reads: "Doctors on duty are equally duty bound to treat victims of gunshot wounds and further inform police of relevant facts.The safety of Nigerians is a collaborative effort of all and sundry. "Police, therefore, enjoin citizens not to relent in their cooperative attitude in ensuring safety of all. While they are also to report any suspicious person or persons to the nearest police station".

THE NATION, SATURDAY AUGUST 22, 2015

News

FG suspends Immigration boss for recruiting 1,000 workers ‘illegally’

HE Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigra tion Service (NIS), Mr. David Parradang,was suspended from work yesterday over alleged recruitment of 1,000 immigration officers by the organization in violation of due process, The Nation can reveal. Parradeng was sent home by the federal government which also directed the most senior Deputy ComptrollerGeneral of Immigration, Mr. Martin Kure Abeshi, to take over in an acting capacity. The Director of Press, Ministry of Interior, Yusuf Isiaka Alhaji, confirmed the suspension via a terse statement. He said: “The ComptrollerGeneral of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mr. David Parradang, has been suspended from office with immediate effect. “Meanwhile, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Mr. Martin Kure Abeshi, who is the most senior officer, has been directed to take over the affairs of the office.” However,investigation revealed that the suspension was in connection with alleged “grave error” committed by the NIS in recruiting 1,000 officers. A source familiar with the development said the affected officers were hired through a committee instead of allowing the Customs and Immigration Board to do so. Said the presidency source: “The officers were recruited after President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration took over. When the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior drew his attention to the violation of due process, he claimed that there was an approval he got from exPresident Goodluck Jonathan. “He also insisted that exPresident directed him to use a committee to conduct the recruitment instead of the Customs and Immigration Board. He completely sidelined the board. “And when the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry asked him to withdraw the recruitment, he ignored the directive. He said he would not reverse ex-President Jonathan’s instruction. “The Permanent Secretary officially reported the suspended CG to President Muhammadu Buhari. “Instead of acting unilaterally, the President insisted on due process. He said the suspended CG should be queried. Upon rendering an unsatisfactory answer,

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation Parradang was suspended.” This is the second recruitment scandal under the administration of Parradang at the NIS. The first was the March 2014 death of 20 job applicants at NIS recruitment centres across the country. Over 700,000 people applied for advertised vacancies in the organization after paying N1000 each. However, pandemonium broke out at the recruitment centres leaving the 20 trampled upon. Neither Parradang nor the then Minister of Interior, Mr.Abba Moro, was sanctioned by the Jonathan administration over the incident. Besides, the NIS is at the centre of the controversy surrounding the issuance of a Nigerian visa to the Chief Imam of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ahmed Al-Assir, by the Immigration Desk at the nation’s Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon . The federal government is said to be utterly embarrassed by the security breach. It was learnt that the said visa was issued in a fake Palestinian passport which ought to be detected by the

chief.” Al-Assir was arrested on August 15 at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon on his way to Nigeria through Egypt. In spite of being on the watch-list of Lebanon’s secu-

rity services since 2013, AlAssir was detected, while holding a fake Palestinian passport with a Nigerian visa. Prior to his disguise, the Lebanese government had accused him of alleged involvement in the death of 17 Leba-

nese soldiers. He had also been sentenced to death in absentia by a Lebanese court. But how he managed to obtain the visa has been creating ripple within the security circle.

•Vintage Press lead counsel, Mr Shittu (middle), Mr. Olawale Ajia (left) and Mr. Alayo Akanbi at the Federal High Court, Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: BIODUN ADEYEWA

Court bars Senate from compelling The Nation’s appearance over report

HE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted an interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from compelling The Nation’s editor, Gbenga Omotoso, and a correspondent, Imam Bello, to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a story. Justice Mohammed Yunusa made the order following a motion ex-parte moved by the applicants’ lawyer, Mr Wahab Shittu. Vintage Press Limited (publisher of The Nation), Omotoso and Bello are the applicants, while the National Assembly and the Senate are the respondents. The Senate had, in an August 4 letter, invited Omotoso and Bello to appear before it unfailingly over the story: Motion: 22 APC Northern senators ‘working against Buhari’. The report says that 22 Northern senators elected on the All

FRCN DG tasks staff on service delivery HE Director General of the Federal Radio Corpo ration of Nigeria (FRCN), Mr. Ladan Salihu, has directed the staff of the corporation to imbibe the spirit of quality service delivery in line with the focus of the President Buhari's administration. He urged the directors in the establishment to ensure prompt execution of cases requiring their attention to reduce the bottlenecks that have impeded quality service delivery. Mr Salihu, who gave the directive at the 2015 FRCN SERVICOM conference held in Owerri with the theme "Quality Service Delivery and Corporate Reputation", maintained that the directive be-

Immigration Service. A top source said: “An interim report submitted by the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon indicated that the visa was issued after the Immigration Service had cleared the ISIS

Okodili NDIDI, Owerri came necessary in view of the nation's current challenge which he said “requires effective and unbroken dissemination of information.” According to him,"our country is now in a new information age and it is incumbent upon us to serve as a veritable link between the leaders and the led through quality service delivery because the people are thirsty of information and we should keep them duly informed on the issues of democracy and the rule of law". The FRCN boss also charged media professionals "to always separate myth from truth and rumours from clear information and black from white."

Joseph JIBUEZE, Abuja Progressives Party (APC) platform have been identified as “teaming up with the opposition to work against President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party”. The Senate wrote another letter on August 11, threatening to invoke Section 89 (1) (D) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to compel the applicants’ appearance. Justice Yunusa granted an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their members, committees or agents from summoning or directing the appearance of the applicants or any of their agents before any Senate Committee. The court barred the lawmakers from requesting the applicants to produce any papers, notes or other documents in respect of the story. The judge also restrained the respondents from issuing a warrant to compel the applicants’ attendance before the Senate Committee set up to investigate the publication. The order, the judge held, is to remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the applicants’ motion on notice. Shittu, in a supporting affidavit to the motion ex-parte, said unless the respondents were restrained, there is a great likelyhood of the breach or threatened breach of the applicants’ fundamental rights to receive and impart information as guaranteed by the Constitution. The applicants said the content of the publication has not been disputed or challenged, nor has the National Assembly issued a rejoinder to the story or made a formal complaint over the publication. According to them, the laws of libel and slander are available to anyone who feels aggrieved by any offensive publication, an

option that is also available to the Senate. Shittu said rather than react to the story or deny it, the Senate wrote to the applicants, directing them to compulsorily appear before the committee or risk being arrested. The lawyer said the applicants are seeking to enforce their fundamental human rights to personal liberty and freedom of expression. He said the story, which is of national interest, was published based on “anonymous but informed sources” who cannot be disclosed to anyone in line with the ethics of journalism. Shittu said the Senate was trying to compel the applicants to explain the source of the story, threatening to violate their right by arresting Omotoso and Bello should they fail to show up before its committee. “The rights of the applicants to freedom of expression and the press guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution is about to be infringed upon except your Lordship interferes quickly before one of the country’s leading newspapers is brought to ridicule. “If they (respondents) have any cause to challenge the story, they can go to court and sue for libel. They also have a right to publish a rejoinder. Unless your Lordship restrains them, they will issue a Bench warrant and our clients will be embarrassed beyond repair. “We urge your Lordship to grant the reliefs in the interim so that they will not foist a fait accompli (state of helplessness) on the honourable court,” Shittu said. Besides, the lawyer said the Senate cannot compel the applicants to appear before it under Section 39 because the applicants are not a government agency, but members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm

whose functions are guaranteed by the Constitution. “Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution does not derogate from the rights guaranteed to the applicants under Section 39. The invitation is intended to prevent the applicants from discharging their duties in the ordinary course of business,”

Shittu said. After listening to the submissions, Justice Yunusa held: “I have considered the processes filed and the constitutional provisions relied on. I hold the view that the application has merit and is hereby granted.” The judge adjourned to August 28 for report of compliance.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

Transparency, corruption and governance IVEN the charming disposition, body language and warm smiles on our President‘s face as he receives reports from Federal Permanent Secretaries delegations in Abuja recently, there is no doubt that he is more at ease with civil servants in governance than politicians. That to me is an obvious fact and has nothing to do with the fact that he has not chosen his cabinet yet. Given his background and the fact that he served as a military head of state before you can say that is to be expected. For a man with a proven reputation for integrity you can even concede that given the financial mess he found on the ground on being elected he would rather know the true state of affairs from the Permanent Secretaries who as the Chief Administrative Officers in the Ministries are also the bona fide Chief Executive Officers in our public service. The danger however is that this same set of Permanent Secretaries served the last government that looted our treasury very diligently and cannot like Pontius Pilate was their hands clean of the looting and rape of our economy which the last administration did so maliciously and majestically. Even with great impunity as if tomorrow will never come and detection of such abysmal crimes will never arise. My contention here is that transparency is an inherent part of the fight against corruption and the present bunch of Permanent Secretaries are just incapable of it. Their reports should ipso facto be taken with a pinch of salt by the president as they cannot claim ignorance of the various breaches of due processes that resulted in the abysmal looting of our treasury. This has so much astounded and astonished the president that he had to cry out on the magnitude of the embezzlement for all Nigerians to know and to assure them that he will not do much else until the culprits have been apprehended and brought to book. A decision which has the approbation of all Nigerians except the looters, their cronies, stooges and beneficiaries of their atrocities. Ironically and unbelievably, a public servant like these permanent secretaries blazed a trail on transparency in public service in Nigeria this last week and that person is a Nigerian. That person is Amina Zakari the Acting Chairman of INEC, a lady after my heart, with no romance intended, but who by her revelations on the last 2015 elections was a lesson in vintage transparency of the type our president should look out for and reward in his lofty and famous tussle with corruption in our polity. Zakari, under attack by the opposition PDP not to be confirmed as INEC boss for being purportedly a relation of the president went about her duty with great aplomb and candor. She announced that as at now even after the last 2015 elections, 10 m voters cards have not been collected by registered voters. Which confirms that INEC disenfranchised 10 m Nigerians for no just cause even after the postponement and the Jega affirmed state of readiness. This fact was never revealed by her former boss and her known penchant for truth and frankness must have dissuaded her former boss from recommending her as his successor, as he chose someone else before the president announced Zakari’s name and Jega’s choice had to go into limbo. Now Zakari has defined her relationship with the presi-

dent and debunked the in law issue. She even announced that some 44, 000 voters cards were not delivered at all. That to me is transparency in the face of all odds and regardless of whose ox is gored including herself as INEC boss. It is such a person that all Nigerians should wish to conduct elections knowing that she will say the truth on the state of readiness to conduct a free and fair elections and receive wide credibility in saying so. That really is the catalyst for a real democracy as elections are the engine room of any viable and vibrant democracy. Transparency was on display too at our legislature this last week but it was of a very disturbing type. The news was that our Senators and Representatives have shared N12.9bn in two months whereas they have not passed any bill since they opened shop on June 9 and shocked the nation and the majority party in the nation and legislature with a bizarre leadership election which the Police has now confirmed was enacted with bent house rules. According to media reports the 109 Senators got N 36.4 m each and the 360 members of the House of Representatives got N25m each. While one can commend the legislators for being transparent in making their allowances and emoluments public one cannot but recoil in disgust and annoyance at the huge amount the legislators are paying themselves. It is even more odious to recall that they have

’

Now Zakari has defined her relationship with the president and debunked the in law issue. She even announced that some 44, 000 voters cards were not delivered at all. That to me is transparency in the face of all odds and regardless of whose ox is gored including herself as INEC boss. It is such a person that all Nigerians should wish to conduct elections knowing that she will say the truth on the state of readiness to conduct a free and fair elections

’

rejected a plea by a Committee they set up in house to review these same emoluments down wards. This is a legislature that over the years have acquired the dubious reputation of holding the executive by the jugular over its constitutional duty of approving the budget. The Nigerian legislature is noted for asking the executive to jack up its budget to accommodate the allowances of legislators and add it to the budget before approving. Whereas the duty of a worthwhile and really honorable house is to cut national and budget costs to have a productive and salutary deficit. I am sure that when the budget is presented the legislators will still repeat the same chicanery in spite of what they have done just two months into their tenure. It is necessary to let the legislators know that they are the elected representatives of the Nigerian nation and people to whom they are accountable every time and day and not just at election time. Nigerians are hurting and are pained by the huge and unrealistic amounts our legislators are paying themselves as if they live on the moon and are not fellow Nigerians like those unfortunate enough to have elected them but whose trust they have now betrayed by the amounts they are paying themselves for elective offices. They should know that they do not live in a vacuum and that their present disposition is bound to have serious repercussion given the present socio economic living conditions of those who elected them which are quite harrowing as most live on subsistence level. Meaning most Nigerians live from hand to mouth and cannot comprehend why those they have just elected can be earning over N20m in just two months after being elected to make laws which they have not found time to make. Certainly the legislators need to know that with such emoluments in the midst of so much suffering they are virtually getting away with murder. For how long they can do that is a matter of conjecture and I will illustrate from a childhood cartoon, with what a Red Indian Chief told an American Officer in charge of the Indian Reservation Camp where the Officer was stealing the meat meant for the Indians and giving them rotten meat instead. The Indian Chief told the officer named Lang. ‘Believe me Lang, my patience grows thin. This rotten carrion I will not give to a dog. If my people should rise against you in their anger, it were better that you and your kind had never been born. ‘A word I think is enough for the wise on this high legislators allowances and emoluments. Again, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Abia in a new dispensation INCE his inauguration as Abia's fourth Executive Governor about 65 days ago, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has chosen to carry on with governance in uncommon ways. And the dividends of this creative leadership approach are many. One of the early pronouncements of the governor was the directive to discontinue with the appellation of "His Excellency" as his official title. He also went on to discourage all forms of praise-singing, sycophancy and frivolous courtesy visits. With this distinctive departure from the past, Dr Ikpeazu has come to the level of ordinary Abians, adorning the toga of "a common governor doing things in uncommon ways." He has also been spared the needless distraction of army of visitors who have very little to do with developmental governance. Not a few have equally hailed Dr Ikpeazu's prudent management of lean financial resources of the state. Modest and frugal to the bones, the governor has drastically pruned the usually high cost of governance. And no longer business as usual, Dr Ikpeazu travels with a few aides. He has also cut his salary by half, while pledging to pay workers before the end of every month after the holistic staff audit that would flush out ghost workers and enhance an innovative revenue generation and collection regime. Dr Ikpeazu is also repositioning Abia as prime investment destination with focus on Aba, the state commercial capital. Tackling the city's infrastructural deficit through an urban renewal initiative, the governor is desirous of improving the state's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Dr Ikpeazu targets N1.5 billion IGR per month. To this end, he established three key government agencies: the Aba Urban Renewal Bureau, the PPP and the Abia Investment Promotions as well as the Economic Advancement Team (EAT) personally headed by the governor. These agencies have since gone to work to realize their mandate in the overall socio-economic interest of Abians. Also to be noted are the massive reforms silently

Uche OLEHI going on in Abia in the last 65 days. Starting with the earth-shaking biometric staff audit which has saved the state some N160 million, the planned automated and harmonized revenue collection policy would also ensure accountability. The governor has again sustained the momentum in the area of road construction and allied infrastructural development. To say the truth, Abians knew better days are here when Dr Ikpeazu flagged off repair of some seven roads in Aba and some other parts of the state on his first day in office. He has even added more, all from projects earlier approved by the last State Executive Council. And with some of them nearing completion, more interventions have also been initiated as quick fixes as the rains and largely ill-maintained roads mess up Abia. Still on the environment, serious work has equally been going on especially in Aba and Umuahia where the drainage systems are being cleaned up. The Abia State Environmental Protection Agency has since evacuated refuses in urban areas. In fact, all necessary equipment for the continuous clean-up of the state is now on ground, courtesy of the current administration. In the area of peace and security, the government has been exemplary. Peaceful and pragmatic in nature, Governor Ikpeazu has a near-perfect working relationship with heads and members of law enforcement agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholder. The benefit of this synergy is a largely peaceful state. Security experts have equally commended the governor's handling of two major security challenges in that last few days. First was the breach of peace in Powerline, Ariaria Market, Aba after men of the NDLEA allegedly killed two traders, while hunting for drug users. The overnor has since contained the situation even as investigations into the extra-judicial killings have commenced. He also advised the NDLEA to hence carry out their duties with restraint and caution.

Another ugly incident which the governor handled with unequalled sense of responsibility was the razing of the INEC office in Mgboko, Obingwa Local Government Area. Governor Ikpeazu, who inspected the scene of the fire which occurred on Sunday, August 2, expressed shock at the level of damage done to the building and charged the police and other law-enforcement agencies to ensure that the culprits are brought to book. According to the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Godwin Adindu, the governor also called on the police and the army to beef up security in all INEC formations in the state to forestall such incidents. He lamented over the tendency of some disgruntled elements in society to vandalise public property, saying that it is a big drawback to the effort of government in providing dividends of democracy. While reiterating the determination of his government to maintain law and order and protect life and property of the Abia citizenry, Ikpeazu used the occasion to warn perpetrators of such acts to turn a new leaf as the current administration will not tolerate such deviant acts. Governor Ikpeazu has also tasked, empowered and mobilized security agencies to track down kidnappers and chase out armed robbers from God's own state. And this has radically reduced violent crimes in Abia. Generally speaking, Dr Ikpeazu is navigating the ship of state with a great sense of focus, passion and transparency. He's also mindful of the fact that Abia is expected to emerge the most commercially viable state in the next few years. "It has been 65 days of serious and creative governance. In fact, Dr Ikpeazu's first 100 days in office would amaze the world. Abians should gear up for better days, having elected a visionary leader who is determined to change the narrative of the state", a public policy analyst predicted. •Uche Olehi is Senior Special Assistant on Media to Abia State Governor.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

COMMENTARY

Tambuwal’s Dogara and other stories OLITICIANS all over the world, especially the herd mentored in Nigeria, are masters of the act of treachery. Those who get trapped in the sheer oratory of the spoken words usually wake up too late to realise the hollowness in the elevated pitch. The problem really is not in the cadence of the delivery but rather in the emptiness of the cacophonous grunting. You just can’t hold them to anything or trust them to walk their talk. This is not saying that there are no exceptions but that is a rarity. Not with the kind of do-or-die politics that we play here. Wolves in sheep’s clothing people our political landscape and that is why Nigeria is steeped in this miasma of a motion without movement. Behind that convivial façade of bohemian friendliness etched on the face of a typical politician is a dagger of treachery tailored to pierce the heart. Sometimes, you just cannot help but marvel at the stone-cold calmness with which they pull the rugs off one another’s feet. It was that kind of chilliness that enveloped one, listening to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and now Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, justifying his decision to back Hon. Yakubu Dogara as his successor against a man that risked all for him in his four-year turbulent reign, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Now, let us get this clear. I am not particularly intrigued by what I have heard about Gbajabiamila as a person. Not that I have ever had a one-on-one encounter with him but the testimonial people give about him leaves much to be desired. He comes across as someone who wears his perfume of arrogance on padded shoulders. That, in my estimation, is sad. Though said to be a brilliant chap and dependably loyal, many hold the view that Gbajabiamila’s Achilles heel is his bloated ego. That said, I do not think Tambuwal’s treacherous gloating over Gbajabiamila’s loss deserves anything less than outright condemnation. From Tambuwal’s revelation, it is clear that the ruling All Progressives Congress is a party in crisis even at this embryonic stage. It has neither an identity nor an ideology. The APC, as it stands today, is a floating disaster waiting to happen if the gang of pretenders in its fold continue to live by the deceit of having cemented a coalition that would take Nigeria to the next level. Day by day, the party gets soaked in a self-inflicted mess that defies common sense. At a time when logic dictates that its leadership should have learnt a lesson or two from the now wailing opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, it is mind boggling that the leadership kowtows to the condemnable antics of the irritants within its fold. Should the party crumble before the next general elections, the road to that perfidy would definitely be traced back to the moment when its leadership sat back with folded arms as the hawks of power wilfully subdued the key tenets of party supremacy. Democracy is nothing without a strong party structure and the APC simply does not qualify as one for now. Truth told, it is only a party without form and structure that would celebrate Tambuwal’s vomit on Gbajabiamila with loud silence. It is not just what Tambuwal said that rankles, but the dismissive mien with which he giggled through the babble. It would have been better if he had simply admitted that Dogara, who is eminently qualified to assume the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives, got his nod because he is a northerner who has proven his competence as a serial chair of the House Services Committee. For the uninitiated, that committee is critical

Knucklehead With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913 to the survival of every lawmaker who is keen on reaping the dividends of his adventure in the National Assembly. And so, it is easy to dissect the meaning embedded in Tambuwal’s pregnant allusion that: “The acknowledgement of Dogara’s competence did not start with me. It started from the time of Hon. Patricia Etteh and Hon. Dimeji Bankole when they entrusted him with a sensitive position of the Chairman of House Services Committee. The committee is one of the most sensitive in the legislature. Apart from taking care of the welfare of members, the committee oversees all procurement processes. As the Speaker, I only did what my predecessors did by giving Dogara this sensitive position". It is strange that Tambuwal never realised how "incompetent" and "unfit" Gbajabiamila was throughout the four years he practically pranced all over the place, in defence of a person who rode on the back of the then opposition party to become Speaker. It was the same tenacity displayed by the opposition, through the Lagos State lawmaker as Minority Leader, which sustained Tambuwal up until that moment that he jumped ship to become a registered member of the APC. Ironically, when it was time to pay loyalty back, or, at best, stand on the fence as an unbiased umpire, Tambuwal kicked a man he claimed to maintain a “strong affinity with” in the groin. What a vain triumphalism! In all this, we should not miss the point about Dogara’s competence and his ability to address the welfare of his colleagues. After all, what matters is a discreet, proper and fair handling of issues relating to the personal interests of the lawmakers.

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It is strange that Tambuwal never realised how "incompetent" and "unfit" Gbajabiamila was throughout the four years he practically pranced all over the place, in defence of a person who rode on the back of the then opposition party to become Speaker. It was the same tenacity displayed by the opposition, through the Lagos State lawmaker as Minority Leader, which sustained Tambuwal up until that moment that he jumped ship to become a registered member of the APC

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Therefore, it is meet and proper that Dogara gets the credit for the rancour-free sharing formula of the humongous allowances the lawmakers allocated to themselves. Unlike the seeming furore over the controversial way the leadership emerged, not a single voice of dissent was heard when the naira rain drenched their pockets. By now, Nigerians ought to come to the reality that nothing unites warring legislators than the smell of minted notes. One of my friends muttered with sarcasm that, “every legislator looks forward to that special moment when members retire to executhief session where none sees evil, hears evil and bears no grudges!” But for the exclusive report published by this paper last Sunday, how would we have known that these folks were getting themselves soaked in naira rain instead of sweating their damned asses out with the business of passing laws for the good governance of the nation? In a country where millions of unemployed persons slap the streets in endless forage for the next meal, Dogara and Senate President Bukola Saraki's dexterity in packaging ‘welfare’ for friends and ‘foes’ in the comity of national lawmakers was said to have bled the national treasury to the tune of N12.9bn in two months of heckling! Well, you are right if you argue that this blind rape of the treasury and callous abuse of power did not start with the 8th National Assembly. The difference is that we have never had it this bad. Or have we? It is unbelievable that these jesters, comprising of 109 senators and 360 Reps have gone on another six-week break carting home about N13 billion in perquisites and allowances. The breakdown is simple. For a 15-day sitting mostly used to bicker over leadership positions and a recess of 12 weeks, each senator was rewarded with N36.4m while a Rep gets N25m paid in tranches under different kinds of curious subheads. In fact, things would soon get juicier for this set of lucky Nigerians going by an exclusive report published by Daily Trust, that Dogara may increase the number of house committees from Tambuwal’s 89 to 95 with a financial burden of N2.66 billion annually. And we had thought that the change bug has equally penetrated the blood streams of these persons who rode to the legislature on the back of the Buhari Tsunami. Added to this is the fact that Saraki is also under pressure to compensate the forces from the PDP who, with his condescending treachery, planted him on the Senate President seat. Do you now appreciate why this particular National Assembly would not make any reasonable cut in the N150 billion first line charge from the national budget? If you ask me, I believe President Muhammadu Buhari should be prepared for a bumpy ride with the legislature as his change train may just hit the brick wall. It appears these ones are too far gone in their selfish proclivities to give a hoot about how we got to this sorry mess. But can we really blame the lawmakers for displaying a high sense of unity of purpose when their welfare is the issue? What other vocation could be more lucrative than the one in which you continuously harvest loads of money from a leadership that understands the soporific power of making the welfare of an indolent lot paramount in the scheme of things. This may not be what Nigerians bargained for when they trooped to the polls to elect a new set of leaders to redirect the fortunes of a nation in crisis. Unfortunately, this is where high-wired treachery and stonecold ambition has led us to. Sad, Very sad.

Entrepreneurship as option for Nigerian graduates IGERIAN graduates are trained to be job seekers in their various academic pursuits. This is the reason why lots of graduates, upon graduating from their various institutions, embark on job hunt without second thoughts. Yes, it is good to finally become independent, after all, our parents have done their part by training us to university level. At this point, we have to face the harsh reality: there are a lot of graduates but a little available job offers. Thank God that we have a new government which knows the plight of young Nigerians, and which is willing to listen to options, suggestions and advice from the public. The unfortunate thing is the reality that our youths graduate in geometric progression but the available job opportunities is in arithmetic progression. Lots of individuals are laying complaints about youths wasting away, without proffering solutions to these predicaments. Thank God for successful entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu, who through his foundation, is looking at training a lot of youth to be self-sufficient through their focused entrepreneurship programs. Other NGOs like the Posh9ja Youth Initiative, also have embarked on the gospel of entrepreneurship through mentoring and vocational training/ skill aquisition. Instead of growing interest in this, lots of our youths have become up and coming artistes, looking for talents that aren’t there.I do not ascribe blames to them because they have to survive. In the journey of survival, some venture into internet fraud; others ditch their degree for menial jobs like okada riding, bus conductors/drivers, cobblers, corporate begging, e.t.c, all in a bid to make ends meet. As the clamour for entrepreneurship grows, the government should think it wise to bat the eyelid in this direction. Prof Pat Utomi, in one of his lectures at the Centre for Values and Leadership, explains entrepreneurs as individuals who see a problem and take punitive measures to create solution to these problems while entrepreneurship is the process of starting up a business or an organization. The entrepreneur is solely responsible for its conceptualization as well as its success or failure.The problem about our youth today is that they all aren’t ready to labour, they just want to start the business today and make profit immediately. We are all conversant with the stories of AlhajiAlikoDangote, who spent over 30 years in business before becoming the richest man in Africa. Also, Chief Mike Adenuga worked as a taxi driver in the USA before finding his foot in business. Nigerian youths just believe it is a day’s job of training, and money starts to spin by the next day. Entrepreneurship takes patience, grooming, under-studying,

perseverance, finance and lots of encouragement. Business men who venture into this without the needed tools end up closing shop when the challenges gets too enormous. The big question now arises: how can one become an entrepreneur? What does it take? The first step is the dream and determination. The popular saying goes that ‘if you do not dream, you will eventually work for someone who dreams’. Having a dream isn’t just basically sleeping and wishing. It is what keeps you awake while everyone is asleep. Growing and nurturing the dream in view of every brickwall is what makes an entrepreneur. Once the idea has been conceptualized, the next thing required is to develop a step-by-step plan in actualizing the dream. Thank God we have internet available all around the country, and google isn’t keeping malice with anyone. There are tons of information available on the internet. Whatever business idea you might have, take a little bit of time to research on the internet. Its challenges, profitability, financial implication and even examples of people who have been in the business and have made considerable impact in it. If what you see does not encourage you, it is better to back out before becoming a failure. Research isn’t just about sitting behind the system and reading about it, it involves going for a course to understudy the idea. Having a form of internship or picking a mentor in the field will also go a long way in actualizing your dream. There are a lot of vocational centres across the country for those having the business ideas in fashion, baking, computer engineering and website development, e.t.c. If your idea is of a more complex nature, thorough research will be a plus. There is no knowledge as helpful as the knowledge gained on the field

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The government should really look at entrepreneurship as a means of creating jobs for the teeming youthful population. Not just in the creation of those jobs but also, proper verification as well as provision of enabling environment

hence, the need to have good experience in whatever venture. After all research is done, test the waters with your services and possibly, execute your projects as the cheapest available in the industry. The standard you project will go a long way in categorizing you amongst either the best, average or worst. The government should really look at entrepreneurship as a means of creating jobs for the teeming youthful population. Not just in the creation of those jobs but also, proper verification as well as provision of enabling environment. Thank God that electricity has gradually improved since the take-over of President MuhammaduBuhari. While some individuals might be interested in being business owners, capital is one of the major drawbacks affecting many local businesses. During the previous administration by President Goodluck Jonathan, a scheme called YouWin was established to provide capital for would-be entrepreneurs. This really worked as lots of business ideas were birthed. Making this YouWin project a continuous one will go a long way in assisting these young ones in balancing their foot. There are some industries that are over-saturated while some are really in need of intellectuals to grow. While most graduates feel that agriculture is demeaning and degrading, they overlook the business part of that industry, forgetting that a commodity that never goes out of fashion is a commodity that is required for the daily living of humans. Also, entrepreneurship should be included in the curriculum of university students, irrespective of the course of study. We are in a society that everyone hustles for available jobs irrespective of the course of study. That is why we have Geologists working in Audit firms, Engineers working as teachers in primary schools and Biochemists as bankers.Our society is one that allows an individual employment as long as he passes the aptitude test. Corporate organisations should also step-up their CSR not just by maintaining and gardening round-abouts, but invest in human capacity building, especially the youth. Lastly, a country that engages its youths will not only clear out idle hands, but will also increase its revenue when these ones start to pay tax and employ people to grow their brands. The government should put special attention to the youth and entrepreneurship/ mentoring. If this is in place, a new set of billionaires will be groomed and in another 10 years, we will be glad we conceptualized such idea. •Oluwashola Jimmy Ayinde Idiagbon, President, SIJ Foundation/ CEO, SIJ Global Group.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

COMMENTARY

‘Small’ demolition of a ‘giant’ legal breach HE culture of demolition of houses in Nigeria since 1999 has left citizens in a vain search for an answer to a constitutionally reprehensible question of whether democracy is actually a better system of government than the various other systems. The practice of democracy in some nations may be a mockery of the much cherished system of government yet to the majority of the civilized nations of the world democracy remains the best system. Democracy, especially representative democracy endorsed by the Nigerian State, gives every citizen a voice through his elected representatives at all tiers of government. The bedrock of democracy is the rule of law which abhors the rule of force and any act which does not conform to the due process of law. The constitution which is the grundnorm donates a right to citizens and all persons in section 44(1) thus:“No moveable property or any interest in an immoveable property shall be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by law that, among other things(a) Requires the prompt payment of compensation therefor, and (b) Gives to any person claiming such compensation a right of access for the determination of his interest in the property and the amount of compensation to a court of law or tribunal or body having jurisdiction in that part of Nigeria.” Whether our political office holders are mindful of the rights guaranteed by chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the freedom attached to the rights which are only circumscribed by the constitution is yet to be seen. It appears that in Nigeria might is still right and “Their Excellencies” believe that government can do no wrong or perhaps they are too busy to even look at our laws including the constitution of Nigeria the provisions of which they swore to

uphold. The consistent demolition of buildings in Nigeria without recourse to the due process of the law is a violent violation of the social contract our political office holders have with the people. Many atimes, the demolition gang will not even allow owners or occupiers of houses to evacuate their moveable belongings from the buildings before pulling them down. Demolition has sent so many souls to their early graves, rendered thousands of families homeless and created serious apprehension in the minds of many as to what will become the fate of their house any time at the pleasure of the public chief executive officer. Between 2003 and 2007 the Federal Capital Territory witnessed the worst litany of cases of demolition of buildings under the then government. The government gave plausible reasons, such as clearing structures from sewage lines, to maintain the statutory distance from electricity high tension, to remove structures from road corridors, to remove structures not approved by the development control authority among other reasons. Sadly, the victims of the demolition were not accorded fair hearing before their houses were pulled down. Those who went to court had their houses pulled down irrespective of the pendency of their

suits and it was a huge frustration of station for the victims. Judgments of court of competent jurisdiction were not obeyed and it was a situation of anarchy in the Federal Capital Territory but the big men never gave a hoot. The situation in Abuja went the way it did then because of the legal status of Abuja. From the enactment of the Federal Capital Territory Act on the 4th of February, 1976 the area comprising the Federal Capital Territory absolutely vests in the Federal Government of Nigeria. Section 1 (3) of the Federal Capital Territory Act provides:“The area contained in the Capital Territory shall, as from the commencement of this Act, cease to be a portion of the States concerned and shall henceforth be governed and administered by or under the control of the Government of the Federation to the exclusion of any other person or authority whatsoever and the ownership of the lands comprised in the Federal Capital Territory shall likewise vest absolutely in the Government of the Federation.” With the above provision, the Federal Capital Territory became for everybody and for nobody. (Credit to PMB). It then follows that the sentimental and emotional attachment to states by indigenes of the states became inapplicable to Abuja. Those whose houses were demolished in Abuja at the time, painful as it was, took solace in the fact that they had other houses in their states and those who did not, began to erect structures in the states believing that they would be more secured. Taking the demolition culture to the states the same way it plagued Abuja may not be as easy as in nobody’s Abuja, but to Kaduna goes the demolition bulldozer. The just concluded election saw the APC come into power with a ‘change’ slogan that rocked Nigeria like a wildfire culminating in a near total victory for the party in the North of Nigeria. The enthusiasm that greeted the victory of the APC in the centre and the states was unprecedented.

Much ado about Bayelsa defections have read with rapt attention media reports of the zigzag defections of some members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa, the home state of the immediate past president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Curiously, the leadership of the opposition, particularly Chief Timipre Sylva, turned it into a media jamboree. Sylva has been trying, to no avail, to reap political capital from it in preparation for the declaration of his vaulting ambition to return to power after more than four years of his misadventure in the Creek Haven, the state’s seat of government. And the narrative was skewed as if the defection was a one-way traffic, whereas hundreds of politicians from many political parties have also been thronging PDP’s camp in recent times. It is interesting to note that over 98 per cent of the defectors are Sylva’s appointees, associates, relatives and people he had used his office as governor to rail-road into the state and national assemblies between 2007 and 2011. Interestingly, almost all of these people did not support the governorship ambition of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in 2012 when the election held. Instead, they supported Sylva even when it was clear that the then President, Dr. Jonathan, the critical stakeholders, the PDP apparatchik and, of course, majority of the people in the state were backing Dickson. Curiously, the names of same people who claimed to have defected to APC since the PDP lost power at the federal level are being bandied week in, week out whenever announcements of defections are carried in the media, making the whole Bayelsa defection a macabre dance! Can one person defect to the same party twice? But I am impressed with the way Governor Dickson handled the defection. Those who do not know the talk na do governor well had expected him to be hostile and deny the opposition the use of public facilities, but Dickson made the Samson Siasia Stadium available to them and provided security for a hitch-free decamping event recently; the same gesture the governor extended to President Muhammadu Buhari when he launched his campaign in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. The reverse was the case in 2011 when Sylva, as governor, denied Buhari the use of the stadium and the general’s campaign was disrupted as hired youths pelted Buhari and his team with stones and sachet water. Top amongst the defectors are Hon. Heineken Lokpobri, the immediate past senator representing Bayelsa West; Chief Clever Ikisikpo, former senator representing Jonathan’s (Bayelasa East) between 2011 and 2015; former Chairman of NDDC, Dr. Tarila Tebepah and former Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Timi Alaibe. Others are the Commissioner for Agriculture under Sylva, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha and former House of Reps member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency between 2007 and 2015, Hon Warman Ogoriba; two former acting governors of the state, Hon. Nestor Ibinabo and Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu; former Finance Commissioner under Sylva, Mr. Charles Opuala and a host of other aides, appointees and associates of Sylva. Indeed, some of these characters were first recruited by the former First Lady to undermine Dickson ahead of the 2015 general election and to prepare the ground for the supplanting of Dickson with her anointed godson, Hon Weripamowei Dudafa, who was Commissioner for Local Government under Sylva and Special Assistant on Domestic Matters to the immediate past president. The defunct Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) under the leadership of Seibarugu became a veritable tool used to blackmail and cow the Dickson administration. They made it look to unsuspecting Nigerians that the governor was not supporting the re-election bid of Jonathan while in actual sense, he was the one leading the charge and taking all the shots

Francis AGBO fired at the former president! Indeed these same people calling for Dickson’s head are not doing anything strange. They are back to a familiar turf. As it was in 2012, so it is now and so it may be on December 5 when we shall all cast our vote and respect the majesty of the ballot box! What is, however, strange is that all the defectors want to be governor in December, making analysts to dub APC in Bayelsa as a party of serial governorship aspirants without membership! After three and a half years of Dickson’s administration, one would have expected these defectors to shift ground and come on board the restoration train. More so that Dickson has consistently patronised and extended the olive branch to them. Curiously, Alaibe, Tebepah, Ikiogha and all the former NASS members dumping the PDP are big time contractors in Dickson’s government. Yet they accuse the governor of not empowering them. Similarly, pundits had thought that since the thrifty Countryman Governor has delivered on his campaign promises by running the state in the fear of God, turning the state into a huge construction site, restoring peace to the hitherto volatile Bayelsa and providing purposeful, transparent and accountable leadership to the people, those jumping the ship would remain with Dickson to consolidate the gains recorded so far. That didn’t happen understandably because the defection is not about the well-being of the people, the development of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation; all that matter to the defectors is their self aggrandisement. Chief Richard Kpodo, factional chairman of APC in Bayelsa State, offered an insider perspective as to why some politicians were joining the ruling party when he said they were corrupt politicians who wanted to evade prosecution by the federal government of President Buhari! Information in the public domain shows that their grouse with Governor Dickson is that he has refused to loot or share public funds with anybody; a virtue that has earned the governor national and international recognitions, which the enemies believe must be cut down by stopping his re-election. A few of them also beef the governor for embarking on the ambitious first ever free and compulsory education programme and the social security scheme for the aged in Bayelsa State. They believe the money that should have been ordinarily shared among the elites is being channeled to the servicing of the lofty programmes, but the governor remained unshaken! In his recent media chat in Yenagoa, the state capital, Chief DSP Alameiyesiegha, first elected governor of Bayelsa State and

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Curiously, the names of same people who claimed to have defected to APC since the PDP lost power at the federal level are being bandied week in, week out whenever announcements of defections are carried in the media, making the whole Bayelsa defection a macabre dance! Can one person defect to the same party twice?

Chairman of the PDP elders Committee/ Reconciliation Committee in the state, corroborated the above assertion mildly. He said: “As chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, we have invited so many people (defectors)… We dialogued with them and most of them saw reasons with us. The whole thing (defection) is about self-interest. Their grievances range from not being given appointments to not receiving their severance allowances during Timipre Sylva administration, or because they were not picked as candidates in the last general election. And I asked the question: must it always be you?” However, the cheering news, according to Alameiyesiegha, fondly called the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation, is that many of these ‘aggrieved’ politicians will return to PDP before the governorship election already slated for December 5 because, according to him, APC has no place in Ijaw land and Bayelsa in particular. He also expressed confidence that Dickson will be reelected, declaring; “Governor Dickson has done well. What I have seen on ground in the last three years is very encouraging…” For the PDP and Governor Dickson, the so called defection to APC makes little or no difference to the strength and spread of the party in Bayelsa State. Yes, the PDP has lost out at the centre but in Bayelsa and many Niger Delta states, the party waxes stronger and remains a winning behemoth. Apart from the weighty voice of the Governor-General, the mainstream women and youth groups in the state, the clergy and Ijaw elders in Bayelsa have condemned the defection of some PDP members to APC, many of whom were aides, appointees and associates of Sylva. They are leading the movement for the re-election of Governor Dickson. Tagged Operation Retain Dickson in Creek Haven, the groups insist they must re-elect Dickson in government house to reward him for his hard work, vision and selfless service to fatherland. At separate events, these groups endorsed the re-election of Dickson. The elders for example, under the auspices of Bayelsa Elders Consultative Council, condemned the APC for perpetrating “falsehood” in the state. They also lambasted the PDP politicians that defected to the APC, describing them as shame to the Ijaw nation. The group, which is led by a PDP chieftain, Chief Francis Duokpola, wondered why a party that controversially wrested power from Jonathan would be embraced by desperate politicians whom they describe as self-seeking. They vowed to stop APC from gaining root in Bayelsa State even as they declared, “The APC has declared war on the Ijaw nation. Right from the days of our forefathers, the Ijaws have never been conquered and our generation cannot be conquered by APC!” The APC may be enjoying a synthesis of membership now, which will definitely lead to antithesis after a flag bearer emerges, and eventual implosion before the December 5 polls. For sure, the evidence on ground doesn’t indicate that the APC will defeat the PDP. Already the PDP produced 105 councillors and the eight council chairmen, controls the 24-man state House of Assembly with 21 members and produced all members of the National Assemblies! And with a litany of over 500 government appointees and strong PDP structure, it will take a camel to pass through the eye of a needle for APC to sack PDP from Creek Haven. Aside these advantages, if Governor Dickson declares for second term, he will be banking on the people and his landmark achievements in office to retain his plum job. But it won’t be a bad idea for the Alameiyesiegha committee to bring back the obviously repentant defectors to the PDP family. •Francis Agbo, a journalist lives in Yenagoa and wrote in via francisagbo38@gmail.com

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

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Sijibomi Ogundele in the news again

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

“Who is responsible for it?” I managed to ask her. Naomi was too embarrassed to answer and she started crying again. Again I asked, “Who is responsible for the pregnancy?” “The herbalist,” she revealed. “What?” I shouted. “Her…ba…list,” she repeated the word slowly and shakily this time. I was dumbfounded, short of words and filled with rage. Wondering what could have made my wife sleep with the herbalist up to the level of him getting her pregnant. Which means it wasn't once or twice that he slept with her: “Was his sleeping with you part of the treatment or did you do this to bring shame to my name? I won't let you disgrace me like this, you will go back to your family and give birth to the child because God knows I can't father that thing… another man's child. I want a child but not this way," I informed her. She was just weeping and said nothing. “I knew those evil men are not to be trusted.” I was so disappointed in my wife that I left the house that night at about 1 am with no destination in mind. I had to leave as I was afraid I could do something drastic to her. I was wondering if I should leave her because I felt humiliated by what she did to me. As I was in my car driving round the town, I wondered what to do, whether to run away from there and start a new life- but I loved her so much, so much that I wouldn't want to leave her; yet I didn't want to be with her because another man's child was inside her. I went back home after driving around for what seemed like three hours, my heart beat was so fast that I thought I would have a heart attack that night. I went straight to the room I was occupying and got myself drunk with brandy, thinking that it will take the hurt away, but the heartache refused to go. I couldn't go to work for days, I couldn't eat nor sleep. It was like the world was on shoulders. Naomi tried to make me eat but I refused her and her food, which I felt would kill me if I put it in my mouth. “Don't disturb me, go and feed your lover the herbalist. I don't need your food since you have decided to disgrace me this way," I said. She pleaded but I paid no attention to her. I was in this sorry state of mind for three weeks and it landed me in the hospital. It was there in my hospital bed that I made up my mind that my wife would either leave or get rid of the pregnancy. When I got home that day after I was discharged, I told my wife about my final decision. I couldn't just stay back and watch things continue to be upside-down in our lives. “I have told you from the onset that I will not father another man's child just because I want to be a father, so what do you intend to do with this pregnancy?” I asked hoping that she had thought of what to do with it while I was at the hospital. “I don't know what to do,” she said after much hesitation. “I don't know what came over me…I am confused and I wish woke up and returned home when she had gone to bed. I could wake from this nightmare,” she stated. Some weeks later, I noticed that my wife's body was “How do you mean by that, did you not think of the changing, her complexion looked brighter, her breasts looked consequences when you opened your legs for that old man? bigger and she was slow in movement. She tried for weeks for Well, I can't father another man's child. The options now are us to have a conversation but I avoided it because I was still for us to end this marriage or you get rid of that thing,” I told mad at her. her. One evening, she came to my new resting place, the living “What! Leave or get rid of what?” room, and asked if we could have a talk. I refused to listen to “You heard me right woman," I told her. her even though she stated her mind even with my rejection. "I can't believe what you just said. I have made a mistake “I am pregnant,” she said. and every problem has it solution," she pointed out. The words hit me so hard that I felt like doing something to "I know and I have given you two solutions to make a her, but I was able to control myself. choice out of it," I responded. “What did you just say?” I asked her because I thought I My wife later accepted the other option and we made didn't hear her clearly, but I heard her. arrangement to see a doctor. It was this very option that She repeated her statement. made my life what it is today. My Naomi started bleeding “Is this a way of trying to make me talk to you or you have few days after visiting the doctor and she died as a result of decided to let nonsense come out of your mouth?” this. “I am four months gone,” she said. The demons in me were I have not been able to tell anyone what really caused the struggling to act, to do something nasty to her, to shut her death of my life…I lied that my wife had a miscarriage and mouth but I was able to hold back. died after bleeding for days while guilt have been my “What are you saying? Because I can neither make a tail nor a companion ever since this happened. head from your statement. Please make me understand” I I regret telling her to get rid of the Babalawo's baby. If she urged her. had kept the pregnancy, my darling wife would be alive today not six feet below. Now, my life is empty, full of regret “I am pregnant,” she repeated. and pains. Loneliness is my daily companion and there are “For who?” The question blurted out of my mouth. times I feel like taking my life. For what is the point of going “Were, when and how did it happen?” on living without my sweet Naomi? She was already shaking and couldn't communicate - By Udemma Chukwuma clearly. Concluded “I know you are not the owner and that is It What do you advise Rufus to do? what I want to explain to you,” she said. was there in Names have been changed to protect “Were you this desperate, my dear wife? the identity of the narrator and other my hospital bed that I don't need any explanation from you individuals in the story. because you are a disgrace to me. No I made up my mind that We welcome wonder you wanted me to sleep with my wife would either leave comments/suggestions from you so that you can claim that I am readers. All correspondence responsible for the or get rid of the pregnancy. should be sent to 08030822400, pregnancy…you're a wicked When I got home that day (sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com woman, Naomi, God has exposed or psaduwa007@gmail.com. after I was discharged, I told you and your wickedness,” I lamented, but my wife stood still my wife about my final and watched me and cried. decision. I couldn't just stay “Rufus I am sorry for what I did…I back and watch was ashamed. I couldn't just look you in the eyes and tell you that another things continue to be man slept with me. I am ashamed of myself,” she said. upside-down “What do you want me to do, father in our lives another man's child? God forbid!” I shouted at her and spat on the floor. My heart was beating very fast and I felt like punching her so hard in the belly so that the bastard in her can look for another place to develop.

‘A herbalist impregnated my wife... now my life is ruined!’ (2)

Escapades of fun-loving city ladies Co-ordinated by Patience Saduwa 08023201831 (sms only) psaduwa@yahoo.com

HE day she returned from the village was the day that our lives changed. We had long hours of discussion in order to catch up with all that took place within the period we were apart. That night I hoped that our love making would bring forth a child which we have so longed for, however I did not really believe that the herbalist's incantation and concoction would get my wife pregnant because only God gives children and not man. It was when I was about to get intimate with my wife that I notice that something had gone wrong. I withdrew from her immediately and asked her: “What type of treatment did you receive from the herbalist?” I asked while rolled off her. I was attached to my wife both body and soul. Some people even suspect that I used charm or something of the likes on my wife. “How do you mean?” she asked and tried to pull me back. “I just want to know,” I said. “Is that why you are moving away from me?" she queried. “Naomi, you are not the way I left you,” I said, trying to be as calm as possible because I was already angry. “Rufus what has gone wrong with you?” she asked. “Don't try to play dumb with me because you know what I am talking about,” I informed her. “I don't understand,” she said with tears running down her face. “Someone has touched you and you know how much I detest lies,” I stated firmly. “We have been married for thirteen years and I have never cheated on you for once, not even when people advised me to sleep with another man to see if he could get me pregnant or leave you because you were not a man. How can I then go to the village and have an affair?” she asked. “That's a question which only you can answer and please start telling the truth before I do something we will both regret for the rest of our lives,” I threatened. “Do your worst because I have told you that no one touched me,” she retorted. That night I didn't touch her and didn't sleep in the room with her because I was sure that someone had eaten out of my 'cake' and it broke my heart that my wife could still fake being faithful to me. After that day, I stopped eating her food or sleeping with her. I went to work early before she

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

God is your husband!(3)

Any where you notice that the people there are talking negatively, leave such vicinity or turn a deaf ear to such bad news. If God says that something is good for you; believe it, say it and stand by it; don't let anyone convince you otherwise

Politicians, royal fathers, captains of industry storm Ekiti for Modupe Jemibewon’s father’s burial

•Barrister Abimbola Ajayi with his siblings at the church

•From left: Chief Modupe Jemibewon with daughter, Temidayo, Dr. Ajoke Akintade and Barrister Abimbola Ajayi’s wife

NEWS

CRIME

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

OTHER STORIES

Lagos families defend client accused of land grabbing •’Police should keep away from our land’ HE Orebiyi and Bakare families of Eti Osa Local Government Area in Lagos State have dismissed media reports branding Alhaji Jubrin Okelewu, Chief Executive Officer of Rest and Joy Nigeria Limited, Lagos, as a land grabber. The two families said at a press conference in Lagos that they sold an expanse of land to Okelewu’s Rest and Joy Nigeria Limited at Ogombo/Olokonla in the EtiOsa Local Government Area between 2003 and 2005. Spokesmen for the families, Chief Findiu Ajani Oyekunle and Mr. Basheer Olayinka Bakare-Odedina, said they were the rightful owners of the land, but sold it to Alhaji Okelewu. “He is now the rightful owner of the land. How can somebody grab what he owns?” they said. On the crisis over the land, the families said: “On May 30, at about 11am, about 50 armed policemen led by DSP A.A. Taiwo stormed the land in question, destroying buildings and fences with bulldozers. They also brought a Black Maria to take people away. “When we questioned their leader, he said the order was from above. We then asked for documents in connection with the demolition, but he could not produce them. He was just telling us that the order to demolish was from above.

• Okelewu

“While questioning them, an argument ensued. In the course of the argument, they started shooting and people were running helter-skelter. Many people, including old men, were injured. “Their leader claimed to have come from the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Offences and Enforcement Unit, but he could not produce any document to back up their action. “We reported the case at the Area J Police Station and this was followed by a petition to the Inspector of Police, Solomon Arase, through Rita O. Opuoru & Co, our barristers and solicitors. All what we are now saying are in the petition to the Inspector General of Police. “As a result of the petition, the genuine owner of the land, Alhaji Okelewu, was invited to a meeting at the X-Squad, Alagbon, Lagos, on August 7, where he was arrested and taken to Abuja on the order of the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Danazuma Doma. On August 11, he was returned to the Federal SARS at Adeniji Adele where he was locked up again before his release on August 14.” They declared that any other person laying claim to the land has had no business with them and that the “ Lagos State Government did not allocate our land to anybody.”

“The only portion the Lagos State Government requested for out of our land had been given to it and they have not even compensated us. “We are now telling the whole world that Alhaji Jubrin Okelewu of Rest and Joy Nigeria Limited is the genuine owner of the said land. He is not a land grabber at all. He is our client, and we are ready to defend him before the Lagos State Government or any court of law in the country. We are imploring the police to keep away from our land”, they said. Alhaji Okelewu, in his own contribution, said: “I bought the land from the families as they have said. I am a genuine and God-fearing businessman. I am a patriotic Nigerian working for the progress of the country through my business. I am not a land grabber. The land belongs to me. “I was arrested and detained over my property. While my application for the excision of the land was receiving attention in the ministry, they came to invade it.” As the conference was going on, we got a report that about 10 armed policemen and some surveyors had invaded the land again. The leader of the police team told Alhaji Okelewu that they were acting in accordance with the order from above, but they could not produce any document to back up their action.

Suspected hoodlums spark fear in Ogun community HERE is fresh apprehension “Sometime last year, n Kunle AKINRINADE n in Ijoko community, Ogun some anti-riot policemen State, following what residents call the recame to the same uncompleted building and 12 turn of some hoodlums who were arrested a few locally made guns, two pump action guns,191 months ago. cartridges, two cutlasses, one axe, charms and The suspected hoodlums were arrested in conmasquerade clothing among others were recovnection with the mayhem which engulfed the ered but surprisingly they secured their freedom community on December 23, 2014 during which in the court. Since they returned and resumed many vehicles and buildings including the palace their hostility in Ijoko, all of us have been living of a traditional ruler were razed. in fear.” Nine persons were arrested at the time. The groups said the situation might escalate if T he police also recovered assorted guns, cutthe men are not called to order immediately. lasses and charms said to belong to the suspects The petitioners added: “No fewer than 13 peowere recovered from their alleged base at Alasia ple have been killed by the hoodlums since they area of the community. started terrorizing the community. We want to Two groups, Ijoko Youth Forum and Concerned urge the police, Department of State Security Citizens of Ijoko,want the state government to Service (DSS) and other law enforcement agensave residents from the suspects alleged to have cies to come to our rescue from the grip of the been harassing residents since their return. heartless thugs.” In a petition to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, A community leader who simply identified spokesmen for the groups Musbau Olatidoye and himself as Elder Lande said: “We have been livKafayat Shokunbi, said the men “have been haing in fear since the boys returned from detenrassing, molesting, killing, looting and destroying tion. They would drink and smoke cannabis and innocent people’s property. They have been using beat up people with impunity.They should be an uncompleted building at Alasia area of Ijoko checked in the interest of peace in this commuwhich serves as their armoury. nity.”

• The suspected hoodlums

Drama as Ekiti trader prostrates in court to escape sentence trader at the New Garage, Ado Ekiti,, Odims Frank,went flat tommy at an Ado Ekiti Customary court earlier this week,begging for leniency after he was slammed with contempt of court. Frank had filed a petition at the court against one Adenike Aarin,but walked out of the court midway into the proceeding. The court president Joseph Ogunsemi did not take kindly to Frank’s action, and

Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Ado- Ekiti

directed a police officer attached to the court to get the man arrested. Back inside the court and told what offence he had committed, Frank first went on his knees before prostrating to plead for leniency. "My lord, I am very sorry sir, please have mercy on me, I am very sorry. I will never do that again, I respect this court, kindly pardon me my lord," he said.

Mr .Ogunsemi upbraided him for his behaviour,saying: : "Is this the way you behave to your customers? This is a court of law, it is not a marketplace and you must comport yourself well in court and not do what you like . "You are warned for the last time or have you taken 'kain-kain' this morning? "Don't repeat that again.Rudeness to a judge is rudeness to all judges and magistrates in Nigeria. "If you do that again, that will be

counted against you and the consequences will be terrible for you.You are pardoned." Prior to Frank’s drama,counsel to the defendant, Miss E.E. Iseh, had r asked for a new date to apply for records of proceedings of the last sitting to enable her cross-examine the petitioner. The court president subsequently adjourned the case to August 31 for further hearing.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

olukunle87@yahoo.com

( 08167164657 or 08023910970 )

Ogun customs seizes hundreds of Family smuggled cars in raid of syndicate kicks over men who took proactive measures to contain the errant smugglers.” Usman said the smugglers resorted to firing at the Customs men once they were intercepted but could not match the superior firepower of the law enforcement officers . “Many of the vehicles you are seeing here were intercepted from the notorious syndicate who resisted our men. They were overpowered and had to flee abandoning the vehicles,” he said. ”We also seized many motorcycles from rice smugglers, and cartons of turkey from illicit traders who tried to bring them from the Benin Republic into our territory through the bush .” The command said it generated • Some vehicles seized from smugglers N3,401,647,417.34 as revenue in the first half of this year as against the N2,543,266,323.43 it realn Kunle AKINRINADE n cross-border car smuggling ized within the corresponding period in 2014. syndicate has forfeited hun“Our command was able to record 515 seizures with dreds of exotic cars to the Ogun Area Command of Duty Paid Value(DPV) of N445,399,838.00; as against 733 the Nigeria Customs Service for allegedly bringing them seizures with DPV of N880,002,012.00 same period in in illegally from neighbouring Benin Republic. 2014.The difference is 218 seizures with DPV of The vehicles were seized during a massive raid at the N434,602,174.00,” he said. border town of Idiroko,Ogun State. He added:“the formidable mechanism put in place by Also impounded during the raid were cartons of frozen the Customs Area Controller, Mr. Haruna Mahmud, to turkey and dozens of motorcycles used by rice smugglers. curtail the menace of smuggling activities in the area led Spokesman for the command, Abubakar Usman said the to the successes recorded so far.” operation was made possible by ” the vigilance of our

Police chief risks contempt over invasion of property traditional ruler and businessman, Chief Moroof Owoola has accused the police of unlawful invasion of his property at Oke Ira Nla area of Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. The police action,he claimed, violated a perpetual order issued by a Lagos High Court, Ikeja,restraining the police from invading the property. He said that police operatives led by Superintendent of Police, Stephen Ogbaje, stormed the property at about 4 pm on Tuesday August 18, 2015; “harassed my workers and destroyed building materials at the site. They also arrested my brother, Idowu

n Kunle AKINRINADE n Jimoh, and seized some handsets and communication gadgets belonging to those working at the site despite a subsisting perpetual injunction against the Inspector General of Police and his men.” He said the court order given by Justice Lateefat Okunnu on May 25, 2015, was served on the office of the IGP and Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FEDSARS) Abuja as well as Lagos police commissioner, Area Commander of Area J, Ajah; Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Langbasa Police Division; General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of

Nigeria Army, Lagos and Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2, Lagos. “ I was therefore shocked that the police ignored the ruling and perpetrate illegality by invading my property. The actions of the IGP and his men are contemptuous in this regard and I won’t take it easy on this matter,” he said. Justice Okunnu had berated the police for dabbling into a purely civil matter. The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, failed to respond to enquiries by our correspondent at press time.

Jilted woman docked for stabbing lover n Rukayat JIMOH n 20- year- old trader, Rashidat The duo pleaded not guilty to the Iyabo, is now facing trial for charges. allegedly stabbing one Dauda Sunday for jilting The police prosecutor , Ajayi Emmanuel said the ofher. fence contravened Sections 409 and 172 of the Criminal Also arraigned with Rashidat before an Ebute Meta Law of Lagos State ,2011. Chief Magistrate’s Court was, Jumoke Olawe, 34. The defence counsel, F.S Oladele prayed the court to The prosecution alleged that the accused persons congrant the defendants bail in the most liberal terms. spired to assault Dauda at Sawmill area, Ebute Metta, The presiding magistrate, Fowowe Eruasiafe, admitted and stabbed in his head and body on August 19,2015 . the defendants to bail in the sum of N50,000 and two Dauda was said to have broken up with Rashidat after sureties in the like sum . a prolonged relationship. The case was adjourned till October 9 for trial.

‘choice’ of new Olu of Ipaja n Kunle AKINRINADE n

LLEGED plan by some people to fill the vacant stool of Olu of Ipaja in Lagos State is now causing disquiet in the area. The Aiyekotan Orufu Royal Family of Ipaja, claims that some people who have no historical connection with the nomination and installation of an Olu are in the process of filling the stool. It has therefore sent a petition to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to stop the plot in the interest of peace. The family insists that going by the judgement of a Lagos High Court in suit No: ID/2733/98,it is the only recognised ruling house eligible to nominate a candidate for the throne. The judgment was said to have been delivered on September 10, 2003 by Justice A.A Oyefesobi of a Lagos High Court. The petitioners said:”Following the demise of Olu of Ipaja, Oba Sylvester Ajibola Akinniyi in June 2015, information reached us that plans have already been set into motion by certain families to install a new Oba despite a standing judgment and a pending appeal on the said judgment in an appeal court. “We hereby refer you to a judgment delivered on Wednesday 10th September 2003 by Honourable Justice A.A Oyefesobi of a Lagos High Court in suit No.ID/2733/98 filed by our family (Aiyekotan Orufu) against the Military Administrator of Lagos State, Attorney General of Lagos State; Chief Sylvester Ajibola Akinniyi (the late Olu of Ipaja); Adam Baruwa; Daniel Atanda Ogunbiyi and Eliakim Oluwole Ishadare.” They quoted Justice Oyefesobi as declaring that the Aiyekotan Orufu family otherwise called Orufu family “ is entitled to be approved and registered as the only ruling house entitled to the stool of Baale or Olu of Ipaja chieftaincy. The first and second defendants are hereby ordered to approve and register the Aiyekotan Orufu family as the only ruling house entitled to the stool of Baale or Olu of Ipaja.” The petitioners said:” to our rude shock, instead of the losers to maintain status quo pending the ruling on their appeal against our favoured judgment, they have embarked on the process of producing a successor for the late Oba from their family which the High Court had nullified as a ruling house.” They urged Gov Ambode to use his good office "to call those behind the plot to order before they ignite civil unrest in the community.”

Police warn owners of abandoned vehicles HE Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of abandoned vehicles at the Idimu Police Division to remove them within 14 days or forfeit their vehicles. The vehicles are: Toyota Corolla with registration number, AGL 783 BS and Mitsubishi space wagon with registration number, AKD 90 AL.

With OZOLUA UHAKHEME

Email: ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com 08023058761

Evelyn OSAGIE

THE NATION

54 NEWS

HE Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has ordered the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to refund the sum of N50m to its consumers in the Federal Capital Territory for over-billing them despite erratic power supply to homes and business premises. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, stated this in his response to a query issued to his commission by the Senate on fixed charge, estimated billing and sundry issues. Amadi, had on Friday explained that his agency monitored all complaints reported to Discos on a monthly basis and had carried out analysis

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

Over-billing: NERC orders DISCOS to refund N50m to Abuja consumers

Gbade OGUNWALE, Assistant Editor, Abuja

on them. He said, “The Commission has recently penalised Abuja Electricity Distribution Company for overbilling its customers and ordered it to refund the overbilled amount and also to apologise to the customers for wrongful estimation. “Abuja Electricity Distribu-

tion Company has refunded about 32,000 customers so affected. The refund ranged between N5,000 and N15,000 per customer, adding up to over N50m.” The NERC boss explained that the commission established the forum office made up of representatives of key stakeholders like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council, the Nigerian Society of Engineers and representatives of local Civil Society Organisations. He said the members elected their own chairman and address complaints from consumers, adding that their decisions, if not appealed against, are enforced by the commission. He said Disco had been mandated to establish functional Customer Complaints Units to receive and resolve all complaints from customers on electricity supply within its area of operation. According to the NERC chief, a timeline of 15 days had been specified in the regulation for the resolution of complaints by electricity customers, after which an appeal could be lodged at the Forum Office, established for that purpose. Amadi said, “The Forum Office represents the next level where electricity customers can seek redress from the nonperformance of Discos in resolving their complaints. “Presently, NERC has es-

tablished at least one Forum office in all the Discos to act as an appellate body in resolving complaints from electricity customers not satisfactorily resolved by the Customer Complaints of Discos.” He added that the commission agreed with the Senate’s position on the need to eliminate the practice of bulk billing of residential customers and to replace the practice with individual metering and billing. Amadi continued, “It is important to state that the commission had previously abolished bulk billing in its ruling on the VGC CASE NO:NERC/H/03/07. This case was brought by a customer against the VGC Estate Management and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company in 2008. “The commission ruled in favour of the customer. The decision of the commission stipulated that every customer is expected to be metered individually, irrespective of the status of supply coming into the area and the class of billing should be on R2 or as appropriately determined by Disco. “The commission has, however, provided a leeway for estimation in situations where residential meters are not provided to customers. This is provided in the Estimated Billing Methodology Regula-

tion of the Commission. “In this instance, statistical meters installed at transformer sub stations are used to calculate the energy to be used as a basis for estimating customers on the feeders. “Communities who are placed on bulk billing should reject it and insist on individual metering. The Commission is in the process of completing public consultation on a proposal to cap the amount an unmetered customer can pay until he or she is metered. “The proposal will also commit distribution companies to strict deadline for metering of all its customers. In the interim,the Commission has abolished connection of new customers without meters.” The NERC boss further stated that the fixed charge that consumers pay in the Nigerian electricity market was not illegal or necessarily fraudulent. Rather, the fixed charges, he said, were part of the electricity markets across the world, but noted that the difference in Nigeria was that there was no good supply of electricity owing to lack of generation capacity. He said despite the poor power supply, consumers across the nation were paying fixed charges for epileptic or no power supply, just for Dis-

cos to recover the capital and fixed cost of the various operators in the industry. Said he, “Section 32 of the EPSR Act 2005 mandates the commission to approve tariff that allows investors recover their prudent cost with reasonable return on the assets invested in the business. “The operators invest in assets on a regular basis and recover their investment through fixed charge paid by the consumers. “In addition to this, it should be noted that once an asset is bought and a consumer is connected to the network, the utilities by law are expected to recover the cost of that investment whether energy is supplied or not. “Secondly, fixed charge is not tied to consumption as stated above and it is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. Many utilities all across the world charge fixed charges. “In essence, it is a universal practice, as obtained in many countries all over the world. Fixed charge is separately identified on bills in most countries, and is often called the ‘daily supply charge’ or ‘service to property’ charge. “It can be displayed as a daily rate on customer’s bills in some countries, but may appear as a single figure for a billing period.The generators are paid both capacity and energy charge.”

Police Inspector murdered in former Deputy Speaker Ihedioha's house

N inspector, Mohammed Useni attached to the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the immediate past House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, has been murdered . The victim who hailed from Jigawa State was strangled to death at his duty post at the residence on Monday and his rifle, an AK47, taken away by the people who killed him. The death of the security officer which came a few days after the withdrawal of the officers of the Department of State Services attached to Ihedioha, has thrown residents of the area into fear and confusion. Ihedioha was Deputy Speaker in the 7th House

Gbade OGUNWALE, Assistant Editor, Victor OLUWASEGUN and Dele ANOFI, Abuja and also contested the last governorship election in Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. Ihedioha was reportedly away during the inspector’s murder. The FCT Command Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said he was unaware of the incident when contacted by The Nation. Oke Epia, Chief Press Secretary to the former deputy speaker, also said he was not aware of the matter as he had just returned from a foreign journey.

However,sources said that apart from the victim, another policeman was on duty on the fateful day although he claimed to be in another part of the extensive compound when the murder occurred. The body of the officer is said to have been deposited in an undisclosed morgue pending further investigation. Investigation is on to however find the killers and the motive behind the gruesome act, The Nation learnt. This was because apart from taking away the rifle of the officer, the assailants allegedly removed some of the victim’s body parts including hands and other sensitive parts and went away with them.

Tribunal dismisses Okowa, PDP's applications to stop INEC subpoena

HE Delta State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Asaba, Thursday dismissed motions filed by the three respondents in the petition, challenging a subpoena order granted by the tribunal, which was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC in the April 11 election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, is challenging the declaration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the poll. Emerhor was billed to call in witnesss by Tuesday, but it was stalled following three fresh motions filed by counsels to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the

Bolaji OGUNDELE, Warri PDP and INEC shortly before the trial was to begin. The tribunal then adjourned till Thursday, August 20, to hear the fresh motion filed by the counsels to Okowa, the PDP and INEC, challenging the subpoena served on INEC by the petitioner. At the resumed hearing of the fresh motion on Thursday, counsel to the petitioner and the APC, Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN), branded counsels to the three respondents as “meddlesome interlopers and rabble rousers”, whose applications were meant to cause confusion and stall the hearing of the petition. Okpoko, citing many judicial authorities, averred that both Okowa and PDP have no locus

standi to file the fresh applications, as the subpoena was served on INEC who conducted the election, and should be able to show evidence that the election was conducted in line with laid down laws. He added that it was only INEC that could apply to set aside the subpoena, and averred that in this petition, the provision of law was not applicable. Okpoko, in his final submission, noted that; “these applications have one purpose: It is to stall the hearing of the petition and an attempt to defeat it by delaying the hearing of the petition. The application is borne out of rabble rousing. It is to cause confusion. They are meddlesome interlopers and trying to cry louder than the bereaved.

THE NATION

NEWS 55

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

Political class welcomes Buhari’s directive on withdrawal of police orderlies

OLITICIANS across the country have welcome P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the police to reduce the number of their personnel attached to politicians and other ‘big men’. Buhari said during the week that policemen so withdrawn should be deployed to provide security for the generality of Nigerians. Senator Kabiru Ibrahin Gaya, representing Kano South said by phone yesterday that the directive is timely. He said Nigeria has had

Gbade OGUNWALE, Assistant Editor, Abuja; Kolade ADEYEMI,Kano; Bisi OLANIYI,Port Harcourt; Adekunle JIMOH,Ilorin enough of siren blowing by police escorts attached to politicians. Some politicians,according to him, have been misusing the privilege by disturbing public peace. Gaya advocated that ministers should not be allowed to use police escorts and only the President, the Vice President and the Service Chiefs should be accorded that

privilege in view of the sensitive positions they occupy. Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, in her reaction in Port Harcourt yesterday through her Media Assistant, Dike Bekwele, described the decision as a welcome development,while the immediate past Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, called it a step in the

right decision. The Kwara state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chair Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo is also in agreement with Buhari on the move,saying: “We have no problem with that. If that is what the president said we will obey and we have no cause for alarm. “We on our side will not rest on our oars to make arrangement for alternative security,” he said. The Force Public Rela-

tions Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu said the police authorities are “ already working on the President’s directive and the police will come out with the details very soon. “In the meantime, police will continue to assess requests from members of the public, with the view to determining the appropriateness or otherwise of such requests. Frivolous requests will not be given consideration.

“We have always been working to address security fears that necessitate police protection by members of the public. It does not matter whether such fears are expressed by the rich or the poor. “We are duty bound to respond to security threats, whether the request is coming from the rich or the poor. We are there to protect every law abiding citizen, regardless of their social status”

Youths threaten to shut down NDDC over N1.05bn contract UNDREDS of aggrieved youths from coastal

communities in the nine states of the Niger Delta region, yesterday, threatened to shut down the Port Harcourt headquarters of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Rivers State. The angry youths said they would shut down the office to protest the refusal of the NDDC to release the balance payment of a N1.05billion contract for clearing of water hyacinth along the creeks and waterways of the region. The youths said they completed the job of clearing hyacinth along the coastline and creeks, but wondered why NDDC officials continued to withhold their payment. Some of the youths from the Peremabiri and Koluama communities of Southern Ijaw

Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, explained that the hyacinth clearing project was awarded by the last administration to over 700 youths from the region. They said the contract was part of measures adopted by the last administration to empower youths from the region, and gave the NDDC a14-day ultimatum to release the project fund or risk shutdown of its activities. “All the affected youths and representatives of their communities will invade the NDDC office and will not vacate the place until the money is released,” they said. But an ex-militant leader and President of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiatives (LPDCI), ‘General’ Pastor Reuben Wilson, sued for calm, and advised the NDDC to listen to the youths and release the money.

•Former Interim National Women Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman, Wakiliyan Mata Women Empowerment Initiative, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor (right), presenting empowerment fund to Mrs Hauwa Solomon, an Internally Displaced Woman at the Bajabure IDPS Camp in Yola... yesterday. With them is Adamawa State Women Leader of the initiative, Hajia Hauwa Abba.

NYSC secures N200m bank facility for disbursement to corps members as loans —DG T HE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) said yesterday that it has secured an over N200 million bank facility for disbursement to corps members as loans to assist them in starting their businesses. The NYSC Director General, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, told the Commander, Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Musa Yusuf, who visited the NYSC Headquarters in Abuja that corps members could obtain as much as N400,000 each on the submission of a good business plan. “Corps members based on the business plan they submit could get as much as N250, 000 and N400, 000. We have also signed an MoU with the Bank of Industry, though it is yet to take off, but we are working on it. “A couple of months ago, I also approached Heritage Bank and it is setting aside the sum of N200 million under a package where corps members will get a soft loan and the only collateral

they will have to drop will be their discharge certificate. “We are also talking with the Central Bank governor to see that a micro credit loan could be arranged specially to address corps members in this category.’’ He said the NYSC has so

far trained over 400,000 corps members since the commencement of its skills acquisition programme in over 12 different skills. He added that the NYSC,

under the sponsorship of the World Bank, is currently partnering with an international organisation to train corps members interested in going into the building and

property development sector. Earlier, Brig.-Gen. Yusuf assured the NYSC that the brigade had made adequate security arrangements to en-

Buhari names Obasanjo special envoy to Guinea Bissau crisis ORMER President

Olusegun Obasanjo is to mediate in the unfolding political situation in Guinea Bissau on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari yesterday named Obasanjo as special envoy on the crisis following the dismissal of Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira and his cabinet by President Jose Mario Vaz. Obasanjo embarked on the first leg of his mission by consulting with the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Macky Sall of Senegal in Dakar on Thursday.

Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja

The consultation was in progress when Pereira was replaced as Prime Minister by Baciro Dja. President Buhari appealed for calm and asked the authorities in Guinea Bissau to exercise utmost restraint

and ensure the maintenance of law and order as efforts continue to resolve the current crisis. The Guinea Bissau government and the military, according to him, should ensure respect for constitutional order, sanctity of life and safety of citizens, and avoid taking any further ac-

tion capable of threatening the fragile democratic institutions recently established in the country. Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr.Femi Adesina, said the President’s intervention was in line with true African solidarity and brotherhood.

John OFIKHENUA, Abuja association, Com. Adediwura I. Adeshina, said: "We now call on NCCE not to relent on their action in making a good policy that will improve the lot of teachers in Nigeria. "We are using this medium to remind NCCE about the proposed National Teacher Corps policy suggested by

•Obasanjo

North Korea warns of war with South after artillery fire

ORTH Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, yesterday declared his front-line troops in a “quasi-state of war” and ordered them to prepare for battle a day after the most serious confrontation between the rivals in years.

South Korea’s military on Thursday fired dozens of artillery rounds across the border in response to what Seoul said were North Korean artillery strikes meant to back up a threat to attack loudspeakers broadcasting antiPyongyang propaganda. Yesterday’s declaration by

Pyongyang is similar to its other war-like rhetoric in recent years, including repeated threats to reduce Seoul to a “sea of fire,” and the huge numbers of soldiers and military equipment already stationed along the border mean the area is always essentially in a “quasi-state of war.”

Group urges FG to establish National Teacher Corps

HE leadership of the National Association Of Nigerian Colleges Of Education Student (NANCES) yesterday called on the Federal Government to establish a National Teachers Corps proposed the by former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji. In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja, the National President of the

sure the safety of corps members serving in the FCT. Yusuf said that part of the security arrangements put in place include regular patrolling of the FCT, adding the safety of corps members was one of the priorities of the Guards Brigade.

Prof. Chinwe Obaji, former minister of education in 2005." The creation, according to the union leader, will give the National College of Education (NCE) students the opportunity to participate in the National Youth Service Corps programme and provide solution to the problem of lack of teachers in the rural

areas across the country. Speaking further, Adeshina said : "We urge NCCE to agree with us that there is no better student that is supposed to go for the NYSC programme than NCE students. This is because making NCE graduates to serve on the platform of the National Teacher Corps is the only solution to all educational

problems in Nigeria. "NCE students are as important as medical students. If Nigeria will not allow medicine and surgery students to practice without completing their housemanship, they must make sure that NCE students go for National Teachers Corps before becoming a teacher, because "no nation can grow above its teachers".

South Korea has vowed to hit back with overwhelming strength should North Korea attack again. The spike in tensions prompted the U.S. to halt an annual military exercise with South Korea that began this week, U.S. defence officials said. North Korea had criticized the drills, calling them a preparation for invasion, although the U.S. and South Korea insist they are defensive in nature. Pyongyang denied firing at the South, a claim Seoul dismissed as nonsense. Kim Jong Un ordered his troops to “enter a wartime state” and be fully ready for any military operations starting last night, according to a report in Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency.

THE NATION

56 NEWS THE wives of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the Olubuse II, by tradition can not re-marry after the demise of their husband, a palace source has said. The source who preferred not to be named, said the order was prescribed by the Ife tradition since the Ooni is to have transited to a higher realm and not considered dead. Maintaining that the Ooni still lives, he said it is forbidden for wives left behind by Oba Sijuwade to re-marry. He said: “The rule applies to every Ooni that has passed on and not peculiar to the wives of Oba Sijuwade, the immediate past Ooni. There may not be a clearly defined repercussion against the tradition but it is advisable that the order is obeyed at all times and for all generations. The best that can happen to the oloris left behind by any late Ooni is for them to remain single or be inherited by the reigning Ooni.” He added that it does not matter whether the wives are

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

‘Ooni’s wives can’t re-marry’ Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo

young or old, stressing that “what matters is that the tradition must be sustained in the overall interest of the society.” The late Ooni’s wives Morisola, Ladun, Odunayo, Adedolapo and Linda according to him are between between 40 and 60 years old The first wife, Olori Yetunde and mother of the first son, Prince Adetokubo, died few years ago. Meanwhile, the Minority Leader of the Senate, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has described, Oba Sijuwade as an enigmatic leader, great patriot and statesman who had written his name into our national folklore and whose memory shall remain a national treasure. He said during the Ooni's lifetime, and his 35-year reign, he had proven himself as a worthy successor to the

legendary throne of Oduduwa whose contribution to national unity cannot be overemphasized. Senator Akpabio made the observation during a condolence visit he paid to the family of the late monarch in Ile-Ife over the weekend. According to the former governor of Akwa Ibom

State, the demise of the Ooni was a sad loss not only to the Yoruba race but Nigeria as a whole. "We acknowledge the pain and agony of the loss of a father, a worthy prince and a spiritual head, but we urge you to take solace that the late royal father, by virtue of his many good deeds, shall

forever be embalmed in the hearts of his loving subjects. Further be consoled that he lived long enough to guide and witness the many successes of the royal family and the Yoruba race. He was an epitome of visionary traditional leadership. "Oba Sijuwade shall be long remembered as the one

who modernized the kingdom of Ife. Moreover, the late Oba fortified the position of "Arole Oduduwa" in the tablets of contemporary history as the preeminent keeper of the seal of Yorubaland.” In her response, one of Ooni’s wives, Olori Odun commended Senator Akpabio for identifying with the family at the time of their grief and said the support of well wishers have kept the family strong

Stop attacking Buhari, ex-lawmaker warns Fayose EKITI State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has been admonished to desist from his incessant attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari and face the business of governing the state. A former federal lawmaker, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, who is the i m m e d i a t e p a s t representative of Gboyin/ Emure/ Ekiti East constituency, in the House of Representatives made the remark yesterday in Ado Ekiti. The All Progressives Congress(APC) chieftain frowned at what he described as Fayose’s diatribe against President Buhari, saying: “ It is becoming a recurring decimal and unfortunately dragging the good name of the state in the mud. He should face the business of governance because the state has suffered a colossal damage within the short time he became the governor ”It is ironical that Fayose is talking about intimidation when he has actually dedicated 80 percent of his time to intimidating those he perceives as his political enemies in the state. The

Innocent DURU and Adetutu AUDU governor should know that he remains the least of Buhari’s problem. Sinners, they say, run when no one pursues. Nigerians should know by now that Fayose’s barbaric nature does not represent the value that Ekiti people stand for and therefore should not take any of his utterances serious as his illogical and vague criticism of Mr President is just aimed at wanting to be in the news all the time. Unfortunately, this is always for the wrong reasons. ”We will no longer tolerate his continued dragging of towering image of the state in the mud. We owe it a collective struggle to ensure that Ekiti keeps its record as the most educated and sophisticated state in Nigeria and we won’t fold our arms and allow an opportunist to derogate the image that had taken years to build. Therefore, we want to assure that no one will chase Fayose out of office, except himself. His case has always been that of a sinner runs when no one pursues him.”

Group lauds customs over seizures THE Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, Apapa, Lagos, has been lauded for its commitment to checking the smuggling of poultry products into the country. The leadership of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) made the remark after reviewing the command’s activities during the week. In a statement signed by the Director General, Mr Onallo Akpa, the group said: “PAN and the entire Nigerian poultry farmers appreciate you and

officers of your command for the excellent and outstanding performance through various acts of onslaught, arrest and confiscation of smuggled poultry products into the country. ”This is very unprecedented, as we can boldly say that the operation ‘Hawk Descend’ is a highly successful exercise. We are proud of your zeal and patriotism to duty, as our prayers is that the good God would continue to guide and protect you in the tasks ahead.”

Firm holds leadership award THE International Centre for Comparative Leadership for Africans and Blacks in Diaspora in conjunction with |Accolade International will on August 27, 2015 hold its 10th edition of African Icon of our Generation Award/ Dinner. The event will be held at Nicon Luxury, Abuja by 3.00 pm. Dignitaries expected at the event include Dame Pauline Tallen, Member APC Board of Trustees and former Deputy Governor, Plateau State, Prof E. T Eshett, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Dr John Abhuare.

•Deputy Director, Quality Control of National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), Mr. Adebayo Agboola (in green attire), displaying the fake seed, during the market surveillance in Ibadan. With him is the Regional Director, South West, Mr. Adekunle Adesiko and other officials.

Stoppage of WAEC fees temporary, saysAjimobi OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday assured that the stoppage of payment of fees for public examinations for secondary school students in the state was a temporary measure. The governor, on Wednesday announced the stoppage of payment of fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations for public school students in the state. Ajimobi noted that the decisions were borne out of the economic reality in the state

Bisi OLADELE, Ibadan and the desire to address the abysmal performances of students in the examinations. His words: "With the paucity of fund in the state, we had to face the reality that we could not continue to sponsor children without involving their parents in a way. This is why we introduced the development levy. It's just for a period of time, as soon as things improve for the state financially, we would reverse the decision. It is an emergency situation that we must ad-

dress. "Training of children is not a sole responsibility of government or teachers, parents must play their role too. We set up a committee to discuss with Parents Teachers Association, community leaders, and realised that because the parents were not involved in secondary education of their children, they did not bother what happened to them. Interestingly, many of the parents agreed that if they were also contributing by paying something, they would be more attentive to the education of their children."

Reacting to the backlash that greeted the decision, Ajimobi said: "The N3,000 levy was equally jointly agreed at but I must point out that the emergency situation will not be forever. We envisage political backlash to the decision but we cannot promise what we cannot afford. Oyo State now gets about N3bn from Federal Allocation while we have a wage bill of more than N5bn. Our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is N1bn. If we don't adjust our spending, we would continue to owe every month."

Transform Ladipo Market into commercial hub, traders urged A Lagos-based market developer, Chief Innocent Akachukwu, yesterday urged all stakeholders in Ladipo Auto Spareparts Market to support the Lagos State government in its quest to turn the market into a world class business hub. He said: “The Ladipo market community should use the phenomenon of the entire modern market as a test case to have a market where order and peace reigns. I want to implore well meaning traders in the market to stop joining forces with people who always pray for calamities in the market and work for the progress of the market. “I therefore want to warn sellers against selling unauthorised seeds because we would not tolerate selling of adulterated seed.” Akachukwu, who is a former chairman of the executive

committee of the market explained that the Lagos State Physical Planning Authority(LSPPA) has given specifications which must be followed in the development of modern market environment adding that such complex according to the state policies, must comprise

parking lots, toilets, and must be purposely built to meet modern standard. “Our company remains seasoned and would pattern the new Ladipo in the most conducive way that would still accommodate the old occupants. The structural layout will be a storey

building plan and at the end, old traders will pay less to retain better shops while new ones will pay a little more. Traders that deal on heavy wears will be strategically positioned at the ground floors while those with lighter wears can stay up for the sake of convenience.”

Agric agency seizes fake seeds in Ibadan As part of its efforts to rid the country of fake and adulterated seeds, the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) yesterday seized fake seeds from various markets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The exercise was led by the Deputy Director, Quality Control, Mr. Adebayo Agboola with the assistance of the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC. They toured all the major

Sikiru Akinola, Ibadan selling points of seeds at Moor Plantation, Agbeni, Orogun and major areas of the state seizing any seeds without identification tag, company label and address and name of the producer. According to Agboola, the strategic surveillance was one of the routine exercises by the agency to arrest low productivity. He said: “The loss of the farmers is unquantifiable and

that is contributing to low productivity in the country. We want to have genuine seed for Nigerian farmers,” he said. he said: “We will continue to sensitize our people on electronic and print media on what to look out for when buying seedlings. Authorised seeds and seedlings should have the certification tag and company label while the package material must contain the name and address of the producer.I the

Rotary club gets new president ROTARY Club of Victoria Garden City (VGC) District 9110, will on Saturday September 5, 2015, install Architect Tony Eigbokhan as its new president.

The event which is scheduled to hold at the Le Real Hotel, VGC Lagos State, will be chaired by former Minister of Works, Dr (Arc) Mike Onolenmen with Chief

Lawson Omokhodion, the Akoamen of Ekpoma as the guest speaker. Eigbokhan, a former chairman of Nigerian Institute of Architects, Lagos State chapter is an

alumnus of the University of Lagos where he obtained his first and second degrees in Architecture. He graduated with honours in 1984. He joined the rotary club in 2012.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

PDP, APGA in war of words in Anambra HE political turf in Anambra State is already at boiling point ahead of the 2017 governorship election, with the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at each other’s throat in a bid to outdo each other. Throwing the first punch,

the PDP accused Governor Willie Obiano of non-performance and building the state secretariat of his party in Awka with state funds. The state chairman of the PDP, Prince Ken Emeakayi, speaking with The Nation, said that the APGA-led government was enmeshed in embezzlement of funds be-

• State collapsing under Obiano, says PDP • Your party is disabled—APGA Nwanosike ONU, Awka longing to the state, asking the government to make public all the local government funds it had collected in

the past 16 months. The PDP also accused Governor Obiano of planning to use transition committees in the 21 local government areas when the tenure of the cur-

Election tribunal upholds Ugwuanyi's election HE Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu, yesterday upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in the April 11, 2015 governorship election. It struck out the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Okey Ezea, on the grounds that it was frivolous, lacked merit and against court processes. This was followed by a cost of N150,000 to each of the 6 respondents in the petition. Delivering the judgment, which lasted for over three hours, the Chairman of the threeman tribunal, Justice Kwajafa Hildad, among other findings, held that the tribunal had earlier in the course of the hearing struck out several paragraphs of Ezea’s petition for being imprecise, vague, related to party nomination, which is a pre-election matter and contained criminal allegation against people who were not made parties to the petition. �He added that the petitioners’ allegation on over-voting and non-accreditation through the manipulation of the Card Readers Machine by the Independent National Electoral

Chris OJI, Enugu Commission (INEC) and other respondents were not sufficiently proved, as it is only the voters’ register that could determine the number of voters that participated in an election, stating that the petitioner failed to provide the voters’ registers to prove his case. The tribunal also noted that the petitioners’ witnesses, six 6 persons drawn from 6 polling units out of the 2,958 polling units in the state, was not sufficient to provide enough evidence to support his case, rendering it incompetent. It further held that even at that, the six witnesses admitted that the governorship election was free, fair and peaceful, with minor irregularities which were not sufficient enough to cancel the election. It deposed that the petitioners also failed to prove their allegation of falsification result figures, maintaining that mere assertion that the figures were falsified was not enough evidence to allow them their prayers. The tribunal went on to dismiss the petition and upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as valid. Reacting on the judgment, the

Vice Chairman of Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON) Enugu State chapter , Nnanna Nze, described it as a reflection of the wishes of the majority of the people of Enugu State. Nze said that the judgment has proved that Enugu is a PDP State and the governor was freely elected by the people. The news was greeted with loud cheers by supporters of Governor Ugwuanyi, who went into wild jubilation, singing victory songs in praise of the governor, who drove round major streets of Enugu, accompanied by local government chairmen. Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the victory, describing it as victory for the people of the state. Reacting to the verdict, he said it was a reaffirmation of the overwhelming popularity of the governor and the strength of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Enugu State in particular and the South East in general. Ekweremadu further observed that the decision of the tribunal did not come as a surprise to the people of Enugu State and realistic political pundits around

Mass defection looms in Abia PDP •Members set to dump party

HE crisis rocking the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Ugochukwu UGOJI-EKE, Umuahia Party [PDP] has worsened, with more than 40,000 of its members set to dump the leadership in the state. He said the state has been under bad leadthe party for the All Progressives Congress ership exhibited by the PDP in the last six[APC] over alleged bad leadership. The leader of a group known as ‘Concern teen years, adding that the time has come for Abians for Good Governance’, Chief Tony the people to speak out on who becomes Ukansanya, had earlier promised the Na- their governor. Ukasanya said, “We are prepared to take tional Chairman of APC, John Odigie-Oyegun of their impending movement during a the bold step to salvage the state from the stranglehold of those who have been holdmeeting in Umuahia. During the meeting, Odiegie-Oyegun, who ing it down for years. “I want to let you know that we worked was represented by Chief George Moghalu, was told by Ukasanya that the group is con- for the APGA governorship candidate in the sidering their request that they join the party last election, Dr Alex Otti, whose mandate in the state and help the APC win election in was stolen. Receiving the group, the state chairman of 2019. Speaking with APC leaders in Umuahia, APC, Donatus Nwankpa, assured them that Ukansanya said that the group was formed they will be given a level playing ground to to checkmate the excesses being exhibited by work with other members of the party.

11 NDLEA personnel in police net over alleged Ariaria killings OLICE in Abia State on Friday said 11 personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement (NDLEA) who allegedly raided the drug section of Ariaria Market, Aba, on July 31, had been arrested. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Udeviotu Onyeke, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba. It will be recalled that in the raid on drug hotspot popularly known as ‘’Black kingdom’’ allegedly carried out a combined team of NDLEA, Army and the Po-

lice, two persons were confirmed dead, while six others sustained various degrees of bullet wounds. Onyeke said that the suspects, though participated in the raid, may not be responsible for the killings, explaining that they were all taken into custody to aid investigations. He said that the investigation may not be completed quickly because the persons involved were security agents and not ordinary civilians. According to him, if the investigations are done hurriedly, it may not bring sat-

isfactory result, which is not what the people want. The PPRO said that any of the suspects found liable may not be taken straight to court for trial ‘’because they are security agents’’. ‘’They will first go through certain internal procedures and punishments by their organisations before they can be turned-in for court trials. “So, I urge the people to be patient so that the investigations will be done thoroughly and with satisfactory results,” he said.

the country because Enugu State remained an indisputable stronghold of the PDP. He added: “Some petitions are sheer fulfilment of all political righteousness. The volume of Ugwanyi’s goodwill and popularity among the political class and the masses as a governorship aspirant, candidate, and now an incumbent governor is unprecedented.

rent chairmen and councillors expires in January, 2016. It also challenged the government to make public the cost of the three flyovers being erected in Awka, alleging that APGA national chairman and the state chairman draw millions of naira from the state account of as allowances every monthly. But reacting, APGA described the PDP as a sinking and drowning party seeking relevance in Anambra State. The state publicity secretary of APGA, Hon Chinedu Nkwonta, in a statement made available to yesterday, asked PDP to shut up, describing the party as dis-

abled. According to APGA, “for the benefit of Ndi Anambra, APGA as a party sees Ken Emeakayi’s demands as the ranting of a drowning party that is lost in self delusion, a party that does not have the capacity to sort their internal crises, a party bereft of any good intension, even for self. “Of course, a political party that is as divided as the PDP at this moment should be focused on how to resolve the mountain of issues they have accumulated over the years in this political journey due to their bullish, crude and intimidating style of politicking.”

Workers of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) patching potholes on Amukpe-EkuAbraka-Agbor road in Delta State ... yesterday Photo: NAN

Ayade hails Buhari on response to ecological problems OVERNOR of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for swinging into action immediately after receiving a letter of plea for help following the menace of erosion that is devastating most parts of the state. Ayade, who personally handed over the letter to the President in Abuja, said he was impressed that barely two weeks after, the President had sent a team to the state to evaluate the challenge. The governor spoke during the presentation of the preliminary report by a team of experts led by the Deputy Director, Ecological Fund Office at the Presidency, Engr Funsho Adebiyi after five days of assessment tour of ecological sites, especially erosion ravaged areas in the state. “This response shows that he is not only a true democrat but an action President," the governor stated, adding: “This clearly shows that irrespective of party lines, the President has demonstrated that he is today the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by sending this team few days after my discussion with him.” The governor charged the team to go beyond writing the report by actually implementing the recommendations, or the whole state will become a disaster area. He thanked the team for

painstakingly undertaking a comprehensive tour of all ecological related issues ranging from coastal areas, landslides, under water current, dams, gullies and erosion sites across the state. According to Ayade who enumerated some of the ecological effects on the citizenry explained that: “This is having an organic incursion into the anthology, sociology and orientation of our people and if this is not handled

properly, we are going to have a very big environmental cataclysm in our hands. “The ecological problem is beyond the financial capacity of the state as pupils have been disrupted from schools and they are really devastating and if they are not handled urgently, the village system will be wiped out, life span shortened, and there will be no hope for tomorrow. This calls for prompt action from the Federal government.

Abia plans to revive technical education Ugochukwu UGOJI-EKE, Umuahia BIA State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that his administration is targeting the education of over 100,000 youths as part of its plan to revive technical and vocation schools in the state. This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Cooperatives and Poverty Reduction, Onyema Abarikwu, when he received the Chairman of Kiara College, United Kingdom, Endi Ezengwa, in his office in Umuahia. Abarikwu saId that the governor has emphasised the need

for technical schools to live up to the need of turning out graduates that will be relevant to the technological and economic needs of the people. He said that a curriculum based on realizing the objectives of the program should engage students and teachers on the practical aspect of their studies, as it will help in uplifting the state to the next level. Abarikwu called on the youths of the state to take up the challenge and key into the program, stressing that it is a veritable tool for employment and independence for the youths of the state.

THE NATION,

News

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

Boko Haram: Troops rout insurgents, recapture Borno town

N continuation of the counter-attacks against Boko Haram, troops have recaptured Gudumbali in Borno State and cleared the town of insurgents. The troops also survived land mines along Dikwa route, although they lost two soldiers while two others were critically injured. These disclosures were contained in a statement issued by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, on the renewed campaign against Boko Haram.

FROM: Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

He said troops from 7 Brigade and 5 Brigade had bloody encounters with the insurgents in Borno State. The statement reads: “As part of the continued offensive operations against the Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 7 Brigade have today entered and cleared Gudumbali town, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. “During the operation, quite a number of the terrorists were

...as thousands displaced by Boko Haram in two weeks in Chad killed their weapons and equipment were destroyed. The troops are currently doing clearance operations in the general area. “It should be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force had inflicted heavy damage on the terrorists’ camps within the general area last Monday.” The statement explained how some troops escaped landmines along Dikwa Road in the same state. It added: “In a related

development, troops of 5 Brigade Explosive Ordinance Devices (EOD) Unit, while advancing towards Dikwa, ran into landmines buried by the terrorists. “Unfortunately, two soldiers lost their lives, while two others were critically injured. The bodies of the two gallant soldiers have been evacuated to the rear, while the other two wounded soldiers have also been evacuated and are receiving treat-

ment at the military hospital. “The unit also lost a Mowag Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) due to the buried landmine between old Marte and Kerenoa junction in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State. “Despite this sad event, the troops are not deterred as they continued their advance, pursuing the terrorists to their enclaves in Sambisa forest. “Similarly, it is important to note that troops in the various formations and units in Operation LAFIYA DOLE are in high spirits and are more determined to destroy the terrorists’ camps and enclaves.” Meanwhile, around 40,000 people have fled their homes in Chad in the last two weeks following attacks by the terror sect, Boko Haram,according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The insurgency has already stoked an escalating humani-

tarian crisis in the region around Lake Chad. MSF said many of the displaced people have gathered in makeshift camps where its staff were treating patients with diarrhoea, malaria and respiratory infections, as well as malnourished children. “Some pregnant women have walked several kilometers in searing heat to seek medical attention,” said Federica Alberti, MSF’s head of mission in Chad. “People are living without proper shelter, and do not have access to food or clean drinking water.” The Lake Chad region has become increasingly unstable since 2013, with Boko Haram violence triggering a growing crisis. At least 1,300 people have died in fighting so far this year in the region, MSF said. In neighbouring Niger, refugees and displaced people face food shortages and an increase in waterborne diseases as the conflict compounds a fragile humanitarian situation, MSF said.

Don’t pay for application, El-Rufai tells Kaduna job seekers

•Bauchi State PHCN pensioners protesting non-payment of their pensions at PHCN office, Yandoka road, Bauchi... yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Flood wreaks havoc in Kwara, destroys electric poles GOVERNOR Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state has directed the permanent secretaries in the ministries of Works and Environment to inspect the areas affected by the recent flood that wreaked havoc in the state. Speaking on the development, the senior special assistant on Media and Communication to the governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the state government is saddened by the incident. He said the government officials directed to inspect the affected areas are expected to give on-the-spot assessment on the damages, those affected and prevent a re-occurrence. Said he: “You will recall that the state government set up a committee headed by the immediate past commissioner for Works, Dr. Amuda Kannike last year to come up with a recommendation on the affected areas and the people with a view to relocating them. Meanwhile, de-silting of drainage and construction of drainages opposite Royal Shekinah and other roads along the axis were planned for. “Unfortunately, funds have affected our ability to complete the work because we could not give the contractor all the necessary money to complete the work on the road. Nevertheless, the governor has asked for reports on the incident with a view to implementing remedies and resettling those affected. Flood caused by torrential rains on Thursday evening destroyed electricity poles, shops and vehicles in Ilorin, the

Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin Kwara state capital. The rains which started around 4.30 pm lasted for about three hours. They started like a drizzle cascading into a heavy downpour wrecking havoc in parts of the metropolis. Areas hardest hit by flood includes; Omoseebi Hospital and Pipeline in Gaa-Akanbi; Adisco, Royal Shekinah, Pipeline Offa Garage, Unity, Cocacola in the metropolis. It could be recalled that similar kind of flood, occurred in some of these areas last year, which claimed the lives of two school pupils and destroying property worth millions of Naira. Then the state government took some measures to forestall recurrence of the incidence.( One of the measures then was the opening up of the cover of a drainage at the front of an hotel in the area believed to be obstructing free flow of water in the drainage. Narrating their ordeal, some the residents of the areas said that there would have been casualties if the incident had happened in the dead of night when people would have slept off. It was also gathered that most culverts, drainages and gutters along major roads and streets in the areas were flooded, while the flood spread into nearby houses and shops to destroy property. Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ilorin, some of the residents appealed to the federal government to intervene in the perennial flood occurrence in the affected areas of Ilorin metropolis, saying that the past ef-

forts of the state government at solving the problem had not yielded any solution. Alhaji Abdulwaheed Adigun, who owns an Engineering company; Adisco Nigeria Limited, along Offa Garage Road said the area started to experience perennial flood disaster since the dualisation of the ChallengeOffa Garage Road. “The road was in single lane with about six-feet wide and deep drainage on both sides of the road. We were not experiencing this annual flood then. But since government constructed the dual express road, the drainage on both sides of the road was reduced to about three feet. It’s now narrow! So, it cannot contain the volume of water from such areas like Offa Garage, Gaa Akanbi, Omoseebi and the rest. And so we have this flooding. “Whenever it rains and the drainage is filled up, it spreads to our houses, shops and pulled down our fences, destroyed our roads and other valuable property. Alhaji Adigun, therefore urged the federal government to come to the aid of the people of the affected areas and end their suffering by taking up the challenge. He said the problem had gone beyond the capacity of the state government since it had not been able to fulfil its pledge at finding lasting solution to the perennial flooding problem. Also speaking, Mr. Sunday Alabi, a community leader at Omoseebi area of Ilorin metropolis said the concerned authorities should assist the people of the area with the dredging of rivers and streams in the affected areas, adding that this

should be complemented with channeling of the rivers. “We thank the state government for this bridge. But this our bridge at Omoseebi community linking us with other areas of the metropolis is narrow. More especially, it gathers refuse easily making it difficult for water to pass under freely. When refuse block the water flow it spreads to houses nearby. Government should re-channel the river and give us bigger and stronger bridge to contain this flood challenge. At least, we support the government with our votes, they should come to our support too in this our time of need”, he said. Innocent Ibe, who lives at Royal Shekinah area also said that residents of the area are usually apprehensive and frightened whenever it is about to rain because of usually attendant flooding. Ibe said that widening of the drainage on both sides of the Offa Garage-Challenge road would solve the perennial problem of flooding in the area. He cautioned residents to change their attitude of dumping refuse in drainage and gutters.”

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad ElRufai has told applicants for the recently advertised jobs in the state’s teaching service and traffic enforcement agency not to pay any fee or buy any forms. The Governor said the applicants are simply required to submit their applications at the advertised places and not to pay a dime. El-Rufai, in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said as clearly stated in the adverts, applications by those seeking teaching jobs should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education. He said: “Applicants for Traffic and Environmental Enforcement Officer positions

Abdulgafar ALABELEWE, Kaduna should submit their applications to their local government council chairman. “Applicants are not required to pay any fee or submit any forms other than their application letters and relevant documents. “Any request for money or acts amounting to obstructing or hindering citizens from smooth submission of their applications is illegal. “Applicants should report such acts to info@kdsg.gov.ng or to 08184444644 and 08184444744. “Candidates whose applications meet the required standards will be shortlisted and contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process.”

IG team, FERMA rid Kogi highways of criminal hideouts THE Inspector General Police, Mr. Solomon Arase vowed to rid Nigeria highways of men of the underworld and other criminal elements. Towards this end, the IG backed by a detachment from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, during the week teamed up with officials drawn from the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Kogi State field office and the North Central zonal office 1 (NC NC1) in cutting over hanging branches from trees along the OkeneKabba highway. The IG team also oversee the repair of failed portions and patching of pot-holes along the federal road. FERMA’s zonal Co-ordinator for the North central 1 (NC NC1), Engr. R. K. Olaniyi stated that Kogi state field office embarked on the verge clearing and tree cutting between Obajana junction along LokojaOkene road, to enhance motor-

James Azania, Lokoja ists visibility and to eliminate criminals’ hideouts. The project he said is by direct labour. According to him: “The patching of potholes between km 10000 km- 15500 along Okene-Kabba road using berkamp pothole patcher, is to enhance smooth riding surface and to discourage and eliminate likely areas that may serve as hideout for criminals”. He added that the Inspector General of Police showed concern about the safety of motorists and other users of federal roads in the zone. Asked about the timing, the FERMA Engineer for Kogi State, Engr. Mohammed Ibrahim said everything was timed. He said: “When we work on the road we actually time ourselves. When you do stone-

Kogi House of Assembly Clerk designate, colleague die in car accident James Azania, THE Kogi State House of Assembly Clerk-in waiting, Barrister Peter Willy was yesterday involved in an auto crash, along the LokojaAbuja Road. The accident occurred on Wednesday, on the outskirts of Koto-Karfe. Also involved in the accident was a lawyer and colleague, while the driver of the vehicle

Lokoja in which they were travelling was simply identified as Agada. The trio, it was gathered, were on their way to Abuja to witness the collection of the governorship nomination form by Governor Idris Wada who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

I was looking for a voluptuous woman when I met my slender wife â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Bishop Ighele Bishop Charles Ighele is the General Superintendent of Holy Spirit Mission, Akowonjo, Lagos. He spoke with KUNLE AKINRINADE on some of the problems confronting Nigerian churches, his life and his vision for the church.

S there a link between prayer and prosperity? Yes. Then how come there are so many poor people in the country in spite of the proliferation of churches? A typical Nigerian relies on prayer while the bible admonishes us to pray and work with righteousness. If it is only prayers that make people to become rich, Nigerians will be the richest people in the world. People pray from morning till night in churches, yet they are poor. One, this is because when they are not released on time to work, the prayer can hardly manifest in their businesses or life. Second, the bible says that righteousness exalts a nation. In countries where people are righteous but do not know God, He looks after the people and make them prosperous because they are doing the right things. On the contrary, people here pray but do unrighteous things, so the nation is not progressing. What is your take on the craze by churches to establish universities? It is a good development. Really? Yes. As a matter of fact, our church is in the process of establishing a university called Sharon University of Agriculture and Rural Development. We intend to scout for students from the grassroots; indigent students who are already familiar with agriculture and would want to take it up as a profession. The church will pay their fees throughout their stay on campus, although we are not going to reject money from parents or people who have the capacity to pay the school fees. But definitely, that will not debar us from helping those we know cannot pay their children's school fees but who are very good as far as farming is concerned. Some people are of opinion that many of the universities owned by churches are very expensive and are beyond the reach of their members who contributed a lot to the project. How true is this? I don't believe that. It is just sheer misinformation on the part of the people. Don't forget that the cost of running tertiary institutions is huge and cannot be administered on charity. So what would differentiate your proposed university from the others with exorbitant fees? Ours will be different because the university will have commercial arms by establishing large farms and training for big or commercial farmers. The proceeds of these projects will be used to prosecute the running of the university. Do you think that religious organizations, especially churches, should pay tax?

No reasonable government can ask a church or mosque to pay tax. Fine, they could pay taxes on the business they establish in the name of the church or mosque. But to pay tax on church or mosque, I don't think is ideal. Any government that imposes tax on church or mosque will incur God's anger. But don't you think that churches have lately become money-making ventures in Nigeria? There are three types of churches in Nigeria. One, churches set up by man. This category has two groups. The first is made up of people who have spiritual gift either to heal or to cast out evils or solve one problem of life or the other. These people are supposed to use their gifts in a church under a wellestablished leadership. Some of these people are not supposed to form their own churches but they do so because they do not know how to be under authority or because they want to make some quick money with their spiritual gifts. This is contrary to what Jesus said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;freely have your received, freely give.â&#x20AC;? Jesus taught us to use our spiritual gifts without charging money or manipulating money out of people's

pockets. Pastors who belong to this group are giving the church a bad name. The second group is made up of people who have not succeeded in anything. Some of them dropped out of school or lost their jobs or businesses and they feel that setting up a church will offer them a means of livelihood. This also gives the church a bad name because all they are after is their stomach. They have no calling and they have no Continued on Page 61

Venerable Ladipo Ladapo Eso at 80: Like he that serveth C ONSIDERING the background, adventurous lifestyle in his youth, professional disposition as a chartered Estate Surveyor, and his career as an ordained priest of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) as well as his tireless ongoing inclination to honourable ways in retirement; it would be most complementary to have such a remarkable lifetime journey documented in a book for posterity. Thus, when Venerable L. L. Eso first called my attention to his desire for me to put his biography together it was a welcome call to duty for me with all humility. I have worked on the biography of my very venerable father of blessed memory and a number of other historical books, yet writing the biography of a living mentor figure came with its challenges. Writing about him goes beyond chronicling his early days in Ilesha up to his career as a chartered Estate Surveyor of repute and as a remarkable priest. The biography put into proper perspective how his selflessness as a public servant in the early days of Nigeria Building Society, an appointment which took him to all the then states in Nigeria. He discharged his duties in the development of all established housing estates extending to all areas of land opened up by industrial property developers. His philosophy was that every

Seye ADETUNMBI

qualified Nigerian must be able to own a dwelling place through the offer the mortgage institutions. Throughout this period, he never acquired any property for himself until just before his retirement that by sheer providence he secured the place where he lives today. In fact his contemporaries couldn't believe it that he never had a plot to himself before the time he built his plot in Ikeja GRA. The distinct gift of the ability of Venerable Eso to recall events contributed to the depth of this book. His rich photograph collections made it possible for his biography to be distinctly pictorial with some vintage pictures that tell the story of Baba Eso as a multi-dimensional Nigerian with a remarkable lifestyle. The essence and authority of this book rest with when the narrative is placed in the wider cultural, economic and social context couple with analyzing other contemporary issues. Albeit, a good biography should relate good history and this is what I have tried to do with the book on Venerable L.L. Eso. Writing about Venerable Eso could not be complete without putting the rich historical background of his Ijesa root into proper perspective. Naturally the value of character that influenced and

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015 Continued fromPage 60 spiritual gifts. They are simply fake. The second type of church is what I will call the church of Satan. They have bible in one hand and other mystical powers in the other hand. They use these fetish or mystical powers to prophesy, heal and solve business, marriage and child birth problems, among others, for their unsuspecting members or patrons. This group is increasing at an alarming rate because they capture and captivate people with their prophecies. Really, they are not prophets; they only operate with the spirit of divination. There is this story in the bible where Apostle Paul was preaching and a young girl kept following him, saying that Apostle Paul is of God. But Apostle Paul commanded the evil spirit in her to come out. Mind you, the girl was saying the truth albeit with evil spirit. Therefore, that a prophecy is true does not mean that it came from God as could be seen in the above example. The third one is the church set up via the instruction of the spirit of

61 God. We have a good number of such in Nigeria. I believe you know Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) very well. I believe you know he is a true man of God. He is the true face of the church set up by God. Any other pastor whose behaviour is contrary to that of Pastor Adeboye likely represents the first two types of churches. But is there a way one can decipher fake pastors from genuine ones? I have encountered fake journalists many times in my life and the way they behaved made me to know they are fake. There are also fake doctors, fake lawyers and fake pharmacists among others. Most good things have counterfeits. A television interviewer asked me this same question some time ago and I will give you the same answer. Jesus taught us how to know these fake pastors, saying, “By their fruits you shall know them.” By their fruits simply means their behaviour or the character they put up and their attitude towards money, women and honesty. When you see a pastor who is a chronic liar, money 'grabber' and woman chaser, you have to run away from such, whether they perform miracles or not. Materialism has so much crept into the average Nigerian and the pastors that belong to the first two groups have taken advantage of the materialistic tendencies of the average Nigerian. When such pastors tell people that if they sow a financial seed of N50,000 God will give them N5 million, people rush to go and borrow money and sow such useless seeds. I advise pastors who belong to the first two groups to change their ways and begin to think of where they will spend eternity. What will it profit them to make all the millions on earth and spend their eternity in hell fire? I love such pastors and I really want them to repent. They are giving the church a bad name. Don't you think the situation has something to do with poverty or the poor economy of the country? It should not be blamed on poverty or poor economy because our next door neighbour, Republic of Benin, is not as rich as Nigeria but they are more contented with what they have. Everything boils down to culture. The culture of the people is what determines how the people behave. And culture is moulded by factors such as entertainment, religion, politics and government, mass media, education, trade and commerce, among others. When each of these factors that determine the culture of a people has been seriously compromised, what you get are a polluted people. This is exactly what is

nurtured him in uprightness as well as fruitful independent-mind that runs in the Akomolafe Eso dynasty is characteristic of Ijesa culture to a great extent. Of course with the privilege of my serving as a member of the Parish Church Council by virtue of my being a Synod delegate for many years and as an altar server in the Anglican Church of the Ascension, Opebi Lagos under his watch as the Vicar, I was able to put in perspective his sagacity as a church administrator and as a dedicated spirit filled man of God. As the spirit directs him while praying in English, he would buttress it with deep Yoruba prayerful words. I longed for his early morning call on my birthday anniversary as he did for all parishioners; to “su ire fun mi” (pray for me). This he kept doing after he has retired as my church priest and did it for my children and wife as well as many other co-parishioners that he has the records of their birthday anniversaries. His amiable character notwithstanding, when it comes to spiritual and parish matters his discipline and firmness were not negotiable. Saying things the way they are, runs in the gene of an Eso and this is one of the things that stand Baba L.L. Eso out. The formal nature of delivering sermons in the Anglican Communion would not stop Baba Eso to call you to order before the congregation if you are caught dosing during service. As an altar sever, you have to be at alert with him on duty as the celebrant. His standing instruction for you as priests or altar servers and church workers is to be at alert and never to lose sight

happening in Nigeria. When we have politicians who are materialistic, when you have materialistic entertainers churning out immorality and pornography, when you have business leaders operating their businesses through the Machiavellian principle of “the end justifies the means”, such a system ends up producing what we have today. This is so sad. The Nigerian society has become materialistic and it has crept into the church. Nowadays, many pastors have become materialistic to the extent that they want to establish their own churches in order to gain material things. Believe me, they are thieves because they will steal from the church they are serving to establish their own church. When I was a branch pastor in Benin, I made a vow never to establish my own church and by providence, I was elevated to the post of General Superintendent. How do you see pastors who get involved in politics? There are two groups of pastors as far as the above question is concerned. I know of medical doctors who are pastors. There are lawyers who are pastors. There are chartered accountants who are pastors. There are teachers who are pastors. There are many other professionals who are pastors. There is therefore nothing wrong if a pastor is involved in politics provided it is also one of his or her assignments here on earth. I have no problem with them at all. There is another group of pastors who know that politics is not their calling. It will therefore be funny to see such people mounting the soap box, moving from city to city soliciting for post to become senator or governor. How will it look like when you see Pastor Adeboye at a political rally saying “vote for PDP” or “vote for APC” or “vote for Labour Party” or “vote for Accord Party?” People like Pastor Adeboye represent the second group of pastors. So it depends on which group the pastor belongs. How and when did you receive your calling? Pastoring is about serving people and taking care of the deprived in the society. As for me, I have been having this feeling while I was a student of the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). I have always had the feelings for the less privileged in the society. I mean I hate cheating. Let me tell you something: while I was in OAU, I was the editor of the largest selling campus newspaper. While I was editor, I based my concept on core investigative journalism, unlike my predecessor who focused on romance and gossip stories. But mine was based on the concept of investigative journalism. That made me to also lead the popular protest of 'Ali Must Go' in 1979 on campus. We fought for our rights then and confronted the military administration of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo. So what am I saying in essence is that my calling actually started when I was a student, and after working for a few years, I decided to go into church service full time where I believe I can impact on peoples' lives better. How did you start your ministry? The church was actually founded in 1974 by the late Bishop Michael Marioghae, who was the pioneer General Superintendent (GS) of the church. Precisely in 1996, he called about 19 of us who were his senior pastors to a meeting and told us that God told him that his time was up. He was at that time 70 years old. He said that

She was very thin and dark while I was looking for a fair complexioned and voluptuous lady. But something struck me about her that she'll be my wife and it was confirmed after I prayed about it

Continued on Page 62

of the flow of worship. The altar as a temple of God is held in high esteem by Venerable Eso, the no-nonsense quintessential priest. Those who knew him when he worked for the Federal Mortgage Bank attested to the fact that his position ordinarily was strategic to attract all kinds of unsolicited money from Nigerians who came for mortgage finance. After he politely turned down the bribe of a highly placed Nigerian, those with such tendency got the message and let him be to sustain his enduring self discipline and innate lasting virtues. To the glory of God he finished well as an upright public servant in a tempting and corrupt public service setting. This singular path of dignity points to one fact that individuals can always make the difference in most circumstances they find themselves. These virtues were strictly maintained when he was invited by the then International Bank for West Africa (later Afribank) to establish a bank property company to cater for development of bank buildings all over the country. The venerable man of God is ever ready to serve and always accessible to all God's children who need him for one thing or the other. The summation of his disposition as a professional in the secular world; in active service as a priest and in retirement culminates into a lifetime in the service to mankind. This essentially informed my choice of the title for his biography, “Bi eni ti nse iranse” (Like He That Serveth). Venerable Eso was born to the famous Eso family in Ilesa, Osun State on August 25, 1935. The younger brother of the Justice Kayode Eso the legal luminary of blessed memory attended Ilesa Grammar School and one of the early students of Nigeria College of Arts & Science, Enugu,

which later transformed to University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he studied Estate Management. He later attended University of London and qualified as a Chartered Estate Surveyor from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Buckingham Continued on Page 62

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I'm a huge fan of Arsenal becauseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of their fantastic business sense Continued from Page 61 God told him that He would soon call him home, and that he should look for somebody else to take over from him. To my surprise, he said I was the one to take over. Right there, he poured anointing oil on my head in the midst of other pastors. This was in December 1996. Before then, I was one of the branch pastors in Benin, Edo State. Subsequently, on January 19, 1997, a public handing over service was conducted and it was well publicised. So, since then, I have been the head of the ministry. After Bishop Marioghae handed over to me, he never stepped into his office again. He never interfered in the running of the church until he died five years later. How has it been since you took over the leadership of the church? Twenty years after, the ministry has become more visible. It has transformed from a provincial church to a global ministry. It has grown big from a branch in Benin to about 49 parishes spread across the states of the federation and overseas. Well, it is not all about member or branches but what you are able to impact on lives. It is about the positives you are able to make into the life of people. Yes we have doubled in terms of numbers, but the impact is even more than the figures. We are getting more global. As far as I am concerned, we have just started. I don t really like to count achievements but we have been able to reach out to millions of people especially in the area managing family. We started the first marriage family daily devotional in the

country about seven years ago. God has helped this ministry to reach a lot of people and change their bad ways of life, including robbers. We have also helped in poverty reduction, free health care services and education for indigent students among others. In what way are you different from other pastors of large churches? Well, I am a very moderate person. I don't love a high flying life. It may interest you to know that I don't fly first class whenever I travelled outside the country. How can I be flying first class when my subordinates cannot afford such luxury? I am looking forward to the day when some of my subordinates will earn fantastic salaries and that is when I will be happy and fulfilled. So I cannot live in luxury while pastors under me are not well off. Do you think there will be a positive change with the new government in Nigeria? When we talk of change, we are talking of individuals. Any change or transformation that is not tutored to start from the innermost being of a person is merely cosmetic. Change to me has to come from within each individual. If the new government is serious with change, they have to study what some other nations did to change the thinking pattern of their people. I am not a communist but let's take the late Chairman Mao of China who was able to change the thinking pattern of his people from feudalists and capitalists

into communists. Let's look at how the leaders of some of the booming Asian economies were able to change the thinking pattern of their people from corrupt, parasitic consumers into honest, symbiotic productive people. This has to involve a process and a think- tank that will drive the process. The fact that one party is using that as a slogan does not mean we are all going to change, unless certain principles are put into place. We really need change and transformation of the minds of Nigerians. Considering your busy schedule, how do you relax? I am a fun loving person. I am an ardent football buff with a huge fascination for Arsenal. As a matter of fact, I took my family out to an upscale eatery in Ikeja to celebrate Arsenal victory over Chelsea Football Club last Monday. What do you like about Arsenal? Arsenal has a very fantastic business sense and that is why I love the club. A lot of people had mocked the manager of the club, Arsene Wenger, for buying young players and failing to win laurels. But what critics of the club don't know is that the club has a strong business plan to buy players and make money without losing their stay on the top ladder of the English Premier League (EPL).The club had been buying young players, turning them into football stars and selling them at lucrative fee thereby making a lot of money. Now, the club is one of the richest football teams in England and can now afford to buy players for multimillion dollars. The lesson to be learnt from this narrative is that money will only flow into a good vision and Arsenal has one of the best business visions as far as club management is concerned. How did you meet your wife? I met her during a visit to a sister. I never liked her at the first encounter because she wasn't the type of my dream woman. She was very thin and dark while I was looking for a fair complexioned and voluptuous lady. But something struck me about her that she'll be my wife and it was confirmed after I prayed about it.

Venerable Ladipo Ladapo Eso at 80: Like he that serveth Continued from Page 61

Gate, London. He co-founded the Nigerian Chapter Royal Institution of Estate Surveyors and Nigerian Institution of Estate of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in which he served as the 8th Chairman of the professional body. The highpoint of is working career was when he became an ordained priest in Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion in 1995. Prior to this, he served as a Licensed Lay Reader and rose through the ranks to retire as an Archdeacon in 2005. His ability to recall Ijesa and family

histories is legendary and commendable. The facts gathering and manuscript review sessions with Baba Eso in his Ikeja GRA residence will remain indelible in my mind. Baba Eso is remarkably thorough; he ensured that I get facts in the book right. The healthy living of the Venerable L.L. Eso is remarkable coupled with a robust diet that he adhered to over the years. I must also state that Venerable Eso told the story of his life and events around him, all I did was to structure and package

the biography such that we can put in proper outlook the lifetime pursuit of excellence to the best of the towering abilities of the exemplary priest. The historical book expectedly has inspirational and spiritual touch. Therefore it should make a delightful reading to those who are inspired by reading biographies and people who are inclined to learning from the experiences of others that have done well for themselves and mankind in their lifetime activities. The Right Reverend (Prof) Dapo Asaju wrote the

foreword of the biography, it will be reviewed by Prof Wole Omole; Chief Dele Fajemirokun will unveil the book while Chief Festus Fadeyi will the lead the formal presentation of the book to the public. It is therefore with pleasure I recommend the book to the reading public while wishing the distinguished family man and quintessential priest happy 80th natal day as family members, friends and other well wishers will join him to give thanks to God on August 25, 2015 at the Anglican Church of the Ascension, Omodara Street, Opebi, Lagos.

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015

SPORT EXTRA

Oliseh upset over Ighalo, Emenike comparison • Eagles coach pleased with home boys after win

UNDAY Oliseh insists he made no mistakes in his choice of strikers for Nigeria’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Tanzania on September 5. Oliseh handed call-ups to Ahmed Musa, Emem Eduok, Emmanuel Emenike, Anthony Ujah, Sylvester Igboun and Moses Simon who are expected to primarily shoulder the goalscoring responsibilities of the team in Dar es Salaam. The former Nigeria captain’s decision to leave out Watford’s inform striker, Odion Ighalo however caused consternation among some sections of the local media and Oliseh did not take too kindly to a question a reporter put to him on the subject. “I know there would be (issues) over my decision to leave out Ighalo but then if we want the best out of our players, we have to give them respect. “Emenike is a Nations Cup winner (and he’s a) strong player. “Ujah scored ten goals in the German league and we are talking about a league that hosts the world champions. “Common, don’t start arguments and let’s talk about reasonable things,” a livid Oliseh told the stunned reporter. The Super Eagles will face the Taifa Stars on September 5 in Dar es Salaam on match day two of 2017 Afcon qualifying. Nigeria beat Chad 2-0 in their opening match of the section but trail on goals difference to Egypt after the Pharaohs beat Tanzania 3-0 in the other opening qualifying game in Group G. However, Oliseh has said he is pleased the players from the local league have put to practice some of the tips they learnt in their first two trainings when they beat an academy team 1-0 in a test game on Thursday. Gbolahan Salami scored the

match winner from the penalty spot after he was brought down on his way to goal. “I am pleased with the players because they tried to bring to play some of the things we tried to teach them on Tuesday and Wednesday,like how to possess the ball,” said Oliseh. Only Rangers defender Orji Kalu is now being expected in the camp in Abuja after Enyimba released their players who were engaged in a decisive game against champions Kano Pillars. The players will be excused to join their clubs for weekend games later Friday and return by Tuesday to continue the training camp.

• Emenike

Eagles released for NPFL games

EAD coach of the Nigeria national team, Sunday Oliseh has temporarily closed the team’s camp in Abuja. The coach has been working with 23 domesticallybased players in Abuja ahead of Nigeria’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania on September 4.

He has now sent the players on break to team up with their respective Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs ahead of match day 25 fixtures this weekend. Media Officer of the Super Eagles, Toyin Ibitoye told supersport.com that the players are expected to return to camp on Monday, August 24. “The coach has released the

A • Salami

REPRESENTATIVE of Obi Mikel has shed more light on the circumstances that led to the Chelsea midfielder not answering the phone calls made by Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh and the text messages he sent. The Nigerian intermediary stated that his client did not read the text messages

Emenike, Haruna battling to be fit

training, but reports coming out of Russia suggest he might spend a week or two on the sidelines, if the fitness test before this weekend game proved otherwise. On his part Emmanuel Emenike who scored twice for Al-Ain in last week’s UAE Super Cup 4-2 victory over AlNasr, pulled a muscle in training that has now made him a doubt for his loan side opening

game of the league. Emenike has had a long battle with his muscle in his past seasons in Turkey with Fenerbache, although this time around initial reports indicate he might be out for five or six days although no test have been done yet. Both players are expected to be in the Nigeria camp four days before the September 8 game against Tanzania in Dar Es Salam.

sent by Oliseh and several others because he does not have their numbers stored on his phone, adding that the midfielder is being harassed by several Nigerians who managed to get his phone number. “Mikel saw Oliseh’s call but didn’t answer because he doesn’t know his number, ” Mikel’s rep told allnigeriasoccer.com. “There are a lot of messages on his phone he doesn’t read . So many Nigerians have his number and they keep disturbing him. “Right now Mikel is worried that he is not in Chelsea’s first team and breaking into the team is what is on his mind.” It remains to be seen if Sunday Oliseh’s omission of Mikel from his roster will not backfire, with uncertainties surrounding the fitness of two invited midfielders, Anzhi’s Lukman Haruna and Joel Obi of Torino.

Joel Obi fit for Tanzania clash • Nigerian to spend 5 - 7 days after MRI scan

• Haruna

boys from camp today and they are expected to play for their clubs this weekend before returning to camp on Monday,” he said on Friday. Meanwhile, the team played a test game against Abuja Football College on Thursday at the Abuja National Stadium winning 1-0. Gbolahan Salami scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot.

'Mikel did not read text message sent by Oliseh'

BATTLE OF DAR ES SALAAM WO out of the 18 foreign based players that were invited by coach Sunday Oliseh ahead of next month to the AFCON 2017 qualifiers, Emmanuel Emenike and Lukman Haruna are in a race to be fit for the game against Tanzania. Although Anzhi Makhachkala Lukman Haruna claimed the thigh injury that lead to his substitution in his team 3- 2 loss to Dinamo Moscow, in the Premier League on August 8 isn't as bad as initially feared and he is already back in

• Ighalo

ORINO are optimistic that Joel Obi will be available for selection when they tackle Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A on Sunday, August 30, six days before the Super Eagles face off with Tanzania. They were boosted by the news that the Nigeria international would have to spend between 5 - 7 days on the sidelines after he underwent magnetic resonance imaging on Thursday. Tests conducted revealed

a functional overload to the semitendinosus muscle of the attacking midfielder’s left thigh. Joel Obi has been plagued by injuries in the last three years which has limited his appearances in the Serie A to just 9 starts from a possible 114 games. It is assumed that he failed to make the Super Eagles 2014 World Cup roster after failing to prove his fitness in the training camp prior to the tournament in Brazil.

• Joel Obi

Facing realities <<<<<<Continued from back page now is that we don’t have parade Ahmed Musa, either many players playing in the Emmanuel Emmenike or big leagues. So, Oliseh is Anthony Ujah and perhaps condemned to picking Gbolahan Salami of Warri regulars from seeming Wolves. Much of this smaller leagues. writer’s attempt at picking In picking boys from Oliseh’s brain will depend on outside the country, Oliseh how he arranges his midfield. reduced the number from the But will Oliseh press the incredible 29 to 18. Oliseh’s self destruct button if he finds argument is that it would be out soon that Emenike has foolhardy to retain the old challenges with his fitness, tradition. It wouldn’t be less than three weeks from fulfilling for a foreign-based the game against Tanzania? player to come to Nigeria, Or will he improvise with the only for him to sit on the pair of Ujah and Ahmed bench. Sensible. Oliseh Musa? That way his system reckoned that the cost of will change from 4-3-3 to 4such an exercise to the 4-2. What is the key is for the federation wasn’t worth it. Tanzanians to be beaten We now have two players groggy with goals. per wing fighting to grab a The Eagles need to lead the shirt in the first 11. Egyptians with goals before Oliseh abolished the the two-legged ties between distinction between homethe Pharaohs and Nigeria based and foreign-based next year. The winner in the adding that everyone is equal two-legged matches will in the fight for shirts. Oliseh qualify for the 2017 AFCON was, therefore, startled on and it has to be Nigeria. Wednesday evening when March 2016 leaves enough most of the home-grown time for Oliseh and his crew lads were stopped from to assemble a formidable side being in the camp. They to destroy the Egyptians first stayed back with the clubs to in Nigeria before the return prosecute the Globacom leg. The Pharoahs can be Premier League matches and routed in Nigeria in the first the Federation Cup games. leg game. But it won’t come He was disturbed that his with mere wishes or prayers. plea for everybody’s support There must be a discerning for him to succeed had been template through which this flouted even before the first feat can be achieved. But this game. template must include “Those who are playing credible friendly commenting or laying matches to blend the players emphasis on the fact that we to play as an indivisible unit. rely mainly on foreign I’m glad that Oliseh has players should start asking emphasised the need for the questions because we are Eagles to play as a team than back home to train and we be an array of individual don’t have people to train,” stars. The coach’s submission said Oliseh. that the country 1994 World “Every club is trying to Cup squad and the Atlanta hold on to these players. So, ’96 Olympic Games goldhow do we now want them winning team would be to learn and catch up with beaten mercilessly if the the ones that are in front of games were to be held today, them? You can see that it says a lot about how the affected our training; we game has evolved in the last have to change our training two decades. programme. We had invited Any tactical manager 23 and we ended up with 14 would mark out the key field players. So, I will leave players in those squads and you to judge from this.” exploits its weakness, he Take heart Oliseh. This is said. He is spot-on, going by one of the realities of this job. the uncanny method in But I won’t blame the club which the Italians kicked out officials but the NFF and Daniel Amokachi and LMC officials who fixed the Emmanuel Amuneke in the midweek matches in the game against Italy. That league and the FA Cup devious approach ruined the games at this time. Eagles who lost 2-1 to the A holistic view of Oliseh’s Azzurris in one of the USA 18-man Europe-based stars 1994 World Cup second and home-grown lads shows round matches. On the that we can play without contrary, Clemens goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim. Westerhof blamed the Agbim must be thanking country’s loss on the players’ security operatives present at refusal to leave the hotel the Nnamdi Azikiwe where they were being Stadium in Enugu for saving distracted for a sober setting his life. Agbim let in two that would have prepared cheap goals, with two them properly for the minutes to the end of the Italians. game. Enugu Rangers were The exclusion of Efe leading 2-1 until Agbim’s Ambrose, Victor Moses, rubber hands let in two goals Mikel Obi and Ederson to earn Ifeanyi Ubah FC the Echiejile isn’t new. They had three points. The game been excluded in previous ended 3-2 and Enugu selection. Why the hullabaloo Rangers fans went after over nothing? Mikel has been Agbim, who we were told left on the bench. Moses has not the stadium amid heavy played for Chelsea in the last security operatives. two games due to injury. It feels good to think that Ambrose was a76th minute new sets of midfielders will substitute for Celtic on anchor Eagles attacking Wednesday night when they onslaught against the Taifa beat Malobo 3-2 in one of the Stars of Tanzania in Dar es qualifying matches of the Salaam on September 5. I UEFA Champions League. want to see the quartet that Echijile played for 90 Oliseh will field. minutes in Monaco’s 3-1 to The Eagles coach wants to Valencia, in another UEFA play the 4-3-3 formation Champions League game anchored on strong wing held in Spain on Wednesday play, which is quite night. Come on, let’s support refreshing. I reckon he would Oliseh to succeed.

TOMORROW IN THE NATION PUNCHLINE

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.10, NO. 3314

Without doubt, unless something drastic is done about this, we would only be moving in circles on the anti-corruption war. As things stand, our criminal justice system appears inadequate to tame the corruption monster. Where it is not, some judges have made a mess of it in a way that gives criminals and the criminallyminded undue protection.

—Tunji Adegboyega

N the 20th of April this year, she made history at the Universityof Abuja (UNIABUJA) when she became the first woman to deliver an inaugural lecture at the University. She is none other than Professor Sarah OlanrewajuAnyanwu of the Department of Economics. Her inaugural delivery is the 13 th since the establishment of UNIABUJA with Professor Anyanwu’s presentation being the second from the Department of Economics and the third from the Faculty of Social Sciences. I must confess that when a friend,at my requisite, sent me a copy of the lecture, I was initially unexcited about the title: ‘Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Fostering Economic Development in Nigeria”. I used to belong to the school of thought that studies like Entrepreneurial studies or home economics are largely pragmatic disciplines more concerned with the nuts and bolts of practical matters and with no room for the theoretical and philosophical bases of academic subjects properly so called. Yet, when in recent weeks, I have been reading the inaugural culture and I must admit that my earlier sentiments were completely misbegotten and erroneous. From my reading of the lecture, Professor Anyawu, has an incomparable passion for entrepreneurial studies. Her first major paper after obtaining her Ph.Din 1992 was titled ‘Women Entrepreneurs in Jimata and Yola of Adamawa state: A profile of Features, Problems and Precepts”. This was an early indication that Professor Anyanwu was not going to be your typical denizen of the scholarly ensconced in an the Ivory Tower blissfully proffering theories far removed from existential realities. She also gained further academic and practical experience when she served as Director of Entreprenursip of UNIABUJA in 2010. The central theme of Professor Sarah Anyanwu’s inaugural is lecture that a passion for entrepreneurial studies is an indispensable vehicle for national recovery and sustainable development. She has been particularly influenced by the great economist, Schumpeter’s ‘theory of entrenpreneurship’ with its emphasis on creativity, innovation and venture development. Professor Anyawu underscores the critical and indispensable role of entrepreneurship in achiving national economic growth and development. In her words “Entreprenurship includes identification of individual of resources, allocation of resouces to create value through the identification of unmet needs. It involves the courage to take investment risks, the creativity to conceptualise and actualise marketable venture to meet identical needs’. Thus, the psychological prerequisites of successful entreprenuiral ventures include capacity, attitude, a talent for innovation, high moral in-

Entrepreneurship and national development

•Map of Nigeria

tegrity as well leadership capabilities”. Citing several scholars – Schumpeter, Weber, Thomas and Mueller etc, Professor Anyanwu argues that there is a positive correlation between entrepreneurial activities “and the stimulation of economic growth, employment generation and the disadvantaged sections of the population, which include women and the poor”. But how does entrpreneurship promote national development? This she contends is through its role as a generator of employment and increased productivity through innovation, the facilitation

of transfer or adaptation of technology as well as the dynamic generation and utilisation of resources. The link between the individual – creative, innovative, industrious, daring and courageous enrteprenurship and achieving his potentials in my reading of Professor Anyanwu’s lecture is a functional, effective, transparent and accountable state, which provides the necessary environment for business and enrepreneurship to thrive”. The professor thus exhaustively explores appropriate economic, social, psychological legal and

technological contents that limit the potentials of entrepreneurial enterprise in Nigeria. One fascinating insight, which I glean from Professor Anayanwu’slecture is that unemployment, while being a key indicator of our economic performance and development, can also be a catalyst for enhanced entrepreneurial activity and national development. Describing this as the ‘Schmpeterian’ effect; Professor Anyanwu explains that high unemployment in a country is closely associated with a low degree of entreprenuial activities, that where the propensity to set up enterprises is very low, the rate of employment is very high. A low entreprenuiral culture and lack of skills in any society may be a consequence of low economic growth, and higher level of unemployment. Professor Ananwu expatiates on this fascination thesis that an ordinarily negative phenomenon like unemployment can have positive factor ‘fast tracking entrepreneuship through ‘a refgee effect’. In her words “this remarkable view dates back to Oxenfelt (1943) who pointed out individuals confronted with unemployment and low prospects for wage employment often turn to selfemployment as a viable alternative. According to Professor Anyawu, this observation was an extension of an earlier view by Knight that individuals make a decision among threestates – unemployment self-employment and employment. This simple theory of income choice, according to Professor Anyanwu, lends credence to the refugee effect by suggesting that increased unemployment will lead to an increase in startup buisnesses. This implies and assumes the existence of effective government that implements viable national economics, which facilitate easy access to credit at affordable rates, enhancing the ease of starting and sustaining business as well as efficient of the vital physical and social infrastrucre for buinseess to thrive”. Other critical issues, which attract Professor Ayanwu’s lecture include youth enrepreneruship, Women entrepreneurial developmetas well as offering a clinical dissection of extant government fiscal and socioeconomic policies at all levels and their implications for poverty alleviation and rapid economic development. Professor Anyanwu’s passion for entreprenrshipbrings to my mind Chief Awolowo’s thesis that man is the sole dynamic in nature. He is the- be all and all of creation. Investment in affordable but qualitative education, health care and the provision of modern social and physical infrastructure are therefore, etc indispensable for the liberation of the entrepreneurial potentials of millions of Nigerians and making them catalysts of development.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Facing realities

avoid attending press conferences to herald the appointment of Super Eagles coaches. I boycott these fora because I don’t want to be perceived as a spoilsport even before the coaches begin their jobs. I stay off to watch the new romance between the coaches and their employers, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on television. I also enjoy reading the sweet-nothing from speeches made by both parties, largely because I perceive them as strange bedfellows who would soon go for each other’s jugular. But there I was on Monday inside the conference centre of the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, at the seeming unveiling of Sunday Oliseh to managers of the sports media. I stood apart intermittently from the motley crowd to observe how all the parties would arrive at the venue. I wanted to see if there would be the usual backslapping by the board members over the new feat. I wanted to see how the NFF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, and Oliseh would storm the premises. Would they come in the same vehicle or

would Pinnick come with (a) board member(s)? How would Oliseh, his lawyers et al come to the stadium? Many questions ran through my mind. At a point I decided to scribble down my questions. I wanted to ask questions that would rock all the parties. I didn’t have to wait for long. Pinnick came alone - like some other board members. Oliseh sauntered in with his elder brother, Churchill, a lawyer. I knew immediately Oliseh was his own man, ready to work at his terms- no pretences. Speeches were short and to the point; first, Pinnick, then his first vice chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi and his second vice chairman, Shehu Dikko, the chairman of the League Management Company (LMC). When Oliseh spoke, we knew his philosophy. Oliseh was ready to reveal the names of the 18 Euro-based players that he invited but was held back by officialdom. I was enthralled when Oliseh passed answers of certain posers to the NFF hierarchy. The synergy on the high table was impressive, especially when the NFF president told everyone that the first move for Oliseh’s services came from the LMC

boss. This revelation debunked the speculation that a Delta State parapo (solidarity) was at play. Question time. Apprehension. And then ‘friendly’posers. I asked Oliseh a four-prong question; first, if he would sell players as the team’s coach. I wanted to know if he could break the mafia in the team. I asked if he would quit should the Eagles fail to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, given the precedent cases with Samson Siasia and Stephen Keshi. Both coaches (Siasia and Keshi) failed to get Nigeria to one Africa Nations Cup competition and were sacked. Pin-drop silence. No hyperbole. Oliseh seemed rattled. In fact, when I asked the fourth question - if he would allow his brother or any agent to sell players, his brother stood up to interrupt politely, telling me that he isn’t an agent - like it has been peddled in the media - but an ardent football lover, who owns a team. Point noted Barrister Oliseh. I’m sure many people would be educated with this informed submission by Churchill Oliseh. What tickled me was the analytical manner in which

Oliseh dismissed the temptation to sell players. He posited that the best anyone who sells players would get from a fledgling Nigerian was seven per cent. He reckoned that it translates to $7,000 if such a boy is sold for $100,000 or $70,000, if he’s sold for $1 million. Why were others selling players, if what they got in return was pittance? Oliseh, unlike others, was persuaded to leave what he was doing in England to take the job. He did jobs routinely with CAF and FIFA. Others, jobless, begged for the job. Besides, soccer experts whispered Oliseh’s name into the ears of his employers. Others curried the support of men at the corridors of power. Was Oliseh’s list really shocking? Yes- to some extent. But for avid followers of the Nigerian game, most of the invitees are former age-grade internationals and some Nigerian boys who sneaked out to Europe and the Diaspora in search of the proverbial greener pastures. A few others were Nigeria-born kids. One trait noticed was the departure from the past. Those picked play for their clubs regularly. I don’t blame Oliseh for eating his word in defining where he wants his players from. The reality before Oliseh

•Continued on Page 63

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