Boko Haram: I won't resign- Jonathan

...towards a better life for the people

VOL. 25: NO. 61681 MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012**

Mr & Mrs

N150

Continues on Page 5

•Says the demand is blackmail, ridiculous•My mandate freely given by all Nigerians, he insists

I won't resign — Jonathan

•PG.28

Dana crash,a case ofcriminalnegligence

•P.6

BOKO HARAM:

Says I've no hand inBoko Haram

....BABANGIDA SPEAKS

•Warns Clark, threatens to sue him

•P.5

•P.41

DELESOBOWALE

OCHEREOMENNANNA

•P.35

LES LEBA •P.40

BY CLIFFORDNDUJIHE & BENAGANDE, WITHAGENCY REPORT

A B U J A — P R E S IDENT Goodluck

Jonathan, yesterday,said he would neitherconvert to Islam nor re-sign his position forpeace to reign in thecountry as demanded bythe Boko Haram Sect.

The Jamaatu AhlisSunnah Lil Daawati walJihad, popular calledBoko Haram, which saidit was not negotiatingwith any governmentrepresentative and hadno plans to do so, had in

SUBSIDYSCAM:Labouralleges plotto cover-upsomemarketers

BOLT SETS ANOTHER OLYMPIC RECORD—Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebratesafter winning the Men's 100m Final at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games yesterday, in London. Photo:AFP.

BOLT STRIKES AGAIN

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012 — 3

POCKET CARTOON

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012—5

TAKE HEARTBY ELLA RANDLE

I've no hand in Boko Haram — IBB

THE VICTIMS:

You have it easily in your power to increase thesum total of this world’s happiness now. How? Bygiving a few words of sincere appreciation to some-one who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps youwill forget tomorrow the kind words you say to-day, but the recipient may cherish them over a life-time —Dale Carnegie

A MAN was taking a walk along the beach.He saw that the morning tide from the ocean

brought in hundreds of starfish and when the tidereceded, they were left behind and with the morn-ing sun rays, and they would die. The tide wasfresh and the starfish were alive. The man took afew steps, picked one and threw it into the water.He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there wasanother person who couldn’t understand what thisman was doing. He caught up with him and asked,“What are you doing? There are hundreds of star-fish. How many can you help? What difference doesit make?” This man did not reply, took two moresteps, picked up another one, threw it into the wa-ter, and said, “It makes a difference to this one.

ABUJA—FORMERPresident Ibrahim

Babangida, yesterday,slammed elder-states-man Chief Edwin Clarkover his allegation thatsome Northern leadersincluding him,Babangida, were soft onthe Boko Haram insur-gency.

In a stout rebuttal tothe assertion, Babangidaalleged that sense mayindeed have departedfrom Clark and hencehis disregard for the his-toric role he (Babangida)played in unifying thecountry.

Affirming that he hadno reason to play poli-tics with the issue hav-ing left the ‘political in-dustry ’, Babangidatraced the difficulties ofthe Jonathan adminis-tration to divisive peoplehe said were of the samemindset with Clark, whohave prevented thepresent administrationfrom seeking reasonablecounsel from those thatcould help it. He specifi-cally alluded to formerHeads of State who heclaimed were not beingconsulted by the presentadministration.

Babangida spoke inresponse to Clark’sclaims last Wednesdaythat some northern lead-ers were behind the in-creasing spate of vio-lence in the country.

Clark spoke as guestspeaker at the secondState of the FederationLecture organised bythe Nigerian Institute ofAdvanced Legal Studies,NIALS.

Clark had specificallychallenged Babangida

and former Head ofState, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari tocondemn the activitiesof the Boko Haramgroup that has claimedresponsibility for the in-surgency campaign inmany parts of the north.

Clark noting the jointdeclaration by formerPresident OlusegunObasanjo andBabangida on the spateof insecurity had said atthe lecture:

“Boko Haram pre-ceded Jonathan. Itstarted in 2002 whenObasanjo was President.It was there whenYar’Adua was also rul-ing. It is not synony-mous with Jonathan. Ihad expected that some-body like Babangidashould have spokensince. I thought hewould have spoken withhis friend Buhari. Two ofthem have been meet-ing. So why is he nowwith Obasanjo?

“At 72, Babangida saidhe will wear uniformand fight for the unity ofNigeria, he shouldtherefore stand up nowand condemn BokoHaram from the bottomof his heart, not withObasanjo. Obasanjo hasgone to Maiduguri tomeet the people, whyhas Babangida notgone?” he asked.

But responding yester-day, in a statement is-sued by his spokesman,Kassim Afegbua,Babangida said:

“The statement report-edly credited to ChiefEdwin Clark on Friday,August 3, 2012 in sev-eral newspapers andonline media to the ef-fect that General IBBhas a hand in BokoHaram, is the subject ofthis response. We areashamed to state here

that rather than comingup with plausible andefficacious solution[s] tothe insecurity in thecountry, what the self-acclaimed elder states-man came up with wasbuck-passing, suchodium and rancid out-burst, to the extent of try-ing to accuse GeneralIbrahim Babangida onthe Boko Haram menace.We view this misguidedand senseless statementin very bad taste and wetake very strong excep-tions to his drooling andimplied conclusion.

I 'll not workagainst Nigeria'sunity, stability

"For the purpose ofputting the recordsstraight, GeneralIbrahim Babangida,Grand Commander ofthe Federal Republic,former President andCommander-In-Chief ofthe Armed Forces andcivil war hero, does notand will not have a handin anything untowardagainst the unity andstability of the NigerianState. Having seen it allin life, and now enjoy-ing his retirement inMinna, Niger State,General IbrahimBabangida has paid hisdues by serving his fa-therland to the best of hisability at various timesin the history of thecountry.

"Having invested somuch in the unity andstability of the country,to the extent of fightingin the civil war to keepthe country together, it isout of place for anyone,least of all an old manof Edwin Clark's nomen-clature, to input directlyor indirectly that thegreat IBB should provehis innocence on theBoko Haram menace.

"We want to believe thatChief Edwin Clark wasquoted out of context,but if indeed he did saywhat was credited tohim, we are forced toaccept the conclusionthat on account of hisage, his senses havesince departed him. Heneeds our empathiesand not sympathies. Wehave since known ChiefEdwin Clark to be aloose cannon in publicdiscourse. He deservesour pity.

"We were expectingChief Edwin Clark touse the opportunity ofhis forum to advance so-lutions to the insecuritysituation in the countrywith particular referenceto the Boko Haram cri-sis. General IbrahimBabangida has offeredseveral approaches andmethodologies to ad-dressing the precarious

situation both in publicand private, and hadstated without equivo-cation that dialoguewould serve as a bettertool than this militantapproach which is notyielding appropriate re-sult.

"He had also statedthat President GoodluckJonathan should usesome of the respectedMuslim clerics in theNorth as middlemen toreach members of BokoHaram and appeal forcalm and understand-ing, in the interest ofthe unity and stability ofthe system. Needless tostate that Government isa huge institution withseveral options open toit. And the earlier wediscard this old methodof reactionary approachand adopt a proactiveone, in handling sensi-tive situations such asthe one under refer-ence, the better it willbe for the country.

"With ethnic mindsetof a Chief Edwin Clark,we can understand whythe country appears fix-ated and why there hasnot been nationally ac-cepted approach to com-bating this Boko Harammenace. Anyone whosees the Boko Harammenace as strictly aNorthern affair wouldbe exhibiting crass ig-norance about leader-ship in a multi-ethnicconfiguration like Ni-geria.”

Babangida who reiter-ated the need for a col-lective responsibility in

nipping in the bud theproblem, said, "the earlierwe began the patrioticprocess of viewing chal-lenges as collective re-sponsibility, the better itwould be for getting so-lutions to the problem.When ethnic jingoistsspeak and reason in themanner that Chief EdwinClark did, then we havea huge problem on ourhands.

"Former President,General IbrahimBabangida has no handin the present challengesfacing PresidentGoodluck Jonathan, andthe insecurity in thecountry. In fact, it is IBB'sbelief that some of theproblems were inheritedby the present adminis-tration. IBB has since leftthe political turf for theyounger generation ofNigerians. He has saidrepeatedly that he will nolonger be an applicant inthe political industry in

Nigeria until Allah callshim home.

‘’Rather than crucifyGeneral IBB for nothing,Chief Edwin Clarkshould blame the cor-ruption in the systemand the several incom-petence and inadequa-cies of the present sys-tem. Instead of buck-passing and playing theblame game, we expectEdwin Clark to advisethe government of theday to do more of con-sultation with formerpresidents, opinionmoulders and leaders ofthoughts across thecountry with the aim ofgetting lasting and inte-grated solutions to ourproblems. Let it be notedthat further impliedstatements and mis-placed accusations fromChief Edwin Clarkwould be greeted withlitigation. A word isenough for the aged.”

Continues from Page 1

BY HENRY UMORU

a half-hour video madein Hausa and posted onYouTube, called onPresident Jonathan toresign, and also acceptIslam as a pre-conditionfor peace.

Describing the de-mand as blackmail thathe was not ready to suc-cumb to, the Presidentin a statement by hisSpecial Adviser on Me-dia, Dr Reuben Abati,said he would not re-sign because he is thecustodian of a mandategiven to him by Chris-tians and Muslimsa l i k e .According to Abati, it isridiculous for any groupin the country to issuesuch conditions to thep r e s i d e n t ."When Nigerians votedoverwhelmingly forPresident Jonathan inthe 2011 general elec-tion, they knew theywere voting for a Chris-

tian. He continues to en-joy the goodwill and sup-port of the good peopleof Nigeria. As president,Dr. Jonathan is the leaderof both Muslims andChristians; in fact, he isthe leader of persons ofall faiths."So, it amounts to sheerblackmail for any indi-vidual or group to ask thePresident of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria toconvert to Islam. Thepresident cannot be in-timidated by any groupor individual. The Presi-dent will never resign.He has the mandate ofNigerians to serve hisfatherland and nobodyshould imagine that hewill succumb to black-mail.”

However, in the video,made by the group’sleader, AbubakarShekau, in the form of anIslamic lecture on Satur-day, the group offered noexplanation for its de-mands and positions. It

claimed that it doesn’tkill “women and chil-dren,” but those “whohave offended us, ar-rested our people andkilled them” and thatsome people were com-mitting evil acts in itsname and that it wouldgo after such people.

The sect also rejectedany plans by the FederalGovernment to legislateon the number of chil-dren Nigerians canhave, describing suchproposal as “blas-phemy.”

The Federal Govern-ment has made dialoguewith the Boko Haramsect a major way of cur-tailing the group’s in-surgency in NorthernNigeria.

Ahmed Dasuki, theNational Security Ad-viser, had pledged toseek ceasefire with thegroup before the com-mencement of the Is-lamic month of Ramadanwhich entered its 18thday today.

Boko Haram: I won't resign— Jonathan

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012

EKO EXPO 2012—From left: Mr Chen Xiaoxing, Managing Director, Lekki Free Zone DevelopmentCompany, LFZDC; Mr Peter Mbah, Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Oil & Gas Ltd, and Dr OlusegunAganga, Minister of Trade & Investment during the opening of the Eko Expo 2012 and Lekki FreeZone Investment Forum, organised by Lagos State Govrnment at Lekki Free Zone, Akodo, Lekki,Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Subsidy scam: Labour allegesplots to cover-up some marketers

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

...calls on govt to be transparent

representatives and theAig-Imokuhuede panel”.

Comrade Esele claimedthe development wasanother ploy bygovernment to prosecutethese persons and use it asa cover to hoodwinkNigerians into believingthat it was prosecutingperpetrators of the oilsubsidy scam.

He called on governmentto be transparent in the trialof the fuel subsidy lootersso that funds looted from

the national coffers wouldbe recovered and returnedto the national treasury.

He said: “It should benoted that the amount ofmoney involved in thesubsidy fraud runs intotrillions of Naira but theamount allegedly stolen bythose standing trial arepresently about N304billion. We then ask whatabout those who havecornered the other trillions?When will they be broughtto trial to face justice? If this

is an attempt to try thesepersons and use it as a coverto hoodwink the people ofthis nation, we want to warnthat we shall resist it and itmust fail.”

On the implementation ofthe 2012 budget, Esele saidthe Congress was fully insupport of the House ofRepresentatives’ positionon budget implementation,but noted that the threat ofimpeachment was anotherdistraction from thepressing issues confrontingthe economy.

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

Air safety: ICAO rates Nigeria high

INTERNATIONAL CivilAviation Organisation,

ICAO, has rated Nigeriahigh on safety on itsaviation industry and thesafety oversight supervisedby the Nigerian CivilAviation Authority, NCAA.This came barely twomonths after the ill-fatedDana air crash on June 3,2012, which killed over 163people.

A letter signed by thePresident of ICAO, Mr.Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez,said Nigeria was one of the13 countries out of 54 inAfrica whose Level ofEffective Implementation,LEI, of the eight criticalelements of ICAO safetyoversight was above theworld average.

He said: "ICAO maintains

that NCAA has satisfactorilyestablished andimplemented the eightcritical elements in aconsistent way, scoring 86per cent in complianceduring the audit exerciseconducted by its officials”

According to the letter, theeight critical elements arelegislation, regulation,organisation, technical staffand training, technicalguidance and tools,licensing, certification,approval, continuoussurveillance and resolutionof safety concerns.”

It will be recalled thatInternational Air TransportAssociation, IATA, andICAO in July reiteratedconfidence in the ability ofthe Director-General ofNCAA, Dr. HaroldDemuren.

In a letter jointly signedby the President and

Secretary General of ICAO,Mr. Roberto KobehGonzalez and RaymondBenjamin respectively withthe reference number E1/1.109 E.ANB/SS145236written to PresidentJonathan and copiedMinister of Aviation,Princess Sella Oduah andthe representatives ofNigeria on the council ofICAO, said it recognised thesafety efforts of the countryin recent time.

The letters made availableto newsmen by a sourceclose to the Ministry ofAviation, howeverexpressed hope that theoutcome of theinvestigations into theNigerian cargo planeaccident in Ghana andDana air crash in Nigeriawould be implemented bythe government to serve asa guide for future accidents

100,000 workers lose jobsin construction industry— Unions

Lekki free trade zone attractsN170bn investment

BY OMOH GABRIEL,BUSINESS EDITOR

LEKKI Free Trade Zonehas attracted $1.1 billion

(N170.5 billion) investmentcommitment from 48investors, Minister of Tradeand Investment, OlusegunAganga, has disclosed. The minister who spokebased on briefings by theManaging Director of thezone, Mr. Chen Xiaoxing,noted that the LFTZ had allthe features to make it oneof the most successful FreeTrade Zones in Africa. Hespoke during the LFTZInvestment Forum andopening of the Eko Expo2012, in Lagos, weekend.

According to the minister,some of the top investors inthe zone include PumaEnergy Free ZoneEnterprise, which isinvesting in oil and gasterminal depo construction.The company is investing$400 million in the zone.

Others listed by theminister are Imad Oil andGas FZE, which is investing$200 million; ChinaRailway ConstructionCorporation ($50 million);and YFK PharmaceuticalFZE ($30 million), amongothers.

Aganga said, “The LekkiFree Trade Zone is indeedthe biggest of the 19 FreeTrade zones Chineseinvestors have presently

outside China and it has allthe features to make it oneof the most successful FreeTrade Zones in Africa. Ihave been informed by theManaging Director of thezone that about 48 investorshave already committed toinvesting close to $1.1billion in the zone.

“I, therefore salute thecommitment of the majorstakeholders in the LFTZventure, the LekkiWorldwide InvestmentLimited, the China AfricanLekki Investment Limited,the Nigeria ExportProcessing Zones Authority,and indeed, the hostcommunity. I alsocommend the staff andmanagement of LFTZ fortheir hard work anddedication, which hashelped to shape thisongoing success story.”

The minister added that,in line with thedetermination of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’sadministration to transformthe Nigerian economythrough sound and viabletrade and investmentpolicies, the FederalGovernment would supportthe Lagos StateGovernment, theconsortium of Chineseinvestors and otherstakeholders in ensuringthat the LFTZ wasdeveloped to attain its fullpotential.

BYVICTORAHUIMA-YOUNG

Say govts have failed to pay forcontracts executed

THE two unions in thenation’s construction

industry, National Union ofCivil EngineeringConstruction, Furniture andWood Workers,NUCECFWW, andConstruction and CivilEngineering Senior StaffA s s o c i a t i o n ,CCESSA, weekend inLagos, said no fewer than100,000 workers have beensacked by Multi-NationalCorporations, MNCs, andindigenous contractors overgovernment refusal to payfor completed and certifiedprojects in the last one year. At a joint briefing, the twounions claimed that not lessthan N100 billion debtremained unpaid to thesecontractors by both Federaland state governments, andappealed to government torelease money to these

contractors to save theindustry and sufferingw o r k e r s . Speaking on behalf of thetwo unions, President ofCCESA, Dr. AugustineEtafo, said as part of theplans to attract the attentionof government to the plightof the workers, the unionwould hold a peacefulprotest rally in Abuja, whereall the construction siteswould be shut down for ad a y . According to him,“governments at variouslevels have not beenhonouring the agreementson contracts by refusing topay for contracts that hadalready been executed andcertified complete. As wespeak now, governmentsowe contractors over N100billion. Consequently,capital projects aredisrupted and contractorshave moved out of sites forlack of funds".

ORGANISED Labourweekend alleged that

there were plans to coverup some of the indicted oilmarketers in the subsidyprobe reports, vowing toresist any attempt bygovernment to perpetratesuch plans.

Speaking under the aegisof the Trade UnionCongress of Nigeria, TUC,at briefing in Lagos, labourfaulted the withdrawal ofcharges against some of thesuspects by thegovernment, arguing thatonly the court had theexclusive power to makesuch decisions.

Addressing newsmen,President-General of TUC,Comrade Peter Esele,demanded that governmentshould explain toNigerians what promptedthe decision given the factthose affected were indictedby the committees’ reports.

According to him,“Congress is worried aboutthe withdrawal of thecharges against some of theoil subsidy fraud suspectsby the Federal Governmentand would want to knowwhat has made this actionvery urgent now. We feelthat this would have beenleft for the courts to decide.”

The TUC President-General argued that thepersons currently on trialover the fuel subsidy fraud“do not represent thequantity and quality of thepersons indicted by boththe House of


Suicide bomber attacksmilitary check point in Yobe

Oyerinde's murder: We have reasonsfor detaining Ugulor — Police

KADUNA GOV PARLEY WITH NUJ—Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State (middle); Chairman,Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council, Comrade Yusuf Idris (left) and Commissioner forInformation, Alhaji Saidu Adamu (right) during the breaking of Ramadan fast with journalists at theNUJ secretariat in Kaduna on Saturday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

...kills 6 soldiers, 2 civilians

D A M AT U R U — Asuicide car bomber

yesterday attacked amilitary checkpoint inDamaturu, killing sixsoldiers and two civilians,police said.

“The lone suicide bomberdetonated the bomb beforethe car he was in could bestopped, killing the six

soldiers and one civilian”,Patrick Egbuniwe, thepolice commissioner forYobe State, told Reuters bytelephone.

He added that, “anothercivilian died of his woundsin hospital shortly after.”

There was no immediateclaim of responsibility forthe attack in Damaturu’s

Shagari housing estate. Aneyewitness Abdullahi Sabosaid the wholeneighbourhood shookwhen the Damaturu bombexploded. “The car blew upoutside the front of myshop, the explosion wasdeadly and after the dustssettled, many securityoperatives were rushed to

the hospital,” he said.In a separate incident,

police said suspected sectmembers had shot dead aformer commissioner forthe environment inneighbouring BornoState, the epicentre of theBoko Haram insurgency,in the early hours ofSaturday.

BY EVELYN USMAN

NIGERIA Police Forceyesterday stated that it

had good ground fordetaining the Director of the

Govs, Tambuwal, Tinubu forbook launch

SPEAKER of the Houseof Representatives,

Aminu Tambuwal,Governors Kayode Fayemiof Ekiti, Rotimi Amaechi ofRivers, Rauf Aregbesola ofOsun, Abiola Ajimobi ofOyo and BabatundeFashola of Lagos willtomorrow grace the launchof 'The Nigerian PoliticalTurf: Polity, Politics andPoliticians', a new book byThe Nation’s Group PoliticalEditor, Bolade Omonijo.

The public presentation ofthe book slated for theMUSON Centre, Onikan,Lagos is to be chaired byformer Lagos StateGovernor, Asiwaju Bola

African Network forEnvironmental andEconomic Justice, ANEEJ,Revd David Ugulor, overthe alleged murder of thePrincipal Private Secretaryto Governor Adams

Oshiomole, ComradeOlaitan Oyerinde, threemonths ago.

The human rights activistwas arrested last week byarmed security operativesfrom the Federal SpecialAnti-Robbery Squad,following claim by the Policethat one of the suspectsearlier arrested inconnection with Oyerinde’smurder mentioned him astheir alleged sponsor.

His continued detentionsparked-off protest in Beninlast week, with several callsfor his release, particularlyfrom the ANEEJ whichdescribed his arrest as aframe up.

But justifying hiscontinued detention, theDeputy Force PublicRelations Officer, Mr FrankMba, stated that the Forcehad a cogent reason fordetaining the human rightsactivist, following themagnitude of the offence inquestion.

According to him, “theNigeria Police Force isconstitutionally and

statutorily charged with theinvestigation of this kind ofcrime we are investigating.We have very goodgrounds in law for holdingthe suspect. At theappointed time, we will briefNigerians.”

It would be recalled thatlife was snuffed out of 44-year-old Olaitan Oyerinde,by four gunmen whoinvaded his apartment inUgbor area of Benin city, atabout 1am on May 4, 2012.

Two months later, theInspector-General of Police,Mr Mohammed Abubakarannounced the arrest of fourpersons in connection withOyerinde’s murder.

But another dimensionwas introduced to theassassination saga,following the parade of sixsuspects by the StateSecurity Service, SSS,different from those with thepolice, last week, adevelopment that iscurrently generatingcontroversy from differentquarters , as to who the realkillers are.

....As ACN asks FG, N-Assembly to probe SSS

ACTION Congress ofNigeria, ACN, has

called on the Presidencyand the National Assemblyto urgently investigateclaims by the State SecurityService, SSS, that it hasarrested the suspectedkillers of Comrade OlaitanOyerinde, a senior aide toEdo State Governor, AdamsOshiomhole.

In a statement issued inLagos yesterday by itsNational Publicity Secretary,Alhaji Lai Mohammed, theparty said it was compelledto make the call followingthe riddle posed by twopictures carried by anational newspaper (notVanguard) yesterday,which seem to show that the

Nigeria, Jamaica signagreement on energy, trade

security agency may berecycling the samesuspected criminals fordifferent offences.

It said the three suspectsin the first picture, whowere paraded by the SSSon March 14th for allegedlykidnapping and murderingBriton ChristopherMacManus and ItalianFranco Lamolinara, inSokoto, appear to be thesame as three of thesuspects in the secondpicture, who were recentlyparaded by the same SSSfor allegedly killingOyerinde.

‘’Three of the suspectsparaded by the SSS forkilling Oyerinde appear towear a complete replica of

Tinubu.Other governors

expected at the presentationare: Ogun State GovernorIbikunle Amosun, AnambraState Governor, Peter Obi,Yobe State Governor,Ibrahim Gaidam, DeltaState Governor, EmmanuelUduaghan, Kano StateGovernor, RabiuKwankwaso and CrossRiver State Governor, LiyelImoke.

Fayemi is to deliver alecture entitled, TheNigerian Political Turf:Perspective of an ActiveParticipant. The Chieflauncher is Chairman ofBoard Hospitals, Dr. PaulAkintelure.

JAMAICAN PrimeMinister, Portia

Simpson Miller andNigeria PresidentGoodluck Jonathan havesigned a series ofcooperation agreementsfollowing bilateral talks inKingston.

The agreements coveredenergy, trade, culture, airservices and education,along with technicalscientific cooperation.

“We are looking to furthercooperation through theconclusion of an air serviceagreement allowing forJamaica to serve as agateway for Africa into thewider Caribbean region, aswell as, a hub for goods andservices,” Simpson Millersaid.

The two countries willalso look to resume theNigeria Technical AidCorps programme, whichallowed Nigerianprofessionals to bedeployed to Jamaica toassist with training in areas

like nursing, energy, sportsand education.

The Jamaican PrimeMinister said: “Cultural andeducational exchanges, thesharing of best practices insport and the boosting oftrade, business andinvestment between ourtwo countries are also areasin which we have agreedto explore for furthercooperation".

Jamaica will alsoparticipate in the FirstAfrican Global DiasporaSummit, she said, asJamaica supports the“movement towardsgreater cooperation,solidarity and involvementof the African Diaspora inthe development of thecontinent.”

President Jonathanthanked Jamaica and itspeople for theopportunity to visit thecountry, saying Nigeriawas committed tosupporting Jamaica inany area of interest.

the same shirts worn by thesuspects paraded for killingthe foreigners in March.The pictures published bythe newspaper is socompelling that we areforced to ask a number ofquestions from the SSS. Isthe agency recyclingsuspected criminals anddeceiving the people thatit is indeed solving criminalcases? Does this systemicgimmick go higher thanthe security agency? Forhow long has this gamebeen going on? Whatexactly does thegovernment know aboutthis? And is the PDP privyto this recycling? If not, whywas the party so quick toask the ACN to apologise

over the murder ofOyerinde?’’ ACN queried.

The party said the onlyway the riddle can beresolved is for thegovernment to appoint apanel of respected judicialofficers to investigate theSSS, while the NationalAssembly must conduct apublic hearing at which thesuspects paraded for killingthe foreigners will be placedside by side with thoseparaded for killingOyerinde.

‘’The reason why it isimportant to get to the rootof the whole case isbecause the role of the SSSis so critical in ensuringpeace and security in thecountry".


Jonathan hailsnewArchbishop ofLagos

2 die in Ibadan auto-crash

Briefly

From left, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, Minister/Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission; Gover-nor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Chief host and Mr. Ben Akabueze, Commissioner for EconomicPlanning and Budget, Lagos State, at the flag-off of state' Gross Domestic Product, organised by the LagosState Government, 'Nigeria Governors' Forum and National Bureau of Statistics, at Lagos House, Ikeja.Photo: Bunmi Azeez

BY OLA AJAYI &BOSE ADELAJA

Ashafa stresses need for ICT in national devt

IBADAN—TWO persons were, yesterday,

burnt to death in Ibadanwhen a vehicle crashedand caught fire.

Also property worth mil-lions of naira were de-stroyed in the auto-crashat Bodija-Aduloju on La-gos-Ibadan expressway.

It was learnt that a driverand two other occupantswere in a J5 bus withnumber-plate XA 142CRC when the accidenthappened.

The bus was said tohave somersaulted and

caught fire when tryingto avoid an articulatedlorry loaded with wood.

The lorry, was reportedlymaking a U-turn at thespot.

After avoiding the lorry,it hit another lorry parkedby the roadside and ex-ploded.

The worshippers at anearby church and somesecurity guards said twoof the victims died whileone was admitted in anhospital.

The Principal Fire Su-perintendent, Mr.Olayemi Abdul Rasak,said the accident occurredabout 1.35 a.m.

The state Sector Com-

mander of the FederalRoad Safety Corps,Godwin Ogagaoghene,also confirmed the inci-dent.

Fire in Badagry

Meantime, disaster oc-curred in Badagry area ofthe state, weekend, whena truck loaded with die-sel rammed into pillarssuspending high tensioncables servicing OlorundaLocal Council Develop-ment Area resulting infire.

The incident which oc-curred at Magbon-Obeleroad caused gridlock inthe area.

Eyewitnesses said thefire also affected fourbuildings in the area butthe timely arrival of LagosState fire fighters and La-gos State EmergencyManagement Agency,LASEMA, prevented theincident from escalatingas it had caused panicamong residents.

An eyewitness, Mr.Goke Amodu, told Van-guard that some road-us-ers put a distress callacross the emergency of-ficials who respondedwithout delay.

Eyewitnesses said thedriver of the truck at-tempted to flee the scenebut was arrested andtaken to a nearby policestation.

Some residents saidmany lives would havebeen lost in the disaster ifit had occurred on a work-ing day. Also, they ap-pealed to Lagos StateGovernment on imple-mentation of the trafficlaw to avert further disas-ter in the city, especiallyon Mile 2/Badagry Ex-pressway, Apapa/OshodiExpressway and Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

Confirming the incident,LASEMA General Man-ager, Mr. FemiOsanyintolu, said no lifewas lost in the incident.

He said: ‘’About 4 p.m.on Saturday, a truckloaded with dieselrammed into the pillars ofhigh tension cables whichresulted into fire. Thishappened at Magbon-Obele road in theOlorunda Local CouncilDevelopment Area,Badagry. Four houseswere affected, but therewas no casualty as thesituation was well-man-aged.’’

4 buildings razed in Badagry

ABUJA—PRESIDENTGoodluck Jonathan,

yesterday, congratulatedArchbishop Adewale Mar-tins on his formal instal-lation as the Archbishopof the Catholic Archdio-cese of Lagos.

Adewale was installedthe fourth Archbishop ofthe Catholic Archdioceseof Lagos, weekend, fol-lowing his appointment tothe position by PopeBenedict XVI.

A statement by Dr.Reuben Abati, SpecialAdviser to the Presidenton Media and Publicity,in Abuja, said Jonathanwished Martins contin-ued divine guidance andblessing as he assumedthe position.

Noting that the positionwas held for almost fourdecades by Anthony Car-dinal Okogie, Jonathanprayed that God wouldgrant Martins the goodhealth, courage and wis-dom required to lead thelarger laity and clergy inthe archdiocese.

The President gave theassurance that the FederalGovernment would workwith Martins and otherreligious leaders in effortsto promote religious toler-ance, interfaith harmonyand peace in all parts ofthe country.

KuramoBeachre-opens

MMIA notblacklisted, byDemurenBY DANIEL ETEGHE

IKEJA—DIRECTOR-GENERAL of Nigerian

Civil Aviation Authority,NCAA, Dr. HaroldDemuren, yesterday, saidthat the MurtalaMuhammed InternationalAirport, MMIA, Lagos,has not been blacklistedcontrary to rumour mak-ing the rounds on theweb.

Demuren said the re-port on a website that pas-sengers were advised bythe US Secretary of Trans-portation has determinedthat “MurtalaMuhammed Airport, La-gos, Nigeria” has beenblacklisted was a hoaxand malicious falsehood.

“The report and postingon Murtala MuhammedInternational Airport isbelieved to be a replica ofa belated one in 1992-2000 by the Departmentof Transportation, US.

According to Demuren,a competent source fromthe Transportation Secu-rity Administration, TSA,of USA has denied anyknowledge of the report,which its author allegedthat was originated by theUSA Secretary of Trans-portation.

LAGOS—THE KuramoBeach in Lagos, shut

down to allow for demoli-tion of illegal structuresand evacuation of illegiti-mate occupants, has beenreopened.

According to reports,activities at the beach,such as picnics by tourists,had yet to pick up in ear-nest.

During a visit a few pic-nickers and tourists wereseen at the beach.

Besides, operators ofcabins were seen waitingeagerly for customers,apparently because manypeople were still unawareof the beach’s re-opening.

The Kuramo Beach wasshut down on July 5,while illegal structuresand hoodlums were re-moved by a task force thatcomprised police and na-val personnel, as well asgovernment and beachmanagement officials.

Some of the cabin op-erators, who spoke, saidthat the beach was nowsafer and better, whilecommending the govern-ment for carrying out thedemolition of illegal struc-tures on the beach.

BY OLASUNKANMIAKONI

LAGOS—SENATORGbenga Ashafa, rep-

resenting Lagos EastSenatorial District, hasstressed the need for theadoption of aggressiveInformation Communica-tion Technology, ICT, inthe modern world in or-der to achieve rapid de-velopment in the country.

Ashafa made the re-marks at the presentationof free computers andprinters to outstandingyouths who graduatedfrom his free monthly ICTtraining programme.

The senator, who notedthat national economiesall over the world had astheir engines, the relativeadoptions of ICT in theiroperations for them to per-form or otherwise,stressed that adoption ofa new technology wouldincrease a nation’s

wealth.He said: “I have a per-

sonal conviction that toadopt a new technologydoes not tell the wholesuccess story of a nation;the technology must belearnt, understood andadapted appropriately.”

The training, which wasconceived to address thelow level of ICT literacyin the society, Ashafa de-scribed as part of his con-tribution towards the de-velopment and empower-ment of youths in the con-stituency.

He said 198 people hadbenefitted from the train-ing since inception, add-ing that while somegraduated and proceed tothe university for furtherstudies, others estab-lished their own businesscentres.

Lagos disburses N1bn agric fundBY OLASUNKANMI

AKONI

LAGOS—AS part of itscontinued effort to-

wards ensuring food se-curity and job creation,the Lagos State Govern-ment, through the Minis-try of Agriculture and Co-operatives, weekend,flagged-off the Course IVTrainees of 100 Agricul-tural Youth-Based Em-powerment SchemeAGRIC-YES.

The Commissioner forAgriculture and Coopera-

tives, Mr. GbolahanLawal, at the ceremony,said about N1 billion hadbeen paid to participantsof courses II and III of theprogramme, who gradu-ated from the training pre-viously.

Lawal said theconceptualisation ofAGRIC-YES was to createjobs, provide food securityand eradicate poverty inthe state, adding that theempowerment fund is toassist the participants insetting up their own farmaccording to their agricul-tural specialisations.

He said: “The pro-gramme, which started inOctober 2009, was initi-ated to make agricultureattractive and rewardingto the teeming youthpopulation in the state.The programme has con-cluded two cycles of train-ing, internship and cre-ated farm settlement with100 youths each. The firstbatch graduated in De-cember 2010, and hadbeen settled in AragaFarm Settlement, fash-ioned after the Israeli-type Kibbutz.”


Police quiz Akoko monarchover alleged rape

Ex-Ogun CJ wants corrupt, lazy judges sacked

Owners to sue college over tippers' damage

BRIEFING: From left, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr.Kayode Opeifa; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogbaand Commissioner for Justice/ Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, at a joint brief-ing on the newly-enacted traffic laws announced by the state government atBagauda Khalto Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Woman narrates ordeal in Kabiyesi's hand

Ondo LP accuses opposition of buyingvoter cards

Aladura Church chides Ogun panel over varsity site

AKURE—POLICE inOndo State, week-

end, quizzed the tradi-tional ruler of SupareAkoko in Akoko South-West Local GovernmentArea of the state, ObaKasali Adedeji, over al-leged attempted rape.

Oba Adedeji wasquizzed at the CriminalI n v e s t i g a t i o nDepartment,CID, of thePolice over the allegation

levelled at him by oneMrs. Comfort Awogbamilast May 4.

But police spokesman,Mr. Adeniran Aremu, saidthe monarch was only in-vited for interrogation.

Aremu said Adedeji wasneither arrested nor de-tained as being specu-lated in the town.

Awogbami is standingtrial at Supare Magis-trate's Court alongside themonarch’s wife, OloriSherifat Adedeji, for en-gaging in public brawland conduct likely tocause breach of peace.

She has, however, peti-tioned the Commissionerof Police, alleging bias inthe handling of the caseat the Divisional PoliceStation level.

According to her, in-stead of the police charg-ing the monarch to courtfor attempted rape, shewas charged with affrayalongside the monarch’swife.

She thereafter wrote aletter of protest to theCommissioner of Police,asking him to intervene inthe matter, alleging thatthe monarch attempted torape her in his wife'sapartment.

Awogbami said:

''Kabiyesi invited me to hiswife’s apartment on thesaid date about 8 p.m. Ongetting there, he wasalone. He asked me if Iever knew my husbandwas having an affair withhis wife, an allegationwhich I had no knowl-edge of.

“He informed me that hewould like to do same withme. Thinking he was jok-ing, the Kabiyesi went onto hold me and assaultedme, stripped me nakeduntil I raised alarm whichdrew the attention of theneighbours who troopedin to rescue me from hishands. His wife was notat home as that time.

“When I went down, Ifainted and was admittedat the General Hospital,Iwaro-Oka, same nightand discharged the follow-ing day.”

Awogbamila said thecase was reported at thePolice station but that theDistrict Police Officermounted pressure on herto drop the case.

However, she said shewas surprised when shewas arraigned before aMagistrate's Court forpublic fight with the mon-arch’s wife.

ABEOKUTA—APPARENTLY reacting to

the impending take-overof a large parcel of landowned by his church forthe proposed DivineGrace University, the Pri-mate of the Church of theLord, Aladura, World-wide, Dr. Rufus Ositelu,yesterday, cried out, say-ing that the Ogun StateGovernor, Mr. IbikunleAmosun, is out to witch-hunt his predecessor,

Otunba Gben ga Daniel.The c leric whose church

was indicted by JusticeAbiodun Akinyemi-ledPanel of Inquiry on LandMatters after investigationfor alleged compromise inthe acquisition of the land,said, Amosun was fedwith lies.

At a briefing, yesterday,to herald this year ’sMount Tabieorar Festival,Ositelu said he was dis-mayed that despite thefact that his church ac-quired the land 25 years

ago and even paid com-pensation to the affectedpeople before it was allot-ted to the church, Amosunstill was not satisfied.

He insisted that therewere certain areas in thepanel’s report that did notreflect the true account ofthe church position whenhe appeared before thepanel, saying, the exercisewas an attempt by the gov-ernment to get back atDaniel through hischurch.

BY DAYO JOHNSON

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

IBADAN—FORMERChief Judge of Ogun

State, Justice IsaacBabatunde Delano, hasadvised the National Ju-dicial Council to dismisscorrupt and lazy judgesin the system.

This, he said, weekend,in Ibadan, became expe-dient so that they wouldnot infect other judgeswith their corrupt tenden-cies.

With the upward reviewof salaries by the formerPresident, ChiefOlusegun Obasanjo,judges no longer haveexcuse to display corrupttendencies.

On alleged late arrivalof some judges in court,Justice Delano said it alldepended on the ChiefJudge of such a state.

He said: “If as a chiefjudge, you sit by 9 a.m.as directed by the consti-tution, other judges un-

BY OLA AJAYI

BY DAYO JOHNSON

der you will find it diffi-cult to do otherwise.When I was the ChiefJudge in Ogun State, Ialways sat at 9 a.m, nojudges under me wouldsit at 10 a.m or 11 a.m.”

According to him, if any

judge gave an excuse thathe wrote judgment late inthe night, he would tellhim that notwithstanding,he must sit by 9 a.m.

He added that familybackground of new judgesshould be considered be-

fore their appointment.“ NJC must make sure

they scrutinize anybodythat they want to appointas a judge properly, theymust ensure that such aperson comes from cred-ible family.”

AKURE—AHEAD ofthe October 20 gov-

ernorship election inOndo State, theOlusegun Mimiko Cam-paign Organisation hasraised the alarm overmassive purchase of votercards from unsuspectingpeople in the state by theopposition.

In a statement, by itsDirector of Publicity, Mr.Kolawole Olabisi, the or-ganisation decried what ittermed a surreptitious at-tempt by the opposition to

rig the election.He said: “The Olusegun

Mimiko Campaign Or-ganisation has uncoveredmassive mop up of votercards by the opposition fromunsuspecting people, whoare being lured with finan-cial inducement of betweenN5,000 and N10,000 in theirdesperation to win the forth-coming election at all cost.

“This is another of theirplan, part of which is to visiton the state an unprec-edented level of violence asthey did recently in severalareas of the state.'' The or-ganisation, therefore, called

on the electorate to be waryof this latestdevelopment,shun theirentreaties and their tar-nished lucre, saying thattheir voter cards were theirpower and one which theymust hold unto at all cost.

Akeredolu is a registered voter in Ondo, by ACN

A K U R E — O N D OState Chapter of the

Action Congress of Ni-geria, ACN, says it has ob-served in recent time theantics of the ruling LabourParty, LP, aimed at circum-venting the wish of thepeople in the October 20election.

“The latest,” accordingto party,“ of such act is thecheap propaganda being

spread by LP that ACNcandidate, Mr. RotimiAkeredolu, SAN, ,is not aregistered voter in OndoState.”

In a statement its Pub-licity Secretary, Rotimi

Agbede, said ”for theavoidance of doubt ,ACNwishes to assert thatRotimi Akeredolu is a reg-istered voter in his hometown,Owo, and this is veri-fiable.

ABEOKUTA—FOLLOWING the alleged

damage of 22 vehicles es-timated at N2.750 millionallegedly by students ofFederal College of Educa-tion, FCE, Osiele,Abeokuta, Association ofTippers and Quarry Own-ers of Nigeria, ATQON,Ogun State Chapter, yes-terday, threatened legalaction against the man-agement of the college

over the huge loss alleg-edly caused by the stu-dents.

It would be recalled thattragedy struck last Fridaywhen no fewer than fivestudents of the collegewere reportedly crushedto death by a tipper.

The incident, which ledto pandemonium follow-ing the protest by the stu-dents who trooped to theroad and allegedly setablaze no fewer than fourtrucks and damaged 22tippers in protest of their

colleagues' death.The Police Public Rela-

tions Officer, MuyiwaAdejobi, had said none ofthe students died, addingthat they were revived atGeneral Hospital, Ijaye,Abeokuta.

At a briefing inObantoko, Abeokuta, theNational Vice-Chairman,ATQON, Chief FasholaOjewunmi, said , thedriver of the trailer thatrammed into the studentswas not a member of theassociation.

BY DAUD OLATUNJI


Youths threaten oil operations in DeltaBY EMMA AMAIZE

Don't go to tribunal, Edo CPCurges Airhiavbere

BY GABRIELENOGHOLASE

JTF destroys illegal refinery in Delta

BENIN—EDO Statechairman of Con-

gress for ProgressiveChange, CPC, Mr. God-win Erhahon, has ad-vised Peoples Democrat-ic Party’s, PDP, governor-ship candidate in theJuly 14, 2012 gubernato-rial election, Major Gen.Charles Airhiavbere(rtd), not to allow himselfto be used by political op-portunists and those whowant to take advantageof him to derail the gainsof democracy in thestate.

Speaking with Van-guard, weekend, in Be-nin on the decision of thestate PDP to challengethe outcome of the lastgovernorship election atthe tribunal, Erhahonsaid, “I believe that peo-ple are trying to take ad-vantage of him again be-

cause I am convincedthat those who urged himto go to court are lookingfor an opportunity to berelevant before AdamsOshiomhole and ActionCongress of Nigeria,ACN, as they will even-tually defect to ACN andabandon him in thestruggle.

“My advice to Airhia-vbere is that he shouldnot allow himself to gothrough a second dis-grace because by thetime he goes to the courtand loses, that defeatwill be celebrated onceagain.

“If he allows himself tobe portrayed as an ene-

my of the people, he maynot have the courage tocome out for anotherelection. For sure, thePDP people who urgedhim to go to court aredoing so out of despera-tion, because they wantto be relevant so thatthey can be attractive toOshiomhole.”

CONDOLENCE VISIT: Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, and wife of the State Gov-ernor, Mrs. Roli Uduaghan, when the deputy governor paid her a condolence visit on the death of hermother, Late Madam Rebecca Ayomike, in Warri, weekend.

U G H E L L I —YOUTH leaders

from the oil-bearing com-munities of Urhobo, Iso-ko and Ndokwa ethnicnationalities in DeltaState, have given ShellNigeria Exploration andProduction Company,SNEPCo; Nigerian Na-tional Petroleum Corpo-ration, NNPC and theFederal Government, a

14-day ultimatum to dealwith the alleged discrim-ination in the sale of OilMining Leases, OMLs,26, 30 and 36, in the dif-ferent communities.

The youths, during ameeting at Ughelli,threatened to shut oper-ations of the oil prospect-ing companies in the lo-calities of the three eth-nic groups if the matterwas not satisfactorily ad-dressed within the 14-day period.

In a statement read toreporters by NationalPresident of Niger DeltaYouth Movement,NDYM, Mr. GodspowerOdenema, the youths re-solved that the $15 mil-lion allegedly given asbribe to the Economicand Financial CrimesCommission, EFCC, byan undisclosed agent offormer governor of thestate, Chief James Ibori,to compromise investiga-tion be refunded to Del-ta State Government.

He added that everyother money recoveredfrom Chief Ibori shouldbe refunded to the statefor the socio-economicdevelopment of the peo-ple.

On the sale of theOMLs, the youth leaderssaid: “It is the highestform of contempt byShell, NNPC and theFederal Governmentagainst the Urhobo, Iso-ko and Ndokwa for sell-ing the OMLs withoutour consent. We, there-fore, condemn the sale ofthe OMLs.”

UGHELLI—JOINTMilitary Task

Force, JTF, in the NigerDelta, weekend, invadedan illegal refinery at Ov-rode community, IsokoNorth Local GovernmentArea, Delta State, de-stroying two concrete re-fining wells and a giantstorage tank.

The soldiers stormedthe refinery sited at

BY FESTUS AHON Okpaide forest in thecommunity at 10.30am infive Hilux pick-ups andalso destroyed the pipingsystem of the illegal re-finery.

Commanding Officer of222 Battalion, Lt. Col.Atahiru Rasheed, toldnewsmen after the oper-ation that they embarkedon the raid after they gota tip off that some per-sons were carrying outillegal refining of crude

oil in the area.Rasheed said that JTF

was prepared to contin-ue to keep vigilance onthe area, so as to keepthose involved in the il-legal operations at bay.

He added, that “JTFwas leaving no stoneunturned in tackling theproblem of crude oiltheft, illegal refining ofpetroleum products andreducing illegal bunker-ing to the barest mini-mum.”

Amaechi urges peacefulChristian, Muslim relations

RIVERS State Governor, Mr.

Chibuike Amaechi, yes-terday, said that asChairman of NigerianGovernors Forum, NGF,he will continue to pro-mote and encouragepeaceful co-existenceamong Muslims andChristians across thecountry.

Governor Amaechi, ata thanksgiving service ofthe Third Session Synodof Church of Nigeria (St.Michael’s Anglican Com-munion), Evo Dioceses,Province of Niger Delta,in Port Harcourt, said:“As Chairman of the Ni-gerian Governors Forum,what I will preach here

is that there is need forpeace in the whole coun-try. There is need forpeace and how we goabout that is for the gov-ernment to sit with thecitizens on how to goabout that peace.”

He said that NGFwould continue to preachpeace and unity amongstChristians and Muslims,noting, “anybody whodisturbs the Muslim fromworshipping in hismosque here in RiversState, I will arrest theperson. Muslims shouldbe allowed to practisetheir religion, just asChristians should be al-lowed to practise their re-ligion anywhere."

Edo PDP sets up disciplinaryc'ttee over anti-party activities

BY SIMON EBEG-BULEM

BENIN—THE crisisrocking Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, inEdo State, worsenedweekend, as the leader-ship of the party in thestate summoned some ofthe leaders to appear be-fore a seven-man disci-plinary committee for al-leged anti-party activi-ties.

Some of the leaderssummoned include theformer state representa-tive in the Board of Ni-ger Delta DevelopmentCommission, NDDC,Mathew Iduoriyeken-wen, Chief Richard La-

mai and Jarret Tenebe.But some of the sum-moned leaders describedthe decision as laugha-ble, insisting that theOrbih-led executive“must go”.

The leaders who weresummoned had demand-ed the resignation of theentire state Exco of theparty led by Chief DanOrbih following the fail-ure of the party to win thejust concluded July 14,governorship election inthe state. They lamentedthat the party had lost allthe elections held underthe leadership of thepresent Exco, and there-fore queried the justifi-cation for their continuedstay in office.

‘Ughelli South LG boss notmeddling in NULGE affairs'

ASABA—PRESIDENTof Delta State wing of

Nigeria Union of LocalGovernment Employees,NULGE, Mr. DavidOfoeyeno, has been toldto face the consequencesof not conductingNULGE election andswearing in someone asUghelli South NULGEchairman in his office inAsaba, an action which iscurrently causing ripplesand threatening thepeace of the council.

Special Adviser to

Ughelli South Local Gov-ernment Chairman,Chief John Onochoja,said this while reactingto recent publicationscredited to Mr. Ofoeyenoinsinuating that theUghelli South councilboss, Chief VincentOtidi, was behind a par-ticular candidate for thecouncil’s NULGE elec-tion as well as orches-trating the series of pro-tests and eventual lock-up of the council secre-tariat recently.

Edo Election Petition Tribunalconstituted

BENIN—EDO StateG o v e r n o r s h i p

Election Petition Tribunalto entertain petitionsarising from the outcomeof the July 14, 2012 gov-ernorship election in thestate has been constitut-ed.

A statement by Mrs.Josephine Aliyu, Secre-

tary of the tribunal, EdoState, said the venue ofthe tribunal is the HighCourt Complex in BeninCity.

She also enjoined thePolice, State SecurityService, SSS, and thegeneral public to takenote.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012 —11

Man kills 8-day-old step daughterfor rituals

Oil spill: Community still counting lossesthree months after

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

BY EMMA AMAIZE

BY JIMITOTA ONOY-UME

Ignore MOSOP's declarationof self-govt—Amaechi

ASABA—AN eight-day-old baby girl,

was, weekend, alleged-ly killed by her step fa-ther for ritual purposes.

The gory incident tookplace in Jesse, DeltaState.

Already, the suspect,who confessed that hecarried out the act on theorders of a spiritualist inGhana, is currently in

police custody.State Police Public Re-

lations Officer, Mr.Charles Muka, who con-firmed the developmentin a statement, yester-day, in Asaba, said: “OneMrs. Gladys Emafuru,female, of Okunu villageJesse, reported that at1510 hours, while sleep-ing with her eight-day-old baby girl, the child'sstep father (names with-held) 24 years old,

walked into the apart-ment and killed the babywith a cutlass, openedthe stomach and collect-ed the intestines andother vital parts.”

Muka added that “thesuspect after collectingthe vital parts of the baby,concealed them in ablack cellophane bagand was about escapingto Ghana when he wascaught. He has con-fessed committing the

act, saying that it wasdemanded for in Gha-na.”

Nigerian Youth Parliament forA-Ibom soon

SAPELE—CLOSE tothree months after

the oil spillage in RiverEthiope, which devastat-ed the flora and fauna ofseven villages in Ovworecommunity in Sapele Lo-cal Government Area ofDelta State, the villagersare still counting theirlosses.

Vanguard learnt thatthe river, which is themain source of livelihoodfor the villagers, hadbeen polluted destroyingover 500 fishponds,2,000 palm trees and anunquantifiable number oflivestock in Adagbrassa,Eko, Ogegere, Ibada,Egbeku, Okuesajere andOkuenenemuru villagesof Ovwore community.

President and Secre-tary of the community,Mr. Monday Obonofie-niro and Ekeleme Harri-son, in separate inter-views with reporters,said the spill emanated

from a Nigerian Nation-al Petroleum Corpora-tion, NNPC/ PipelineProduct and MarketingCompany, PPMC pipe-line, noting: “We haveno drinking water as wespeak.”

They called on the Fed-eral and Delta State gov-

ernments and SapeleLocal GovernmentCouncil to come to theaid of the victims withrelief materials, as theycould hardly survive be-cause of the damagecaused by the spill totheir means of liveli-hood.

PORT HARCOURT— GOV-

ERNOR Chibuike Amae-chi of Rivers State, hasurged Nigerians to ig-nore the recent statementby a faction of the lead-ership of Movement forthe Survival of OgoniPeople, MOSOP, DrGoodluck Diigbo, declar-ing self-government forthe Ogoni.

Fielding questions fromnewsmen in Port Har-court when he visited theFederated Correspond-ents Chapel of the statechapter of Nigeria Unionof Journalists, NUJ, thegovernor said the so-called declaration of self-government for the Ogo-ni was not an issue worthdiscussing.

It will be recalled thatthe factional president ofMOSOP, Dr. Diigbo, re-portedly declared self-government for the Ogo-ni in a statement, recent-ly.

Meantime, Prof. BenNaanen, Chairman,

MOSOP ProvisionalCouncil, in a statement,decried the level of pov-erty and deprivation inOgoni area, adding thatceding was, however, notthe option to the chal-lenges facing the people.

He said: “Ogoni peopleare dissatisfied with theircondition in our country,Nigeria. But they do notbelieve the sovereignoption is the answer.They are convinced thattheir non-violent strug-gle and the support ofthe international commu-nity will eventually makethe Nigerian governmentrespond positively toOgoni’s legitimate de-mands. One of the keydemands is the creationof Bori State. Another isthe effective implementa-tion of the United Na-tions Environment Pro-gramme report on Ogo-ni.

“Mr Diigbo is able tomobilise youths from hiscommunity mainly be-cause they are jobless,poor and unable to go toschool. This is the gen-eral plight of Ogoniyouths."

THE Akwa Ibomchapter of the Ni-

gerian Youth Parliamentis to be set up soon.

The State Deputy Gov-ernor, Mr. Nsima Ekere,stated this when he re-ceived a joint delegationof the state’s represent-atives in the NigerianYouth Parliament and theleadership of the AkwaIbom Graduates’ Forumin his office on Friday.

He assured them thatthe State Government,led by a youth-friendlygovernor, would assist in

the setting up of the par-liament in the state fol-lowing the decision ofthe parliament at the na-tional level to establishstate chapters.

Mr. Ekere lauded thepioneering role of AkwaIbom-born Mr. OnofiokLuke, who served as thefirst Speaker of the Ni-gerian Youth Parliament,reasoning that it was hiscredible performance atthat level that led to hiselevation as a member ofthe State House of As-sembly.

VISIT: Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere (middle), Pastor Ita Umo-Udo, Com-missioner for Youth and Sports, (left), and the Deputy Majority Leader of the Nigerian Youth Parlia-ment, Mr. Sylvester Medekong, during an advocacy visit to the Deputy Governor by the Parliament atGovernment House, Uyo.


Igbo presidency not negotiable —Achuzia

Security operatives arrest 4 suspectedkidnappers in Anambra

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

Abia distributes 250 tricyclesto youths

BY VINCENT UJU-MADU

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

Manufacturing sector key to employment,says Obi

ABA—RETIRED Col.Joe Achuzia, Presi-

dent-General ofIgbozurume, an Igbosocio-political organisation,said, yesterday, that Igbopresidency after the tenureof President GoodluckJonathan was not negoti-able.

Achuzie stated this in aninterview with the NewsAgency of Nigeria, NAN, inAba, Abia State.

AWKA—SECURITYoperatives, yesterday,

arrested four suspected kid-nappers at Nkpor, a suburbof Onitsha, Anambra Stateand sealed Arthur GardenHotel in the area where theywere allegedly using as abase.

The arrest was said tohave been made about3.00am following a tip-off.

As news of the arrest fil-tered into GovernmentHouse in Awka, GovernorPeter Obi, personally led thesecurity operatives to sealthe hotel at Umusiome vil-lage in Nkpor. Obi said during the op-eration that his governmentwould prevent the resur-gence of violent crimes inthe state.

According to the gover-nor, the hotel would remain

A W K A — G O V E RNOR Peter Obi has

said the manufacturingsector holds the key to a per-manent solution to the chal-lenges of employment inthe country.

Speaking during a visitto a new multi -million fac-tory being constructed atthe famous Harbour Indus-trial Layout at Ogbaru nearthe commercial city ofOnitsha, Obi said the re-suscitation of industrial es-tates in the state remainedone of the priorities of hisadministration.

According to the gover-nor, Anambra State hadkeyed into PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s vision

E N U G U — T H Epeople of Enugu

North Senatorial District ofEnugu State, weekend,vowed to reinvigorate theiragitation for the creation ofAdada State out of thepresent state, the death ofthe leader of movement forthe creation of the proposedstate, HRH, Igwe CharlesAbangwu, notwithstanding.

Leaders of the EnuguNorth Senatorial Districtwith Senator Ayogu Ezerepresenting the area in thesenate said the creation ofthe state would give thepeople respite and assuagetheir longstanding desire tohave a state of their own.

The senator and politi-cal leaders in the area paid

Enugu North restates commitmentto Adada State creation

Uzodinma: Group wants citizenprosecuted over false allegation

a condolence visit to the fam-ily of elder statesman andforemost parliamentarianduring the defunct EasternRegion government, HRH,Igwe Charles Abangwu,who passed on recently.

Abangwu, who was the onlylawyer in the Eastern Region As-sembly during his time, was untilhis death the leader of AdadaState Movement and actually re-mained a symbol of that agitation.

Senator Eze, traditional rulersin the area, political and opinionleaders reaffirmed their resolve anddetermination to appeal to thosecharged with the responsibility tocreate states to see the reasontheir agitation dating back to the1950s should be allowed to cometo fruition.

closed until investigationswere concluded, contend-ing that if it was proved thatthe hotel served as the kid-nappers' den, governmentwould not hesitate to de-molish it and confiscate theland.

He explained that he de-

cided to lead security agen-cies to seal the hotel todrive the message home toall those engaged in, orwere aiding and abettingkidnapping, thatAnambra was no longer aplace for them.Chairman of Idemili North

caretaker committee, Mr.Ralph Nnabuifecommended the governorfor his prompt responseand assured the people ofthe area that their securityremained a priority of gov-ernment.

As Obi seals off hotel base

He said Igbozurume, apolitical, cultural and socialgroup, was beingrepackaged to bring theidea into fruition, stressingthat it was the same groupthat helped GovernorRochas Okorocha to winImo gubernatorial electionin 2011.

Achuzia said that wasalso the resolution at its 3rdNational Executive/Steer-ing Committee meeting in

Lagos in June that Igboshould have a shot at thepresidency after Jonathan’stenure.

He said: “It must be theturn of the Igbo to occupyAso-Rock at the end ofJonathan’s tenure.

“Though Jonathan hasthe right to re-contest after2015 by virtue of the 1999Constitution of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria, theIgbo must not allow thechance to pass us by thistime round after his ten-ure.”

Achuzia, who is also theIkemba Ahaba, said thatOhanaeze was formed im-mediately after the civilwar, as cultural and socialgroup which had made itdifficult for Ndi-Igbo tocome together to identifywith one Igboman to cap-ture the presidency.

of creating employment,noting that the state hadcontinued to encourageand empower industrialistsas a matter of deliberatepolicy.

He informed the peo-ple that some of the in-dustries established inthe state would be com-missioned by the presi-dent during his visit tothe state later this monthand expressed satisfac-tion that small and me-dium scale enterpriseswere getting access tocredit facilities at lessthan ten per cent inter-est rate which, he added,would encourage them togrow.

Chairman of the com-pany, Chief OranuChidume, in his speech,expressed gratitude to

the governor for the mas-sive reconstruction of de-plorable roads in the in-dustrial layout, recallingthat bad roads held in-dustrialists in the areahostage for many years.

TRAINING: From left: Professor Raj Gill, Vice-Chancellor, Middlesex University, United Kingdom;Jogun Doseku, Executive Director,Theodore Allen Consulting (operator of Arena Multimedia fran-chise in Nigeria) and former Vice-Chairman, Nigeria Communication Commission, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe,at the Arena Multimedia’s Camp Training in Abuja.

UMUAHIA—ABIAState Government,

weekend, distributed 250tricycles to youths from the17 local lovernment areasof the state as part of theyouth empowerment pro-gramme of GovernorTheodore Orji.

The governor said theaim was to make the youthsin the state self sufficient.

Speaking at the distribu-tion in Umuahia, Governor

BY ANAYO OKOLIOrji said the project was partof efforts to better the lots ofthe youths and redirect theirminds from social vices togainful occupation.

Represented by the com-missioner for Local Govern-ment and Chieftaincy Af-fairs, Chief EmmaNwabuko, said the projectwas a continuous one to helpthe youths to be gainfullyemployed.

He assured that thosewho did not benefit nowwould get in future.

OWERRI—SOMEconcerned Imo State

indigenes under the aegisof Forum for Protection ofTruth and Human Dignity,FPTHD, have called on theInspector-General of Po-lice, Mr. MohammedAbubakar to order the ar-rest and prosecution of oneMr. Ebubeagu Ekenulo, forfalse allegation that theChairman Senate Commit-tee on Aviation, Chief Hope

Uzodinma’s academic cer-tificates were forged.

The group in a statementby its Spokesperson, ChiefDonatus Maduabugichim.said it had written a petitionto the IG demanding theimmediate arrest and pros-ecution of Ekenulo.

The statement reads: “We havewritten a petition to the Inspec-tor-General of Police dated Friday,August 23 2012. We are demand-ing that the Police fish out thisfalse accuser from wherever hemay be hiding."

Okorocha's fourth-tier govt getssupport

PRESIDENT-GENERAL of Awa Town

Union, ATU, in Oguta Lo-

cal Government Area of ImoState, Mr. Canice Offor hasurged the people of the stateto support the fourth tiergovernment of GovernorRochas Okorocha, stressingthat such move would bringdevelopments closer to themasses.

Offor, said this recently,when the people of Awa au-tonomous community helda thanksgiving service toappreciate God on his lifeas well as appreciating hisleadership qualities as thefirst-elected President-Gen-eral of the town said thegovernor is a grassrootsman, who knew what it takesto touch the lives of the ru-ral dwellers.

Airhiavbere under pressure to drop petition againstOshiomhole

BENIN CITY—THEGovernorship candi-

date of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party, PDP, in the July14 governorship election inEdo State, General CharlesAirhiavbere, rtd, is underpressure from the top lead-ership of the party, to with-draw his case at the gover-norship election petition tri-bunal.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

Airhiavbere, who suffered de-feat in the hands of GovernorAdams Oshiomhole of ActionCongress of Nigeria, ACN, afterhe polled 144,235 againstOshiomhole’s 477,478, ran to thestate governorship election tri-bunal last Thursday to file a peti-tion against the declaration ofOshiomhole as governor-elect bythe Independent National Elec-toral Commission, INEC.

But the former Minister of De-fence and chieftain of PDP, Gen-eral Godwin Abbe (rtd), week-end, described the decision as

unpopular, just as he called for atotal restructuring of the party inthe state.

A chieftain of the party whopleaded anonymity told Van-guard that “a majority of PDPleaders believed that it will be amockery for us to go to court be-cause this is an election whereno single bullet was shot and Ni-gerians believe that the resultreflected the wish of the people.So, a majority of us believe thatwe have to move on andstrategise for the future”.


FASTING for a cou-ple of days might beall it takes to under-

stand the suffering of thosefor whom going withoutfood has become a way oflife. Understanding theplight of the poor is one partof what Ramadan is or-dained to achieve.

We are, therefore, re-minded several times, bothin the Qur’an and hadiths,that giving food to fastingMuslims is a great deed inthe month. In fact, feedingof 60 people is regarded asequivalent to a day fasting.(Remember the penalty forbreaking fast?) That is to tellus how much Allah valuesputting food on the table ofthe poor.

How much better it wouldbe if we could let others seethe beauty of the messageof Islam by the way of giv-ing. We should not allowthis special month to gowithout a good account ofwhat we have added tosomebody’s life. We needto be asking ourselves allthe time how we are goingto benefit maximally fromthe holy month. What arewe going to do to make themost of Ramadan? Surely,it is a profitable venture inwhich there is no risk, butfat rewards.

There are rewards in thislife and the hereafter forgiving charity at any mo-ment. In this world you arealso rewarded by the per-sonal satisfaction you willfeel and the feeling of thereceivers of your charity to-wards you and towardstheir fellow humans in gen-eral. It is the month of char-ity, and a month in which abeliever’s sustenance is in-

creased.Whoever gives food to a

fasting person to break hisfast shall have his sins for-given, and he will be savedfrom the Fire of Hell, andhe shall have the same re-ward as the fasting person,without his reward beingdiminished at all.

It is right to step up theact in this month which is amonth of generosity andkindness. The Messengerof Allah said: ‘Charity re-duces nothing from one’swealth.’ He also said: ‘Pro-tect yourselves against Helleven if it be with a slice of adate.”

Allah says: “And they give(others) preference overthemselves, even thoughthey were in need of that.And whosoever is savedfrom his own covetousness,such are they who will besuccessful.” (Al-Hashr: 9).

We can bring light andhope into the lives of manypeople who have none. Is-lam is the natural religion.Many in the world knownothing about Islam, exceptfor the images of violencethey see on TV. By way ofgiving, we can change thatmisconception. By our giv-ing for Allah’s sake, we canteach the world how beau-tiful Islam really is. Maybeour giving could also helpus to be better Muslims.

Prayer of the day“O Allah, on this day,

purify me from uncleanli-ness and dirt, make mepatient over events that aredecreed, grant me the abil-ity to be pious, and keepcompany with the good, byYour help.”

Amin.

Endeavour to be more charitable

ANTI-MALARIA: Dr. Rukevwe Ugwumba, Special Adviser to Governor EmmanuelUduaghan of Delta State on Health Monitoring (middle), representing the Governor;members of Project Roll Back Malaria and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, dur-ing the launch of the anti-malaria campaign in NYSC Camp, Issele-Uku, Delta State.

Abuja light rail ready in2015

Senate denies reporton overseas trip

ABUJA—THE Senate,yesterday, denied a re-

port that the Aviation Min-istry was sponsoring Sena-tors on overseas trip, de-scribing the report as bla-tant falsehood.

The Senate also cau-tioned against the damagesuch unsubstantiated re-port could cause the na-tion’s democracy.

A statement by Chairman,Senate Committee on Infor-mation, Media and PublicAffairs, Senator EnyinnayaAbaribe, said Senators were

currently on their annualvacation, adding “the Sen-ate is alarmed at the emerg-ing falsehood being ped-dled, that the Aviation Min-istry sponsored senators tooverseas trip.

“The story is not true andonly exists in the imagi-nation of its authors. Forthe avoidance of doubt,the Senate is on vacationand as a result most ofthem are currently onLesser Hajj (Umrah).

“Some are currentlymeeting their constitu-ents, while others mayhave gone with theirfamilies on vacation.

“So, the deployment ofan outright falsehood bythe authors to purportthat distinguished Sena-tors were sponsored byMinistry of Aviation onoverseas trip was not onlydenigrating, but a wickedresort to blackmail.”

BY HENRY UMORU

Accidents: FRSC unveils new campaignstrategy

ABUJA—FEDERALRoad Safety Commis-

sion, FRSC, has regrettedthat despite its awarenessefforts aimed at drasticallyreducing road accidents,the rate of road crashes wason the increase.

The commission, whichput the percentage of cur-rent road accident rate at 1.3percent as against that oflast year, which was 1.2percent, attributed the de-velopment to what it called“irresponsible driving” bymotorists.

It has, meanwhile,adopted a new phase of itspublic enlightenmentmeasures, which it said, will

safety rules.He said: “The roads are

not that bad to cause mostof the accidents being ex-perienced. Irresponsible useof the roads is the cause.”

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

... as Gov Wada, FRSC rescueaccident victims

GOVERNOR IdrisWada of Kogi State,

yesterday, praised theFederal Road SafetyCommission, FRSC, onthe professional compe-tence of its staff follow-ing his collaborationwith them in the rescueof accident victims onthe Abuja-KotonkarfeExpressway.

Three persons werefeared dead in the acci-dent that involved atrailer and two 18–seaterHiace buses, reportedlytravelling from Lagos toLafia.

Special Adviser to theGovernor on Media andStrategy, Mr. Jacob Edi,said Governor Wada,who was returning toLokoja, the state capital,stopped his convoy on

sighting the victims of theaccident and ran acrossthe road to give them ahelping hand.

The governor subse-quently called officials ofthe FRSC on phone, whopromptly responded andconveyed the victims toFederal Medical Centre,Lokoja.

He said the governorpromised to offset the medi-cal bills of the victims.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

FG, Ekiti, UTC partneron cassava bread

EKITI State Govern-ment is partnering the

Federal Ministry of Agri-

culture and Rural Develop-ment and UTC to providecassava bread baking skillsfor 150 bakers in Ekiti State.

The cassava bread, saidto be cheaper and healthier,is 20% high quality cassavaflour and 80% wheat flour.

The training, organised withthe technical support of UTC,a leading cassava bread pro-ducer, and led by its Manag-ing Director Mrs FolushoOlaniyan, courtesy of theFederal Ministry of Agricul-ture and Rural Development,will provide each of the 150trainees with starter packs.

The packs contain cas-sava flour, enzymes andsome baking tools, aprons,among others.

ABUJA—FEDERALCapital Territory Ad-

ministration, FCTA, hasassured on the completionof the N22.4 billion AbujaLight Rail project by 2015.

It added that N22.4 bil-lion for the project, to easethe problem of transporta-tion faced by residents, hadbeen paid.

FCT Minister, SenatorBala Mohammed, week-end, at the 2012 Senior StaffRetreat for FCT Transpor-tation Secretariat, with thetheme Transportation inthe FCT: Prospects, Chal-lenges and Solutions,noted that the light rail,which was initially slatedfor completed by 2013would be completed by the2015 baring all odds.

He said: “In order tofulfill the vision for build-ing a capital city that willbe among the top 20 capi-tal cities in the world byyear 2020, and if this goalis to be achieved, there isneed to build a transporta-

tion system that is in con-formity with global bestpractices.

“In order to arrest the de-clining transport fortunes ofthe city, this administrationtook up the task of build-ing an efficient, affordableand modern transport sys-tem under our greaterAbuja transportation policyto ensure effective andseamless movement of per-

sonnel, goods and servicein the FCT.

“The project is beingdone to fast-track develop-ment of on-going infra-structural projects and en-sure their realisation withinstipulated time.”

He added that govern-ment alone cannot de-liver on these promiseswithout effective privatesector participation.

BY FAVOURNNABUGWU

Commissioner'sdeath spark-offprotest in Kogi

BY BOLUWAJIOBAHAPO

LOKOJA—YOUTHS ofPonyan community in

Yagba East Local Govern-ment Area of Kogi Statehave protested over thedeath of Mr. SimonOlutimayin, Commis-sioner-elect cleared to over-see the Ministry of Budgetand Planning in the state.

Vanguard gathered thatthe commissioner’s deathsparked-off demonstration,when the news got to hiscommunity. Aggrievedyouths came out in theirhundreds, chanting warsongs and rained curses onwhoever was behind hisdeath.

It was gathered that anattempt was made by theaggrieved youths to burn aparticular house belongingto a politician, whom theyaccused of having interestin the position. Some eldersintervened before securityagents allegedly whiskedthe politician away toLokoja for his safety.

The commissioner, whodied last week in one of thehospitals in Lagos after abrief illness, could not besworn-in as a result of hisill-health.

Although he was as-signed to oversee the Min-istry of Budget and Plan-ning, he could not reportto office as he was said tohave collapsed during aChurch service a week af-ter he was screened andcleared by the state Houseof Assembly alongside 17others.

Effort to speak with thePolice Public Relations Of-ficer, Mr. Ile Simon, on thematter proved abortive.

be made public in twoweeks time.

Mr. Jonas Agwu, CorpsPublic Education Officer ofthe commission, who spokewhen he led a delegationof FRSC officers on a fa-miliarisation visit to theAbuja Bureau Office ofVanguard Newspapers,applauded the media forwhat he described as“their various roles to thesuccess of the commis-sion.”

He said media supportfor the new enlightenmentcampaign was important.

Regretting that therewas high deviation fromsafety driving, which thecommission had alwaysemphasised, Agwutasked motorists tostrictly adhere to road

VanguardVanguardVanguardVanguardVanguard, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, , AUGUST 6, , AUGUST 6, , AUGUST 6, , AUGUST 6, 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 —15—15—15—15—15

Obama embraces health care as jobs openPRESIDENT Barack

Obama, emboldenedby the Supreme Court’saffirmation of his healthcare overhaul, is nowembracing the law whilecampaigning for re-election, just asRepublican rival MittRomney steps back fromit.

Obama sees a secondchance to sell voters onthe issue despite deepskepticism about it frommany people. Romney isavoiding answering hardquestions about how hewould tackle health care,and thus missing thechance to energize voterswho oppose the law.

Democrats say thepresident alwaysplanned to stress healthcare if the court upheldthe law. A month after theruling, he and his teamare focused on promotingindividual parts of thelaw that have provedmore popular than thesum. The campaign is

targeting its efforts onimportant groups ofvoters, including womenand Hispanics, who,Obama aides say, willbenefit greatly once thelaw takes full effect.

Before the decision,Obama did mention thelaw in campaign events.But the case he made tovoters was hardlyvigorous, especiallyconsidering the amountof time he dedicated tooverhaul during his firstyear in year in office.

The primary focus of hiscampaign speechesremains the economy, therace’s dominant issue.But the Supreme Court’sfavorable ruling appearsto have freed Obama tospeak about the healthlaw more passionatelyand emphatically thanbefore the case wasdecided.

His campaign also isrunning a televisionadvertisement in eight ofthe most contested states

that criticizes Romney foropposing mandatoryhealth insurancecoverage forcontraception; thatprovision is in Obama’soverhaul. A health care-focused Spanish-language ad is runningin Nevada, Colorado andFlorida.

“The Supreme Courthas spoken,” Obama tolda cheering crowd at arecent fundraiser in NewOrleans. “We are going toimplement this law.”

During an event nearSeattle, Obama saidpassing the law was “the

right thing to do” and hehighlighted specific partsof the overhaul that his

campaign believesresonate well with voters.

Syrian rebels linkIranians to RevolutionaryGuards

A brigade of the Syrianrebel army has posted

an online video claimingthat the 48 Iranians itkidnapped were membersof Iran’s elite RevolutionaryGuards, and has warned

Tehran of further abductionsover its support for theSyrian government. Forty-eight Iranian pilgrims werekidnapped from a bus inathe Syrian capital onSaturday, the Iranianembassy consular chief inDamascus, told Iran’s statetelevision. “Armed terroristgroups kidnapped 48Iranian pilgrims on theirway to the airport,” MajidKamjou told the IRIBnetwork, which gave thereport on its website.

In the video released onSunday, fighters of the al-Baraa Brigade of the FreeSyrian Army said that theyhad “captured 48 of theshabiha [militiamen] of Iranwho were on areconnaissance mission inDamascus”.

Testy time for US courts over Arizona,Colorado shootings

JARED Loughner, theman accused of

killing six people andwounding then-U.S.R e p r e s e n t a t i v eGabrielle Giffords in2011, is set to pleadguilty in a Tucson courton Tuesday, a personfamiliar with the casesaid.

This came as the

proceedings againstaccused Coloradoshooter James Holmesare expected to l runinto tough legalquestions this week, onhow to balance thedefendant’s right to afair trial with the public’sright to know?

Holmes is accused ofkilling 12 people and

wounding 58 others at amidnight screening of“The Dark Knight Rises”movie in a Denversuburb last month in oneof the worst outbursts ofU.S. gun violence inrecent years. He ischarged with 24 countsof first-degree murderand 116 counts ofattempted murder.

•Obama

OPINION


BY ERASMUS AKANWANNE Between Nwakanma, Abiagovt and Aba cityIT was Franklin Benjamin who once said that those who are

always disputing, contradicting and confuting people aregenerally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, some-times, but they never get good will, which would be of moreuse to them. And this takes me to Obi Nwakanma’s postula-tions in his article in the Sunday Vanguard of July 29, 2012titled "Aba or the face of degeneracy". In the article, he com-plained about the deplorable state of Aba as was posted oninternet which he described as embarrassing. But the ques-tion is, when was such pictures taken and posted on theinternet and when last did Nwakanma visit Aba to be surethat the pictures that were posted were truly that of the presentAba or Aba before now?

With current strides in information technology that hadbrought about social media where all sort of things arepossibly placed or posted on the internet, people have learnthow not to accept all that they see or read on the internet astrue, especially when the sources are not genuine and cred-ible. But to Nwakanma, the pictures on Aba as was postedon the internet were real and true and from there judge-ment was quickly passed on the present government in thestate.

Though it was acknowledged in the article that succes-sive governments in the state since Independence, espe-cially the during the years of military oligarchy, did nothelp matters in the development of Aba. So, it is obvious toall and sundry that the development challenges in Aba isnot a thing of today or yesterday, but a protracted problemthat has been there and has continued to occur since thediscovery and beginning of the commercial city. It is justlike the accumulated leadership challenges facing Nige-ria today, with root in leadership failure since indepen-dence.

So, in the same way that is it is uncharitable and unfairfor anyone to attribute Nigeria’s problems to PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s administration, so it is unjust forNwakanma to blame Governor Theodore Orji for the chal-lenges in the Aba, even when it is obvious that his administra-tion has tackled and still tackling the various challenges inthe city more than the previous governments in the state sinceits creation. Every Nigerian knows that no government in thehistory of the state has ever faced the kind of challenges thepresent administration is confronted with in Aba since 2007.

Before now, we had always known that the major challenge in Aba was more of environmental, but between

2009 and 2011, the menace of orchestrated kidnapping creptinto the city. A plot was hatched by some political enemies ofgovernment to destabilise the state and label GovernorOrji a failure. Residents of the city fled, businesses werecrippled and indigenes lived in perpetual fear, while arm-chair critics had a field day berating government for itsalleged failure to protect its citizenry.

But with the state government’s decisive and pragmaticapproach in tackling the ugly trend which gulped billionsof Naira that would have been used for development pur-poses, the menace has become a thing of the past, withnormalcy and peace being restored in the city and com-mercial activities booming once again.

Nwakanma in his article said: “But to be fair, T.A. Orjialone cannot be asked to take responsibility for the state ofAba. True, he has shown a terrible lack of imagination andleadership in transforming Aba, which once stood on the

same pedestal as Lagos because what was built in Lagoswas built in Aba”. If truly Nwakanma meant to be fair,superior and objective in his criticism, why should he turnback to ask Governor Orji to stop being defensive about hislack of abilities to tackle the challenges in Aba? It is anirony shrouded in clear hypocrisy and malice, devoid offair comment as expected in critical writing.

How will any person with a good knowledge of Aba placethe city on the same pedestal with Lagos? The question is,on what basis or parameter did Nwakanma arrived at suchconclusion? Is it in terms of size, development, economicviability, location or Internally Generated Revenue, IGR,colonial history or what? It is a known fact that the two orthree most populated council areas in Lagos are biggerthan the entire population of Abia State.

It is known that the monthly IGR of Lagos is almost theannual monthly allocation of Abia State from the Federa-tion Account. What were the things that were built in Lagosthat were also built in Aba as Nwakanma claimed? Whydidn’t he mention them to substantiate his claim?

There is need for Nwakanma to visit Aba now and seethings for himself and compare them with what were onground before now to enable him make an unbiased judge-ment and not to rely on pictures posted on internet to arriveat conclusion.

Since assuming office in 2007 as governor of the state,Chief Orji has never claimed as having the magic wand tosolve the multi-faceted problems or challenges in Aba inone day. And at the same time, he has not failed to confrontthem frontally with the little resources available to himdespite other challenges his administration is facing in thestate.

*Mr. Akanwanne, a medical practitioner, wrote fromFaulks Road Aba, Abia State.

IN April 2010, French Customs officialsstumbled upon a suspicious shipment of statuesheaded for the JFK Airport, New York. As theyhad no authority to seize the consignment theytipped off the United States Department ofHomeland Security. Recently, the statuessurfaced in the private gallery of a Manhattan-based collector and were confiscated byinvestigators.A scientific inquiry confirmed they were

genuine Nok Culture artefacts (ten statues anda carved tusk) dating back to 2,000 to 2,500 yearsago. They were first dug up in 1943 in Nigeriaand placed in the National Museum. Over twoyears ago, they went missing, but theirdisappearance was not officially reported. Wheneventually this came to light, officials of theNational Museum were put under investigation.At the handing over ceremony of the artefacts

back to Nigeria in New York recently, theNigerian Consul General, Alhaji Habib BabaHabu, overjoyed, exclaimed: “(this) is the daythat America has extended a gift of friendshipthat we will never forget”.The significance of this repatriation is obvious.

RRRRReeeeeturn Of Our Sturn Of Our Sturn Of Our Sturn Of Our Sturn Of Our StttttolenolenolenolenolenArArArArArtttttefactsefactsefactsefactsefacts

Artefacts like the returned Nok Culture statuesbear enduring witness to the greatness of a dimpast civilisation that thrived at a time whenEurope and America were far behind us in termsof socio-cultural sophistication.The dawn of western civilisation tended to

sweep our glorious past under the carpet, eventhough it is also due to western civilisation thatarchaeological forays are able to dig up andproperly date the accomplishments of ancientcivilisation such as the Nok Culture.Africa’s difficulty in adjusting to post-colonial

society, has often led many to wonder whether

the gene of the black person is responsible forall the chaos, wars, violence and difficulty inorganising progressive socio-economic andpolitical societies. These artefacts bespeak ofthe fact that gene has little to do with it.The importance of having our improperly

disposed artefacts to foreign lands returned tous cannot be over-emphasised. Where bettershould one go to admire these relics other thantheir places of origin? Egypt is a fine exampleof how well treasured archaeological relics canfetch a country not just a lot of foreign exchangebut also international esteem due to influx oftourists.In view of this, we join in the call for the

repatriation of other stolen artefacts,particularly the thirty two relics looted after theBenin Massacre of 1897. They are right now inthe Museum of Arts, Boston. The NigerianCommission for Museums and Monuments(NCMM) has shouted itself hoarse that it wantsthe artefacts back to no avail.Let the kind gesture of US Department of

Homeland Security be the beginning of morethings to come.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2012— 41

OPINIONBY EFOSA OMORUYI

•Mr. Omoruyi, a public affairs analyst,wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Concluded

JUST as Oshiomhole allocated Jeep carsto former governors of Edo State, he

extended same to Osunbor, which the PDPstructure has been bellyaching about. Insincere reciprocation Osunbor expressedwhat everybody knows of a truth thatOshiomhole was providing the kind ofadministrative competence and leadershipthat Edo people needed. And in the absence ofan alternative why would Edo people havecraved a replacement? Ainofenokhai couldonly rationalize this as malicious. If this was amalicious reaction to his unjust disgrace atthe senseless governorship primary, whatdoes he think of Odion Ugbesia whom hereferred to and felt should have been governorinstead of Osunbor in 2007, and other Anenihloyalists’ celebration of Oshiomhole’sinstallation by the court at the detriment oftheir fellow PDP governor in 2008? What doeshe make of Anenih’s single-handedappointment of three commissioners andother sundry appointees to Oshiomhole’sgovernment before his god- playing emotionstook the better part of him to the disgust of a

no-nonsense Oshiomhole?Ainofenokhai suggested that Osunbor

should have swallowed shit and quietly retiredin humiliation, watching his adversaries gloatover his misfortune which they orchestratedbecause, according to him, he is the greatestbeneficiary of the party (PDP) in Edo State. Iguess he does not know what he is saying. If itwere a matter of staying clear in the interest ofthe party on the basis of greatest beneficiary, itis incontestable that Anenih whom the writerconveniently avoids mentioning his name orimplicating, fits the bill more than any other.In fact, Anenih has been the greatestbeneficiary of all political arrangements inthe defunct Bendel State and by extension EdoState, since he was pulled out of obscurity as aretired assistant commissioner of policemanaging a small guest house in the outskirtsof Benin City to become the State Chairmanof the NPN in 1983. And with the election ofDr. S.O. Ogbemudia, at whose insistence hegot the opportunity to cut his political teethand consolidate, Anenih appropriated thecharacter of a king maker which to his credithe had done everything imaginable and

unimaginable to validate until he met hiswaterloo in Oshiomhole.

Since 1999, having succeeded in takingcustody of the umbilical cord of the PDP at thenational level, Anenih had been thedeterminant factor of who became governoruntil Oshiomhole. Though contestable, he iseven credited with the first success ofOshiomhole in court. Of a truth, he has beenthe sole determinant of who becomes ministerin Edo State, including himself, andwhereupon he controls the minister andgovernor. The implication of this is obvious.Therefore, going by his own prescription,should Ainofenokhai not have advised thegodfather to have refrained from unreasonableactions in the interest of the party? I guess if he,with others, had done that, the party, as it were,may not have come to this sorry pass. Nowwhy blame Osunbor for the tragedy of thePDP? It is said in Benin that when you beat achild you give him the freedom to cry. If youknow that his crying would give you agony,why beat him?

I would want to advise Ainofenokhai to stopcrying over spilt milk and to desist from his

failed attempt to denigrate Osunbor in theeyes of the people who know better. In case heis not aware, Osunbor presently is in goodstead with the people and no campaign ofcalumny can change the admiration for him.

If Ainofenokhai truly loves the PDP and he isnot just writing to impress his patron, heshould begin to employ his effort to advise theparty on what to do for the benefit of those thatare stuck with it. The most urgent step is for thecause of the PDP’s problem, Chief Anenih, toembark on sincere reconciliation with thosehe has frustrated by his egocentricism,including Osunbor. In fact, he should embarkon the reconciliation with a circumcised heartand a reparative disposition. Anenih needs topurge himself of the emperor-without-a-mandate complex for progress to look the wayof the PDP again, if not to come back to powerin Edo State, but perhaps to be removed fromthe subconscious of the people as a party and amembership deserving of nothing but hatred.

In conclusion, Ainofenokhai should advisehis sponsors to accept their self inflicted defeatsquarely and not find a scapegoat in Osunbor.

Ainofenokhai’s illogicalities on OsunborContinued from Viewpoint page

CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT (2)CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT (2)CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT (2)CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT (2)CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT (2)

POVERTY starts in the mind beforeit manifests in the pocket. A poor-

minded person does not know how toproduce results with money. Even if yougive him lots of money he simply doesthe easiest thing in the world: spend it.A multi-billionaire once said even if hegives all his money to the poor he willget it all back in no time because heknows how make money and the pooronly knows how to spend it.

Poverty in Northern Nigeria comes asa result of the typical poor mindset of itsleaders.

The masses of the north, especiallythose who are of sound mind and body,are very hard working. They strive veryhard as farmers, cattle rearers, artisans,traders and menial workers especiallyin urban areas down south. But theleadership depends on the governmentand the state for their upkeep. This iswhat some describe as “parasitism”.

Each time the Northern Elders Forumor Arewa Consultative Forum orNorthern Governors Forum meets, theirprimary interest is not about exploringavenues to move the north and Nigeria

Northern governors’ poor-mindsyndrome

till.The recent meeting of the Northern

Governors’ Forum in Abuja was typicaland ended with a predictable outcome.The same governors that did not raiseany objection when the NigerianGovernors Forum unanimously agreedthat the constitution should be amendedto provide for state police suddenly

governors would want the onshore/offshore to be “revisited”. They areenvious of the 13 per cent derivation thatgoes to oil-rich Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Deltaand Bayelsa every month. Theyconveniently forget that while themilitary was in power, they had usedstates and local governments to give thenorth more than their share of the sameoil money that basically belongs to theNiger Delta.

They gave the north enough federalconstituencies to constitute stumblingblocks to any attempt to make new lawsor amend the constitution for the changethe country needs.

The present crop of northern leadersdoes not have the type of mindset thatcan solve the problems of the north, letalone Nigeria. Arewa political leaderssquander Niger Delta’s oil money giventhem to improve the lives of their people.They spend money frivolously onsponsorship of weddings, pilgrimagesand religious education that does notequip its products with skills for usefulself-reliance but instead breeds products

that disrupt the system. Governorsappoint thousands of aides rather thanfocus on developments that benefit thesociety. They steal the people’s moneyand use only a small fraction of it to feedthe poor during Ramadan.

But there is hope. Whenever I listento the Arewa Consultative Youth Forum(ACYF) I am encouraged to believe thatonce this generation of mis-leadersphases away the future of the north isbright. I take this quote credited to theACYF which Joe Igbokwe used toanchor an article he wrote on March 20,2012:

Deliberatemanipulation

“Northerners and the world need anexplanation as to what led to the rot (theNorth) is (in) today. It was not magicbut man-made as a result of deliberatemanipulation of religion, self-enrichment, and pervasive corruptionour leaders adopted to the detriment ofthe larger peoples of the North”

The North was in power for a total of37 years and imposed poverty, not onlyon Nigerians but more so on thenorthern people. The current elitepresided over several oil booms and yetleft the country wretched and backward,with the north even more so. There isno justification for power to be entrustedin their hands again. And there is noground to increase their share of federalmoney.

But as soon as the current Arewa youthenters the leadership plane withrenewed, progressive mindset, the Northand the South will come together to builda new Nigeria where all Nigerians willbe happy and proud to belong. Happily,the young are already growing and themoment is not far-off.

60 cheers toAunty Ann!

ANN Kio Briggs clocked sixty lastFriday! Beautiful, elegant,

authoritative, focused, dogged andeloquent, the Amazon who hasdedicated her life to the Niger Deltastruggles, shoving aside public officeoffers since the Ijaw came to power inAbuja, deserves all the accolades and Ijoin in wishing her more of more. Don’tstop, Aunty Ann!

The Northwas in powerfor a total of37 years andimposedpoverty, notonly onNigeriansbut more soon thenorthernpeople

Gov. Aliyu Babangida, ChairmanNorthern governors forum

reneged. They now wantthe state PoliceCommissioners to takeorders from the governorsrather than the InspectorGeneral of Police!

They were so blindedby their zest to back outof the resolution reachedwith their peers that theydid not see thepreposterousness of theirnew stand. When youwant the Commissionersof Police to take ordersfrom the governors ratherthan the IG, you are ineffect, asking for statepolice! The governorswill use the Police to dotheir bidding while thefederal government willstill foot the bill, and inthe process, the orderlycommand structure of thePolice is destroyed.

After torpedoing theagreement (whatI call the Aburisyndrome) they turnedtheir attention to their petmotive for their meetings:asking for more oilmoney. The northern

forward. They are notlooking for solution to theterrorism that has crippledthe economy of the north, orto solve communal conflictson the Plateau and otherareas of the north.

Future of theSouth South

They are not setting upstrategies for regionalcooperation as we see in thesouth, where you have theBRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers,Akwa Ibom, Cross River,Delta and Edo) Commissionplanning the future of theSouth-South beyond oil.

The South East EconomicSummit Group (SEESG) ispressing ahead to create aviable economy to reduce theDiaspora syndrome, whilethe South West is focused onthe regional integrationefforts of its governors.

But each time northernleaders meet, it is always to(a) torpedo every effort tobring about change andprogress, and (b) ask formore money from the federal


Mrs. Ogbe, a public affairs analyst, wrotefrom Calabar, Cross River State.

,

,

,

,BY YEMISI OGBE

‘

BY EFOSA OMORUYI

•Mr. Omoruyi, a public affairsanalyst, wrote from Benin City,Edo State.

Ainofenokhai’s illogicalitieson Osunbor

THE article by one JohnAinofenokhai and published in

the Vanguard newspaper ofWednesday October 26, 2011 wasobviously written in appreciation ofthe sterling quality of SenatorOserheimen Osunbor who was anasset to the Peoples DemocraticParty, PDP, while he was governorof Edo State between May 29, 2007and November 11, 2008.

Interestingly, the sameAinofenokhai, in an apparent bid tonow disparage Osunbor, the PDPhaving lost the 2012 governorshipelection to the ACN, wrote thefollowing in the Vanguardnewspaper of Friday, July 27, 2012:“He (Osunbor) was no doubtdeluded into believing that he waspopular and that his littleachievements (de-silting of drainagesand renovation of some roads) inoffice would speak for him”. Funnyenough, the writer decided to titlehis article, “Oserhiemen Osunbor’sgobblegook”. By the definition ofthe word gobbledegook, it isobvious that Ainofenokhai is aconfused person. Perhaps hisconfusion stems from his grosslylimited knowledge of his subjectmatter as a result of the half-truthsand misrepresentation of facts hegot from his sponsors.

While trying to belittle theimportance of Osunbor in thepolitical equation of Edo State, heends up with much of his

gobbledegook idea. For instance,while he admits, based on his belief,that Osunbor’s “grandconspiratorial alliance withOshiomhole in the governorshippoll… largely did the PDP in”, hetries to paint a picture of Osunbor’sinsignificance by saying that hecame last in his party’s primaries.

A critical analysis ofAinofenokhai’s article would revealthat he would have preferredOsunbor to have remainedanonymous after the PDPgovernorship primary in which,according to him, the “structure”,the “elements” and perhaps ownersof the party “who brought him fromthe academia”, made him a two-term senator and governor, now feltthat for his unforgivable sin heshould forever remain silent.

Let us put the writer’s references inperspective. In the third paragraph,he stated that: “Rather than showgratitude to the political structurethat brought him out from theacademia and made him what hehas become in the political ecologyof politics of Edo State by doing allwithin his powers to sustain thestructure, Osunbor has consistentlyplayed the game of treachery toundermine it”. The question is:What political structure was Osunborsupposed to show gratitude to forgiving him a political life? Beingconversant with the writer’s politicalessays one knows that the referenceis to a one-man structure in theperson of Chief Tony Anenih to

whom Ainofenokhai and his likesbelieve every other political successin Edo State should submit tobecause they assume he is the makerof all who himself was never madeby anybody.

It may interest the public toknow that of a truth,

Anenih, by virtue of his being thePDP leader of Prof. Osunbor’s EdoCentral Senatorial District, andindeed Edo State, had alwayssupervised the processes that sawOsunbor representing hisconstituency on his own merit sincehis advent in politics in 1994 whenhe became a member of theConstitutional Conference. But inalluding to Osunbor’s politicalengagement, Ainofenokhai makesit look like Osunbor was drafted bya benevolent structure, from theclassroom, to assume unmeritedpolitical power. It is relevant topoint out, in contradiction of theimpression that the writer wanted topaint, that Osunbor’s political questdid not derive from any externalmagnanimity. Rather his propellingforce has been the desire to serve,consequent upon his blood heritageof a political dynasty. Not manypeople are aware that Osunbor’slate father was an elected member

of the pioneer Midwest House ofAssembly and Junior Minister ofWorks and Transport until themilitary coup in 1966. Therefore,Prof. Osunbor is bearing the torchhanded over by his father. Also therecognition of his remarkablescholarly pedigree influenced hisacceptance by the structure, toutilize the opportunity available tohim when he sought the office of asenator which he held withdistinction for two consecutiveterms before he became governor.

The attempt to impugn thecompetence of Osunbor inAinofenokhai’s latter write-up,having in the former described himin impeccable terms, is mostunfortunate and highlyreprehensible. What he did notemphasize in his first treatise is thatOsunbor like former Americanpresident, Bill Clinton, is a RhodesScholar, and like the late GhanaianPresident John Atta Mills, is aprofessor of law. Osunbor has all ittakes to be president and not justgovernor. He is a personalityfoundered in the crucible of thehighest standard of competenceand discipline. He proved the pointin the Senate which bestowed uponhim the fond epithet of “Attorney-General of the Senate” for eightyears; even as Ainofenokhai positedthat “Osunbor did not have time (asgovernor) to properly unravel andtherefore Edo people could notconvincingly pass a verdict on histemperament in government”. So,to what intent and purpose is thewriter’s effort to now portrayOsunbor as an administrator thatnever made impact?

Using the outcome of the February25 PDP governorship primary as hisparameter, Ainofenokhai wrote thatOsunbor’s “rejection by elementswithin his party was an indication ofthe greater rejection he would havesuffered in the hands of the Edo

electorate”. That was standing logicon its head. Does he mean that if thePDP had fielded Osunbor instead ofGen. Charles Airhiavbere, the partywould have done worse than it did?That can never be true. It is commonknowledge that the decision of thepowers that be in the Edo PDP toreject their best option who wasOsunbor was in direct contrast tothe expectation of the Edo electorate;that Osunbor would have gatheredsufficient support to have defeatedOshiomhole is not the point. Thereis an element of sport in politicswhich dictates that even if acontender would not win he shouldat least be adequately prepared soas not to lose woefully in a contest,an idea that may have been lost onthem in their quest for unfoundedvendetta against Osunbor and hisloyalists. Now the structure thatrejected their best option has endedin disgrace. This Tsunami-likecatastrophe is one that the PDP cannever recover from unlessOshiomhole changes his politicalparty to PDP, which is the onlyprayer of all PDP members.

The only exception, are those whohave the monopoly of sharingfederal patronage amongthemselves. To them, it is the fewerthe merrier.

Ainofenokhai, as with his fellowgodfather apologists, is saddenedby the fact that Prof. Osunbordisappointed them by accepting theolive branch extended to him by theComrade-Governor who, given theopportunity, set aside politicalrhetoric to acknowledge thegoodness in Osunbor and the factthat the good Professor had beencaught in the web of bad companyand disastrous influence.

Continues on Ochereome's page

THE statement was bottomless: What waswrong with her maid getting a manicure?

How demeaned is the role of a house maid? Incomparison to that, how demeaned is that of aschool teacher? How can one of the mostimportant jobs in the world be even demeanedat all? The job of teaching in Nigeria isundeniably one of the least esteemed. That ofa maid or housegirl is not even worthy ofdiscussion. Children are shushed if they evenbreathe the idea of becoming teachers whenthey grow up and choose a career path. Thegap between the rich and poor is erodingquickly and gnawing at people’s feet, so ourresponse is always one of desperation. I wentto that part of Lagos reverentially termed “OldIkoyi” and stood in a penthouse apartment,looking down into manicured lawns, tenniscourts, shimmering swimming pools and thelagoon. I was told that I was standing in rentedpremises, and that the rent had just been paidfor two years: N34,000,000. My mouthdropped to the floor, and I thought of our staffat home, who sometimes needed a loan to paya yearly rent of N120,000. It was a shock tothe system. How could one not help definingpeople by such discrepancies in rentedaccommodation?

There is the story of two women, friends, whowould go for walks in the estate referred to asLekki Peninsula phase I, along the Lagoon.One woman began to excuse herself fromgoing on those walks. The other woman waspuzzled but didn’t dwell on it. She went on thewalks by herself. Another friend later confidedin the friend who still went on her walks, thatthe other lady had lost interest because shewas a Northern aristocrat and did not like theway her friend greeted everyone theyencountered on their walks; security guards,hawkers, building site workers, just any humanbeing really…one had to show some restraintafter all, some class consciousness, for God’s

sake. In Lagos especially, that model nucleusof posers, the elites are a pretty close set, andone is either in or out by virtue of such things ashaving a name, being a member of a familywith old money, having one’s own money,having charisma and money and beautifulthings, speaking well, living in the right place,owning prime property, etc. The fundamentalrequirement is having money and some tasteand driving and dressing the part. The layersof snobbery ensure that having money alonecan never be enough, one has to speak the lingo,understand the passing of the trends, learn toboth wave, and backup by pretending that oneis swatting a fly. In 2007, when the elite inLagos grew tired of being robbed of theirwatches, they declared swatch watches ofnecessity, fashionable.

Elizabeth Udoudo was on her way to churchon a Sunday morning. Her sons were in theback of the car. It was 9:30 a.m. and the roadswere clear of traffic. The Imo State governor’sconvoy came up behind her car as she droveup the Falomo Bridge. The convoy of carsmight have driven behind her car for a fewminutes and then deciding that she wasn’tmoving fast enough, the driver of the lead carmotioned for her to get off the road. Inresponse, she said she changed lanes to makeway for the cars. They were descending thebridge and coming up to the turning offKingsway Road, known as Rumens Road. Thelead car of the convoy made as if to overtakehers, drove beside her, the window came down,and a gun came out motioning for her to eitherstop or get off the road. By this point, the processwas confused and she was sandwiched betweenthe lead car, slightly ahead, and the rest of theconvoy. The second car, an SUV was a hairbreath away from her, nudging her off the road.A third car ran into her rear passenger side.She swerved sharply and ran clean into theside of another car in the convoy. Everyone, ofnecessity came to a stop. She attempted to getout her seat-belt. A man in a face cap, greypants and a white shirt was the first to step out

of one of the cars. He came out with his handon the gun holder on his side. He drew out hispistol and came towards Elizabeth’s car.Before he got to her, one of the other men wasalready by her side, and as she was steppingout of the car, and at the same time attemptingto ask why she was being harassed, the manslapped her across the face.

She stood between her door and thedriver’s seat. There was a saloon car in

the convoy that had about four men in thebackseat. About six to seven men in total haddisembarked from the cars in the convoy. Theman that slapped her, slammed her car dooragainst her as she was attempting to step outfrom behind it. Her sons watched from theback of the car. One of the mobile policemenkicked in the passenger door on the other sideof the car. Another mobile policeman standingbehind the man who slapped her, brought downthe butt of his gun on her side mirror. Thegovernor’s car drove parallel to hers. Shedescribed it as owning tinted windows and aNigerian flag. The back window came downmomentarily, and she saw a head-rest with acloth embroidered with the Nigerian coat ofarms. She attempted to direct her protest atsomeone sitting with his back to that headrest,but the window went up quickly after the manaddressed the men standing around. The man’swords seemed to be an order that the menreturn to their cars. They got back into theircars and continued their journey.

I asked Elizabeth what it felt like to be slapped

across the face; if she was humiliated? Whatwas the anatomy of the slap? How much forcewas used? The most concrete answer I receivedwas that she was grateful that it was just “a”slap. It is common for people to be beaten,whipped and physically injured by menprotecting dignitaries riding in convoys. Shefelt she had got off lightly by being slapped justonce. She believed that if she were a man, itwould have fared much worse for her. Mostpeople go home and nurse their bruises.Elizabeth sent an account of her experience tothe Guardian Newspaper. It was written withthe help of a friend, and they both thought itjudicious to write the account under the nameof a “Lateef Gbadamosi”. The article was titled“Imo State convoy of death”. Then came themost interesting part of the whole affair: theImo State Governor's Press Secretary’sresponse to the Guardian article.

The Press Secretary reference to theincidence began:

“…We are surprised because the incidentunder reference which happened on themorning of Sunday February 10, 2008 alongAlfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi between the convoyof His Excellency, Governor Ikedi Ohakim ofImo State and an unknown woman is betterleft unrecounted and out of the public arenabecause it paints a shameful picture ofmotherhood; of womanhood.”

He described the affair as a security breach,and then went on to clarify the motives of thosemen who had slapped Elizabeth, andvandalized her car:

“It was indeed a case of a woman feeling toobig and couldn’t give a damn whether it was agovernor or a god who was going in a convoyand raising all hoopla".The thing that seemedto have brought out the worst in the menagainst a five foot two security breach was thefact that she felt too big to get out of the way ofthe governor’s convoy. She didn’t know herplace. This letter has become one of the mostincredible admissions of guilt in recent years.Elizabeth’s incidence as well as others, broughtup the necessity of drawing up a code of conductfor “Nigerian big men’s” convoys.

A culture of disrespect (4)

Continues tomorrow pg.18

Continued from Friday

The attempt toimpugn thecompetence ofOsunbor inAinofenokhai’swrite-up is mostunfortunate andhighlyreprehensible

The job of teaching inNigeria is undeniablyone of the leastesteemed; children areshushed if they evenbreathe the idea ofbecoming teacherswhen they grow up


WHAT is your view onthe controversy over the

removal or retention of theimmunity clause in theconstitution?

I have always supported theretention of immunity forgovernors. Many people go togovernors for favours, whenthey don’t get whatever theywant, these favour seekers getvery angry and begin to plotagainst the governors. Themoment you remove immunityyou remove good governance,that is when you will see thestrength of these people.

Some say remove criminalimmunity leave civil immunity,what is the difference? Formere mistakes people will goto court just because they wantto bring you down because yourefused to share public fundsor share the economic benefitsof government. I think thatthose who argue for theremoval of immunity as a wayof finding solution tocorruption may not becompletely right.

I abhor corruption. I thinkthat it is not right that ourresources are carted awayeveryday.

Removal ofimmunity

However, I also think thatremoval of immunity willdistract the President, it will notallow him confront the issuesas they are because every dayhe will find himself in court,the same manner governors willfind themselves in court. I thinkany governor that is corruptshould be held accountableafter he leaves office but whilein office he should be allowedto discharge his responsibility.

Do you support demand forstate police?

I am Chairman of theGovernors’ Forum my view isthe view of the governors’forum. I would not want to holdany view to the contrary.Currently, the view of thegovernors’ forum is that we arein support of state police. Weare going back on Tuesday, weare dealing with the issue ofconstitution; we will deal withthese issues. The Governors’

some in the bush and all that.Let us go by verified statistics. It was very sad.

At the moment, thecommunity is saying that theydon’t have power…

We are doing ruralelectrification, it will get tothem. Before we leave officewe want to electrify all the ruralcommunities in Rivers Stateand they are between 300 and500. Some of them are beingattended to by some localgovernment chairmen, some ofthem we have already done.We hope that by the time weleave office we would havereached all communitieswithout power.

What is your view onclamour for re-jig of therevenue sharing formula?

Clearly, we think that thestates should be allowed tohave more revenue than theycurrently have. The states aresuffering now, I doubt if somecan still pay salaries. If wecontinue that way I wonderwhat will be the expectation ofthe people when the states

and pay taxes to the FederalGovernment. There are thosewho hold the view that theseresources are national wealthand should be shareddepending on the formula thatthe National Assembly is ableto come up with.

You spoke on state creationat the last Senate Retreat inAsaba but you were notdirect. Do you think we needmore states?

The reason people ask formore states is because of thesharing structure that Nigeriais based upon. Nobody isasking for good governance. Ifyou treat this country well, ifyou govern properly and runthe economy properly mostpeople won’t ask for newstates.

We can live happily. Thereason you are seeing thisagitation is that the country isso poor, we are so rich in termsof resources but so poor interms of the human beings thatinhabit the territory calledNigeria. The Bureau forStatistics has said that 71 per

forum in their last meetingcame out strongly in support ofthe formation of state police andthere were 31 governors-23state governors and eightdeputy governors. They were31 out of 36 and nobodyopposed it.

How do you view allegationsthat there are cracks in theNigeria Governors’ Forum?

There is no crack. Let us getto the meeting next week. Idon’t think we should betalking about crack or no crack.

Can the political class at themoment manage state policeeffectively, if created?

It is not about the Governoror the political class. At the endof the day, the governor willleave office. Will he leave withthe state police? So if he foughtpeople with it, the next man willfight him with it. I don’t thinkthat is the problem. We shouldtalk among ourselves first.

There was a time youpromised the people of thestate that very soon they wouldhave 24-hour powersupply. What have been theproblems and limitations?

Is there no powerimprovement? There is. Theproblem is that of distribution,let us wait and see what theFederal Government will do.But with or without the law weare going ahead with the

distribution. That is why I askyou, are you not seeing animprovement in power? Thereis an improvement in powerand it will continue to improvelike that until we leave office.

What about the issue of LocalGovernment Autonomy?

I am the Chairman ofGovernors’ Forum. Even as anindividual governor, whateverI say may be misunderstood tomean the position of thegovernors. Let us wait andsee.

Finalposition

The governors will come upwith a final position on allissues. That is what willhappen and once we do that Ican speak as Chairman of theGovernors’ Forum. We mustwait and see what thegovernors will say.

Could you speak on theOkogbe Community disasterthat cost about 200 lives?

Where do you get yourfigures from? The first daywhen I heard this, it was 150then 200, some said 300 and Irushed to the President, ‘I hear150 persons have died in RiversState, can I rush back to RiversState,’ and he said ‘yes’ onlyto hear then it was 98. From 98I heard 156 because they found

TheGovernors’forum in theirlast meetingcame outstrongly insupport of theformation ofstate policeand there were31 governors-23 stategovernors andeight deputygovernors,they were 31out of 36 andnobodyopposed it

I doubt if some states canstill pay salaries — Gov. Amaechi

POOR REVENUE:

ESTABLISHMENT of state police and removal of the immunity clause areamong key issues that are dominating discourse in the polity. In thisinterview at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Rivers StateGovernor and Chairman, Governors Forum, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,bares his mind on these and other topical issues. Excerpts:

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

*Amaechi:

cent of Nigeriansare poor and nowthe states arebeginning to saywe are gettingbroke so it isworse.

Why is itdifficult for us topractice truefederalism?

Ethnic politics,selfish interests,there are thosewho aree a r n e s t l ybenefiting fromthe currentsystem and youknow change isone challengingthing thatdoesn’t comeeasily.

Let’s look atthe roads inRivers State;some of themare relativelybad?

I can mentionthe good roadswe have done.I’m saying thatyou are finding itdifficult to namethe ones that arebad but I can inone full swoopname for you fivegood roads wehave done.

I can mention to

cannot function. We think that the

responsibilities ofthe FederalGovernment shouldbe reduced as wellas their revenue.The states should beallowed to haveaccess to thosefederal revenuesthat areunnecessarily givento the FederalGovernment so thatthey can functionproperly.

Generatingplants

You are first andforemost a Riversman before you area Nigerian so whereyou take off from isRivers State. Whoowns land? It is notthe FederalGovernment, it isthe states. What doyou develop, is it notthe land? You wantto build schools; doyou build it in theair?

You want to buildgenerating plantsfor power, is it in theair? So why do youhave Ministry ofAgriculture orMinistry of Land forinstance, why not allow thestates to develop by givingthem these resources?

What about using the localgovernments as a basis forsharing revenue?

No, that can’t be. What thestate governors have said is thatwe need more revenue. Thereare those who hold the viewthat let those who produce theresources keep their resources

you, Old Aba Road,Rumuokwuta -Rumuola ,E l e k a h i a - R u m u o m a s iRumuobiakani-Oginigba,Oboloma-Amadi-Ama.

Peter Odili Road, AzikiweRoad, the whole of Old PortHarcourt Township, in Diobuthere is a road we are doing inDiobu, Port Harcourt-OwerriRoad, Ada George, I havecalled about 10.

RCCG opens 60thConvention

By SAM EYOBOKA &OLAYINKA LATONA

MEMBERS of The Redeemed Christian

Church of God, RCCG, havestarted arriving the RedemptionCamp, venue of the 60th annu-al convention of the churchwhich begins today with the or-dination of deacons and deacon-esses. Among the first arrivals,are senior members of the churchwho had to arrive early enoughfrom different parts of the coun-try for the Ministers’ Conferencewhich started on Thursday.

The week long event which ispreceded by a three-day Minis-ters’ Conference is designed tospiritually equip pastors, assis-tant pastors, deacons, deacon-esses, elders, evangelists andother ministers of the church andprepare them for the differentroles expected of them duringthe programme.

Theme of this year ’s pro-gramme is ‘Come Up Higher’and it is expected to feature min-istrations by different anointedministers of the gospel who willsupport the chief host and theGeneral Overseer of the church,Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

All events including the ordi-nations and seminars will takeplace at the Holy Ghost Arena

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

EARLY MORNING WORSHIP

8.30am-10.00am Ordination Ordination of Bible College Plenary Plenary Question & Ordina

tion ofof Deacons Assistant Graduation Session 3 Session 6 Answers Pastors& Deaconess Pastors Farewell

Service10.30am-

12 noon PlenarySession 4 Bible 1.Baptismal

Study Service 2. Elders Meeting 3. Good Women Forum

LUNCH & REST 2.30pm- Children of

Special Special Special4.00pm God Meet Seminars 1-12 Seminars Seminars 1-12

Special 1-12Seminars 1-12

4.30pm- Group Melody Service Youth Children’s6.30pm Seminars 1-5 Hour of Songs Hour Hour

DINNER8.30pm 1. House Welcome Plenary Deliverance Holy Ghost Holy Fellowship Service Session 2 Service Service Communion Leaders & (Plenary (Plenary (Plenary Service

WorkersMeet Session 1) Session 5) Session (Plenary

7&8 Session9)2. Council Meet

of the Redemption Camp andthe Camp Manager, Pastor A.F.Elufowoju has assured partici-pants of safety of their proper-ties throughout the duration ofthe programme.

He told our reporter that secu-rity personnel as well as trafficmanagers would be drawn fromLagos and Ogun states to ensurefree-flow of traffic while advis-ing participants to make use ofthe facilities in the camp includ-ing the numerous car parks.

Work onthe camp

Work on the Camp began in1983 while the General Overseerwas said to have moved into theplace on October 1, 1985 whenthe entire place was still onehuge forest.

Though the place was a forest,everyone hailed the choice. Tobegin with, it was found out tobe somewhere easy to relocateto and accessible to memberswho would come from Abeoku-ta, Ibadan, Ilesa, Ilorin, Akureand other places.

Living there was initially outof mind, all that was plannedwas somewhere that would ac-commodate church membersduring conventions.

Welcome address by Pastor Adeboye

CONGRESS ARENAThe huge space measuring about 3 kilometres by3 kilometres hosts the annual congress, the pre-miere event in December each year. An estimat-ed crowd of six million people can be expected toconverge on the arena during the peak celebra-tion of the week long event.

ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENTThis department oversees all electrical installa-tions in the city. It works with The National Elec-tric Provider, but operates independent powersupplies to critical locations within the city. Dur-ing major services at the City, power supply be-comes paramount and the Electrical Departmentrises up to the task and provides adequate pow-er for the City.

ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENTThis department is charged with the responsibil-ity of recording all events taking place in the citywhere Pastor Enoch Adeboye is ministering inaddition to providing language translation of ser-mons into many African languages such as Yoru-ba, Hausa, Igbo, and European languages suchas Portuguese, French and others.

WATER DEPARTMENTThe water department operates water distribu-tion throughout the city. The department has aplant that processes pure water and purified bot-tled table water for residents of the city and be-yond. It makes sure there is adequate water sup-ply throughout the City.

POST OFFICEThe Post Office is situated close to the main en-trance to the Redemption City.

SECURITY POSTThe Security Post is located right at the entrance

FACILITIES AT THE CAMP

of the camp with security men stationed there 24hours. There is security all around the city at stra-tegic places.

REDEEMER'S CLINICThe Redeemer's Clinic is situated almost to theend of Holiness Road. Staffed with a qualifieddoctor and nurses the clinic attends to commonhealth issues.

ACCOMMODATIONThe camp accommodation has been divided intothree for easy administration. They are as follows:International Guest House. The internationalguest house has three buildings labelled Block A,Block B, Block C.Executive Chalets: The executive chalets are styl-ishly furnished and a bungalow made up of a par-lour and room with two beds in the room.Chalets: The chalets are furnished and well spacedbungalow houses constructed with your comfortin mind.

SUPERMARKETSChrist Redeemers Ministry, CRM, operates a wellstocked supermarket at various locations withinthe city. You can find a well stocked bookstore,common provisions and other household items atthe supermarket. CRM also operates public mar-ket during major events. You can rent a tent todisplay your goods and sell freely within the pub-lic market area. People can find all sorts of materi-als in this public market typical of African Com-mon Markets.

CONVENIENCESThere are about 400 public toilets all around theCongress Arena for the use of participants in ad-dition to mobile toilets stragically located close tothe Arena.

Dear Beloved Brethren,

IT is with great joy andgladness of heart that we

welcome you to the 60th annu-

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS DURING THE CONVENTION


*Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye holding a copyof VANGUARD Newspaper

al convention ofthis glorious mis-sion. The Lordhas indeed beenvery gracious tous, showing usgreat mercies,miracles, deliver-ance, victories,provision. We alsobless the name ofthe Lord for keep-ing you alive inHis mercy, sincelast time we gath-ered here.

This conventionis an invitation ofour heavenly Fa-ther to behold theKing, His powerand His great-ness. He is asking us to ‘ComeUp Higher’ through the high-way of holiness, increased faithand purity, enlarged vision,and an ever increasing great-ness unto glorious expecta-tions.

“…and a highway shall bethere, and a way and it shallbe called the way of holiness;the unclean shall not pass overit; but it shall be for those: theway faring men, though fools,shall not err there-in.” (Isaiah35:8).

There is a place specially pre-pared for those who yield to theinvitation to Come Up Higher.A position of higher level ofpower, grace, glory, mercy, joy,total victory, success, prosperi-ty and deliverance. This is whyyou have come, be prepared to

receive LIFE in its fullness!We encourage you to person-

ally and passion-ately see Himby availing yourself of the var-ious seminars,and plenary ses-sions. Prayerfully commit your-self and your future to deep in-timacy with Jesus Christ. Drinkin deeply of His presence anddo not allow yourself to be dis-tracted.

It is our desire that the pow-er of the Holy Spirit may arisewithin you and cause you tolong for more of Him daily fromnow till you are filled to over-flowing.

There is room at the top foryou, see you there in Jesusname.

PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE(GENERAL OVERSEER)


‘

BY AMA PEPPLE

Relationshipbetween higher civilservants and theirpolitical masters (4)

THERE are concerns that therecruitment process into the

Service is highly influenced byboth the political andadministrative leadership. If thisclaim is true, the consequence isthat it is not only the society thatloses but also the political leadersand the administrative leaders ofthe Service who need the servicesof capable officers in order toachieve the mandate of theirMinistries.

It has also been pointed out thatthere is a preponderance oftransferees from the States at thecommanding height of theService many of whosecompetence may be in doubt.When the senior management ofthe civil service is dominated byofficers other than the brightestand the best in its system,ministers and permanentsecretaries cannot function attheir best as the capacity of highercivil servants to support them incarrying out their functions islargely impaired.

It becomes even moreunthinkable and miserable for thesystem if the incompetence is ledat the top by the permanentsecretary. Indeed, whenpermanent secretaries areappointed through politicalconsiderations rather than bymerit and competence, the likelyresult is that such officers areincapable of meeting theexpectations of this high officeand advising impartially withoutfear or favour. Their glaring

management system has not yetbeen installed in the CivilService, hence the worst sanctionthat a permanent secretary getsfor underperformance is for him/her to be posted to anotherMinistry. This repeats the cycleof incompetence and conflictsacross the public service.

Frequent transfer, postings ofcivil servants and cabinetchanges: Frequent transfer andposting of civil servants,including permanent secretariesmay also be a contributory factorto the impairment of relationsbetween Ministers and theadministrative heads of ministries.Frequent cabinet changes resultsin ministers not staying longenough in their positions to fullyunderstand the dynamics of thepublic service.

Resultanteffect

The resultant effect is that theyare denied the opportunity ofacquiring broader/widerexperience to build enduringrelationship with their PermanentSecretaries to enable them toimplement the policies andprogrammes of the Governmentdiligently and sustainably. Thesechanges are, however, neededfrom time to time in order torevitalize the system and improveits accountability.

Other Militating FactorsAt the forum of Heads of African

Public Services held in Tanzaniain 2005 , the following were alsoidentified as militating factorsagainst good relationshipbetween political masters and

(i) The personality andleadership styles of both actors,either as a team player, acommander, an ideologue, amanager and an agent;

(vi) Competencies that theMinister brings on the job. Thefollowing skills have beenidentified for good Ministerialperformance:

Improving the relationship: Ithas been established universallythat good governance beginswith the establishment of qualityrelationship between the politicaland bureaucratic leaders. Asstated by Richard Rose, ‘themetaphorical ship of state has onetiller but two pairs of hands thatgive it direction, one belongingto party politicians in electivepositions or appointed politicalleaders (italics mine) and theother to higher civil servants, ledby Permanent Secretaries.

Compelling forcefor progress

The combined efforts of thesetwo parties is a compelling forcefor progress as exemplified in theFirst Republic when the politicalmasters and the bureaucraticleaders worked collaboratively torecord the milestones in the West,East, North and later Mid _WestRegions . This era has often beenmentioned as the golden era inour history.

The key to improvedrelationship may lie in thefollowing:

(i) Devising a good strategy tomanage the relationship ratherthan living it to chance;

(ii) Harmonizing therelationship between ministersand their aides in policy makingas a strategic imperative forstrengthening and enriching thepublic service with knowledgeand competencies from othersources. This is in view of theneed to harness the intellectualcapacities and professional depth

of highly qualified aides in thedelivery of government’s policiesand programmes;

(iii) Recognising the need forpermanent secretaries andindeed the body of higher civilservants (italics mine) to align

(iii) No requests for departuresfrom declared and approvedpolicies to suit individual cases;

(iv) Preparedness to actethically at all times; and

(v) Clear demonstration ofcompetence on the job

On the part of the bureaucratsthe following are essential:

(vi) A sincere and honestattempt to find out what thepolitical head wants and make thenecessary adjustment in policiesand procedures to suit his/herwishes;

(vii) Readiness to fall in line withhis/her political chief in allmatters, unless strong groundsindicate a different course;

(viii) Willingness to actprofessionally and ethically at alltimes.

Conclusion: Political executivesand higher civil servants mustunderstand that they occupystrategic positions inGovernment.

Collaboration andpartnership

Accordingly, their collaborationand partnership is very essentialfor the proper administration ofthe State and the achievement ofstrategic national priorities foradvancing the cause of nationaldevelopment. To this end, it is

Prof. Adamolekun

incompetence may be a source offriction between a dynamicminister who wants the job donequickly and a top bureaucrat whois incapable of providing qualityadvice to achieve the goals of theorganization. Regretfully, whileministers get fired for underperformance, a virile performance

higher civil servants:(i) Various

backgrounds andexpectations ofministers, some ofwhich are difficult tosatisfy thus resultingin frustration;

(ii) Overwhelmingunofficial versusofficial demands,leading to strainedrelationships;

(iii) Non-sharing ofinformation andfailure by accountingofficers to brief theMinisters leading to

speculation ;(iv) Misuse of discretionary

powers and application of doublestandards, leading to conflict; and

(v) General lack of financialresources, affecting programmeimplementation.

The additional factors which arealso noteworthy include: Concluded

AMA PEPPLEAMA PEPPLEAMA PEPPLEAMA PEPPLEAMA PEPPLE

themselves totallywith the agenda oftheir ministers andother politicalleaders in order togive effect to theP r e s i d e n t ’ spriorities asreflected inm i n i s t e r i a lresponsibilities;

( i v )Appreciating theneed forp e r m a n e n tsecretaries to earnthe respect of theirministers by:

“Demonstratingadministrativecompetence;

“Speaking thetruth to power;

“Deploying thebest talents tohandle emergingcore concerns;

“A v o i d i n gnegative gossips;and

“A v o i d i n gr e i n f o r c i n gnegative opinionsand perceptionswhich may tend todamage thesystem. Otherperspectives onways to improvethe relationship on the part of thepolitical executive are statedbelow :

(i) a proper understanding ofthe administrative functions andrecognition of its professionalnature;

(ii) As little interference aspossible in service matters e. g.postings, transfers, promotions;

Continues from Friday

Collaborationandpartnership isvery essentialfor the properadministrationof the Stateand theachievementof strategicnationalpriorities foradvancing thecause ofnationaldevelopment

vital for them tomaintain cordialrelations to enablethem to continue torender service to thepeople for theeffectuation andsustenance of thesocial contract thatbinds the governedand the governorstogether. Ministersmust ensure that theyhave good workingrelationship with theirhigher civil servants,personified in thepermanent secretary,and that they securetheir trust andconfidence in theperformance of theirduties at all times witha view to harnessingtheir collectivestrengths andcapacities for thedelivery of publicgoods. As individualswith differentb a c k g r o u n d s ,orientations andexperience, they mustnot allow thesedifferences toundermine the needfor collaboration,complementarity andsynergy of actions

towards fulfilling a commonpurpose of adding value to thelives of the citizenry. It is by thisthat they can be exemplars ofservice, excellence, probity andintegrity in public office which arehallmarks of a worthy legacy thatthey are required to bequeath inoffice.

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From left: Mr. Marcel Mbamalu, guest; Mr. ChristopherBrown, General Manager, Sales, Nokia Nigeria andMr. Adeniyi Adebote, Care Account Manager, WestAfrica, Nokia at the launch of Nokia 808 PureviewPhone in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

Nigerian delegation sponsored by the Tsogo Sun Ho-tel Group in conjunction with South Africa Airways ona facility tour of some of the Tsogo Sun properties inSouth Africa.

L-r:Head, Sales Support & Operations at Etisalat Nigeria,Victor Nwaobia; Head, Lagos and South-West Region atEtisalat Nigeria, Jimmy Tella; Director, Indirect andCorporate Sales at Etisalat Nigeria, Ken Ogujiofor atEtisalat's Channel Partner Conference 2012 in Lagos

Ejigbo LCDA, Lagos State, Chairman, KehindeBamigbetan (right) presenting sponsorship letter to NjokuDaniel, one of the 100 beneficiaries of the council's skillacquisition programme at the council secretariat


L-r: Senator Ehigie Uzamere, representing Edo Southand Barr. Raymos Guanah, former commissioner forLands and Survey, Delta State at the Western Boys HighSchool Old Boys Association national convention takingplace in California USA


Olympics: D’Tigers score first in AfricaTHE American Bas

ketball team mayhave run over NigerianD’Tigers and Argentinaover-powered them, butthe team still have apride to walk with theirnoses in front.

The Nigerian teamwhich beat Africanchampions, Tunisia inthe opening Basketballevent of the Olympicsare reckoned to be thefirst African team to havewon a game at the Olym-pics.

‘’It’s painful thatthings did not go wellwith us after our firstgame but we still havesomething to savour. Weare the first African teamto have won a game atthe Olympics. That issomething good in ourfirst attempt at theOlympics. Other Afri-can countries that cameto the Olympics beforeus never won a game”,Olumide Oyedeji ex-plained.

He attributed theirspate of defeats to theinjuries in their camp.‘’We’re struggling withinjuries. Some of ourfine players are downwith injuries. Whenyour points guard is

down, it’s like whenyour engine is bad. Itcan never work and if itdoes, it can never be the

OLYMPICSM . . . From Left Mr. Goke Dokun Managing Director IMPC,Bukie Olugadi, Head Internal Communication First Bank, Sani NdanusaPresident Nigeria Olympic Committee, Oyefeso Odusami,Head DiasporaFirst Bank at the IMPC and First Bank Day at the African Village during theongoing 2012 London Olympics

REGINA George didnot stop smiling

even when she did notqualify for the 400 m fi-nal. She returned a timeof 51.35 secs but took itin good strides.

‘’This is great. This ismy first Olympics. I’mexcited. I’ve conquerednervousness and thingscan only get better in mynext Olympics”, beauti-ful Regina said with hertrademark smiles.

‘’I’m going back towork harder. I promisethat the next time I re-turn, I’ll be on the podi-um to receive a medal”,she said still smiling.She ran her first heat inthe Olympics as agreen-horn but discov-ered that the other girlswere not made of steel.‘’I was praying to be

Smiling Regina promisesto be back on podium

among the qualifiers butI discovered that I coulddo better. I kicked andfinished first in the race.I have learnt well in theOlympics. I will be backwith a medal”, she prom-ised.

•Regina

A young Nigerianfootball, Henry Chi-

nonso Ihelewere on Sun-day slumped and diedwhile playing for hisclub Delta Tulcea in Ro-mania.

The 21-year-old strik-er suddenly collapsedwith no one around himafter 15 minutes of thegame involving divisiontwo teams Delta and FCBalote?ti. Medics bat-tled for an hour trying toresuscitate the player, henever regained con-sciousness and was pro-nounced dead at thehospital.

“What can I say? We’reall shocked,” Universi-tatea Cluj boss CristianDulca, who previouslycoached the player, wasquoted as saying. “It’s atragic day for Romanianfootball.

“I trained him for ayear and a half and I cantell you he was a realexample in training. Hecould’ve become a verygood player.”

Ihelewere had beenplaying in Romaniasince 2007, when he wastransferred to FC Farul.He was part of a groupof Nigerian players

Nigerian striker dies in Romaniabrought to play in Roma-nia’s second division.Abdul Razak Mansur isthe other Nigerian play-er at the club.

Just few months back,Fabrice Muamba a mid-fielder for Bolton Wander-

ers in UK collapsed on thefootball pitch in a matchagainst Tottenham. Muam-ba stopped breathing andmany thought he death hisheart ‘re-started’ again af-ter 78 minutes at the Lon-don Chest Hospital.

•Late Ihelewere

IF reports from England are anything to

go by, then Europeanchampions, Chelsea mayparade three Nigeria in-ternationals next season.

London based Mailon-line reports that Chelseaare closing in on Nigeriaand Wigan forward VictorMoses after Roberto Mar-tinez’s club made an en-quiry for Everton’s VictorAnichebe.

With John Obi Mikel al-ready an established first

Moses, Anichebe alsoon Blues radarteam player who played aprominent role in theirEuropean campaign lastyear, a possible signing ofMoses and Anichebewould see the London sidehaving three Super Eaglesplayers in its payroll.

The European champi-ons have already had cash-

plus-player offers for theformer Crystal Palace play-er rejected as Wigan chair-man Dave Whelan hasheld out for £10million.

Chelsea may need thelift of another signing af-ter their third straight pre-season defeat, 3-1 atBrighton Saturday.

PRESIDENT Generalof Nigeria Football

and other Sports Sup-porters Club, Rafiu Lad-ipo has made a passion-ate appeal to the Japa-nese embassy not to de-lay the issuance of visasto members of his club

FIFA U-20 WOMEN W/CUP: Supporters club appealsfor early issuance of visas

that are preparing to goto Japan and support Ni-geria’s female U-20 teamknown as “Falconets” inthis year’s FIFA womenU-20 World Cup to behosted by the countryfrom August 19- Septem-ber, 8, 2012.

Ladipo said, membersof the club had in thepast two weeks been ap-pealing to the JapaneseEmbassy for visasandthe need to issue them ontime to enable the teamtravel to the Asian nationon August 14 and be partof the opening ceremo-ny.

African Club installs ultra-modern Gymnasticequipment in Calabar

AHEAD of the 2014National Sports

Festival to be hostedby Cross River State,

BY JOHNBOSCOAGBAKWURU,

CalabarAfrican Club has in-stalled and commis-sioned an ultra-mod-ern gymnastic equip-ment, a Volley BallCourt as well as plan-ning to put in place anutra-modern SquashCourt, in Calabar, thestate capital.

Already, the footballunit of African Clubhas discovered twoyouths and sponsoredthem to play profes-sional football in Nige-ria and Ghana.

Speaking at the com-missioning of the gym-nast ic equipment ,weekend, the Presi-dent of the club, Bar-

rister Ferdinando Otu-dor explained that thenewly installed equip-ment will serve notonly members of theclub, but also the pub-lic that will l ike tomake use of them.

Otudor said it wouldhelp members of theclub to live longer asa coach had beenhired for those thatwould make use of fa-cilities, adding thatAfrican Club was es-tablished out of protestin 1903 as a result ofthe apathy by the co-lonial masters againstNigerians in the Euro-pean club that nowmetamorphosed toCalabar club Sports.

NIGERIA’s AjokeOdumosun yester-

day qualified for the semifinal of the Women’s 400mHurdles of the LondonOlympics in a time of 54.93

Odumosu qualifies for 400mHurdles semis

same”.Looking back at the

American game, Olu-mide hissed and said;

‘’they(USA) did every-thing perfect hittingcountless three pointers.

We need to moveahead because the futureis bright for the game inNigeria. All we need dois to give it only 2% ofwhat is given to football.Rome was not built in aday. We have youngplayers who can propelthe team to greaterheights.

secs.Speaking after the raceOdumosun said she feltgood she got out of the firstround. “I am more relaxednow and better. I hope todo better in my next race.”

Boko Haram: I won't resign- Jonathan

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