September 12, 2015

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

NEWS 3

PDP must grapple with reality

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INCE the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the March 28 presidential poll, the defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been unable to grapple well with reality. It is time it did. Accustomed to impunity of all sorts, whether economic, jurisprudential or political, the party has found it difficult to wean itself off its primal position of past influence, glory and luxury.

Indeed it still suffers from overall detachment from, or even inurement to, reality. Since May, it has unsuccessfully tried to develop adequate and intelligent response to APC's policies and actions, both at the federal and state levels. But frustrated by its failure, it has turned mean and acerbic, accusing the ruling party of ruling by propaganda and promoting dictatorship politically and judicially. Worse, its ideological champions and party philosophers have been the unethical and querulous Governors Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and the inconsistent and antinomian Nyesom Wike of Rivers who has managed to extricate his faith from his amoral politics.

Twice in the past months this column had counselled the PDP to reorganise and restructure its operations, refine its ideology and worldview, and put its best foot forward if it was to present a great and effective counterpoise to the APC's propaganda and rhetorical fluidity. Sadly, the PDP has been unable to embrace change within the conservative spectrum of its beginnings. It has therefore spurned wisdom, help and knowledge of any kind, preferring instead the old, rigid, haughty and undiscriminating ways of doing the business of politics. Its frustrations are, in consequence, growing, and its methods increasingly becoming desperate.

Displaying neither the temper that comes from experience as former rulers nor the depth and expansiveness of new democrats, it prefers to assail the ruling party in terms that are openly and manifestly mendacious and vexatious.

But Nigeria needs a virile and viable opposition party, and the country must not give up in helping and counselling the PDP to stand up and grow valiantly into that noble and cautionary role. If the press and country condemn the PDP for gross exaggerations and outright falsehood in its reactions to the APC, it is not because those who needle the opposition party have become captives of APC propaganda, as the PDP unkindly put it; it is simply because the awkward opposition party continues to undermine its own arguments by immaturity and illogic. It is, for instance, dismaying that the PDP summed up President Muhammadu Buhari's first 100 days as 100 wasted days. By whatever yardsticks any critic might use, it is inconceivable that those days could be disregarded by anyone as a waste. They were probably not the most enlightening and inspiring of days, but they were solid, surefooted and methodical days of forward-looking interventions.

It may also perhaps be too optimistic and sweeping to describe the Buhari government as a palladium of correctness and legality, but it strains credulity for the PDP to suggest that the new government was already tending towards dictatorship. As is probably the manner with new governments, which in their early weeks and months tend towards some bit of confusion, duplication and boundless and misdirected enthusiasm, the Buhari presidency has sometimes seemed uncoordinated and insensitive. But rather than exhibit the hysteria that has entranced it, the PDP needs to design a brilliant and coherent framework to tackle these worrisome APC manifestations. It could take President Buhari to task over his appointments so far, but it must measure its response not to appear as if it has itself been hijacked by sectional interests.

In fact, no better opportunity has presented itself to the PDP to create a powerful momentum for the It is not enough opposition than the State Security Service (SSS) invasion of the Akwa for Mr Metuh to Ibom Government House in Uyo on ape the APC's September 3. If the target was not the governor, who by the way was fecund publicist, yet to relocate to the Government House, the secret service should Lai Mohammed, have informed him of the search at least shortly before it began, arm or copy his itself with a lawful warrant, and language, vitriol release a report of its findings to the public immediately after the and all, or deliver incident. None of these was done.

Instead, the secret service has let a deadpans as thousand speculations flower needlessly among the wary and instinctively as he excitable public. Some suggested did when the APC arms were found during the search, and others suggested piles of US was in the cold dollars were found stacked in a room in the Government House

guest wing. The PDP has asked the secret service to justify the invasion. It has also complained to the presidency and campaigned for full disclosure. It should not let up in its efforts to force the government to rein in the security services, including the SSS. Such a campaign should resonate with the public and the APC, who were at different times also victims of the Jonathan government's zealousness and recklessness.

The PDP, if it restructures and renews itself, could yet be the vanguard of a new democratic movement, one committed to the highest ideals of federalism and good governance. But for now it has inexplicably chosen to let the struggle be waged by leading PDP politicians like Mr Fayose, whose rabid denunciations of everything about the APC, good or bad, are at odds with his idiosyncratically boyish politics, appalling lack of ethics, general uncouthness, and predatory and anarchist style. The PDP lets its ideals be formulated by the unsure Olisa Metuh, its National Publicity Secretary, and projected by the even more aloof and distracted Uche Secondus, its Acting National Chairman.

If PDP leaders adamantly resist the positive change they need, if they continue to suggest that there is no substance to the repudiation their party suffered at the last polls, if they deny the need to refine their approach, ideals and ideology, and if they retain in office the old vanguard that led them to defeat or questionable victories, they will suffer even more devastating humiliations in the years ahead. The cause of democracy is not served by the retrogressive conservatism of the PDP leaders, nor by their myopic desire to retain their hold on party offices, nor by their puzzling and often irrational attacks on what are evidently productive and progressive steps and policies of the Buhari presidency.

Either by design or by accident, President Buhari has done remarkably well since he assumed office. The new PDP, if it is birthed, should acknowledge these achievements, applaud them, and then go on to offer scathing criticisms of those things the APC presidency has either not done, or refused to do, or done inappropriately. It is not enough for Mr Metuh to ape the APC's fecund publicist, Lai Mohammed, or copy his language, vitriol and all, or deliver deadpans as instinctively as he did when the APC was in the cold. Former president Goodluck Jonathan is still smarting from the crushing defeat he suffered at the hands of President Buhari and the APC to offer his party the inspiring and resilient leadership it desperately needs today. And PDP governors, many of them hanging in by a thread in a considerably viscous political environment, and harangued by disoriented and frustrated party members, are too chastened by defeat and fear to let their imaginations soar. The party needs a saviour; nay, the country needs a party that will offer qualitative opposition to help the ruling party fine-tune its methods and moderate its idealism.

As this column suggested shortly after President Buhari assumed office, and as the new opposition party sulked badly over the loss it just suffered, the PDP may contain codes and messages in its genes that make it averse to refinement and change. There is no reason to modify this pessimism. So far, including contemplating the opposition party's ludicrous reactions to the APC's remarkable but sometimes controversial policies and politics, there is nothing PDP leaders have done in many months to suggest their party is capable of holding the candle to the ruling party. In fact, there seems to be no one qualified temperamentally and intellectually in the PDP to offer the country the hope of democratic consolidation through deft opposition politics. The challenge should not be left to the bewildered PDP leaders alone. They should be coaxed to change, or if they loath that 'change' word, get them to remake themselves for the day after tomorrow and stop seeing politics as a chimera.

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CROSSFIRE

UNDER OW

My husband is alive, insists wife of policeman reportedly killed by pipeline vandals Ebele BONIFACE

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S the search for the corpse of the policemen allegedly killed by pipeline vandals in Ikorordu, Lagos, continues, the wife of one of the missing men, Mrs. Fatima Yakubu, insists that her husband, Inspector Yerima Yakubu, is alive and would return soon.

Some Ijaw youths, suspected to be pipeline vandals, were said to have opened fire on some policemen on Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, on August 3, killing four of them.

The deceased policemen were identified as Inspector Yerima Yakubu, Corporal Adakuro Peredigha, Sgt Obi Chukwudi and Sergeant Okoh Endurance.

It was gathered that three of the deceased policemen were attached to the Owutu Police Division, while the remaining one was from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command.

Residents said the Ijaw youths took away the corpses of three of their victims.

Our correspondent, who visited Inspector Yakubu's house at the Police Barracks in Ikeja, saw sympathisers trooping in. Fatimah and Inspector Yakubu (49), who hails from Ebiewakpi in Auchi area of Edo State, are blessed with five children.

Fatimah, who was seated in the living room, tried not to break down in tears as she kept saying that her husband was alive.

She said: “I know that my husband is still alive because he has not appeared to me. Let us go and beg the militants to release him to me and my children. I only shed tears of joy because I know that he is alive and would Continued on Pages 48

Fatimah. Inset: Inspector Yakubu

Allegation of dictatorship We insist that the trend must stop henceforth. No democracy survives without a viable opposition in any part of the world and we must also remember to remind the APC that they are the real beneficiaries of the liberal democratic ethos of the PDP… We all have a duty to prevent what looks to us like a steady slide of this country into dictatorship —Dr. Segun Mimiko for PDP governors

An institutional paralysis had occurred in the country. It is very important for a steady man like the President to really help the nation recover from the paralysis and that is what he is doing; so I don't see what is dictatorial about that... If they don't have anything to say, they'd rather be quiet.

They created what is wrong here today and we can't sweep that under the carpet...

—APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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Shettima: A governor for the people W

Olubanwo FAGBEMI tence as attack topped attack, he sustained the call ate past presidency, led by for better arms and never let until hope met Goodluck Jonathan, resonated. change through last March’s nationwide elections Following the May 2013 dec- and subsequent inauguration of President Buhari laration of a state of emerand his (the governor’s) second term upon re-elecgency in three northeastern tion. states of Borno, Adamawa After first and second degrees in agricultural ecoand Yobe, the government nomics and careers as university lecturer deployed troops to arrest the and banker, Shettima served in various Boko Haram menace. The capacities in the Borno State government states shared the orgy of before winning the 2011 governorbloodletting and deseship election on the platform of Besides cration of human and the All Nigeria People's Party its humanitarian material resources (ANPP). In the 2015 elections value, the governor’s that trailed a miliof February/March, he gesture opened a wintary crackdown returned on the All dow into his soul.

Hardly on the sect in Progressives Congress in doubt, his strength of 2009, but the (APC) ticket. character, as demonstrated by Sworn in alongside his April 2014 a willingness to give voice to late deputy by the aptlyabduction of his people’s frustration at the named state chief judge, 276 secondary expense of relations with Kashim Zannah, Governor school girls the immediate past presiShettima pledged to lobby from the town of dency, led by the new Federal Chibok heightened Goodluck Jonathan, Government to consider Borno’s plight. granting amnesty to the miliresonated Disappointed by the tants as some form of solution to feeble attempt at containthe costly problem. ment, the governor declared In an articulate tribute published the at the end of a meeting with the Sunday before last, the governor betrayed former president at Aso Rock emotion and insight in equal measure, Villa last February that the sect enough to give the reader a fair idea of the psychowas better armed than the armed logical composition of the tag team that has chartforces. “Boko Haram fighters are better ed Borno’s course since 2011. Only the apathetic armed and are better motivated than would ignore the earnestness that ran through the our own troops. Given the present governor’s plaintive ode to his departed partner. state of affairs, it is absolutely imposShettima’s capture of the late Mustapha’s profile sible for us to defeat Boko Haram.” seemed acute, just as his personality traits burst The former president took umbrage through the lines. While the subject, by the at the submission. Before a four-memauthor’s admission, was ‘extremely honest, pruber interview panel during the sixth dent and efficient’, and a goal-getter worthy of the presidential chat afterwards, a trucumoniker Mazan Fama (Reliable Warrior) bestowed lent Jonathan suggested that if he by his boss, the other, by deduction, cultivates diswithdrew the military for one month from cipline, integrity and loyalty.

Borno State, the governor would find the state Two leaders alike, yet so different: one aggressive inhabitable and his position untenable. The Federal and vivacious; the other quieter and more Government was making efforts to rectify the situreserved. Their complementary attributes clearly ation, he added. forged a union of political soul mates that might The Senior Special Assistant to the former have more benefitted the state in favourable cirPresident, Doyin Okupe, stated that Shettima’s cumstances. position reflected a poor knowledge of military Together, they achieved commendable infrastructactics or equipment. But the governor demonstrattural progress despite obvious challenges. Besides ed better grasp of the situation. While Jonathan bringing his passion for the welfare of IDPs to skirted the restive region and voided a scheduled bear, the departed deputy governor helped his visit on ‘security advice’ after his itinerary leaked through the media, Shettima repeatedly braved the principal meet agricultural, health front.

Taking flak for screaming the military’s incompe- • Continued on Page 5

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HILE the 100-day scorecards of elected leaders at state and national levels since their May 29 inauguration divide opinion, some like Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, deserve mention for the sentimental value they bring to governance.

If there is an award for ‘The People’s Governor’, he would be a frontrunner for the courage, candour and conviction with which he has championed his beleaguered people’s cause in the past four years and more.

President Muhammadu Buhari may set the tone for patriotic leadership, but the governor amplifies it with a series of pro-people actions culminating in a recent appeal to friends, colleagues and associates to shelve media advertisement of 49th birthday greetings in his honour. The governor turned 49 on September 2.

Partly in honour of erstwhile state deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Mustapha, who passed on his sleep on August 15, the governor pleaded that funds slated for the adverts be channelled to private organisations in Abuja and the state capital, Maiduguri, to support internally displaced people (IDPs) arising from the sectarian conflict in the Northeast.

Shettima’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, via a statement released penultimate Monday in Maiduguri, noted that “The restriction is to respect the memory of too many Boko Haram insurgents in recent and previous attacks as well as the utmost need to honour the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, who died on August 15, less than three weeks ago.”

Mustapha’s demise occurred in Yola, Adamawa State where he had gone to represent the state government at the convocation ceremony of Modibbo Adama University of Science and Technology, Yola.

He was expected to follow up on his earlier visit to Yola in connection with the welfare of Borno State citizens internally displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

It is said that Shettima has refused to mark his birthday since 2011 when he became governor because of the insurgency challenge.

Besides its humanitarian value, the governor’s gesture opened a window into his soul. Hardly in doubt, his strength of character, as demonstrated by a willingness to give voice to his people’s frustration at the expense of relations with the immedi-

Rivers governorship poll a sham, mockery of democracy, says INEC HE Independent National Electoral Commission yesterday dismissed the governorship election that took place in Rivers State on April 11 as a sham and mockery of democracy.

The Head, Election and Party Monitoring Department (EPM) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Charles Okoye, told the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja yesterday that the election was akin to warfare, describing it as kangaroo.

Okoye, who was subpoenaed by the tribunal to give evidence on the findings of INEC’s team that monitored the election, told the tribunal that he was the coordinator of the team that monitored the election.

He said: “My duties include monitoring the conduct of every election with a view to assisting the commission to improve on the electoral process. I monitored parties' activities like congresses primaries, campaigns and party finances. I performed my functions (election monitoring) in relation to the April 11, 2015 election.

“On April 11, in carrying out my statutory duties as the Head of election and party monitoring, I strongly believe that no other person,

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either within or outside INEC is more equipped and competent to say what transpired at the election more than myself.

There are reasons for that. Fiftyeight observer groups, who came to Rivers State to monitor election with over 6,000 members, reported to me and I briefed them concerning the election and debriefed them after the election.

“I also set up a monitoring team that went to various parts of the state to monitor election and they reported back to me at the end of the election. I was also the person at the commission that gave directives to the parties both before and at the end of the election.

“At the election, we now wrote a report on what we saw that happened on that day.

There are 23 LGs in the state. We covered 19 of the LGs, with my men and myself.

“During the monitoring exercise, what we observed was that the election was warfare. It was a militant terrorism and also a sham, a kangaroo election. It is a mockery of democracy. The election was characterized by large scale violence and disruption of polls.

“There were snatching of election materials, shooting and allocation

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja of figures and all kind of impunity happened at the election. I visited about eight LGs in the company of three National Commissioners of INEC, including my staff.

“At the end of the monitoring exercise, we wrote a report, which I signed with other members of the EPM department that went to other LGs in the state.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate at the election, Dakuku Peterside, are before the tribunal, challenging the outcome of the election, which they claimed was marred by irregularities and violence.

Respondents to the petition by APC and Peterside are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candiade, Nyesom Wike.

Earlier, the tribunal, led by Justice Mohammed Ambrosa, overruled the objection raised by lawyers to the respondents against Okoye testifying orally.

Respondents’ lawyers—Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), representing INEC; Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) representing Wike and Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) for the PDP—had argued that it was wrong for Okoye to tes-

tify for the petitioner when his employer, INEC, was a respondent in the case.

Ikpeazu argued that en electoral officer or any officer of the commission (INEC) is duty bound to defend an election petition. If there is a reason for the officer not to defend, then the officer shall seek a written consent of the AGF. “Where INEC is made a party, in this case a respondent, all the officials of INEC are respondents,” he said, referred to Paragraph 51 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act (EA).

“For an officer of INEC to be called as a witness by a petitioner, not just to tender documents but to give evidence, will violate Paragraph 51 (1) of the EA,” Ikpeazu said. Ukala and Adedipe argued in similar vein.

In a counter-argument, petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) noted that Ikpeazu, Ukala and Adedipe were relying on the old Electoral Act, noting that “if they were able to purchase the amended Electoral Act, they would not be arguing as they were doing.

He said the National Assembly on December 29, 2010, enacted an amended the Electoral Act in which Paragraph 51 (1) of the Act was

amended to prevent a situation where INEC will commit atrocities in an election and then seek the cover of the law to prevent the scrutiny of their illegal act.

He added that even before the amendment, “the Court of Appeal held emphatically, in the case of Ibrahim vs Ogunleye 2012 1 NR part 1282 at page 489, that, that provision cannot stop a subpoenaed witness from INEC from giving evidence without the consent of the AGF. He urged the tribunal to reject the respondents’ objection, a position the tribunal took in its ruling.

The petitioners also called two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) – Funmilayo Akindele and Kenneth Okiah— who said they provided security during the election.

Akindele said the election was marred with violence at the AsariToru Local Government, where election materials, including buses meant to convey the materials to wards, were burnt by hoodlums.

Okiah said he monitored election at Okirika Local Government where election held, with few incidents of election material snatching and attacks.

Further hearing resumes today.

THE NATION

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

•From left: Representative of Huadong Engineering Corporation, Zhang Chunsheng; that of Power Construction of China, Ding Zhengguo; Group Chairman Power Construction Corporation of China, Mr.Yan Zhiyong; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Managing Director, Power and Energy Development Company Ltd., Abubakar Joda; Chairman Board of Sinohydro Corporation Ltd., Song Dongsheng and representative of Hubei Hongyuan Power Co. Ltd., Liu Hong, during a meeting with power and energy generating companies at the Presidential Villa Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN

Boko Haram: Buhari takes battle to France, meets Hollande on Monday for talks D ETERMINED to curtail Boko Haram insurgency, President Muhammdu Buhari will on Monday begin a state visit to France to hold talks with President Francois Hollande.

He will also explore opportunities of more collaboration with Niger, Chad and Cameroon, which are assisting the nation in the war against insurgency.

The President was quoted as saying “it is more cost effective politically and economically to be at peace with your neighbours. This is something I learnt from the army.”

According to a pre-visit review by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the visit was in response to President Hollande’s invitation to President Buhari.

He said Hollande had extended olive branch to Buhari shortly after his election in March.

The agenda of the three-day bilateral talks will include • Security in the Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin area.

• Boko Haram insurgency • Review of ‘Wish List’ • To prevail on President Hollande and allies in G7 to keep their promise to assist Nigeria • Access to military hardware, reconstruction of damaged infrastructure • Economy and the war against corruption He said: “One, he (Hollande) offered the friendship and partnership of France in President Buhari’s plan to rid Nigeria of terrorism and rebuild the country economically.

“His pronouncement that relations between our two countries are “strategic” has equally excited the Nigerian foreign policy establishment. It points to Nigeria’s opportunity.

“The second thing President Hollande said to our then President-elect was, “come to France and let us host to you to a bilateral discussion.”

From here, Hollande, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Britain’s David Cameron and Obama encouraged President Buhari to, on getting into office put together a “wish list” of his government and country and table it at the “G7” meeting in Germany

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation early in June, with a promise to come to the aid of our country.

Shehu gave elaborate details on why the visit was important to the war against Boko Haram insurgency.

He added: “Lastly and more importantly is the issue of security in the country and the Lake Chad basin area.

“Since his assumption of office, President Buhari has squared up to the threat of Boko Haram terrorism with a single-minded determina-

tion. Without waiting for the envisaged foreign support and assistance, Boko Haram is near resolution.

“If they were correctly reported in their press conference a few days ago, the military has indeed declared victory in the war. But the world still needs to come together to help this country manage its fallout.

“In this regard, President Hollande needs to make his friends and allies in the G7 to sharpen their response and keep their promise of assistance for which President Buhari was requested to

present a wish list.

“So far, there is evidence of that support in the areas of training and the sharing of intelligence. But beyond these, it is hard to say that we are getting commensurate responses to the high hopes that we harboured in dealing with the war and reconstruction.

“Such promises, especially as regards access to military hardware and the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, donated or paid for should be pursued so that the victory over terror in our region is not a temporary one

but one that will usher in permanent peace, tranquility and wealth for our beleaguered populations and the part of the continent they occupy.”

On the economy, Shehu said the meeting will also focus on it since France investment in Nigeria is the largest in Africa.

He said: “It is equally fundamental that France’s investment on the African continent is the largest in Nigeria. And it is still growing.

French interests here are strongly represented by such companies as Total, ELF,

LaFarge, Societe-Generale, SCOA and so on.

“The best outcome for Nigeria during this visit should reflect favourably on key priorities of the Buhari administration, which are security, economy and the war against corruption.

“An added one would be the strengthening of cultural cooperation. That should hopefully be beneficial to both states.

“We as a country are in the midst of our French-speaking siblings in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin bordering this country to the North, East and West. The attitude of our authorities to this ground reality has not been very good so far.”

Air Force rotates counter insurgency troops

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HE Nigerian Air Force has rotated members of its ground forces fighting alongside troops of the Nigerian Army in the ongoing counter insurgency campaign.

The troops, who have spent more than six months in the Northeast, were being replaced by others assembled from the various Air Force units.

A statement issued yesterday by the Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said latest troop rotation was in line with operational practice.

“It is aimed at reinvigorating the minds of the personnel and their commitment to the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram terrorists by replacing the weary hands with fresh ones. The rotation also has the corollary effect of morale boosting for the troops,” Alonge said.

The statement added that subsisted troops had already been airlifted with the NAF C-130H aircraft from the theatre of operation to their various units. “During the short but colourful ceremony, the Commander of 79 Composite Group Maiduguri, Air Commodore Chris Egwoba, on behalf of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commended the efforts of the gallant airmen and wished them success in their

...as Toyota donates Hilux vans to Multinational Joint Task Force Gbade OGUNWALE, Assistant Editor, Abuja

future endeavours,” the statement added.

In a related development, Toyota Nigeria Limited yesterday donated five Hilux vans to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Maiduguri, Borno State to aid the ongoing counter insurgency campaign in the Northeast.

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, who received the vans, expressed profound gratitude to the management and staff of Toyota.

A statement issued by the

Acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar yesterday quoted Gen. Olonisakin as describing the company's gesture as a show of public support and approval for MNJTF actions.

"This donation is a laudable one and very timely too.

This shows that the fight against Boko Haram insurgency will come to an effective end, going by the presidential directive.

"The provision of adequate security, not only in the northeast but in all corners of the country, is a task that must be done and done quickly too," Olonisakin was quoted to have said.

The CDS, who was repre-

sented at the occasion by Air Vice-Marshal Olutayo Oguntoyinbo, promised that the Hilux vans would be used to ensure the success of the operation against all forms of guerrilla movements and cross-border crimes around the Lake Chad Basin.

While charging soldiers to make maximum use of the vehicles, he urged other companies and corporate organisations in Nigeria and countries around the Lake Chad Basin to emulate Toyota's noble gesture.

He called on Nigerians to come forward and support the Nigerian Military in the ongoing campaign against

terror.

In his own remarks, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the vehicles would be used effectively to achieve the MNJTF's mandate of defeating the Boko Haram terror group in all the areas they occupied.

"The Hilux van would be put to most effective use for the achievement of the three mandates of MNJTF, namely to defeat the insurgents in all the countries they exist whether in Nigeria, Niger Republic, Chad or Cameroon, and to facilitate the humanitarian and logis•Continued on Page 6

Eight dead, 14 injured in Adamawa bomb blast

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N explosion rocked the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp at Malkohi, Yola, Adamawa State yesterday, leaving no fewer than eight people dead.

Thirteen other people were also injured in the blast, according to the Adamawa State Government.

The Commissioner for Information, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, who confirmed the incident to newsmen after a visit to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where the injured persons were receiving treatment, said four officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were among the injured persons.

•It’s handiwork of evil-hearted men —Atiku Barnabas MANYAM, Yola He also said another blast was reported in Madagali, but the casualty figure was still unknown.

“I just got the report of another blast in Madagali, but as I speak to you, I am still trying to get the actual picture of the situation. I got the report from officials of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, ” he said, adding that the state government would foot the bill of all those injured in the Malkohi incident.

Security operatives comprising the Army, Air

Force, Civil Defence Corps and police, have swooped on the camp to commence fresh screening of all the IDPs All the IDPs where gathered in one section of the camp as policemen, soldiers and other officials of the camp embarked on the screening.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Adaji, said security had been beefed up at the camp to forestall a reoccurrence.

Adaji said it was possible that the persons that came with the explosive that rocked the camp joined the IDPs that were brought to the camp from Madagali on Thursday

night.

He said: “We suspect one of those IDPs that came newly.

They possibly beat the security checks to cause this tragedy.

“It is unfortunate. We are now trying our best to see that such incident does not happen again.”

The NEMA Camp Coordinator in Adamawa State, Mr. Saad Bello, confirmed that a total of 498 IDPs from Madagali and 17 from Sambisa Forest were brought to the camp on Thursday night, and it was •Continued on Page 6

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THE NATION

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

•oBorno State governor and Chairman of Northern Governors' Forum, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, delivering his address (2nd left); the host and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai (left); Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State (3rd left); AbdulAziz Yari of Zamfara State (middle); Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State (3rd right); Deputy Governor of Yobe State, Engr. Abubakar Ali (2nd right) and Governor of Jigawa State at a meeting of the governors of 19 northern states in Kaduna… yesterday

APC, SANs hail NLC over anti-corruption campaign

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) and other eminent Nigerians have hailed Nigerian workers and the Civil Society for standing up firmly against corruption, describing the workers’ open demonstration of support for the Federal Government’s battle against corruption as a major boost to the anti-graft fight.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Nigerian workers’ unambiguous stand against corruption is also a clear repudiation of all those who have attempted to politicise the battle either by insinuating selectivity or saying the government should face governance instead of dwelling on the fight against corruption.

It said: ‘’Thursday’s nationwide demonstrations by Nigerian workers and the civil society in support of the anticorruption battle is the clearest indication yet that corruption is now seen for what it is—a vice to be condemned and punished rather than something to be venerated and celebrated.

“The growing intolerance for corruption among Nigerians is also a clear example of what a nation can achieve under a committed, sincere, purposeful and focused leadership.’’

APC said the delivery of good governance is seriously hampered by corruption, hence the cankerworm, which it said has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society, is the main rea-

Segun AJIBOYE (Assistant Editor) and Innocent DURU son why millions of unemployed youths cannot get jobs, hospitals lack necessary equipment and drugs, infrastructural deficit is worsening and social services are almost non-existent.

The party added: ‘’A huge chunk of the billions of naira budgeted annually for all sectors of the economy end up in private pockets. Little wonder that the economy has been in the doldrums over the years despite the trillions of naira earned by the country from crude oil sales alone. ‘’It is therefore baffling that some people, for whatever reasons, have decided to engage in sophistry in their attempt to distract the government from combating graft.

“Thursday’s nationwide anti-graft rally by Nigerian workers and the civil society has shown that Nigerians are not buying such fallacy.’’

It recalled the promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari in his inaugural speech on 29 May 2015, that his Administration would tackle head on the serious challenges facing the country, including insecurity and pervasive corruption, and appealed to all Nigerians to continue to give their unalloyed support to the administration in its determination to surmount the challenges.

Also speaking, Chief LadiWilliams (SAN) hailed the action of the workers. He said the NLC has the right to make the demands for death sentence for all corrupt public officials, but regretted that

Shettima: A governor for the people…

•Continued from page 4 and housing targets despite allegations of excessive administrative expenses by critics.

The imprudence covered a lavish daily breakfast party for elite individuals in Maiduguri. The State House of Assembly also had to trim the governor’s aides from 40 to 20.

In the absence of his capable second-in-command and with the prospect of an able replacement, the governor

would have to soldier on, for, with the Chibok girls no nearer home and the ragtag remnants of the insurgents devising ingenious forms of dastardliness, the people need a committed governor more than ever. For a while, he may grieve, after the privilege of having a deputy tick off assigned and unassigned tasks for four years and 78 days to ask the invariable question: What next?

“our statute does not have provision for capital punishment.

“The demand is therefore inconsistent with our constitution. Until the law is amended, I don’t think a judge has the power to pass death sentence on anybody.

“The demand is what I call the Chinese option. In spite of this, I agree that something drastic needs to be done about the state of corruption in the country.

“Some people have been known to reach out to adjudicators to compromise them. On several occasions, the accused are either freed or given a slap in the hand.

“It is a murderous cruelty for any of these people to get away with even a dollar from what they have stolen.”

He added: “They are also right in kicking against the use of perpetual injunction by corrupt officials to restrain

anti-corruption agencies from prosecuting them. But I will say that due process must be followed.

“I am also of the opinion that perpetual injunction should not be allowed in our fight against corruption. I find it difficult for anybody to prevent investigation of corrupt officials and something has to be done about it.

“If we don’t do anything about corruption, we would remain in poverty perpetually.”

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on war Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, described the protest as a step in the right direction, but frowned at the call for death penalty.

“The demand for death penalty for corrupt officials is a bit extreme. I have always been guided by the fact that once a life is taken, it can’t be restored,” he said, adding: “I

totally support the campaign against the use of restraining injunction by corrupt people to prevent being prosecuted.

Any judge who issues that should be regarded as guilty of gross misconduct and his job put on the line.

“I am however against going to their houses to bring them out because it would amount to physical violence.

It should be left in the hands of the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC).

“Such a judge should be queried and dismissed from office for promoting corruption. “ In a separate interview, Enechi Onyia (SAN), said the protest was in order because it is geared towards curbing corruption in the country.

“The Federal Government should take all of that and decide what is good for the country. It is the fundamental right of any Nigerian to

go to court for whatever he wants. It is the court that can decide whether to grant the request or not,” he said.

Also commending the NLC, Barrister Fred Agbaje, a human rights activist, asserted that the “right to fair hearing should not make the court to blindly accede to the request of one man against the interest of the country.

“I support the NLC on their protest against the use of perpetual injunction by corrupt officials to avoid prosecution. Judges should weigh the interest of the larger society and the need to curb corruption as enshrined in section 15 of the constitution.

“I also support the demand for capital punishment for corrupt officials, irrespective of what some governors are saying. I am not an apostle of death penalty, but if that is what will stop or reduce corruption, so be it.”

Air Force rotates counter-insurgency troops

•Continued from Page 5 tics needs of troops in the conduct of their duties by providing escort and security for them.

The Army Chief was also quoted to have said the vehicles would be used for the distribution of materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to re-establish state authority and to create safe environments for displaced persons to return to their villages and live a nor-

mal life.

The COAS also described the gesture by Toyota as a very important role in the realization of the presidential directive of routing out terrorists in three months.

He added that in addition to using the vehicles for patrol purposes, they would also be used to escort humanitarian support aid to IDPs and to re-establish civil authority by conveying them to their villages.

Eight dead, 14 injured in Adamawa bomb blast •Continued from Page 5 suspected that one of them hid a bomb in his cloths and detonated it on arrival.

Reacting to the development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said only persons with hearts of evil could have perpetrated the act.

In a press statement released by his Media Office in Abuja, the former Vice President said it was pathetic for “agents of evil” to target the thousands of already traumatised and vulnerable people mainly from Borno and Yobe states, who were seeking refuge in the camp.

“Many people I know were working as volunteers in the camp, including staff and students of AUN, who are being nurtured and mentored in the best tradition of service to humanity by giving off their time, energy and at times resources to their fellow human beings,” the Turaki Adamawa said.

“Today’s attack is an attempt to break the spirits of the people who came to seek refuge. The perpetrators will know no peace.

“We refuse to be broken.

We will win the war against terrorism. We shall overcome!”

Toyota Nigeria's Managing Director, Mr. Kunle Adeojo, was quoted as saying that members of his management board had agreed to support the Armed Forces with the donations.

Adeojo said fighting against insurgents needed the support of all nations and all companies.

He said: "Doing this is a

worthy cause indeed for the singular fact that businesses and potential can only be fully maximised in a safe and secure society.

"That is why Toyota reckons that the crusade against insurgency deserves the support and solidarity of all, hence the donation of these pick-up vans to aid your operations."

UNICAL gets new VC

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HE Governing Council of the University of Calabar has announced Prof. Zana Itiunbe Akpagu , the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) as the new and 10th Vice Chancellor of the institution.

Prof. Akpagu, the second Vice Chancellor to emerge from the Faculty of Arts after the short-lived tenure of Prof. Solomon Unoh in 1995, will take over from Prof James Epoke whose tenure ends on November 30, 2015.

Making the announcement at the Council Chamber of the institution, the ProChancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Chief (Dr) Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, said that Prof. Akpagu polled an average score of 74

•Prof. Akpagu per cent to win what he described as a close contest.

He said that eight candidates, who were duly screened, participated in the interview selection exercise which has been described as one of the fairest since the inception of the institution and commended Council for maintaining decorum, integrity and high standard throughout the process.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

News

Court refuses ex-Mint boss’ request for freedom

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ETAINED former Man aging Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM), Emmanuel Okoyomon, yesterday lost his bid to regain freedom as a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo dismissed his application.

Justice Valentine Ashi, in a ruling, upheld argument by respondents’ lawyer, Muslim Hassan, to the effect that

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja Okoyomon’s application filed after the Court of Appeal ordered his remand in Kuje prison, Abuja pending the determination of his appeal, was misplaced and without merit.

The judge, who held that his court was without jurisdiction to hear Okoyomon’s application, agreed with the position canvassed by the Deputy Comptroller in Charge of Medium Security Prison, Kuje and

the Attorney General of the Federation (who are the respondents) that the Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction over extradition proceedings.

Justice Ashi further held that since Okoyomon’s detention at the Kuje prison arose from an extradition proceedings, and on the strength of a judgment by a Federal High Court in Abuja, his fate is tied to the extradition proceedings.

The judge was of the view that Okoyomon could either turn to

the Federal High Court with his fresh application –a writ of habeas corpus – or return to the Court of Appeal to pursue his pending appeal to a logical conclusion.

He held that he cannot grant Okoyomon’s application since the Court of Appeal was aware of his pending appeal and that the appellate court had already refused his earlier bail application, but ordered his continued detention pending the determination of his appeal.

“I am unable to find any law empowering me to circumvent the decision of the Court of Appeal. In view of all I have

said, I find no merit in this application. It is frivolous,” the judge said and dismissed the application.

Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on May 4 this year, granted Okoyomon’s extradition to the United Kingdom where he has been accused of complicity in the bribery allegation, involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN NSPM and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.

Okoyomon appealed the High Court decision at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. He

applied to the court for bail and stay of execution of the decision

by Justice Chukwu. But, in its ruling on June 26, the appellate court rejected his (Okoyomon’s) application for bail on the ground that it was unmeritorious.

The appellate court however granted Okoyomon’s request for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, directing the Federal Government to proceed with his extradition.

Rather than pursue his pending appeal, Okoyomon went before the FCT High Court with a fresh suit, challenging his continued detention.

MAN raises alarm over protests to blackmail regulatory agencies

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•Chairman/CEO, Petroman Oil Limited, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, with Mr Murat Sonmez, a member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum, at the 9th annual meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China...yesterday

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HE complexity of infant and child health manage ment, especially in a developing country like Nigeria, was dissected at a recent scientific forum held at Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua Centre, Abuja.

Exploring the theme: Promoting Sound Paediatric Care for Neonates, nutrition and Skin Health, the experts identified three main areas of infant and child health-care.

The first is nutrition which starts with exclusive breastfeeding for proper developmental milestones.

The second is skincare on medical basis to ensure infant delicate skin is nurtured to guarantee protection of the internal organs as well as protective and barrier functions for effective performance of skin as excretory system and outpost for immune surveillance.

The third area is neonatal resuscitation which helps to rescue endangered infants and neonates suffering from Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (NRDS/Hyaline Membrane Disease).

The scientific forum, organized by Thompson & Grace Pharmaceuticals Limited, exclusive distributor of Sebamed Medical Skin Care products from Germany, Humana Infant Nutrition products from Germany and BLES from Canada, had Prof. Philip Abiodun, a consultant Paediatric gastroenterologist and nutritionist at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH) Benin City as Chairman.

Delivering a paper on Nutritional Management of Childhood Cholestasis, the Role of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), Prof. Abiodun said cholestasis occurs due to the retention of all substances in the blood which should normally be excreted in the bile, noting that this results in increase in serum bile acids.

HE President of the Manufacturers Associa tion of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Jacobs, has warned that some individuals, groups and companies carrying out protests around the country as a means of blackmailing federal government’s regulatory agencies who have refused to allow them carryout illegal business activities in the country have no affiliation what so ever with the MAN. Jacobs, who spoke in Awka, warned that some of the companies financing the phoney campaigns and protests have been penalised in the past by the same regulatory agencies they are targeting with their protests for their illicit activities such as counterfeiting and faking of products belonging to legitimate manufacturers.

Experts proffer solutions to paediatric problems He said the accumulation of toxic bile salt in the liver leads to liver damages, further leading to obstruction of bile flow and absence of bile acids in the intestinal lumen.

Prof. Abiodun identified “Biliary Atresia” as the most common cause, among other causes of cholestasis.

Similarly, Chief Consultant Pediatrician/Neonatologist, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Mariya Mukhtar-Yola, said adequate nutrition, normal hormonal actions, emotional stability, secured family environment, among others, are key requirements for normal human growth.

She advocates for exclusive breastfeeding for new born babies in the first six months and continue to 12 to 24 months with other foods. But where the mother is unable to breastfeed, they should use approved commercial infant formula.

Mrs. Folasade Ewarts, who presented a paper on Humana Nutrition Products, A Panacea for Healthy Child Nutrition, identified mother’s milk as the best food for infants, but said where it is impossible to feed the children with mother’s milk as a result of lack of enough milk, illness or death, a credible alternative should be used.

Dr. Obumneke Genevieve Kalu, Medical Director, Thompson & Grace Pharmaceuticals Limited, in her presentation on Neonatal Resuscitation, submitted that improved techniques and potent surfactants such as Bovine Lipid Extract Surfactant (BLES) will eliminate avoidable infant mortality, particularly the neonates at birth.

She further submitted that the prevalence and high mor-

tality rate of the new born and infants emanating from Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (NRDS/Hyaline Membrane Disease) are a known fact to Neonatologists.

Dr. Olanrewaju Falodun, Senior Consultant Physician / Dermatologist at the National Hospital, Abuja, who spoke on Management of Atopic Dermatitis in Children, said atopic dermatitis which he describes as group of disorder that include eczema, asthma and allergic rhinitis affects approximately 5 – 20 % of children worldwide.

He identified dry skin and too much bathing without moisturizers as trigger factors of atopic dermatitis.

Commenting on the Scientific Forum on Infant and Child Health which his organisation sponsored, Group Managing Director, Thompson & Grace Pharmaceuticals Limited, Dr. Isaac Thompson Amos, said: “We are committed to providing solutions to managing common health challenges whether it is skin scare or infant and child nutrition through our product ranges such as Humana for child nutrition, BLES for rescue treatment of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (NRDS/Hyaline Membrane Disease) and Sebamed skin-care products for the treatment of infant and children skin diseases.”

According to him: “We cannot do much because these are individuals within a free country. Anybody can say whatever they want to say, but such unscrupulous elements can never find their way into the MAN. We will not admit such into our association. Our reputation is very crucial. We make sure that we comply with high standards. We make sure that our members are good corporate citizens, and, therefore, people that are involved in shady deals such as faking and counterfeiting cannot be members of the MAN and we will not admit such a person into our membership,” he stressed.

He commended the CPC and the SON for their relentless fight against substandard goods, saying that the government must do everything to encourage and

9/11: US urges Nigerian civilians to confront terrorism

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HE Deputy Public Affairs Officer of the United States Consulate, Lagos, Frank Sellin, has reiterated the commitment of the US government to work with Nigeria to combat terrorism and assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) rebuild their lives.

He spoke at the commemoration of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US held at the multipurpose hall of the Consulate’s Victoria Island Office, Lagos, yesterday.

Sellin said: “America remains committed to working closely with Nigeria and its neighbours to degrade and defeat Boko Haram; and as we remember America’s 9/11 families, we also remember Nigeria’s survivors. Ambassador James

107 die, 234 injured in Mecca’s crane collapse

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T least 107 people died after a crane collapsed on the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, the Saudi Arabian government has said.

About 234 people were injured in the accident, the country's civil defence authority said on Twitter.

Images from the scene showed part of a huge red crane crashed through the mosque's roof. The cause of the collapse is not known.

Mecca is currently preparing for the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to arrive in the Saudi city from all over the world later this month.

Reports suggested the crane fell following high winds and rain. The Arabian peninsula has been hit by strong sand storms over the past week.

A video posted on YouTube, which could not be independently verified, appeared to record the moment the crane fell, with a loud crash heard in the background followed by panic and shouting.

Images circulating on Twitter appeared to show numerous bodies and blood on the floor of the mosque.

Saudi authorities began a major expansion of the site last year to increase the area of the mosque by 400,000 square metres (4.3 million square feet), to allow it to accommodate up to 2.2 million people at once.

The crane that collapsed yesterday was one of a number dotted around the site as part of the construction project.

The mosque is Islam's most sacred site and the destination for millions of Muslims undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage every year.

support CPC, SON and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) to ensure that they perform the mandate for which they have been established of ensuring that only good quality and standard products are sold in the country.

“I do remember that recently, the European Union (EU) came up with a programme on a national quality infrastructure and the SON is in the vanguard of this programme. It was the SON that actually engineered it and we are the beneficiaries of this programme. We remain grateful to the SON for initiating that programme because it is in the best interest of manufacturers and the Nigerian economy at large,” he said.

At the heart of the mosque is the Kaaba, a black cube-shaped building which Muslims all over the world face when they pray.

Islam requires that every Muslim capable of doing so performs a pilgrimage to the site at least once in their lifetime. Once at the mosque, pilgrims perform "tawaf" - walking seven times around the Kaaba in a counterclockwise direction.

Entwistle has made it clear that the US will continue to work closely with the Nigerian government to assist internally displaced persons rebuild their lives.”

He urged Nigerians to unite and boldly challenge any threat to their collective peaceful coexistence.

Among the four aircraft hijacked by terrorists during the attacks, United Airlines Flight 93 stood out as the only airplane that did not crash into any building, nor hurt anyone on the ground, hence failing to reach its hijackers’ suspected target.

Instead, it crashed into a field near the Diamond T. Mine in Pennsylvania and everyone on board died.

Sellin said records of telephone calls made by passengers on the flight, as well as analysis of the flight recorders revealed that its passengers had tried to regain control of the aircraft, which deterred the terrorists’ intent.

“Untrained and unarmed passengers did not sit cow.

They acted. They teamed together and confronted the terrorists. Good, innocent, ordinary people took on the greatest risk any of us could face,” he said.

Govt praised over planned police recruitment

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HE Federal Government has been praised over the plan to recruit 1,000 able men into the Nigeria Police Force.

The commendation was made by Chief Superintendent of Police, AIT Station, CSP Adepoju Ilori.

According to him, the recruitment exercise will strengthen the force in the ar-

eas of security and logistics.

He also said the excercise would make the force a model globally.

He advised the public to make security their watchword, adding that the security is the responsibility of us all.

He urged them to report people who may wish to disturb the peace of their areas to the police.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015 ESTERDAY was the fourteenth anniversary of the bombing of the Twin Towers of New York by Al Quada on September 11 2001, in the first year of President George Bush the 43rd President of the US who later launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to oust Saddam Hussein the Iraqi president then on the false premise of his possessing weapons of mass destruction. Since then a lot of water, bloody one at that too, has passed under the delicate and much disturbed bridge of world peace . Quite simply and in an almost unbelievable way 9/11 has shaped the way and manner of world peace and global politics in a rather ominous manner not the least of which are the twin problems of migration to Europe from the Middle East and Africa and the rise of ISIS and Boko Haram the deadliest terrorist groups of our age and time.

It is possible for the world to want to forget the horror of 9/11 since the Americans eventually captured and killed its engineer Bin Ladin the Saudi contractor and perhaps to want to think of the event as a closed chapter. But then history is made of such memories no matter how painful. The fact that the 200 Chibok girls in Nigeria have not been found and the daily throng of refugees fleeing to Europe on satellite TV, as well as the horrific and shattered spectacle of the bombing of Damascus, the ancient capital of Syria show clearly the scars of 9/11 as well as the fact that those at the helm of world politics and diplomacy have not been able to keep a clean sheet on such horrible events in the world we live in today .That actually is a tragedy and an avoidable on at that as I intend to show quite clearly today.

Let me start with some statements that may sound initially alarming and perhaps startling but which are really provable and ultimately true. The first is that President Barak Obama of the US got his mandate as president in 2009 on the platter of gold or disenchantment of the US electorate with war and the rash invasion of Iraq by George Bush and his accomplice on that task Tony Blair UK, Prime Minister then. The second is that Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari too defeated his predecessor and incumbent then because Nigerians were fed up with the rise and bloody terrorism of the Boko Haram and the seeming inability of the government of the day to guarantee the security of lives and property of Nigerians in addition to the loss and cruel disappearance of the 200 Chibok girls in our North East. The third is that world peace and security has been overshadowed by the pursuit of civil rights in the west at the expense of global security as if such rights were a sine qua non for world peace even in times of war and in the face of mindless, inhuman terrorism such as ISIS and Boko Haram. Let me now explain my motive for these charged statements.

Starting with US President Barak Obama it is obvious that the clock has turned full circle for him in terms of war and peace. He got elected in an anti war electoral mood and proceeded to bring US troops back home in fulfillment of his campaign promise. He embarked on a diplomatic policy of

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9/11, Nigeria and global security Engagement with Russia which ended in a fiasco with Russia ending up attacking Ukraine and taking a chunk of that nation on a bizarre historical excuse and in blatant disregard of international law. The Obama Administration in 2011 encouraged the street protests that toppled the despotic leaders of Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya but left those who demonstrated for pluralistic democracy at the mercy of lawless Islamic militants who created anarchies lacking the capability to monopolise legitimate violence to maintain any semblance of law and other in these nations. Egypt especially played into the hands of its crafty and politically savvy army which sided with the protesters at Tahrir Square and allowed the election of President Mohammed Morsi only to later depose him for treason and sentence him to death to impose a dictatorship worse than any Egypt had ever seen, since the army took power by sending the Egyptian Pharaoh away since 1952 under the late and charismatic Gamal Abdel Nasser.

On top of all these is the crisis in Syria and the fact that Russia has refused to support the much needed effort to

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... it would appear that the president speaks more on domestic issues on foreign visits than when in Aso Rock or in the country. The reverse should be the case so that we do not wash our dirty linen in public in foreign lands

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remove the Syrian President Bashar Assad to bring peace to that ravaged nation. This stems from Russia’s correct perception of the Obama Engagement policy as one that flinches when the going gets tough, leaving its adherents and supporters in the lurch and at the mercy of pitiless tyrants and blood thirsty religious militants. The failure to have the expected air strikes in Syria led to the infilteration of the rebels fighting Assad in Syria and the rise of ISIS at great jeopardy to both regional and world peace and security.

The end product of all these is the disturbing sight of fleeing refugees from Syria and the billions of dollars now being contributed by EU nations to receive them even in the face of a grim danger to European security given the religion of these migrants and the prospect of their radicalization by militants once they settle in Europe. As at now the statement is very true as I read somewhere that Europe has been penetrated in terms of capital, religion, labor, talent and knowledge and it needs to change its diplomacy and relationship with the rest of the world to avert what has been called a looming clash of civilization. That really is the lesson to learn on this 14th anniversary of the horror of 9/11.

In Nigeria Boko Haram and its murder of innocent Nigerians as well as the disappearance of the 200 Chibok girls remain our own daily 9/11. This is not to say that the anti corruption war and the expected list of Ministers are not important. Indeed they are the main political gruel we are digesting and regurgi gating for now and undoubtedly the political environment will be more vibrant and less suspenseful once the president announces his cabinet or gives out the names of treasury looters and thieves. But then the president has given regional diplomacy a boost by visiting Ghana and Togo and firming up security matters especially on how to demolish Boko Haram. But it would appear that the president speaks more on domestic issues on foreign visits than when in Aso Rock or in the country. The reverse should be the case so that we do not wash our dirty linen in public in foreign lands. Again long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

100 Days of Buhari: I stand to be corrected “What we need to be doing is not just changing who holds power, but changing the way we conceive of power. There is the power we're all familiar with — power over. But there is another kind of power — power from within.” (Starhawk, 1979) UHARI has already won the psychological war on corruption - the fear of repercussion, at least, is palpable. Everybody is now scared of stealing and everyone is talking about the war even when not asked. The Nigerian atmosphere is evidently charged with the new spirit of the times. The battle of the minds was won without firing a shot. The next and the main battle front is not only in government offices, but in all strands of the Nigerian tapestry; in banks, churches, mosques, schools, taxis, fuel stations, market stalls, hospitals, the media, sports, security system and even the internet. The only sector of our national life that seemed to be immune from the corruption plague was the morgue—indeed, apart from a few instances were corpses were kidnapped from the Abuja National Hospital, Nigerians don’t steal corpses- every corpse is accorded the dignity of claim by its owners and some even enjoy the privilege of photo shots and compliments while lying in state. Let’s not derail the discourse here; Buhari has gotten all Nigerians to talk not only about, but publicly against corruption.

Nowadays it is fashionable for known corrupticians to buy airtime and talk against corruption on television—to act holy and to dissuade public angst and condemnation. But Buhari knows these persons just like every other Nigerian does. To pretend not to know a thief even when caught until the thief defends himself and proven guilty is one of the funniest lies we`ve been forced to accept. But that is the bullshit about the rule of law. But I’m not against the rule of law—after-all bullshit can also be used to grow flowers. My point is that the particular aspect of the Nigerian rule of law that protect known corrupticians who looted our patrimony is bad bullshit. It is painful to know that these corrupticians are everywhere, and like the shrew, deviously poisonous and constantly spraying their odious stench. One hopes the recently inaugurated Itsay Sagay committee will give the needed teeth and close the loopholes in the Nigerian legal system before these same bad eggs encircle the president. Delay is dangerous.

Buhari is a disciplinarian and everyone knows he came to clean the Aegean stable. Few days after his swearing in, his brother-in-law was forced to repent, a certain refinery announced its readiness to start production, a certain former minister publicly returned fleet of cars and certain amount of cash and others are running to take refuge in foreign hospital on phantom medical stories., and most recently, a self claimed whistle blower rattled EFCC, the very ombudsman saddled with watching over our commonwealth, of stealing over a trillion naira. The fear of Buhari has grip Nigerians such that the Nigerian police was begging applicants not to pay bribe for the upcoming recruitment. These are the same applicants who were scammed blue during the immigrations and civil defence `Oga-at-the-top` recruitment saga. I think Buhari has successfully

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Philip AFAHA mobilized the nation against corruption the war is half won!.

The first challenge that stared at Buhari`s administration were the renewed severity of terror attacks, long queues at filling stations due to round-tripping and other sleazy deals that surrounded the management of fuel subsidy, and the perennial power outages. Buhari`s responses were swift and surgical; he immediately engaged the stakeholders of the power and the petroleum sector and extracted an understanding that restored normalcy to those critical sectors.

Today, no Nigerian can deny noticing improvements in the service deliveries of those sectors. On Boko Haram, Buhari briskly rallied countries of the Lake Chad basin to put a multilateral force to confront the terrorists. After relocating the military command centre to Maiduguri and appointing new service chiefs. The military started recording success. From Borno to Adamawa, territories after territories are being recaptured from the terrorists; the plights of the internally displaced persons are being ameliorated. Apart from several official visits to the IDP camps by Osibanjo and the First Lady, President Buhari ensured the released of the monies earmarked for the welfare of IDPs but kept away by the past administration for reasons yet to be explained. Such intervention was not only enjoyed by the mostly northern IDPs, in the Niger delta, apart from the recent exploits of the Nigerian navy pulling down bunkering sites even the ones behind rivers government house, the story of Ogoniland was the saddest of all. This was a community that produced the wealth that the nation survives with but its land cannot breathe life due to the sludge through years of oil exploration. Again Buhari came to the rescue by making ensuring the clean-up of that forgotten community in the very heart of the Niger delta. He followed it up by appointing a brand new coordinator to articulate the amnesty programme to its true intention. In the south eastern part of the country, Buhari`s attention was immediately drawn to the overly politicised 2nd Niger bridge commission by the Goodluck administration. Initially Buhari`s order for a review of the contract was misunderstood by the those who felt they are about to be deprived of that strategic infrastructure. But the fact remains that the president was

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I sincerely salute those criticising Buhari. He needs more of criticisms if he must remain focused. Criticism is a major ingredient of civil rule, it draws leaders attention to the other opinion, especially to how followers perceive governance

not only nosing for probity, but to ensure its completion and never to be abandoned again. To Buhari, ignoring such a project will amount to abandoning the fabled `bridge across the Niger`, a dream he fought for even as a soldier.

Within this period also the Buhari administration has released funds for the sport sector to enhance their preparation for the next Olympics and sundry competitions. The recent mauling of the Angolans in the finals of Afrobasket competition by D`Tigers cannot be unconnected with the Buhari push. The president knows that aside being a tool for providing youth employment, nothing conjures national integration than sports; not even religion. Thus every investment in sport is as strategic as economy and defence.

On the diplomatic scene, Buhari has been at the top of the game.

His trips to the Chatham House and the White House were not show trips, these were deft engagements at its best given the calibre of those two countries in global affairs and the attendant benefits Nigeria stands to reap. His earlier invitation as an observer to the 2015 G20 Summit, the Lake Chad region engagement against terrorism, the recent visitation by the UN Secretary General is a pointer to Nigeria’s blistering arrival at the international stage.

While I will not encourage praise singing Buhari to start playing god in office, it is unfair to brush aside his efforts especially at this take-off stage. Our knowledge of the aviation comes to mind: ask any pilot, take-offs are always itchy, and they require steady hands and deep concentration and calculations if the plane must manoeuvre the clouds. That is when it is compulsory to wear seat belts. Nigerians must buckle their seat belts and pray for Buhari to dominate this fog of a cloud.

I sincerely salute those criticising Buhari. He needs more of criticisms if he must remain focused. Criticism is a major ingredient of civil rule, it draws leaders attention to the other opinion, especially to how followers perceive governance. It helps the leaders in formulation of balanced policies. But criticism can also be negative; geared not towards redress but to poison the system and pull down the leader. Recent tirades on Buhari`s appointments is gradually becoming poisonous. Yet again we are relapsing to our different ethnic choirs while still singing the change song. Buhari is not oblivious of the Federal Character principle. But he should make haste to fix his entire team so that his policies, actions and body language can easily be explained to the masses to avoid being constantly misunderstood by the governed. The whole idea of APC machinery acting as government mouthpiece is not politically correct. There should be a line between podium tirades and articulating government policies and actions for public acceptance. Public engagement is different from campaign oratory. The masses too should learn to trust their leaders and first flush their minds of seeing government as the oppressor and always playing the victim, weeping parochial tears instead of standing up for collective good. The `we` versus `them` mentality is what weakens people’s strength to achieve popular goals. Let’s watch Buhari`s next moves. I stand to be corrected.

• Afaha is a public affairs analyst.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

COMMENTARY

My take on Buhari's alleged lopsided appointments Saturday I Flakes

don't have the faintest clue to the names President Muhammadu Buhari's list of ministerial appointees, which Nigerians are awaiting with bated breath, will feature. But I am as certain as daylight that one thing that would be of great interest to many of our countrymen is how the appointments are spread across the nation's six geo-political zones. That much can be deduced from the noise the appointments Buhari has so far made into his kitchen cabinet has generated.

The social and traditional media were awash with outrage over the six appointments the President made on August 27, with claims that four of the appointees hailed from the northern part of the country. It did not matter, for instance, that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, is a Christian from the highly marginalised minority Kilba ethnic group in the Hausa/Fulani dominated north.

Of course, their fears could be deemed legitimate, considering that federal character, a baggage that has weighed down the nation’s development since independence, has been the guiding principle for such appointments, even though the principle was largely compromised by the immediate past president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who virtually turned the National Executive Council into an Igbo/Ijaw forum. The lopsided nature of Jonathan’s appointments became so obvious that the Yoruba had to cry out at some point that none of their kinsmen was in the top 10 cabinet appointments of the ex-President.

Addressing a press conference under the aegis of Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) on February 6, 2013, a group of Yoruba elders, led by former presidential aspirant Chief Olu Falae, lamented that the Yoruba were sidetracked in the appointment and control of the apex political offices in the land. He listed the topmost positions, none of which he said was occupied by a Yoruba man or woman, as those of the President, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, acting President, Court of Appeal, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Head of Service of the Federation.

Ironically, the loudest of the noise about Buhari’s appointments has come from the South East and South South regions, which had relished the undue favour they got from Jonathan’s appointments, which were based not on merit or national spread but personal and sectional interests. It is said that those who find comfort in beheading others are usually the first to tremble at the sight of a sword. But I dare say that the fears they have expressed over Buhari’s appointments are not only hasty but misplaced. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, has already explained that the appointments so far made by the President are not up to five per cent of the total.

The second and more important point is that these are extraor-

With

Vincent Akanmode vincentakanmode@yahoo.com SMS only: 08054700136 dinary times requiring extraordinary measures to address the myriad of problems that have stunted the nation’s growth since independence. In his first 100 days, the President has demonstrated that he is on a mission to rescue the country from the evil that graft and indiscipline have foisted on it. A man on such mission can only hope to succeed by relying on people he knows and trusts. Except for those who have other motives than returning the country to the path of greatness, the concern at this time should be the competence of the appointees and not their regional or ethnic backgrounds. In the circumstance, as far as I am concerned, it matters nothing if all the appointees come from one village, once they are able to restore steady supply of electricity, reconstruct the roads and return the Naira to its rightful place among other world currencies.

Since federal character has taken us nowhere and it is said that only a foolish man would keep doing the same thing and expect a different result, the wise thing Buhari should do is try a different approach. Merit, not ethnicity, should be the number one factor in his choice of ministers. Like a coach in search of players

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Merit, not ethnicity, should be the number one factor in his choice of ministers. Like a coach in search of players for the national team, he may cast his nest as wide as possible, but the first 11 must consist of the very best legs, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds

’ Knucklehead

for the national team, he may cast his nest as wide as possible, but the first 11 must consist of the very best legs, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. It is instructive that the Super Eagles team that won Nigeria the African Nations Cup in 2013, almost two decades after Nigeria won it in 1994, was dominated by players from the South East and the South South. It featured names like Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim, Joseph Yobo, Elderson Echiejile, Kenneth Omuero, Efe Ambrose, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Godfrey Oboabona, Mikel Obi, Reuben Gabriel, Nosa Igiebor, Obiora Nwankwo, Brown Ideye, Ogenyi Onazi, Victor Moses, Ikechukwu Uche, Sunday Mba and Emmanuel Emenike. Nigerians celebrated the victory not caring a hoot about the ethnic composition of the team.

We must avoid the mistake we made in pandering to the noise about gender equality; a principle that hammers on the appointment of women into leadership positions but has backfired greatly in the case of Nigeria. From Patience Jonathan, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Diezani Madueke to Stella Oduah, Onyiuke Okereke, Arumah Otteh and Marilyn Ogar, virtually all the women that have had the chance to occupy prominent public offices have ended up a huge disappointment.

I have no doubt that if an ordinary Igbo man in Anambra or Enugu is faced with a choice between a minister of Fulani extraction who is able to fix the erosion problems that have tormented their part of the country for years and one of Igbo stock who would only go there to fend for himself and family members, he will opt for the former. In an interview he granted a national newspaper recently, the Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, reminded us all that while Jonathan, a Niger Delta son, was in power for six years, it has taken a Buhari from Daura in Katsina State to initiate the process of rescuing Ogoniland from the destruction that oil companies have subjected it to.

Sagay said: “It takes a Buhari from Daura in Katsina State to decide to organise money and expertise to go to Ogoniland, which is part of Niger Delta, to recover that land from the destruction that the oil companies have subjected it to. There was a Niger Delta indigene there. For six years, Jonathan was in power. What did he do? His mind did not go there.

“That is why I always say I am not bothered about where whoever is ruling comes from. I never supported Jonathan because he came from the Niger Delta. That is not important.

What is important is the quality of the man, what he is doing, what his programme is for my part of the country. If he comes from Sokoto State, I don’t care.

“What programmes do you have for my people in the Niger Delta? If the programme is good, you can rule forever as far as I am concerned. I don’t want my brother in the village to go there and steal all the patrimony of the country and neglect that village; then I say, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ That’s of no use.”

What more can be said?

What if Buhari does not give a damn? just cannot help that overwhelming sense of jaw-breaking farcical comedy each time I try to make sense out of the wailing over the public declaration of assets by President Mohammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. It is not just about the comedic seriousness that the characters concerned attach to their unscrupulous mission to denigrate what should ordinarily be seen as a lofty gesture. It is more about the ludicrous imputations being employed by the leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to rubbish what its leading lights failed to do in 16 harrowing years with the exception of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

For a party whose leadership ceaselessly harangued Buhari and Osinbajo to walk the talk by making public their declared assets with the Code of Conduct Bureau, it is truly disturbing that these same persons would be leading the herd of noisemakers over what they now term as the deceptive flimsiness of the action. How pathetic!

In its usual jaundiced parochialism, the PDP was quick to dismiss the Buhari/Osinbajo asset declaration as the “release of a flimsy list of belongings” bereft of any shade of credibility, integrity and sincerity of purpose. The party’s cheerleader and spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, as usual, made indecorous snide remarks about the multiplication of the President’s herd of cows from 150 to 250 and cash in the bank from one million naira to N30 million in a space of eight months. He, without offering any scintilla of fact, made innuendoes about hidden assets and actual cost of the buildings owned by the two leaders. He ranted: “We ask, is the resort to a mere list, instead of true copies of the declaration not a ploy to give the Presidency a window for denial in consonance with their widely observed inclination for flip-flopping, backtracking and brazen denials of their statements and actions? Mr. President, this is a mere list of belongings and not public declaration of assets in fulfilment of your covenant with Nigerians.”

For Metuh, gloating while making senseless arguments is a virtue. The other person that would have performed excellently well in that position is Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State who would apparently not sit idle and allow anyone to outdo him in public display of mouth diarrhoea. It is for that reason that Fayose has come out to confess knowing one or two things about where the two leaders hid their real assets. I just pray he would save us the needless suspense and spill the beans if he has any. However, we are not oblivious of the fact that this surely would not be the first time some yam heads in the PDP would be playing to the gallery in a puerile attempt to hoodwink the public. It is not even going to be the last as long as we continue to play the politics of hate and deception.

Be that as it may, it is important to remind Metuh and Fayose that the public declaration of assets by Buhari and Osinbajo has a significant implication for their conduct in and out of office.

Peripheral window-dressing as it may seem to those who have refused to see beyond their whimsical sniggering, it poses a moral burden not just on the shoulders of Buhari but also on the activities of whosoever they chose to work with them. At least, it signposts a departure from the mindless looting of the past when cul-

I

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Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913 prits simply followed the body language and harsh words of a leader that couldn’t give a damn about his men’s voracious appetite for illegal acquisition of wealth. Or how long ago was it that former President Goodluck Jonathan announced to a stultified populace that it was against his principle to publicly declare his asset and that he cared less what we take away from that stance? Four years or more? No. It was less than three years back during his third Presidential Media Chat in Aso Rock.

Listen to Jonathan’s long-winding, tasteless excuse while seeking to justify the lack of transparency in his governance style: “The issue of public asset declaration is a matter of personal principle.

That is the way I see it, and I don’t give a damn about it, even if you criticise me from heaven. When I was the Vice President, that matter came up, and I told the former President (late Musa Yar’Adua) let’s not start something that would make us play into the hands of people and create an anomalous situation in the country. The law is clear. A public officer should declare his assets and, if there are issues, then the relevant agencies would have a basis to assess whether you have amassed wealth or not. When it

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We are on the path of reconstruction today because Buhari truly gives a damn about how he is perceived as a leader. He gives a damn about what the people he leads say about him. The onus lies with those who accuse them of under-declaration of assets to come up with proof instead of glorifying the putrid rot of the immediate past

is said that people should declare their assets in public, it is not only the President or the Vice President, it includes everybody, including ministers.

“When I was a governor in Bayelsa state for about a year before becoming vice president, I was investigated thoroughly. I have nothing to hide. But, because I was under somebody and it was becoming an issue, because of the media, and because my boss had declared, it was said that the vice President must. I declared, not because I wanted to. Initially I said they can talk about it from morning to night, I will not. I said it is a matter of principle. It is not proper. If one amends the law to say that only the President and the Vice should declare assets publicly, fine. But, presently everybody who is holding political office is expected to do, and I say it is not right. Those who made the law knew why they put the law that way. I could be investigated when I leave office. You don’t need to declare assets publicly; otherwise you are playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare assets. That’s a matter of principle. If I have to declare publicly, it means every political office holder will have to declare publicly. And it is not the right thing to do. That is my belief. It is not the President’s declaration of assets that would change the economy. There are challenges security, power and revolutionising agriculture. These are areas we should be interested in. Whether Mr. Jonathan publicly declares his assets or not is not the issue.”

With the benefit of hindsight, may I ask if the gibberish above sits well with Metuh and that roaring yob in Ekiti? When a President does not give a damn about allegations of sickening corruption around him or how his personal staff, hangars on and praise singers callously rape the public till, why should he expect a public rating that places him above the rot? If he refused to set the templates that would guard the conduct of his men by bending backwards to "list his belongings" to assuage the fear of the public no matter how simplistic, how would he summon the courage to halt the raw stealing right under his nose? Jonathan did not give a damn and that was the signal his aides latched on to embark on the maddening streak of financial malfeasance that was perpetrated at that period. Needless to say that the task before the Buhari administration is to untangle the mess and bring culprits to justice.

We are on the path of reconstruction today because Buhari truly gives a damn about how he is perceived as a leader. He gives a damn about what the people he leads say about him. The onus lies with those who accuse them of under-declaration of assets to come up with proof instead of glorifying the putrid rot of the immediate past. Those who hide under the protection of the law to justify their shameless action should, at least, know when not to display their ignorance in the public space. If Buhari had kowtowed the ignoble recalcitrance of the Jonathan era and if he had decided not to give a damn even if criticised to the high heavens, we would not have been privy to stories on the recoveries of billions of Naira from those who once held us by the balls and dared us to scream 'daylight murder.' Damn!

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

11

12

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

COMMENTARY

Diversification: Lessons from Uduaghan’s legacy Rume JOHNSON OR some time now, anytime anyone, preneurs benefitted from the programme. particularly policy makers or major The businesses of the people boomed and opinion leaders in the society, harp on their products assumed international stanthe need for the diversification of the dards. From dependence on oil, many nation’s economy, to make Nigeria a better veered into fish farming, agriculture and place for all, one name that readily comes manufacturing of products which include to my mind is that of the immediate past insecticides, soap and many others. governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel An account of a previously unemployed Eweta Uduaghan. The reason is not far- graduate, Daniel Uwandulu, a beneficiary fetched - at the end of his eight years in of the scheme who had suffered to no end office, the medical doctor-turned-politician best stresses the happiness that trailed the carried out what, for a long time, has scheme. remained an impossible task, only “Suddenly a new dawn came and a lover mouthed by many political office holders. of the masses was enthroned as the goverHe succeeded in extricating Delta State nor of my state. He introduced soft loans from over-dependence on oil. for the less-privileged like me and my oneThe significance of Uduaghan’s achieve- time hopeless life received unexpected ment was again, as it is often done, brought hope that will forever remain in my memoto the fore last week by President ry,” he said.

Muhammadu Buhari and the new The success of the scheme is also seen in President of African Development Bank, the fact that it won different awards for the AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. Speaking state from the Central Bank of Nigeria. In a while in audience with the new letter signed by Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Nigeria, Moghalu, Deputy Governor, Financial Fahad Sefyan, at the Presidential Villa in System Stability, the CBN says the awards Abuja, Buhari promised his administra- were in recognition of the state’s efforts tion’s urgent diversification of the coun- towards developing the try’s economy and development of the Microfinance/SME sub-sector during year non-oil sectors. In a similar vein, Adesina, 2009 and the programme’s efforts towards at his inauguration as the financial institu- developing the Agricultural sub-sector in tion boss described diversification as the 2009. key to a greater Africa.

Also in an award of the Silverbird Had the different leaders of the country group’s 2014 Man of the Year, mention was carried out their promise to diversify the made of his programme that created selfeconomy which, as far as Nigeria is con- employment opportunities for the people cerned, translates to reduced dependence of the state. on oil as the mainstay of the Organisers of the award economy, the endless crave said: “His sterling performand promise to carry such out ance in health signposted by year in year out would not the free medical care for chilThe desire and efforts dren and the elderly as well have been necessary at all.

Without any attempt at to diversify brought a as the free maternal care for making a god out of lot of good things for pregnant women, and the Uduaghan, there are so many the state. For the teem- micro-credit scheme where lessons to learn from his ing population of the over 111,000 Deltans have administration, having suc- state who had been shut been empowered to set up ceeded where many had their own businesses, were failed woefully in the area of away as a result of bad highlighted as part of the proroads and lack of developing other areas of the grammes for which bridges to cross the economy, apart from oil, for Nigerians who traditionally the betterment of the state rivers that are in abun- voted for the winner elected dance, it was the end of Uduaghan the winner.” and its people.

For example, while the govThe desire and efforts to a sad chapter in their ernments of the different lives. In the build up to diversify brought a lot of states of the federation and good things for the state. For creating abundant even the federal government the teeming population of the opportunities for the continued to mouth their state who had been shut people, massive road commitment to developing away as a result of bad roads construction was other sectors to no avail, and lack of bridges to cross Uduaghan was successful embarked upon and the the rivers that are in abunpains majority went with his project which has dance, it was the end of a sad through to bring the become a reference point for chapter in their lives. In the all and sundry – “Delta farm produce to town build up to creating abundant Beyond Oil”. opportunities for the people, ceased From the level of idea conmassive road construction ception, to execution, the glarwas embarked upon and the ing qualities that came to the pains majority went through fore are deep thinking, careful planning, to bring the farm produce to town ceased. total commitment and doggedness. For A particularly intriguing case is the coninstance, with due recognition of the fact struction of Sapele-Abigborodo Road that no business enterprise can survive in a which made it possible to drive to turbulent environment, Uduaghan sought Abigborodo, a community situated in the much elusive peace in his state at the Warri North Local Government Area of time he resumed office. In an extremely Delta State, for the first time. Incidentally, volatile area with people of the different Uduaghan belongs to the community, and groups that make up the state killing them- at the inauguration, he declared: “For me, selves, the former governor brought in the it is historical and very encouraging; and I needed peace and everyone could sleep am so sentimental about it, I must tell you with two eyes truthfully closed. that a car has never been to Abigborodo Having achieved that, development before but with this bridge, that is now a work began in earnest, with him giving thing of the past. assurance that “No hard-working Deltan “The good thing now is that at least one will go to bed hungry”. can drive through this bridge. For the very Displaying good understanding of the first time, especially for those of you who devastating effect of impoverishment that have been following me to the village when the long years of internal strife, bad gover- we have elections, we always go by boat. nance, oil spill and other problems had on Now that the bridge has been constructed the people of the state, Uduaghan saw the and we can drive through by road, I am need to create the financial wherewithal for very happy.” the “hard-working” people of the state.

Let me say simply that with the laudable The people were obviously ready to be achievements in Delta State under his enriched through a systematic way in the administration, it certainly would not be form of Delta State Micro Credit out of place to say that those who are willProgramme (DMCP). Through the pro- ing to make a success of the bid to diversigramme, small and cottage industries fy the Nigerian economy, including the fedgained a new lease of life and the erstwhile eral government, should borrow from the poor people achieved a more decent stan- Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan legacy. dard of living.

Before Uduaghan left office, no fewer •Johnson, a public affairs analyt, wrote than 111, 321 person – male and female – in from Asaba, Delta State who made up about 10,439 groups of entre-

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

16

How I survived accident that claimed my mother, personal assistant, nine others —Prophet Odunayo

•The scene of the accident

E is a prophet, yet he had no premonition of the n Kunle AKINRINADE n danger that lurked around him,” some sympathisers wondered as the news broke that He said: “It was sad that people started spreading unProphet Olabode Odunayo of Love of Christ Global Bible founded tales about me. Not a few said that I was using Church a.k.a. Love and Grace Ministry, Ibadan, Oyo State fetish powers. But those who know me very well can atwas involved in an auto crash on February 28, 2012. The test to the impeccable power of God in me and how I reugly incident, which claimed the lives of his mother, perceived the Holy Spirit during song ministration sonal assistant and an elder in his church, reinforced the at CAC Agbala Itura in Ibadan. saying that life is phased beyond the mystic ken of seers, “The false rumour was the handiwork of my particularly because he was in the middle of 30 days fastdetractors who could not comprehend the ing when the fatal accident occurred. gift of prophesies and spiritual power He had left Ibadan for Osun State in his car, tobestowed on me by almighty God. The gether with his mother and two others. The jourIn fact, right at the scene of the accar was ney was smooth until they got to Gbongan cident, some mischievous symJunction in Osun State when a trailer, whose crushed completely pathisers were even looking driver was said to be sleeping, lost veered off for charms inside the wreckand it was a miracle that its lane and crashed into his car. age of the car but found He said: “In my church, we usually set I survived. I was admitted none. So, in a way, the inciaside the month of February for fasting. We dent served to discounteat the University College had just observed two weeks of fasting in nance the erroneous belief 2012, when God told me on February 15 Hospital, Ibadan, for three by some people that my precisely that I must not allow any of my spiritual power was not months.

I was the only survivor four drivers to drive me. of God.” “Again, on February 26, I received anamong the nine other accident The Imesi-Ile, Osun other frightening message and I asked State-born preacher said victims brought to the Intenmy members to wear white dress to further that while he was church on February 28. Unfortunately, sive Care Unit (ICU) of UCH. I in the hospital, his condithose who were with me in the car on the had fractured arms, ribs and tion became complicated day the incident occurred said they forgot such that doctors at a point legs, but they were restored gave to wear white attires. up on him, asking his “Tragedy struck at Gbongan Junction wife not to spend more after a surgery and I still when a truck driver lost control and pushed money on his treatment. suffer from the my car into the bush. The car was crushed “At a point, the doctors told completely and it was a miracle that I survived. trauma of the inmy wife not to spend any more I was admitted at the University College Hospimoney on me until one of them cident tal, Ibadan, for three months. I was the only survivor claimed an angel of God told him not among the nine other accident victims brought to the to give up on me. That was how I surIntensive Care Unit (ICU) of UCH. I had fractured arms, vived the incident,” he said. ribs and legs, but they were restored after a surgery and I Having spent his entire life savings on hospital still suffer from the trauma of the incident.” bill, he resorted to selling some of his properties to Fondly called Baba Love, Prophet Odunayo, who started finance his ministry when he left the hospital. out as a chorister in Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) AgHe said: ”I sold about six cars after I left the hospital just bala Itura, Ibadan, founded by Prophet S.K Abiara, ex- to support my ministry, because I had spent all I had on plained that the incident triggered rumours that his my treatment. I am a big spender when it comes to telespiritual power was not of God.

“H

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•Prophet Odunayo

vangelism, and that was why I had to dispose of my cars to propagate my ministry again.”

Although, it has been three years since he had the accident, the memory of it haunts him. “I am yet to get out of the trauma,” he said. “Last December, I travelled to Liverpool, Manchester and Spain just to relax because I don’t want to stay alone in order to overcome the trauma of the incident.

“I thank those who stood by me, especially my lovely wife, Oluwafunke; Bishop Francis Wale Oke; Baba Michael Olowere; Prophet S.K Abiara; Baba Sekunderin; Prophet Muyideen Kasali and Pastor Femi Emmanuel.”

He also reminisced on his tortuous journey to fame, saying: “The beginning was tough. The road was bad, so much that I could not afford a megaphone or public address system that cost just N300. It took us about seven years before we could raise money to buy one. I Thank God that today I have branches in parts of Lagos, including Ikotun and Shangisha.

“As a matter of fact, we just had a massive one week crusade with the theme, ‘God of visitation’ in Ikotun, and God really proved that He is my pillar.” ”Before my life was transformed, I was wearing one dress for about seven years. At times, when the polo of my shirt faded, I would give it out to itinerant tailors to fix.

“If I took new members of my church to stream for baptism, I would not dare enter the water because I had only one under pant and I would not want them to see that it had torn. Instead, I would ask my subordinates to baptise them.

“It was for this reason that I bought a lot of pants during my first trip to London a few years ago, and I shared them out to a lot of people when I returned.”

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

ITALIAN SERIE A TABLE Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team Chievo Torino Inter Sassuolo Palermo Sampdoria Roma Atalanta Genoa Fiorentina Udinese Milan Lazio Napoli Verona Bologna Juventus Empoli Frosinone Carpi

P 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

W 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

D 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2

GF 7 5 3 3 2 7 3 2 2 3 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 3

GA 1 2 1 1 0 4 2 1 1 3 1 3 5 4 3 3 3 5 4 7

GD 6 3 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 -1 -3 -1 -2 -2 -2 -3 -3 -4

Pts 6 6 6 6 6 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

FIXTURES Saturday Frosinone v Roma Fiorentina v Genoa Juventus v Chievo Sunday Verona v Torino Sassuolo v Atalanta Sampdoria v Bologna Palermo v Carpi Empoli v Napoli Lazio v Udinese Inter v AC Milan

Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Team Celta Vigo Eibar Atletico Barcelona Real Madrid Villarreal Granada CF Espanyol Deportivo Valencia CF Sociedad Gijon Levante Las Palmas Malaga Rayo Sevilla Real Betis Getafe Athletic C.

P 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

W 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

D 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

L 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

GF 5 5 4 2 5 4 3 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0

GA 1 1 0 0 0 2 4 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3 3 6 3 3

GD 4 4 4 2 5 2 -1 -1 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 -1 -3 -3 -5 -2 -3

Pts 6 6 6 6 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

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THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

'My husband who thought I had gone crazy reported me to my parents'

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Continued on Page 39

Continued on Page 38

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T

he founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo, is on a roll of good tidings. It was no mini affair when the revered man of God celebrated his 70th birthday last weekend. The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, and Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, led the roll call of top dignitaries who attended the event in Lagos.

In the next few months, the man of God will again roll out the drums as he gives his daughter and only child, Uche's hand in marriage to her heartthrob. But while preparations are in top gear, information about the groom remains under wraps. An inside source told Celeb Watch that Uche will be walking down the aisle in November.

Her wedding will constitute another milestone for Bishop Okonkwo and his wife of 35 years, Peace. Bishop Peace is the Proprietress of Word of Power Group of Schools and founder of Rehoboth Homes and Skill Acquisition Centre; a place designed to help stranded ladies and widows. She is also the founder of International Women's Prayer Conference (IWPC), an interdenominational gathering of women that holds every month at the church's headquarters in Lagos.

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THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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

Family Forum with Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Tel: 01-7341546-8 Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

Udemma CHUKWUMA

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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Our education standard has embarrassingly fallen—TET-FUND scribe After a prolonged struggle by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal Government established Education Tax Fund (ETF) which has today transformed into Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). In a chat with the Managing Editor, Northern Operation, YUSUF ALLI, the Executive Secretary of TET-FUND, Prof.

Suleiman Elias Bogoro, who was one of the ASUU activists in the 90s, opens up on the gains and expectations of the agency. Excerpts: tunity to be engaged in some activiWhether it is a laboratory or a workshop for any field, ties and following TETFUND with a in engineering among others, there are equipments lot of interest. So, I knew what prethat go with them and these equipments are what cisely TETFUND has been doing actually ensure that there is relevance. We don’t just but most importantly, I was ASUU put up buildings and walk away. So, since I came, activist in 1991/1992 when the there is just no doubt that we have maintained the Education Tax Fund (ETF) came massive provision of basic physical infrastructure as into existence following the well as equipment and facilities including software for Federal Government-ASUU Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for agreement. I was in the leaderlibraries. We focused massively on providing those ship of ASUU of my branch; I things to improve the ranking of our universities. was the Vice-Chairman of my At what cost? branch when we embarked on It depends on what we are talking about. For the strike action that produced instance, over the year, we have made approvals that the ETF. So, I had been are in the region of N300billion from 2013 to 2015. We involved and naturally when I have committed over N300 billion into our came tertiary institutions in the various areas of here, I was reflecting over priorities such as physical infrastructure, those things that we academic staff’s trainings, libraries’ hoped we can achieve development and so forth.

There by creating an In terms of research and is no argument Intervention training of lecturers, how about that. It has embarFund. many people have benerassingly fallen. There are The fited? many ramifications of the fallen Intervention Let me say from four standard including talking about Fund has years back, we started been able to this programme in uniranking that is just one side. You look do a numversities, polytechnics at the graduates of today, you cannot ber of and colleges of educompare them with what you knew 20 things but cation, we have trained or 25 years ago. Yet, we are all products continuup to 12, 000 and about of the same system for God’s sake. I ously it is 7, 000 have returned am a professor in the university being with their degrees. So, where I got my PhD and I know reviewed it’s a significant harvest with prioritizof success as far as we are the difference today when I ing by putting concerned. The idea was to reflect over what it was and more money respond to the NUC’s what it is today into what we conrequirement that the minimum sider as the core qualification for university lecturacademy component of er is PhD. So we are making our conthe intervention and not just tributions. Let me say that TETFUND’s physical infrastructure for a interventions are aimed at meeting the requirelong time, physical inframents and prescriptions of the regulatory agenstructure was in deficit from cies; NUC, NBTE and NCCE. So we respond to the basic classrooms to lecture regulatory agencies basic requirements and specific theatres, laboratories among institutions priorities. others. It was very clear that From your experience so far, do we still have we needed to ensure that under-funding or over-funding of tertiary instituNigerian universities tions in Nigeria? improve in rating and rankThere couldn’t be over funding. There has been siging. nificant improvement from the time we said there was We thank God that over the gross under-funding. Interventions from TETFUND last four years, there had been have gone a long way to address the challenge of significant improvement of basic needs but we believe that a lot more is still Nigerian universities at the required and that leads us to why we are pursuing African level and we are hoping government position that even the Education Tax that we will begin to see it reflect collection of two per cent be increased to maybe up to at the global ranking level. In four per cent, if it were possible. terms of global ranking, as at the What is required to do that? last time, I was told, the top Nigerian university was That will require amendment of the law. ranked 2016 and that is very uncomfortable. We hope Has the President agreed to the four per cent? that we get to 1000 soon. But at the moment, it is only There has been no formal pronouncement from Mr. South African and Egyptian universities that are in the President but definitely, from the education manifesto top 1000 of the world, no Nigerian university and we of the ruling party, APC, there is plan for that. So, cannot be celebrating that. But I believe that in the even Mr. President is so much interested in what is next six months to one year, if they review the rankhappening in TETFUND. He is hoping that in future, ing, our universities should move up. hopefully, when the funds increase, we do hope that What have you done differently since you came in? there will be window for supporting research in partWe have massively provided more physical infranership between public and private institutions. structure and each physical infrastructure that we Are you trying to carry stakeholders along in the built; we make sure there is concomitant equipment. sense that the tax increase to four per cent will affect

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• Prof. Bogoro

hat value have you added since you came to TETFUND a year ago?

I came in with my own vision as to what is required to move things around in this organization. I had been involved in TETFUND for about five years now. Since 2010, I came into the Book Development Committee, specifically the Journals Sub-Committee, as a member. So, until I became the Executive Secretary, I was actually a member of the standing committee for book development. I was in the Journals Sub-Committee providing funding support for professional journals and that gave me the oppor-

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THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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the economy, have you factored this into your proare doing their works posal? and bringing equipIn Nigeria, people are reluctant to pay taxes ment, then that has because they say they are not sure of what the tax taken care of major will be used for. Let me assure you that people needs. will be ready to pay higher for TETFUND As an ASUU because they have seen value for their money. activist, you Are you sure of this? fought for On a very serious note that is the truth. You improvement in can see manifestly. In TETFUND, we don’t talk tertiary educaabout hidden accounts. Our accounts are there tion, is the audited and we make it available every year. So struggle justithere is value for money, no doubt about this, fied now? anybody can verify it. The important thing is Definitely, that any public fund must be judiciously utitoday with the lized. It is not diverted or squandered. That benefits on our TETFUND has done well in terms of accountabilside, we can say ity to me is a big positive achievement in encourgood thinking, aging people. Any additional fund you entrust with good product.

TETFUND, Universal Basic Education (UBEC) as it About a year ago, were, there will be value for money. national body of Your counterpart in UBEC is talking of un-accessed ASUU was funds, do you have a similar situation?

Yes, we have had cases of slowly accessed or un-accessed funds. At some point we were at the region of N65 billion last year but we significantly brought it low last year. I think as at the last count, I think it was a little about N40 billion.

We are hoping and we noticed that there was improvement in the accessing. We now engaged stakeholders in modifying and making more efficient the implementation model of our intervention funds. So we will continue to do that. So we don’t have much of idle funds. There is one major difference between our funds and that of UBEC. In UBEC, state governments are required to make counterpart funding but there is no such requirement in TETFUND. That is why we don’t have that type of problem of huge funds to that embarrassing levels waiting to be accessed in TETFUND as it were.

How long will you provide the basic support for Research and Development(R&D)?

We are going to provide money to establish the R&D units in all tertiary institutions.

Research is the key to the • Prof. Bogoro future. We actually need a National Research and Development Foundation.

How much per institution? still complaining of not keeping fate with the 1991 A final decision is yet to be taken, but it might ASUU agreement? be in the region of N50 million to N100 milThere are many ramification of the strike lion per institution. Once this is rationalargument between government and We ized between the universities, polytechASUU. Remember there was issue of nics and colleges of education, the academic freedom, autonomy among are hoping that if final figure will be announced soon. others. But the new ramification in our funds are increased, Will the National Research and my opinion is working. This is that will give us the latiDevelopment Foundation be what TETFUND represents today. tude to begin to deliberately domiciled in TETFUND or in the It is a good product, good thinkencourage partnership to public institutions? ing. I said so because it took and private universities in the It is beyond tertiary institutions some original thinking by and we have no business in it area of research. I have discussed ASUU to suggest to governand we are not suggesting it at with him (Chief Afe Babalola), he ment and government acceptall. In fact, the National Research ed. Today, we have seen the is somebody very learned, he and Development Foundation is product but today an intervenknows what he wants and we for the entire nation. It will tionist project in our tertiary have agreed that I have no require a law by the National institution is virtually addressobjection with public univerAssembly to bring it into being ing most of the key challenges in sities partnering with priand believe me, it will be one big our institution. It is a welcome window for ensuring sustainable development and I believe that if vate universities in the funding of tertiary institutions the annual appropriation windows area of research because it is about science and technolfor funding of our tertiary institutions ogy. are in place and as well as the intervenA small percentage would be set aside to tion windows (from the two channels), we provide science and technology infrastructure, can together see a significant improvement and even in basic level of education but mainly in tertiary stability in our the education sector. and industries. R&D Foundation, if it comes into Apart from R&D, what are the other five combeing will represent the future of this country. We are ponents of your vision? talking about depending less on oil. We need to I talked about R&D, ICT, capacity building, and effistrengthen R&D. If we enact a law that strengthens ciency in the system; reorganizing management of the national R&D Foundation, you would have solved system as it were and wellbeing of staff. about half the problem of dwindling funds to finance What is the difference looking at your experience our tertiary institutions because you would have had in the classroom and being an administrator? What basically, the money to undertake research. It is a have you learnt? research grant, money comes in including infrastrucI agree with you. It is a different ball game but not ture in those institutions as it were as well as our too strange to me. Different ball game in the sense research facilities. These are the missing links in our that, for a chunk of the time, I was just dealing with tertiary institutions. If TETFUND continues to provide my students but here I am implementing policies the basic physical infrastructure and the researchers enunciated by government in respect to tertiary insti-

ʻ

tutions and particularly funding and putting the funds in the right place to reflect priority expectation of government. So it is a completely a different thing but if I don’t know the university situation, then I could not even be arguing correctly, where we should put the fund. Today, I can say I move to talk about R&D because that has been the weak point. Our system has encouraged more of teaching and learning and less of research. I knew this before I came and that is why I imported that experience to say let us do it this way and that way.

Lastly, has our standard really fallen in the education system?

There is no argument about that. It has embarrassingly fallen. There are many ramifications of the fallen standard including talking about ranking that is just one side. You look at the graduates of today, you cannot compare them with what you knew 20 or 25 years ago. Yet, we are all products of the same system for God’s sake. I am a professor in the university where I got my PhD and I know the difference today when I reflect over what it was and what it is today. The major challenge in this country is that there is increased diploma disease syndrome so to say. In other words, certification syndrome, people just want certificate and more embarrassingly, people want address. They want to be called doctor when nobody knows what you have doctored or whether or not if it is relevant to the society. This is just it. You want to become a professor and you are a professor in nothing, on a very serious note.

How can we address the slide?

Just doing the right thing, I have said a number of things today. I said attitudinal change is very important, those social elements that we mentioned from corruption, integrity, putting square pegs in square holes in the University system. If you go to somebody that is less deserving in a coacademic area, you are pulling down the system, you are not creating incentives. You are not encouraging others to excel. This is just my understanding.

Some weeks ago, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti(ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola said TETFUND should be magnanimous to extend grants to private universities, are you thinking along that line?

We are hoping that if our funds are increased, that will give us the latitude to begin to deliberately encourage partnership to public and private universities in the area of research. I have discussed with him, he is somebody very learned, he knows what he wants and we have agreed that I have no objection with public universities partnering with private universities in the area of research. And if there is more funding, we may say we are putting aside a particular amount for research in partnership between public and private.

That could even be a small percentage set aside from TETFUND. Not in terms of element of the intervention?

No. definitely that will be against the law. I have argued it several times. We do not have to go into the larger aspect of infrastructure. The business of any government worldwide is to address development issues of the largest number of people. The largest population of tertiary students in Nigeria are in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

Taking universities for instance, we said the percentage of students’ population in private universities is less than five per cent. But the entire population of students in private universities is less than 80, 000.

That is the population of just one public university. So, this speaks for itself. Government has wisdom. We will get to the stage. We would have improved and got to where we wanted but this maybe in another 10 years from now. Now, we have improved so much.

Even per capita income has improved so Let us start inviting the private institutions for partnership but at the moment, the demographic realities are in the public institutions.

You look so simple without any air around you.

Have you been like this in life or the office has changed you?

I tell you one thing; I have never changed in my life. In my house, office, meet me anywhere, on the street; I have tried to be myself. A major problem is when a leader elevates himself above the rest, this is a mistake. You don’t even know the problems of the people you are representing, it’s a philosophy.

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NEWS

CRIME

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

&

OTHER STORIES

Tenant, landlady trade blame over ejection Stories: Kunle AKINRINADE Lagos-based We discovered businessman, that he had no Sogo Adeyemo has accused his landlady, job when he started defaulting on his rent. In fact, Leonora Lawanson of constant harassment and sometimes, it would take him about seven threat to life in a bid to eject him from his apartmonths before he could renew his rent and I ment. would be the one to plead with my mother to reMrs Lawanson however denied taking illegal consider evicting him from the house. action to eject Mr Adeyemo from his apartment at He doesn’t have a job but stays in the house all No. 27, Ajibola Crescent, Alapere, Ketu, a suburb day and that is why he does not pay his rent as of Lagos. and when due. The six-month quit notice we Adeyemo said Lawanson aimed to force him gave him had lapsed a long time ago and that is out of his two-bedroom apartment despite an onwhy we took him to court. going lawsuit at an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court.

“He is not the only tenant in the house, we have “I am a yearly tenant and the last time I paid two other tenants and they are not giving us probmy rent she wanted me to write an undertaking lems like him. His bathroom was not destroyed as to vacate my apartment when the rent expired. he would want to make people believe. Rather, Although I paid the rent through one of her we decided to fix the bathroom following his daughters called Sola, I did not write any undercomplaints and we took a plumber there for astaking because it was against the principle of fairsessment. ness and justice. When my rent expired in April “He was not at home on the day we took a 2015, I wanted to pay but she refused to collect the plumber to his apartment but he gave his wife money from me and instead filed a suit at an Ikeja permission on the telephone to allow the plumber Magistrate’s Court to eject me from the building.” into the bathroom. The plumber, however, adHe added that the landlady had since caused vised that we put a new bathtub there because the some of her children to harass him while efforts one he was using had been completely messed made to arrest them have failed. up. Unfortunately, he did not allow any repair to “There was a day she led some of her children be effected in his apartment following his inability to vandalise my bathroom in a bid to intimidate to defray his rent and now wants to use that and forcibly eject me from the building. As I against us. speak, the bathroom has not been fixed while My mother is a widow and an unassuming perthey have damaged some windows in my apartson who took her time to appeal to Adeyemo to ment. be a good tenant to no avail. It will interest you to “When she took me to the Citizens Mediation know that he invited men of Alapere Police DiviCentre (CMC) in Ikeja, the mediators warned her sion to our house a few days ago in order to arrest not to resort to self-help in order to eject me from our mother despite the fact we were once taken to the building. They advised her to approach the the station and asked to make statement concerncourt to seek redress.” ing the same matter.

In a telephone conversation with The Nation, “Why should we resort to self-help while the one of the landlady’s children, Mr Dare Lawanmatter is in court? As law-abiding citizens, we son, who spoke on behalf of his mother, discould not have been harassing him having taken missed Adeyemo’s allegations as bunch of lies. him to court when he refused to vacate his apartHe said: “He has not paid his rent regularly for ment. He is just trying to draw unnecessary symtwo years now and was given a six-month quit pathy by taking the matter to the media instead of notice, but he has refused to vacate his apartment. waiting for the court to adjudicate on the matter.”

Instead, he has since resorted to blackmailing us.

A

Female undergraduate, others held for alleged cultism

Stop crying over a man policeman reportedly Continued from Page 3 return to me.”

According to her, the police authorities were yet to inform her about her husband's death, adding that she only learnt of the incident on the pages of newspapers.

“The last time I saw my husband was Sunday, August 30, 2015, before he left for work at about 5 pm. The next day, we were expecting him to return around 10 am as usual, but he never came back.

“I called his numbers but none of them was going through. I then called his friend who assured me that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, was in town and that they were in Obalende providing security for him.

“I know what his job entails, so I was not bothered, although I found it strange that he never called us to explain why he did not come back. I assumed that his phones could be bad.”

The picture of her husband's whereabouts became clearer when a neighbour came to their house with a copy of a newspaper report on her husband's death, consoling her over what had happened to her husband.

She said: “It was the next day that I received calls from people in the village, asking how I was doing. Relatives who had never called the family for years called to ask how I and the kids were doing. It was then that I knew that something was wrong.

“Later in the day, our neighbours, family and some of his colleagues started trooping into the house with the newspaper report that three policemen were killed in Ikorodu and my husband was one of them.

“I refused to believe it and I thank God that the next day, the DPO called and said that I should not worry, that my husband is still alive.

He assured me that they were looking for him.

“I know he will be found. All I am asking is that they (vandals) should please return him to me. If it is possible, I am ready to go to the

•Inspector Yakubu creeks and beg that my husband's life be spared.

“My husband is the greatest man to me and our five kids. I refuse to believe that he was killed. I know that he is alive and would return to me one day.

“Please, stop crying over a man who is still alive.”

Inspector Yakubu's eldest child, Rukayat, also shared her mother's belief that their father will return. Rukayat, who is expected to resume at the University of Benin where she intends to study Accounting, wondered why sympathisers would conclude that their father was late.

She said: “He cannot just disappear like that.

My dad is very much aware that school will resume soon. His life dream for me is to become an accountant and I had reassured him in the

Outrage over HERE was outrage in Alagbado area of Lagos State following the death of two youths, Tunmise Adedeji and Ganiyu Adebayo aka Oludegun.

Adedeji and Adebayo were allegedly killed on July 20 during a protest by residents of Temidire area of Alagbado against the land-grabbing activities of dreaded land speculator cum hotelier, Tunji Rasak Olaniyi aka Alhaji Gay. The protest apparently turned bloody when Alhaji Gay stormed the scene with armed men and shot into the crowd of protesters, causing the death of Adedeji and Adebayo.

Alhaji Gay was killed in a reprisal attack by an irate mob. Twelve suspects, including the traditional ruler of the community, Chief Najeem Abioye, are currently being tried in a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, for the killing of Alhaji Gay. Heartbroken family members and concerned residents have, however, condemned the killing of the youths.

Aggrieved residents urged the police to fish out the killers in the interest of justice.

Speaking with The Nation, a community leader, Musa Alo said that the case of the residents shot dead by loyalists of Alhaji Gay during the protest was being ignored by the law enforcement agents.

He said: “There was a peaceful rally by landlords and residents against the forcible land-grabbing activities of Tunji Rasak Olaniyi aka Alhaji Gay on July 20.

T • Oreoluwa

Higher National Diploma (HND 1) student of Mass Communication at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Oreoluwa Adedamola, and nine others have been arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command.

Oreoluwa was said to have been arrested on Sunday August 29, 2015 at Ifo, a suburb of Ogun during a routine check carried out by the operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).

She was paraded alongside other ‘cultists’ on Tuesday at the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta. The suspects were said to be members of Eiye Confraternity.

The duo and eight others were allegedly on their way to conduct the initiation of new members at Ifo when they were intercepted by the police.

A pistol was said to have been discovered inside Oreoluwa’s bag during a search by SARS operatives.

The 20 year-old student was said to have denied ownership of the gun, claiming that Ibrahim Kelani, 37, another suspect held by the police, was the owner.

A highly-placed source who spoke in confi-

A

• Ibrahim

dence said Oreoluwa explained to the police that she was not a cultist. “A candlelight procession was held on August 29, 2015 in honour of Oreoluwa’s boyfriend called Akeem Ogun, who recently died in a car crash in Panseke area of Abeokuta.

“Shortly after the procession, one Ibrahim Kelani who is a friend to the late Akeem asked Oreoluwa to accompany him to a birthday party at Ifo. On their way, Ibrahim collected Oreoluwa’s bag and dropped a pistol inside it as decoy to beat security check on the road.

“He then placed the bag on his chest and thought that policemen would not search it because it is a woman’s bag. Unfortunately, the bag was searched and the pistol was found inside it.

She and Ibrahim are currently being held at the police headquarters and I think she is only paying for her indiscretion. ” The spokesman of Ogun Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulmajid Ali, had directed that the suspects be handed over to the SCID, Eleweran, Abeokuta for further investigation and prosecution.

•The late Adebayo

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

olukunle87@yahoo.com

49

( 08167164657 or 08023910970 )

Street hawker ‘blinds’ peacemaker

who is still alive, says wife of killed by pipeline vandals A

last two weeks that I will become the Accountant General of the Federation in the future.

“He cannot just leave us like that. I assure you, he will return to us.”

Describing his father as a unique policeman, Rukayat said his father was gentle and can never take the law into his hands.

“You will not understand how special he is. That is why all of us (children) are more attached to him than our mother.

“He will return. I know that he will return,” Rukayat said with confidence.

Also sighted in the house was little Shafili, who was yet to understand why so many people were visiting their home to console her mother.

Battling with the piece of meat that had

The President of Afemai Youth Club, Barrister Tony Dania, pleaded with the vandals to release their brother as he is not only a father but a living example for his immediate community.

“He is such a peace-loving person that most of the time, we wonder if he is actually a policeman. He is a simple, humble man who does not oppress people because of his job. He is a peace-loving person and will be •Mrs. Fatimah Yakubu and her greatly missed if he children...we’re waiting for our breadwinner does not return alive. been handed over to her, Shafili re“We are calling on the police authorities minded her mother that she needed to to assist us in ensuring his safe return.” allow her to go and play with her friends.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police “Let me go and play. I don't know why Command has assured that they have inyou are forcing me to sit down with you. tensified effort to guarantee the safe reI will report you to my daddy when he turn of the missing policemen. returns,” she screamed at her mother, A source said that two of the vandals who was trying to force her to hang who were involved in the disappearance around them in the living room. of the policemen had been arrested and Amongst the early callers were Afemai were cooling their heels in the cell of SpeYouth Club of Nigeria, Iluoreh Age cial Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State PoGroup and Agbaegbeobo Women and lice Command while the search for them sons and daughters of South Obie Iyakpi, continues.

West of Edo State, resident in Lagos State.

The new Public Relations officer of the During a joint meeting on the issue, Lagos State Police Command, DSP Joe they all assured his wife that they would Offor, could not be reached for comment do everything within their power to as arrangement was being concluded for reach out to the militants for possible rehis takeover from the former PPRO, DSP lease of their loved one.

Patricia Amadin.

killing of two during protest n Kunle AKINRINADE n The protesters were about to disperse when Alhaji Gay suddenly stormed the scene of the rally with some hoodlums armed with guns and other dangerous weapons. They shot sporadically into the crowd of protesters which led to the death of Ganiyu Adebayo aka Oludegun while several others were injured.

“Not done yet, the hoodlums went on rampage, destroying buildings and shooting three people, including Adedeji, who later died of gunshot injuries a few minutes later. Surprisingly, the Baale of the community and eleven others have been arrested and are currently being prosecuted for the murder of Alhaji Gay, while the hoodlums who killed Adedeji and Adebayo are left untouched.”

It was gathered that the community had written a petition to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State, for its intervention in the interest of justice.

A cross-section of residents who spoke with our correspondent berated the police for what they termed ‘selective justice’ in abandoning the case of others killed by thugs loyal to Alhaji Gay. A resident known only as Oyelade said: “The police must fish out the killers of Adedeji and Adebayo aka Oludegun. Some of the hoodlums responsible for their death are known and can be identified if seen and the case should not be swept under the carpet while others are being tried for the killing of Alhaji Gay whose thugs also killed Adedeji and Adebayo during a protest by landlords against Alhaji Gay’s land-grabbing activities.”

While demanding justice, a woman who asked not to be named said the killing of the two youths by hoodlums “is condemnable and should be thoroughly investigated by the police in order to bring the masterminds to justice.”

n Rukayat JIMOH n

peacemaker, Jide Ofor, got more than he bargained for when he was allegedly punched in the eyes while trying to save a lady from being assaulted by a 24 year-old street hawker, Nnamdi Onua.

The incident occurred at about 10:21 p.m. on August 31 at No. 7 Church Street, Otumara-Ilaje, Costain, Lagos Mainland.

Offor was taken to the Yaba Mainland General Hospital for treatment.

The victim was said to have accosted Onua while beating up the lady (name withheld) and freed her from Onua’s •Jideofor grip.

Onua, a native of Ebonyi State and Compact Disc(CD) hawker, apparently trailed Offor to his residence and repeatedly punched him in the face, causing partial loss of sight in an eye.

He was said to have escaped from the scene after frightening bystanders with a knife.

Onua was later apprehended and arraigned before an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court for assault and unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The offence, according to the police prosecutor, Sergeant Igodalu Daniel, contravened Sections 310 and 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The defence counsel, O.B. Otigi prayed the court to grant his defendant bail in the most liberal terms.

Magistrate M.O. Olajuwon admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till September 29.

Court remands suspects in prison n Rukayat JIMOH n Chief Magistrate in Ebute Metta has ordered the remand of a 24 year-old robbery suspect, Daramola Segun, in prison custody.

Daramola was arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba with one cut-to-size locally-made barrel gun, two live cartridges and charms.

It was learnt that the suspect had conspired to rob one Nwema Simon on June 21, 2015, in his store at 25, Agboola Street, Odogunyan, Ikorodu area at about 11:30 pm.

The defendant, whose plea was not taken, was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, possession of firearms and armed robbery.

That offence, according to the police, contravened Sections 409, 297 and 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The prosecuting police, Ajayi Emmanuel, filed an application that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The presiding magistrate, M.O. Olajuwon, granted the prosecutor’s plea and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from DPP. The case was adjourned till September 29.

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Cleric empowers ex-inmate female ex-inmate, Jennifer Ngozi Mberekpe, found joy as she received a cheque of N200,000 from Pastor Chris Ekeh, Founder and General Overseer of Word and Spirit Assembly Church, Satellite Town, Lagos, to start a new life outside the prison.

Miss Mberekpe was recently freed from the Female Prison, Kirikiri, Apapa, where she had been since last year, following a case of fraud preferred against her.

She was freed 12 days after Pastor Ekeh visited the prison on July 17, 2015, to celebrate his 40th birthday with the inmates.

The pastor had promised to render financial assistance to any inmate that would be released after his visit. Her case was struck out by the trial judge.

At the Church service last Sunday, Pastor Ekeh presented the cheque of N200,000 to Mberekpe in fulfillment of his pledge.

During the presentation, the celebrity pastor said: “This is my own little way of sowing into your life and also fulfilling the promise I made during my recent visit to both the Maximum and the Female Kirikiri prisons.”

Overwhelmed by the gesture, Mberekpe thanked her benefactor, stating that the gesture came to her as a surprise.

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•Late Tunmise

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By Professor Dayo Oyekole Ph.D. (Ibadan), NMD, FNCP Tel: 0803-330-3897 Website: www.holisticlifecare.com E-mail: kolemetric@yahoo.com

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From derelicts to entrepreneurs: A tale of hard drug and cough syrup addicts cured with local concoction RUG addiction in Nigeria cope with chains on his legs when he was has for long been of serifirst brought to the centre. ous concern to the govHe said: "What actually brought me to ernment and the society. In this centre was that my parents saw that I Northern Nigeria, however, the was into cough syrup addiction and they young and old hard drug conwere not comfortable with the act. They sumers have shifted their patronconfronted me to stop taking it but I age from the age long drugs like always told them that I had stopped while Indian hemp and cocaine to the I continued to take it. So when it was abuse of cough syrups and other brought to their knowledge that I had not substances once thought to be stopped, they decided to bring me here for harmless. reformation and rehabilitation.

Their new founds have howev"I thank God that since I was brought er proven to be more addictive here, a lot of success has been recorded. I and even more destructive than have stopped all the bad things I did in the traditional ones. the past. I pray that God will touch the Realisisng the foregoing, that a heart of those who still indulge in this act. non-governmental organisation "I have spent two years here. I have based in Rigasa, a suburb of acquired tailoring skill. And right from •Some inmates in workshop Kaduna metropolis, piloted by here, I have started sewing clothes. When I Alhaji Lawal Yusuf Muduru go back, my people will open a shop for a.k.a. Mallam Nigga, established a centre in 2006 me to continue with the sewing business.

Abdulgafar ALABELEWE, Kaduna to cure drug addicts and reform them.

"Initially, when I was brought here, I felt like I will be able to help others just like Mallam has Our correspondent visited the centre named was caged. First, they put chains and padlock on helped me.”

Niggas Rehabilitation and Skills Acquisition and our legs, so our walking steps had to change.

Asked the kind of curative drugs given to them Training Centre, to witness the graduation of 63 Then when it comes to sitting down, you will inmates, during which Muduru advocated capital by Mallam, young Ahmad said: “We are given a find out that your sit position changes because kind of traditional medicine and I can proudly punishment for drug dealers. you are used to sitting anywhere you like and not say that the medicine works wonder, because by He said: "The North consumes Indian helmp at someone telling you where to sit." the time your body gets used to it, you will not high rate. Northern states like Kano, Borno, Uba Yahaya was the oldest of the graduates.

Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Bauchi and, in want to take drugs again.”

The 75-year-old man confessed that kids of his Some of the 63 recently graduated also narrated children's age influenced him into drug addicthe South, few states like Port Harcout and their ordeal and reformation experience.

Enugu, while it does not exist in the South West tion.

Karimatu Umar said: "I was brought here because because the Yoruba are disciplined.”

He said: "I was brought here because I was into I was into drug addiction. It started when I was He said for the drug addiction menace to be drug addiction. I'm 75 years old. My hot temperain school. My friends influenced me into taking curtailed, it requires that all hands must be on ment made me to get addicted to cough syrups. I deck as well as sincere commitment of purpose to drugs. I was lured into taking such drugs by was influenced by kids of my children's age. But friends because they told me that if I did, it ensure drug dealers are brought to book. today, I thank God, I have acquired carpentry would increase and enhance my knowledge and He said: "There must sincere commitment of skill. I have 11 children. When I was into drug understanding in school. Before I knew it, I purpose. We must show high level of commitaddiction, my children were not happy. They ment that any drug dealer found guilty should be became addicted to drugs.

"I thank God that ever since I punished and made to face the wrath of the law. was brought to this centre, I have No dealer should be left to go without punishbeen transformed into somebody ment. They are apprehended and released the my relations can boast and be second day. proud of. Before now, they didn't "Today, we are graduating the sixth set in take me serious and so they didn't this institution and about 63 of them are seek my advice or consult me being graduated. They were brought here to before doing anything in the famiundergo reformation. The inmates were ly. I was here for one year and brought in because they lacked within that period I I home training and discipline. enrolled for Western eduSome were into drug addiction was seriously cation and Arabic. I and others for Jinn cases. on drugs before my equally acquired knit"They have successfully family brought me to ting and tailoring undergone reformation skills. this centre.

I found and acquired skills such as “I regret my tailoring, welding, shoe myself in drugs due to peer actions in the past. making and are today influence. But since I was So, my advice to certified to go into the brought here, I became bet- others is that they SSESS the activities of the ued to ask this question: ‘Can anypublic to put to use what DSS since the beginning of body show Lawal Daura's memberter with his help and I hope should stay away they have learnt here to from drug abuse. It the Buhari administration. ship card of the APC?’ In legal parlput food on their tables." that with the help I have I would want to say that since the ance, we say, ‘he who asserts must is not a good habit.

Our correspondent received, I will be able to inception of the Alhaji Lawal Daura- prove’, and so, those making the "Once I step out of observed that old and led leadership of the DSS, whose allegations have the onus of proving help others just like this place, I will get a young, male and female main responsibility is to maintain that he is a card-carrying member of shop where I will do Mallam has from both rich and poor internal security in the country and the party. As a person, you may my business. And as to maintain law and order in terms have sympathy for a particular homes were among those that helped me God will have it again, we of prevention of crime and investiparty, but that does not qualify you were being reformed at the cenhave an association of the gation of same, the agency has taken to be a member of that party. tre. the right steps, and it has carried What qualifies you as a member is old students of the centre, Mohammad Ahmad, one of the youths out its activities within the ambit of to be a card-carrying member of the NIROSA, which is set up to give undergoing rehabilitation at the centre, is the rule of law. So, I would want to party. That is why you see the PDP back up to those who are not fighting addiction to hard drugs. He was give this leadership a pass mark. currently embarking on an e-regisfinancially buoyant to set up their But there is the argument that the tration exercise to get more memisolated from his family and friends before own businesses. current DG is a member of the bers. And of course, to be a member, he was brought to the centre. But with help from “In this association, they will APC. you must be a card-carrying memMallam Nigga, Mohammed said he has been That is unfounded because I still ber and you must believe in the make provision for all the equipgiven a second chance in life to make something see them as allegations. I have chalideals and philosophical principles ment required to start a business. for himself instead of leaving a wasted life. lenged people over and over again of the party. So, those who are allegThey will supervise how you run Ahmad said: “I was seriously on drugs before to prove that. What constitutes ging that Daura is a member of the the business before they hand it my family brought me to this centre. I found membership of a political party is APC have the onus of proving that over to you." for the person to be a card-carrying he is actually a card-carrying memmyself in drugs due to peer influence. But since I Another graduate, Mallam Aliyu member of the party. I have continber. was brought here, I became better with his help Adamu, recalled how he had to and I hope that with the help I have received, I

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‘DSS now

Barr. Leo Ekpenyong is an Abuja-based private legal practitioner and human rights activist. In this interview with TONY AKOWE, he speaks on the operations of the Directorate of State Security, the war on corruption and the Buhari government.

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THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

•Malam Aliyu Adamu

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•Karimatu Umar

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brought me here and they are now happy with “Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, my present state of mind." and there is no specific level at which drug use Speaking to our correspondent about his moves from casual to problematic. It centre, the inmates and how he cures varies from individual to individI them of addiction, Mallam Nigga ual. Drug abuse and addiction is was brought here said: “Some of them are being less about the amount of subbecause I was into drug pushed by peers either in school stance consumed or the freor in the communities they live quency, and more about the addiction. I'm 75 years old. in. So far, we have trained consequences of drug use.

My hot temperament made me about 1,300 mentally affected “There are lots of danto get addicted to cough syrups. I youths who underwent rehagers with was influenced by kids of my chil- drugsassociated bilitation and treatment. because we have dren's age. But today, I thank God, I cases of some of these “Due to their illnesses some have acquired carpentry skill. I have youths who were under of them can commit murder 11 children. When I was into drug without even knowing it. We the influence of dangerare doing our best to rehabilious drugs killing their addiction, my children were not tate and reintegrate them into relations or parents withhappy. They brought me here the society. out even knowing what and they are now happy “People experiment with drugs they did. with my present state for different reasons. First, it begins “At the centre, we teach these of mind with curiosity, to have a good time, youth different skills so that after because friends are doing it or in an their rehabilitation they can fit in effort to improve athletic performance or ease better into the society. Most times, we other problems such as stress, anxiety or depresgive them the chance to choose their skills. sion.

“For the adults and school dropouts, we

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•Uba Yahaya

have teachers that teach them. The skills we teach them include computer training, carpentry, shoe making, tailoring, barbing, among others. And for the women, we train them on tailoring, weaving, soap making, and so on."

On how he cures them and his source of finance, Nigga said he uses locally made concoction to cure them, saying the concoction discourages them from drugs.

He said: “We use locally sourced herbs to make local concoction for them, and that is what we use to shift their attention from drugs. I was neither a drug addict nor did I attend any formal training on reform. But my passion for the younger generation propelled me into this venture. As you can see, we use locally made big chains to restrict their movements.

"We are not getting help from anyone. NGOs are not helping us either. But the state government use to send us bags of rice to feed the inmates. As we know, it is not easy for a single individual to take care or feed such a number of people. So, I am making an appeal to well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the centre so that it can be sustained.”

operates with due process’ But he was an alleged member of the security committee of the APC Campaign Council.

Maybe he was brought in to be part of the campaign; and that does not make him a member of the party. It is not everybody that is involved in the campaign that is actually a member of the party. You might love the individual, as well as his ideals and aspirations; but that does not qualify you as a member of the party. But that should not be the issue. The issue should be whether he has lived up to expectations in his new leadership responsibility.

Has he maintained internal security? Has he brought in professionalism to the discharge of his responsibilities? These are the questions that are begging for answers, and I can assure you that the answers lie in the affirmative. So far, the DSS has been given a new face of leader•Barr. Ekpenyong ship in terms of professionalism and competence which have been exercised within the confines of the rule of law.

But the DSS under his leadership has been accused of not following due process in carrying out its activities.

I must say that due process is the hallmark of the Lawal Daura leadership in the DSS. For example, the Resident Electoral Commissioners in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia states are being investigated due to petitions against them. You know the DSS has the power to investigate such cases. Those who are currently raising alarm about intimidation and witch-hunting are enemies of the Buhari government and don't mean well for this country. Those Resident Electoral Commissioners being investigated are still presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.

But, while investigation is still going on, some groups and individuals are shouting witch-hunting. Why not wait for the investigation to be concluded first before you take a position on those issues? The DSS has the powers to investigate, arrest and detain, after which if a prima facie case is established against them, the relevant security agency will prosecute them. But, even at the stage of prosecution, they are still presumed innocent. That is the position of the law.

As for the issue of Sambo Dasuki, you are aware that he has been arraigned. If you compare the tenure of Lawal Daura to the previous administrations in the DSS, the difference is clear. In previous administrations, DSS officials will go into your house without a warrant. But in the case of Dasuki, a court of law issued a search warrant, which gave them access to his premises based on intelligent reports and the rest is history. Investigations took place and the outcome of that investigation is the arraignment which is not punitive itself, but to give the man the opportunity to defend himself. He has the opportunity to defend himself and ventilate his position which is one of the cardinal principles of a democratic dispensation.

Many have accused the government of being too slow.

Slow and steady wins the race. It is better to be careful

in the execution of programmes than make hasty moves and make mistakes at the end. The challenges of this country are numerous and need careful planning. I will not hold brief for the delays, but in my view, I think the President is taking his time. If he is in a hurry and makes mistakes in the course of that, Nigerians will still blame him for not being careful. So, I believe and think, that with the challenges of Nigeria, there is need for circumspection in the execution of planned programmes and ideas of government.

So, what do you expect to see in the next few months?

I urge Nigerians to be patient, and I also urge Mr President to live up to his campaign promises. He should realise that Nigerians are looking up to him with the expectations that all those campaign promises should translate from promises to concrete realities. At the same time, patience is a virtue. I want Nigerians to be patient with Mr. president and contribute their quota, because nation building is a collective responsibility and all hands must be on deck.

There are those who believe that Buhari should stop investigating the dealings of the past government. What is your take on this?

I urge the President to expedite action and set machineries in motion to carry on with the war against graft. There should be no going back. The war against graft is part of the efforts towards ensuring good governance. What has happened in the last couple of years is the amassing of wealth meant for the people by those entrusted with public office. Essentially, those who are calling on Mr. President to discontinue his war on corruption are the real enemies, and unless we kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We know the character of most of those who are behind the agitations. It is only the guilty that are afraid. Why should reasonable Nigerians be averse to any effort that will rid the country of graft?

In my view, the war against graft is the beginning of our journey towards the attainment of a just and egalitarian society.

THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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Business secrets up-and-coming entrepreneurs must learn —Eagle Paints boss Akin Disu Yombo TOKODE

To him, only those who dare to fail greatly HIEF Akin Disu is known widely as the can ever achieve greatly. "Challenges are chairman of Eagle Paints Group, the manuwhat make life interesting, and overcoming facturers of the popular brand of paint known as Eagle. But while he is also reputed for his them is what makes life meaningful," he said.

Being a patriot himself, Disu is an untiring philantropic gestures, not many know him as a preacher of patriotism. He wastes no time in legal icon. The truth, however, is that he studied telling any Nigerian who cares to listen to be Law before he veered into business to establish himself as a frontliner in paint manufacturing busi- proud of their country, saying there is no country in the world without its own chalness.

Going down memory lane, he recalled that he had lenges, "but they manage their own challenges well while most Nigerians are sellbeen motivated to study Law after a visit that First outs."

Republic politician, Bode Thomas, paid to his He frowns seriously on sabotage, school in a beautiful Pontiac car, while he (Disu) asking Nigerians to stop talking was a student at CMS Grammar School, Lagos, or portraying their country in negaand, second, because he didn’t want his Disu tive light to the outside world. peers in business to think he was an illit"Nigeria, despite all odds, is erate man. himself is a blessed, good and can be betHe said: “The late Bode Thomas ter with collective efforts of came to our school with a beautiful life coach to many each and all," he said. car and we were all carried away by He does not involve himhis flamboyance. From that day, young entrepreneurs self in politics as he says he many of us vowed that we would and a mentor to is too busy looking for study and become lawyers like daily bread. He also wishes Bode Thomas. numerous others. that every Nigerian, particThe impact the late politician made on his life has motivated his To him, only those ularly the political class, would be concerned with concern for the youth who he teachwho dare to fail how they can make Nigeria es at every available opportunity to better while working for look out for role models through greatly can ever their daily bread, rather than whom they can rise to enviable positurn themselves into destructions in the society. achieve greatly tive critics.

His is a clear departure from the preNegative comments about our vailing situation where many successful leaders, he said, tell on our image in men don’t want to let out the secrets of their the comity of nations. He believes that we success. affect the image of our country by the way we He said: "Life is what you make of it. You must be talk about its leadership, hence he cautions focused in all you do. You must have role models against character assassination. that you look up to. You do not need to see them The secret of our progress as a nation, he said, day by day. All you need to do is find their stories inheres in discipline. and emulate their templates.

His liberal nature is demonstrated by the fact that "I also believe today’s youths must learn to persealthough he was born a Muslim, almost all his kids vere like the Latin says, labo ouwa vinaiti, which means we must persevere till the end, for persever- are Christians, and Chief Ernest Shonekan, the man he regards as his best friend, is a Christian. In fact, ance overcomes everything. on the wall at the entrance of his house is hung a "I also want youths of today to be steadfast and big eagle with a Bible accompanied with a Biblical take life easy. It is the urge to make if fast and in a passage taken from Isaiah 40:31: "But those who hurry that has led many youths of today to join the trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will .com millionaire club, which is also called soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and yahoo.yahoo. not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

"Whoever cheats somebody of his or her hardTo him, we all serve one God and we must not earned money must be punished by God. And why discriminate against one another. He believes in defraud fellow men?" he wondered.

African moral ethics and not religious fanaticism.

Disu himself is a life coach to many young entreA visit to the Eagle Paints factory on Lagos preneurs and a mentor to numerous others.

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Mainland shows Disu to be a diligent entrepreneur who holds dear the principle of perseverance as key to success in business. Little wonder Eagle Paint has won the SON quality award for three years running.

Remarkably, in spite of his tight schedule, Disu does not joke with family matters. He is an all round success who believes in the home front/family. In fact, he gives top priority to looking after his family just as he does rendering service to God. All work and no play, they say, makes Jack a dull boy. Hence High Chief Akin Disu finds time to ease off stress by belonging to some notable clubs like Metropolitan, Boat and Yoruba Tennis clubs. He says he likes travelling the world and he is a lover of fast cars, both vintage and new ones.

He said: "Cars give me some joy. If I wake up and after my communion with my creator, I love to look at my collection of cars. Of course, I am not born with them, but through a dint of hard work, some luck on my side and with God’s blessing, I was able to acquire them all."

Disu is not just a great father to his children, but also a great grandfather as well as a caring and exemplary husband. He loathes laziness and sluggishness. He has sacrificed a lot financially and materially to see his children and grandchildren through qualitative education.

He holds a long list of traditional titles, including the Abobagun of Lagos; Borokini 1 and Nnanne Nna Mba of Isala, among the long list of other traditional titles conferred on him across the country.

Chief Disu, whose mother was the first Muslim girl admitted into Queens College, Lagos, and whose father attended King's College, Lagos, is an alumnus of CMS Grammar School, Lagos. He holds postgraduate degrees and belongs to many professional bodies, including those of of Personnel Management and Public Administration.

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THE NATION,

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

News

NACA to commence study on best HIV treatment strategy

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study to determine the best HIV/AIDs treatment that will reduce the transmission of the disease from person to person is on the way.

Some 600 sero-discordant couples (where one partner is negative and the other positive to the virus) will take part in the study at three sites in Nnewi, Jos and Calabar, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, (NACA) announced yesterday in Abuja.

Vincent IKUOMOLA , Abuja and Oyeyemi GBENGA-MUSTAPHA

The research team is to carry out the study which will also help decide whether health workers choose to administer the antiretroviral drug Truvada—as a prevention or treatment for HIV/AIDS. Researchers hope the study will help understand why people would hesitate to adopt a prevention strat-

‘We are not against Ilori’ Leaders of the All P r o g r e s s i v e s ’ Congress(APC) in OndoWest/East Federal Constituency have dissociated themselves from a report that they were against the declaration of a former Special Adviser to Governor RaufAregbesola on Environmental Sanitation, Hon BolaIlori, as the constituency’s leader.

A statement by the chairmen of Ondo East APC and Ondo West APC, Messrs AkintundeTemitope and Adeala Ademulegun, said “Ilori remains the leader of the party in the constituency.”

The APC chieftains also restated their loyalty to Ilori for his outstanding contribution to the growth of the party in Ondo state adding that they were not the authors of the statement.

“This is to dissociate ourselves and the party in Ondo Federal Constituency from a statement allegedly signed by us against the person of Hon. Bola Ilori who is the immediate past Special Adviser to OgbeniAregbesola on Environment and Sanitation.

The party chairmen in Ondo East and Ondo West could never have authored such a defamatory statement against our leader.

It’s strange that mischievous elements could go to the extent of forgery to blackmail a performer.We reaffirm that Ilori has been outstanding in the last nine years. He has been with us through thick and thin. So much conspicuous was his contribution to entire Ondo State that even the hate statement acknowledged his laudable contributions to Ribadu and Buhari campaigns without receiving a

dime from either Ribadu or Buhari.”

The party chieftains said the report linking them to the purported rejection of Ilori as party leader was the handiwork of blackmailers.

“We wish to state that the said statement is the handiwork of enemies of unity and cohesion in our party who are certainly envious of the contributions and achievements of Hon Bola Ilori. We wish to appeal to Hon Ilori to remember that despite the good efforts of Jesus Christ, He was still crucified by few enemies of progress. Bola Ilori did not call himself leader, his activities in the party has proclaimed him so.

“We on behalf of our teeming member restate our confidence in Hon Ilori as a promoter of unity and growth of the party over the years.

The entire party structure in the Federal constituency jointly endorsed Bola Ilori in a letter signed by 19 out of 22 wards chairmen including us.”

The statement added: “We unequivocally restate our love and support for our leader Hon. Bola Ilori in his enduring efforts to develop APC in our constituency. We acknowledge and respect all other leaders in our party in the constituency, however we shall always show love and appreciation for leaders who make visible, sustained and continuous contribution to the party.

“We are a united party now; the era of promoting discord is over. We call on anyone who is willing to be acknowledge as leader in our constituency like we do for Hon Bola Ilori and others to join hands with the party and not stand aloof, we need the support and contribution of all.”

Club embarks on water project for inmates Lions Club District 404B-2 has embarked on a water project for the inmates of Ozanam House, Ikeja, Lagos.

The foundation laying ceremony of the water factory took place on Wednesday.

The District Governor of the club, Olufunke Adebajo, said the International Association of Lions Clubs would be empowering inmates of Ozanam House who are rape victims in order to be able to be useful to themselves.

She disclosed that after much consultation and deliberation with other members of the organization, she decided to embark on the N31 million project to make life better for the rape victims .

Adebajo said:“As the DG of Lions club, I had to do a lot of community assessment to see those who are in need so as to do something of note and after several areas of assessment, we settled down for this particular home which houses young ladies who have been raped. They are rejected by families and the society at large and this kind of home take them in and nurture them to ensure that they have safe delivery.”

She disclosed that aside keeping them in this home, there was the need to empower these ladies because some of them after coming into the home depend on other people to survive.

egy, what would prevent a person who has started PreP or antiretroviral from continuing it, and cost-effective methods of delivering the drugs alongside counselling and support to make it work.

It will also measure new infections averted by use of PreP, the cost of life-year gained or infection averted, and estimate what it would take to scale up the chosen delivery method to a national level.

Results from the study will be monitored directly at NACA and external assessors in Geneva and reported to

its funding sponsors, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Previous studies have shown antiretrovirals help reduce the rate of infection in a population in two different ways—pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP), in which people at risk of infection take the pill to avoid an infection, and treatment-asprevention (TasP), in which people already infected with HIV-1 take medicines.

PreP works, even in combination with other HIV prevention methods.

In his remark at the media

briefing yesterday, NACA Director General, Prof. John Idoko, said that the essence of the research is to see if it works in real-life situation.

“This study is being carried out in Nigeria to see whether it will work in reallife situations among the Nigerian population under normal conditions.

“It has been found to work.

The whole idea is that if it works so well in this situation, it can become a policy,” he said.

Also, Dr Oliver Ezechi, deputy director of research at Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, who will

•Preparation of repairs of the Lagos-Ibadan Express by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc on Thursday

act as internal assessor of the HIV-prevention study said the research work was not meant to reinvent the wheel.

He stressed that “the drug has been shown to work. We are trying to see the best strategy to scale it up in Nigeria.”

NACA and other key players provide needed information on how to implement the strategies in a large population as part of a comprehensive public health programme aimed at preventing HIV infection. The treatment strategy to be used in this project will adopt both TasP and PrEP.

Photo: NAN

PDP loses appeal against Ashafa’s victory The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, yesterday, dismissed an appeal on the matter brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mrs. SalisAyodele against the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator ‘GbengaAshafa and his party, the All Progressives Congress.( The victory follows the July 27 dismissal of the election

Prof Ifamose for burial

The funeral ceremony for the late Professor Folasade Olayinka Ifamose of the Department of History and Diplomatic Studies, University of Abuja,will start on September 29, 2015 with a service of songs at her residence inUniAbuja Staff Quarters, Giri, Abuja Prof Ifamose died on August 10, 2015 of a cancer related disease in North Carolina hospital, in the USA at age 51.

According to the burial arrangement released by the family, her remains will arrive Abuja, on Sept 15 .

Her body leaves for AkunnuAkoko, Ondo State on October 1 and will be interred, the following day, October 2, after a funeral service at Anglican Cathedral, AkunnuAkoko, Ondo State.

However, a thanksgiving service will hold in IjebuJesa, Osun State on October 3 at St. Mathew Anglican Cathedral Church, while entertainment of guests will take place at IjebuJesa Town Hall.

Prof Ifamose is survived by her children and husband, Bamidele.

AdeyinkaAderibigbe petition filed by the PDP and its candidate in the National Assembly elections earlier this year.( The decision to file an appeal challenging the verdict of the Justice C.U Anwukah-led tribunal was taken by the PDP candidate, SalisAyodele and her party immediately after the July 27 dismissal.

The Court of Appeal is the highest level a National Assembly election petition can go.( In its case at the Court of Ap-

peal, Salis and the PDP had alleged that the judgment of the lower tribunal was erroneous on the grounds that the tribunal erred on many issues in arriving at the decision to dismiss the petition. The PDP also questioned the qualification of the chairman of( the tribunal stating that he was not qualified to sit on the case.( In the final judgement read yesterday by Muhammad Danjuma (JCA), the judgment dismissed the appeal and stated that there was no evidence presented to show cause and prove that the tribunal chair-

man was not qualified to hold the office.( Counsel for the PDP and SalisAyodele, Barr.

OladayoOdunde in his remarks after the judgement was read said “the judgement is a victory for the judiciary no matter the outcome.”( In his own remarks after the victorious judgment, Senator Ashafa said: “The time for politicking has gone and all contenders should sheath their swords. In the spirit of democracy, I extend a hand of friendship to the PDP in Lagos East. Let us work together for the development of our dear state.”

Anyim denies links with new party Former Senate President and immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, has denied reports that he is part of a group of PDP politicians who have teamed up with the party’s former chairman, Ahmed Mu’azu, to form a new political party.

Describing the reports as

false, mischievous and irresponsible, Anyim said that he has not had any meeting or discussion with Mu’azu “pursuant to the formation of a new political party. “ In a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, Anyim said he had not seen, met with, or spoken to the former PDP

chairman. He also denied being aware that any person or group of persons was in the process of forming any new party or parties, and that no one had consulted him on the matter.

He further said in the terse statement that he is “neither interested in nor available for any such consultations.”

Agagu memorial lecture holds tomorrow The second edition of the annual memorial lecture in honour of former governor of Ondo State, Dr, Olusegun Kokumo Agagu, will hold tomorrow, Sunday 13 September, 2015, at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Dignitaries expected at the event include former president, Chief Olusegun

Obasanjo, who is the chairman of the day.

Others are the keynote speaker, former Prime Minister of Togo, Edem Kodjo and the Special Guest Speaker, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, UN Special Adviser on the International Compact with Iraq.

According to his son, Feyi

Agagu, the lecture is organized by the Olusegun Agagu Foundation as part of the efforts to immortalize the late university lecturer’s good deeds.

Dr. Olusegun Agagu, a geologist, served as governor of Ondo State between 2003 and 2009. He died on 13 September 2013.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

Wike set to borrow another N10bn to bribe tribunal judges —APC

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HE Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that the Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration is set to obtain another N10 billion loan from Zenith Bank to bribe judges of the tribunal and Appeal Court, less than three months after borrowing N30 billion from two banks.

The APC noted that Wike’s

•Rivers Governor: it’s false, frivolous Bisi OLANIYI, Port Harcourt government’s desperation for more loan was in view of a spate of recent negative outcomes for the Rivers governor and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the various election petitions tribunals in

Abuja.

Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, yesterday in Port Harcourt, the APC stated that Wike was not interested in good governance and development of the state, but his personal ambition of remaining as governor.

It will be recalled that, On

June 11, the Wike’s administration obtained a loan of N10 billion from Zenith Bank Plc, while on June 30, the government took another loan of N20 billion from Access Bank Plc, totalling N30 billion.

Wike has, however, maintained that the APC simply raised the false alarm, describ-

Precious DIKEWOHA, Port Harcourt OUTHS, under the aegis of Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM), in Rivers State, yesterday called on the management of DAAR Communication Limited, the owner of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower Radio to discontinue a documentary against former governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi.

The youths accused DAAR Communication of instigating crisis between two Ikwerre sons (Wike and Amaechi) by allowing their station to air the documentary, saying the documentary is capable of creating war among Ikwerre people.

Rising from an emergency meeting yesterday in Port Harcourt, IYM chairman Emohua Local Government Area, Hon. Lucky Worluh, who spoke on behalf other leaders from the four Ikwerre speaking local government areas of the state, said DAAR Communication must steer clear of Rivers politics.

Worluh reminded the management of DAAR Communication that they are yet to apologize to President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians on the hate documentary aired against the president before and during the election.

He described documentary as a calculated attempt by Amaechi’s detractors to bring him down.

Rivers APC said: “To date, Wike has collected a total of N100 billion, comprising federal allocations, internally generated revenue (IGR), balance in the Rivers state Reserve Fund and other sundry sums left in the state’s accounts with the banks by May 29.

“The aforementioned sum is exclusive of the earlier N30 billion obtained from banks by the Rivers governor since he assumed office. In sum total, N130 billion has passed through the hands of the governor in three months, with only a few projects of his predecessor he is completing and some cosmetic asphalting and pothole filling of some streets to show for it.

“If he borrows additional N10 billion from Zenith Bank, as he has already decided to do, Rivers people and our next generation shall have been enslaved further to the tune of N40 billion as loan, before the tribunal shows the governor the way out of Government House, Port Harcourt.

“Most worrisome to the APC is the fact that information available to us indicates that the governor made up his mind to borrow the N10 billion from Zenith Bank, which he will keep exclusively to bribe judges every step of the way, especially now that news coming to the governor from the tribunal’s sitting in Abuja is not that cheery to his ears.”

The APC also pleaded with well-meaning Rivers elders and leaders-of-thought to prevail on the state’s governor against the “incessant and needless high-interest borrowing he had embarked on for his selfish desires”.

However, an ally of the governor said: “APC’s allegation is untrue. Governor Wike, as a legal practitioner, and he will always follow due process in his transactions as the Governor of Rivers State. They have forgotten that we have a properly-elected Governor in Rivers State, who knows his onions and he knows the rule of law. Before Governor Wike will obtain any loan, he will first seek the approval of the 32 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. There is no letter before the House of Assembly to obtain a fresh loan.

“If APC is trying to get information, its members should spend time to do the proper work, instead of carrying frivolous allegation or rumour. If they do not understand the workings of the government, they should be patient till when the workings of government will come before the public.”

combed the area and discovered sophisticated weapons, including Medium Machine Gun, AK 47 light machine gun and AK 47 automatic rifle.

Okunola said: “Other weapons recovered from the suspected militants are one Fabrique Nationale, SMI and G3 rifled.

“The troops also recovered one single barrelled gun, 7.62mm Nato special ammunition, 11 quantity of improvised explosive devices, identity cards belonging to Oroso Kpasco, Iyadoufega Nuwent, Clifford Ebikabowei and Emmanuel Stanley.

“Also recovered was an Automated Teller Machine card belonging to Mr. Ingo Kpasco, a suspected hoodlum at

Odimodi community recently.”

The OPS commander said the camp was destroyed while the recovered arms and ammunition remain in the custody of OPS. Okunola said during the operation, one Mr. Ebiwame Lamia, who escaped from the September 5 raid was arrested, adding that Lamia later confessed that he was at the previous camp when it was raided.

He warned criminals in the region to desist from all acts of illegalities, vowing that the OPS would continue to match word with action in the fight against criminalities in line with the zero tolerance campaign.

ing it as frivolous.

The Rivers governor, who spoke through one of his allies, Samuel Nwanosike, who is also the state’s PDP’s Publicity Secretary, noted that he would always follow due process, and that if he wanted fresh loan, he would have sent a letter for approval to the Rivers House of Assembly, led by Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani.

One of the chieftains of the APC in Rivers (names withheld), yesterday said that Wike had actually concluded arrangements to obtain a fresh N10 billion loan from Zenith Bank, adding that the party decided to raise the alarm in order to safeguard the future of the people of the state and generations yet unborn.

Youth group slams AIT over Ameachi hate documentary

Y Arms seized from militants by operatives of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) in the Niger Delta

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Delta PDP plots to bribe tribunal with N115m, alleges APC

HE Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that it has discovered a plot by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to bribe the House of Assembly election tribunal currently sitting at Asaba, the state capital.

According to the APC, the 23 PDP members in the state House of Assembly, whose elections are currently being challenged at the tribunal, contributed N5m each as part of the plot to compromise members of the tribunal, particularly panel 2 and 3.

Speaking to our correspondent, a chieftain of the APC in the state who pleaded not to be named, stated that the N115m is allegedly routed

•Allegation wicked, baseless, reckless- Speaker Bolaji OGUNDELE, Warri through a prominent member of the assembly, alleged to be a close associate of one of the tribunal judges.

According to the source, a principal officer of the ssembly, in what he termed acts of desperation to save his seat, is working seriously to compromise the tribunal judges.

According to him, “as part of their strategies, cases affecting PDP principal officers will not be determined until the 180 days period allowed by the electoral act elapses, and one those to benefit from this move is the speaker.”

The APC chieftain stated fur-

ther that the party will formally file a complaint to the Department of State Services, DSS, to investigate the allegation, adding that the party will also bring the matter to the attention of the National Judicial Commission (NJC) and other relevant agencies.

A lawmaker, who spoke in confidence on the development, denied being involved, but however, confirmed the allegation, saying that a PDP member in the assembly approached him to buy into the project in order to get victory at the tribunal.

He added that since he was very confident that he won his election fair and square, he did

not need to undermine justice.

However, debunking the allegation, the Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Henry Ebireri, in a press statement, described the allegation as wicked, baseless and reckless.

Ebireri also described the allegation that the speaker approached a lawmaker to bring N5million to settle the panel of judges at the tribunal as fabrications aimed at undermining the speaker’s integrity.

“The Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Monday Igbuya, is an honest and highly effective speaker. He has built a reputation anchored on integrity over the years,” he added.

Fears heighten in Niger Delta as ex-militants, regroup, reactivate camps

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EAR has enveloped the Niger Delta region, following strong indications that militants are regrouping in different camps located in the creeks of the region.

It was gathered from security sources yesterday that despite the existing amnesty pact between the region and the Federal Government, active militant camps are still being operated in the creeks. lt was learnt that militants have been operating the camps and using them as safe havens to hide kidnap victims while negotiating for ransom.

A security source said many of such camps still exist in Bayelsa and Delta states, and called on the military to con-

•Military moves to destroy camps Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa duct aerial surveillance of various forests, creeks and mangroves to isolate and destroy such camps.

The source, who spoke in confidence, hinted of a notorious forest in Nembe, where he said most of the kidnapped victims are always ferried and kept in different camps.

But, following the exit of former President Goodluck Jonathan and plot by some exmilitant leaders to resurrect the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), tension has returned to the region over fears that militants may unleash violence in the region

It will be recalled that a planned meeting of the group, called by Tompolo in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, generated so much panic and security concerns that later led to its cancellation.

Unconfirmed reports, however, said that some of the exmilitant leaders later met secretly at an undisclosed location in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

Meanwhile, the security outfit, Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), formerly known as the Joint Task Force (JTF), is said to be combing the creeks to locate and destroy such camps.

Commander, OPS, MajorGeneral Alani Okunola, said the outfit has arrested some

suspected militants in the Niger Delta.

Okunola, who assumed duty as the OPS commander last Wednesday, said the suspects were nabbed during a raid on a militants’ camp at Benigboye in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

During the operation, which took place on September 5, he said the suspected militants, on sighting the OPS troops, opened fire on them.

Okunola said the action of the militants led to a 30minute gun battle between the militants and the operatives.

He said the suspected militants later abandoned the camp and escaped with their wounded colleagues.

He added that the troops

THE NATION,

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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Abia vigilante group kills 30-yr-old man in Aba •Police hold community meeting M EMBERS of the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS) aka ‘Bakassi’, have allegedly killed a 30-year-old man in Aba. The victim, simply identified as Sunny Pound, according to reports, was said to have died while being rushed to the hospital for medical treatment as a result of gunshot wounds.

The incident, which happened on Thursday afternoon at about 3pm, The Nation gathered, caused pandemonium along Ngwa road and the popular Orji Uzor Kalu bridge where the incident happened, as

Sunny NWANKWO, Aba And Ugochukwu UGOJIEKE, Umuahia

some of the residents protested the killing.

It was gathered that the situation would have degenerated, but for the timely intervention of a sister security agency that arrived the scene.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the victim was shot after the vigilante members encountered some alleged drug peddlers near the popular Good Morning

market along Ngwa road.

“When the vigilante boys got to the place, the owner, popularly known as ‘who is free’, was not around, but his boys were sleeping. After they were woken up, they told the vigilante people that their boss was not around. But the vigilante asked to be settled, leading to serious argument.

“It was in the heat of the argument that one of the Bakassi boys started shooting sporadically into the air, and in the process, one of the boys in the drug bunk was shot while he was try-

ing to escape from the scene.

“Sensing danger, the vigilante members fled the scene, while the drug peddlers took the corpse to the office of the vigilante group at Agu.” The corpse of the victim, it was gathered, has been deposited at an undisclosed morgue in the Aba metropolis.

When contacted, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Ezekiel Onyeke said that the incident was yet to be reported officially to the police.

The head of the AVS can-

Ohanaeze youths kick against re-instatement of ZakariBiu, tackle Keyamo over comments on Igbo HE Ohanaeze Youth

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Council (OYC) has kicked against the reinstatement of Zakar iBiu, a former Police Commissioner, by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

Biu was dismissed from the service in 2012 following the controversial escape of Boko Haram mastermind, Kabiru Sotoko from detention.

In a statement, signed by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said: “The decision of the PSC was against all known norms and true justice.

“It leaves one to keep wondering if the life of the 44 worshipers who were killed in a bomb attack masterminded by Sokoto at the St Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, is now

Innocent DURU

less important to the new administration.

“Our stand is that whoever authorized this anti-people decision is promoting ethnic interest against national interest.We call on Mr. President to rise up to the occasion and show that indeed he belongs to everybody and not to the

North by prevailing on the PSC to reverse that decision.”

The group also demanded an unreserved apology from human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo for “describing the Ndigbo as noise makers for complaining about federal appointments.

“Ordinarily, we would not have joined issues with Keyamo, since doing so

will dignify him. But we only want to advise him to thread with caution over his remarks on issues affecting the Igbo nation. It is a pity that a lawyer like Keyamo who should know better has decided to see nothing wrong with the deliberate exclusion of a whole geopolitical zone from the over 30 key political appointments so far made by Buhari since he came on board.”

African Church ends annual conference tomorrow

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HE first Indigenous African Church in Africa and the world at large, The First African Church Mission Incorporated, will end its 124th Annual Conference with a thanksgiving service tomorrow.

According to the spokes-

man of the Mission, Mr. Emmanuel Ola Campbell, the venue of the conference is the St. Peter’s Cathedral Ahoda Diocese of the Archdiocese of Orashi, Rivers State.

He further disclosed that participants at the conference held a special praying

session to intercede for the country.

He said the primate and overall head of the Mission Worldwide, His Eminence Dr. Emmanuel Olabode Koya J.P, presided over the conference with the assistance of archbishops and bishops of the mission from all over the world.

not be reached for comments.

Meanwhile, the Abia State police command has held a police-community town hall meeting with the people as part of the efforts to ensure better security in the state.

Speaking at the meeting, the state Commissioner of

Police, Habila Joshak, said the police have continued to adopt new strategies and techniques, with special emphasis on community policing.

Joshak lamented the gap between the police and the community, which he attributed to the sharp increase in crime rate in the country, pointing out that a participatory approach to policing will ensure security for all.

Police ban daytime operation by herdsmen in Anambra

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HE Anambra State police command is set on a war path with herdsmen in the state following the decision by the police to ban the herdsmen from operating in the day time across the state.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr Hosea Karma, said the herdsmen would henceforth operate at night in the state.

The decision was taken yesterday in Awka after a joint meeting with the Anambra State Cattle Menace Conflict Committee at the Government House.

Karma said the restriction was put in place to minimize conflicts between the herdsmen and native farmers in the area.

But one of the herdsmen, who spoke with The Nation in confidence, said such arrangement cannot work in the state, saying the herdsmen can only move in the day time.

However, the police com-

missioner urged the Fulani cattle herdsmen and the host communities to allow peace to reign by cooperating and living harmoniously.

He warned that the police would not spare anybody who would want to foment trouble in the state.

Members of the committee include the state security council, representatives of traditional rulers, presidents-generals of town unions and other stakeholders.

According to the police boss, “the committee had worked hard to minimize conflicts between the host community farmers and cattle herdsmen, as well as for them to live harmoniously.

“We must live together in peace. If there is any problem, they should report to the appropriate authority.

Nobody is allowed to take the laws into his hands.”

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NEWS

Northern governors lament decay in region HE Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has lamented the collapse of vital industries in the region, warning that a grave consequence awaits the zone if the present leaders fail to address the decay.

The remark was contained in a communique issued at the end of its meeting yesterday.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the chairman of the forum and governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said: “It has become imperative especially for northern state governors, owing to the near collapse of vital institutions in the region and the multifaceted problems facing the people to brace up for the challenges ahead.

He regretted that the Boko Haram menace, cattle rustling, sporadic killing, kidnapping, herdsmen versus communities, boundary disputes, armed rob-

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•Rally support for Buhari Blessing OLAIFA, Assistant Editor, Kaduna bery , unemployment, poverty, arms and drugs proliferation, inciting preaching, almajiri phenomenon, and collapse of industries among others are everywhere in the north.

“After exhaustive deliberations, the northern state governors have resolved to adopt a holistic approach towards solving the problems. Should the present leaders fail, the consequences would be better be imagined than experienced.”

He added that the forum has "agreed to set up a Committee of Attorney Generals of the northern states to look into the criminal justice system, taking into cognisance the current security challenges so as to proffer strict punishments to crimes such as

cattle rustling, kidnapping, terrorism, rape and domestic violence."

Rallying support for President Muhammadu Buhari, Shettima noted that the nation is passing through challenging times requiring the support of all and sundry for the administration to succeed.

“We commend the Federal Government for the success so far recorded against the insurgents.

This is as a result of the remarkable zeal, total commitment and willful determination of President Muhammadu Buhari who priortized the defeat of Boko Haram from the on set,” he said.

He pleaded with the Federal Government to assist victims of the recent bomb blast in IDPs’ camps in Adamawa State with intervention funds to alleviate

their sufferings, adding: “The forum appreciates the initiation of the joint multi-national task force as well as relocating the command and control structure of the security forces to the epic centre of Borno State. This has turned the tide against the insurgents.”

On the fate of the defunct New Nigerian Newspaper, the New Nigerian Development Company, NNDC, and the Kaduna Textile Limited, KTL, Governor Shettima said the forum would take pro-active steps that would turn the fortunes of the companies around for better as they would receive detailed briefings from the managements in their next meeting.

He however lamented that “the fate of the companies is the reason why things have turned so bad for the north as lots of youths have lost their jobs while poverty and insecurity thrive in the region.

Ortom, Akume condole with el-Rufai

ENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom, early yesterday in Kaduna paid a condolence visit to his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, following the recent loss of his foster father, Alhaji Yahaya Hamza.

All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Benue State and the Senator representing Benue North West, Senator Dr George Akume, led the condolence delegation.

Governor Ortom stated that an earlier scheduled visit could not hold due to unforeseen circumstances.

He described the death of a loved one at whatever age as painful but urged his colleague to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a life of committed service to his fatherland, adding that all must one day return to the creator.

Senator Akume, who stated that he knew the late Alhaji Hamza at the Federal Ministry of Education, described him as a humble and unassuming man.

In his response, Governor El-Rufai said he would always remember his cousin who adopted him at the age of eight when he lost his father as a kind-hearted and accomplished educationist.

The deceased was once Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.

He died at the age of 82.

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Benue to merge BSU, Agric college OVERNOR Samuel Ortom has announced the Benue State government’s plans to merge the Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture Yandev and the Benue State University.

He made the disclosure during a courtesy call on the Executive Secretary and management of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) in Abuja yesterday.

The governor said that with the briefing he received from the Executive Secretary, Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, he would fast-track the merger so that the institution could benefit from TETFUND's intervention.

The Secretary had stated that the organsation could not grant the governor's request for intervention at the college unless it had affiliation with the University of Agriculture, Makurdi or the state university.

Governor Ortom also visited the Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Dr Ladan Salihu, and expressed his willingness to host the North Central Office of the corporation in Makurdi and also partner with the organisation in mutually beneficial areas.

Dr. Salihu who conducted the governor round facilities commended his amnesty program and recommended it to other state governments.

He promised to collaborate with the state in capacity building and upgrading of facilities.

Governor Ortom also visited the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, and requested assistance in the Information and Communication Technology sector.

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•Children, aged people and property being evacuated in a local canoe from Karim Lamido, a flood-affected local government area of Taraba, to a safer community of the state ... yesterday.

Photo: Fanen IHYONGO

Scores feared killed, property destroyed as flood ravages Taraba

CORES of people and domestic animals are feared killed after some local governments in Taraba State suffered severe flooding.

The most affected local government councils are Karim Lamido and Lau. The flood was caused by torrential downpour, even as the people are yet to witness the anticipated release of water from a Cameroon dam.

Local boats and canoes are being used to convey affected persons, particularly children and the aged, to safer areas.

A House of Assembly member from Karim Lamido, Edward Baraya confirmed reports of disaster and death but was not certain about the casualty figure.

The Council Caretaker Chairman of Karim Lamido, Idi Danfulani, also said many residents were feared killed in his council but could not give exact figures of the dead.

In Lau, many buildings shook to their foundations while farm crops, houses and vehicles were submerged.

Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku is said to have directed all chairmen of the affected councils to forward reports of flood disaster in their domains to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Caretaker Chairman of Lau, Nelson Banker was seen submitting his Flood Report at the Bureau on Thursday.

Danfulani told The Nation he would be touring his entire council on Friday, to undertake detailed statistics of lives and property lost.

Taraba, which has had its share of disastrous flooding in 2015, is

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one of the states that lost people, houses, animals and farmlands to the devastating floods of 2012.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in a recent sensitisation workshop in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, warned of possible flood disaster. It identified vulnerable communities that could be affected.

NEMA Head of

Fanen IHYONGO, Jalingo Operation Appolos Jediel identified Lau, Shomo, Garin-Dogo, Kunini, Donadda, Bwai, Ibi, Njibu, Donga, and Takum as vulnerable communities in Taraba Northern and Southern

zones.

NEMA also raised the alarm over possible release of water from the Lagdo Dam in neighbouring Cameroon in the peak of the rainy season, residents of Taraba's flood prone areas are living in fear.

Aliyu’s govt has case to answer, says Niger Governor IGER State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, yesterday raised the alarm that most of the projects claimed to have been executed by PDP-led administration of his predecessor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, could not be traced.

He alleged that that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), government functionaries and private individuals “declared an open season” on the state’s resources, “siphoning and sharing funds as if it were their personal funds in the last eight years.”

The governor, who made the allegations in a state broadcast on his first 100 days in office, said there were lots of questionable transactions the immediate past administration needed to answer to.

According to him, discrepancies were discovered by the Financial Management Committee set up by his government to look into the state and local government joint account.

He said: "We instituted a Financial Management Committee to look at all major financial transactions of the state and local governments from May 2007 to May 2015.

The Financial management Committee (FMC) has made substantial progress and the findings are quite revealing.

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•Accuses Govt House officials of withdrawing N70bn for vague purposes Justina ASISHANA, Minna "A review of the operations of some of the major bank accounts of the state and the Local Government Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) over the last eight years revealed some despicable patterns such as huge cash withdrawals by government officials, private individuals and PDP officials and members.

"For example, an examination of only two bank accounts of Government House shows more than N70 billion cash withdrawals by a few officials who must explain the purpose for which the withdrawals were made.

“The operation of the joint account was characterised by diversions and misapplication of huge funds, especially those paid to Ward Development Projects and 10km road projects.

Governor Bello noted that out of the total sum of over N11 billion paid to the accounts of Ward Development Projects, the relevant officials of the Ministry of Local Government could not account for N2.86 billion while N613 million was spent on "ghost" vehicles and N675.50 million was said to be lent

to Ministry of Finance where the funds could not be traced.

"Similarly, the sum of N498 million purportedly spent on security cannot be traced to any security outfit or individual. Even the N5 billion that was allegedly transferred to the Ministry of Local Government could not be accounted for, most of the funds never reached the various local governments.

“The amounts that were actually received by the local government accounts were more or less shared among PDP members.

“Besides, a large chunk of the funds meant for the 10km road project were transferred to Local Government Chairmen Forum (N832.5 million), Government House (N75 million) and office of the Secretary to the State Government (N300 million).

"Another channel for siphoning State funds by the last administration was the special projects which were characterised by breach of due process and inflated contracts.

“For example, the contract for solar power street lightening was awarded to a contractor at N 233.3 million and down payment of N174.85 million was made to him.

Kebbi House of Assembly probes N28b airport contract under ex-governor Khadijat SAIDU,Birnin Kebbi HE Kebbi State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Samaila Abdulmumin Kamba, yesterday passed a resolution to investigate the N28 billion airport contract executed by immediate past governor of the state, Saidu Nasamu Dakingari.

The motion to launch an investigation into the matter followed an embarrassing situation at the airport on Tuesday when the maiden airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia was almost stalled by a lack of firefighting equipment in the airport, but for the timely intervention of Governor Bagudu to release millions of naira to hire the firefighting equipment.

The motion to investigate, in particular, a N443 million contract for firefighting equipment was raised by Hon. Mohammad Buhari Alierio who is the Deputy Speaker of the House from Aliero constituency. "In view of complaints from various angles and the embarrassing situation which almost stalled airlift of pilgrims from the airport, and in view of N28 billion spent on upgrade of the airport by the immediate government as well as lack of firefighting equipment which was awarded at the cost of N443 million, I move a motion to investigate the contract."

The motion was seconded by Abdul Wasiu Andarai representing Maiyama and supported by Umar Sarkin Shanu representing Birnin Kebbi North.

The House members argued that all those responsible or involved must appear before a special investigation committee set up by the House. The members described as alarming why all the facilities of the airport could not be provided in a contract that gulps N28 billion of the state resources.

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'Ebira in the Diaspora must unite' HE Ohinoyi Anebira of Ibadanland, Chief Lamidi Aliu Balogun has directed Ebira People in Ibadan to continue to imbibe the spirit of oneness as a reflection of the name 'Ebira' which literally means 'Good Character'.

Chief Lamidi gave the directive at the swearing-in of new executive officers to navigate the affairs of the Ebira People's Community in Ibadan for the next four years.

Officers elected at the keenly-contested polls include Honourable Saliu Aminu-Energy (Chairman), Messrs Otonoruku Yakubu (Vice Chairman), Ibrahim Yakubu Monday (Secretary General), Yusuf Abdul-Amid Omeize (Assist Secretary General) and Mathew Onimisi David (Treasurer).

Others are Muhammed Yusuf (Financial Secretary), Musa Abdul Rahman (Auditor) and Jimoh Gabriel Monday (PRO) who will be assisted

by Elder Sunday Akande. Abdullateef Jimoh Itopa is elected Chief Whip.

Some important dignitaries present at the occasion were Chief Aliu Ozi Audu (Deputy Ohinoyi Anebira of Ibadanland), Chief Ganiyu Ozi Wokiri and Chief Haruna Salaudeen (BASAL), Musa Otimo (Odo Ona), Yusuf Eneyiramoh (Apata) and Hajia Rekiya Ogido (women leader).

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THE NATION, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

News 61

Military arms contracts: Panel begins interaction with key actors

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OME key actors involved in military arms contracts have appeared before the 14-man panel probing the deals.

None of the former Service Chiefs has either testified or reconciled records before the committee.

But fresh facts emerged yesterday that most of the nation’s arms contracts in the last 2530 years were handled by some Israeli contractors.

Most of the contractors, especially the five influential ones, have relocated from the country.

These foreign contractors were said to have “dictated

...may meet Senators, Reps Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation products and prices” to the nation’s military authorities.

Notwithstanding, it was learnt that the committee may meet with some former and serving Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

According to a reliable source, who spoke in confidence, the panel has started receiving evidence from some “key actors.”

A highly-placed source said: “The committee’s activities have peaked up in the last one week. But for security reasons and to defuse tension, the panel will subject its session to a closed door format.

“Some key actors in the arms deals have started appearing before the committee on how certain contracts were awarded with relevant documents. The panel has decided to keep the list of these actors under wraps due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.

“Certain files have also been

retrieved for perusal by the committee. The inclusion of the Ministry of Defence has assisted the panel a lot on records.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “None of the former Service Chiefs has testified or reconciled records on arms purchases before the panel.”

As at press time, it was gathered that more than 350 military arms contracts were handled in the last 25 to 30 years by Israeli contractors.

But some of the contractors,

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle); his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Oluranti Adebule (left); the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Noh Kyu-Duk (2nd left); the Consul General, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lagos, Mr. Younghoan Lee (2nd right) and the Counselor/Economy, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Dae-Sup Lee, during the ambassador’s courtesy visit to the governor in his office at the Lagos House, Ikeja... yesterday

especially five influential ones, have relocated from the country shortly before the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Another source added: “Some of these Israeli contractors will soon be invited by the committee because they are vital to our arms deals.

“In the last 25 to 30 years, the Israeli contractors hijacked the security apparatchik. We relied on these contractors because there were no internal checks. They dictated the products and the prices to the system.

"Even when we opted to reach out to some Eastern countries and European firms, some of them served as middle men.”

The source also confirmed that the committee may meet with some former and serving Senators and members of the House of Representatives on budgets and contracts for the military.

“Findings so far revealed that the problem of corruption started with our appropriation process. If you think the ministers and permanent secretaries are central to arms purchases, you may not get the right facts.

“This assignment is multidimensional. The committee may meet with some former and serving Senators and members of the House of Representatives to compare notes,” said the source.

The 14-man committee is expected to identify irregularities and make recommendations for streamlining the procurement process in the Armed Forces.

The government said: “The establishment of the investigative committee is in keeping with President Buhari’s deter-

Collapsed building: Synagogue holds memorial service for victims

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HE Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) will today hold a memorial service for the victims of the September 12, 2014 collapsed building on the premises of the church at Ikotun, Lagos, as part of the activities marking the first anniversary of the incident.

A similar service will also hold in South Africa, the home country of most of the victims declared by the the church as Martyrs of Faith.

A statement from the church issued in Lagos yesterday said the founder of the church, Pastor T.B. Joshua, will lead the service in Nigeria, while a delegation of the church is already in South Africa for that of the country.

It added that the entire SCOAN family, all over the world, would pray for the repose of the dead.

Meanwhile, in spite of the verdict of the Lagos coroner court delievered June this year, and which suggested the prosecution of the contractors that handled the building of the col-

Odunayo OGUNMOLA, Bisi ONANUGA lapsed structure, the church is still insisting that the building collapse was caused by human factors other than bad foundation as pronounced by the coroner.

Relying on the evidence provided by some witnesses, the church urged government to focus on the real issues that led to the tragedy.

The Lagos State government had inaugurated the Coroner's Inquest under the state's Coroner's System Law No.7 of 2007 to investigate the causes and circumstances resulting in the death of 116 people following the building collapse.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) , in a statement signed by its Co-ordinator, Zone D, Sunday Asefon, has expressed sadness over the incident and warned that the death of the victims should not be politicised.

The student body expressed its sympathy for the families of

Envoy visits Lagos monarch

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HE new Ghana Consular -General in Nigeria, Mr kwabene O. Appaih, has paid a visit to the Oba of Onigbongbo, Oba Muniru Olatunji , the Olu Obi 1, at his palace, Maryland, Lagos State .

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Appaih said he decided to pay the visit because of his great respect for the monarch The Consular-General used the occasion to present to the people of Onigbongbo , the management team of "the pride of Ghana ", Kasaprekopmic Manufacturing Company , led by its Managing Director, Mr Kojo Onunoo.

He lauded the monarch for peace in the community and the Managing Director of the company, the producer of Alomo Bitters.

•Don’t politicise tragedy, NANS warns the deceased, noting that the disaster broke the hearts of many Nigerians and foreigners.

The NANS also joined the

United States of America to remember the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre where about 3,000 nationals of vari-

ous countries were killed.

It called on the world leaders to step up actions against terrorism in order to check senseless killing and maiming of innocent citizens .

mination to stamp out corruption and irregularities in Nigeria’s public service.

“It comes against the background of the myriad of challenges that the Nigerian Armed Forces have faced in the course of ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the Northeast, including the apparent deficit in military platforms with its attendant negative effects of troops’ morale.

“The committee will specifically investigate allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches from arms procurement under past administrations which, very often, resulted in the acquisition of sub-standard and unserviceable equipment.”

Members of the panel are AVM J.O.N. Ode (rtd.) – President; R/Adm J.A. Aikhomu (rtd.); R/Adm E. Ogbor (rtd.); Brig Gen L. Adekagun (rtd.); Brig Gen M. Aminu-Kano (rtd.); Brig Gen N. Rimtip (rtd.); Cdre T.D. Ikoli; Air Cdre U. Mohammed (rtd.); Air Cdre I. Shafi’i; Col A.A. Ariyibi ; Grp Capt C.A. Oriaku (rtd.); Mr. Ibrahim Magu (EFCC); Brig Gen Y.I. Shalangwa – Secretary- and a representative of the Ministry of Defence.

Some of the controversial issues likely for investigation are as follows: •$466.5m contract to weaponize six Puma helicopters by Jonathan administration •N3billion contract for the supply of six units of K-38 patrol boats to the disbanded Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS) •Theft of over 200m Euros

by PICOMMS including the purchase of two private jets •$9.3m cash-for- arms deal seized by South Africa •Whereabouts of $1billion loan approved by the 7th Senate for arms purchase to fight Boko Haram •What became of un-accessed N7b budget for the military •Contract scam over rehabilitation of the Military Reference Hospital in Kaduna.

$700m spent on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in 2014—UNAIDS

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whopping sum of $700 million was spent in 2014 in an attempt to halt the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Bilali Camara, Country Coordinator for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said yesterday.

Camara made the disclosure while on a courtesy visit to the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

He said 3.4 million Nigerians are currently living with HIV/ AIDS. 58 per cent of these are women and 60,000 children have been infected with the dreaded disease. Nigeria, therefore, needs to increase its funding to fight the scourge.

The UNAIDS Coordinator said Nigeria should tackle the issue urgently.

“It is important because children who are our future, 60,000 of them, were infected in 2014.It is an important issue because 170,000 of our brothers and sisters who were having children died of AIDS last year,” he said, adding that the organisation assisted in screening and testing of Nigerians, including pregnant women to prevent the transmission of the virus to babies and the treat-

ment of those infected.

“If you look at the situation in the past few years, we really have a very good result which actually puts Nigeria among countries in the central Africa which were able to stop the spread and reverse the trend of HIV.” He said the contribution of the Global Fund investment to Nigeria confirmed the need for Nigeria to step up funding towards the elimination of HIV/ AIDS. “If you look at the expenditure for 2014, we have spent actually $700 million and if you look at that amount, only 25 per cent came from domestic resources and the rest came from outside.

“I will be honest with you to say that if you look at the premises, the trend has not changed as many resources are coming from outside and little is coming from inside. That is not the way we have to deal with this issue,”he said.

Gbajabiamila, in his response, stressed the need to promote prevention of the disease rather than treatment in order to fully halt the dreaded disease by year 2020.

On the needed funding, he said from the $700 million spent last year, $515 million

was sourced from outside the country, adding that the low funding from Nigeria could stem from a conspiracy theory.

He said the National Assembly will ensure provision of adequate funding and continue to pass relevant legislations when necessary.

Gbajabiamila said: “When one looks at the problem from

that point of view, then it requires full attention and all hands have to be on deck, including that of the legislature.

“It has become obviously a human right problem and issue. We are happy to note that there is provision that by 2020, it would have been eradicated.

Whatever we can do as a Parliament towards the realisation of that, we will definitely do.”

Diya, cleric, others seek support for Buhari

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IGERIANS, irrespective of religion, tribe or creed, have been assured of a better Nigeria, if the people of the country would provide needed support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Aside prayers, the eminent Nigerians said the Buhari administration needs functional, gainful, constructive suggestions and advice .

During an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, the Supervising Bishop, United African Methodist Evangelical Church Cathedral, Lagos, Bishop Sanyaolu; former Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen Oladipo Diya (rtd) and a front-

line politician, Senator Anthony Adefuye, echoed the need for Nigerians to endure with the Buhari administration.

According to them, with the way the Mr. President has started, he is poised to give meaningful change that had eluded the nation before now.

They charged Nigerians to endure with the administration’s subtle pace to put things in order and to assist such with regular fervent prayers.

They advised the government to tackle the problem of insurgency, more importantly, by ensuring the release of Chibok girls that have long been in captivity.

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THE NATION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

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SPORT EXTRA 2017 AFCON

Eagles target 13 points to qualify A

FRICANFOOTBALL.COM can exclusively reveal that Nigeria’s Super Eagles have targeted 13 points to qualify for the 2017 AFCON in Gabon, according to officials.

Egypt are top of Group G with six points from two matches and a massive +7 goals difference.

Three-time African champions Eagles, who failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON, have four points from two matches and so need an additional nine points or three wins to advance to the AFCON as the qualifiers allow for two best runners-up.

Therefore the outstanding home matches against Egypt and Tanzania are must-win, so too the away qualifier in Chad.

Nigeria slug it out with leaders Egypt in a double-header in March, before they visit Chad in June and round up the qualifying series in September at home against Tanzania.

A top team official told AfricanFootball.com: “We sat down and did the permutation in Tanzania and we found out that qualification is still very much in our hands and usually the best losers who qualify for

Ighalo signs new deal

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IGERIA striker Odion Ighalo has signed a new five-year deal with English Premier League club Watford.

This long-term contract shows how highly Watford value Ighalo especially after they were one of the busiest clubs on the transfer market in the close season.

He first signed a permanent deal with Watford in October 2014 after he was released by Udinese.

Last season, Ighalo scored 20 goals to help Watford return to the English top-flight league after many years in the lower league.

He has scored in four appearances in the EPL this season.

Before the start of the season, the 26-year-old Ighalo, who spent several years on loan at Granada from Udinese, turned down a chance to take up a lucrative offer from China.

• Junior Ajayi against Ghana during the African Games football event the AFCON do so on 12 points, but to play safe we are targeting 13 points.

“This will qualify us for the AFCON, notwithstanding Egypt’s other results in the qualifiers. And that is not taking into consideration the fact that we

cannot beat Egypt in Cairo and Tanzania will not give Egypt a hard time at home as they did for us this month.”

He added: “Qualification is a priority and it does not matter if we go through as one of the best losers.”

• Ighalo

Nigeria, Senegal battle for top spot

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IGERIA U-23 team, Dream Team VI, will slug it out with their West African counterparts from Senegal on Saturday to determine the winners of Group B of the All Africa Games football men’s event.

The top spot of the group will be up for grabs as Nigeria are already through to the semi-final with three points after they beat rivals Ghana 2-0, while Senegal are on a point from a goalless draw with Ghana.

A point will consolidate Nigeria’s leadership of this group and ensure they avoid hosts Congo in the last four and battle either Burkina Faso or Sudan, while Senegal will be looking out for at least a point to seal their passage to the knockout round

• Defender Seth faces fitness test of the competition.

Senegal, who will in November stage the CAF U23 Championship, were unlucky not to beat Ghana in their opening group game with the stocky Sylvain Badji a major threat upfront.

Nigeria, on the other hand, made their dominance against the Black Meteors count with two worked-out goals that will assure coach Samson Siasia their finishing problems are well and truly behind them.

Enyimba forward Etor Daniel caught the eye with his blistering runs down the left flank and it was from one of such dashes that he set up Junior Ajayi for

GOAL OF THE WEEK AWARD

Martins loses out to Drogba

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EATTLE Sounders striker Obafemi Martins lost out to Didier Drogba in the AT&T Goal of the Week award for last weekend’s matches in Major League Soccer.

The Nigeria international garnered 29 percent of the total votes cast to finish in second place behind new Montreal Impact acquisition Drogba, who accumulated 49 percent of the votes polled.

Diego Fagundez (New England Revolution) , Michael Barrios (FC Dallas) and Conor Casey (Philadelphia Union) finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.

Obafemi Martins has won the Goal of the Week award three times this season, in week seven, nine and twenty four.

San Jose Earthquakes star Innocent Emeghara scooped the accolade in week two.

• Drogba

• Martins

the opening goal on Wednesday against Ghana.

Both countries have met twice at this level before, with a win each.

Their first meeting was at Abuja 2003 All Africa Games, when Nigeria beat Senegal 2-0 with goals from Emmanuel Izuagha and Emmanuel Okoduwa.

However, Senegal got their pound of flesh at the CAF U23 Championship 2011 in Morocco with a 2-1 win over Nigeria. Daniel Chima Uchechi scored Nigeria’s only goal.

Siasia’s team will be going all out for victory according to midfield star Etebor Oghenekaro.

"We bless God for the victory in the opening game against Ghana. We are going for victory against Senegal and by His grace we will get the win, we are fully prepared for the match," Oghenekaro declared.

However, Dream Team VI skipper Azubuike Okechukwu says the players will not take their feet off the pedal in Saturday’s confrontation with Senegal at the All - Africa Games.

Following the withdrawal of Egypt from the football event, Nigeria are assured of qualifying for the semi - finals on the back of their 2 - 0 win over Ghana on Wednesday.

“Having qualified for the semi finals we are going all out to top the group, so we have to avoid defeat against the Senegalese,” Azubuike Okechukwu told thenff.com.

Coach Samson Siasia and his medical staff are sweating on the fitness of Sincere Seth ahead of the tie against the West Africans but on a positive note, Daniel Etor has resumed full training with the squad.

Nigeria will certainly top the group if they avoid defeat against Senegal, who drew goalless with Ghana in their first game.

2015 AFRICAN GAMES

Mariam Usman claims three silver medals From Akeem Lawal, Brazzaville IGERIA'S Mariam Usman added her name to the medal list at the ongoing Brazzaville 2015 All Africa Games in weightlifting by picking three silver medals in 75kg for women.

Usman, US based athlete picked the medals in Snatch, Clean and Jerk and Overall Total, behind Egyptian Khalaf Shaima Ahmed who won the three gold medals in the categories.

Speaking with SportingLife after the medal presentation Usman though not happy with the result but believed she has been destined to pick silver saying her utmost aim was to pick gold at the games having won gold in the same category at the last Commonwealth games in Glasgow.

"I will have to put in more effort to better my performance because of the world championship later in the year. I am grateful to God for this though I had hoped for gold but this is a game, anything can happen," she said.

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• Usman

The knives are out <<<<<<Continued from back page Enyeama before Saturday’s barren draw against Tanzania?

Enyeama had good reasons for sitting out of the game. I also won’t join critics who expressed reservations about the way in which he shrouded his mum’s demise. Who celebrates death? Were they expecting Enyeama to call everyone over his mum’s death? He may have delayed telling the coaches and the NFF chiefs because of the pain of the loss. Losing one’s mum isn’t a joke. It is always too difficult to accept the death of one’s mum, let alone any other sad tales? Why would anyone think that Enyeama would pronounce his mother dead because he doesn’t want to play against Tanzania? Must he play for Nigeria? Is it not time he quit?

Enyeama must be happy watching Ikeme do well against the Taifa Stars. Enyeama hasn’t hidden his desire to stop playing for Nigeria after 1001 matches. He wants to allow younger goalkeepers to replace him. Now with the way Ikeme performed, many would beat their chests that he would be a worthy replacement for Enyeama. Now those who refused to drop goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim from the Eagles, describing him as one of our best, must be gnashing their teeth in regrets. We can safely wave a final bye to goalkeepers Austin Ejide and Dele Aiyenuba.

The Super Eagles’ players who starred against their Tanzanian counterparts in Dar es Salaam were an admixture of the old order and new names that we expect to take us back to winning ways. Watching them file out of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam, I saw some of our forgotten age grade players eager to prove themselves.

My worry was that they had been away for too long from such high stake games. I was wondering if they could rise to the big occasion.

But I was persuaded by the fact that the Tanzanians won’t have the talents to match us beyond the usual prodding from their fans to do the impossible. The hosts rattled the Eagles but lacked the cutting edge to deliver the killer-blow to earn the victory. I must say here that if we had gone to Tanzania with our big boys, they would have lasted only 60 minutes and we would have lost by a lone goal like we did in Sudan.

In the course of the game, I kept my gaze on Oliseh, watching to see if his mien on the bench could fire the Eagles to play better as the game progressed. I waited anxiously to see if Oliseh would make the changes most people observed from the stands and wherever they watched the game. Oliseh’s substitutions were timely, and they corrected the flaws.

The Eagles were expectedly disappointing during the first half.

They had no leader on the pitch to galvanise them to wake up. But the first substitution made by Oliseh was the jerk the team needed to lift their game from its abysmal setting.

Oliseh read the game right and promptly replaced a fumbling Haruna Lukman. Lukman’s poor show typified the sloppiness in the team’s midfield, which left the team’s attack rudderless.

Had Lukman played to his potentials, his defence-splitting passes from the midfield would have released our faster strikers to score the required goals for victory. From the way the Eagles played, it seemed to me that Simon Moses and Ahmed Musa can’t play together. They bumped into each other many times. They appear comfortable playing on the right wing than on the left, although Moses could be persuaded to play on the left.

I was excited when Oliseh played Musa ahead of Moses against Niger. That Moses replaced Musa showed that Oliseh is beginning to know his players. I look forward to seeing how he will integrate Victor Moses into this three-prong attack. Playing the ball on the turf instead of the aimless style of lifting the ball into the air was one strong change in Oliseh’s new team. The

passing game may have been annoying to many in Dar es Salaam, but it helped them to drag the hosts out of their area just as it frustrated them by slowing down the pace to suit us.

With seeming small men dominating the Eagles, only the passing game would have given us the draw that we secured. The Eagles pressed when they should, had enough ball possession but didn’t have the midfield general to turn the game in our favour in critical times, especially in the dying minutes of the Tanzanian game, when the hosts wanted to win at all cost. If we had a thinking defensive midfielder, we would have buried the hosts with good counter attacking play, utilising the pace of Musa and Moses.

The passes from the midfield fell short because Obiora was being too stylish. Oliseh must warn Obiora not to sag his shorts. He spent more time adjusting the short, which he pulled down than on the trends of the game as it wound to a close.

Readers would ask is if we had players to man the midfield effectively. Yes. Obiora has been around for a long time on the fringes. His game hasn’t moved beyond where it was when he broke into national consciousness. Obiora is immensely talented but a lazy player who admires himself on the pitch.

The midfield is the engine-room.

It requires players who will fight for the ball and provide the passes early, not those who will spend the next 10 seconds after winning the ball from the opposition dancing on one spot to savour the fans’ applause.

Nigeria did well at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations because the Eagles had Sunday Mba, who worked his socks wet, covering up the flaws of Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi. The Eagles have wobbled in Mba’s absence. The goals have gone dry for Emmanuel Emenike, with Mba’s absence. This piece isn’t one campaigning for Mba’s return. It is a clarion call on Oliseh to find hustlers for the Eagles’ midfield in the mould of Mba. Put properly, the Eagles need ball winners in the midfield and boys who can run ceaselessly for 90 minutes. I have seen Oliseh play three men in the midfield. But I feel strongly that the Eagles play better with a robust four-man midfield, which shouldn’t include Mikel and Onazi, until they can exhibit the trait that they show playing for their European clubs when playing for Nigeria.

Make no mistake here -Mikel and Onazi are good players who, sadly, play in the same position. So, the issue of both playing at the same time is a minus for the Eagles. I hope that Oliseh doesn’t hand Mikel the number 10 shirt, not with what we have seen from Rabiu Ibrahim. Ibrahim hasmaturedandappearsdisciplined.

Ibrahim reminds me of Austin Okocha. His dribbling skills confound his markers but he still needs to watch Okocha’s tapes to know when to dribble progressively and shoot from the distance. With Ibrahim, the Eagles would be creative and the strikers wouldn’t lack passes to make games count in Nigeria’s favour, no matter the opposition.

Oliseh wants to make Obiora to play his style and he could. But he must wear his shorts well and know that he is a footballer, whose action or inaction causes pains to Eagles’ fans. The midfield jig-saw is almost fixed with, Ibrahim. But we need to have more than one of these people to return to winning ways.

I’m glad that Oliseh didn’t drop Emenike because of his poor outing against Taifa Stars. Emenike looked better against Niger in Port Harcourt. We need him in our matches because of his pedigree.

No African nation can afford not to give Emenike a special marker.

Such big players need to be fit to add value to the Eagles.

Thinking aloud: Where will Oliseh play Victor Moses? Good luck coachie. Welcome to the most difficult job on planet earth. Eagles job, na fire, my son. True talk, Mama Oliseh.

TOMORROW IN THE NATION PUNCHLINE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.10, NO. 3335

...We may call them also to book a tour of the national assembly structures... not to see where our money is going (we'll never see that) but to at least see where our lawmakers plant their behinds when they are debating those bills we know nothing about

—Oyinkan Medubi

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T is amazing. He has admittedly not done much in three months and could not have been expected to even if he had not inherited the depth of rot left behind by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after 16 years of the ravaging locusts. But President Muhammadu Buhari, has performed a veritable miracle in just a little over a 100 days in office. He has managed to convert us all into anti-corruption revolutionaries of sorts.

We are all born again Nigerians now.

Astonishingly, PMB, our emergent political Messiah, is himself no revolutionary in any meaningful sense of the word. Yes, he is ascetic.

He makes no distinction between corruption and stealing. He hates graft with a passion. But PMB has always been a stout defender of the system. A revolutionary is fervently committed to overthrowing the status quo and fundamentally changing a society’s inequitable class relations.

Paradoxically, both in his first coming as military Head of State and now elected President PMB seeks to change the system only in order to save, stabilise and preserve it. Thus, neither PMB nor his party the All Progressives Congress (APC) is, at least for now, ardently pursuing the real revolution Nigeria needs – drastically and surgically restructuring the country’s defective and deformed federal structure. The anti-corruption war is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for achieving the desired Nigerian revolution. But that is a matter for another day.

The most astounding converts of PMB’s anticorruption evangelism are Nigeria’s labour leaders. Like Saul's (later Saint Paul’s) dramatic conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus, Nigeria’s Labour aristocracy, leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as well as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates, have suddenly seen the light.

They are quickly distancing themselves from the darkness of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s years of impunity in which they were firmly embedded. On Thursday, the labour unions organised massive rallies across several cities including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, supporting PMB’s anticorruption crusade and even demanding death for treasury looters. Of course, this column is not taken in by the labour leaders' theatrical anti-corruption razzmatazz.

Listen to Mr Bobbai Kagamo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at one of the rallies: “We want everyone to turn a new leaf.

We will henceforth expose corrupt persons.

This is not the time to trade blames, but the time to support the institutions fighting corruption irrespective of party affiliations. We want people to account for their stewardship”.

He was brilliantly playing to the gallery. Would these labour leaders have mobilised their members against corruption and irresponsible governance if Dr Jonathan had won re-election?

Were they not mostly silent through the better part of the former administration’s unprecedented reign of impunity? Contrary to Mr Kagamo’s assertion, there is no better time than now to trade blames and the labour unions and other civil society groups carry a humongous share of the responsibility for the general laxity and lethargy that allowed the impunity of the last 16 years to fester.

When the shocking revelations was made that $20 billion due the country’s Federation

Labour’s anti-corruption theatrics

‘

We can only hope that the anticorruption rallies organised by the trade unions will mark a re-discovery by organised labour of its essence and a re-dedication to its role in holding power accountable as a key component of civil society. It will be recalled that organised labour played an active role in the struggle both for Nigeria’s freedom from colonial rule as well as post-colonial Nigeria’s liberation from various military dictatorships.

•Buhari Account was missing, there were only tame noises from labour – no demonstrations calling for immediate accountability for the money.

What did labour do when the former Minister for Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, was indicted for illegally authorising the importation of two luxury armoured jeeps at hugely inflated costs without appropriation at a time when millions of Nigerians particularly workers and peasants were reeling in poverty? It was the intense pressure from sections of the media and civil society that compelled Dr Jonathan to reluctantly ease her ‘honourably’ out of the Cabinet. Nothing has been done to bring her to justice till date.

What did the labour leaders do when former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison Madueke, was accused of squandering

’

over N10 billion from public funds on the chartering and maintenance of a private jet?

The same labour unions now threatening courts that protect corrupt persons were thunderously silent when Diezani rushed to court and obtained an injunction preventing a planned House of Representatives investigation of the allegation!

What about Abba Moro, former Minister of Internal Affairs under Jonathan? Under his watch, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in 2014 organised fraudulent recruitment exercises in which 6.5 million applicants who paid N1000 each were crowded shoddily like cattle into recruitment centres across the country to write examinations for only 4000 vacant positions. At the end of the day 16 of

Need for executive councils We have not experienced much of PMB’s promised change in his first 100 days in office.

Some of the promises were a little too exuberant, optimistic and unrealistic, understandably spurred by the urgent need to liberate the country from the perilous slide of the Jonathan years. Yet the ascetic General has brought about, through his basic decency, integrity, forthrightness and sincerity a dramatic change in the previous climate of impunity and this will make more meaningful and tangible change realisable in the medium to long term. But is there any concrete excuse for the President and most governors not constituting their Cabinets three months after being sworn in? I honestly do not think so.

While this delay may not violate the letters of the constitution, it is in my view not in consonance with the spirit of the constitution. The Federal and State Executive Councils are not mere ornamental decorations. They are meant to play key advisory, consultative, deliberative and other roles to aid good and responsible governance.

Of course, some state governors have a point in trying to cut costs and save revenue in a period of economic recession. But the possible negative fiscal consequences of decisions taken and policies enunciated without the benefit of rigorous debate by a sound executive council may turn out to be ultimately more costly.

the applicants were confirmed dead and scores injured as a result of stampede and exhaustion in some of the centres. Yet, it was all quiet on the labour front even as the private consultant that conducted the exercise smiled to the banks with hundreds of millions of Naira. Abba Moro remained in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) till the very end of Jonathan’s tenure.

On January 1st, 2012, Nigerians woke up to the shocking announcement of the removal of the purported fuel subsidy by the Jonathan administration and an approximately 100% increase in the pump price of fuel from N65 to N141. In collaboration with other civil society organisations, the NLC and TUC led massive rallies against the increase in several Nigerian cities including Abuja and Lagos. Yet, the labour leaders did not consult with their allies when they abruptly called off the strike following the Jonathan administration’s reduction of the fuel price to N97 per litre.

Subsequent investigations by the House of Representatives revealed that the whole fuel subsidy saga was an elaborate scam in which a few unscrupulous persons were defrauding Nigerians of billions of Naira in fuel subsidy claims without importing any fuel. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has since been pursuing farcical trials of the indicted persons, most with links to the PDP, without progress. Yet, the labour leaders are now commending the EFCC’s new found activism when they were so eloquently silent on the anti-graft agency’s somnolence in the Jonathan years.

Of course, an affiliate of the NLC like the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has been commendably consistent in holding governments to account right from the period of military dictatorship through the squandered years of the PDP feral beasts of impunity to the present. The ASUU, currently led by Dr Nasir Fagge, is likely to continue to hold PMB and the APC to their word and promise of change and that is how it should be. We can only hope that the anti-corruption rallies organised by the trade unions will mark a re-discovery by organised labour of its essence and a rededication to its role in holding power accountable as a key component of civil society.

It will be recalled that organised labour played an active role in the struggle both for Nigeria’s freedom from colonial rule as well as post-colonial Nigeria’s liberation from various military dictatorships. With the democratic restoration of 1999, however, labour and other critical elements of civil society including student unions, religious organisations, formerly vibrant Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and professional associations relapsed into complacency. Many became incorporated as arms of the ruling party and became elaborately implicated in the reigning regime of roguery under the PDP. A key component of PMB’s anti-corruption agenda should be to facilitate the reconstitution and strengthening of civil society to regain its vibrancy and capacity to hold the state in check.

It is only if he bequeaths to the nation such a resurgent and resilient civil society will PMB’s anti-corruption legacy endure beyond his tenure.

•Next week: Reflections on UNIBADAN’s Vice Chancellorship race

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

The knives are out

T

HE knives are out. ‘Crucify the coach to day; hail him tomorrow fans’ have seized the airwaves. Cheap talks, such as: “Bring back the big boys who were in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup with the exception of the ageing ones.” “These new players are not our best.”

“The coaches must go if we don’t go for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations,” are some of the scathing comments in the media these days by interlopers, most of who lost out in the last NFF elections or at the state levels. It is payback time for these serial grumblers. If they are not in

charge, it is bad. It must be changed. Or we return to the tattered drawing board.

Missiles are being fired at Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) chieftains for daring to recruit an “inexperienced” Sunday Oliseh as the Super Eagles’ chief coach. Does it take one day or a match to rebuild a team? Mystics too have joined the blame-game charade, with some questioning the rationale for recruiting a foreigner into the technical team. What those in this school don’t understand is that globally, coaches are allowed to pick their assistants.

Lieutenants should be the coaches’ trusted men, with the same philosophy needed to change the

old order.

Before we press the panic button, we must appreciate the fact that Egypt, the current tabletoppers in Nigeria’s group have not qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations since 2011. They accepted their fate, dropped ageing and recalcitrant players and built this new squad, using their Under-21 side. The Egyptian team has matured by blending through matches. If we must stop this perennial rebuilding of the Eagles, Oliseh should be encouraged to reduce the average age of the players in the team from an awful 33 years (please forget about the ages in our players’ international passports) to the

competitive one of between 22 and 29 years.

Going to Dar es Salaam, I wanted to see new players star for the Eagles against Tanzania, not the return of players who can’t make the team to the Russia 2018 World Cup – Our target shouldn’t be qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. We should be preparing a team of young men who can give us at least six years service for proper team cohesion, not a squad that satisfies a few people’s fixations. We should play friendly games not because we want to win them, but because the coaches want to give new boys the platform to exhibit their skills.

Today, we are celebrating Carl Ikeme. Not many would accept that they had serious doubts about his abilities to hold the line in the absence of regular goalkeeper Vincent

•Continued on Page 63

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