BOXING DAY TRAGEDY: Firecrackers wreak havoc in Lagos

Firecrackers wreakhavoc in Lagos

...towards a better life for the people

N150VOL. 25: NO. 61783

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012**

Mr & Mrs

Continues on page 5

•One dies, 40 injured, 10 houses, 7 cars destroyed•I prefer to be dead, cries affected trader•Crowd, traffic hinder rescue efforts

BOXING DAY TRAGEDY:

•P.29

•P.17

THE HUB •P.19

BANGER!—Scene of the firecrackers explosion at Jankara area of Idumota Market, Lagos, yesterday. Photos:Kehinde Gbadamosi. More photos on 6.

BY EVELYN USMAN,BOSE ADELAJA &MONSUR OLOW-

OOPEJO

LAGOS—ONE person was, yesterday,

burnt to death and over40 persons injured whena three-storey buildingwhere firecrackers werestored went up in flamesat the Idumagbo area ofLagos Island Local Gov-ernment, Lagos State.

The South West infor-mation officer of the Na-tional Emergency Man-agement Agency,(NEMA), Mr. IbrahimFarinloye, confirmed that

OKONJO-IWEALA'S MOTHER:

Police obtaindatabase onkidnappers •Pg.

6

Runaway wonderbanks operators'll be trackeddown — SEC •P.6

•P.7Azazi for burial Saturday in Yenagoa

Jonathan and theJonathan and theJonathan and theJonathan and theJonathan and theexploitation ofexploitation ofexploitation ofexploitation ofexploitation ofsymbolismsymbolismsymbolismsymbolismsymbolism

CMYK

2— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

CMYK

CMYK

Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 — 3— 3— 3— 3— 3


CMYK

POCKET CARTOON

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—5

LIFEWORDSBY PASTOR ITUAH

Firecrackers wreak havoc in LagosContinues from page 1

one unidentifiedperson was burnt todeath by the raging fire.

He said: “The body hasbeen deposited at theLagos State GeneralHospital on the Island.”

He also said that 40persons were injured,with five sustaining se-vere injuries, adding“they have been referredto their personal hospi-tals based on their de-mands.”

Vanguard gatheredthat few minutes afterthe explosion occurred,some of the residentsran helter skelter, follow-ing fears that a planehad crashed.

The building located at45 Ojo Giwa Street, wentup in flames at 9:30 am,destroying nine otherbuildings within 60 me-tres radius.

The fire also razed overseven vehicles, includ-ing those with NumberPlates: PK 788 KJA, LG140 LSR, CG 190 APP.They were parked on thestreet by the traders andtheir customers.

I prefer to bedead – affectedtrader

According to Mr. Hi-

lary Oduegwu, a traderwhose office was burnt;“I prefer to be dead bynow because I do notknow what to do. Mybusiness is gone. Howdo I start again?”

According to him, “Iam confused at thistime. I have lost every-thing in my office. I wasunable to remove any ofmy goods worth overN3.5 million.

“I am the breadwinnerof my family. I couldn’tgo home for the festivalbecause I had to settle

some issues. So I toldmy siblings to leavewhile I stay back andmake more money.”

Speaking on how theexplosion occurred,Oduegwu said: “I ar-rived here at about 10:00am and I discovered thatmy office had been razedby fire.”

Mr. Henry Awaroye,another trader who dealsin electrical appliances,explained: “I arrived atthe office this morning atabout 8:30 am and beganto display my goods at2, Okoya Street.

“But few minutes after,I heard a loud bang.Immediately, I ran out ofmy office to know whatwas happening. When Igot outside, I discoveredthat people were run-ning and a thick smokehad enveloped the area.

“While I was still busyinvestigating what mayhave led to the explo-sion, I didn’t know thatmy office has also beenaffected by the explo-sion.”

40 injured

About 40 persons re-portedly sustained vari-ous degrees of injuriesin the resultant stam-pede.

The raging fire said tohave defied efforts offire fighters, spread toother buildings, with theoccupants scampering indifferent directions forsafety.

The affected buildingshad stores, majority ofwhich were closed forthe Christmas celebra-tion and residentialapartments. Also af-

fected was King AdoSenior /Junior school.

Most of the traderswho were contacted onphone rushedto thescene in an attempt tosalvage some of theirgoods. Unfortunately, itwas the charred remainsthey met.

One of them who iden-tified himself asMufutau Ajade, an elec-tronics dealer, could notutter a word when Van-guard approached himat first. But when hesummoned courage tospeak, he said, “it is sopainful that this is hap-pening to me now.When I was informed, Itook a cab and rusheddown to see if I couldsalvage some of my elec-tronics. But as you cansee, they are all gone. Ican not quantify what Ilost in the fire. It is worthseveral millions ofNaira. This is not a goodway to start the comingnew year. It means Ihave to start life all overagain”, he lamented.

I borrowed mycapital – Victim

A woman, simply iden-tified as Mrs Gboyega,was seen wailing androlling on the ground.Speaking in Yoruba, shesaid the money she usedto stockpile her shop forthe Christmas was bor-rowed with a promise topay the lender at theend of January 2013.

Another trader,Ndubuisi Okafor said: “Ijust started my ownbusiness this December.I had to borrow the sum

of N3.5 million to startthis electronics businessjust two weeks ago, onlyfor every thing to godown the drain just likethat”.

It was discovered thataside the goods thatwere destroyed by thefire, cash was also de-stroyed as some of thetraders reportedly hadin-built safes in theirshops. Some of the af-fected traders were dis-covered to have traveledto their home states forthe Christmas celebra-tion.

Rescue teams such aspolicemen, officials ofthe National EmergencyManagement AgencyNEMA, LASEMA, theNigeria Security andCivil Defence Corps,Federal and state fireservices, Red Crossamong others weresighted at the scene.

Affected build-ings to be pulleddown

Already, the two-sto-rey building where thefire started, had beenbrought down com-pletely. General Man-ager of LASEMA, Dr.Femi Oke-Osanyintolu,who was at the scene,disclosed that all affectedbuildings would be com-pletely brought down.Asked whether therewere plans to compen-sate occupants of the af-fected buildings, he saidthere were no plans forthat yet, until investiga-tion into the cause of thefire was concluded. Theaffected buildings in-cluded numbers 43, 45,47, 49 Ojogiwa Streetand others which num-bers could not be imme-diately ascertained be-cause of the manner theywere numbered.

The Director of the La-gos State Fire Service,Rasaq Fadipe told Van-guard that effort to con-

tain the fire started atabout 10am.

Spokes person of theLagos State Police Com-mand, Ngozi Braidewho was also at thescene, described the in-cident as one that couldhave been prevented,had report on the sale offireworks at the ware-house been reported tothe Police.

Stop thisdangerousbusiness, Fasholawarns residents

Speaking on the inci-dent, GovernorBabatunde Fashola ofLagos State appealed tothe residents to desistfrom the dangerous busi-ness, saying “the conse-quences are more thanthe gain.”

Fashola recalled thatfew months ago, heurged the residents todesist from storing in-flammable materials intheir homes, because thedry season has com-menced.

“But they have failedto listen to our appeals.We know that peoplehave the right in ademocratic governmentto decide whatever theywish to do but they canonly embark on such actwhen it is not injuriousto others.

“The government can-not be everywhere; allthat the governmentcould do is to appeal tothe residents to desistfrom such business ofstoring theseinflammables in ourhomes.”

According to him:“Two weeks ago, thestate fire service re-sponded to over 22 firecases. We can reducesuch statistics but gov-ernment cannot com-mence door-to-doorcheck to know who havestored any inflammablematerials in theirhomes.”

Mr. Hilary Oduegwu, and other traders affected by the fire incident. Photo:Monsuru Olowoopejo.

Poor people are those who only work to try to keepan expensive lifestyle, and always want more andmor— Jose Mujica,Uruguay President. Live withinyour means.

PEARLS of wisdom to live by every moment ofour lives by Marc and Angel Hack. May you

find these pearls of truth as enriching and uplift-ing! Even if you can’t see it now, you are makingprogress. – You may not be where you want to beyet, but if you think about it, you’re no longer whereyou once were either. You have good reason to be-lieve that you can trust yourself going forward. Notbecause you’ve always made the right choices, butbecause you survived the bad ones, and taken smallsteps in the right direction. So cry for a moment ifyou have to, and get it out of your system. Cryingdoesn’t indicate that you’re weak; since birth, it hasalways been a sign that you’re alive and full ofpotential. Once you’re done, keep going! You’re un-doubtedly getting closer to where you want to be.

How you feel when you’re stressed is not a truemeasure of reality. Just because you’re afraid,doesn’t mean you’re in danger. Just because youfeel alone, doesn’t mean nobody loves you. Justbecause you think you might fail, doesn’t mean youwill. Look beyond your doubts and keep searchingfor the truth. The way to overcome negative thoughtsand destructive emotions is to develop opposing,positive emotions that are stronger and morepowerful. The sun is always shining on some partof your life. Sometimes you just have to forget howyou feel, remember what you deserve and keeppushing forward.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

OKONJO-IWEALA MOTHER'S KIDNAP:

Police obtain database on kidnappersAs two kidnappers escape arrest by the whiskersAbout 500 phone calls received by kingpinMonarch yet to return to palace

BY EMMA AMAIZE,REGIONAL EDITOR,

SOUTH-SOUTH &AUSTIN OGWUDA

ASABA — THE police inDelta State have

obtained a database on the10-man kidnap gang thatabducted Prof. KameneOkonjo, mother of theMinister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, atOgwashi-Uku, Delta State,18 days ago.

However, two suspectedmembers of the gangescaped arrest by a hair ’sbreath during the week,following separate manhuntfor them by teams of thePolice and State SecurityService, SSS, from Abuja.

Delta State Commissionerof Police, Mr. IkechukwuAduba, confirmed the up-to-the minute developmentexclusively to Vanguard inAsaba.

The queen of Ogwashi-Uku regained freedomDecember 14, afterspending five days in theden of the kidnappers.

Aduba, for tactical reason,declined further details onthe manhunt for the fleeingkidnappers but said theirdays were numbered.

Vanguard gathered thatthe dossier on thekidnappers was madepossible by the recovery ofthe GSM handset of thekingpin of the gang,Nwaeze Nwosa, aka Bolaji,

who was shot dead by thepolice in Asaba.

A source said the police weretrailing the kidnappers basedon information on theiridentities and were confidentthat they will smoke them out.

Aduba revealed that about500 calls were received by thekingpin with the handset,presently in police custody, inconnection with the kidnap ofProf. Okonjo. He said policewere working on availableleads to track down the gangmembers.

On ransom

A ransom of between N10million and N11 million wasallegedly paid before she wasreleased to the family, but therewas no love lost among thesecurity agencies involved inthe manhunt, and so, theyhoarded vital information fromthemselves.

For instance, while Vanguardestablished that ransom waspaid to the kidnappers, thepolice commissioner, whoaddressed reporters,December 14, the day thequeen was released, wascategorical that the policewere not aware of the paymentof ransom.

He stated that the policewould never encourage thepayment of ransom, butunconfirmed report saidmarked money was given tothe kidnappers, and one of thekidnappers, who deposited

part of the money in the bank,had been arrested.

How Nwosa was killed

Nwosa was shot and injured,as he attempted to scale thefence when police officersstormed his residence inAsaba. He was previouslyarrested and charged to courtfor the kidnap and murder ofObilink, a petroleum magnatein Asaba and was granted bail.

Aduba told Vanguard thathis gang members ran awayimmediately they got the newsof his death, and the ensuingpanic in his camp led to therelease of Okonjo, adding:“There was wild jubilation bypeople living around hisneighbourhood when he waskilled.

Police not sleepingon kidnap cases

“The police are not sleepingon the kidnap cases in thestate, even when the victimshad been released. Forinstance, we are still trailingthe kidnappers of the motherof a member of the House ofRepresentatives, Hon. NdudiElumelu, despite the fact thatshe had been released. We gotinformation that one of themwants to travel out of thecountry and we are monitoringhim.”

Vanguard reliably gatheredthat the late Nwosa was into

grass cutter and fishingbusiness and the farms wereyet to be pulled down. He wasalso said to have a strongroom, which security agentshave reportedly not brokeninto yet.

“Many expected securityagents to have done more inrespect of searching Nwosa’sresidence after his death butnot much has been donethereafter,” an informedsecurity source hinted,yesterday.

SSS team storms Asaba

A team of men of the StateSecurity Service, SSS, fromAbuja, weekend, stormedAsaba, Delta State capital onthe trail of the suspectedkidnappers of Prof. Okonjo.

An inside source, who toldour reporters about thepresence of the team, said:“We are also making progress,but for the details it is only inAbuja that you (press) can bebriefed. For us here, we arenot sleeping, we are crackingtoo.”

Monarch yet to returnto palace

A visit to the palace showedthat the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku,Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, wasyet to return to his palace. TheObi was away when the wifewas seized and men of theCustoms Service were stillkeeping vigil when we visited.

RunawayWonderBanksoperators 'llbe trackeddown— SEC

BY PETER EGWUATU

LAGOS — INVESTORS in thenation’s capital market still

have hope of recovering theirmoney from illegal capitalmarket operators, otherwiseknown as (Wonder Banks) as theSecurities and ExchangeCommission, SEC, has resolvedto hunt fraudsters who escapedfrom the country.

Vanguard gathered that totalclaims against the WonderBanks have risen to N106billion, a situation thecommission said did not augurwell for the development of thecapital market and the economyin general.

Director General of the SEC,Ms. Arunma Oteh, whoconfided in Vanguard on thecommission’s zero tolerance,said: “We will not rest in ourdetermination to restoreinvestors' confidence andprotection. So, for thoseregistered capital marketoperators who collected moneyfrom innocent investors with theintention of investing themoney in the capital market andthereafter absconded to othercountries, the commission willtry as much as possible to trackdown these fraudsters andbring them back to Nigeria forprosecution.”

On how the fraudsters wouldbe tracked down, she said: “Thecommission had signedbilateral agreement/cooperationon securities dealings withmember countries of theInternational Organisation ofSecurities Commissions,IOSCO.

"Also, we intend to sign morebilateral cooperation withsecurity agents across theworld. So there will be nohiding place for anyregistered capital marketoperators who must haveduped investors and run awayto other countries. We will getthem through these securityoperatives once informationabout these people are sent tothem.

“We will soon be havingcollaboration with the USIntelligence and SecurityAgencies as SEC Nigeria is amember of the IOSCO’s Africa/Middle-East RegionalCommittee. We would becollaborating with countriesthat are not even members of

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) being presented with a Christmas present by Vice President Namadi Sambo.They are flanked by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo; Ministerof FCT, Bala Mohammed; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide and ExecutiveSecretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rev. John Okpara, at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

Continues on Page 7


PIB: North changes tactics

Azazi for burial Saturday in Yenagoa

IOSCO to make surewe get rid of fraudstersin our market.”

On the local scene, theSEC recently collaboratedwith the Nigeria Police tostrengthen its enforcementunit.

At the inaugurationceremony of the 18-manteam seconded to theCommission, Oteh said,the deployment ofpolicemen to theCommission would helpspeedy resolution of casesinvolving market abuses,fraudulent disposal ofinvestor assets, illegal fundmanagement, wonderbanks, insider dealings,corporate accounting fraudand share manipulation bycapital market operators.

Commenting on thespate of Wonder Banks inthe country, DirectorGeneral of SEC, ArunmaOteh warned investors notto patronize nonregistered capital marketoperators in the executionof their investment needs.

According to her, “TheCommission does notrecognise non registered

capital market operatorsthat we don’t have theirtrack record and may notbe able to prosecute incase they go against therules and regulationsguiding the capitalmarket.

“Investors shouldpatronize registeredcapital market operatorsthat are duly registeredby SEC, Nigerian StockExchange (NSE) andalso are licensed byInstitute of CharteredStock Brokers (CIS). TheSEC is the apex capitalmarket whose primaryrole is to regulate anddevelop the market. Ithas responsibilities toprotect investors and thatis why we are advisingthe investors to patronizeregistered capital marketoperators that we caneasily apprehendwhenever they defraudinvestors or commit othermalpractices. We havedragged some of them toInvestment andSecurities Tribunal (IST)so that they can bepunished for defraudinginnocent investors.”

Runaway Wonder Banksoperators 'll be tracked down— SEC

Continues from page 6

From left: Ven. James Odedeji, Dean of Cathedral; Chief Bimbo Adesanya; Registrar of LagosWest; Dr. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, Bishop of Lagos West and Justice Babasola Oguntade, Chancellor,Lagos West after the Christmas church service at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral,Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Diran Oshe.

He 'll be given state burial —DicksonBY SONI DANIEL &

SAMUELOYADONGHA

YENAGOA —GOVERNOR Seriake

Dickson of Bayelsa State,yesterday, said the formerNational Security Adviser,late Gen. Andrew Azazi,would be given a befittingstate burial.

He will be buried onSaturday, December 29 inYenagoa.

The decision of theBayesa State governmentto accord Azazi a stateburial was in recognitionof his enviable record ofservice to the state andcountry.

Dickson, in a statementby his Chief PressSecretary, Mr Daniel

Iworiso-Markson, statedthis while approving theburial programme of thelate General in Yenagoa.

The governor said: “Inview of the late GeneralAzazi‘s illustriousmilitary career and hisremarkable contributionsto Bayelsa State andNigeria as a whole, hisremains would be laid torest at the Ijaw NationalHeroes Park in Yenagoa,the state capital. This isto demonstrate ourrespect and high regardfor General Azazi as atrue hero of Ijaw nation.”

Burialarrangement

The burial arrangementwould kick off tomorrow,

with service of songs at thePeace Park in Yenagoa,commendation service thenext day, Saturday andinterment at noon followedby reception for guests/dignitaries.

Family wants himburied in his village

Meanwhile, it was learntthat the family had wantedthe body of Azazi buried inhis home village ofPeretorugbene in EkeremorLocal Government Area ofBayelsa State in line withthe tradition of the area.

They argued that sincetheir son died in ahelicopter crash, the bodyshould be given to thefamily to bury in line withtheir tradition not minding

his status.However, it was leant

that the Nigerian Army,which regards late Gen.Azazi as one of its heroes,pleaded that the burial bedone in the state capital toenable its officers and mento accord their departedhero full military honoursin line with their tradition.

At one of the meetings inYenagoa, yesterday, thearmy pointed out the hugelogistic challenges thatwould be involved intaking the body of the lateGeneral and hordes ofmilitary personnel andequipment toPeretorugbene for theburial.

They argued that if theburial was done inPeretorugbene, it wouldnot be possible to ferry inthe number of personneland personalities expectedto perform and grace theoccasion because of therough tide at this time ofthe year.

The officers were said tohave pointed out that theburial of an outstandingofficer like Azazi should bedone in a place where thetop brass of all arms of theDefence Ministry, wherehe served as Chief of ArmyStaff, Chief of Defence Staffand lately, NationalSecurity Adviser, should beable to attend in largenumber to accord him thelast respect.

Vanguard learnt that thegovernor ’s timelyintervention preventedanother round of meetingthat was slated for the nightbetween the military topbrass and some familymembers.

See photos ofService of Songs onPage 16.

Sanusi to FG: Stop accumulatingdebts for future generation

BY BABAJIDEKOMOLAFE

LAGOS— CENTRALBank of Nigeria,

CBN, Governor, MallamSanusi Lamido Sanusi,has warned the FederalGovernment to stopaccumulating debts forfuture generation byreducing its currentlevels of borrowing.

He said the currentlevel of borrowing, ifunchecked, would resultto unmitigated hardshipfor future generations.

He urged the FederalGovernment not to allowthe present and unborngenerations inherit theh e a v y b u r d e nof foreign debts,cautioning that Nigeria,currently under thesuppressing weight

of the heavy burden offoreign debts, is in greatdanger.

Speaking at the justconcluded conferenceof Honorary InternationalInvestments Council(HIIC), in London, hewarned of a great dangerahead if the nationcontinued to live above itsrealistic means.

His words: “We areborrowing more moneytoday at a higher interestrate while leaving theheavy debt burden for ourchildren andgrandchildren. Forexample, if you receiveyour salary and everydaythe money is not enough,you have two options toadjust yourself; Eithercheck your expenditure orcheck your wages.

He urged the rulingclass and the oldergenerations to set goodexample and educate thecoming generations for abetter and secured future.According to him, suchexample should be setby not accumulating debtfor future generations toinherit.

“Where would thefuture be for Nigeria, iftoday should be allowed todestroy the future”, hequeried.

Mallam Sanusi wasamong the high-profileNigerian delegation thatattended the 13th sessionof the HonoraryInternational InvestmentsCouncil (HIIC) of theCouncil,which was held recently at Beckley Hotel

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN, POLITICAL

EDITOR

LAGOS —N O R T H E R N

energies on tacklingperceptions oflopsidedness in thePetroleum Industry Bill,PIB, is to be addressed atthe committee level of theHouse of Representatives,Vanguard has learnt.

Northern concerns onthe contents of the PIBforced the Senate to stepdown the second readingof the bill last week beforethe Senate went onChristmas holidays.However, in the House ofRepresentatives, suchconcern was strategicallyplayed down, it wasgathered at the weekend.

The PIB is arevolutionary bill thatbundles the legalframework governing theoil industry in the countryunder one law and at thesame time addresses theconcerns of producingcommunities.

However, the provisionconcerning theestablishment of a HostCommunity Fund amongothers has particularlystirred concern amongsome in the north who fearthat the bill could drain

more oil revenue thatwould otherwise havegone to the north.

“Our concern is thatthere is the amnestyprogramme, derivationand other incentivesgoing to the oil producingregions of the south. So,our concern is how are wesure that such provisionsthat give advantage tothose producing oil nowwould be replicated whenoil is found in the north,”a prominent member ofthe House from the northsaid, yesterday.

As a bid towardsaddressing theperception of thelopsidedness, it was learntthat the northernlegislators would directthemselves towardsengrafting provisions thatwould benefit thenorthern region duringconsideration of the bill atthe committee level.

“In the House, we havedecided to work behindthe scene at the committeelevel and that is thereason that when the billcame up it wasimmediately referred tothe committees ofdownstream, upstreamand others to work on sothat there will be not muchcontroversy,” the

Continues on Page 10


8—Vanguard, THURSDAY8—Vanguard, THURSDAY8—Vanguard, THURSDAY8—Vanguard, THURSDAY8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, 20122012201220122012

Oteh,N-Assemblyface-off:Capitalmarketoperators suefor peace

PDP to CPC: You ‘re blind toJonathan’s govt achievements

BY EMMA AZIKEN,POLITICAL EDITOR

PEOPLES DemocraticParty, PDP, has cau-

tioned Nigerians againstbeing taken in by what itclaims as the rhetoric ofthe Congress for Progres-sive Change, CPC, a par-ty it claimed would leadNigeria on the path to So-malia if given the oppor-tunity.

Reacting to the CPC’scriticism of the Christmasday speech of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, thePDP National PublicitySecretary, Chief OlisaMetuh, described thestatement as a ritual be-reft of imagination or sin-cerity.

The CPC had in the re-buttal described the PDPas being “more interestedin seizing political powerrather than the adequateplanning for effectual gov-ernance,” noting what itclaimed as the trillions ofnaira wasted in multiplefraud schemes, including

the oil subsidy regime.The PDP said: “Presi-

dent Jonathan has invest-ed heavily in critical infra-structures such as power,road and rail transport,security, agriculture, edu-cation among others.While the maturity span ofsome of these infrastruc-ture is long term and areexpected to yield benefitsin coming years, there isabundant evidence thatsteady gains arealready crystalizing insectors such as power, ed-ucation and rail transport. ”The CPC will definitelybe blind to this steadyprogress because con-structive engagement isnot theultimate motivation of itscriticism,” the statementa d d e d . On the allegation that thePDP governments mis-managed resources of thecountry, the PDP said:”Even in 2011 when theCPC took desperation toa criminal level, orches-trating an orgy of election

violence that claimedmany lives, Nigeriansstood firm for the PDP inan election adjudged lo-cally and internationallyas the most credible in thenation’s recent record. Buthas the PDP squanderedits mandate,” the state-ment asked. ”This can only be true inthe diseased imaginationof the CPC. The PDP hasremained the only trulynational party on whoseshoulders revolve the uni-ty of the nation. Need wesay that a Nigeria in thehands of a political partylike the CPC is on an ex-press road to Somalia. Besides, the statementcontinued, ”the PDP metNigeria a pariah state, re-trieved and returned it tothe centre stage of globalreckoning. It is also onrecord that at a time theeconomy of the westernnations was hobbled bythe global melt down withbanks collapsing, no bankin Nigeria suffered simi-lar fate.

”Similarly, as part of theparty’s strategy againstcorruption, the PDP liber-alized the economy andthrew the door open togenerate new jobs. Theparty also establishedanti-corruption agencies,the EFCC and ICPC aswell as enacted the Free-dom of Information law toenhance transparency ingovernance. The party’sdispassion in winning thebattle on corruption hasseen even senior membersof the party convicted forc o r r u p t i o n . ”We must add, that ourbattle on corruption is to-tal and that PresidentJonathan has won themost critical aspect of itwhich is against elector-al corruption. Nigeriansnow go to the polls and aresure their votes willcount””. There is no short-er road to good govern-ance than when mandateand withdrawal of it de-pend entirely on the peo-ple,” the statement con-cluded.

BY NKIRUKANNOROM

AS criticisms continueto mount over the de-

cision of the National As-sembly not to pass appro-priation bill for Securitiesand Exchange Commis-sion, SEC, for 2013, capi-tal market operators havecalled on both the legisla-tive and executive arms ofgovernment to find lastingsolution to the problem.

The operators, whospoke to Vanguard in aseparate interview, said ithas become pertinent forMr. President and theNational Assembly toreach a face-saving com-promise to save the capi-tal market and the econo-my the consequences oftheir actions.

“Who is right or who iswrong in my opinion is notthe solution to the problemnow. The solution shouldbe for the Executive andLegislature to look at thebigger picture and effectof their action on the econ-omy,” says Alhaji RasheedYussuff, Managing Direc-tor/CEO, Trust Yield Secu-rities Ltd.

According to him, thetussle between the SEC

DG, Arunma Oteh, andthe National Assemblyhas taken a dimension be-yond what could be seenon the surface, saying thatit has become a contentionof who has the power todo what.

Collaborating his view,Mr. David Adonri, Man-aging Director/CEO, Lam-beth Securities & Invest-ment Ltd, advised the Leg-islature to find other waysof settling whatever prob-lem they think they havewith the director generalof SEC, instead of direct-ing their anger at the em-ployees of SEC.

He said, “If they haveproblem with Arunma,they should be able towork in harmony with theExecutive to resolve theissues they have withher””.


Mandela discharged from hospital

FORMER SOUTH African President, Nelson

Mandela was yesterday dis-charged from hospital inSouth Africa, the county’spresidency has said.

Mandela was treated for alung infection and gallstones

He would continue to re-

ceive treatment at his home inJohannesburg until he has ful-ly recovered, according to astatement from PresidentJacob Zuma’s office.

Mandela was admitted tohospital 18 days ago.

His wife, Gracia Machel, andPresident Zuma visited himon Christmas Day and said hewas in good spirit.

Afterwards, Mr. Zuma saiddoctors were happy with theprogress Mr. Mandela hadmade.

In his statement on Sunday,

Zuma thanked South Africansfor the messages of good wish-es they had sent his predeces-sor and asked that Mandela beallowed continued privacy tocomplete his recovery.

The South African govern-ment had said the 94-year-oldMandela was admitted Decem-ber 8, 2012 to an hospital inthe country’s capital, Pretoria.

Officials said Mandela un-derwent an endoscopic surgeryto remove gallstones last Sat-urday after doctors treated himfor a recurrent lung infection.

On Tuesday, PresidentJacob Zuma said in a state-ment that Mandela required“extraordinary care” due tohis age and could spend sev-eral more days in the hospi-tal recovering.

The anti-apartheid icon,Mandela is revered for beinga leader of the struggleagainst racist white rule inSouth Africa, serving 27 yearsin prison for his beliefs.

He served one five-yearterm as president before re-tiring from public life.

Man nabbed with 1.6kg cocaine onChristmas day

.My wife warned me — Suspect

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

LAGOS — A suspecteddrug trafficker,

Chukwuemeka Patrick, was onChristmas day arrested at theMuritala MuhammedInternational Airport, MMIA,Lagos with parcels of highgrade cocaine with a totalweight of 1.620kg concealedin his shorts.

The suspect was arrested byoperatives of the NationalDrug Law EnforcementAgency, NDLEA, on his returnfrom Sao Paulo, Brazil

The drug was detectedduring inward screening ofpassengers on an Emirateflight at about 3:26p.m. onChristmas day.

The 48 year old suspect saidthat his wife warned him

against smuggling the drugbut he ignored her warning.

“I am a business man livingin Brazil. I import Brazilianhair for sale in Nigeria. Myregret is that my wife told methat she had a dream where Iwas arrested at the airportsome days before my trip but Iignored her.

“I had thought thatChristmas day was a goodtiming to bring the drugs but Iwas caught at the airport. ABrazilian friend gave me thedrug and I was to sell and givehim half the amount and takethe remaining half.

“I felt it was a good deal andignored my wife’s warning. Ido not know what to tell mywife. In fact, I am confused”Madueke lamented.

The suspect who had lived

in Brazil with his wife andthree children since 2007hails from Orukwu village inIdemili North LocalGovernment Area of AnambraState.

Confirming the arrest, theChairman, NDLEA, AhmaduGiade said the arrest was asign that drug barons arerunning out of tricks.

“The Agency will continueto detect drugs andapprehend drug barons. Thisseizure is a demonstrationthat officers are always atalert to clean our society ofnarcotics. Those who areplanning to make quickmoney through drugtrafficking should be ready toface the wrath of the law,” theNDLEA boss assured.

Lagos liftsEnvironmentalDayrestriction

BY DAPO AKINFEFON

LAGOS — THELagos State

Government has liftedthe order restrictingvehicular and andhuman movementsduring the Decembermonthly environmentalsanitation exercise.

In a statement byCommissioner for theEnvironment, Mr. TunjiBello, the suspension ofthe exercise was to allowfree movements ofpersons who may betravelling during thefestive season and toallow for hitch-freepreparation for the NewYear.

Bello stated that “wecannot but encouragecleanliness in all aspectsof human endeavoursand therefore enjoinedall and sundry to ensurethat the festival iscelebrated in thecleanliest environment.

Adeboyefellowshipswithprisoners

BY OLAYINKA LATO-NA

LAGOS — THEGeneral Overseer

of the RedeemedChristian Church of God,RCCG, Pastor EnochAdejare Adeboye,yesterday, spent theBoxing Day with inmatesat the Maximum KirikiriPrison, Lagos.

The cleric used theoccasion to commissionthe prison computerroom and also assuredthe inmates, especiallythose awaiting trial of hisunwavering interest intaking their plights tothe appropriateauthorities.

Adeboye advised theinmates not to lose hopebut rather make use ofthe available facilitieswithin their capacity inthe prison to becomebetter and changedcitizenS.

In his words: “The firsttime that I was here Imet over a 1, 000 inmatesin a room that supposedto accommodate 600people and I informedthe necessary authoritiesand I was happy thatthey released some but Iwill not stop asking formore."

From left: Rev. Pelumi Johnson, Provost; His Grace, Adebola Ademowo, Bishop of Lagos;Princess Adegoke Orelope-Adefulire , Dep Governor Lagos State and Justice GeorgeOguntade, after the special church service for the commemoration of the birth of Jesus, atthe Christ Cathedral Church, Marina, Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

BY EMEKA MAMAH, withagency report

Director deniesearning doublepensions

A FORMER SeniorDirector at the National

Agency for Science andEngineering Infrastructure(NASENI), Dr. StephenMomoh, queried by theorganisation for allegedlyreceiving pension from twogovernment agencies againstgovernment rules, hasdebunked the allegation.

Speaking with Vanguardduring the week, Dr. StephenMomoh, described theallegation as untrue as he wasnever informed by his formeremployer, Obafemi AwolowoUniversity, that he had beenplaced on pensionablebenefits.

Describing the allegationsthat he had probably beenreceiving pensions from bothgovernment bodies asbaseless, Momoh said he wasin the employment of theObafemi Awolowo Universityfrom where he voluntarilyretired in 1994 and went intoprivate consulting.

Momoh added that he tookup a fresh appointment withNASENI in mid 2004.

At the time of his voluntaryretirement from theuniversity, he had notattained the statutoryretirement age as such wasnot qualified for pensionablebenefit.

He explained that hisretirement from the universitythat he wrote to the universitytwice asking that hisretirement be converted tovoluntary resignation orwithdrawal of service.

“After the two letters writtento the university for theconversion of his retirementto resignation or withdrawalof service, I had no furthercommunication with theuniversity. The universitynever informed me by anymeans, that I had been placedon pensionable benefits.

Momoh continued “I wasnot aware that pensionpayment had been made inmy favour through my bankaccount which I have neveraccessed for ten years."


Ondo PDP in fresh crisis over Oct guberpoll

BY DAYO DOHNSON

AKURE—THE PeoplesDemocratic Party, PDP,

in Ondo State is enmeshedin another internal crisis overthe candidature of itsgovernorship candidate inthe last election, reasons forthe party's defeat and howcampaign funds weredisbursed

Director General of thecampaign organisation, Dr.Dare Bada was the first to firethe salvo in a statement inAkure when he said thatwrong “candidature, poorfunding, lack of financialcommitment on the part of

the candidate and badleadership of Dr. Agagu,caused the failure and lossof the PDP in the last OndoState gubernatorial election.

Immediately after thedefeat of the party in the lastelection, the leadership ofthe party was polarised asthey accused the candidateof not declaring the actualamount released by thePresidency for the conductof the election and that hewas imposed on the party bythe former governor, Dr.Olusegun Agagu.

This rumbling pitched thecandidate against others ledby the Director General who

publicly, weekend, allegedthat the former governor, Dr.Agagu and his goons fixedChief Oke as the candidateof the PDP, which, he said,was not for altruistic reasonsbut for political manipul-ations and monetary gains.

Bada declared that “whileDr. Agagu did not want tolose his position as the primadonna of Ondo State PDP, hecunningly threw up ChiefOke who surreptitiouslycraved a ministerial slot.

"Loyal members of theparty innocently sacrificedtheir all in the interest ofparty loyalty withoutknowing that they were

being taken for a ride and thatthey had become mere pawns inthe chess board of a cabal of self-centred political gladiators.

“The picture of Chief Okeshaking hands with PresidentJonathan which was distributedto party members andconspicuously hung in front ofthe secretariat was part of theploy to deceive members thatOke was the choice of Mr.President.

Bada added: “Oke had madepowerful enemies during histenure as legal adviser and hadtherefore become a liability to theparty, a situation that favouredAgagu’s schemes.

"I repeat the facts that wrongcandidature, poor funding, lack

of financial commitmenton the part of thecandidate and badleadership of Dr. Agagucaused the failure andloss of the PDP in thelast Ondo Stategubernatorial election.”

But the PDP candidatespeaking through theparty Publicity Secretary,Wale Ozogora absolvedDr. Agagu by saying thathe was never part of theselection process thatled to the emergence ofChief Oke.

“The truth was that theaspirants themselves metand agreed on theformula that was usedwhich threw up ChiefOlusola Oke as aconsensus candidate,”he said.

Ozogoro alleged thatDr. Bada was yet toaccount for N65millionappropriated to his officeas Director General ofOke CampaignOrganisation after theelection.

Akala flays Olunloyo for defecting to ACNBY OLA AJAYI

IBADAN — FORMERGovernor Adebayo Alao-

Akala of Oyo State has saidthe defection of Dr. OmololuOlunloyo, ex-governor of thestate to the ruling ActionCongress of Nigeria, ACN,did not move the PeoplesDemocratic Party because hewas not significant.

Dr. Olunloyo defected tothe ruling party some weeksago.

According to Akala whospoke at his Ogbomosoresidence during his annualChristmas party, “He is notsignificant as far as I amconcerned. If Alao-Akalashould decamp to anotherparty now, you can imaginehow many people will move

with him compared with thatof Olunloyo.

"So, that cannot move us abit. We are still together inthe PDP. We are everywhereacross the state and by thegrace of God, we are goingto make it in the end”.

To Akala, the erudite ex-governor did not have anyelectoral value that couldwarrant any anxiety overhis defection.

Akala said: “Thosedefecting are politicaljobbers. Take a look at thepedigree of such people andyou will be able to determinetheir substance. They areparasites. They just alwayswant to hold on tosomething. Anybody whothinks those people matteris just making a mistake”.

“For Olunloyo, I ask, whois Olunloyo? Olunloyo is justsomebody, who does nothave pedigree. His problemis that he is consistentlyinconsistent. He is not apolitician. What is hiselectoral value? He has noelectoral value. If he hasdecamped, let him show ushis followers.

“Who will follow him toACN? Can he command anyfollowing? At the beginningof our government, we onlyaccommodated him.Successive governmentshave been accommodatinghim because he was a formergovernor. I am an ex-governor and so I deservesuch a privilege also. He hasnever been a member of thePDP. He is not a card-

carrying member."The Ogbomoso-born PDP

chieftain described as completefalsehood the rumour that hepetitioned the nationalsecretariat of the party over thecrisis within the party.

“It is not true. I didn’t petitionthe national headquarters. Iknow Oyo PDP very well and Iknow our problems and so Iwent there to offer them solutionabout the problems of Oyo Stateand that is exactly what they arenow pursuing to ensure that weare one. And by the grace of God,in the new year, we shallbecome one.

He stressed: “At every level,we have leaders we respect. Itstarts from the ward, local tostate levels. At every respectivearea, everything is now inharmony. We don’t lordanything over anybody.

From left: Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor; Mr. Yemi Adaramodu, Chief of Staff to theGovernor and Mr. Ademo Olu-Martins, Chairman, Okada Riders Association of Nigeria, EkitiState Chapter, at the flag-off of the Okada Riders' website, during the 1st Okada Day Celebration,in Ado-Ekiti, weekend.

PIB: Northchangestactics

lawmaker said.The situation in the House

is different from that in theSenate where when the billcame up for secondreading, objectionimmediately surfaced,forcing the Senate leader,Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba to step down themotion for the reading ofthe bill.

The opposition by thenorth was upon the reportof a technical committeeconstituted by the NorthernGovernors Forum lastAugust on the PIB. Thecommittee allegedlyheaded by a formerexecutive director of theNigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation,NNPC, in its report, arguedamong others that the PIBin its present form wouldfurther impoverish thenorth.

The committee hadclaimed the absence of theOil Exploration Agency,which was in the earlier billproduced under the regimeof erstwhile Minister ofPetroleum Resources, DrRilwanu Lukman. The OilExploration Agency wasexpected to lead the chargein oil exploration in thenorth.

Continues from Page 7

in Knightsbridge,CentralLondon.

The HonoraryInternational InvestmentsCouncil (HIIC) is a cross-country organisation ofprominent investors, drawnfrom various countriesaround the world with thetask of advising andencouraging governmentson economic developmentissues as concernednations, especially the fastgrowing economies in theWorld.

The business conferencesessions had Vice PresidentNamadi Sambo leading astrong team of economicplanners and policy makersteaming up with businessexecutives to canvassinternational investors forthe country.

The conference lookedinto the best ways ofattracting investments toNigeria and all speakershad the consensus that thenation with manyopportunities and naturalresources stands to growfaster economically, if thecurrent trend of economicprogress was sustained.

Stopaccumulatingdebts forfuture

Continues from Page 7

Vanguard, THURSDAYVanguard, THURSDAYVanguard, THURSDAYVanguard, THURSDAYVanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, 2012—112012—112012—112012—112012—11

JTF arrests Police ASP over allegedillegal bunkering

Okonjo’skidnap:Group flaysarrest of 70persons inAgbor

Sustain peace,Amaechi urgesRivers residents

We built 60 new schools in one year, saysDelta Commissioner

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

BY JOHNBOSCOAGBAKWURU

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

BY FESTUS AHON

DESOPADECto industrializeo i l - bea r i ngcommunities

C ALABAR—JOINTTask Force, JTF,

tagged Operation PuloShield, set up by the Fed-eral Government to rid themaritime environment ofcriminal elements in theEastern waterways, has ar-rested an Assistant Super-intendent of Police, ASP,over alleged illegal oil bun-kering. The security outfitalso uncovered and raidedan expansive oil depot,where diesel was stored indrums in Calabar, CrossRiver State capital.

Illegal oil bunkering inCalabar and Bakassi LocalGovernment Areas of thestate seems to have persist-ed, despite the clampdownon perpetrators of the ille-gal business.

Public Relations Officer of13 Brigade, Nigeria Army,Captain Joseph James,said the latest discovery ofillegal bunkering and thearrests were as a result ofintelligence gathering bythe Army.

Captain James said the raidby JTF was led by Major Ab-dulmaleek Mohammed of theBrigade, adding that six per-sons had been arrested, in-cluding a serving Police ASP,who was one of those behindthe illegal oil bunkering.

He said: “Following a tip-off, the Commander of 13 Bri-

gade, Brigadier-General ShehuYusuf, immediately ordered theJTF to raid the depot, which isin a hideout, off Mesembe Ave-nue, in the Anantigha area andclose to the headquarters of theCalabar South Local Govern-ment Area of the state.

“As you can see, there arenearly 8,000 drums of fuel and

diesel well arranged here.You can also see how they ex-pertly dredged this canal toenable these boats bring inthese products from wherev-er.

“It appears that the illegalbunkering business had beenon for some time before theintelligence report came in.”

PEOPLE of Agbor inDelta State, have

condemned the arrest ofno fewer than 70 indi-genes of the communityby military officers underthe guise of searching forkidnapped Dr. NgoziOkonjo-Iweala’s mother.

The people, under theaegis of Agbor Vanguard,described the arrest asunlawful and a breach offundamental humanrights of innocent citizensof the community.

In a statement by itssecretary, Mr. Ebede Ben-edict, the group, said the70 persons where arrest-ed from Ozanogogo andAlisor communities inAgbor Kingdom, IkaSouth Local GovernmentArea of the state by over-zealous military officers.

“We condemned the actin its totality. The 70 per-sons where arrested dur-ing the Agbor Unity Cupfootball tourney becausewe are known for onlypeaceful ventures.”

ASABA—DELTA StateCommissioner for

Special Duties (Special In-frastructure), Mrs. OreziEsievo, has said that thestate government built 60schools across the state inthe last one year. She has,meanwhile, sought for

more funding in 2013 budgetto enable her Directorate re-alize her projections.

Esievo, at the budget de-fence before the state Houseof Assembly Committee onSpecial Duties, said 40 of theschools had been completed,while the remaining werenearing completion.

She told the committee thatwork had also commenced ontwo of the four new polytech-

nics approved by the state gov-ernment this year.

The Commission said workhad commenced at the pro-posed state Polytechnic, Aboh,in Ndokwa East Local Govern-ment Area and Sapele Polytech-nic, in Sapele Local Govern-ment Area, “while Bomadi Pol-ytechnic and Abigborodo Poly-technic in Warri North LocalGovernment Area will take offnext year.”

PORT HARCOURT—GOVERNOR Chibuike

Amaechi of Rivers State hascalled on residents of thestate to continue to pursuethe path of peace.

Governor Amaechi, in hisChristmas message, chargedthe people of the state to seeChristmas as a season tostrengthen their love for oneanother.

He added that people in thestate should continue tothank God for His blessingsin their lives, saying that hewas an example of God’sblessings.

He said: “I speak to you asmy brothers, sisters, ourmothers and fathers, it is im-portant for all to maintain thepeace because Christmas isthe period of peace and love.We should share love. Weshould share God’s gift withothers. We should share thelove of God.

“Maintain the peace; don’ttake the laws into your hands.Don’t give to God what costsyou nothing. Unto God eve-ryday is testimonial. You mustget up and testify to God’sglory because the more youthank God, the more you getblessings. I am an exampleof God’s blessings.”

BY EMMA AMAIZE &EMMA ARUBI

Fresh storm over alleged kidnap ofUgborodo leader

UGHELLI—COMMISSIONER rep-

resenting Ughelli Northand Ethiope East LocalGovernment Areas on theboard of Delta State OilProducing Areas Devel-opment Commission,DESOPADEC, ChiefOminimini Obiuwebvi,has assured that the com-mission will industrialiseoil producing communi-ties in the state.

Obiuwevbi, while dis-tributing Christmas riceand other items to peopleof Ughelli North andEthiope East councils,said the commission’s2013 budget was aimed atopening up oil producingareas and restated thedetermination of the com-mission to embark onprojects that would createjob opportunities for theteeming unemployedyouths in oil producingareas.

He said the commis-sion was already lookingat the possibility of ac-quiring the moribundBendel Glass Company.

WARRI—CONTROVERSY is trailing

the purported kidnap of em-battled Eghare-Aja (com-munity leader), Chief Wel-lington Ojogor, of oil-richUgborodo community, WarriSouth-West Local Govern-ment Area, Delta State.

Chief Ojogor was alleg-edly abducted, first on No-vember 12, in Warri, andwhisked away to Ugboro-do, but the communityleader refuted the claim 24hours later.

One of his sons, Mr. Oye-bo Ojogor, who spoke to

Vanguard, said his fatherwas abducted by some of hisbrothers and some membersof a rival faction in the Ug-borodo leadership crisis,while attempting to force hisunwilling father to sign somedocuments for them.

He said: “My father and aman, who is working for uswere kidnapped and taken toan unknown destination. Iwas told that they first tookhim to Warri and later to anundisclosed place in BeninCity, Edo State.”

Meanwhile, his brother,Tuoyo, who also spoke to Van-guard, said he, his eldestbrother and others, only wentto rescue their father fromUgborodo because of his fail-

ing health.He said Chief Ojogor, was

seized by three of his brothersfrom Warri on November 12 andtaken to Ugborodo, adding thatworried members of the familytook him away to the office ofthe Assistant Inspector Gener-al of Police, AIG, in Benin-City,where he volunteered statementon his earlier kidnap.

Tuoyo explained that aftermaking statement to the police,his father was taken to DeltaState Teaching Hospital,Oghara, where he is currentlyreceiving medical attention.However, Oyebo disagreed, say-ing his brothers were playingpolitics with the life of their fa-ther.

END OF YEAR PARTY: Pensioners of Shell Petroleum Development Company, during theirend of year party in Warri. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.


BY EMMA AMAIZE &GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

Clark to FG: Stop paying 13%derivation via state govts

WARRI—IN whatappears to be a

vote of no confidence ongovernors of Niger Deltastates, former FederalCommissioner for Infor-mation and South-Southleader, Chief Edwin Clark,yesterday, called on theFederal Government tostop paying the 13 percentderivation fund to oil pro-ducing communitiesthrough the governmentsof their states, saying itwas unconstitutional.

He described as sheergreed on the part of gov-ernors of oil and gas pro-ducing states, to appropri-ate the 13 percent deriva-tion fund meant for the oiland gas producing com-munities.

He lamented that oil and

gas producing communi-ties had little or nothing toshow in the past 13 yearsfor the over N7.282 trillioncollected by the state gov-ernments.

Chief Clark made thecall in Warri, Delta State,yesterday, while playinghost to the leadership ofOil and Gas ProducingCommunities of Nigeria,led by the traditionalPrime Minister of Gbara-matu Kingdom andformer chairman of DeltaState Oil Producing Are-as Development Commis-sion, DESOPADEC, ChiefWellington Okirika.

He said only direct allo-cation of the 13 per centfund, through an admin-istrative committee, wouldguarantee rapid transfor-mation of the deprived

and neglected oil and gasproducing communities.

He said there was no-where in the 1999 Consti-tution, where it was stipu-lated that 13 percent der-ivation fund should bepaid through any stategovernment, saying: “TheFederal Governmentshould stop paying the 13percent derivation fundthrough the state govern-ments.

“The provision in the1999 constitution is clear,13 percent derivation fundstands on its own. It is notpart of any consolidatedrevenue of any tier of gov-ernment, nor part of anyState Joint Local Govern-ment Account; 13 percentderivation fund should,therefore, been treated onits own.”

Fire razes part of Swali market in Yenagoa

YENAGOA—A sectionof Swali mini market

in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,was yesterday, razed byfire.

Though the immediatecause of the inferno, whichstarted at 1.30am couldnot be ascertained, it wasgathrerd that about 133shops were destroyed bythe blaze with goodsworth millions of naira de-stroyed.

Some of the shop own-ers, who rushed to scene,it was learnt watchedhelplessly as the infernoswept through the sectionclose to the slaughter area.

Others it was gatheredhad travelled for the yule-tide and may not returnuntil January.

A resident close to thearea, said the infernomight have been causedby bush fire and aided bythe harmattan wind.

Contacted, Police PublicRelations Officer, Mr. Fi-

BY SAMUEL OYADON-GHA

Itsekiri youths urged to bepeaceful

delis Odunna, confirmedthe incident, adding thatthe police would carry out

an investigation to deter-mine the cause of the in-ferno.

BY DANIEL GUMM

WARRI—ITSEKIRIyouths have been

urged to embrace peaceand shun acts capable ofderailing the prevailingpeace in Itsekiriland.

National President of It-sekiri National YouthsCouncil, INYC, Mr. Dav-id Tonwe, gave the advicewhile receiving in audi-ence the leadership of asocio-cultural organisa-tion, Benin River Forum.

He said: “INYC, as anorganisation, had consist-ently adopted peacefuldisposition in approach-ing issues and the resulthad been rewarding.”

He cited the recent in-clusion of formally armedyouths of Itsekiri extrac-tion, among those to ben-efit from the PresidentialAmnesty Programme, as a

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

Beninmonarch getsOxford/Cambridgemembershipcard

BENIN CITY—ASpart of its end of year

activities, Oxford-Cam-bridge Club of Nigeria,has paid a courtesy visitto its Grand Patron, theOba of Benin and extolledthe contributions of themonarch to the growth ofthe club.

Speaking at the palace,the Club’s President Mr.Fela Akoni, informed theOba that they came tothank him for supportingthe club over the years.

He intimated the Oba ofthe club’s activities in2012. The Oba was subse-quently presented with hisclub membership card.

clear indication of the ben-efit from peaceful ap-proach to issues, irrespec-tive of their nature,“though the number ap-proved by Mr. Presidentfor INYC falls short of ourexpectation.

“Even at that, we remaineternally grateful to Mr.President for his magna-nimity and we appeal thatthe number currently al-located to INYC be re-viewed upward.”

CMYK



Fire razes NTA station in Abakaliki

FG warns FETHA staff against corruptionBY PETER OKUTU

ABAKALIKI—THE federal government yesterday

warned members of staff andmanagement of FederalTeaching Hospital, Abakaliki,FETHA, against collectingmoney from prospective em-ployees who had applied foremployment in the health in-stitution. Minister of Health, ProfOnyebuchi Chukwu, who

ABAKALIKI—A mysterious fire Tuesday gutted

the Nigerian Television Au-thority, NTA, Abakaliki, destroy-ing broadcast equipment andfurniture worth millions of naira. Vanguard learnt that the firewhich started from the studiosection of the complex around9pm while the station was on air,quickly spread to other sectionsand immediately yanked broad-casting off air. Many residents who wereviewing the station at the time itwent off air later told our corre-spondent that they were alarmedover the manner the station wentoff air, stressing that they becames u s p i c i o u s

BY PETER OKUTU

handed down the warningduring an unscheduledworking visit to two healthinstitutions in the state,FETHA and the NationalObstetric Fistula Centre,Abakaliki, said the federalgovernment would deal de-cisively with those guilty ofsuch act.He charged the manage-ment of the institutions tomaintain the proper workethics befitting of their sta-

tus as the federal governmenthad put modalities in placeto ensure prompt paymentand promotion of workers atevery point in time. Chukwu also called on thestaff to work assiduously to-wards the upliftment ofFETHA, even as he cau-tioned them to eschew di-chotomy and work for theoverall success of the hospi-tal.

that something was wrong. A distress call was reportedlyput across to Ebonyi State FireService office located abouteight kilometers away but nosooner had they arrive with afire truck, said to be half filledwith water, thanthey ran out of water and hadto run back to station to refillwhile the devastation by the rag-ing inferno continued. On their arrival nearly 45 min-utes later, the entire studio hadbeen consumed and it took thefiremen another gruelling 30minutes to quench the fire.Sources close to the station at-tributed the cause of the fire toelectrical sparks in the studio.Equipment said to have beendestroyed include video camer-

as, three monitors, microphones,p r o p s ,underground cables and studiolights. The fire incident drew the at-tention of the General Manag-er, Mrs. Nkechi Odukwu, whorushed back to office on gettingwind of the development. But both the staff on duty andthose that rushed to join themwere helpless as every effortmade to extinguish the fire be-fore the intervention of men ofthe fire service had little or noimpact. Meanwhile, Governor MartinElechi of Ebonyi State has paida sympathy visit to the televi-sion station in Abakaliki, de-scribing the incident as unfor-tunate.

Group faultsOkorocha on 2weeks holidayfor workers

ENUGU—AN Igbosocio-cultural organi-

sation, Odinmaigbo, hascondemned the twoweeks holiday grantedcivil servants in ImoState, saying itamounted to carryingtheatrics in governanceto a ridiculous level.

Governor RochasOkorocha of Imo Stategranted civil servants inthe state two weeks holi-day to celebrate Christ-mas.

However, the Secre-tary General ofOdinmaigbo, ChiefMaxi Okwu in a state-ment in Enugu yester-day, said: ‘’The recentdeclaration of two weekpublic holiday in Imostate by the Governor,Owelle RochasOkorocha is a great dis-service to the enterpris-ing Imo state people inparticular, and Ndigboin general.

“This stunt in our viewcarries theatrics in gov-ernance to an absurdlevel. The havoc its spi-ral effect would have onthe economic life of Imopeople is better imag-ined than described.”

Airlineoperatorsraiseairfares

LAGOS—DOMESTIC airlines operating at the

Muratala Muhammed Airport,Lagos yesterday increased airfares due to high demand fortickets by passengers travellingfor the festive season.

Vanguard gathered that faresby hour flight slightly increasedby 20 per cent depending onthe airline and the destinationof travel. For instance, ticketspreviously sold for betweenN25,000 and N28,000, now soldfor between N30,000 andN35,000 respectively.

At least, an hour one-wayticket on IRS flight from Lagosto Abuja was sold for N28,000,Lagos- Kaduna N28,000 whileit was N33,000 to Kano.

In the past, Abuja andKaduna would have sold forbetween N25,000 and N26,000,while Kano fluctuates betweenN29,000 and N30,000.

One of the passengers toldVanguard that airlines opera-tors should consider the passen-gers and be lenient when in-creasing fares, stressing that theeconomy of the country was notfavourable to Nigerians at large.

ENUGU—GUNMEN yesterday shot dead a US

returnee, one Ogbo Edoga,in his home town at Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area ofEnugu State.

Report said the economistwas trailed to the house of oneof his kinsmen, from where thetwo assailants, accosted him andshot him at point blank. He re-portedly died before reaching thehospital.

Family sources said the de-ceased returned to Nigeria toattend a meeting of Nsukka pro-fessionals based in UnitedStates,geared towards raisingfunds for the construction of anultra-modern medical diagnosiscentre to be built at Ede Oballacommunity in the area.

Eye witnesses said the killershad asked the deceased ‘whereis the money? But the soft spo-ken Financial economist report-edly knelt down, begging his as-sailants to spare his life, only forone of them, said to have beenarmed with an AK 47 rifle, torelease several shots around hiswaist after forcefully snatchinghis waist band.

The assassins were said tohave escaped in a car belong-ing to a retired senior officer ofState Security Service SSS whowas passing by.

Gunmen kill US returnee in EnuguBY CYRIL OZOR The incident, threw Aku com-

munity into pandemonium , dis-rupting programmes lined-upfor the day, which included areception for an indigenouspriest and the dedication of astructure built by the deceased’stwin sister’s husband.

Following this development,security has heightened in thearea ,as a combined team ofMilitary men and policemenhave mounted surveillance andpatrol all over the area in searchof the killers.

Meanwhile, the Assistant

Commissioner of Police in-charge of Nsukka zone, RosHamson Aladu, who confirmedthe incident, described it as as-sassination . He therefore,urged all returnees in the areato quickly apply for police pro-tection.

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (right) and General Evangelist, Christ Apostol-ic Church, CAC, World Wide, Prophet Samuel Abiara, during a visit to the governor inOsogbo, yesterday.

BY ANAYO OKOLI

Abia govtearmarksN5bn for roadprojects

UMUAHIA—ABIAState Government

has allocated funds tothe tune of N5 billion tocontractors handlingroad projects in variousparts of the state to com-mence work this dry sea-son.

Governor TheodoreOrji, who announcedthis while having ameeting with contrac-tors building road projectsin the state, said he wouldwant to achieve a lot in thearea of road constructionthis dry season.

Orji warned that his gov-ernment would not toleratelaxity or un-seriousness onthe part of any contractorhandling projects for thestate and told those not in-terested in working for thestate government to leave.

Orji noted with regretthat some contractors, afterbeing mobilised move tosite, ended up without do-ing any meaningful job.

CMYK


No business as usual in 2013— ICPC

ABUJA—CHAIRMAN, Independent Corrupt Prac-

tices and Other Related Of-fences Commission, ICPC,Mr. Ekpo Nta, has warnedthat it would no longer bebusiness as usual, for the cor-rupt, from 2013.

Nta revealed that he wouldgo after “contractors whoabandons project on site aftercollecting mobilisation fees,the university teacher who ex-torts and harasses students,the public servant whobreaches fiscal and budgetaryrules and persons living inapartments or owning prop-

erty above their legitimatemeans.”

Fielding questions fromnewsmen in Abuja, the ICPChelmsman said under his ad-ministration, the commissionwould no longer wait for peti-tions from the public beforemoving against abuse of officeby public officials.

He noted that impunity tolaw and order and non-com-pliance to rules and regula-tions were the major contrib-uting factors to widespreadcorruption in the country.

According to him, ICPC hasestablished two units, Finan-cial Investigation and AssetsTracing and Recovery Units, to

vigorously pursue the pre-ventive aspect of the commis-sion’s mandate.

He disclosed that the sys-tem review into the activitiesand operations of 185 minis-tries departments and agen-cies, MDAs, had yielded therecovery of N188 million in2011 from eight MDAs andN25 million from some areacouncils top officials in theFederal Capital Territory,FCT.

Nta restated his earlierwarning to MDAs not to touchunspent funds in the 2012budget, saying “we are goingto check the treasury in Janu-ary next year to see how much

has been returned.”On the sanitation of the

Contributory Pension Schemethat led to the remittance ofN243 billion into the Retire-ment Savings Accounts, RSA,of contributors this year, Ntanoted that before the ICPC in-tervention, the pensionscheme was fraught with ir-regularities, such that officialson the same level and dura-tion of service had differentamount of money credited totheir accounts.

Nta said ICPC, in partner-ship with National Bureau ofStatistics, NBS, had takensteps to produce a perceptionindex of corruption in Nigeria.

BY CALEB AYANSINA

Nigeria,CameroondevelopMoU onLadgo Dam

MINISTER for Agri-culture and Rural

Development, Dr.Akinwumi Adesina, hasdescribed the GrowthEnhancement Supportscheme, GES, intro-duced in the outgoingyear by his ministry asthe saving grace for theNigerian agriculture sec-tor.

At the end of the yearreview of the ministry’sactivities in Abuja,Adesina said: “But forthe GES, Nigeria wouldhave seriously felt theimpact of the flood dis-aster that occurred insome parts of the coun-try.

“It is not true to say ourpeople in the rural areascannot use mobilephones to redeem seedsand fertilisers. The samepeople use the phones toask their relatives in thecities to send money tothem.”

Ministerlauds GESscheme

ABUJA—NIGERIA isprepared to develop

a Memorandum of Un-derstanding, MOU,with Cameroon on themanagement of waterfrom Ladgo Dam, an of-ficial told the newsmenin Abuja, yesterday.

The official at the Fed-eral Ministry of WaterResources said in Abujathat the technical missionto Cameroon on the is-sue of Ladgo Dam wouldvisit the country betweentoday and tomorrow todiscuss modalities formanaging water re-sources.

Unregulated water re-leased from Ladgo Damlocated 50km south ofthe City of Garoua on theBenue River causedhuge flooding in Nigeriain September.

The official said: “Whatinformed the decision tovisit Cameroon is as aresult of the Septemberfloods.

“One of the causes ofthe floods, apart from ex-cessive rainfall, was theunregulated release ofwater from Ladgo Dam.”

CMYK


SERVICE OF SONGS FOR LATE OWOYE AZAZI

A Service of Songs was held for late General Owoye Andrew Azazi (rtd) at Har-bour Point in Lagos, yesterday. CLOCKWISE: Widow of late Azazi (3rd left) andother members of the family; From left— Governor Seriake Dickson of BayelsaState, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Mr. Tony Elumelu; Mr.Ben Bruce (right) and Oba Otudeko. PHOTOS: Bunmi Azeez.

FIRECRAKERS EXPLODE IN WAREHOUSEAn explosion in a warehouse loaded with firecrackers killed one and injured 40. It also razed 10houses and burnt seven cars in Idumagbo, Idumota, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

CMYK


,

,

“Most of us who arepoliticians exploit religioussentiments to divide Nigeriansfor our own selfish gains. Weexploit north-south divide todivide Nigerians for our selfishgains” -President GoodluckJonathan, paying tribute tothe late Governor PatrickIbrahim Yakowa

THEmost iconic imagelast week might have

been lost to most of ourcompatriots; what with thetragic chopper accident whichclaimed the lives of leadingpolitico-security officials of theNigerian state, in Bayelsastate. As we commiserate withthe families of the deceased,the accident underlinedfurther, the sorry pass that wearrived at as a nation. Ofcourse, President GoodluckJonathan has ordered aninvestigation, but as sure asnight overtakes day, there isnot much that will likely begained.

Psyche of theruling elite

Haven’t we walked thesame route in the past? Whydo we expect that justbecause a favoured formerNSA and governor havetragically died this timearound, things will be donedifferently? Wired into thepsyche of the Nigerian rulingelite is behaviour whichapproximates that famousdefinition of lunacy: doing thesame thing over and over andyet expecting differentoutcomes! But we can tarry fora while on that subject.

Deliberately manipulating

Goodluck Jonathan and theGoodluck Jonathan and theGoodluck Jonathan and theGoodluck Jonathan and theGoodluck Jonathan and theexploitation of symbolismexploitation of symbolismexploitation of symbolismexploitation of symbolismexploitation of symbolism

the church: As I indicatedabove, it was not the chopperdeaths that was emblematic ofthe week that was, but theiconic image of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s return tothe Redeemed Church andthat posture of meeksurrender in front of PastorEnoch Adeboye. A president

LAST week Monday, BenueGovernor, Gabriel Suswam

alleged that members of Boko Haramwere planning to attack him. Anattack which he said was coming“soon”, led to him urging “Christiansin the country” to pray fervently forhim and his family. Unfortunately,Governor Suswam was not reportedto have told the congregation of theNKST Church in Makurdi, where theplan to attack him was hatched andthen leaked. He however assuredthe congregation that “going bysecurity reports available to me, Imay be attacked any day, anywhere,anytime and this is the reason I call

Gabriel Suswam and the Boko Haram Red Herringaccording to the TRIBUNE report,that “with the demise of PatrickYakowa and the current situation ofGovernor Danbaba Suntai of TarabaState, only two Christian governors,out of the 19 state governors in theregion are now left standing”.

In truth, I find it difficult to wrapmy head around this report. I havealways seen Gabriel Suswam as oneof the really level-headed of theNorthern governors, but this eclecticreport just beats me hollow! This pastweek has been very rich in conspiracytheories, but why on earth will theBenue governor be targeted by Bokoharam? And it is so serious that the,

,on you Christians to pray for me andmy family”. Curiously, he wassimilarly reported by NIGERIANTRIBUNE newspaper of Tuesday,November 18th, 2012 to have“decried a situation in which onlyfour Christians from the North wereelected governors of their states”.Gabriel was apparently feeling sortof spiritually forlorn, when he added,

have been far more political andlocalised to his state. So why play thereligious card this time?

And what has it got to do with thetragic fate of governor Patrick IbrahimYakowa? And what religious elementwas embedded in the plane pilotedby Governor Danbaba Suntaihimself? What are the concrete issuesfor which Gabriel is stoking the baseinstincts of religion? And why is hein one fell swoop destroying his ownreputation for measured andresponsible attitudes and utterances?Why?

Could it be in tune with GoodluckJonathan’s statement that“…politicians exploit religioussentiments to divide Nigerians”? Butwhy would Gabriel Suswam need todivide Nigerians along the religiousline? Why?

Gove Gabriel Suswam, Benue State:Playing up the religious card?

In truth, I find it difficult to wrap my headaround this report. I have always seenGabriel Suswam as one of the really level-headed of the Northern governors, but thiseclectic report just beats me hollow!

President Goodluck Jonathan: Is heguilty of his own comment?

His return to that old meek-as-a-lambposture of surrender in the presence ofPastor Enoch Adeboye was a classiccase of an exploitative use of religion!It is a prelude to the run up to the 2015elections; in Nigeria, the manipulativeuse of religion and exploitation ofmetaphysical symbolism is one path ofaccess to power and a major method ofretaining it

attack can take place “any day,anywhere, anytime”? If the plan isso concrete will a church help avertit? Or was there a need to play thereligious card to achieve somepurpose? And what might thatpurpose be? Benue State has notfeatured within the scope of activitiesof Boko Haram; and the problemsthat Gabriel has faced in Benue

open campaigns were carriedout in churches to that effect.It was a clear subversion of theethos of democratic culture, tobox people into the emotionalblack hole of religious supportfor a candidate. But it was veryeffective!

Against the backdrop of thecrises phenomena which dog

who wasD E L I B E R AT E LYmanipulating the2012 Holy GhostCongress of theRedeemed Churchwas the same onetelling us aboutNigerian politiciansas we quoted at thehead of this piece.Might we recall, thatone of the mostdivisive imageries ofthe 2011e l e c t i o n e e r i n gcampaign, was theway the electoratewas manipulated intoaccepting thatJonathan was THEChristian candidate.For monthssurreptitious and

the Jonathan presidencytoday: several scandals;disproportionate levels ofcorruption; allegations ofincompetent governance; arestive and disappointedpopulation, even among andespecially the Christian

population, emotionallyblackmailed in 2011, etc; thePresident found it imperativeto return to the scene ofbountiful harvest from 2010. Intruth, Jonathan needs all andevery imagery that can be

exploited and manipulated, inpreparation for 2015! Whenthe President told thegathering that: “People ask mewhether I would contest in2015 and I tell them it is tooearly to talk about 2015elections”, he was engaged interminological inexactitude!Because in truth, candidateGoodluck Jonathan has begunhis campaign for the 2015elections! He has a head startabove every other potentialcandidate and by returning tothe Redeemed Church, heonly underlines that we aregoing to witness as divisive anelection in 2015, as we saw in2011. It will be messier thistime around, becausecandidate Goodluck Jonathanwill not have a record topresent to the Nigerianpeople. He will therefore be

obliged by his circumstance todo a real “ROFOROFOFIGHT”. Every type ofimagery will become availablefor exploitation to gain politicalcontrol and none more so thanreligious imageries and themanipulation of our faultlines.

When President GoodluckJonathan said “most of us whoare politicians exploit religioussentiments to divide Nigeriansfor our own selfish gains”, hewas certainly saying that he isalso not averse to so doing! Hisreturn to that old meek-as-a-lamb posture of surrender inthe presence of Pastor EnochAdeboye was a classic case ofan exploitative use of religion!It is a prelude to the run up tothe 2015 elections.

Metaphysicalsymbolism

Patriotism was oftendescribed as the last redoubtfor scoundrels. In Nigeria, themanipulative use of religionand exploitation ofmetaphysical symbolism isone path of access to powerand a major method ofretaining it. Remember whatT. S. Eliot said in MURDERIN THE CATHEDRAL? “Thestrong man strongly and theweak man by caprice. Theyhave but one law, to seizepower and keep it”. Our“weak” Jonathan is on the wayand the histrionics before thefamed man of God was thebeginning of the 2015electioneering campaign;never mind the strenuousdenials.

OPINION

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

*Mr. Ekene, a public affairs commentator,from Achara Layout, Enugu State.

BY EDWIN EKENE Should religious organisations pay taxes?LIVING in a country where any critical

observation attracts negative orsometimes shadow chasing responses, aless courageous person may be cowed fromexpressing his views when it comes toecclesiastical matters. But, since Nigeria isa fundamental member of ourinterconnected world, I will like to sharesome of the contents of a story I read someyears ago with my fellow compatriots.Actually, it was a debate between ErikStanley, the head of the Pulpit Initiative forAlliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance ofChristian attorneys in the United States,and Rev. Barry W. Lynn, the ExecutiveDirector of Americans United for theSeparation of Church and State. The title ofthe debate, which was published in the LosAngeles Times of September 23, 2008, was,“Why Don’t Churches Pay Taxes?” Sincereligions are charitable organisations thatengaged in beneficial services, the tworesource persons invited for the debate bothagreed that, churches are tax exempt underthe principle that, there is no surer way todestroy the exercise of religion than to tax it.Erik Stanley, been a proponent of anunconditional tax exemption for the churchsaid: “The 1954 Federal JohnsonAmendment prohibits a pastor from talkingabout candidates from the pulpit in light ofscripture. Thus, based on what a pastor says

about an election from the pulpit, the taxcode allows the government to tax achurch”. But, Mr. Stanley went further tostate that, conditioning tax exemption forchurches on refraining from speakingabout certain things is just as dangerous astaxing the churches outright… Theconditions allow the state, through itsdiscretion and power to punish disfavouredviews and reward favoured ones. Whilecountering Stanley’s assertions, his opponentin the debate, Rev. Barry Lynn, said:“Sometimes when a camel sticks his nose inthe tent, the camel smells unpleasantthings… I see no evidence that restrictingthe ability of a pastor to convert his churchin to a political action committee isintended to cause or has caused thedestruction of religious enterprise.” “Whenany group accepts a tax exemption, it agreesto play by certain rules and accepts acertain degree of oversight”.

Can we give thoughts to the above debatehere in Nigeria? However, I believe that ourdestinies were never determined before wewere born, and that God Almighty has givenus the free will to determine and shape ourdestinies, making man the direct recipientof his thoughts, words and actions. But,since nature still have some percentage ofinfluence on man, some persons are more

privileged and well positioned than others,and that is why some individuals are stillliving in poverty. Poverty according toWikipedia is an economic condition oflacking both money and basic necessitiesneeded to successfully live.

Such necessities includes; food, water,education health care and shelter. Accordingto reports, over 112 million of Nigeria’spopulations of 167 million people areliving in relative poverty, while the numberof those in abject poverty is, 99.248 million.In 2008, the numbers of private jets inNigeria were 20. But, between 2008 and2012, the number of private jet owners havemoved from 20 t0 150, making Nigeria, thesecond largest market for private jets in theworld after China. This boom in theacquisition and ownership of private jets inthe country is manifesting its effects onbusinesses that engage in aircraft charteroperation. The increase in private jetownership is now sending people whosemeans of livelihood is aircraft chatteroperation out of business.

A critical look at the new crave forprivate jets especially among the

spiritual leaders, one is left wondering if thelikes of the humanitarian nun of Calcutta,called Mother Teresa, who became famous

for humbly ministering to lepers, thehomeless and the poor in the slums ofCalcutta is still in our midst today!Similarly, while I believe that, too-muchgap between the rich and the poorundermines democratic solidarity in thepolitical circles, the faith based communitywhose desk lies the immediate challenge ofbeing the voice for the voiceless, the eyes ofthe blind and the hope of the poor, shouldnot compete for ostentatious recognition inthe society where many doubts the possibilityof living for another day, not because ofBoko Haram nor MEND, but it is simplybecause of abject poverty. Hence, we shouldtry to answer a very simple philosophicalquestion of what is man? And what is theessence of human existence? If we are ableto answer the above questions, I think weshould know that a man’s life does notconsist in the abundance of his possessions,and thus, in the words of Winston Churchill,former British Prime Minister : “We make aliving by what we get, but we make a life bywhat we give”.

SENATOR Smart Adeyemi was not exactlysmart this time. Months after the Senate’scircuitous positions on amending theConstitution; he is blaming governors forfrustrating the process.Who was he speaking for and in what

capacity? He is Chairman of SenateCommittee on the Federal Capital Territory,FCT. It is common knowledge that FCT issteeped in scandalous indifference of itsofficials to welfare of its inhabitants. Publicfacilities in Abuja are collapsing whileAdeyemi’s attention roams.The senator ’s response to governors

demanding more powers from the centre isthat the President should set the Economicand Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,on them. Is that how a senator of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria reasons in the 21stcentury? By extension, if the governorconcede more powers to the centre, EFCCshould overlook their thievery? Adeyemishould be smarter.Why would anyone support more states,

considering the economic implications ofcreating more cost centres? Does the Senatehave a position on state creation and otherissues being canvassed to make Nigeria

ExExExExExcuses Fcuses Fcuses Fcuses Fcuses For For For For For FrusrusrusrusrustratingtratingtratingtratingtratingConstitutionConstitutionConstitutionConstitutionConstitution

more governable?The National Assembly has no articulated

position on constitution amendments. Onstate creation – Adeyemi’s pet project -Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu,who also leads the Senate Committee onConstitution Amendment, held threepositions in two days: creation of new Statesnot possible, new States would be created,Nigerians would decide on new States.Which of these positions reflectedopposition of governors to new States?“If we have governors who are

progressives, the constitution amendmentwould be successful. They will not allow theconstitution amendment to be successful.The fundamental aspect of the constitutionamendment is the autonomy. If we cannot

get the State Assemblies to be autonomous,there will be no development and thestandard of living of the people will bestatic,” Adeyemi waxed.On what is he building his fears? What is

the position of Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, to which he belongs, with itscommanding majority, on amending theConstitution? Are majority of governors notof PDP? Is he saying PDP is againstamending the Constitution or cannot directits governors to the common good?“State governors siphon local government

funds to a point some local governmentscannot even pay salary,” Adeyemi lamented.Yet, if they agree to state creation, Adeyemiwould allow them continue lootingtreasuries?“We cannot amend the Constitution

without getting two-third of the StateAssemblies concurring with us,” hemourned. Was he not a senator when we hadthe Document of Necessity in 2010? Didgovernors and State Assemblies oppose it?Nigeria is unsustainable without critical

amendments to bases of its federalism.Adeyemi should not distract a processbecause it counters his interests.

Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard,Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—19THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—19THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—19THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—19THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—19

,

,HOUSING administrationhas always been a major

problem in Nigeria. It was in 1984.I had just been appointed Chairman,Board of Directors, BendelDevelopment and Property Authority(BDPA). The books were in bad shapeand there were many defaultersaround. Many who bought theAuthority’s houses were heavily indefault in their repayment.

Worst hit was the mortgage loandepartment where government wastaken for Father Christmas andloans granted public officials tobuild personal houses were simplynot being repaid.

People were perhaps not properlyinformed that the facilities they wereenjoying came from borrowedmoney. The Authority had gone tothe Capital Market to borrowmoney partly for on-lending andpartly for the execution of the BendelState Housing Stock. Amortisationof the capital market loan wasaround the corner.

My board had a duty to perform.If we were to succeed, governmentbusiness must be taken assomebody’s business. We first issued

We were asleep while they builtthreat notices of our intention to gopublic on defaulters who remainedadamant after a given date. Somedidn’t believe us.

At the expiration of the notices, wewent public. The Nigerian Observerand the Daily Times were quitehandy. The publication of the list ofdefaulters was accompanied withdates when we would meet all thosewho still remained adamant in courtfor forfeiture proceedings.

There was a pathetic case of thishumble Professor. He was one of thebeneficiaries of the Authority’shousing loan. Ten years earlier, hehad borrowed about N20,000. Heinvested part of the amount in theacquisition of land and the balancewas used to commencedevelopment. In fact, the house hadreached roofing level when he wentthere one Monday morning to findthat it had been pulled down becausehe was said to have bought the landfrom a wrong owner.

The Shylocks destroyedProfessor’s structure and startedbuilding on the land, day and night.The place was fortified with fierce-looking thugs and military hirelings.

At the time of our publication,Prof’s loan balance had risen toN35,000. He had no house; no land;and he was threatened withforfeiture, even where there wasnothing to forfeit at that time. Ourcourt case was still hanging over hishead, hence he wept profusely whenhe appeared in my office.

In land development in mostmajor cities, community youths havevirtually taken over the functions ofthe Town Planning Authorities. Whilethe youths are very active, townplanners have gone to sleep. If youwant to try your luck, just startbuilding without paying the fees ofthe area boys. They will find you outin less than six hours. Besides seizingyour men and materials, whichwould be released only after you havepaid the last kobo; most times, theywould give you the beating of yourlife time.

Clearly, the Federal Governmenthas a lot to learn from the area boys.In the dominion of the area boys, nohouse can be built without theirknowledge.

But in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), anybody can begin to buildwhile officials are asleep. They maywake up years later and roll in thebulldozers.

This first came to the fore duringthe era of Mallam el-Rufai asMinister of the FCT. Years afterpeople had completed their housesand moved into them, the Ministermoved in the bulldozers and pulleddown the buildings, describing themas illegal structures.

We see aspects of sadism to all this.Otherwise, the best time to check atrespass or non-compliance is whenit is just occurring, not years after ithas occurred. It smacks ofinsensitivity to begin to pull downcompleted buildings. Apparently,you were asleep while they built.

Did the allottees of those wrongplots allocate the plots to themselves?Somebody somewhere was derelictin the performance of his functions.How many such officials have beenbeheaded or brought to book in anyform?

Still, things are gettingincrementally worse. On Tuesday, 4December 2012, the current FCTMinister, Senator Bala Mohammed,while defending the FCT budgetestimates for 2013 with the SenateCommittee stated that authorities ofthe FCT were set to demolish 31illegal estates.

Hear Bala Mohammed: “TheFCT Administration is empoweredby relevant laws to carry outdemolition of illegal structures in anypart of the territory… There is a lot

of impunity in Abuja and we haveevidence where we tell developers notto go on with building without masterplan but they will not heed.”

In the kingdom of the area boys,they would constructively stop anydeveloper from developing ratherthan allow him develop for laterdestruction. The FCTAdministration that is empoweredto demolish cannot say it had nopower of enforcement to stopdevelopment at an early stage.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committeeis asking the wrong questions. Whyare they begging the Minister not todemolish the estates instead ofasking him to account for theadministration’s dereliction of duty?Do houses sprout up overnight? Forall we know, houses are like farms –you cannot hide them.

The FCT Administration that Iknow has a large body of townplanners, enforcers and inspectors ofall shades. Apparently, they went tosleep while developers went to work.Who pays for their slumber? That’sthe question.

An essay of this nature should endwith a prediction: Sometimesomeday, somebody somewhere willseize part of the Eagle Square, Abujaor even the Aso Rock Villa while FCTofficials will be asleep and before theywake up, a magnificent personalmansion will be standing there! Whenthey wake up years later, they will onlyreach out for the bulldozers. Beforethe bulldozers go to work, there willbe the rude awakening that the landon which the mansion stands hadbeen used as collateral for some oilsubsidy transactions! It soundsincredible but that is a clear directionfor our future!

Why are theybegging theMinister not todemolish theestates instead ofasking him toaccount for theadministration’sdereliction ofduty? Do housessprout upovernight?

CMYK

20—Vanguard20—Vanguard20—Vanguard20—Vanguard20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, , DECEMBER 27, 20122012201220122012

In Imo, succourcomes to floodravagedcommunities

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

IF there is anything thattook our self-styled fortune

tellers by surprise, it was thehuge flood that ravaged partsof Nigeria recently. They didnot see it coming and none ofthem went to town with theprediction.

The Director General, Nige-ria Meteorological Agency, NMA, Dr. Anthony Anuforom,however took the shine off thesupposed seers. He predictedthe impending doom. Address-ing the impact of climatechange in the world, in his re-

and Eziorsu communities,Oguta local government area.

Presenting the relief mate-

was meant to complement theefforts of government and do-nor agencies in alleviating thewoes of the communities.

“ Addax is appreciative of thevery cordial relationship be-tween our company and thehost communities. It stands toreason that whatever effects thecommunity equally affect us”,the MD said.

He appealed to the commu-nities to ensure equity and fair-ness in the distribution of therelief materials, stressing thatapart from the food, each floodvictim will get N50,000 cash to

enable them transport the itemsto their homes.

Receiving the relief materi-als on behalf of their commu-nities, the President General ofOrsu Obodo ProgressiveUnion, Professor BennethKaenenechukwu Obi, describedthe event as “a product of thefriendly relationship betweenthe Company and its host com-munity.

Today, the huge flood hasreceded but the big question ishow the victims will survive thedeluge. Some of the victimshave gone back to their homes

Accounting firm puts smiles on abandoned childrenBy BOSE ADELAJA

,,

A LAGOS-BASED accounting firm, Messrs Erst and Young Nigeria, as part of its corporate social respon-

sibility, recently donated various household items anddrugs to inmates of two orphanage homes in Lekki/Ajahaxis of Lagos State. The beneficiaries were the Lagos StateMotherless Babies Home at Lions Village, Lekki Phase 1and Sought After Children Orphanage, Addo-Owode.

The company had to put off all business transactions onthat day to enable its staff management and staff showthe love to the abandoned. Items doled out included; wa-ter dispensers, refrigerators, drugs, assorted beverages,electrical items and toiletries.

Making the presentation at the Lion’s Village, Mr. DayoBabatunde said the firm will make it a point of duty totouch many lives in their day to day activities, especiallythe less privileged ones.

Responding, the Administration Officer for the HomeTitilayo Ojulari said the Home is in partnership with In-ternational Association of Lion’s Club. About 118 children,according to her, are being catered for in the orphanage.

She said the children aged between 0 to 19, were eitherabandoned or abused by their parents before they foundtheir way to the Home. Also, the children can be givenout for adoption or fostering (if approved by the govern-ment) depending on the circumstances. ‘’Some of themare here for care and protection, the adoption process startsfrom the Ministry, our own is to take care of them beforethe fostering or adoption period,’’ she said.

On the adoption process, Ojulari said intending par-ents must have a good job and shelter while other pro-cesses will be reeled out by the government.

At Sought After Children Orphanage, President of theHome Mrs Carol Silver-Oyaide, appreciated the gestureof the firm ,saying the donated items will be well utilised.

The West African Leader for the Firm, Henry Egbiki toldVanguard Metro that the organisation has set a day asideto look at the plight of the abandoned. ‘’It takes a divinecalling to leave your job and concentrate on the Homes,”he said.

Officials of Addax presenting relief materials to the flood victims

Staff of Erst with the gift items

Addax management splashed reliefmaterials and cash worth millions ofNaira to the flood victims, beginningfrom Orsu Obodo

Affairs, Professor Vio-la Onwuliri, ChiefGerald Irona, SenatorHope Uzodinma andthe management ofAddax Petroleum.

The Company’s vis-it to the flood victimswas spectacular. Add-ax managementsplashed relief materi-als and cash worth mil-lions of Naira to theflood victims, begin-ning from Orsu Obodo

but many are still living in ref-ugee camps.

Vanguard investigations re-vealed that many buildingswere either swept away by thereceding flood or are badlycracked and thus renderedunfit for human habitation. Thesame is also true of their farm-lands. Crops were destroyedbeyond redemption. It is notclear what the farmers woulddo now, especially as theyclaim that the N400 millionpromised by the federal govern-ment was yet to get to them.

cent pre-convocation lecture inFederal University of Technol-ogy, Owerri, FUTO, Dr. Anu-forom said the sad phenome-non is now threatening thesafety and survival of mankind.

“ It was mankind’s quest foreconomic prosperity throughtechnological development thathas inadvertently affected theenvironment negatively”, Anu-forom said.

Continuing, the NMA bossreasoned that sea level rise,resulting in perennial floodingof coastal zones are among theconsequences of global warm-ing and climate change. “Thesephenomena are destroying thedelicate balance of the ecosys-tem, resulting in the loss ofbiodiversity and serious envi-ronmental challenge in the af-fected areas”. Dr. Anuforomsaid.

In Imo State for instance,thousands of people scam-pered into safety in neighbour-ing communities and in eitherpublic buildings or homes offriends and relations. They be-came refugees in their owncountry! A good spirited indi-viduals and corporate bodiessent relief materials to the un-fortunate victims of the flooddisaster. These included theDeputy Speaker, House of Rep-resentatives, Chief Emeka Ihe-dioha, Governor Rochas Oko-rocha, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, theMinister of State (1) for Foreign

rials to the traumatized victimson behalf of the Managing Di-rector, MD, Mr. Cor Zegelaav,the company’s Community Re-lations Manager, Mr. EmekaObi, explained that the gesture

CMYK

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 — 21

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING

CBN Exchange rate as at 24/12/2012

108.91 +1.29

88.57 +1.56

146.3 3.35

2,316.00 -12.00

19.25 3 -0.02

DOLLAR 154.77 155.27 155.77POUNDS 250.4643 251.2734 252.0826EURO 204.7298 205.3912 206.0526FRANC 169.3697 169.9168 170.464CFA 0.2935 0.3035 0.3135WAUA 238.3891 239.1593 239.9294RENMINBI 24.839 24.9197 25.0004RIYAL 41.3624 41.4961 41.6297KRONA 27.4284 27.517 27.6056SDR 239.1506 239.9232 240.6958

From left: National President, National Association of Government Approved Freight For-warders (NAGAFF), Eugene Nweke; National President of the Association of NigeriaLicensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu and Chief Taye Oyeniye,comparing notes at a function in Lagos.

RESIDENTS of the Lagosmetropolis on Tuesday ex-

perienced the return of fuelscarcity as long queues of mo-torists reappeared at majorfilling stations. The fuel situ-ation became worst on Christ-mas day, as many filling sta-tions did not have fuel to sell.Some motorists said that theyhad spent hours on the queuewaiting to buy fuel, addingthat some of the filling stationshad exploited the situation byincreasing the pump price oftheir petrol. Some filling sta-tions at Ikorodu, Bariga, La-gos-Badagry Expressway,among others, sold petrol atprices ranging between N100and N120 per litre, instead ofthe regulated price of N97 perlitre.

At Mallo filling station inIkorodu, Mr Andrew Badru,a banker, said that there wasno justification for the currentfuel scarcity as the govern-ment had assured the citizensof abundant fuel supply dur-ing the Yuletide period. Hesaid that most marketers werejust taken undue advantage ofthe festive period to exploit thecitizens.

“‘I bought a litre of petrol forN110, as against the regulat-ed price of N97 per litre; thisis an indication of exploita-tion,” he added. Another mo-torist, Mrs Ifeoma Vincent,however, urged the regulato-ry agencies to intervene andcurb the arbitrary increase ofthe pump price of petrol bysome filling stations in thecity. She said that the devel-opment has compelled com-mercial vehicles’ drivers toincrease their fares, addingthat the drivers often cited dif-ficulties in getting fuel as themain reason behind the in-crease.

“For instance, the transport

Long queues resurface at Lagos fillingstations — NAN survey

fare for a trip from Ikorodu toOjuelegba, which used to beN250, is now N700, while ajourney to Ketu, which for-merly cost N100, now costsN300. Apart from the hike intransport fares, the fuel situa-tion has also affected the traf-

fic situation, as parts of theroads have now been takenover by vehicles queuing forfuel,” she said. However,some marketers, who pre-ferred anonymity, blamed thefuel situation on the inabilityof the NNPC to supply fuel to

the filling stations.The marketers said that the

explosion at the NNPC pipe-line at Ije-dodo in Ijegun, OjoLocal Government Area, alsocontributed to the scarcity ofpetrol. They noted that theincident could have worsened

the fuel scarcity in some partsof the country, as the pipeline,which conveyed from AtlasCove to Ejigbo, Mosimi,Ibadan, Ore, and Ilorin fueldepots had been shut.

A visit by NAN to some de-pots in Apapa also confirmedclaims that almost all the de-pots had not received fuelsince last week, as the depots’owners said that they had notreceived any allocation fromNNPC or Pipelines and Prod-ucts Marketing Company Ltd.(PPMC). However, Mr Olu-mide Ogunmade, the Chair-man of the Western Zone ofIndependent Petroleum Mar-keters Association of Nigeria(IPMAN), condemned the in-cessant damage of the NNPCpipeline at the Ije-dodo areaof Ijegun.

Ogunmade, who blamed thedevelopment on the activitiesof vandals, noted that the Ije-dodo axis was a route to allfuel depots, adding that theexplosion at the pipeline wastantamount to cutting off thesupply route from Atlas Cove.“‘Government needs to tacklepipeline vandalism holistical-ly; we must not surrender tovandals,” he said.

RESIDENTS along the Atlantic coast in Akwa Ibom

have decried frequent spills atthe Qua Iboe Oil Fields, op-erated by Mobil ProducingNigeria (MPN).major ExxonMobil on Dec. 19,reported a fresh oil spill nearthe Akwa Ibom coastline.

It will be recalled that sep-arate spills had occurred at theoil field on Aug. 13, Aug. 24.Nov. 9, and Dec. 19. Reactingto the development in separate

Fishermen decry frequent spills at Qua Iboe Oil Fieldsinterviews with NAN on Tues-day, the residents said thatincessant spills in the area haddestroyed fishing at the coast-al communities. Chief InyangEkong, Secretary, Akwa IbomState Chapter of the ArtisanFishermen Association of Ni-geria, said the impact of spillson the fishing communitiesin Southern Akwa Ibom hadled to dwindlingfortunes for fishermen.

‘’The spill seriously contam-

inated the waters, causing fishdrought and distorting themarine food chain because ofthe toxic chemicals the oil com-pany uses to disperse the oil.

Whenever a spill occurs,fishermen are thrown outof business because whenthe waters become toxic,fishes migrate from thereach of fishermen and foryou to have any catch youhave to go beyond Niger-ia’s territorial waters at themercy of the Cameroongendarmes.

‘’The first thing we dois to instruct our membersto withdraw from fishingto avoid catching contam-inated fish and we haveasked Mobil to compen-sate us for the lost incomewithin the period they arecleaning the spill,” Ekongsaid. Chief John Etim, acommunity leader inIbeno Local GovernmentArea, noted that the fre-quent spills wered e p r i v i n g t h ecommunities their eco-

nomic rights. He said that thefrequent spills had impover-ished the fishing communitiesalong the coastline.

THE management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Tuesday assured

Nigerians of steady and regular electricity sup-ply. Mr Jonathan Ndiagwaralukwe, the Execu-tive Director (Systems Operations) of theTCN, gave the assurance in Abuja.

“We are promising steady electricity notonly during the Yuletide but also throughout theyear; we are moving the sector forward. We aresaying Nigerians deserve steady electricity sup-ply and one of the cardinal points of this gov-ernment is regular power day or night. All theefforts made in the past to improve the

TCN assures Nigerians of steady electricity supplysector are gradually yielding fruits; we ex-pect that the tempo would be sustained be-cause all the investments made in the reha-bilitation of power stations, transmission linesand even in power distribution are coming on-stream. “Also, new projects are being inaugu-rated, especially the National Integration Pow-er Projects (NIPPs) and new power stations.As regards steady gas supply to our thermalstations, which has remained a thorny issue;there is an improvement. Power stations arenow getting gas and new NIPPs are comingon-stream,” he said.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 27, 2012

NKIRUKA NNOROM

CAPITAL market operatorshave enjoined the newly

appointed board of theSecurities and ExchangeCommission, SEC, to handlesensitive issues andinformation emanating fromthe commission with care,saying misinformation iscapable of creating panic inthe market.

Vanguard recalls that thelast board of SEC vacatedoffice last June while theDirector-General, Ms.Arunma Oteh, has beenrunning the affairs of thecommission without a board.However, the FederalGovernment, at the weekend,announced a new board withDr. Suleiman Abdu Ndanusa,a former DG of thecommission, as chairman.

Other members are: MallamMounir Gwarzo; Mrs.Sa’adatu Bello; Mr.Zakawanu Imhobobho G a ruba; Mr. AdefunkeAbiodun; Mr. UgochukwuIkemba.

Speaking on behalf of otherstockbrokers, Mr. EmekaMadubuike, Chairman,Association of StockbrokingHouses of Nigeria, ASHON,said the appointment wouldgo a long way in boosting theoperations of the apexregulatory body of theNigerian capital market.

He stated that leaving thecommission without board wastantamount to leaving themarket rudderless, addingthat it would enhance theoperations of the commission.

“It has been long overduebecause the last board leftoffice last June. With a new

Stockbrokers caution new SECboard on sensitive issues

board some of the actions thatneeded board’s approval thathave been delayed can nowbe considered. We are alsopleased with the inclusion ofsome experienced people onthe board, especially thechairman, who was once aDG.

This is a good developmentfor the regulation of themarket,” Madubuike said.

Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, Secretary General; Mr. Babatunde Savage, Chairman; Dr. Raymond Ihyembe, Vice Chairmanand Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin, ICC Nigeria Board member at the Chambers dinner.

He therefore, advised theboard to work in harmony andtake proactive decisions thatwould sustain the recoverybeing witnessed in themarket.

“For instance, SEC came outwith a list of 35 stockbrokingfirms, saying their registrationhas been withdrawn. It isgood a move but suchinformation should be put in

better perspective. Thebroking firms referred to havebeen out of operations for overfour years. But investors maynot know this. We only hopethat the new board wouldaddress how the commissionsend its market sensitiveinformation out so as not tocreate panic this time that themarket is witnessing gradualrecovery,” he said.

NSE market value drops by N17.7bnBY CHINEDU IBEABUCHI

THE value of equities listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange,

NSE, fell by N17.70 billion on Monday,while the All-Share Index also fell by 55.4points.

Specifically, the market capitalisationwhich opened at N8.75 trillion dropped by0.23 per cent, to close at N8.73 trillion.

While the Share Index, another marketindicator, fell by 0.20 per cent to close at27,346.66 points from 27,402.06 points.

No trading took place Tuesday andWednesday due to Christmas holiday.

86 equities were traded Monday as against93 last Friday with more activities recordedin Financials, Conglomerates, Consumerand Goods Services sectors.

Ikeja Hotel Plc led the losers’ chart, decliningby 5 per cent to close at N0.76 per share. Thiswas followed by Live Stock Feeds Plc thatdropped by 4.86 per cent to close at N1.37 pershare and Fidson Healthcare Plc depreciatedby 4.76 per cent to close at N1.00 per share.

On the contrary, Forte Oil Plc topped thegainers’ chart, rising by 4.90 per cent to closeat N8.13 per share. This was followed byNPF Microfinance Bank Plc that rose by 4.85per cent to close at N7.75 per share, and RTBriscoe Nigeria Plc appreciated by 3.73 percent to close at N1.34 per share.

Meanwhile, equities transaction recorded46.72 per cent depreciation, with a turnoverof 116.08 million shares valued at N1.26billion exchanged in 2,006 deals as against3.01 per cent depreciation recorded in theprevious trading of 217.86 million sharesexchanged in 3,710 deals.

As usual, Financial sector led the markettransaction volume with 169.89 millionshares valued at N1.32 billion exchangedin 2,182 deals as against 232.51 millionshares valued at N1.40 billion exchangedin 2,153 deals in previous session.The volume recorded in the sector wasdriven by transaction in the shares of FirstBank of Nigeria Holding Plc (FBNH),Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc,UBA, Resort Savings & Loans Plc andGuaranty Trust Bank Plc.

The total volume of 55.30 million sharesvalued at N646.91 billion traded in the fiveequities accounted for 47.64 per cent of theentire market volume and their valuerepresented 51.26 per cent of the market’svalue.

Financial Services sector led the marketsectoral performance with 73.93 millionshares traded in 1,084 deals within thesector, followed by Conglomerates sectorwith 19.63 million shares traded in 88 dealswhile Consumer Goods sector recorded10.61 million shares in 468 deals.

Europeanshares end lastsession beforeChristmas flat

EUROPEAN shares closedprovisionally lower in a

thin last trading sessionbefore the Christmas breakwith investors opting to trimpositions in the absence of aresolution to U.S. budgettalks.

French, Dutch, Spanishand UK markets traded foronly half the session whilethose in Germany, Italy,Austria, Greece, Denmark,Norway, Sweden andSwitzerland were closed.

The FTSEurofirst 300 closeddown 0.1 percent, at 1,138.14points, still just a few pointsshy of an 19-month high of1,144.15 hit last week.

“There are very few peoplein the office and most of thebusiness being done istrimming positions after somedecent year-end gains,” aLondon-based trader said.

The euro zone’s blue chipEuro STOXX 50 index andFrance’s CAC 40, which aretrading around 16-monthhighs, closed down 0.1percent and 0.2 percentrespectively. Spain’s IBEXfinished up 0.1 percent andBritain’s FTSE 100 index wasup 0.2 percent; they are bothat around 9-month highs.

Rebecca O’Keeffe, head ofinvestment at InteractiveInvestor, said the marchhigher was largely the resultof investors betting U.S.policymakers will avoid theso-called fiscal cliff and thatEurope’s debt crisis is abating.

After shunning Europeanassets most of the year becauseof fears the crisis would leadto a break-up of the euro zone,investors have shown appetitefor European stocks recently,according to EPFR Globaldata.

But momentum has beenstalled by concerns over thetalks between U.S. Democratsand Republicans to avoidaround $600 billion inautomatic tax hikes andspending cuts that could dragthe world’s biggest economyback into recession.

“Events last week highlightthe yawning gap that stillremains between theRepublicans and Democratsand suggest that investoroptimism may be misplaced,”Interactive Investor O’Keeffesaid. The majority of sectorsended in negative territory, butmedia shares managed a 0.3percent rise boosted by M&Aactivity at London-listedbroadcaster ITV.

ITV rose 0.6 percent afterannouncing the purchase of a61.5 percent stake in U.S.-based Gurney Productions,which makes realityprogrammes.


Banker hails mandatory certification for microfinance operators

ANAN ex-president tasks NASS on 2013 budgetoversight functions

THE Chief ExecutiveOfficer, MoneyWise

Microfinance bank hassaid that the mandatorycertification for operatorsof microfinance wouldenhance efficiency in thesub-sector.

The CEO, Mr. DeleOyekanmi, who is alsothe Chairman, NationalAssociation of Microfi-nance Banks (NAMBs),Ikeja chapter, made thedisclosure in an inter-view with the NewsAgency of Nigeria(NAN) in Lagos.

He commended the

Central Bank of Nigeriaand Chartered Instituteof Bankers of Nigeria forfixing 2013 for the totalcompliance of the man-datory certification formicrofinance banks.

Oyekanmi observedthat the policy wouldensure that microfinanceinstitutions in the coun-try were managed by ex-perienced hands.

“The programme isgoing to be mandatoryfor all microfinance op-erators in the country asfrom 2013 and if you donot pass the examination

you cannot run microfi-nance bank in Nigeria,”he said. He said that theprogramme, which start-ed in 2010, was beingconducted twice in a year

and had transformed thesub-sector.

Oyekanmi said thatbefore now, running mi-crofinance bank wasquite challenging be-

cause operators ran it ascommercial and commu-nity banks, noting thatthey were different ball-game.

He said that there was

need for active participa-tion of trained personnelin the administration ofmicrofinance banks toimprove stability in thesub-sector.

Budget implementation ’lldetermine business directionin 2013 —CIIN President

CBN ex-director urges FG toadopt measures to restoreinvestors’ confidence

A FORMER Presidentof Association of

National Accountants ofNigeria (ANAN), Dr.Samuel Nzekwe, hastasked the National As-sembly to properly en-force its oversight func-

tions regarding imple-mentation of 2013 bud-get.

Nzekwe said this inan interview with theNews Agency of Nige-ria (NAN) in Lagos.

He commended the

National Assembly forpassing the 2013 budgetin good time. The ac-countant also commend-ed the National Assem-bly for extending thecapital component of the2012 budget up to April2013 to ensure a com-prehensive implementa-tion of the 2012 budget.

“Nigerians are happythat early passage of the2013 budget was givenpriority’’, he said.

The former ANAN

president said that effec-tive performance of theoversight functions by theNational Assembly wouldenable Nigerians benefitfrom the dividends of de-mocracy.

“It is very funny that af-ter preparing a lofty bud-get, nothing will be thereto show for it at the end.“No matter how well pre-pared and presented abudget is, if not properlyimplemented, it becomes abad budget,’’ he said.

A FORMER Directorin the Central Bank

of Nigeria (CBN), Mr.Titus Okunronmu, hasurged the Federal Gov-ernment to adopt moreaggressive measures torestore investors’ confi-dence in the financialsector.

Okunronmu said thatthe measures would fur-ther ensure stability inthe nation’s financialsystem.

According to him, thebanking system has beenover-heated by the re-cent financial crisis andneed urgent attention toachieve sustainablegrowth.

Okunronmu noted thatthere should be properregulation and enforce-ment of all economic pol-icies pertaining to the fi-nancial sector.

He said that the CBNshould ensure that allthe required bankingregulations and policieswere strictly adhered toby all financialinstitutions.“The apexbank also needs to mon-itor and constantly su-pervise the way loansare disbursed in thebanking sector,’’ hesaid.

Okunronmu said theera when managing di-rectors of banks gaveloans to customers with-out collateral was over,adding that there shouldbe checks and balancesin the way loans weredisbursed to customers.

He stressed the needfor the CBN to encour-age banks to expand realsector financing to boostthe nation’s economyand employment gener-ation.

THE Chartered Insurance Institute of Ni-

geria (CIIN) has pre-dicted that early imple-mentation of budgetwould be the drivingforce of businesses in2013.

Dr Wole Adetimehin,President of the insti-tute, told the NewsAgency of Nigeria(NAN) in Lagos on Mon-day that timely imple-mentation, as opposed tothe past pattern, wouldaid business direction in2013. According to him,it is commendable thatthe budget was passedbefore the close of 2012,

but “implementation iswhat matters”.

“All operators in thevarious sectors of theeconomy can also lever-age on the early passageto structure and restruc-ture their business plansfor 2013,” he said.

Adetimehin expressedoptimism there wouldnot be any delay in sign-ing the budget becauseof the increase in its sizeby N60 billion by theNational Assembly. Hesaid that any controver-sy on the size couldmake nonsense of theearly passage of the bud-get.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 —25

BRIEFSSeme Customs makes seizures worth over N24m

SEME Area Command ofthe Nigeria Customs Ser-

vice (NCS) has impoundedvarious contraband goodswith Duty Paid Value (DPV)of over N24 million beingsmuggled into the country be-tween November 19 and De-cember 23, 2012.

The goods which includesbags of rice, vehicles, secondhand clothes, vegetable oil,textile materials, frozen poul-try products, shoes etc. Ac-cording to a statistics made

BY GODFREY BIVBERE available to Vanguard, theCommand impounded over803 bags of rice and over 450cartoons of frozen poultryproducts most of which havebeen buried as a result of theirperishable nature.

A source close to the Cus-toms Area Controller (CAC),Abdul Saleh Othman, toldVanguard that the number ofseizure and the value wouldhave been more but for the factthat they had to make some ofthe owners of the seized goodspay duty on the m.

When contacted, the officer

in charge of operations atthe Command, EmmanuelNilemdirim, said that sei-zure at the Command is adaily occurrence, addingthat it will continue.

He however refused toconfirm the amount of itemsseized as well as the valueof the item, directing ourreporter to the Public Rela-tions Officer of the com-mand, Ernest Olotta.

Efforts to get theCommands spokesman onphone proved abortive.

Africa lucrative market for cargohandling equipment

TWO Chinese heavylift vessels arrived in the Angolan

port of Lobito at the end of No-vember bringing several items ofcargo handling equipment, in-cluding two STS gantry cranes,another crane and rubber tyre gan-tries for the port, reports CapeTown-based surveyor DennisHenwood. The vessels were theZHEN HUA 9 and ZHEN HUA13 and the equipment was dis-charged to the accompaniment oftraditional Chinese dragon danc-ing with local Angolan music play-

ing in the background.The port is being upgraded with

a new container terminal and re-furbished railway lines. Elsewherea grand new railway station hasbeen built while the main line fromLobito and Benguela to the Zam-bian border has been completed.This has the potential of divertingtraffic from Zambia, Zimbabweand the Democratic Republic ofCongo (DRC) to Benguela andLobito ports instead of the muchlonger runs to Durban, Maputoor Walvis Bay.

Fish poaching: Economic effectunquantifiable — former fish trawler boss

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

FORMER President ofNigeria Trawler

Operators Association(NITOA) and ManagingDirector/Chief ExecutiveOfficer of the fishingcompany,MORBOD FisheriesLimited, Mrs. MargaretOrakwusi, has said thatuncontrolled poaching of thenation’s fishing resources,remains both economic andsecurity challenge that shouldbe tackled urgently.

Orakwusi who spoke toVanguard in Lagos, said theissue of poaching in Nigeriawaters “has been going on forso long. Very big vessels cometo the nation’s waters andpoach unhindered, addingthat it is part of the securitychallenges being faced in the

maritime industry.The MORBOD boss

explained that these bigvessels come and attack theirown vessels and go on to fishas much as they like beforesailing out. She said that mostof the time local investors lossso much in terms of humanand equipment and that iswhy the nation’s trawlingbusiness has almostcollapsed.

Orakwusi said governmentis doing something about thesituation but noted that muchneed to be done if the fishingindustry must be exploited forthe economic benefit of thecountry and its hungrycitizenry, she added that thiscan only be done throughencouragement of localinvestors in the sector.

She however observed thatthe dominance of the sector by

foreigners and poachers is notsafe for Nigerians as most ofthe fishes being dumped inthe nation’s market “are notfit for human consumption.”

As a means of attractinginvestors and exploiting thehuge potential of the sector,the former NITOA Presidentcalled on government to createa dedicated terminal forfishing business in thecountry.

According to her, adedicated terminal will helpgreatly to reduce the cost ofinvestment for anyonewishing to seek investmentopportunity in the area.

She noted that the presentsituation where an intendinginvestor had to get a jetty, buythe vessels, get carpentryworkshop, build a cool-roomfor storage of their catch, buybarges etc, actually increase

Nigeria Navy seekscollaboration to fight piracy

BY EDIRI EJOH

THE increasing spate of illegalities in Nigeria wa-

ters is becoming a majorsource of worry to the Nige-rian Navy because of its ad-verse effects on the nation’seconomy. To this end, theNavy authorities have calledfor collaboration of both stake-holders and the Navy to re-ducing the scourge.

The position of the NigerianNavy was made known inLagos recently at the sixthShips & Ports Annual NationalEssay Competition Prize pre-sentation Ceremony by theFlag Officer Commanding(FOC), Western naval Com-mand, Rear Admiral AminIkioda, who was representedby the Command IntelligenceOfficer, Commander Usman

Bugaje.Ikioda said the activities of

crude oil theft often involvethe movement of huge cashthrough the banks and thiscould be a veritable source ofintelligence if suitably har-nessed and provided to rel-evant agencies.

According to him, there isthe need for government tofurther monitor commercialbanks in their implementationof the existing anti-moneylaundering policy.

“In this regard, thereshould also continue to beclose liaison with other secu-rity agencies, especially theDepartment of State Services,”he added.

He called the FederalGovernment’s assistance forthe nation’s security agenciesthrough capacity building andequipment procurement inorder to boost their capacity tocombat the scourge of crimi-nalities in the waters.According to him, “Greater at-tention must be made to en-hance the capacity of the Ni-gerian Navy through the ac-quisition of more functionalships, boats, offshore patrolvessels (OPV), helicoptersand back-up facilities to en-able them perform their statu-tory role of hunting down seapirates and smugglers.”

The Naval Chief added thatit was during one of the meet-ings, the inadequacy of navalplatforms to cover the WestMaritime Area of Nigeria, wasidentified as a factor militat-ing against the desired resultsin the fight against piracy.

He noted that “with new ac-quisition of vessels, the Nige-rian Navy increased its patrolactivities especially aroundpotential areas of pirate’s at-tacks.”

“Also, it was opined that Na-val personnel could be de-ployed onboard non Navalvessels for escort duties todeter would be pirates andrepel any attack for economicprosperity,” he declared.

greatly the initial amount aninvestor would need to enterinto the business.

She pointed out that with adedicated terminal; therewould be others going intospecialized aspect of thefishing business withoutnecessarily investing in thewhole business.

Should a dedicated terminalbe created for fishing, somepeople will focus on provisionof cool-room, others willprovide such services asmechanical workshop,carpentry workshop, dry-docking facility, renting ofbarges etc, she noted.

This, in the long run willgreatly bring down the cost ofinvestment in the sector andattract more investors as wellopen it up for more Nigeriansto come in.

From left: National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA),Prince Olayiwola Shittu and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of ANLCA, Henry Njuko ata function, in Lagos.

26 — Vanguard,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

CMYK

IDL eyes market visibility with Veleta despite industry challenges

Sunglass, Glamour.com target Nigerians to boost onlineshopping

By CHINEDUIBEABUCHI

INTERCONTINENTALDistillers Limited, (IDL)

marketers of Veleta drinkssaid the product recordeda remarkable market pen-etration in 2012, with 2013offering greater opportuni-ties despite challengesfrom the influx of foreigndrinks.

Mrs. Chioma Alonge,Brand Manager, Veleta,disclosed this at Intercon-tinental Distillers BrandsLight up Jazz Night withYemi Sax organised to cel-ebrate the company’s fansin Lagos.

She said the company hasa lot to offer its customers

next year as plans are in-tact to bring out the variantoptions of Veleta.

“2012 has been an awe-some year. Veleta is gain-ing more ground and morevisibility in the market.Initially, people didn’tknow much about the prod-uct. But now, throughawareness, we are creat-ing better visibility for theproduct.

“That is why we are heretoday to celebrate our cus-tomers and identify withYemi Sax as a means of en-couraging our indigenoustalents, national pride andculture. Veleta, being anon-alcoholic drink, reallynice and very good, has

been able to survive com-petition due to its qualitywhich meets industry stan-dard.

“However, the rate of in-flux of foreign drinks intothe Nigerian drinks indus-try is alarming. This is be-

cause of the ease of impor-tation and porous border.Meanwhile most of the for-eign drinks are substan-

dard and not good for thehealth. Nigerians feel thatbecause they are foreign,they are quality.

AS online shopping begins to gain ground in

Nigeria, Sunglass.com andGlamour.com, both, anonline shopping portal saidits targeting the 50 millionNigeria internet users toboost sales.

The shops expressed their

By PRINCEWILLEKWUJURU

preparedness to deliver ondemand for goods pur-chased form its shoppingmachine.

The companies which isunder the Management ofMr. Jaime Moreno, ChiefExecutive Officer of the com-panies, said they are bring-ing quality to online shop-ping at the click of a buttonnoted its doing this with lo-cal knowledge, whilst stress-ing that they are bringing the

best premium products con-sumers can get any wherein Europe, Dubai or Uk.

Moreno said that Nigeriabeing rated 10th amonginternet users globally withits 50 million internet usersare potential hope of thegrowth of online shoppingand growth of the economy.We have others coming up,and because we have 50 mil-lion internet users who arebecoming part of the new

industry, e-commerce willsurely thrive in Nigeria andsunglss.com andGlamour.com are capitalis-ing on this advantage topitch their tent in Nigeria toserve the the Nigerian popu-lation.

Starting business in thepast six months, Moreno saidthe companies were alreadya global retailer who offersproducts of high quality atlower prices, while stressingthat Sunglass and Glamourwill be offering the samequality of services obtainedin other parts of the worldwhere online trading is thriv-ing.

CMCINhonoursRivers FirstLady

BY OLAYINKALATONA

THE CertifiedM a r k e t i n g

Communications Instituteof Nigeria, CMCIN,recently honoured wife ofthe Governor of RiversState, Dame JudithAmaechi for contributingtowards the developmentof youths and children inRivers State.

Receiving the award onbehalf of Mrs. Amaechiduring the 9th NationalProfessional EngagementForum/Special Induction atCentre for ManagementDevelopment, Lagos,themed: “Maximising &Measuring Public,Corporate & MarketingCommunica t i ons” ,Chinda Ogbuji who is alsoan associate member ofCMCIN assuredNigerians that the RiversState first lady would notrelent in her activities inensuring that rights anddevelopment of childrenand youths in the statewere protected.

The award, according tothe Vice President of theinstitution, Mr. Olu.Oyewole, was based onthe institute’s monitoringof her excellency’sstrategic use of integratedcommunications for publicenlightenment, youthsand children engagementand empowerment forgood governance in RiversState.

Other special inducteesincluded Kolawole Taiwo,Deputy Speaker of LagosState House of Assembly,Chief Vijay Nair, BusinessHead, Cormart Nigeria,Balogun Abdul-baq, LolaAkande of the Lagos StateHouse of Assembly amongothers.


CMYK

Don calls for totalderegulation oftertiary education

Lecturer'sLecturer'sLecturer'sLecturer'sLecturer'ssalarsalarsalarsalarsalar y wy wy wy wy wasasasasasN550 inN550 inN550 inN550 inN550 in11111990990990990990— ProfBanku — Page 34

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

AS we all get ready topop champagne tocelebrate aremarkable year and

count down to 2013, wea t Vanguard Learning bringyou a collection of stories that

2012 education in retrospectmade 2012 outstanding.

ASUU strikeThe year started off with the

suspension of strike actionembarked upon by theAcademic Staff Union ofUniversities (ASUU), whichkept public universities under

lock and key for two months.The strike was in protest of

the Federal Government’srefusal to honour anagreement it reached with theunion in 2009 to arrest andreverse the decay in theuniversity system andreposition it for greater

responsibilities in nationaldevelopment; reverse thebrain-drain, not only byenhancing the remunerationof academic staff, but also bydisengaging them from theencumbrances of a unifiedcivil service wage structure;and restore universities

through immediate, massiveand sustained financialintervention among others.

ASUU and FG finallyreached a common stand onthe following: funding; reviewof laws that impinge onuniversity autonomy; separatesalary structure for academicstaff in the universities;earned allowances to entitledacademic staff; and pensionfor university academics andcompulsory retirement age.

Rainstorm kill students,

teacherOn Monday, February 13,

2012, an early morningrainstorm wreaked havoc inseveral parts of Lagos,destroying houses, cars,electric poles, and uprootingmany trees, thereby leaving15 persons dead, teachersand students inclusive.

Among the dead were 10children, who drowned atShibiri Ekunpa area of Ojowhen a passenger ferrytaking them to school

Continues on page 28

Predicting 2013Campus trends (PT 1)


capsized. Also, two studentsof Goodness ComprehensiveHigh School were killed whenthe storm destroyed theirschool building, while ateacher at St. GregoryCollege, Obalende, was killedwhen a mast collapsed onhim.

Also, Jakande Low CostHousing Estate PrimarySchool, Oke Afa Junior andSenior Colleges had theirroofs blown away by therainstorm.

8.43% education budget Concerned education

stakeholders were shocked atthe allocation of N400.15billion (8.43 per cent) of the2012 annual budget to theeducation sector, a far cryfrom the 26 per centrecommended by UnitedNations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganization, UNESCO.

A breakdown of the budgetshowed that N345.091bn (82per cent) was allotted torecurrent expenditure while ameager N55.056bn (18 percent) is for capitalexpenditure. N317.896bn wasproposed for personnel costand N27.192bn was foroverheads.

Nigeria spends less than 9per cent of her annual budgeton education, far below whatother African countries spendon education. Botswanaspends 19.0 per cent;Swaziland, 24.6 per cent;Lesotho, 17 per cent; SouthAfrica, 25.8 per cent; Coted’Ivoire, 30 per cent; BurkinaFaso, 16.8 per cent; Ghana, 31per cent; Kenya, 23 per cent;Uganda, 27 per cent; Tunisia,17 per cent; and, Morocco,17.7 per cent.

Death of UNILAG VC Just when things were

getting normal, the Nigerianacademic community was

thrown into mourningfollowing the death of the ViceChancellor of the Universityof Lagos, ProfessorAdetokunbo BabatundeSofeluwe.

Sofeluwe, 62, suffered aheart attack in his office andwas rushed to the LagosUniversity Teaching Hospitalwhere he suffered anotherattack before giving up theghost in the early hours ofSaturday, May, 2012.

Sofoluwe, who wasappointed on January 31,2010 as the 10th VC, got hisfirst degree from theUniversity of Lagos inComputer Science.

Educating 9.5 millionalmajiris

Resolute in achievingEducation for All by 2015, theFederal Governmentlaunched the Almajiri modelschool in Sokoto State, whichhas been replicated in othernorthern states, aimed atbroadening the horizon ofover 9.5 million almajiris onspiritual and moral values.

President Jonathan, at theinauguration of the first

Almajiri Model BoardingSchool in Gagi, Sokoto State,said his administration be-lieved that the time had comefor the nation to build on themoral foundations of the tra-ditional school system by pro-viding the Almajiri with con-ventional knowledge andskills that would enable themto fully realise their creativeand productive potentials.

Government had so farconstructed 35 of such modelschools, while states withlarge population of Almajiriswould have both the boardingand day schools. The schoolcomprises 15 blocks ofclassrooms, languagelaboratory, clinic, recitationroom, vocational workshop,Mallams’ quarters and adinning hall.

Mass failures in public

examinationPublic attention was, again,

drawn to the rot in theeducation sector following themass failure of students in theUnified Tertiary MatriculationExamination (UTME) andWest Africa Senior SchoolCertificate Examination

(WASSCE).In the May/June 2012

WAEC exams, only 38.81 percent of the candidates or649,156 of 1,695,878candidates obtained credits infive subjects and above,including English languageand Mathematics.

Of the 1,695,878 candidates,6.70 per cent (112,000) werewithheld for various report ofalleged involvement inexamination malpractice;46.14 per cent (771,731)obtained six credits andabove; 56.93 per cent(952,156) obtained five creditsand above; 66.24 per cent(1,107,747) obtained creditsand above in four subjects,while 74.55 per cent(1,246,729) obtained creditsand above in three subjects.

The results were not any

Continued from page 27

2012 in retrospect

better in the UTME as,according to JAMB Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof. DibuOjerinde, of the 1,503,931candidates that sat for theexam, only 3 scored 300 andabove; 901 scored between270-299; 71,339 candidatesscored between 250-269;601,151 scored between 200-249; 374,920 candidatesscored between 170-199;while 336,330 scored below170.

27,266 results wherewithheld in 52 centres in eightstates for exam malpractice,while number of invalidresults was 5,161.

License withdrawalThe National Universities

Commission (NUC) threwsome spanners in the wheelwhen it announced thesuspension of the licences ofseven private universities onJuly 4.

The affected universities -Madonna University, LeadCity University, TansianUniversity, Caritas University,Joseph Ayo BabalolaUniversity, AchieversUniversity and Obong

University – had their opera-tional licences suspended forfailing to live up to guidelinesstipulated for running of uni-versities in Nigeria by NUC.

According to the ExecutiveSecretary, NUC, ProfessorJulius Okojie, some of theiroffences were unwillingnessto comply with regulations,inappropriate governancestructure and poormanagement of academicactivities. He added that thesuspension would be lifted assoon as they comply.

Ban of part-time

programmesThen came the ban on part-

time programmes in varsitiesby the NUC, whichstakeholders say would denymillions of Nigerians whoseonly chances of acquiringhigher education werethrough part-timeprogrammes.

According to Okojie, the banis aimed at rationalising theactivities as well as ensuringthat best practices andstandards are maintained. Headded that until the ban islifted, admission into part-time programme will notexceed 20 per cent of avarsity’s total intake whilelectures will be restricted tovarsities campuses only.

PhD truck driversThe value of our educational

certificates was brought toquestion when DangoteGroup announced that itreceived 13,000 applicationsfrom graduates foremployment as truckdrivers. Of this number, sixPhD, 704 Masters and over8,460 Bachelor degreeholders applied for theGraduate Executive TruckDriver positions.

According to the Chairmanof Dangote Group, AlikoDangote, most of theapplicants are from reputableuniversities and our plan is toeventually make them self-dependent.

The drivers will get tripallowances on each trip alongwith their salaries, and willown the trucks at no interestsor repayments after they musthave reached 300,000km,(about 140 trips from Lagos toKano) within two to fouryears.

ALUU 4The death of the four

University of Port Harcourtstudents that were lynched inAluu Community, IkwerreLGA, Rivers State, forallegedly stealing phones andlaptops would forever remainin the minds of many.

The students, ChiadikaLordson, Ugonna KelechiObusor, Mike Lloyd Toku,and Tekena Elkanah, werebeaten and later set ablaze bymembers of the community.

According to an eye witness,Miss Ibisobia Elkanah, sisterto Tekena, policemen whovisited the scene when thestudents were being beatenencouraged the mob to ‘burnthem alive’

•Education minister, Prof. Rufa'I •Executive Secretary, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie

Destroyed buildings by the raintorm

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012 —29

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30—30—30—30—30—Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, 20122012201220122012

Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, Vanguard, THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, DECEMBER 27, 2012—312012—312012—312012—312012—31


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Don calls for total deregulation oftertiary education

No plans to increase tuition fees—OAU Registrar

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

AMIDST hues and criesfrom some quarters that

the rot in infrastructure in ourtertiary education system isbecoming too alarming,former Special Adviser to thepast Governor of Lagos State,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Prof.Tunde Samuel, has called ongovernment at federal andstate levels to totallyderegulate the system, giventhe macro economic reality onground.

Delivering the 49th

Inaugural Lecture of theLagos State University(LASU), Ojo entitled: “TotalDeregulation: The InevitableBitter-Pill or PartialDeregulation, a PolicyHeresy-Which Option forPublic Tertiary Education in

Nigeria?”, Prof. Samuelaverred that if the sector mustwitness rapid academic andinfrastructural growth, theneed for government tohands-off its regulatorycontrol on how publicuniversities, polytechnics,monotechnics and colleges ofeducation are managedbecomes expedient.

Buttressing his point, theHead, Department ofEducation Management,LASU lamented the difficultyfor ivory towers to get monthlyimprest, pay salary, attendconferences, workshops,engender infrastructuralrenewal and development foreffective teaching, learningand research.

He opined that “as the costof education has been on theincrease and the waitingperiod after graduation is nowindefinite, it’s difficult toadvise government tocontinue to bear the hugefinancial burden of tertiaryeducation.

“Given the macro economicreality on ground asenunciated in this inaugurallecture, my thesis is that totalderegulation is inevitable butnot now, if tertiary educationis to fulfill its social welfarefunction. My position isreinforced by the brutal factthat with a per capita of lessthan $2 per day, majority ofNigerians can not have accessto tertiary education even atthe current cost.”

Going by the United NationsUnit Cost Estimate for TertiaryEducation in Africa, which is

put at between $10,000-$15,000 or N2.3m upper limitand N1.5m lower limit for afour year degree programme,the don held that “publictertiary institutions in Nigeriashould charge a lower limit ofN391,000 and an upper limitof N500,000 to keep tertiaryeducation alive.

He recalled that a fundingscheme which he suggested in2002 at a World Bank Summiton Alternative sources forfunding Higher Education inNigeria should be adopted.According to him,“government should take careof municipal cost, salaries andallowances of staff; tuition feesshould be set aside for capitaprojects, whilst accommodationshould be left for parents in linewith the dynamics of partialderegulation.”

In his one hour interactivelecture, Prof. Samuel, whileevaluating the current state ofthe nation’s education sector,amongst other thingsrecommended that higherinstitutions of learning mustembrace vocational andtechnical education, notingthat “there is no tangencybetween the gargantuaninvestment in tertiaryeducation and the rate ofreturn but massive joblessnessin the economy.”

Recommending that there isneed for managers of tertiaryinstitutions to prudentlymanage funds disbursed, headmonished: “GoverningCouncil Chairmen andmembers should adherestrictly to fiscal discipline.

•Prof. Tunde Samuel receiving a handshake from LASU VC,Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa after delivering his lecture

BY ABASS ALOBALOWO, OAU

THE Registrar of the Obafemi AwolowoUniversity, Ile-Ife, Mr Ayorinde

Ogunruku has debunked rumours that theuniversity authority is planning to increasetuition fees.

He was reacting to last week’s lectureboycott and protest for restoration of theproscribed students’ union by students.He said that the procedure for increase infees is quite clear, adding that no committeehas met nor discussed anything whatsoeverabout any increase in fees.In a statement issued last week, Ogunrukusaid: ‘’Further to the circular issued on

Sunday December 2, 2012 on the activities ofsome students in the university, the attentionof the university management has beendrawn to rumours being peddled by somemischief makers to justify their nefariousillegalities that the university has planned toincrease school fees from the beginning ofthe 2012/2013 session.

“Those concerned have today forced somestudents to boycott classes without followingthe normal University regulations in thatregard.’’

He, however, enjoined students todisregard the lies which are beingorchestrated by some students in order todrum support for their unscrupulousintentions.

US, Gordon Barrett train 100 corps members on skills acquisition

IN order to prepare joblessNigerian youths for the

future challenge, TheUnited States ConsulateGeneral, Lagos inconjunction with GordonBarrett have organised oneday workshop for onehundred successful corpsmembers who wereoutstanding in entrepren-eurship during their serviceyear.

Mrs Rhonda Watson,Diplomacy Officer, UnitedStates Consulate General,Lagos who spoke on behalfof the Consulate Generalsaid, as future leaders of thiscountry, youths should focuson what to do to make adifference in a system that

is plagued by joblessnessand corruption.

Watson who stated this atthe Embassy’s Multi

purposeHall noted thatcorruption is the bane ofdevelopment in any state,urging youths to determineto make a changein the system. She said: “Youare the leaders of tomorrow,focus on what you can do withyour yourselves. Don’t say,since nobody is doing it right,you will follow that same path,be the change agent and letthe change starts within you”

According to Watson, theaction you take can haveimpact in you and the societyat large adding that if you seethe society as a place wherenothing can change - the way

you see things is yourparadigm. “Examine yourbehavioural system andidentify what can be change.Change may take time, butdefinitely, the change willcome,” she said.Speaking on the theme:

‘Sparking Creativity andInnovation,’ the Public AffairsOfficers pointed out StephenCovey’s seven habits embodywhich she referred to as thebasic building blocks ofhuman effectiveness.Watson listed the seven habitsas: “Be proactive, Begin withthe end in mind, Put firstthings first and Think win-win. Others include, Seek firstto understand, then to beunderstood, Synergize andSharpen the saw.She explained that to be

proactive implies empo-wering individuals to maketheir own decisions accordingto self-determined values,and to work on things they cancontrol in lieu of reacting toor worrying about conditionsover which they have little orno control.

Begin with the end inmind, means to enables

individuals to shape their ownfuture, beginning with theend in mind in all areas of lifeand using their personalmission statement to guidedecisions.

On putting first thing first,Watson said, it deals with anew generation of timemanagement, which focuseson preserving andenhancing relationships and

on accomplishing results,rather than focusing onthings and time. ’Thinkwin-win,’ she notedencourages a frame ofmind, based on thecharacter traits of integrity,maturity and an abundancementality that constantlyseeks mutual benefit inhuman interactions.

You must seek first tounderstand, then to beunderstood, Watson told theyouths, saying, they mustfocus on listening with theintent to understand whichimproves interpersonalcommunication, facilitatesproblem solving andminimises autobiographicalresponses and otherbarriers to effectivecommunication.

By DAYO ADESULU


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Predicting 20Predicting 20Predicting 20Predicting 20Predicting 20111113 Campus trends (PT 1)3 Campus trends (PT 1)3 Campus trends (PT 1)3 Campus trends (PT 1)3 Campus trends (PT 1)

BY ABIGAIL FRANK

HISTORY was againrecorded at the

Federal UniversityWukari, Taraba Statewhen about 500 pioneerstudents werematriculated amidstjubilation and innovativehighlights which keptpeople in attendance

in high spirit.The formal launch of the

university ’s maidenmagazine ‘The CROC’and the unveiling ofbranded produce likesoya beans, maize amongothers, produced by theuniversity were amongthe high points of theoccasion held at theuniversity matriculationground.

Speaking at theceremony, Minister ofEducation, Prof.Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’isaid the establishment ofthe university was infulfillment ofTransformation Agenda ineducation sectorpromised Nigerians byPresident GoodluckJonathan in 2010.

She also announced thelegalization of the ninenew universities whosebills of establishmenthave been passed intolaw.“I am happy to informthis august gathering thatthe Bills establishing thenine new

universities have beenrecently passed into law;this has thereforecompleted the groundwork for the take-off of thenew universities,” sheconfirmed.

Apart from placingpremium on accessibility totertiary education, Prof.Rufa’i added that thepresent administration,through her ministry,emphasizes equity,standards and qualityassurance, teacherdevelopment and vocationaland technical education ascore areas in the educationaldevelopment.

While expressingconfidence that the ViceChancellor, Prof. GeofferyOkogbaa, and hismanagement staff willuplift the university, theRufa’I acknowledged thesupport of Taraba StateGovernment to theinstitution.

ECOWAS to assist TechnicalColleges improve curricula

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

AS part of efforts to assistin restructuring the

curricula of Technical HigherInstitutions of learning acrossthe country, the EconomicCommunity of West AfricaCountries (ECOWAS), hasconvened teachers,curriculum developmentexperts and specialists at theYaba College of Technology(YABATECH), Lagos,UNESCO-Nigeria Technicaland Vocational Education andTraining (TVET) Centre ofExcellence.

The workshop is aimed atdeveloping curricula andinstruction materials, andtraining teachers on the useof this curriculum, therebyimproving students’readiness for the globalworkforce.

According to PrincipalProgramme OfficerEducation, ECOWAS

Commission, Mrs. RachaelOgbe, “the workshop aims atputting mechanism in placeto ensure it developscurricular with the renewaland commitment to continuepreparing students forchanging global workforce.”

She said the various unitsand components of theconceptual framework include

understanding the revisedcurriculum, breaking of thecurriculum into syllabus,scheme of work, unit of work,lesson plan and theirpreparation, moderntechnical teaching approachesand lesson plan based onmodern teaching approachesamong others.

While citing Singapore as

the second best economy afterSwitzerland, she said theywere able to achieve the featthrough the effective andpragmatic TechnicalEducation, which can beachieved in the ECOWASregion..

Ogbe pointed that teachersmust devote time andenergies to their professionalactivities, contribute to newconcepts, courses methodsand teaching material, notingthat “they should be able tohelp the learner to create apassionate mindset forlearning.”

Declaring the workshopopen, YABATECH Rector, Dr.(Mrs.) Margaret KudiratLadipo, lamented theshortage of trained TVETprofessionals, policy plannersand employment sectoranalysts in many of thecountries that make up theECOWAS region.

She noted that the onus istherefore on ECOWAScountries to fashion out awell-articulated TVET policyto drive the attainment andimplementation of theprinciples and goals of TVETin the Sub region.

From left: Dr. Duro Damisa, International Resource Personfor ECOWAS; Dr. Mrs. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, YABATECHRector; and Mrs. Rechael Ogbe, Principal Programme Officer,ECOWAS Commission Abuja.

Wukarivarsity holdsmaidenmatriculation

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

2013 is bound to be an exciting year for campusfashionistas. First year students

will begin to dress more mature,and final year students will start tocare less. The red carpet will mostlikely be thrown open to the studentsin the classes caught in the middle.We might be not get our predictionsa hundred percent, but it sure isexciting to try.

Pants: Blue jeans are likely to givemuch more allowance for other coloursof pencil pants. More people willresume school with their new anklelength trousers, and some morequadlifers will give palazzo trousers a try.

Blazers: Many undergraduates arelikely to begin the new yearwearing blazers. As soon as theharmattan is over, a paradigm shiftwill take place and only theblazer-fanatics will remain.

Hair: Brazilian hair and itsPeruvian and Indiancounterparts aren’t so much ofa sensation anymore. That’swhy more quadlifers will wearthem; they would be moreaffordable and accessible. Thehype will be about thepartings. The invisibleparting is just the beginning,more inventions will evolve.

Berries and Tablets: Justin case you haven’t noticed,the blackberry is a fashion item.

n that is now taken for granted with the adventof tablets. Ipads, galaxy tablets and the entire family oftablets will try to steal the runway from the blackberry.They would be quite popular but popularity doesn’t meanpinging, so the BBM king will reign supreme!

More predictions for you next week, and remember,we told you so!

CMYK


Pupils of Glorious Vision Nursery & Primary School at their end of year partyPupils of Favour Auditory Oral School, ori-Oke, Ejigbo, at their end of yearparty

Culrural display by pupils of National Orthopedic Hospital School during theWorld Disabilities Day celebration in Lagos.

Pupils of Patrick Learning & Speech Center choreographing at the WorldDisabilities Day celebration in Lagos.

Laureates College drama group during their end of year party•Pupils of Barbara Cox Schools at their 2012 end-of-year party.

Kiddies sure know how to have fun, especially this Christmas season. Below are somepictures and greeting cards by the kids.

CMYK


When lecturer's salary was N550 in1990 — Prof Obi

Nigeria Union ofTeachers (NUT) has

insisted on boycottingteachers trainingprogramme being organisedby the National TeachersInstitute and office ofMillennium DevelopmentGoal over disagreementbordering on unpaidallowances in the 2011edition.

NUT’s President, MichealAlogba, insisted on goingahead with the threat inAbuja during a pressbriefing in Abuja recently.

It would be recalled thatNUT and management ofNTI have been embroiled indisagreement over inabilityof the latter to settle theoutstanding allowancesbeing owed those whoparticipated in the 2011edition.

Alogba also reacted on theon-going debate for localgovernment autonomy in thecountry, saying the unionwas not against moves tomake local governmentadministrations autonomousbut that the Joint AllocationCommittee (JAC) which hasbeen responsible for promptpayment of teachers salariesand allowances should notbe disbanded as it might stirup further unrest within theschool system.

According to Alogba, therehas been industrial stabilityin the basic educationsystem because JAC wasliving up it expectation andso should be encouraged.

He hinged the union’sresistance for the proposedtraining on insincerity ofpurpose, noting that at thelast edition both agencyshortchanged the teachers ofN11,500 each.

“NUT is aware of theclandestine move by the NTIand MDG to shortchangeour members into taking partin a training seminar.

"Based on our resolve thatuntil the balance of 2011allowance is paid to ourmembers, no teacher in thiscountry would take part inany training being organisedby either NTI or MDG.

“You will recall that theteachers that took part in thelast exercise were supposedto be paid N14,000 for a tenday programme, but theywere shortchanged and paidonly N2,500; are we slavesin our country.”

NUTboycottsNTI, MDGtrainings

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

WHAT inspired thepublic lecture?

The Public Lecture is part ofmy drive to bring in qualityand mentorship to ourcolleagues. Over the years, Idiscovered that academicexcellence is gradually beingeroded, especially in ourfaculties, so when I came onboard, I told my colleaguesthat we are going to correct theacademic culture byconsistently organisingseminars, conferences andpublic lectures to serve asplatforms for academics to rubminds.

During my campaign, Ipromised my colleagues that Iwould engender this kind ofarrangement, especiallymentorship and mentoring ofthe young lecturers. So, I toldthem that three months intomy tenure I will organise apublic lecture, which is whatwe have today.

Aside targeting the regularstudents, we have agreed atthe faculty to review ourprogramme in few disciplinesand bring in quality in all thatwe do. We have set a processof programme review inconformity with what isobtainable in academics in thiscentury, so good that theSenate has approved of thereview so that we can give ourstudents an edge in thesaturated labour market.

We are also reviewing agraduate programme bymaking the public lecturecompulsory for all of them.

We have also made it apolicy that graduate studentsmust present three seminarcertificates before they can facethe final examination becausewe want to be sure of thequality of graduates we aresending to the labour market.

The sandwich students werethere too because that’s wherewe have the problem. We arerelentless in our efforts toimprove the quality of ourSandwich students because, atthe end of the day, they willalso obtain degrees from thissame university.

Do you have separate cut-off marks for educationstudents?

That is where I may have avery big challenge because Iam not really in charge of theadmission. Though I am incharge of admitting studentsinto my faculty but I may notbe able to take a final decision.

We once had a Dean who

said there was not going to belower cut off point forEducation and would not admitpeople who did not takeEducation as first choice, so Ihave to take that to myManagement Committee fordeliberation because there isno way people who are notinterested in obtaining degreein education will do well.

Do you compromiseadmission criteria becauseyou need students in thedepartment?

Admission criteria is notcompromised just because weneed students. If you arecoming to study Education,you need to have a minimumof five credits includeMathematics and English. Theonly difference is that peopledon’t like coming to theFaculty of Education for any ofthe programmes because theyprefer to first go for some otherdisciplines where they thinkthey are better, and when theydiscover that they don’tmeasure up to therequirements, they then cometo the faculty throughsupplementary list.

How do you intend tosustain this passion to

revamp the situation?I am passion drive and mycolleagues can attest to the factthat when it has to do with

going on to ensure that theyare doing the right thingdoesn’t take much too.We have monthly seminarwhich is like a mentoringprogramme. it’s aboutstandard internal qualityaccountability. We checkourselves ask what we aredoing wrong, what are wesupposed to be doing that weare not doing so we brainstormfor result.

Do you agree that manylecturers compromise withstudents?

I know that many lecturersare highly compromising,however, what I know about my

Lecturer in 1990, my salarywas N550 and I was notinvolved in any fraudulentact. I think some of ourmembers are just toounethical despite anyincrement in our salary.

If you were madeMinister of Education,

what will you put right?The first thing I will do is

introduce tuition fee infederal universities becausewhen students pay schoolfees, then they will taketheir studies seriously. Thisis the only country wherestudents at the universitylevel do not pay school fee.In every other countries,students pay heavily in theuniversity.

Many people who havechildren in the nurseryschools pay more thanN100,000, but when theycome to the university, it isfree. When the studentsknow that they are notspending so much on theireducation, they would nothave time to study becausethey are more interested inknowing the names offootball players.

It may surprise you to notethat when lecture is slatedat 4:00pm and one of thesebig clubs are playingfootball, you won’t find themin lecturer hall. If they werepaying fees like they do inother countries, they won’ttry that.Students can afford to buyBrazilian hair for N120,000but can’t buy textbook, don’tgo to libraries to study, don’tdo their assignment justbecause it is free. If theirparents are paying heavilyfor their education, thesituation would change.

quality, I have alwayschampioned the course that wemust maintain quality allthrough in the system.I know I would sustain thepassion because I made apromise that I am going tosacrifice my two years toimprove the faculty and I don’twant to fall short of what I havepromised.

Advising students to workhard does not take much,telling colleagues to do theright thing does not takemuch, and going to the classesevery morning to see what’s

faculty and what I have toldthem is that when I see alecturer compromising, I invitesuch to my office for a talk, andif he still continues, it becomesofficial.

The VC and his deputy arenot ready to compromise. Wehave boards around the schoolwhere we give studentsnumbers where they can reportlecturers who are asking themfor money.Compromising is not about thewelfare of the lecturersbecause when I came into theuniversity as an Assistant

•Prof Florence Banku Obi

,

,Students can afford to buyBrazilian hair for N120,000but can’t buy textbook, don’tgo to libraries to study, don’tdo their assignment justbecause it is free.

Professor Florence Banku Obi is the Dean of theFaculty of Education, University of Calabar (UNI-CAL). She spoke on sundry issues affecting studentsand lecturers in the Education sector and the wayforward. Excepts.

By DAYO ADESULU

CMYK


Winnersemerge inLoral Schoolmusicalcontest

•Pupils of Barbara Cox Schools presenting a dance-drama during their 2012 end-of-year party.

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

FEDERAL Government hasdelayed the completion

deadline of the N6.8 billionAfrican Development Fund(ADF) assisted skill andvocational education projectsby 24 months due to lowdisbursement rate and otherlogistic problems.

Funded by the AfricanDevelopment Bank, the project,which was init ially set forcompletion in December 2011across the six geo-political zone,had to be extended bytwo years, terminating inNovember.

Minister of Education, ProfRuqayyatu Rufai, at a meetingwith the project steeringcommittee members identifiedweakness in the conception ofthe project as a major reason forthe delay, noting that theInternational Competit iveBidding procurement processcontained in the projectconception had not onlydelayed implementation, butcontributed to outstanding

WINNERS haveemerged from

the 2012 edition of‘Musical Contest’ ofLoral InternationalSecondary School,Igbesa, tagged‘Loral Idol’.

The event held atthe school premisesrecently, sawMaster ChristianAkele, a 16 year oldSS2 studentemerged the overallwinner with thesong titled,‘Originality’, whileChidinma Igwu, JSS2, and DamilolaAdesina, SS3,emerged 1st and 2ndrunners-uprespectively.

According to thejudges, it was notan easy win forChristian as he hadto contend withseven other resilientcontestants whoshowed uncommontenacity in the battlefor the covetedprize.

The eight finalistsemerged from a sixweek intensiveselection processwhich involved overone hundredcontestants at thepreliminary stages.

Speaking on therationale behind thecontest, the SeniorPrincipal of theSchool, Mrs MariaUzuegbunam statedthat the event wasone of the variousco-curricularprogrammes of theschool aimed atidentifying anddeveloping themusical talents ofthe students.

According to her,students with suchmusical talents andsense of creativityshould beencouraged todevelop theirpotentials. Sheenumerated some ofthe benefitsembedded in suchtalents as includedphysical, mental,emotional andspiritualdevelopment.

FG delays N6.8bn vocational skill projects by 2 yrsprojects that were yet to beawarded. Rufa’I urged thecommittee members to fast-trackthe implementation of theremaining activities with a viewto delivering on the projectsahead of the November 2013target. Project Coordinator,Ebele Nwafor, said the first

phase of the project componentconsist of vocational skillworkshops across thebenefiting institutions is goingon and assured of beating the2013 deadline.

He explained that the entireproject was aimed at enhancingquality teaching and learning of

vocational skill and revision ofexisting development trainingstrategies for optimum output.

The ADB is responsible for 89per cent of the fundingrequirement, leaving Nigeriawith 11 per cent counterpartfunding with a total of 35 percent releases for the project.

GOVERNOR BabatundeFashola has urged writers to

write good educative and histor-icalbooks that will formulate li-brary of literature which the nextgeneration can live on to haveunderstanding of the past, com-pare it to the present,in order toprepare for tomorrow.

Speaking at a book launch:‘BLESSINGS, a history of EkoClub,’ held at Blessings Hall, EkoClub, Fashola said: “Members ofthe club should formulate the li-brary of literature that the nextgeneration can live on so thatthey will have an understandingof what happened yesterday,know how things are today andprepare them for tomorrow.”

The governor who commend-ed the initiator and author of thebook, Alh. Lateef Bada for his vi-sion and tenacity to deliver onthe vision said, there would beno second hand version and dis-tortions on how the club wasformed.

In his remarks, Alhaji LateefBada who authored the book,Blessings, History of Eko Club,averred that the group wants toknow the pedigree of every La-gosian, because of their realisa-tion that a lot is being lost fromthe nonchalance of the people toretain their history. He explainedthat the need to keep the historyfor the coming generation spurhim to achieving this feat.

On his part, Engr. Alabi Lawal, president of Eko Club remarked:“What we are witnessing todayhas never happened in the an-nals of the history of this club.In line with the custom this ad-ministration assigned to this

Formulate library of literature for posterity, Fashola tasks writer

group, it will henceforth be man-datory to infuse this pricelessbook among the induction proc-esses of new members. It is in linewith the adage of our fathers thatif a child does not witness the his-tory, he meets the history whichis an equate of the witnessing thehistory.”

Mainwhile, governor, Baba-tunde Fashola (SAN) has con-demned the antagonistic nature ofthe Federal Government to theLagos State government $600 mil-lion loan from the World Bank forthe growth and regeneration in theinfrastructural section of the state. Fashola, while speaking at thepublic presentation of a book ti-tled, ‘Blessings,’ A History of EkoClub, authored by Alh. LateefBada, a founding member and

member Board of Trustee, EkoClub pointed out that cities growand regenerate, he goes further toreiterate the necessity of the loanwhich was meant to be disbursedinto boosting the state’s infra-structural development plans andregeneration but was unfoundedfrustrated by the FG.

This came in response to issuesraised by a Professor of PoliticalScience and lecturer, University ofLagos, Adele Jinadu, during thecritique of the book, as the pro-fessor quoted some individualswho challenged the administra-tion over the lingering plight ofinfrastructure in some quarters ofthe state.

“The suggestion for the estab-lishment of an urban renewal fundin the state is excellent but, it is

convenient on the other politicalside to say don’t give them themoney, why are they borrowing,”the governor said.

Recall that Lagos State govern-ment had sought for a loan saidto be an urban renewal fund fromthe World Bank, in a petition re-cently presented by Fashola tothe House of RepresentativesCommittee on Loans, Aids andDebts, seeking an intervention inan alleged attempt by the FG tohalt a $600 million loan facility thestate had with the World Bank, theloan was procured on the under-standing that Lagos State wouldaccess $200 million over a periodof three years, spanning from 2012to 2014.However, only the first tranchehas been paid in 2011.

BY MUSBAUDEENSHEKONI

*Governor Babatunde Fashola, launching the book: Blessings, History of Eko Club, atEko Club, Lagos.


The Littoral Universitycommunity gatheredrecently at Shito Seme

to commemorate the endorse-ment by the government ofRepublic of Benin for theschool to kick off a full fledgeuniversity system after sev-eral years of struggle to up-grade its status from theSchool of Part Time.

Offering a cross-border edu-cation, the university accord-ing to the Founder and ViceChancellor Prof./ Rev. (Dr)Ayeni Oyebode, harbours aconglomeration of differentnationals and is structured tocontribute hugely and quali-tatively to knowledge in theeducational arrangement inthe entire world through re-search carried out in uncom-promising manner.

Speaking to Journalists re-cently during the celebrationat Seme, the Vice Chancellorof the university, reiteratedthe sustained readiness of theinstitution to ardently groomall-rounded and competitivegraduate who can meet thecomplex human resourcesneeds of the current genera-tion leaving behind heritablesuccess for posterity and tocultivate Nigerians learningthere while ensuring that thelove and friendship betweenNigerians and other nation-als is neither jaundiced norfrustrated.

“Littoral University offersprogrammes in Arts and Hu-manities, Science and Tech-nology among others, pro-grammes are offered in:School of Arts, Communica-tion and Languages underwhich there are: Mass Com-

munication, Linguistics etc.Secondly, it is a School of Eco-nomics and Business Man-agement. Other courses in-clude, School of Law and Po-litical Science, InternationalRelations, Conflict Manage-ment and Diplomacy, Strate-gic Studies, Criminology etc.”

He noted that the School ofScience and Technology, andSchool of Education werenamed after Bishop DavidOyedepo.”

He disclosed that the uni-versity is currently making amove to affiliate with best pri-

vate universities in Nigeriaand in the US to catalyse theset goals and securingsustainability.”

On admission process,theVC explained that any inter-ested Nigerian must have 5credits, English and Math-ematics inclusive and willhave to pass the AptitudeTest. However, for other na-tionals, the requirements dif-fer. Thus, Nigerians comingwill go through the usualprotocols because in dueprocess we are making movesto get accreditation from the

FFFFFrencrencrencrencrench goh goh goh goh govt endorvt endorvt endorvt endorvt endorses Nigerianses Nigerianses Nigerianses Nigerianses Nigerianvvvvvarararararsity in Rsity in Rsity in Rsity in Rsity in Republic of Beninepublic of Beninepublic of Beninepublic of Beninepublic of Benin

BY MUSBAUDEENSHEKONI

•A cross session of Littoral University students during matriculation.

IN the quest to play therole of a guide to ourinnocent children in

Nigeria, a group ofeducationists, bankers andtelecommunication expertshave established a crèchewhere parents can monitortheir children online.

Explaining the aim of theinnovation,the Head ofMustard’Ville School, Mrs.Ayooluwa Lanre- Akinremi,stated that the objective of thepromoters is to create aconducive and homelyenvironment to take care ofthe children and relieveparents the stress ofcombining their work withnursing children.

Lanre- Akinrem wholamented the rate ofkidnapping in the society bysome “trusted” house maids/relatives said, the crèchewould provide comfort forparents.

With this, she said,‘’Parentscan concentrate fully at officeswith peace of mind bearing in

mind that their children arein safe hands.”Her words: “Today, thereseems to be a rapid increasein child kidnappingsespecially by housemaids andrelatives; those we trust totake care of our kids while weare away.

Because of this, daycaresseem to be a better option, butmany of them have beenfaulted on basic hygiene androutine procedures. A fewmonths ago, there was a videoof a boy violently attackingsome toddlers in a daycare inVicksburg, Mississippi, USA,right under the nose of the so-called nannies.”

She explained that theparents could keep a constanteye on their babies wheneverand wherever they are withthe crèche’s online, real-timesurveillance nanny cam.

According to her, the outfitwill be managed by seasonedand well respectedprofessionals experienced inCrèche management andMontessori education.

Bankers, experts float onlinecrèche to monitor children

THE duo of Master IsaBello Suleiman of Zamani

College, Kaduna; and MissImoh Daniel of Army DaySecondary School, CrossRiver State have shun inAfrica continent as they emerged the 2012 CountryWinners in the Essay andPoster categories, respectivelyat 2012 DSTV Eutelsat StarAward winners. WhileOyindamola Adisa of AdesoyeCollege and Simon AkpanAnita of Lagos Anglican Girl’sGrammar School emergedrunners up in the essay andposter categories as well.

The presentation which heldat Multichoice Boardroom,Victoria Island attractedProfessor Funsho Falade fromUNILAG who was also theJudge, DSTV Eutelsat, MrsRonke Bello, Managing Di-rector, Innovative Literacy,representatives from Kadunaand Cross River.Speaking at the awardceremony where a Plasma

By DAYO ADESULU

From left: Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr JohnUgbe (middle) flanked by Master Isa Bello Suleiman ofZamani College, Kaduna; and Miss Imoh Daniel of ArmyDay Secondary School, Cross River State

Nigeria public schoolstudent emerges Afriacan3rd at DSTV Eutelsatcontest

television and a certificate ofexcellence were handed overto each of the star award win-ners, the Managing Director,MultiChoice Nigeria, MrJohn Ugbe said: “Theawards seeks to inspire inno-vative thinking among sec-ondary school students andcreate awareness on how sci-ence and technology can beapplied to everyday life.”

According to Ugbe, the DStvEutelsat Star Awards is aCorporate Social Respons-ibility of MultiChoice Africaand Eutelsat to educate andcreate awareness aboutsatellite technology and itsapplication among Africanstudents.

He added that the award isdesigned to stimulate interestin science and technologyamong African school childrenby educating them on the sci-ence involved.The Managing Director point-ed out that last year whenthey commenced the award,over 150 entries were receivedin Nigeria.

From left: Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, IstifanusGbana; Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I; FUW VC,Prof. Prof. Geoffery Okogbaa; and Prof. Julius Okojie,Executive Secretary of NUC, at Federal University, Wukari'smatriculation

EDITORIAL TEAMDayo Benson (Editor)

Innocent AnabaWahab Abdulah

Ikechukwu Nnochiri

INSIDE — 44

—44

42—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012


,

,

AS the Year 2012 folds up in fourdays,the Nations judicial sector no

doubt witnessed epocal events thatshape the polity. In our usual traditionwe recall some of this landmark eventsas the signpost the character of ourjudicial system.

January 4, 2012Petitioners In Dilemma As Court Of

Appeal President, Justice Adamu,Frustrates Cases

Barely five days before all the 2011election cases pending at the Court ofAppeal in Benin City, elapse,petitioners, their political parties andsupporters who besieged the court thismorning have accused the President ofthe Court of Appeal, Justice DalhatuAdamu and the judges of deliberatelyfrustrating the cases so as to guaranteeinjustice where justice was sought.

The appeal cases were filed bycandidates of State Assemblies and theNational Assembly after the lowertribunal had struck them out. Under theprovisions of the Electoral Law, theywill elapse on January 9, as the lawallows only 180 days for them to becompleted.

Rivers Judiciary Begins New LegalYear

January 25, 2012The 2011/2012 Legal Year of the

Rivers State Judiciary commenced. The

Issues that shaped thejudiciary in outgoing year

new legal year started with arededication Church Service and aSpecial Court Session on Friday, 20thJanuary, 2012. The programme was re-scheduled for one week due to therecent nation wide strike embarkedupon by the organised labour unionsin protest over the removal of fuelsubsidy by the Federal Government.

February 29,2012 National JudicialCouncil approves Justice Salami’s

reinstatementThe National Judicial Council (NJC)

rose from a meeting Wednesdayreversing itself and approving thereinstatement of the suspendedPresident of the Court of Appeal,Justice Ayo Salami, in a decision thatpromises to bring to an end severalmonths of bickering within the nation’s

judiciary.A source at the meeting said members

reviewed the recommendations of the29-member stakeholders JudicialReform Committee, headed by aformer Chief Justice of Nigeria, JusticeMuhammadu Uwais, constituted byChief Justice of Nigeria, DahiruMusdapher, shortly after he tookoffice.

The Committee had absolved JusticeSalami, who was suspended lastAugust 18 by the same NJC, of anywrongdoing and recommended that heshould be reinstated.

May 11, 2012 NJC reinstatesSalami as President Court of

AppealAfter considering the report of an

adhoc committee set up to resolve thecrisis within the judiciary, the NationalJudicial Council resolved to reinstatethe President of the Court of Appeal,Justice Ayo Salami, who wassuspended by the council on August18, 2011.

The NJC rose from a two-daymeeting on Thursday with a resolutionto reinstate the embattled president ofthe Court of Appeal, after a nine-monthimpasse.

Although there was no officialstatement from the NJC, a source privyto what transpired at the meetinginformed our correspondent that thecouncil had forwarded arecommendation for Salami’s

reinstatement to President GoodluckJonathan.

July 4, 2012 Jonathan appoints firstfemale Chief Justice of the Federation

The President, Goodluck Jonathan,has sent Mariam Aloma Mukhtar’sname to the Senate for confirmation asthe next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).The President also sent the names ofJustices Kumai Akaah and AtanleyAllagoa to the Senate for confirmationas justices of the apex court is however,not new to pioneering as she was thefirst woman to be appointed Mrs.Mukhtar who is considered by manylawyers as a person of strong will andcharacter, will become the first femalehead of the Nigerian judiciary.

August 2012 okeywali SAN succedsJB Daudu as NBA presidentThe 2- year tenure of mr joseph bodurinDaudu SAN as president of NigeriaBar of Association NBA ended and hewas succeded by MR Okey walli SANwho immerged after the associations

•President Good Luck Jonathan •Chief Justice of Nigeria MariamAloma Mukhtar

•Justice Ayo Salami •Justice of Nigeria, DahiruMusdapher,

Nigeria oil judgment: A small step in thejourney fromtravesty to justice

The Committee hadabsolved JusticeSalami, who wassuspended lastAugust 18 by thesame NJC, of anywrongdoing andrecommended thathe should bereinstated.

COMPILED BY DAYO BENSON &ONOZURE DANIA

Constitution Review:Matters arising

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—43

deligate conference in AbujaMR Walli after the swearingin promised that it would notbe business as usual in theaffairs of NBA.October 3, 2012 NJC dragsFG to court; says Jonathanlacks powers to stop Salami’srecall

ABUJA – The NationalJudicial Council, NJC,yesterday, maintained thatPresident Goodluck Jonathanlacked the constitutionalpowers to stop it fromreinstating the suspendedPresident of the Court ofAppeal, PCA, Justice Isa AyoSalami. The legal body madethe declaration on a day iturged the Abuja Division ofthe Federal High Court todeclare the re-appointment ofthe Acting PCA, JusticeDalhatu Adamu, by PresidentJonathan as unconstitutionaland illegal.

October 4, 2012 Why I’magainst Salami’s

reinstatement - Ag PCAACTING president of the

Court of Appeal, JusticeDalhatu Adamu, has givenreasons for his opposition tothe suit seeking recall of theJustice Isa Ayo Salami fromsuspension.

A group, the RegisteredTrustees of Centre for thePromotion of Arbitration, hastabled a suit before JusticeAdamu Bello of the FederalHigh Court, seeking thetermination of Adamu’s tenureas acting president, which hadspanned 14 months.

The plaintiff also wanted thecourt to stop PresidentGoodluck Jonathan fromfurther extending Adamu’sacting tenure, which had beendone four times.

The constitution prescribes athree-month acting period,only renewable by thepresident on therecommendation of theNational Judicial Council(NJC), while the NJC as arespondent in the suit hadconcurred with the plaintiffthat Adamu’s tenure would bedeemed illegal without itsrecommendation, though thecouncil had not deniedrecommending him toJonathan during the pastrenewals.

November 2012State OF ORIGIN: Female

judge denied Appeal Courtseat

The Chief Justice of Nigeria,CJN, Justice Maryam AlomaMukhtar, yesterday, declinedto administer oath of office onone of the newly appointedjustices of the Appeal Court.

The decision of the CJN wassequel to a petition

Issues that shaped the judiciary in outgoing yearContinues from page 42

challenging the state of origindeclared by the judge, whowas nominated under a slotreserved for Abia State.

Consequently, only 11Justices were sworn-inyesterday, including JusticeEmmanuel Akomaye Agimwho has been the ChiefJustice of Gambia since 2009.

November 23, 2012Chief Justice Of Nigeria

Swears In Justice IfeomaJombo-Ofor As A Judge OfThe Appeal Court

The Chief Justice of NigeriaJustice Mariam AlomaMuhktar, today backed downfrom her earlier position toexclude Justice Ifeoma Jombo-

Ofor from the bench of theNigerian Court of Appeal.

Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Oforwas sworn in Abuja alongsideJustice Zainab AdamuBulkachukwa, who now serveas the presiden t of the courtof Appeal for the next threemonths. The searing of JusticeBulkachukwa, further

complicated the planned therecall of the former presidentof the court, Justice AyoSalami.

The CJN reportedly metJustice Salami a few weeksago to discuss his recall on thecondition that he turns in hisresignation letter post dated toJanuary 2013, but the JusticeSalami rejected the offer.

Today ’s swearing in ofJustice Bulkachukwa isanother peculiarity inNigeria’s troubled history ofjudicial perfid.

November 23, 2012Jonathan appoints

another acting Appeal CourtPresident

President GoodluckJonathan on Thursdayapproved the appointment ofanother Acting President ofthe Court of Appeal as JusticeAyo Salami remainedsuspended.

A statement by the DeputyDirector, Information,National Judicial Council, Mr.Soji Oye, said Jonathanapproved Justice ZainabBulkachuwa as acting PCA,following the expiration ofJustice Dalhatu Adamu’s termin the office on Friday (today).

American company accusesNigerian Judiciary ofCorruption in US Court

December 2, 2012An American Company told

a court in the US that theNigerian judicial system“does not provide impartialTribunals or procedurescompatible with therequirements of due processof law”

A U.S. based MultinationalCorporation with a strongpresence in Nigeria andenjoying the patronage of thefederal government in the oiland gas sector has accused theNigerian judiciary ofunderstaffing, inefficiency,and corruption.

•Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor Judge Of TheAppeal Court

•Former NBA President Joseph BodurinDaudu SAN

•NBA President MR Okey walli SAN

•Attorney General of the Federation and Min-ster of Justice Mohammed Bello Agboke

•Ugonnia Anyadubalu


Constitution Review: Matters arising (3)

Nigeria oil judgment: A small step in thejourney from travesty to justice,

,

BY KOLAWOLE OLANIYAN

LAST week something momentous happened – and

those of us who campaign forjustice for the victims of oilspills in the Niger Delta hadgood cause to feel Christmashad come early.

The event was a judgment(obtained by Socio-EconomicRights and AccountabilityProject) in which ECOWAS(Economic Community of WestAfrican States) court orderedthe Nigerian government topunish oil companies over pol-lution, and it sent out a mes-sage of hope to the tens ofthousands of people whoselivelihoods have been de-stroyed. But while there was apause for celebration the fightgoes on because pressure isneeded to make sure that thegovernment adheres to thisjudgment.

Oil companies, particularlyShell, have managed to evaderesponsibility for far too long.And the Nigerian governmenthas allowed them to do so,putting profits before people.

As a result, communities inBodo, an area badly affectedby oil spills, are sinking fur-ther into poverty, unable to eatthe contaminated fish or drink

the water, stained black fromthe pollution.

Oil spills have occurred sinceproduction began over 50years ago and that’s whatmakes the ECOWAS judgmentso significant.

The Court ruled that the Ni-gerian Federal Governmentand six oil companies – Shell,Chevron, Elf Petroleum, Exx-on Mobil, Agip Nigeria andTotal Nigeria – have violated

various human rights.These include the right to a

general satisfactory environ-ment and the right to naturalwealth and resources, as guar-anteed under the AfricanCharter on Human and Peo-ples’ Rights ratified by Niger-ia in 1983.

The Court ruled that the gov-ernment must now quickly im-plement the judgment andhold the oil companies to ac-

count.As a concrete example, this

means the government has tocompel Shell to comply withnational regulations, carry outa comprehensive clean up ofthe Bodo oil spills and prop-erly compensate the peoplewhose lives have been devas-tated. Shell also has to provethat it has done everythingpossible to ensure that oil spillsdo not reoccur.

But this important decision comes against a

backdrop in which the govern-ment has constantly given thegreen light to Shell to devas-tate people’s lives as the com-pany wields enormous power.

According to information inthe Wikileaks disclosure of USdiplomatic cables in 2010,Shell has employees second-ed to all relevant ministriesand has access to everythingthat they do.

It’s also clear that oil compa-nies wield tremendous influ-ence over the regulatory re-gime that governs their oper-ations.

In fact, the investigationprocess into oil spills in theNiger Delta is a travesty. Thereis very limited informationpublicly available regarding

the state of Shell’s infrastruc-ture in the Delta. But it is wide-ly known that the company hasfailed to adequately maintainit over the years, with tragicconsequences.

The government has to exertits authority over Shell as, withthe ECOWAS judgment andcourt cases pending in the UKand the Netherlands next year,the clock is ticking against suchnegligence.

It is due to the total failure ofthe Nigerian system for regu-lating oil companies and en-suring that spills are properlyaddressed that the Bodo com-munity decided to take Shellto court in the UK. And withcountries across Africa, such asGhana, Sierra Leone and Cam-eroon, starting to exploit oil,these judgments have implica-tions beyond Nigeria.

The Nigerian governmentand the oil companies operat-ing in Nigeria have to set agood example and make surethat the industry brings devel-opment to the people, ratherthan allow a string of needlesstragedies to continue.

By Kolawole Olaniyan, Le-gal Advisor, Amnesty Inter-national, International Secre-tariat, London

BY UGONNIAANYADUBALU

State Police: Part 1,item 45 of Exclusive

Legislative List

1. Exclusive Legislative ListPart 1 item 22 which excludesthe conduct of local Governmentelection from the control of Fed-eral Government and by exten-sion INEC. I advocate a fullpresidential system of govern-ment at the Local GovernmentCouncils and where their elec-tions will be conducted by INEClike the latter does for House ofAssembly, National Assemblyetc. we are witnesses to a situa-tion where the Governors blunt-ly refused to organize a localGovernment election and wherethe few hold the election, thefairness of such election is al-ways in doubt. The questionthat will continue to agitate dis-cerning minds is why partieswin elections in a State but whenthe Local Government electionis organized, the same partieshardly win any Local Govern-ment seat.

2. To ensure the independ-ence of the Local Government

system, section 162(7)(8) of1999 constitution should beamended to grant financial au-tonomy to the Local Governmentcouncils wherein they will re-ceive their allocations directlyfrom federation account.

The present situation of jointState and Local Governmentaccount is very attractive to theGovernors who in order to re-tain the hinge resources meantfor all the local Governmentcouncils in that states refuse toorganize election or run the lo-cal Government through caretaker committee and appointtheir surrogates who cannotquestion than to run the LocalGovernments. In a situationlike above, the growth of de-mocracy is stultified. Local Gov-ernment is the closest tier ofgovernment to the people andshould be promoted. It shouldalso serve as a training groundfor budding politicians. Democ-racy at that level should be en-couraged therefore Governorswho refuse to conduct local Gov-ernment election are greatestenemies of democracy.

The third provision is Part IIB which creates independentState Electoral Commission

should be deleted in view of thetransfer of the function to INEC.

CROSS CARPETINGMy position is that it is im-

moral for a person who is elect-ed under a platform to abandonthe platform and join anotherplatform without resigning fromthe position. Section 68 (1)(g)and section 109 (g) prohibit thatthough they provide a leewaythat allows cross-carpeting as aresult of a division in the po-litical party of which a parlia-

mentarian was previously amember or of a merger of twoor more political parties or fac-tions by one of which he waspreviously sponsored.

This proviso though commendable but it has been

abused. We witness a situationwhereby members of legislativeHouse cross-carpet from minor-ity party to a ruling party in theState or Federal Governmentwithout any qualms irrespectiveof whether there is any factionor merger in the party theywere previously sponsored.

The only protection is thattheir new party is the rulingparty therefore nobody will askthem to vacate their seats asprovided in section 68 (1) and109 (1) 1999 constitution asamended.

My take therefore is thatsince we now operate tyrannyof the majority in this case, letus delete the proviso so that anymember of the LegislativeHouse whether National orState shall vacate the seat if hejoins another political party ex-cept the party he was electedinto the seat.

STATE CREATION

I advocate that the amend-ment of section 3(1) and orFirst Schedule of the 1999 con-stitution to include a Statefrom the South- East. Equityis Equality therefore out all thesix Zones in the country, theSouth-East has the leastnumber of States (5) five asagainst Six (6) or even seven(7) by other zones.

The same South –East hasthe least number of Local Gov-ernment Areas yet the localgovernment system forms partof the distribution of the com-monwealth. South – Eastern-ers are being cheated in thedistribution of the Federal al-location and other commonwealth.

It would be recalled that dur-ing President Obasanjo’s re-gime, a State was approved forSouth- East but this was scut-tled because of the fear of thirdterm.

This is therefore another op-portunity for the hallowedGreen and Red Chambers toright the wrong by creating aState for South-East

•Mr. Anyadubalu, a lawyer

cum prolific writer, writesfrom 129 Okota Road Lagos.

•Chief Justice of Nigeria MariamAloma Mukhtar

Oil compa-nies, partic-ularly Shell,have man-

aged toevade re-

sponsibilityfor far toolong. And

the Nigeriangovernmenthas allowedthem to doso, puttingprofits be-fore people

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—45

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer,Redeemed Christian Church of God (right), andDCP Tinuoye Olumide, Governor of the Yard,during his yearly prayer for prisoners at KirikiriMaximum Security Prison, in Lagos. Photo:Biodun Ogunleye.

From left: Very Rev. Pelumi Johnson, Provost; His Grace Adebola Ademowo, Bishop of Lagos; PrincessAdejoke Adefulire-Orelope, Deputy Governor, Lagos State, and Justice George Oguntade, after theservice the Christmas service at Christ Cathedral Church Marina, Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Ondo State Governor, Dr. OlusegunMimiko(right) and his wife, Olukemi, during theChristmas Day Service, at the Chapel of Grace,Government House, Akure.

Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger State chapter, Rev. MusaDada, (left); presenting a Christmas gift to the state Governor, Dr. BabangidaAliyu, during a Christmas visit to the governor, by the state CAN executivesin Minna.

RECEPTION: From left: Chairman/Group CEO, Standard Alliance Group, OlorogunO'tega Emerhor; newly appointed and first Nigerian MD, AIRTEL Nigeria, Mr. SegunOgunsanya; Mrs. Famutimi, Chairman, AIRTEL Nigeria; Dr. Oba Otudeko and Mr.Famutimi, during a reception held in honour of the new MD in Lagos.

New Chief of Mambilla, Alhaji Shehu Audu BajuIi (left) and Deputy Speaker of Taraba State Houseof Assembly, Mr Abel Diah, during a reception tomark his assumption of office in Gembu, after hisappointment as a First Class chief.

Members of Rotary Club of Ikoyi, led by the Pres-ident, Rotarian Jimmy Evbomwan, (2nd left), Ro-tarian Isichei Osamgbi and Rotarian CharlesOkonkwo, in an HIV AIDS awareness walk in Ikoyi,Lagos.

L E I S U R ETHOUGHT FOR TODAY

Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard Vanguard,,,,, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27,DECEMBER 27,DECEMBER 27,DECEMBER 27,DECEMBER 27, 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 —47—47—47—47—47

VIRGINIA

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Princess Shii’ By Andy Akman

[email protected]

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” By Lanre Kehinde

YOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAYYOUR LUCK TODAY

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Commen3 by Lawrence Akapa

By Richard Eromosele

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

Identifying theseason of our life – 2

Early death for me?Dear Joshua,I am not having any terminal disease but some times

am afraid of life. Bluntly ‘am I meant for early death?What are my weak points health-wise? Please tell meabout my career line.

Adewale, Abeokuta.

Dear Adewale,You are not meant for sudden death but that should

not be a license for reckless life style. Although Can-cer is said to be one of weak Star signs, with potentand positive aspects the Sun and Mercury got fromplanets in Virgo and more powerful Scorpio yours isa strong constitution meant for good health. .

Certainly you must have gone through rough timeswhen you were younger, once you are out of it yourhealth path is clearer. And nothing is pointing to earlydeath.

Naturally Cancer born people must be more carefulabout their tummy (stomach related ailments) andyou are not an exception. Other thing you will needto watch carefully include the circulatory system (be-cause of Aquarius influence). Your sense of taste isdistinctive and capable of making you a little bit stoutas a result of little enlargement of liver because of yoursugar intake, which you can control perfectly. As atropical man fever can come and go, but nothing fa-talistic here please.. If you notice toothache symptomdo not ignore it.

But yours is a sound and good health, astrologically.Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy,

together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planetsin Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted youto both Accountancy profession and the academicworld. Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’llnot be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSI-NESS. Because Neptune (the planet of OIL) was verycomfortable when you were born. It will not be out ofplace if you have filling stations as time goes by, be-cause you are basically a GAS PERSON. Anothermoney spinning vocation for you include writing ei-ther along your line or for film making industry; it isimportant you exhibit the higher quotient of creativityin your inner-self. Politics is another area you are notlooking at now but will surely come. Do you say why?Because Aquarius is equally political.

PISCES; Success is within your reach but you must doaway with mental arrogance and take good and practicaladvice from the professionals. Work harder.

ARIES; Your being enterprising will go a long way tofurther enhance your prospects and if financial advance-ment is your priority you will fare better. Be more loving.

TAURUS; Prepare to take the lead and exhibit your spe-cial talent. Advice from younger people may look goodbut not practical enough thus if you must take advice to-day take it from matured personality who may appearauthoritative.

GEMINI; Element of luck will work in your favour, how-ever that is not to say you can not back your reasonableplans with practical action. Keep your secrets.

CANCER; You will have your ways; much will dependon how ambitious you are, the bigger your aspiration thebetter. Take your tried and trusted friends seriously.

LEO; Here is an ambitious day for many of you andwith moderation things will go according to your plans.Financial success is actually close to you than you think.

VIRGO; Make sure your plans for both immediate andfar future are legal friendly. This is day of success you willneed to savour with your partners/spouse.

LIBRA; Even if you think your health is ok you bettermake sure you confirm your fitness from your doctor be-fore giving in to strenuous activities. Success at work in-dicated for those of you who are truly healthy. Be practi-cal please.

SCORPIO; It will not be a bad idea trying to consoli-date on progress made recently. And the more co-opera-tive you are today the better it will be for you..

SAGITTARIUS; You will be in good position to takegood advantage within your working arena.. Don’t waittill tomorrow before you make important future plans.

CAPRICORN; Tomorrow may bring more challengesthan anticipated that is why you will need to prosecuteyour plans now. Lovers are fairly favoured.

AQUARIUS; Those of you who are moderate and prac-tical with their financial plans are in for a good day. Liveup to expectation within your family circle.

SOMETIME ago (Idon’t know of now)

there was a boomingbusiness for a youngman in the frontage ofthe American Embassywho rents our umbrellato the teaming membersof the public whothrong the embassydaily to obtain visa to

America for a fee. Whereothers saw nothing, thisyoung man saw a goldmine. He saw it as anopportunity to makemoney.

I am sure you haveseen an empty cement

bag, some even litteringyour surroundings, doyou know you couldearn money from it?Some people live by sell-ing it. I went to buy alittle quantity of sandrecently and lo, I was

asked to pay thirty nairafor an empty cementbag, the same bag somepeople throw into thedungeon.

We must learn to ex-ercise our mind. Thinkof the probable ways wecan apply what we see,smell and feel. Trainyourmind to always seethe useful and benefi-cial aspect of every situ-ation. For every burdenhas its blessings.

2015: A-Ibomgroup prays forgood successor


2012, worst in Nigeria’s history—Gov Elechi

‘Kidnap of Okonjo-Iweala’s mother,unpleasant experience for Delta’

Total Plc, France to train 5 Nigeriansabroad

Emir of Gombeinterred

BY AUSTINOGWUDA

InteriorMinistercancelsImmigrationrecruitment

Insecurity: Police assure Zamfara citizens

ASABA—DELTA StateCommissioner for In-

formation, Mr. Chike Oge-ah has said that the recentkidnap of the mother ofthe Co-ordinating Minis-ter, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was a nightmarehe would not like to wit-ness again, just as he saidthe state government wasworking towards gettingto the root of the problemof kidnapping.

Reliving the experiencein Asaba during an inter-view with newsmen, Oge-ah said, “the kidnappingof the King of OgwashiUku’s wife who is thequeen and the mother ofNigeria’s CoordinatingMinister was a very tryingperiod for the state and thenation.

“It took this unfortunateincident, for me as a per-son and I can imaginewhat my governor mighthave gone through at hislevel and maybe the Pres-ident as well (to realise theenormity of the situation).I was getting calls on aminute by minute basisfrom France, from Reutersor is it AP in New York.The reaction was world-wide; even there weresome that I did not under-stand the language theywere speaking. I wouldjust see a foreign number,how they got my numberI do not know and the nextthing I would hear waswhere is the mother of theCo-ordinating Minister ofthe Nigeria’s Economy?

“So I know Presidentswere calling our Presidentand my governor andthank God for the way ithas ended. It is not some-thing that is pleasant. It issomething we have to col-lectively work and put be-

hind us in terms of whethershe is a queen, king or indeedmy colleague (Commission-er Hope Eghagha) that youknow had already been kid-napped and was away likealmost three weeks in veryhorrendous circumstances, Imust tell you. I do not wish

that type of experience or night-mare for anybody.

“I think government has re-solved that it would do everythingit has to do, not just in terms of theprovision of infrastructure but se-curity. We are going beyond thatand we are realizing that this prob-lem is more systemic than just se-

curing the environment. It has todo with why do we have so manyof our youths doing this (kidnap-ping) and why have we regressedso much in our values as a peo-ple? These were things that weresacrilegious and unheard of in theAfrican continent as a whole andNigeria in general before.

WORRIED about continuity in Akwa Ibom

State after GovernorGodswill Akpabio exit in2015, a group, AkpabioMutual Alliance, AMA, hasurged Akwa Ibomites topray for a good successor.

Speaking during a meet-ing to review the activitiesof the group and inaugura-tion of over 50 new membersin Lagos, its President, DrAni Idiong said prayer wasthe key word to get a goodsuccessor like Gov Akpabioand urged the state to prayfor “the God Almighty inter-vention so that it will not bedisappointed in 2015.”

Idiong, who lauded theAkpabio administration for“his uncommon transforma-tion,” went philosophicalwith figures to buttress hispoints, saying the repeatappearance of figures 20and 9 in the events of AkwaIbom State was not a coin-cidence but divine.

MINISTER of Interior,Mr. Abba Moro has

ordered cancellation of theongoing recruitmentexercise into the NigeriaImmigration Service. Moro also directed thatappointment letters earlierissued and documentationcarried out should becancelled, until the CivilDefence, Immigration andPrisons Service Board, meetto consider the waivergranted NigeriaImmigration service forrecruitment into the service.

GOMBE— THE remainsof the Emir of Dukku,

Gombe State, AlhajiAbdulkadir Rasheed, were,Tuesday, interred in Dukkuarea of the state.

Alhaji Bala Mohammed,Secretary of the DukkuEmirate Council, told theNews Agency of Nigeria,NAN, that the emir, whodied 91, had three wives, 53children and many grandchildren. He said the emirdied on Monday night at theFederal Medical Centre,FMC, Gombe, following aprotracted illness.Governor IbrahimDankwambo of GombeState and other topgovernment officialsattended the funeral prayer.

ABAKALIKI—GOVERNOR Martin Elechi of

Ebonyi State has described2012 as a bad year for Niger-ia, saying the year can passas the worst in Nigeria’s his-tory.

Elechi made the statementon Tuesday at Echialike, hishometown in the Ikwo LocalGovernment Area of the state,while addressing parishion-ers at St. Theresa’s CatholicChurch, during a service tomark this year’s Christmasc e l e b r a t i o n . He said: “The year was badfor the country and the worst

in terms of natural disasters suchas flood, senseless killing of inno-cent citizens by terrorist and otherhoodlums, among others.“We should, however, be consoledwith the fact that other countrieshave their own share of these mis-f o r t u n e s . ” The governor called on Nigeri-ans to put the ugly incidents be-hind them and concentrate onmoving the country forward.“We should forge ahead with re-newed hope of a better future andpray earnestly to God for His graceand protection.” Elechi said Nigerians shouldlearn to celebrate Christmas and

other festivities with utmost de-gree of caution and decorum.“The best Christmas is the onecelebrated in a way that ensureswe live to celebrate another one.“The way people drink anddrive recklessly on our roadsleaves much to be desired.“Though we should not beruled by the fear of death, wemust make efforts to live byensuring safety on our roads.” He called on Christians to en-sure that they inculcated thesignificance of Christ’s birth byliving a life of humility, toler-ance and good neighbourli-n e s s .

GUSAU—COMMISSIONER of Police in

Zamfara State, Mr UsmanGwary, has assured the peo-ple that the police commandis on top of the crime situa-tion in the state, regardless ofthe recent killings in some ar-e a s . He gave the assurance inGusau at a news conferenceon Tuesday over the spate ofkillings by gunmen in someparts of the state.

Gwary stressed that thecommand had been workingto ensure that normalcy re-turned to the affected areas,where gunmen killed 10 vig-i l a n t e s . “We have been strategisingand putting our intelligencegathering together but you

know we cannot make some of ourplans public so as not to jeopard-ise our operations,” he said. “Just two days ago, I deployedthree pick-up vans with heavily-armed mobile and regular police-

men to the troubled area on Zur-mi-Katsina road. We will contin-ue to mount surveillance thereuntil we are certain that there isno more problem,” he, however,a d d e d .

ABUJA—TOTAL Plc and theEmbassy of France in Ni-

geria have initiated a jointscholarship scheme to sponsorthe training of five Nigeriansabroad every year. A statement by Mr CharlesEbereonwu, Manager, ExternalCommunication, of Total, saidthat the scheme was part of thecompany’s efforts to contributeto the development of the coun-try ’s education sector.

It noted that the Joint Schol-arship Scheme, TQJS, titled“Total E &P Nigeria Ltd,TEPNG /Quai d’ Orsay” wouldtake effect from the 2012/2013academic session. The statement, however, saidthat the pilot stage of thescheme had commenced thisyear with one candidate spon-sored to study internationallaw in France.

Members of the Rotary Club of Ikoyi, led by the Presi-dent, Rotn Jimmy Evbomwan (2nd left), Rotn IsicheiOsamgbi and Rotn Charles Okonkwo, during HIV/AIDSawareness walk in Ikoyi, Lagos.

From left: Former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Christo-pher Alao-Akala, his wife, Yeye Otun of the Source, Oluwakemiand former Inspector General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi sing-ing at the 2012 interdenominational Christmas carol held at Opa-doyin Akala Lodge Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

CMYK


THE fate of the PetroleumIndustry Bill (PIB) may lead

to an uproar in the NationalAssembly as soon as the federallawmakers resume from theircurrent end of year recess.

Already, the stage is set for ashowdown between federallegislators from the Northern partof the country and theircounterparts from the NigerDelta Region over someprovisions of the bill presentlyawaiting passage.

The bill which was presentedto the National Assembly byPresident Goodluck Jonathanlast July aims among others, tocreate a conducive businessenvironment for the oil and gasindustry in the country.

Debate on the Bill entitled “ABill for an Act to provide for theestablishment of a legal, fiscaland regulatory framework for thePetroleum Industry in Nigeriaand for other related matters anda Bill for an Act to establish theNew National Frontier Agencyfor the purpose of explorationand production of oil and gas inthe Frontier of Chad Basin,Dahomey Basin, Imo Basin,Benue Trough, Bauchi Basin andSokoto Basin and for othermatters connected therewith”was led by the House Leader,Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande.

According to her: “ From 1959to date there have been about 16laws in our statutes regulating

PIB: Drums of warTHE legislative framework to rectify the rot and rudderless petroleumsector is enmeshed in a controversy over regional interests. It is still anunfolding battle.

BY OKEY NDIRIBE the petroleum industry. Some ofthese are the Petroleum Profits TaxAct, the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation Act andthe Deep Offshore and InlandBasin Production Sharing Act.”

“The Petroleum Industry Bill2012 is seeking to harmonize andconsolidate all these laws in orderto better regulate, coordinate andmanage the operations of theindustry.”

PIB non-passagehurts economy

She also informed hercolleagues that non-passage ofthe bill had occasioned anatmosphere of confusion anduncertainty in the oil and gassector, leading to loss of billionsof dollars in potential revenue forthe country.

Said she: “This situationcontinues to deteriorate withfurther delays in the passage ofthe bill. Recent discoveries of oiloverseas and in neighbouringcountries pose significant threatsto the inflow of global investmentfunds to our oil and gas industryand seriously jeopardizes futureearnings. As we speakinvestment in the oil and gassector has dwindled and ourcrude reserves are shrinking.This is because most investors areawaiting the enactment of thisvery important legislation thathas the potency to affect our questto become one of the top 20largest economies by the year

2020.”Investigations have shown that

despite the seeming nobleintentions of the bill, manylegislators believe that it oughtnot to be allowed to sail throughverbatim. Several members of theHouse of Representatives fromdifferent parts of the country hadexpressed reservations aboutcertain provisions of the billespecially those which gavewide powers to the Minister ofPetroleum Resources.

This was confirmed by Hon.Daniel Reyenieju (PDP Delta),who said such a reservationamong legislators was notmisplaced. He welcomedmeaningful contributions foramending the bill from hiscounterparts adding that theyshould be inspired by patrioticconsiderations rather thanregional or ethnic factors whiledeliberating on the proposed law.

Massivenorthern opposition

Reyenieju’s viewnotwithstanding, there are clearindications that opposition to thebill has crystallized amongfederal parliamentarians fromthe northern region.

Indeed, members of theNorthern Senators Forum recently demonstrated theirdislike for the bill. Their actionfollowed briefings on the bill bya consultant hired to scrutise thebill with a view to identifying how

it infringed on the interest of theregion especially as it relates torevenue allocation.

The consultant’s report was saidto have confirmed the fears of theNorthern lawmakers that the billwill allocate more petroleum fundsto the Niger Delta region andcorrespondingly reduce theallocation to the North and therest of the country.

Not surprisingly, the hostility ofthe Forum was recently on display in the Senate as the lawmakerssuspended the consideration ofthe bill, despite efforts by theSenate Leader, Senator VictorNdoma Egba to ensure it isdebated in the Upper Legislative

major objection of the Northagainst the bill is directed againstthe clause which provides for thecreation of a petroleum HostCommunity Fund that shall becharged on international oilcompanies operating in thecountry.

A member of the House fromthe South-Eastern part of thecountry who spoke to Vanguardon condition of anonymity saidthe feeling among Northernlawmakers was that the NigerDelta Region was alreadygetting too much revenueallocation from the federationaccount.

Giving a deeper insight into thethinking of the Northernlawmakers, he said the feelingof meagre revenue allocation tothe North was believed to bepartly responsible for the BokoHaram insurgency which hasseriously undermined thesecurity situation in several partsof the region.

North opposedto the bill

A lawmaker from the Northernpart of the country who spoke tosome journalists confirmed thatthe North is actually opposed to the bill. Said he: ”All of usknow that we are not united inthis country. We believe thatleaders of the Niger Delta areattempting to take advantage ofthe fact that their kinsman is thecurrent President and increaserevenue allocation to theirregion. This is unacceptablebecause what the Niger Deltastates are collecting from thefederation’s purse is lopsided.”

The legislator further addedthat opposition against the billwas responsible for anamendment that has been

•Madueke: Oil Minister •Tambuwal: Speaker, House of Reps

Chamber. It was gathered thatthe decision to discard debate onthe bill was as a result of theunderground moves by theNorth.

It was also gathered that theNorthern Senators were alsoangry that the PIB did notprioritise gas supply to the North.They are also uncomfortable thatrevenue accruing to four states inthe Niger Delta Region includingAkwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta andRivers is higher than that of the19 states of the North puttogether. The consultant’s reportalso criticised what it calledapparent divestment movesthrough the establishment of aNational Oil Company andNational Gas Company.

It was further learnt that the

,,Many legislators believe that itought not to be allowed to sailthrough verbatim


proposed for the bill. Theamendment seeks to create apetroleum exploratory agencywhich shall prospect for oil andgas in the Northern, South-Western and South-Easternparts of the country.

It was also learnt that thepurpose of the amendment is tomobilize support against theproposed law from almost allparts of the country minus theNiger Delta Region. A sourcerevealed that this strategy wouldensure that lawmakers from theNiger Delta would be isolatedduring the forth-comingdebate on the bill in the NationalAssembly.

This would then ensure thatthe bill is either outrightly killed

CMYK


,

,

THE first administration toinvolve the National Union

of Road Transport Workers,NURTW in partisan politics wasthat of late Lamidi Adesinawhich governed the statebetween 1999 and 2003.

If politicians had not soughttheir services at one point or theother, it would have turned intoa shocker how mere drivers gotthe effrontery to assert authoritythe way the union has sought todo in recent times.

It is as such not surprising thatthe union has in recent timessought to put politicians as co-perpetrators in the repeatedviolence in the state who theyclaim want political office by allmeans.

That was the issue when thereinstated leader of the NURTWin the state, Alhaji LateefAkinsola aka Tokyo recentlyengaged the government overthe leadership of the union.

That was despite the seeminglymatured way Governor AbiolaAjimobi was credited to havehandled the delicate issue of theleadership of the union.

Tokyo too, had also been tryingnot to involve the governor in thecontroversy.

It is no news that the governoreffectively laid to rest the spateof violence that hadcharacterized the activities of theunion immediately he assumedthe mantle of leadership in thestate. But Tokyo, as he ispopularly called, is saying he

EVER since politicians in Oyo State saw the National Union of Road TransportWorkers, NURTW, as a veritable instrument for winning elections, peace hascontinued to elude the political atmosphere in the state.

BY OLA AJAYI

•Ajimobi: Challenges Tokyo to prove support •Akinsola: Claims to have helped Ajimobi

on Tokyo telling him to come outand tell the world how he workedfor Ajimobi. In a statement by thepublicity secretary of the party,Dauda Kolawole, the party

While maintaining that thepeople of the state who sacrificedtheir all and queued inside thescorching sun on the day of theelection were more significantthan Akinsola in sacrifices for theACN and Governor Ajimobi, theparty urged the former NURTWkingpin to take his life travails inhis strides. “When the nameTokyo is mentioned, he remindsthe people of the dark days ofbloodshed in the state, when lifewas indeed nasty, brutish andshort. He belongs to a forgottenera that God will never inflict onus again,” said ACN.

Challenging Tokyo more,the ACN said. “From what

we gathered, ACN did not winin Akinsola’s ward, nor even inhis polling booth. We are not evensure he voted on election day. Sohow did he help Ajimobi winelection? How did he work forAjimobi? Some people have alsoclaimed that he was a head of a

thug army. This too is absolutelyuntrue. If you know the governorvery well, he abhors thuggery.More fundamentally, how couldthugs have stood against anincumbent whom we werecampaigning against… anincumbent who had theparaphernalia of security?” theparty said.

But, Tokyo, responding to thestatement said, through aspokesman, Hammid Yusuff,that “the statement credited toDauda Kolawole is larger thanhis mouth and a larger load forhim to carry.

“The best thing he should havedone before uttering such ill-advised statement is for him tohave gone to elders of the partyto learn the history of the partyinstead of uttering derogatorystatement on Alhaji LateefAkinsola,” saying everyone inthe state knew the extent ofTokyo’s efforts in assistingAjimobi to win the election.

While describing Kolawole as“a political opportunist,” hedirected the party spokesman toask Governor Ajimobi about hiscontribution towards his successat the 2011 poll in Oyo state.

The group said that Kolawole’sstatement was “a careless talk ofa pretender, distorter of facts, astarter in Oyo state politics and apolitical mercenary”.

This man Dauda Kolawoleshould know that those who livein glass house should not throwstones. Another election isaround the corner. We shall seewhat contributions DaudaKolawole will put in ensuringanother term for his avowedparty”, Yussuf said.

It is claimed that the fear of thegovernment is that if it tries toreinstate Tokyo, that that mighttrigger another orgy of violencein the state because other leadersof the union who are now inhiding, could resist it.

AJIMOBI VS TOKYO: And the beat goes on

or amended in such a mannerthat its original goal would bedefeated.

Indeed, the opposition ofNorthern members against thebill was apparent right from thefirst day it was presented by theleader of the House, Hon.

Adeola-Akande (PDP,Oyo). That first debate hadindicated a clear pattern in thecontributions of membersindicating regional divides.

For instance Hon. Garba DattiMohammed (CPC/Kaduna),who is the Deputy Minority Whipof the House had argued that

the bill if passed into law in theform it was presented by theexecutive would further dividethe country adding that the billhad contradictory provisions onregulation and deregulation ofthe industry. He further proposedthat the powers of the Ministerin the bill should be curbed.

Continues from page 49

PIB: Drums of war

ACN did not win in Akinsola’sward, nor even in his polling booth,so how did he help Ajimobi winelection?

has delivered his own part of theagreement reached with thegovernor to ‘help’ him mobilizehis supporters to win the election.He is accusing the governor ofhaving reneged on his own partof the agreement that he wouldreinstate him.

Though, many people aresaying Tokyo has had enoughdomination over the union for thepast eight years or more, Tokyoinsists he has never been allowedto spend his full term as specifiedby the union’s constitution.According to him, his tenure wasinterrupted by Senator RashidiLadoja when he was arrestedand detained for a crime. Andwhen Chief Adebayo Alao-Akalabrought him out of the custody,he did not allow him to finish hissecond term when he was rudelyimpeached by his latesubordinate, Alhaji LateefSalako, aka Ekleweomo.

Governor Ajimobi has stayedaloof but, his party, the ActionCongress of Nigeria has taken

challenged Tokyo to say inspecific terms, what work he didfor the party in the 2011 electionsthat could warrant his ceaselessshouts to that effect.

According to the party, to thebest of its knowledge, Tokyo wasnever a card-carrying member ofthe ACN, nor was he any of itspolitical leaders who couldeffectively lay claim to the victoryof the party in the lastgubernatorial election in thestate.

“As far as we are concerned,Tokyo is just a frustrated man whois attempting to clutch at strawand reap where he did not sow.He should face his travailsheadlong in the hands of the statewhich had declared him wantedand in the hands of the NURTWbody which does not want aremembrance of his Satanicleadership of the union. NeitherACN nor the leader of our partyin Oyo State, Senator AbiolaAjimobi, is responsible for hiswoes,” the ACN said.

CMYK

CMYK



Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU08026350360E-mail: [email protected]

THE quest about howNigeria’s indigenous

culture and traditionalgovernance systems could beemployed in furthering goodgovernance in contemporaryNigeria was the centralconcern at the just concluded3rd National Institute forCultural Orientation (NICO)annual lecture held in Abujalast week. The lecture wasthemed; Culture, GoodGovernance and Nigeria’sDemocracy held in Abuja.

At the lecture, the ExecutiveSecretary of NICO, Dr BarclaysAyakoroma noted that “ifNigeria must stand tall among

IN this 21st century whenwestern influence has led to the death

of many African cultures, there are stillsome tribes that are still retaining theircultural heritage. One of such tribes isthe Manya Krobo of Krobe Odumase, asmall glass bead making community inthe Eastern region of Ghana.

This community despite the influenceof western culture still holds the DipoPuberty Rites Festival, a festival whereadolescent girls are engaged in a seriesof customary rites to initiate them intowomanhood.

Dipo is similar to the Ovia-Osesefestival of the Ogoni people and thefattening room culture amongst theIbibio people of Nigeria. The Dipo-yiundergo a series of rituals, tests andtasks designed to confirm their chastity;successful completion of which is a per-requisite for a woman to be consideredsuitable for marriage and motherhoodby the community.

Documentaryphotographer

During the 2012 Dipo festival held inGhana, Indira E. Echeruo, a socialdocumentary photographer from Ghanawhose primary photographic interestsare in chronicling cultures and inportraiture captured some stunningimages in black and white of what canbe described as a rich and intricateculture of the people.

And as a way of bringing the festivalto the public, the artist organised anexhibition tagged Portraits from theMaking of a Woman, a photo-on-canvasexhibition of a selection of portraits takenduring the 2012 Dipo Puberty RitesFestival.

NICO: Stakeholdersdiscuss culturefor democratic growth

BY CALEB AYANSINA the comity of nations, we mustas a matter of urgency explorethe cultural dimension, notonly in our quest for goodgovernance and democraticideal, but in every sphere ofour national development”.

According to him, with whatis happening presently in thecountry, “there is need toembrace our culture, cherish itsinherent values and accord ita place of pride in all aspectsof our development agenda”.

Also, the Guest Lecturer andVice Chancellor of NasarawaState University, Keffi, Prof.Shamsudeen Amali did nothesitate in calling on thenation’s leadership to selectsome cultural aspects of

traditional system ofgovernance and infuse theminto the country's democraticpractice, for the people to richlyenjoy good governance.

The university don explainedthat for the fact that there aresome cultures that need to be

abrogated because they areinjurious to societal growthdoes not mean that the people’sway of life, which is theirculture should not be taken intoconsideration, noting that somecultural elements and theirinstitutions could be used to

achieve peace, progress andunity in the country.

“In order for contemporaryNigerian democracy to richlyenjoy good governance, wewould have to know and selectgood cultural aspects from thetraditional system ofgovernance, such as familysystems and values, honesty,peace and integrity and infusethem into the contemporaryNigerian democratic practicesthrough the NationalAssembly.

Democraticpractice

“The contemporary Nigeriandemocratic practice is beingpresently heavily criticized fornot doing enough for themajority of the people. But inorder to achieve considerabledegree of good governance forthe majority of the people in thenation, it is very important thenation should know that somecultural elements and theirinstitutions or organs such asreligion, accountability,leadership, discipline,patriotism etc could beconsciously used.

“To increase the success of thecurrent Nigerians democraticdispensation, we need to useeffectively and systematicallythe cultural elementsmentioned above for gooddemocratic governancethrough education,transportation, communicationand various other fields ofhuman activities” He said.

Earlier, the Chairman of theoccasion, Prof. EmekaNwabueze of the University ofNigeria, Nsukka noted that“these lectures do not only giveus a panoramic view of culture.They lay bare how culturalcolonization has adverselyaffected our body politic as apeople, especially with regardto the imposition of beliefs andsocial practices of a dominantgroup against a subjugatedone”.

Indira’s puberty rite at Didi MuseumBY JAPHET ALAKAM This series of photographs

was displayed at the National Museum,Barnes Road, Accra from 2nd to 8thDecember 2012 and was opened at DidiMuseum, Lagos from 15th to 22ndDecember 2012.

The exhibition which is her second soloexhibition and her first to open in Nigeriafeatured about 30 images in black andwhite. It was declared open by NewtonJibunoh.

Commenting about the exhibition,Indira who confessed that she receivedher basic photography training in atraditional darkroom and only workedwith black and white film before shestarted shooting digital in 2009 said thatthe works are in black and white because“shooting black and white offered moreflexible options for contrast which is greatfor covering wax prints and other multi-

coloured items like the glass beadswhich feature prominently in the Dipofestival”.

On the choice of Nigeria, Indira whoconsiders Nigeria her second homestated that, “bringing the exhibition toNigeria has definitely increased theexposure my photography has received.In addition, showing here hasencouraged dialogue centred on themeaning and relevance of my work tothe Nigerian community”.

Speaking at the event, NewtonJibunoh, the founder of Didi Museumdescribed the exhibition as an inter tribalexposition that brings out to a largerpublic here in Nigeria, a part of Ghanathat is working very hard to retain theircultural heritage and the varioustraditional festivals.

Chief Edem Duke, Tourism and Culture Minister (m) and others at NICO event

Indira Echeruo explaining some the works to Newton Jibunoh during the exhibition

54 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 , 2012

,

,

I took to vandalism to havemy share of the national cake — pipeline vandal suspect

successfully loaded the truckwith 100gallons of 50 litres ofPMS.

An Assistant Commissioner ofPolice who heads the TaskForce, Friday Ibadin, gave theidentities of the other suspectsas Muritala Kareem, MusiliruAshiri, Ahmed Lamidi andElizabeth Folorunsho, re-stat-ing the task force determina-

• The suspected vandals.

I must say that greed lured me intothis. I regret my action. More painful, isthe fact that my children will be disap-pointed in me

•I.G. Abubakar

assumed an accomplice to thecrime and will consequently bearrested,” ACP Ibadin threa-thened.

Jelilat pushed me into itOn his part, , Muritala, 41, a

resident of Awori village in Epearea of Lagos, claimed Jelilatlured him into vandalism. His words: “I have alwaysbeen a happily married andcontented man until the day Imet Madam Jelilat. She cameto my shop and said she want-ed to introduce me into oil busi-ness. I initially told her I wasnot interested in vandalizedproduct but she insisted that itwas a genuine business.

Reluctantly, I joined and sheintroduced me to one Elizabethand Taye, who sold 50 litres ofDiesel for N4800. It was laterthat I discovered I was buyingvandalized products. Initially Iwanted to stop but becauseChristmas was fast approach-ing, I decided to continue so asto have enough money to feastwith my family.

When we buy a 50 litresgallon for N4800, we would sellfor N6000. But if you go to afilling station, it is sold forN7,750. The business wasbooming, as many customerspatronized me

It was while we were on ourway out of Konu that the policeon patrol arrested us. I must saythat greed lured me into this. I

A FEMALE suspected pipeline vandal, Jelilat Olail-

ikon, who was arrested along-side four others by the Inspec-tor General of Police SpecialTask Force Unit on Anti-Pipe-line Vandalism, has confessedthat she took to the illicit busi-ness as part of her share of thenational cake.

Jelilat who initially did notshow any sign of remorse whenarrested, shrugged her shoul-der when approached by CrimeAlert and in a nonchalantmanner said: “I am just a busi-ness woman. No one will getan offer that would fetch him orher a hundred per cent gainthat would not jump at it. Myonly mistake was that I failedto carry out proper investigationbefore venturing into the busi-ness.

“When I discovered that thepetroleum product was fromNNPC pipeline, I decided tocontinue since its government’s

money. Everybody wants to eatfrom the national cake and I sawthat as my only opportunity tomake money”, she stated.

But after a second thought,she admitted she was wrongand said:“ I am truly sorry, ifthey can forgive me, I will notdo it again.”

Meanwhile, her allegedpartners in crime, admitted to

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

be siphoning the petroleumproduct from System 2 B pipe-line in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

Luck, ran against them afterthey were arrested by operativesof the Task Force who were ona routine patrol along Konu vil-lage, while they were siphon-ing the product into a DAFtruck with registration numberXA813JND. Already, they had

tion to reduce pipeline vandal-ism to its barest minimum.

Said he, ”We are determinedwith the help of the communi-ties where these pipelines areburied to curb activities of thesevandals. Meanwhile, I wish touse these medium to plead withNigerians to desist from patron-izing these vandals. Anyonecaught buying this product is

regret my action. More painful,is the fact that my children willbe disappointed in me”, he said.Another suspect, Elizabeth, 36,an indigene of Owori in Ondostate, lamented that she decid-ed to go into the illicit businessafter her husband died. “I wasa full time house wife when myhusband died and there was noone to take care of me and mychildren. To make ends meet,I started carrying loads for peo-ple. It was during one of the er-rands that I was introduced tothe business by one of my cus-tomers. I was aware that mysuppliers were vandals butthere was nothing I could doabout it because I felt it wasbetter than to sell my body tomen for money.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27 , 2012 — 55

My ex abducted, raped mebecause I dumped him — Rescued victim

••I was jealous — ex-boyfriendBY DONALD ARJI

Court slams Oil and Gas MD 7 year- jail termfor obtaining money by false pretence

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

JUSTICE Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has

sentenced a Managing Director of an oiland Gas Company, one Akinyemi IdowuJegede to seven years imprisonment.

The convict was prosecuted by the Eco-nomic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, on a two- count amended informa-tion dated March 1, 2011.The accused wassaid to have obtained by false pretense, thesum of N27, 692,500 (Twenty Seven Million,Six Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand FiveHundred Naira) contrary to section 1(3) ofthe Advance Fee Fraud and Other FraudRelated Offences Act No 14 of 2006.

Akinyemi, a Chartered Accountant andManaging Director of Trans-Atlantic GlobalOil was arraigned on September 10, 2007,on allegation that he fraudulently obtainedmoney from his victims in a dubious forextransaction.

His arrest and prosecution was sequel totwo petitions dated 18th and 20th Septem-ber, 2006 by Amfidel International Limitedand Sunny Ositez International Limited re-spectively, where they alleged that one Mr.Ifeanacho Egbuna who was the BranchManager of Fidelity Bank Plc, Enu-OwaBranch, Lagos Island collected several sums

of money from them with a promise that the dollarequivalent would be transferred to the accountof their overseas suppliers.

To finalize the transaction, the petitioners is-sued draft for the sums of N13, 570,000.00 andN14, 122,500.00 respectively in the name ofTrans-Atlantic Global Oil Services Ltd, a com-pany wholly owned and operated by the ac-cused person.In the course of interrogation, theaccused volunteered in his statement whereinhe admitted collecting a total of N27, 692,500(Twenty seven Million, Six hundred and nine-ty two thousand five hundred naira) from thesaid Mr. Ifeanacho Egbuna and that he couldnot transfer the said sums as agreed becausehe had some problems in his petroleum busi-ness.

On December 13, 2012, counsel to EFCCFrancis Usani urged the court to convict theaccused person on the strength of the testimo-nies of seven witnesses and the twenty-threeexhibits tendered during trial. But counsel toaccused person, E.D Onyeke prayed the courtto discharge and acquit his client of the charg-es preferred against him.But Justice Okunnuin her ruling convicted and sentenced the ac-cused to seven years imprisonment and also or-dered the convict to pay restitution to the vic-tims.

THE hitherto quiet atmosphere witnessed in Ligali street, Ojo road

in Ajegunle area of Lagos was recentlytruncated, following the abduction of a22-year-old lady identified as BoseAshade, right in front of her compound.Noone could go for Bose’s rescue, asthe thugs said to have been heavilyarmed, threatened to kill anyone whodared to thwart their mission. Andbefore everyone, helpless Bose, waswhisked away in the thugs operationalmotorcycles. Time was 6pm last Friday.

Her apprehensive grandmother couldnot be consoled as she waileduncontrollably, wondering why any onewould choose to abduct her grand-daughter who has been in her custodysince the demise of her parents.

However, about seven hours later,news filtered in that Bose had been res-cued by policemen from Layeni Divi-sion, somewhere around Arinu IsholaStreet, Alaba. Upon inquiry, it was dis-covered that her abduction was master-minded by no other than her formerboyfriend, one Ibrahim Bolaji.

Bose as gathered , had been in a rela-tionship with Ibrahim for two years be-fore the relationship went sour, over anunknown reason.

Crime Alert gathered that Ibrahim hadon several occasion attempted to winback his girlfriend, all to no avail.

But along the line, he reportedly learntthat one of his friends was going outwith Bose, a major reason he told Po-

lesson. I never intended to collect anymoney as ransom”, he said.

But while in the hideout, Bose saidshe was raped by Ibrahim. At first, shesaid she thought the thugs were kid-nappers. Sharing her terrible encoun-ter with Crime Alert, she said: “Fromthe way they operated, I concludedthey were kidnappers. My grandmother sent me on an errand that fate-ful evening and immediately Istepped out o f the compound, aboutnine men grabbed me and startedbeating and dragging me at the sametime on the ground. I begged themnot to kill me , that I was not havingany money with me. But they did notstop.

When I got to their hideout aroundAlaba, my ex-boyfriend, Ibrahim,came in. I was shocked and askedwhy he would do this to me. Before Icould finish the statement, one ofthem landed a slap across my face.And right there, Ibrahim raped measking if that was not what I wanted.

My phone saved me“When he finished with me, he left

me in the room and directed his boysto keep an eye on me. But I had myphone with me and quickly text thelocation I was to my new boyfriendwho contacted policemen at Layeni.The policemen arrived at about12.30am and rescued me. But for theirswift arrival I do not know what wouldhave happened to me”, she said,weeping.

Meanwhile, Crime Alert gatheredthat policemen at Layeni Divisionwere on the trail of the thugs whostormed Bose’s place that fateful day.

PHOTOSPEAK

•Bose Ashade — The victim

* CSP Mohamed Muazu receving the award of Environmen-tal Friendly Officer Award from the Lagos State Commis-sioner of Police, Mr Umaru Manko at the Crime ReportersAssociation of Nigeria, CRAN, 2012 Annual Lecture Award inLagos

licemen made him abduct her.Hear him: “Even if she was leav-

ing me, she should have at least,accorded me the respect by goingfor another person instead of myfriend. It was like a slap on myface. I only sent some of my friendsto abduct her so as to teach her a


2012: Nigerian mediain peril, repositions

MORE than ever before, Nigerian mediais in danger. It has always been bad,

though but today, journalists are beingbombed indiscriminately. They are ha-rassed, terrorised, tortured, threatened andkilled at will.

For the first time, journalists staged a walkin Lagos to protest the “incessant attacks andbrutalization” of their colleagues.

And it was not just the killing that was adanger to the media, the internet posed abig challenge too, with news now free on-line and dwindling fortunes. The advertiseralone, seems to hold all the aces for the fu-ture media.

Yet, news houses have to develop applica-tions for sms news alerts, mobile journalism,mobile news alert, social media, news alertsetc. While investing on the hard copy, themedia houses must respond to the internet .They have to buy latest software for easyaccess online, blogs, community pages, fa-cebook, google, video, audio etc for easy in-teractions.

Easyinteraction

So, the media in 2012 has been expensiveand the rewards are yet to be decided. Whatis already known is that some media housessuch as The Economist of London are pack-ing up their hard copies for the online edi-tion. But for the Nigeria journalist, 2012opened with a nightmare on January 20 whenthe 31 year- old Channels TV reporter,Enenche Akogwu, was shot dead by Islamicmilitants during the Kano bomb blasts thatrocked the city.

This murder unleashed a wave of other vi-

The newsroomof the future

NEWSROOM leaders including Raju

Narisetti of The WallStreet Journal and ana-lyst Ken Doctor will con-vene online Jan. 16 todiscuss the news indus-try’s future in a free,two-hour webinar hostedby the World Editors Fo-rum (WEF), the SouthernNewspaper PublishersAssociation (SNPA) andthe University of SouthCarolina College ofMass Communicationsand Information Studies.

The webinar will beginat 2 p.m. (Eastern Stan-dard Time in the UnitedStates).

Signage gets longevity device

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

SOON, signage owners will no longer need to

replace faded or degraded sig-nages, as Light Level Limit-ed, a sign manufacturing com-pany in collaboration with Vi-com Outdoor of Netherlandshas brought to Nigeria a sig-nage cleaning concept calledHQ coding.

HQ coding, a two face pronecleaning concept will see fad-ed signages come back to lifespending another 10 yearsthereby saving the sign own-er the fortune of manufactur-ing a replacement in the near-est future, said Light LevelManaging Director, Mr. Uw-amai Igein at the press brief-ing and mock demonstrationof the cleaning concept in his

office in Lagos, who alsopointed out that the companywhich is into the business ofvisual communication notedthat maintenance is key.

“It is a lot easier to spendmuch in manufacturing a sig-nage, but what happens aftersome years,” he queried. “Wenoticed that the cost of main-tenance is usually very low, bythis, a lot of our customers donot know we have a new out-fit under our roof that is re-sponsible for maintenance ofsignages.”

So that arm is going to work100 percent with Vicom Out-door. “We want to see a clean-er signage environment inNigeria, we want to see inNigeria like signs that are pro-duced in other countries of theworld.” he enthused.

•Akogwu killed by Boko Haram and bombed ThisDay office in Abuja

Protesting Nigerian journalists and inset: Bloodied Uwalaka

BY UDUMA KALU olent attacks. In April, the sect’s suicide bomb-ers rammed into ThisDay, The Sun and Mo-ment newspapers and bombed them. Beforethe attack, there were several youtube, emailand phone threats to vocal journalists and ed-itors with the purpose of cowing them intosilence. Newspapers, television stations andradio stations the group saw as unfriendlywere repeatedly threatened as Punch, TheNation, Vanguard, Voice of America, Punchand Guardian.

Of course, these brought fear to mediapractitioners. A scene painted in Maidug-uri, capital of the sect, is a pointer to themood in most media houses as journaliststhere got scared.

This made the president of the NigerianGuild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye at the2012 CNN Multichoice African JournalistAwards ceremony, in Lusaka, Zambia, whereNigeria won the Free Press Africa Award cat-egory, decry the current assault on free pressin the country.

Two Nigerian journalists specially recogn-ised there were Zakariyu Isa, a cameramanwith the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA,Maiduguri, shot dead in front of his homein Maiduguri in October 2011, and EnecheAkogwu. Adefaye would go ahead later tohold an annual meeting of the editors withthe theme ‘National Security and the Nige-rian Editor’ with the hope of brainstormingon insecurity facing the media.

So when the Lagos based journalists pro-tested for the first time, it was not just be-cause of Benedict Uwalaka of The Indepen-dent beaten black and blue or The Punchphotographer also beaten by illegal trainpassengers or the harassment of other jour-nalists in Abuja and Akwa Ibom, it was be-cause the new terrorism wanted to end theNigerian media’s hard won freedom.


Victor Chukwueke (second from the left) is shown with his surgeon, Dr. IanJackson, the doctor’s wife and the nun who has cared for him since he cameto the United States

Chukwueke awaits Obama’s residency billHIS journey started in

Nigeria, a tauntedteenager with large tumorson his face, driven into deepdespair. Eleven years later,Victor Chukwueke hasundergone numeroussurgeries and is a step closerto achieving his dream ofbecoming a doctor.

In a rare act, the UnitedStates Congress passed aprivate bill last weekgranting Chukwuekepermanent residency afteryears of his living inMichigan on an expired visa.The bill is awaiting PresidentBarack Obama’s signature.

“The day Congress passedthe bill was one of the happiestdays of my life,” saidChukwueke, who leftNigeria as a teen in 2001 toget treatment for the tumors.Private bills — which onlyapply to one person andmostly focus on immigration— seldom pass. His is theonly private bill to pass inCongress in two years.

“I was overwhelmed withjoy; it was nothing less thana miracle,” the 26-year-oldsaid. “Only in this countrycan so many miraculous andwonderful things happen tosomeone like me.” VictorChukwueke attends hisgraduation at Wayne StateUniversity, where he servedas commencement speaker.

Only in this country can so

many miraculous andwonderful things happen tosomeone like meVictor Chukwueke. Before

coming to the United Statesat age 15, Chukwueke livedin the southeastern Nigeriatown of Ovim.

He suffers fromneurofibromatosis, a geneticdisorder that causes massivelife-threatening tumors on

his face. Treated as an outcastbecause of his deformed face,he was depressed andhumiliated, he said. Hisfamily abandoned him at anorphanage. Nuns from the

Daughters of Mary Motherof Mercy rescued him fromthe orphanage more than adecade ago and arranged fora Michigan doctor to performsurgery on him.

Egypt referendum: Morsi backers urge unityBACKERS of President

Mohammed Morsihave urged all Egyptiansto work together after theadoption of a controversialnew constitution.

Muslim Brotherhoodleader Mohamed Badiesaid Egyptians should“begin building ourcountry’s rebirth with freewill... men, women,Muslims and Christians”.

More than 60% of votersbacked the constitution ina referendum, althoughonly a third of theelectorate voted.

Critics say the documentfavours Islamists andbetrays the revolution.

President HosniMubarak was ousted frompower in February 2011after nearly 30 years ofauthoritarian rule.

After the referendumresult was announced onTuesday, dozens of anti-constitution protestersblocked one of the mainbridges in the capitalCairo, setting tyres alightand stopping traffic.

The political divisionssurrounding thereferendum have led toeconomic uncertainty anda reported rush to buy USdollars.

Currency exchanges inparts of Cairo were said tohave run out of dollars.Before the result wasannounced, the authoritiesdeclared a limit of $10,000(£6,200) for travellers intoand out of Egypt.

•Mursi

Syria to discuss peace proposals with Russia•as Military police chief al-Shalal defect

SYRIAN PresidentBashar al-Assad sent a

senior diplomat to Moscowyesterday to discussproposals to end theconflict convulsing hiscountry made byinternational envoyLakhdar Brahimi, Syrianand Lebanese sources said.

Brahimi, who saw Assadon Monday and isplanning to hold a seriesof meetings with Syrianofficials and dissidents inDamascus this week, istrying to broker a peacefultransfer of power, but hasdisclosed little about howthis might be done.

More than 44,000Syrians have been killed ina revolt against fourdecades of Assad familyrule, a conflict that beganwith peaceful protests butwhich has descended intocivil war.

Past peace efforts havefloundered, with worldpowers divided over what

has become an increasinglysectarian struggle betweenmostly Sunni Muslimrebels and Assad’s securityforces, drawn primarilyfrom his Shi’ite-rooted

Alawite minority. Meanwhile, the

commander of Syria’smilitary police has defectedfrom President Bashar-alAssad’s government and

reportedly fled to Turkey.Lt Gen Abulaziz al-

Shalal is one of the highest-ranking officials to join theuprising against the Syrianregime.

Mandela in good spirit,says Zuma

RECUPERATINGSouth African icon,

Nelson Mandela was ingood spirits in the hospitalwhere he spent hisChristmas after anendoscopic surgery toremove gallstones from the94 year old statesman. Thecountry’s President JacobZuma said. “He was happyto have visitors on thisspecial day and is lookingmuch better,” said Zuma,

who visited Mandela in aPretoria hospital Tuesday.“The doctors are happywith the progress that he ismaking.” Mandela, 94, hasreceived round-the-clockcare since an acuterespiratory infection in2011. He was hospitalizedfor a lung infection onDecember 8; and onDecember 15, he hadsuccessful endoscopicsurgery to have gallstonesremoved.

Mandela, the formerSouth African president,has not appeared in publicsince the 2010 World Cuphosted in his country.TheNobel Peace Prize winnerspent 27 years in prison forfighting the oppression ofblacks in South Africa. Hebecame the nation’s firstblack president in 1994, fouryears after he was freed.South Africa last monthlaunched a new batch ofbanknotes with a picture ofa smiling Mandela on thefront.

Pope expresses concern over violence in Nigeria,Mali

CATHOLIC PontiffBenedict XVI has

expressed concern overthe violence in Mali andNigeria, “where savageacts of terrorism continueto reap victims, particularlyamong Christians,”callingfor peace in many of the

world’s hot spots.From Syria to northernNigeria, the leader of theCatholic Church urgeddialogue and the protectionof civilians. “In this world,there is a good soil God hasprepared,” the pope said.“Consequently, there is

hope in the world; a hopein which we can trust, evenat the most difficult timesand in the most difficultsituations.” He called foran end to the bloodshed inSyria, where a civil war hasclaimed more than 40,000

lives. “May peace springup for the people of Syria,deeply wounded anddivided by a conflict whichdoes not spare even thedefenseless and reapsinnocent victims,” Benedictsaid.

Queen highlights Diamond, Olympicevents in Christmas message

BRITAIN’s QueenElizabeth II reflected

on a year of personal andOlympic celebration in aChristmas messageTuesday that emphasizedserving others.

“This past year has beenone of great celebration formany,” the 86-year-oldmonarch said in a

videotaped message,reflecting on her DiamondJubilee, which she called

“especially memorable forme and my family.”

Japan elects new PM

THE Japaneseparliament elected

Shinzo Abe as primeminister Wednesday,giving him a second

chance at the same job fiveyears after he resignedabruptly. Abe, 58, is thenation’s seventh primeminister in six years. Hestarted the revolving doorof prime ministers byresigning in 2007, just oneyear into the job. The leaderof the Liberal DemocraticParty has vowed to boostthe economy and defendJapanese interests,including territorialdisputes with China over agroup of islands.

•Mandela

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad (R) meetsInternational peace envoy for Syria LakhdarBrahimi in Damascus

58—Vanguard,58—Vanguard,58—Vanguard,58—Vanguard,58—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

Stakeholders step up social protectionsdrive for vulnerable workers

BITS

,

,

MICHAEL Imoudu Nation-al Institute for Labour Studies,MINILS, Ilorin Kwara State,has not only become a refer-ence point for workers, union-ists, industrial relations prac-titioners’ education in Nigeria,also, its annual National La-bour Summit, has assumed arendezvous for stakeholdersto meet and proffer solutionsto topical lindustrial relationsissues.

SO, it was not surprisingthat the eighth MINILS

National Labour Summit withthe theme “Social Security, La-bour Relations and the Trans-formation Agenda: ExtendingSocial Protection in Nigeria”,apart from being attended bymajor stakeholders, it equallyprovided an avenue for the fer-tilization and exchange of ideason diverse industrial relations’concerns in the country.

Welcoming participants, Di-rector General of MINILS, Dr.Niyi Olanrewaju, explainedthat the theme of the summitwas carefully chosen to fit intonational development effortswith current emphasis on glo-bal policy disclosure.

According to him, “there isnow consensus that social pro-tection issues need to be givenserious attention within the con-text of development processesadding that the summit willaddress the need to evolve pro-gressive social models in whichindustrial relations actors willfunction as active participants.This will help to advance thecause of social protection and

development in the country. “Iam aware that these ideals areadept to the transformationagenda of the federal govern-ment, as well as to the massiveprogrammatic expressions andeffort to actualise this policy bythe federal ministry of labourand employment. It shouldgladden you to learn that theinstitute is also applying itself

to these broad national devel-opment concerns and strate-gies, within the context of itsmandate. We have gone aheadin the course of this year, tomainstream emphasis on thistheme by way of refocusing ourtraining and research activi-ties.”

Dialogue, consensus building Speaking, Minister of Labour

and Productivity, Chief EmekaWogu, said governmentthrough the labour ministry hadbeen encouraging dialogue andconsensus building as standardprocedure in terms of its gover-nance strategy, while assuringthat government was committedto regular engagement with in-dustrial relations actions to en-sure industrial peace and har-mony.

He said “I am aware that acrucial aspect of the transforma-tion agenda has to do with re-lations with the diverse actors

and interests in the Nigerianindustrial relations system, par-ticularly labour and employers.The administration of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan regardsthese categories as partners indevelopment, and remains con-vinced of the need to involvethem in social policy matters. Interms of concrete efforts of thelabour ministry in the area of

tended that driving social poli-cy transformation agenda de-pended on the intervening ac-tivities of not just the govern-ment but on activities of tradeunions and employers.

According to him, any at-tempt to transform and reposi-tion the labour relations systemnow taking a center stage mustbegin by addressing the criti-cal perception and needs ofworkers as key stakeholders,especially those in the publicsector, which constitute themass of the nation employersand unionised workers.

Any nation that seriously de-sires to reduce poverty and im-prove on its socio-economic de-velopment must approach thesethrough improving on its socialpolicy and labour relations, es-pecially the unification of theprocesses, through implement-able legislations.

He said though the presentadministration had demonstrat-ed its seriousness in transform-ing the social policy and labourrelations of the economy, thereshould be a sound policy focuson the poor, that provides mea-sures and remedies that wouldensure that subsidies meant forthe poor “do not end up high-jacked by those in the societythat can do without them”.

“Other areas of the transfor-mation that can further extendprotection to Nigerian workers,require policy focus on improv-ing the well-being of Nigerianpolicy and reducing excessiveinequality in the access to ba-sic economic needs and educa-tion, which are known to breedconflicts in our society.

Also, our social policy frame-work should adopt a special fo-cus on the young people of oursociety, the vulnerable individ-uals-employed and unem-ployed, and fully integratetheir needs into the nation’sdevelopment strategy.”

social protection, you are awareof our various robust interven-tions to ensure the mainstream-ing of the new minimum wagelaw. The ministry remains ac-tive in the field, facilitating dia-logues between employers andworkers at different levels, withthe aim of ensuring adequatecompensation and income secu-rity for workers.”

“I am aware of the role of lawin terms of advancing the causeof social protection in the coun-try. That is why we have beenencouraging the review of ourlabour laws to ensure emer-gence of the appropriate legalenvironment which supportssocial protection reforms. Thisis precisely what we have donewith the Employees Compensa-tion Act of 2010, which is a no-table outcome of this process.”

Role of social actorsGovernor Theodore Orji of

Abia State, in his speech, con-

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

ASCSN petitionsOrji, seeksre-instatementof sackednon-indigeneworkers

In terms of concrete efforts of thelabour ministry in the area of socialprotection, you are aware of ourvarious robust interventions to en-sure the mainstreaming of the newminimum wage law

ASSOCIATION of Senior Civil Servants of Ni-

geria, ASCSN, has petitionedGovernor Theodore Orji ofAbia State to reinstate all non-indigenes in the state publicservice sacked by the state gov-ernment earlier in the year.

In a letter with referencenumber ASCSN/ABIA/VOL.IV/672 , dated December6, 2012, by its Secretary-Gen-eral, Comrade Alade BashirLawal, ASCSN lamented thatAbia State government had re-fused to reabsorb the sackedemployees, including Abiawomen married to non-indi-genes, despite pleas by tradeunions, religions leaders, roy-al fathers, human rights orga-nizations and other eminentNigerians.

According to the association“It may well be that advisers tothe helmsmen in Abia Govern-ment House subscribe to thepervading culture of impunitythat is being entrenched in theadministration of public affairsin Nigeria in which the strongleader must go on with a poli-cy, no matter the monumentalopposition against it and inspite of its adverse effect on thecitizens because to make a de-tour is tantamount to being aweakling.

Concept of infallibleleadership

“In our view, the concept ofan infallible leadership whichascribes to itself a transcenden-tal divinity has become obso-lete, anachronistic, and standsin direct antithesis to democrat-ic ideals of the 21st century, de-spite the plethora of sycophantscheering the leader to carryon.”

ASCSN argued that from eth-ical perspective, the action ofGovernor Orji was fundamen-tally flawed and urged him toreflect on what would happenif all the other 35 state gover-nors decided to follow his foot-steps by sacking all non-indi-genes in their public services.

It noted that the action of Gov-ernor Orji did not produce thegreatest good for the greatestnumber of persons. “ Can wereally say that if all the other35 state governors in the fed-eration were to follow the foot-steps of Abia State governmenton this policy, it will promotethe greatest good for the great-est number of Nigerian citi-zens?” the group queried.

Director-General of MINILS, Dr. Niyi Olanrewaju (middle) welcoming the Minister of Labour and Productivity, ChiefEmeka Wogu, to the summit.

PenCom sendsdebt recoveryagents aftermedia houses

STORIES BY VICTORAHIUMA-YOUNG

NATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, has sent

debt recovery agents after man-agement of media houses andother companies who have con-tinued to breach the PensionReform Act, PRA, 2004 by fail-ing to remit deducted pensionfund and have continued to in-cur high debt profile

Responding to concernsraised by stakeholders at 2012National Workshop organizedby PenCom, for Business Edi-tor, Labour, Finance and LabourCorrespondents, in Abuja, .Farouk Aminu, the commis-sion’s Head of Research andCorporate Strategy, dismissedinsinuations that the commis-sion was shying away from con-fronting media houses overnon-compliance as required bylaw, saying “It is not like we areavoiding totackle the issue ofnoncompliance with the mediahouses and others.”

According to Dr. Aminu “Ifyou remember in our last con-ference, we told you the mediahouses that were not comply-ing as at that time. After thattime, we sent our staff to theaffected media houses to eval-uate the level of noncompliance.After the report of that exami-nation, we wrote to the mediahouses and demanded that they

comply. Some have actually re-sponded and even made pro-posal on how they would paythe outstanding payment overa period of time.

If you look at our sanction re-gime, there are different levelsof enforcing compliance. Likewe had explained, the sanctionlevel would start with engage-ment, and with consistent non-compliance, after other strate-gies, we could resort to legalaction.”

“ We use naming and sham-ing, monetary sanction and to-day, we have reached the levelof appointing and assigningrecovery agents to specific em-ployer. That follows the system-atic approach. It is not sensa-tional and you get the desiredobjective. In that context, themedia houses are not going tobe treated differently.

They will be treated as part ofnoncompliant employers if theyhappen to be so. Among the15000 or more employers thatwe have assigned, some mediahouses are part of it.

The recovery agents weremandated to start from 2005. Itmeans they are expected to han-dle of noncompliance from 2005to date. So, we are very system-atic in term of how we approachthe issue of enforcement of non-compliance. We try to be as con-sistent as possible in all the sec-tors including the media “

INCREASING number ofworkers in both private

and public sectors are choos-ing the Trustfund Pensions Plc,for their retirement saving ac-count, RSA, the managementhas said. It explained that thechoice of Trustfund is based onits solid financial base andsound management team.

Speaking at its Annual Gen-eral Meeting, AGM, in Abuja,the Chairman of the Board ofDirectors of Trustfund Pensions,Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, told the elat-ed shareholders, contributorsand other stakeholders, that noless than 278 million workerswere now account holders inTrustfund.

According to her, “It is ourearnest desire to continuallycreate wealth for our sharehold-ers. This is demonstrated in thevalue added to our sharehold-ers’ fund from N1.773billion in2010 to N1.994billion in 2011representing over 12 percent in-crease. We would continue toput up efforts to guarantee

wealth creation for our share-holders. We aspire to be lead-ers in fund management andthis is demonstrated in the per-formance of our Fund UnderManagement, FUM. Therewas an increase of about 20 per-cent of our FUM from N116 bil-lion in 2010 to N139billion in2011. This is because of the in-crease in the number of RetiredSaving Account, RSA, holders;from 234million to 278million,revived effort at the funding ofunfunded accounts etc. Also,some state governments havedemonstrated increasedcommitment towards the per-son reforms. We shall continueto revive the market to accessall viable means go increasefunds in the year to come.”

“During the last AGM, I in-formed you that our companyhad recapitalized to N2billionwith N1billion fully paid evenbefore National Pension Com-mission, PenCom’s guidelinefor N1billion minimum capitalbase. is my pleasure to inform

you that our company met therequirement. We will continueto assess our operating environ-ment with focus on capital is-sues to meet challenges as an-when they arise. want to ac-knowledge that our companyperformed well despite thegloomy economic situations ascited earlier. me our partnersand all interested parties thatefforts will continue to be madeto ensure that our company issteady on te of wealth creationfor all members, while recogniz-ing any significant change inpolicy and business environ-ments. “

Corporategovernance

Continuing, she noted that“issues of corporate governancecontinue to generate much con-cern among Nigeria’s corporateworld as well as internatinal . Iam pleased to inform you thatTrustfund Pensions Plc is builtaround a sound corporate gov-ernance practice, which checksand balances among the differ-ent Board Committees. want touse this opportunity to expressmy sire to members of the Boardof Directors and colleagues fortheir continued support and cre-ative ideas for best .

Their commitment and readi-ness to accept challenges evenin the most difficult situationsmake a whole lot of with theirexpertise and professionalismwhich have been reflected in thevarious successes recorded dur-ing the year. me assure you allthat our company will continueto strengthen its corporate gov-ernance structure and practicesas all is will continue to alignwith different committees estab-lished.

We shall continue to supportthe management in bringing outthe best in our workforce in theinterest of all stakeholders.”

More workers join Trustfund pensions

Vanguard,THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012—59

From left: Acting MD/CEO, Trust Fund Pension, Mrs. Helen Da-Sauza; Chairman, Board of TrustFund Pension, Dr. Ngozi Olojeme and the Company Secretary, Musa Nasir at the company’s AnnualGeneral Meeting, in Abuja.

Pension scam in Nigeria: Role of regulator

IN recent month’s reportsof pension scam carried banner

headlines in the country’s news Media,both print and electronics resulting toprobes on pension administration by spe-cial committees of both the Senate andHouse of Representatives. Some of thewell-published scams are those of theOffice of Head of Service of the Federa-tion, Police pension and PHCN.

The Pension Department of the Officeof the Head of the Civil Service of theFederation fraud was so mind buggingthat according to the Pension Task Forceunder leadership of Alhaji AbdulrasheedMaina the sum N12 billion was found inthe personal account of a former directorof the Pension Department and anotherN4 billion was allegedly found in the per-

rounding Power Holding Company ofNigeria (PHCN) staff pension fund. Itis yet to be made public if indeed therehas been embezzlement of PHCN pen-sion fund and the amount involved.However, what is now public is the alle-gation that a PHCN pension fund(2,204,814.18 pound sterling) had beenuncovered in a United Kingdom bank.It is believed that the money is PHCNpension which had been lodged in theUK bank account for close to 21years,meant for payment of pension of expa-triate workers of the defunct utility board,the company which metamorphosed toPHCN. It has also been revealed thatthe last expatriate pensioner of the util-ity board is late.IVOR TAKOR, Executive Director, Cen-tre for Pension Right Advocacy, CPRA

To be continued

BY IVOR TAKOR sonal account of a deputy director of thesame department.

In respect of the Police pension scam,six civil servants have been charged to courtfollowing their alleged complicity in theillegal diversion of N32.8 billion from theNigerian Police pension fund between Jan-uary 2009 and June 2011. The Task Forceunder the leadership of Maina claimed tohave recovered over N159 billion in prop-erties and cash from pension fraudsters.Also the report of the investigation into thealleged mismanagement of pension fundby a Senate Committee revealed that from2005 to 2011 government officials in chargeof pension funds in the country stoleN237.9 billion pension funds, through asyndicated and institutionalised corrup-tion, fraud and embezzlement in the man-agement of pension funds in the country.

The most recent is the controversy sur-

CMYK


EaglesEaglesEaglesEaglesEaglesContinues from B/P

in his contract thatsays he cannot go to theNations Cup without theM a n a g e r ’ spermission.“To makematters worse Newcastlefears that Demba Ba,will be leaving the clubby the January windowand they need a strongstrike force and withAmeobi being their mostexperienced player inthat area we may losehim. But he has said hewill talk to me on BoxingDay night and after thatI will let Nigerians knowwhat the position is,because he wants tothrash out the issue withhis Manager, AlanPardew”.

The Super Eagles willhave their last training

session at the AbujaNational Stadiumtraining pitch thismorning beforedeparting for Portugal.

All players who willnot be making the trip toPortugal will bedecamped same day.And Keshi took time offto pay homage to thedetermination andcommitment of theh o m e - b a s e dprofessionals duringtraining. “It’s a shamethat we can’t take all ofthem to Faro, but whatthey have done hereshows that they are trueprofessionals and I knowwhen we return they willbe part of the set up forthe next round ofqualifiers in the nationalteam”.

Ballon d'orBallon d'orBallon d'orBallon d'orBallon d'orContinues from B/Pname of Real Madrid

forward, CristianoRonaldo, the right withBarcelona midfielder,Andres Iniesta and thecentre, and largestplaque inscribed withthe name of Barcelonaforward, Lionel Messi.

The photo was firstpublished by Argentinesports daily, Diario Oleand while there has yetto be an officialstatement by football’s

governing body, FIFA,we will get our answersoon enough as theofficial announcementwill be made on 7thJanuary, 2013 at thePalace of Congresses inZurich, Switzerland.

Messi has won theprestigious award forthe past three seasonsand was already heavilyfavoured to win hisfourth this January, priorto the release of thisphoto.

KanuContinues from B/Pthinking is to go there

and say well we will befine if we can reach thesemifinal then, theydon’t believe intheirselves.

“They should seethemselves as a winningteam and don’t put theirmind in some playersthat are not in the teamsaid the two-timeAfrican Footballer of the

year.”The former Ajax star

added that Nigeriansshould allow StephenKeshi to concentrate byending the argumentsgenerated by the list ofplayers invited for thecamping.

He declared that theformer Togo and Malicoach is experiencedenough and can’t choosea path to failure.

OkonkwoOkonkwoOkonkwoOkonkwoOkonkwoContinues from B/P

10 days to get thatsorted out with. “By thattime we will already berounding off ourtraining, that is why wemay have to leave himbehind”, he declared.

Keshi also revealedthat Kano Pillars’ PapaIdris and Enyimba’sHenry Uche have beenoffered opportunity tohustle for shirts in theFaro camp and should betravelling with the teamon Thursday. The duohave been excellent intraining despite the factthat the list of homebased players for thecamp has already beenreleased.

The longest servingcaptain of the nationalteam also spoke on theinternational friendlyagainst Catalonia, ofSpain, noting that hefears the weather may

affect his team but notedthat the players will givethe game their all.

“I hear that 10 playersfrom Barcelona will bepart of the team, that isgreat news and its anopportunity for my boysto show that they havethe capacity to playagainst the bestfootballers in the world.The scoreline may notmatter but we will notdisappoint Nigerians.

On his goodwillmessage to Nigerians,Keshi urged Nigeriansnot to cease praying forthe team as he foreseesthe team putting smileson the faces of thenumerous soccer fans inthe country. “We needtheir support andprayers and hopefullywe will put smiles ontheir faces at the end ofthe championship inSouth Africa.”

CatCatCatCatCatalonia talonia talonia talonia talonia tesesesesest ‘ll be tt ‘ll be tt ‘ll be tt ‘ll be tt ‘ll be tough, saough, saough, saough, saough, says Kys Kys Kys Kys KeshieshieshieshieshiEAGLES coach

Stephen Keshi haswelcomed a January 2warm-up againstCatalonia, but hopes thecold weather in Spainwill not affect his team.

“I hear that 10 playersfrom Barcelona will bepart of the team, that isgreat news and it’s anopportunity for my boysto show that they havethe capacity to playagainst the bestfootballers in the world.The score line may notmatter but we will notdisappoint Nigerians,”said Keshi on thefriendly.

The coach though saidhe hopes the coldweather in Europe at thistime of the year will notaffect his players.

This will be the secondtime the Eagles will clashwith Catalonia havingfirst lost 5-0 to theselected side inDecember 1998.

The other AFCONwarm-up confirmed forthe Eagles will be againstCape Verde in Portugalon January 9.

The Eagles will departfor Faro, Portugal,Thursday afternoonthrough Accra, Ghana, tobegin the final phasetraining for the NationsCup.

Irabor committee forinauguration today

INTERIM Mana-gement Committee of

the Nigeria PremierLeague will beinaugurated today inAbuja at the boardroomof the Nigeria FootballFederation.

The 13-manCommittee has

Honourable NdukaIrabor as chairman. Thecommittee is to organisethe 2012/2013 leagueseason, reorganise thesponsorship andmarketing aspects of theleague and look intorules governing thecompetition.

Eagles Afcon list ready Jan 8thEagles Afcon list ready Jan 8thEagles Afcon list ready Jan 8thEagles Afcon list ready Jan 8thEagles Afcon list ready Jan 8thHEAD coach of the

Nigerian nationalteam, Stephen Keshi hasexclusively toldsupersport.com that the23-man list for the 2013Africa Cup of Nations willbe released on Tuesday,January 8 in Faro,

Portugal.Keshi released a

provisional list of 32players comprising of 14players from the NigeriaPremier League (NPL)and 18 oversea-basedplayers last week.

The ‘Big Boss’ has nowlifted the lid on the datethe final list of Nigerianplayers to the 2013 Afconwill be released as theSuper Eagles begin theirquest to win the trophy forthe third time.

“The final list will bereleased on January 8(2013) at our trainingcamp in Portugal. Wewould have ascertainedthe level of fitness, formand mental state of the

players in the provision-al list by that time,” Keshisaid.

Experienced nameslike Kalu Uche, ObafemiMartins, YakubuAiyegbeni and PeterOdemwingie wereexcluded from theprovisional 32-mansquad but Keshi isoptimistic the players,who made the cut willdeliver in South Africa.

“It’s not going to beeasy but I am sure all theplayers are up for thetask. We urge Nigeriansto support all the 32players in the squad.Those players are allNigerians and deservesupport.

Rabiu to relaunch careerRabiu to relaunch careerRabiu to relaunch careerRabiu to relaunch careerRabiu to relaunch careerwith Nigeria call upwith Nigeria call upwith Nigeria call upwith Nigeria call upwith Nigeria call up

CELTIC midfielderRabiu Ibrahim is keen

to use the opportunity hisinvitation to Nigeria’ssenior team to relaunch hiscareer.

The 2007 FIFA U17 WorldCup winner has not beenable to hit the heightexpected of him followinghis eye-catching displays inthe championship in Koreain 2007. And being one ofthe surprise inclusions inStephen Keshi’s 32-manpreliminary squad, the

former Nigeria U20 playeris hoping to make the bestout of the chance.

•Rabiu

MISSION POSSIBLE: Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi charging his wardsto go for the kill.

CMYK


Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470;Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Advert:[email protected]

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

e-mail: [email protected] to Play Sudoku THE VIGILANTE

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (alsonine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within abold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1through 9. This means that no number can appear twicein any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, divisionor multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERSYESTERDAY'S ANSWERSYESTERDAY'S ANSWERSYESTERDAY'S ANSWERSYESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2012

TODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLETODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS1 Sermonise (6)5 Char (6)9 True (5)10 Battle (6)11 Cavalryman (6)12 Hickory (5)14 Lengthy (4)17 Youth (3)18 Sported (4)20 All (5)22 Sculled (5)23 Oriental (7)24 Belt (5)26 Suit (5)29 Fuel (4)30 Skip (3)32 Eat (4)33 Last (5)35 Fisherman (6)36 Felt (6)37 Mock (5)38 Boarded (6)39 Mission (6)

DOWN1 Souse (6)2 Fur (6)3 Applaud (4)4 Inn (5)5 Cold dish (5)6 Tribe (4)7 Clergyman (6)8 Damaged (6)13 Warn (7)15 Egg-shaped (5)16 Grand (5)18 Diminished (5)19 Lac (5)21 Yelp (3)22 Sphere (3)24 Straggle (6)25 Tattered (6)27 Festival (6)28 Nursed (6)30 Rented (5)31 Out-dated (5)33 Gala (4)34 Ogle (4)

ACROSS: 4, Slope 7, Amoral 9, Duo 10, Bus12, Motto 13, Hawk 15, Dumps 17, Enrobe19, Ewer 20, Taboo 22, Set 24, Blacken 27,Err 28, Reach 31, Wild 33, Airman 35, Rabbi37, Riot 38, Baton 39, End 41, Net 42, Deduce43, Renew.

DOWN: 1, Sachet 2, Cobweb 3, Tab 4, Sump5, Loose 6, Pathetic 8, Ludo 11, Subscribe14, Knob 16, Meek 18, Role 21, Abdicate23, Term 25, Arab 26, Near 29, Animus 30,Hatred 32, Drone 34, Rind 36, Anew 40,Den.

Eagles ofEagles ofEagles ofEagles ofEagles off tf tf tf tf to Fo Fo Fo Fo Faro taro taro taro taro todaodaodaodaodayyyyy Ballon d'or winner leakedBallon d'or winner leakedBallon d'or winner leakedBallon d'or winner leakedBallon d'or winner leaked

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Kanu:Eagles canEagles canEagles canEagles canEagles canwin Nationswin Nationswin Nationswin Nationswin NationsCupCupCupCupCup

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EPL ResultsEPL ResultsEPL ResultsEPL ResultsEPL Results


SUPER Eagles HeadCoach, Stephen

Okechukwu Keshi wasagain on the hot seatWednesday morning, forthe last time beforehostilities start at theAfcon 2013 Nations Cup

in South Africa, duringthe weekly media chatand he gave ac o m p r e h e n s i v eoverview of how traininghas been going on incamp.

He revealed that new

Warri Wolvesacquisition, ChibuzorOkonkwo, who wasscheduled to head to theFaro, Portugal camp ofthe team, may havemissed out due to thefact that he does nothave a valid Shengenvisa for the trip and itwill take a minimum of

A PHOTO hascirculated the

internet showing the2012 Ballon d’Or trophy,with Barcelona’s LeoMessi name engraved at

the bottom, potentiallyrevealing the Argentineis due to received hisunprecedented fourthconsecutive Player of theYear award.

The image clearlyshows the unmistakabletrophy, with threepanels at the base; theleft engraved with the


FORMER Nigeria’scaptain Nwankwo

Kanu has stated that theSuper Eagles will onlywin the 2013 NationsCup if they have thebelief.

Kanu, now a Nigerianfootball ambassador saidhe believes Nigeria isgoing there to win thecup.

“We should all believein this, the playersshould believe that wecan achieve it but if there

•Okonkwo

•Keshi


THE Super Eagleswill depart for Faro,

Portugal today throughAccra, Ghana, to beginthe final phase of itscamping for the NationsCup, with head CoachStephen Keshi, hintingthat Newcastle strikerShola Ameobi, has acontract clause that mayexclude him from theAfcon Championship.

Speaking at the weeklymedia parley in Abujathat precedes the team’sdeparture, Keshideclared that he spoke tothe gangling striker onChristmas day and he

told him that two yearsago he signed a clause

• Contract clause may haltAmeobi's Afcon dream

REVEALED: The biggest plaque in the middle shows Lionel Messi as winner

BOXING DAY TRAGEDY: Firecrackers wreak havoc in Lagos

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