16022017 - INFLATION: Misery, as prices of foodstuffs hit the roof

How PDP 

was 

destroyed 

— Ekwueme 

Budget: FG yet 

to decide on size 

of World Bank 

loan — UDOMA 

34 8 

How I built houses 

with ransom, by 

arrested serial 

kidnapper 

10 

** ** 

VOL. 25: NO. 63226 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

INFLATION: 

Misery, as prices of 

foodstuffs hit the roof 

•Inflation hit 18.72% in January 

•Naira sinks further to N507/$ 

•Kerosene, bread, meat, fish, 

others almost unaffordable 

By Babajide 

Komolafe 

LAGOS—PRICES of 

bread, meat, fish, 

oil, yam and other 

essential commodities, 

last month, became 

increasingly 

unaffordable for 

Nigerians, as the 

inflation rate rose for the 

15th consecutive month 

Continues on Page 5 

BUHARI IS HEALTHY: President Muhammadu Buhari (middle) flanked by 

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker, House of Representatives, 

Alhaji Yakubu Dogara, when both leaders of the National Assembly paid a 

visit to the President, in London, yesterday. Story on Page 14 

COLUMNISTS 

OCHEREOME 

NNANNA 

Trump’s early 

gambit on 

Nigeria 

31 

JOSEF 

OMOROTIONMWAN 

Ibori: Hero 

or villain? 

31 

MOHAMMED 

ADAMU 

Metaphors for a 

troubled nation 

Saddest day of 

my life, by 

Obasanjo 9 

17 

Senate backs 

AMCON’s 

take over of 

Arik 

9 

Mr & Mrs

2— Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 3

4— Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

GOVS FORUM—From left: Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Dave Umahi; Governor Patrick Okowa of 

Delta State and Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, discussing during the meeting of the Nigerian 

Governors Forum at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

INFLATION: Misery, as prices of 

foodstuffs hit the roof 

Continues from Page 1 

to 18.72 per cent. 

Driven principally by 

impact of Naira 

devaluation and increase 

in prices of petroleum 

products, prices of goods 

and services have been 

rising persistently since 

2015, with the inflation 

rate, which measures 

rate of increase in prices, 

rising from 9.3 per cent 

in October 2015 to 18.55 

in December 2016. For 

example, the price of 50 

kilogrammes of Garri, 

rose by 285 per cent to 

N15, 000, last month, 

from N3, 900 in January 

last year. Similarly, 50 

kilogrammes of beans 

that sold for N13, 500 in 

January 2016, rose by 33 

per cent to N18, 000 last 

month. Also, price of 25 

litres of Palm Oil rose by 

208 per cent to N17,500, 

last month, from N6, 500 

in January 2016. 

Confirming this 

development in its 

Consumer Price Index 

report for January, 2017, 

IT'S UP TO YOU 

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 

A 

HOPEFUL spirit, a courageous heart, a 

confident persona and a hard working hand, 

will more often produce a bright future. It’s up to 

you. 

TAKE HEART 

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 

The heart is an ocean of boundless of love…the 

giving 

A 

and receiving is endless— Ella Randle 

PURE intention is immeasurable, an infinite 

sacred place of giving from one’s heart; the 

desire to share with others, many times, is an 

inspiration, an idea for the perfect gift or the perfect 

kindness that will make a difference. However, when 

anything interferes with the process, gift or intent, 

the effect for the giver is like hitting a brick wall. It 

can be devastating. So, for many, the luxury of 

giving that gift; your love, your time, your money, 

attention, and so on is a discipline we must forgo, 

hitting the wall is painful when we feel a rejection 

or unappreciated for our efforts but remember to be 

detached from outcomes and be willing to grant 

others their space. 

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE 

If you overpraise an acrobatic dancer, he 

may break his legs. 

the National Bureau of 

Statistics (NBS) said 

prices of essential 

commodities rose at a 

faster pace in January 

pushing up the inflation 

rate to 18.72 per cent. 

The bureau said: “The 

Consumer Price Index 

(CPI), which measures 

inflation, increased by 

18.72 per cent (year-onyear) 

in January 2017, 

0.17 perc entage points 

higher from the rate 

recorded in December 

2016 (18.55) per cent. 

Increases were recorded 

in all COICOP divisions 

that yield the Headline 

Index. 

“Communication, 

Restaurants and Hotels 

again recorded the 

slowest pace of growth in 

January, growing at 5.1 

per cent and 8.4 per cent 

(year-on-year) 

respectively. 

“However, the faster 

pace of growth in 

headline inflation, year 

on year, were bread and 

cereals, meat, fish, oil 

and fats; potatoes, yam 

and other tubers; wine 

and spirits, clothing 

materials and 

accessories, electricity, 

cooking gas, liquid and 

solid fuels, motor cars 

and maintenance, vehicle 

spare parts, fuels and 

lubricants for personal 

transport equipment, 

passenger transport by 

road. 

“On a month on month 

basis, headline inflation 

was driven by passenger 

transport by air, fuels and 

lubricants for personal 

transport equipment, 

liquid fuels, cooking gas, 

oil and fats, fruits, cheese 

and eggs, fish, meat, 

bread and cereals. 

“The Food Index 

increased by 17.82 per 

cent (year-on-year) in 

January, up by 0.43 per 

cent points from rate 


2016 (17.39) per cent. 

During the month, all 

major food sub-indexes 

increased, with soft 

drinks recording the 

slowest pace of increase 

at 7.8 percent(year on 

year). 

“Price movements 

recorded by All Items 

less farm produce or 

Core sub-index rose by 

17.90 per cent (year- onyear) 

in January, down 

by 0.20 per cent points 

from rates recorded in 

December 2016 (18.10) 

per cent. During the 

month, the highest 

increases were seen in 

Housing, Water, 

Electricity, Gas and other 

fuels; Education and 

Transport, growing at 

27.2, 21.0 and 17.2 per 

cent respectively. 

“On a month-on-month 

basis, the Headline 

index increased albeit, at 

a slower pace in January 

2017. The index 

increased by 1.01 per 

cent points in January, 

0.05 per cent points from 

1.06 per cent rate 


2016. 

“It should be noted that 

the Headline Index is 

made up of the Core 

Index and Farm Produce 

items. As Processed 

Foods are included in 

both the Core and Food 

sub-indices; this Implies 

that these sub-indices 

are not mutuallyexclusive. 

“The Urban index rose 

by 20.31 per cent (yearon-year) 

in January from 

20.12 per cent recorded 

in December, and the 

Rural index increased by 

17.34 per cent in January 

from 17.20 percent in 

December. 

“On month-on-month 

basis, the urban index 

rose by 1.03 per cent in 

January from 1.08 per 

cent recorded in 

December, while the 

rural index rose by 1.00 

per cent in January from 

1.04 percent in 

December. 

The corresponding 12- 

month year-on-year 

average percentage 

change for the urban 

index increased from 

17.05 per cent in 

December to 17.91 per 

cent in January, while 

the corresponding rural 

index also increased 

from 14.54 percent in 

December to 15.18 

percent in January.” 

Analysts 

predictions 

The increase in 

January inflation rate is 

consistent with 

predictions by analysts at 

Afrinvest Plc, a Lagosbased 

investment firm. 

In it’s weekly review of 

financial markets, last 

Friday, the company 

stated: “We forecast 

year-on-year ( Y-o-Y) 

headline inflation rate to 

inch higher to 18.7 per 

cent from 18.6 per cent in 

December 2016 due to a 

relatively lower base 

despite projected slower 

month-on-month (M-o- 

M) change to 1.0 per 

cent from 1.1 per cent in 

December 2016 as the 

impact of yuletide season 

on prices wears off. 

Energy prices were also 

relatively stable in 

January save for price of 

diesel and kerosene 

which inched slightly 

higher whilst the 

exchange rate at the 

interbank remained 

largely steady in the 

period. All variables 

unchanged, we project 

headline inflation to 

begin to ease from 

February 2017 due to 

high base in the 

corresponding period. 

Yet, we think prices may 

edge higher if the naira 

further depreciates as 

the feedback effect on 

energy (petrol and 

diesel) prices may fuel 

further hike in general 

price level.” 

Naira drops to 

N507 in parallel 

market 

Meanwhile, the naira 

depreciated to its lowest 

level against the dollar, 

yesterday, in the parallel 

market, where the 

exchange rate rose to hit 

an all time high of N507 

per dollar. Vanguard 

investigations reveal that 

the parallel market 

exchange rate rose from 

an average of N498 per 

dollar at the close of 

business, last week, to 

N507 at the close of 

business, yesterday, due 

to increased demand for 

dollar. 

However the BDC rate 

remained N399 per 

dollar while BDC 

sources expressed 

optimism that the naira 

will appreciate against 

the dollar. 

Earlier this month, the 

Managing Director/Chief 

Executive, Financial 

Derivatives Company, 

Mr. Bismarck Rewane 

predicted the naira will 

further depreciate to 

N520 per dollar in the 

parallel market. He made 

this prediction as part of 

his outlooks for February 

while speaking at the 

monthly Lagos Business 

School (LBS) Executive 

Breakfast session held, 

last week. 

“The naira will slip to 

N520 in the market. 

Attempts to use forwards 

to stabilize the market 

will be futile. The Forex 

market is polluted and 

needs sanitization”, he 

said.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 

Kerosene 

explosion 

kills 

50-yr-old 

woman in 

Cross River 

•This is the 

13th case; 

there's 

adulterated 

kerosene in 

town 

—Neighbour 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

CALABAR—A 50- 

year-old housewife, 

Jenny Ibor Okpa, of 

Ofalosi village in Nko, 

Yakurr Local 

Government Area of 

Cross River, yesterday, 

died from kerosene 

explosion. 

It was gathered that 

the deceased attempted 

to light a lantern with a 

matchstick, when it 

exploded and flames 

engulfed her entire 

room. 

An eyewitness told 

Vanguard that it was the 

woman’s cry for help 

that attracted her 

husband, neighbours 

and other good 

Samaritans, who fought 

hard to put out the fire 

on her body. But she 

had reportedly suffered 

severe burns. 

When Vanguard 

visited the widower, 

Chief Ibor Okpa, he said 

his wife was trying to 

illuminate her room with 

a lantern, which ended 

up claiming her life. 

His words: “It was the 

loud explosion and her 

cry for help that 

attracted me and other 

neighbours that tried to 

rescue her. But all efforts 

to rescue her proved 

abortive as the raging 

fire on my wife’s body 

and her room was really 

fierce.” 

According to him, they 

took her to a drug store 

for first aid, before she 

was taken to a clinic, 

where she died. 

A resident of the area, 

Mr. Philip Elemi, 

disclosed that the 

explosion was caused by 

adulterated kerosene, 

which is in circulation in 

the area. He added that 

there has been more 

than 12 kerosene 

explosion since January. 

Wife of Edo Dep Gov comes to aid of abandoned triplets 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

BENIN—THE wife of the 

Edo State Deputy 

Governor, Mrs Maryann 

Shaibu, was a sad woman, 

weekend, as she visited the 

woman abandoned by her 

husband after giving birth to 

triplets in Benin, the state 

capital. 

The condition under which 

the triplets were moved the 

Deputy Governor’s wife to 

order that they be moved 

immediately to a paediatric 

centre for proper medical care. 

Mrs Shaibu also donated an 

By Daud Olatunji 

ABEOKUTA—A 40-year-old 

woman and a mother of 

two, Foluke Owolewa, arrested 

by men of Ogun State Police 

Command for killing her oneday-old 

baby, has said she took 

the step because her two other 

children were not being taken 

care of by her husband. 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer in the state, Abimbola 

Oyeyemi, in a statement, said 

the incident, which happened 

•Calls on runaway father to return 

undisclosed amount of money 

in cash along with some baby 

care items, milk and food stuff, 

with a promise to assist the 

mother of the kids to establish 

her business as a hair stylist. 

The distressed mother was 

forced to cry out for assistance 

when the cost of taking care of 

the home and five children 

became unbearable. 

Mrs Shaibu assured the 

nursing mother of more 

assistance to ensure that the 

babies are well taken care of, 

adding “I am doing this 

at Ipamesan area of Sango 

Ota, was reported at Sango 

Divisional Headquarters by 

the Vice Chairman of the 

Community Development 

Association in the area. 

Oyeyemi further said the 

suspect delivered the baby 

yesterday morning, but before 

anybody knew what 

happened, she had killed the 

baby girl. 

He said: “Immediately the 

case was reported, the DPO, 

Sango Ota Division, SP 

because children are 

blessings from God. So we 

will not allow them to die of 

malnutrition. 

“I want the father of these 

lovely gifts from God to come 

back home and show love, 

warmth and care for his 

family. The God who gave 

him these children will surely 

provide for him to take care 

of them.” 

Responding, Mrs. 

Ndukwe thanked the Deputy 

Governor’s wife for coming 

to her rescue, noting that her 

Akinsola Ogunwale, led 

detective to the scene, 17 

Ilupeju Street, Anishere 

Unity Estate, Sango Ota, 

where the woman was 

promptly arrested. 

“On interrogation, the 

suspect claimed that her two 

other children are not being 

taken care of by her husband, 

so the new baby will be an 

additional burden on her. 

“Further investigation 

revealed that this is not the 

first time the woman will 

timely intervention has 

prevented what would have 

been a disaster to her family, 

especially the triplets. 

She said she decided to cry to 

government since her husband, 

Matthew Ndukwe, who hails 

from Enugu State, abandoned 

her and the children when they 

needed him most. 

It will be recalled that Mr. 

Ndukwe fled home when news 

got to him that his wife had 

given birth to triplets, in 

addition to the set of twins they 

already have. 

I killed my day-old baby ’cos 

she'll be extra burden—MOTHER 

attempt killing her child. It was 

gathered that she once threw 

one of her daughters into pit 

latrine on delivery, but the baby 

was rescued. 

“The dead baby was recovered 

and taken to the station, where 

it was released to the husband. 

“The Commissioner of Police, 

CP Ahmed Iliyasu, has 

directed that the suspect be 

transferred to the Homicide 

Section of the State Criminal 

Investigation and Intelligence 

Department, CIID.” 

Members of Christian Women in Politics and Youths in Politics, praying for President Muhammadu Buhari, Speaker of 

the House of Representatives and the Senate President in Bauchi, yesterday. NAN PHOTO. 

Palm wine laced with drugs kill 3 in Ondo party 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THREE persons 

have reportedly died after 

drinking palm wine mixed with 

substances in Ilepa Quarters, 

Ikare-Akoko area of Ondo 

State, during their friend’s 

birthday bash. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

deceased, whose identities 

could not be ascertained at 

press time, attended their 

friend’s birthday and were 

served palm wine. The three 

died with about eight others 

rushed to the hospital after 

consuming the liquor and 

complaining of stomach 

upset. 

The celebrant was alleged 

to have personally served 

them the drink during the 

party. 

A source said some 

substances, called gegemu 

and maladol, were allegedly 

mixed with the palm wine to 

increase its potency. 

Vanguard was informed 

that two of the victims died 

immediately, while the third 

person died two days later. 

Ondo State Police 

spokesman, Femi Joseph, 

confirmed the incident and 

gave the name of one of the 

deceased as Kazeem 

Ogungbemi. 

Joseph said: “We can confirm


By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

L AGOS—EIGHTEEN-yearold 

Sadeeq Wasiu, an 

alleged serial phone thief in 

Oshodi, Lagos, has been 

arrested by operatives of the 

Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of 

the State Police Command after 

snatching an Infinix Note 3 from 

an undergraduate. 

The suspect, who has been on 

police wanted list, was arrested 

on Tuesday at Oshodi, under the 

bridge, while trying to escape 

after snatching the phone. He 

confessed to have been 

imprisoned seven times. 

Wasiu was fingered as the 

mastermind of four phone theft 

and two bag-snatching attempts 

in Oshodi area. 

the incident; the boys went to 

a party organised by one of 

their friends. But they drank 

recklessly. 

“We discovered what they 

drank was mixed with many 

substances. The person who 

served the palm wine has run 

away and we are still looking 

for him.” 

He said that the command 

had commenced investigation 

on the incident. 


18-yr-old jailbird says he has stolen countless number of phones 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI—ONE of two 

brothers, alleged to have 

severed the head of a 12-yearold 

boy, has been arrested with 

the fresh head of the victim. 

The other brother is currently 

at large. 

The Police Public Relations 

Officer of the state, Mr. 

Adeyemi Alberto, who made 

the disclosure yesterday, gave 

the names of the suspects as 

David Oluwatosin and Tosin 

Oluwatosin, but added that 

David is at large. 

The latest incident was the 

third within three weeks. The 

first two were beheaded in the 

heat of the Ayede-Itaji land 

dispute. 

Arrested 

Alberto, who confirmed the 

incident to journalists in his 

office in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, 

said Tosin was arrested on 

Tuesday afternoon with the 

fresh head in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido-Osi 

Local Government Area of the 

state, following an intelligence 

report from a source. 

He said: “One of the suspects 

is on the run. The victim is 

about 12 years old, but we are 

still looking for the body and 

we are also on the trail of the 

one at large. 

“After investigation, the 

suspects would be charged to 

court.” 

Sadeeq, who disclosed to 

interrogators that he was 

released from Potoki Prison, 

Badagry in January, said he ran 

away from Ikire, Osun State, 

when he was 15 years old. 

He said: “I was 15 years when 

I came to Lagos to work as a 

conductor in 2014. My parents 

are not aware that I am in Lagos. 

“My popular name is Eyie. I 

steal phones from people at 

Oshodi. We were three in my 

group— Ahmed, alias Oyi, 

Tombolo and I. We have stolen 

more than 45 phones as a 

group and I have personally 

stolen countless number of 

phones. 

“I used to sell the phones at 

Idi Oro, Mushin. I sell the 

phones for between N10,000 

Sadeeq Wasiu 

and N8,000, according to 

their make. I have gone to jail 

seven times. 

“I sell Indian hemp too. I 

buy it from one Spider in 

Lagos Island and I resell in 

small raps to over 50 of my 

colleagues in Oshodi. I can 

buy N4,000 worth and make 

N4,000 gain.” 

The suspect has been 

transferred to the Lagos 

State Task Force in Oshodi 

for prosecution. 

Confirming the arrest, the 

State’s Police Public 

Relations Officer, 

Superintendent Dolapo 

Badmus, said that the 

Command would not rest on 

its oars in curbing criminal 

activities in the state. 

Brothers allegedly behead 12-yr-old 

boy; caught with human head 

The PPRO, who decried 

incessant beheading in the 

By Festus Ahon 

& Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI—THE corpse of a 

mother of five was, 

yesterday, discovered at her farm 

in Okwagbe community, Ughelli 

South Local Government Area of 

Delta State, with her head 

almost cut off. 

The victim, Mrs. Atisin 

Opviarho, popularly known as 

Mama, was said to have gone 

to her farm in company of some 

of her neighbours, only for them 

to discover her lifeless body later 

in the day. 

According to a source in the 

community, “her remains, which 

has since been deposited at the 

Otu Jeremi General Hospital, 

was discovered in a pool of blood 

a few metres from her farm with 

her throat slit.” 

Suspecting a ritual attack, the 

source, who spoke on condition 

of anonymity, said: “They (she 

and others) went to the farm this 

state, said the police would 

also investigate if the two 

morning (yesterday) as usual. 

On getting to their respective 

farms, which share common 

boundaries, everyone went to 

work until it was time to go 

home. 

“They called out to her, but 

there was no response. So the 

others decided to check on her 

inside the farm, only to 

discover her lifeless body in a 

pool of blood with her throat 

cut open. 

“It was observed that her 

assailants were about 

removing some vital parts from 

her body, but probably 

because others were 

approaching, they quickly 

abandoned it and took to their 

heels. We suspect a case of 

ritual killing.” 

Contacted, Delta State 

Police Public Relations Officer, 

DSP Andrew Aniamaka, 

confirmed the incident. 

Aniamaka said police 

detectives were already 

brothers had hands in the 

first two beheadings. 

Medical Personnel from Nigeria Turkish International Colleges Foundation, NTIC, and 

Nizamiye Hospital attending to pupils during the Foundation's humanitarian health services 

in LEA Primary School, Aleita, Abuja, yesterday. 

Mutilated body of mother of 5 found in Delta 

investigating the case, 

appealing to residents of the 

community to remain calm. 

He advised them against 

taking laws into their hands. 

By Kingsley Omonobi 

ABUJA—THE former 

Director of the 

Department of State Services, 

DSS, Chief Mike Ejiofor, who 

was kidnapped four days ago 

between Okene and 

Obajana in Kogi State by 

persons he described as 

Fulani gunmen, disclosed 

yesterday that the gunmen 

threatened to kill him, when 

his brother told them he 

could only raise N1 million 

for his release, 

Ejiofor, who was returning 

to Abuja from Delta State 

Epe farm 

kidnap: 

Kidnappers 

demand 

N50m 

By Evelyn Usman 

L 

A G O S — 

KIDNAPPERS of 

five farm workers and two 

members of Odua peoples 

Congress, OPC, at Elias 

Farm in Igbodu area of 

Epe Lagos State on 

Tuesday, have demanded 

for N50 million ransom for 

their release. 

The kidnappers, as 

gathered, contacted the 

manager of the farmland 

yesterday, threatening to 

manhandle the victims if 

the ransom was not paid. 

Recall that gunmen clad 

in Army camouflage 

stormed Elias’s Farm 

located along Ishiwo 

Road, overpowered some 

private guards suspected 

to be members of OPC 

and abducted seven 

persons. 

Following the spate of 

kidnap in the farm 

resettlement area, some 

workers were said to have 

been absent from work 

yesterday. 

Sources at the farm 

disclosed that owner of 

Elias Farm was contacted 

on Tuesday night through 

one of the victim’s 

telephone, where the N50 

million demand was 

made. 

Meanwhile, police said 

that efforts were on to 

rescue the victims. 

Assistant Inspector- 

General of Police incharge 

of Zone 2, Onikan, 

Akayode Aderanti, 

assured that the victims 

would be rescued alive. 

He said: “We are doing 

everything to police that 

area. The major problem 

in that part of the state is 

the porous nature of the 

area, which gives room to 

kidnappers to thrive.” 

How kidnappers threatened to 

waste my life—Ex-DSS boss 

after a visit last Friday, 

disclosed that the Fulani 

kidnappers had demanded 

N30 million as ransom before 

they will release him. 

His younger brother told 

them he could only raise N1 

million, which infuriated them 

and they threatened to kill 

him before he pleaded for time 

to make more contacts. 

On how the gunmen could 

fathom that he was a DSS 

personnel if they cannot read, 

Ejiofor said four of the 

herdsmen were moderately 

educated, as they could 

operate the laptop and iPad.

8—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 


TSA: FG now 

paying for 

Remita’s 

services 

— AGF 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief 

ABUJA —THE Federal 

Government has 

commenced payment to 

Systems Specs, owners of 

Remita, the e-collection and e- 

payment software used for 

implementation of the Treasury 

Single Account, TSA, 

Accountant-General of the 

Federation, AGF, Alhaji Ahmed 

Idris, disclosed this yesterday in 

Abuja. 

The percentage of the fee 

agreement between the Federal 

Government and Systems 

Specs created a lot of 

controversy, with some 

members of the National 

Assembly and the public 

alleging a rip-off. 

But the AGF told journalists 

at the TSA workshop in Abuja, 

that the issue had been resolved 

and that the service providers 

were now being paid the fee. 

He said: “Remita is a service 

provider. Obviously, no service 

provider will provide any service 

without payment.We paid them 

the first tranche of their fees and 

the next tranche is being 

considered. 

“It is a matter of sitting 

together, reconciling what they 

have done in terms of transmittal 

of money into the system and 

once we reconcile, we will get 

them paid.” 

We'll reflect 

your views in 

2017 budget, 

Senate assures 

stakeholders 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA— AHEAD passage 

o 

f 

the 2017 Appropriation Bill, 

the Senate, yesterday, assured 

stakeholders and other Nigerians 

that their views, comments and 

submissions would be reflected in 

the budget. 

Speaking at the end of the threeday 

public hearing on the 2017 

Appropriation Bill, Chairman, 

Senate Committee on 

Appropriations, Senator Danjuma 

Goje, noted that the submissions 

made by the stakeholders were 

very germane, if the current 

economic challenges in the 

country, including recession, must 

be addressed. 

He said the committee would 

write a report from about 44 

submissions made by over 60 

stakeholders, who attended the 

public hearing. 

Senator Goje said: “The hearing 

is first of its kind in the National 

Assembly. The level of excitement 

and enthusiasm shown, 

particularly by civil society 

organisations, is an 

encouragement to continue with 

the initiative." 

Budget financing: FG yet to decide on size of 

World Bank loan — Udoma 

•Fine-tunes plans for economic recovery 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA — THE Federal 

Government said, 

yesterday, that it would 

determine the size of the loan 

from the World Bank only when 

the 2017 budget was passed into 

law. 

This is even as it also started 

the process of fine-tuning the 

Economic Growth and Recovery 

Plan, EGRP. 

It will be recalled that the 

government started the loan 

process to finance the 2016 

budget deficit but stopped 

midway. 

The government in 2017 

renewed interest in the loan but 

said the amount to borrow would 

become clearer only when the 

year’s budget was passed into 

law, since the funds would be 

used to finance the 2017 budget 

deficit. 

Fielding questions from State 

House correspondents at the 

end of the Federal Executive 

Council, FEC, at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja, Minister of Budget 

and National Planning, Senator 

Udoma Udo Udoma, said the 

size of the loan depended on the 

amount the National Assembly 

would approve in the fiscal 

document. 

Plans for economic 

recovery 

Briefing newsmen earlier on 

what transpired at the FEC 

meeting, the minister said 

council deliberated extensively 

on the Economic and Recovery 

Growth Plan. 

The plan is expected to be 

launched soon by President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

According to him, the plan will 

be comprehensive of all the 

plans of government. 

He said: “We had extensive 

discussion on Economic 

Recovery Growth Plan, ERGP. 

The growth plan is still being 

fine-tuned. But a lot of inputs 

were made by council members 

and it is virtually ready for the 

President to launch. 

‘’However, we are doing some 

fine-tuning and during this 

period, we also do some final 

consultation before the President 

launches the plan. 

“The plan that is being 

approved is expected to drive 

economic recovery and lay the 

foundation for longer economic 

growth as well as improve the 

competitiveness of the Nigerian 

economy. 

‘’The goal of the plan is to have 

an economy with low inflation, 

stable exchange rate and a 

diversified inclusive and 

sustaining growth. 

“The proposed initiatives 

outlined in the plan are 

designed to address the 

country’s poor competitiveness, 

improve business environment 

and attract investment and 

infrastructure, especially power, 

roads, rails and ports. Jobs and 

social inclusion are also key 

focused areas of the plan.” 

He also stated that the 

immediate priorities of the plan 

in terms of execution, were 

agriculture and food security; 

energy, particularly power and 

petroleum product sufficiency; 

industrialization, focusing on 

small and medium size 

enterprising; transportation which 

is very important as an 

infrastructure requirement to get 

the economy really moving; 

stabilization of the micro-economic 

environment. 

MEETING: From left, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Criminal 

Investigation, Hyacinth Dagala; Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Finance 

and Administration, Shuaibu Gambo; and Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, during 

a security meeting with Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police, 

in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

FEC approves N126bn for reconstruction 

of 12 roads •Okays new national health policy 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA — THE Federal 

Government has approved 

N126 billion for the 

reconstruction of 12 roads across 

the country. 

The approval was formally 

made by the Federal Executive 

Council, FEC, meeting presided 

over by the Acting President, 

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, 

yesterday. 

The council also approved a 

new National Health Policy for 


Briefing State House 

correspondents at the end of the 

meeting, which appeared to be 

the longest since the coming of 

the present administration in 

May 2015, Minister of Power, 

Works and Housing, Mr 

Babatunde Fashola, who was 

joined by his counterparts in the 

Ministries of Health; Budget 

and National Planning, said the 

roads would reduce time spent 

on the roads during journeys 

and restore confidence in the 

construction industry when 

completed. 

He said: “Council considered 

and approved the award of 

contracts for 12 roads, one of 

which is the Dukka Gulu road, 

Rann IDPs bombing: Probe panel seeks extension of 

mandate •Another panel fingers human error in 2015 Dornier-228 crash 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—THE six-member 

panel set up by the 

Nigerian Air Force, NAF, to 

unravel the remote and 

immediate causes of the January 

17 erroneous bombing of 

Internally Displaced Persons, 

IDPs, camp in Rann, Borno 

State, has requested for 

extension of time, according to 

the Chief of Air Staff, Air 

Marshall Sadique Abubakar. 

This was just as another panel 

set up earlier to investigate the 

cause of Dornier-228 aircraft 

crash in 2015, submitted its 

findings, identifying human loss 

of concentration by the pilot as 

main cause of the crash that saw 

all occupants of the jet dead. 

Also, the investigative report 

on the crash of Agusta AW 101, 

a medium-lift helicopter 

specially designed for military 

operations, which was donated 

to the Nigerian Air Force by the 

Presidency, got its probe 

mandate extended over its 

inability to conclude the 

assignment. 

Recall that the aircraft crashed 

at the Nigerian Air Force base, 

Makurdi, last year. 

Answering questions from 

newsmen, yesterday, on the 

occasion of presentation of 

investigative report on the 

August 29,2015 Dornier-228 

crash, Abubakar said the sixman 

investigative panel on the 

IDPs bombing requested for 

additional time to conclude its 

job. 

He, however, did not state the 

duration of the extension the Air 

Force granted the panel. 

Recall that the panel upon 

inauguration by the Air Force 

chief, was given a three-week 

mandate, precisely February 

2,2017, to submit its report. 

in Kano. 

‘’Others are spread across 

Bauchi, Adamawa, Kwara, 

Gombe/Adamawa, Kano, Enugu, 

Kaduna, Bauchi/Gombe, 

“The headline figures are in the 

region of N126 billion but I think 

that is not the story. The story 

really is what the award of those 

contracts will do to the economy. 

It will restore confidence to the 

construction industry. 

“Contractors who have been 

owed for two, three years before 

Mr President was elected are back 

in various states, they recalled 

their workers and as they are 

purchasing gravel, cement, the 

economy is on its way back with a 

bend and this situates what the 

Minister of Budget and Planning 

has said. 

New national health 

policy 

Also speaking, the Minister of 

Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, 

said FEC also gave its nod for a 

new national health policy, 

making it the third for the country. 

He said the first one for the 

country was enacted in 1988, 

while the second was done in 

2004. 

He said: “Council also received 

the new national draft health 

policy 2016 today. The title of the 

policy is promoting the health of 

Nigerians to accelerate socioeconomic 

development."

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017—9 

NCC to 

review phone 

tariff 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

ABUJA — THE Nigerian 

Communications 

Commission, NCC, yesterday, 

commenced a review of the 

Mobile Voice Termination Rate 

in the telecom sector. 

Speaking at the 

stakeholders’ forum on costbased 

study, Executive Vice 

Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar 

Dambatta, said the commission 

deemed it necessary to review 

the rate set in 2013, in view of 

current market realities. 

The review, he said, was 

consistent with the 

commission’s principle of 

ensuring participatory 

regulation in the telecom 

sector. 

Dambatta, who underscored 

the importance of the exercise, 

said the telecom market 

required a sound and 

functional interconnection 

regime to be able to fine tune 

the regulatory regime and lead 

the Nigerian telecoms market 

towards full competition and 

effective regulation. 

When completed, the EVC 

said the scale of changes 

would inevitably affect the unit 

cost of providing services, 

including interconnection, 

which might lead to 

differences between regulated 

interconnection rates and 

underlying costs which in 

turn, might result in 

differences between on-net 

and off-net retail tariffs. 

He said: "It is very important 

we ensure that interconnect 

services are not only fairly 

priced and non-discriminative 

but should reflect the cost of 

providing such services in the 

market. It is in this regard that 

the Commission has decided 

to review the rates set in its 

2013 Determination in the light 

of current market realities." 


By Henry Umoru, 

Emman Ovuakporie & 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—THE 

Senate, 

yesterday, threw its weight 

behind the take-over of Arik 

Airline by Asset Management 

Corporation of Nigeria, 

AMCON, saying the situation 

in the company was worse than 

what it described as Dasukigate. 

Speaking, yesterday, in Abuja 

when the Managing Director of 

AMCON, Alhaji Ahmed Lawan 

Kuru, led the management team 

on an interactive session with 

the Committee on Banking, 

Insurance and other Financial 

Institutions, led by Senator Rafiu 

Ibrahim, APC, Kwara South, 

Senator Ibrahim noted that the 

Senate was in support of the 

decision of the agency, provided 

it was in consonance with the 

law of the land. 

According to him, the decision 

to take over the airline is that of 

government and the people. 

Ibrahim, who likened the mess 

in the airline to alleged fraud 

perpetrated by the immediate 

past National Security Adviser, 

NSA, Mr Sambo Dasuki, said: 

“Was the take-over not done 

Senate backs AMCON's 

take-over of Arik 

•Says situation worse than Dasukigate 

•Airline’ll regain lost glory in 30 days —AMCON boss 

•Says airline owes AMCON, N147bn; banks, N165bn; 

foreign debts, $81m 

rather too late? From what you 

have given us, this is worse than 

Dasukigate. It appears what is 

happening in private sector is 

worse than that of the public 

sector.” 

Airline’ll regain lost 

glory in 30 days 

—AMCON 

Earlier in his presentation, 

AMCON Managing Director, 

Kuru, shocked the senators with 

the mess his organisation met 

on ground in Arik Airline that 

led to the take-over but assured 

that the airline would regain its 

lost glory in 30 days. 

Kuru, who noted that within 

the next two to three weeks the 

new management of the airline 

would commence operation with 

The saddest day of my life, by Obasanjo 

•Says God has been partial to him from childhood 

By Emmanuel Aziken 

A BEOKUTA—FORMER 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo has described the day 

he appeared before the General 

Patrick Aziza’s Special Military 

Tribunal over allegations of coup 

plotting as the saddest day in his 

life. 

Speaking during a special 

Valentine's Day devotion at his 

Hill Top residence in Abeokuta, 

Ogun State, Obasanjo affirmed 

God’s partiality towards him when 

he was moved from prison to the 

presidential palace. 

“My saddest day was when I 

sat in front of a military panel set 

up by late former Head of State, 

General Sani Abacha, to try me 

over a phantom coup, and 

sentenced to death and later 

commuted to 30 years 

imprisonment,” Premium Times, 

the online newspaper, reported 

him as saying. 

Noting how he had a period 

of introspection after he was 

convicted by the Aziza tribunal, 

the former president was quoted 

as saying that he surrendered 

the matter to God. 

“God has always been giving 

me immense favour beyond my 

own expectations and what I 

deserve from Him. And I used 

to tell people that God has been 

partial to me from childhood,” 

the three-time Nigeria leader, 

who read from the book of Isaiah 

45:1-4 during the service, was 

quoted as saying. 

He also pointed out the 

leading role played by former 

United States president, Jimmy 

Carter, in piling pressure on the 

Sani Abacha regime to commute 

the sentence from life 

imprisonment to 15 years. 

He was quoted to have said 

that had Abacha lived, he would 

have spent at least 10 years in 

prison. 

Noting what he described as 

a sort of national agitation that 

catapulted him from prison to the 

presidential palace as part of the 

ironies of life for one born into a 

humble background, he said: “I 

at least 16 aircraft, said: “Within 

the next two to three weeks, Arik 

Air should have up to 15 or 16 

aircraft flying. Arik Air cannot 

compete internationally. They 

do not have the kind of services 

other airlines have. 

“Based on what we have 

achieved in just one week, we 

are hopeful that in the next three 

weeks, the issue of delayed or 

cancelled flights will be a thing 

of the past. We are carrying 

everybody along. 

"At the end of the day, we want 

to return it to profitability. We 

need to emphasize one fact, 

that the only way we can recover 

our debts is for Arik to continue 

to fly. The banks have come to 

realize that this is important. 

“Government has a 

responsibility to ensure it 

OPENING: From left, Ebehijie Momoh, Head, Retail Banking, Standard Chartered 

Bank Nigeria; Gupta Jaydeep, Regional Head, Retail Banking, AME, Standard Chartered 

Bank; Pastor Tunde Bakare, Latter Rain Assembly Church; his wife, Layide and Ayodele 

Fajana, Branch Manager, Maryland Shopping Mall Branch, Standard Chartered Bank 

during the official opening of the bank's Maryland Shopping Mall Branch, Maryland, 

Lagos. 

was born in a village and 

anybody born in that village 

would have concluded that the 

popularity of those born there 

would not go beyond the next 

village. My parents were 

complete illiterates.” 

He encouraged his guests that 

they would always overcome 

the challenges of life, if they 

were close to God. 

Obasanjo served as military 

head of state between February 

14, 1976 and October 1, 1979 and 

was inaugurated as civilian 

president at the onset of the 

Fourth Republic on May 29, 

1999 and won re-election to 

serve a second term and handed 

over on May 29, 2007. 

intervenes whenever there is 

threat to national interest. Within 

the next 30 days, we will be going 

to places we have not been to in 

the last three years.” 

Arik owes AMCON, 

N147bn; banks, N165bn; 

foreign debts, $81m 

Ahmed Kuru, who told the 

senators that the troubled airline 

was owing AMCON N147 billion, 

said it was also owing Standard 

Chartered, Zenith Bank, Eco 

Bank and Access Bank a total sum 

of N165 billion. 

He said the foreign debts of the 

company stood at $81 million, 

while also owing Federal 

Government-owned aviation 

agencies and regulators N26 

billion. 

According to him, Arik also 

owes European aviation agencies 

and service providers $11 million, 

in addition to the $20 million owed 

Lufthansa Technik. 

The AMCON boss also told the 

senators that the airline was owing 

over 2,000 staff seven months 

salary arrears, adding that 

negotiations were currently 

ongoing on how to immediately 

resolve the arrears. 

He said pilots were equally 

owed five months salaries, and 

noted that despite having 30 

aircraft, only 10 were operational. 

He noted that prior to the interim 

take-over of the airline, Arik Air 

could not meet its financial 

obligations. 

Speaking further, Kuru noted 

that the airline frequently relied 

on collection of ticket fees from 

passengers before it could buy 

aviation fuel, but blamed the 

incessant cancellation and delay 

of flight on the inability of the 

airline to buy aviation fuel. 

Intervention not to make 

it national carrier 

The AMCON boss dismissed 

claims that the Federal 

Government was planning to 

make the airline a national carrier, 

stressing that it was too 

problematic for the government to 

handle, since the issue of national 

carrier was not feasible. 

He said: “In line with 

AMCON’s statutory mandate, 

the non-performing loans of Arik 

Air were acquired in 2011 from 

two distressed banks: Union Bank 

Plc, N71 billion; Keystone Bank 

Limited, N14billion (transaction 

originated by defunct Bank PHB), 

totalling N85 billion 

“The facilities were granted to 

Arik for purchase of additional 

aircraft and to refinance existing 

term loans. The default in 

repayment posed systemic threat 

to the banks and, indeed, the 

Nigerian economy. The principal 

promoter of Arik Air is Sir Johnson 

Arumemi-Ikhide."

10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

Lagos targets 

3,000 MW 

electricity in 7 

years, says 

Ambode 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & 

Monsur Olowoopejo 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State has disclosed 

plans by the state to generate 

3,000 Megawatts, MW, of 

electricity through accelerated 

deployment of various 

embedded power plants in 

strategic locations within the 

next seven years. 

Ambode, who disclosed the 

plans after receiving report on 

embedded power technical 

committee at the State House, 

Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, said 

that the initiative was to ensure 

residents have access to 24 

hours power supply. 

He stated that it had become 

clear that the problems in the 

power sector could no longer 

be left to the Federal 

Government alone to solve, 

saying it requires the 

contribution of everyone in the 

sector to achieve improved 

power supply. 

According to him, “it is 

planned that 350 MW of this 

incremental power will be 

delivered by first quarter of 

2018, additional 850 MW by 

fourth quarter of 2018, and the 

balance of 1,800MW not later 

third quarter of 2022. 

“The State Government will 

support the Power Purchase 

Agreements (PPAs) that will 

be signed between the 

Distribution companies 

(Discos) and the embedded 

power providers, to enhance 

bankability of the projects. 

“Distribute the Embedded 

Power, off-grid, within Lagos 

State through the network of 

Eko and Ikeja distribution 

companies. We will support the 

distribution companies in 

upgrading their distribution 

infrastructure and installation 

of smart prepaid meters in the 

areas where embedded power 

is deployed.” 


How I built 2 houses from ransom money 

—Serial abductor 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Ifeanyi Okolie 

A 

suspected kidnapper 

arrested by the Inspector- 

General of Police Intelligence 

Response Team , IRT, in 

connection with last Thursday's 

kidnap of Secretary of the Isheri 

North Estate, Government 

Reserved Area, Lagos, has 

revealed that he got N250,000 

from the N5 million ransom paid 

for the victim, Mr Dayo Adekoya's 

release. 

Gunmen numbering 20, 

stormed the estate at midnight, 

killing three guards who 

challenged them, before gaining 

entry into Adekoya’s apartment 

whisking him away in their 

waiting boat. 

Adekoya was however released 

in the early hours of Monday and 

has since reunited with his family. 

Vanguard gathered that 

operatives of the IGP’s IRT, traced 

one of Adekoya’s abductors to 

Century Village in Ogijo town, 

Ogun State, where he was 

arrested Tuesday. 

During interrogation, the 

suspect identified as Joseph 

Omoni, a native of Ajapa 

community in Ese-Odo Local 

Government Area of Ondo State, 

admitted he participated in the 

crime, adding that he got 

N250,000 as his share of the 

ransom paid. 

Nigerian Turkish International 

College kidnap 

Omoni, 38, further disclosed that 

he participated in several other 

kidnaps in Lagos and Ogun 

states. Among them was that of 

students and staff of the Nigerian 

Turkish International College, 

Ogun state, claiming that he got 

N2 million as his share of the 

ransom paid. 

Late TV presenter, Ali- 

Balogun’s murder 

Furthermore, Omoni, said he 

was part of the gang that struck 

in Ikorodu area of the state, last 

December, when TV presenter, 

Aisha Ali-Balogun and an 

Ambode for CAN Inter-denominational service 

THE 2017 annual Inter- 

Denominational Divine 

Service (IDDS) of the Christian 

Association of Nigeria (CAN) 

Lagos chapter will hold on 

Saturday, February 18. 

The venue of the service with 

the theme: “Grace in Recession“ 

is Shepherd Hill Baptist Church, 

Obanikoro, Lagos. 

The special guest of honor for 

the annual event according to the 

Lagos State Chairman of 

Christian Association of Nigeria 

(CAN), Apostle Alexander 

Bamgbola will be Lagos State 

Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi 

Ambode and other 

government officials. 

On the Inter-Denominational 

Service, Apostle Bamgbola said: 

“This has been a major annual 

event of CAN for several years. 

Once in a year the entire body of 

Christ under the umbrella of 

Christian Association of Nigeria 

in Lagos State, comes together, 

usually in the month of February 

to have a solemn assembly before 

the Lord. The entire five blocs of 

CAN come together physically as 

one body, to worship and praise 

Jesus in thanksgiving. 

“It is a time to specially thank 

God, for the prosperity of 

Lagos Sate, our own 

Jerusalem. We also take time 

to pray for our dear nation, 

...Confesses to sharing N2m from Turkish school kidnap 

unidentified motorist were killed. 

Although, he said that late Ali- 

Balogun and the unidentified 

motorist were hit by stray bullets, 

he added that at the end of the 

shooting spree, nine persons, 

among them a pregnant woman 

and three children were 

kidnapped. He, however, did not 

state how much he got from the 

ransom paid. 

Investment in property 

Omoni, who disclosed that he 

had been in the illicit business for 

a while, said that he had built two 

houses in Century village, Ogijo, 

Ogun State, with his share of 

ransom paid for the release of 

their victims. He added that he 

used the rest to take care of his 

family. 

During preliminary 

investigation, the IRT men also 

discovered another house built by 

one of Omoni’s gang members 

popularly known as chairman, 

also in Century village. 

One of the buildings recovered, 

a bungalow with a store attached, 

was being occupied by the 

suspect’s family members, while 

the second was almost completed. 

All the houses have been sealed 

by the Police. 

Arrest 

Police sources told Vanguard 

that the IRT operatives led by 

Abba Kyari, an Assistant 

Commissioner of Police, were 

directed by the IGP to fish out 

perpetrators of the Isheri North 

estate kidnap. The operatives 

were said to have kept vigil 

around the shores of the creeks 

after Adekoya was released. 

In the process, Omoni and 

another member identified as 

Chairman left the creeks 

apparently to enjoy their loot. But 

the operatives trailed them to 

Ogijo where Omoni was 

apprehended but Chairman 

managed to escape. 

Startling confession 

In his confessional statement, 

Omoni said; “ We were over 

Nigeria. This year’s IDDS is 

particularly noteworthy and 

historic. Our beloved executive 

governor, the first Christian 

governor will be our special guest 

of honour,” he said. 

The clerics also said members 

of CAN in the state and at the 

national levels are praying for 

speedy recovery of Mr. 

President’s health adding that 

the President still has lots of 

work to do. 

The state secretary of CAN, Dr. 

Israel Akinadewo on his part 

urged all denominations and 

church leaders to “fully 

participate in the unique prayer 

and thanksgiving service.'' 

Joseph Omoni. 

One of the houses he built from the proceeds of crime. 

20 that took part in the Isheri 

estate kidnap and we shared 

the N5 million ransom. 

‘’I got N250, 000 because I 

took part in the operation. It 

was Stone and Chairman who 

shot the three guards because 

they wanted to stop our 

operation. I don’t know the 

informant who brought the job 

because he communicated 

exclusively with Stone and 

American, who were the 

commanders of the camp. 

“I didn’t follow them to 

kidnap the Turkish school girls 

but I was in the camp and 

when the money was paid, I 

got N2 million. I invested the 

money in my building project 

in Ogijo. 

‘’Out of the N2 million, I 

bought tiles, roofing sheets, 

toilet fittings and sent part of 

it to my family in the village. 

‘’Before I was arrested, 

Chairman and I came to the 

site to check our projects to see 

what was left, but I don’t know 

how the police learned of our 

presence. Chairman managed 

to escape but I wasn’t that 

lucky”. 

Assistant Inspector General 

of Police in-charge of zone 2, 

Kayode Aderanti confirmed 

the arrest. He said efforts were 

on to arrest other fleeing 

members of the gang. 

Court bars construction firm from 

Oko-Olomi village land 

By Onozure Dania 

LAGOS—A Lagos State 

High Court, sitting in Epe, 

yesterday, stopped Toll Systems 

Development Co. Ltd from 

dealing in a portion of land at 

Oko-Olomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki, 

Lagos. 

Trial judge, Justice Ganiyu 

Safari gave the order following an 

application by three applicants, 

Chief Tajudeen Eleku, 

Abdulralmab Balogun and Chief 

Lateef Eleku for themselves and 

on behalf of the Okunu Eleku 

family of Oko-Olomi through 

their lawyer, Mr Bamidele 

Ogundele. 

The defendants are the 

Governor of Lagos State, the 

Attorney-General and 

Commissioner for Justice and the 

Registrar of Titles. 

Justice Safari restrained the 

respondents, their agents and 

privies from dealing in the land 

measuring 96.492 hectares at 

Oko-Olomi pending the 

determination of the suit.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 11 


Mimiko rounds off tenure with his Odyssey 

•Says ‘I disobeyed my father to go into politics' 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—GOVERNOR 

Olusegun Mimiko of 

Ondo State yesterday reminisced 

that he disobeyed his father to 

venture into politics. 

He spoke at the public 

presentation of a biography: 

Mimiko’s Odyssey, A Biography 

of Revelation written by a former 

Director of Research at the 

National Institute for Policy and 

Strategic Studies, NIPPS, Prof 

Olu Obafemi. 

Mimiko, who spoke with 

newsmen after the launch said; 

“If there was anybody who infused 

my family members with political 

virus, it was my father himself. 

“He loved politics and followed 

politics. But after the 1983 

mayhem, my father developed 

hatred for politicians. 

“When I decided to have a go 

at politics, it was because of the 

violent background of the 

objected to my involvement. 

“If he is alive now, he would 

have been proud of what we have 

been able to achieve. He taught 

us early in life how to care for 

others. He taught us that there 

are greater virtues in life than 

money. 

“Money is not the source of 

satisfaction. I grew up in a house 

filled with love not about all these 

material things. 

‘’So early in life, I got a value 

about service. I got value that 

money is not all that matters in 

life but what matters is the hand 

of love you can extend to people. 

“If father is alive, he would have 

been so proud of our Abiye 

programme because its about 

taking care of the vulnerable in 

the society. He would also have 

been proud of our Mega Schools 

because he spent his whole 

life educating his children 

“I personally have the 

satisfaction that some of the 

dreams that I had about what 

governance should be about 

impacting on the lives of 

people— that any government 

programme that doesn’t do 

that is not worth it. 

“In every sector, God has 

given me opportunity to impact 

positively on the lives of our 

people in the state. This gives 

me joy and I thank God for 

this wonderful opportunity.’’ 

The chairman of the 

occasion, Prof Oladipo 

Akinkugbe said the governor 

still has a major role to play in 

the nation’s politics and 

commended his doggedness 

and distinct qualities which he 

observed are missing in many 

politicians. 

The roll call 

Present at the launch of the 

431-page Mimiko’s Odyssey 

include Chairman of the 

Nigerian Governors Forum, 

who is the Zamfara State 

governor, Abulazzez Yari , 

Adamawa State Governor, 

Umar Jubrilla, former Kaduna 

State governor, Alhaji 

Balarabe Musa, Lagos State 

governor's representative, 

Kehinde Bamigbetan, Evangelist 

Bamidele Olumilua and Chief 

Bode George and former 

Anambra State governor, 

Chukwuemeka Ezeife. 

Others include; Chief Ayo 

Adebanjo, Chief Segun 

Adegoke, Afenifere leader, Pa 

Reuben Fasoranti, former 

Osun State deputy governor, 

Iyiola Omisore among others 

South-east’ll gun for 

Presidency in 2019 – Ezeife 

Meantime, former governor 

of Anambra State, Chief 

Chukwuemeka Ezeife yesterday 

said that the South-east would 

take a shot at the presidency in 

2019. 

He was quick to lambast 

politicians from the zone 

decamping to the All Progressive 

Congress, APC, saying such 

people want to be governor 

through the back door. 

Ezeife, who was in Akure, the 

Ondo State capital for the public 

presentation of the biography of 

Governor Olusegun Mimiko 

said the zone would follow the 

advice of the former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo. 

Fayose storms Finance ministry over withheld Ekiti allocation 

•APC challenges him to tell the truth 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief & Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

GOVERNOR 

Ayodele 

Fayose of Ekiti State, took 

his complaint of the Federal 

Government’s failure to pay his 

state’s, January budget support 

allocation of N1.1 billion to the 

Federal Ministry of Finance, 

yesterday. 

He told newsmen in Abuja, that 

he was at the ministry to followup 

on the payment which he said 

his state deserved, just like all 

other states of the federation. 

His words, “I believe I should 

do a follow-up today (yesterday) 

to meet with the Minister of 

Finance for an update because 

she actually called me on 

Tuesday that she just got back but 

she is going to look into it today 

(yesterday) and have it resolved 

as soon as possible. 

“You will however appreciate 

that Ekiti civil servants are restive, 

having spent Christmas and 

there is no money in January, 

obviously there will be challenges. 

“By the time I got here the 

Minister had already gone for the 

Federal Executive Council, FEC, 

meeting, but I met the Special 

Adviser, who assured me that the 

matter will be resolved when the 

Minister returns. 

“What we are talking about is 

part of the monthly allocation 

and the budget support which 

is about N1.1billion that has 

not been paid. 

BOOK LAUNCH: From left, Chairman, Nigerian Governors' Forum and Zamfara State Governor, 

Abdulaziz Yari; Chairman of the occasion, Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe; Governor Olusegun 

Mimiko of Ondo State; his wife, Olukemi; Deputy Governor, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, and the biographer, 

Prof Olu Obafemi at the public presentation and launch of Governor Olusegun Mimiko's biography, 

"Mimiko's Odyssey" (A Biography of Revelations), in Akure, yesterday. 

“I believe this should be done 

immediately and I want to believe 

also that it was a mix up and not 

politically motivated but if it is 

political, they will have a lot of 

questions to answer why it should 

be so. 

“If they want to fight Fayose, 

they should fight Fayose, not the 

civil servants of Ekiti, but I 

appreciate her promise to resolve 

the matter promptly. 

“So, naturally I have to be here 

when it happened to be Ekiti 

State alone, I have to be 

suspicious. The Minister has 

given me her word, at her level 

as a minister, that is good 

enough. 

“If the promise of the Minister 

to resolve this issue as quickly as 

possible is not adhered to, I will 

have to bring it back to the public 

domain. We are all in the court of 

the public opinion where the 

public is able to judge whether 

justice is served at all times. 

Governance is beyond all of us 

but I want to believe that they will 

do it.” 

APC challenges him to tell the 

truth 

Meantime, the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has 

faulted claim made by the 

governor over alleged 

withholding of the state’s January 

allocation by the Federal 

government, saying what was 

withheld is the special funds 

approved by the Federal 

Government for budget support 

intervention to the states. 

This came as a former Deputy 

Governor of the state and 

governorship aspirant on the 

platform of the Peoples Democratic 

IBADAN—MR Adebayo 

Akintunde, a witness in the 

alleged N8 billion Central Bank 

of Nigeria, CBN, currency scam, 

yesterday said that he screamed 

when he saw cut papers instead 

of N10 million in a box. 

Testifying before Justice 

Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the 

Federal High Court, Ibadan, 

Akintunde told the court that on 

opening the box which was 

supposed to be containing N10 

million of unfit N1,000 notes, he 

found well arranged cut 

newspapers and screamed in fear 

and astonishment. 

The witness, who was one of the 

treasury assistants in the Ibadan 

branch of CBN, added that a 

female official, who was also 

present, exclaimed over the 

development. 

“I instantly developed 

stomach upset and I was 

unconsciously urinating on 

myself as well as crying 

Party, PDP, Dr Sikiru Tae Lawal, 

condemned the alleged 

withholding of Ekiti State’s 

January allocation. 

The APC said, contrary to 

Governor Fayose’s 

misinformation to instigate 

Ekiti people against President 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

blackmail APC-led Federal 

Government as responsible for 

his inability to pay workers, it 

is the governor that should be 

blamed for the breach of 

agreement he signed with the 

Federal Government to enjoy 

the facility. 

N8BN CBN SCAM: I screamed on seeing papers, not money 

— WITNESS because I knew that all of us who 

opened the boxes would become 

suspects,” Akintunde said. 

The witness further stated that 

the then Head of Treasury, Mr 

Kolawole Babalola, however, 

asked him and other treasury 

assistants to return the box 

containing papers as well as the 

other nine boxes inspected back 

to the treasury. 

Ayo-Emmanuel adjourned the 

IBADAN—A special court 

session was held yesterday 

in Ibadan to honour the ex- 

Chairman, Body of Benchers and 

Leader of “Egbe Amofin” in the 

South West, Late Bandele Aiku 

(SAN), who died on January 22, 

2017. 

The programme which was 

organised by the Oyo State 

Judiciary and the Nigerian Bar 

Association (NBA) was well 

case till today for continued 

hearing. 

Patience Okoro, Johnson 

Afolabi, Sunday Ilori, Babalola, 

Muniru Olaniran and Fatai 

Adedokun, along with others 

since 2015 had been standing trial 

over multiple charges. The 

charges included conspiracy and 

re-circulation of N8 billion bad 

notes at Ibadan branch of CBN. 

Lawyers pay last respect to Aiku, late 

Egbe Amofin chair 

attended by several legal icons. 

The event which held at the 

Ring Road High Court 1, Ibadan 

with the Chief Judge, Justice 

Munta Abimbola presiding, 

afforded many the opportunity to 

bid the deceased legal giant 

farewell. 

In her last respect for the late 

SAN, the first female Senior 

Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake 

Solanke described him as 

‘Immortality’, who eventually 

bowed to ‘Mortality’.



Lawyer seeks expulsion of Erue as Delta APC 

chairman 

By Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI—A member of 

the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in Delta State, 

Robinson Ariyo, has asked a state 

High Court sitting in Warri, to 

expel and restrain the embattled 

chairman of the party in the state, 

Mr. Jones Erue, from parading 

himself as chairman and member 

of the party, having filed a suit 

against the party in 2015 without 

first exhausting all avenues for 

redress provided for in the party’s 

constitution. 

Others listed as defendants in 

the suit are APC, Chidi Okonji, 

E.V. Onojegho and the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC. 

Ariyo, in the suit, is also asking 

the court to interpret article 21 A 

(x) and D (v) of the APC 

Constitution 2014. 

Citing suit No. FHC/WR/CS/ 

165/15 between Jones Erue and 

two others versus APC and three 

others filed by Erue and E. 

Onojegho, the plaintiff stated that 

“the suit is in violation of the 

provisions of Article 21 A (x) and 

D (v) of the APC Constitution 2014 

effective from November 27, 2015 

on which the said action was filed 

by the 2nd to 4th defendants.” 

According to the plaintiff, “In 

the circumstances of this case, 

the 2nd to 4th defendants 

automatically stand expelled 

from the APC effective from 

November 27, 2015.” 

Calling on the party to invoke 

the doctrine of necessity and 

constitute an interim committee 

to perform the duties of the State 

Executive Committee of the 

party in the state, the plaintiff is 

contending that the purpose of 

the doctrine is to facilitate the 

planned process culminating in 

the bye-election to be conducted 

by the 5th defendant for the 

Warri South Constituency I, in 

the Delta State House of 

Assembly to take place in Warri 

South Local Government Area 

of Delta State. 

OML 30: Delta govt parleys host communities, sets 

up 36-man c'ttee 


ASABA—DELTA 

State 

Government has set up a 

36-man committee comprising 

community representatives from 

the various communities in the Oil 

Mining Lease 30 to capture areas 

of disagreement in the signed 

Global Memoranda of 

Understanding, GMoU. 

The state Attorney-General and 

Commissioner for Justice, Mr. 

Peter Mrakpor, announced the 

composition of the committee 

during a town hall meeting with 

President- Generals and 

Community Development Board 

of host communities in OML 30. 

The communities include 

Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri 

in the town hall meeting held at 

Government House, Annex, 

Warri. 

The committee, given one week 

to articulate and submit the 

position of the communities to the 

Office of the Attorney-General, 

include three members each from 

the 12 clusters that make up OML 

30. 

According to Mrakpor, the town 

hall meeting was convened by his 

ministry to address all the 

contentious issues arising from the 

execution of the GMoU between 

the host communities in OML 30 

and NPDC as well as to discuss 

the proposed takeover of 

operations by Heritage 

Cooperation from NPDC. 

MoU: From left: Deputy governor, Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John-Jonah; Bayelsa State 

Governor, Seriake Dickson; Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry, BOI, Mr. Waheed 

Olagunju, and Executive Director (Corporate Services) BOI, Mr. Tobin Jonathan, during the signing 

of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between Bayelsa State Government and Bank of Industry, 

on development fund for MSME, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday. 

Addressing members of the 

various communities in OML 

30, Mrakpor disclosed that the 

state government was desirous 

of resolving the incessant 

disagreements between the 

Community Development 

Board and the presidentgenerals 

of the various 

communities to pave way for 

unity and rapid development of 

their communities. 

Charging all stakeholders to 

pursue interests that would be 

beneficial to their communities, 

he told the people that 

government would continue to 

drive the process of negotiating 

all MoUs between them and oil 

companies operating in their 

domains 

Present at the meeting were 

the chairman of the Community 

Development Board, Mr 

Morris Idiowa, the Isoko 

Development Union President, 

Chief Iduh Amadhe, Chief 

Emmanuel Aworo and a host of 

others who advanced various 

positions on ways of improving 

community relations between 

the new operators and their 

communities. 

PDP House Caucus hails Wike over Apostle of 

Peace award ...as Dogara mourns Sani 

By Emman Ovuakporie & 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—MEMBERS 

of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, House Caucus, 

yesterday, hailed Governor 

Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for 

bagging the Apostle of Peace 

award and other numerous 

awards that were recently 

conferred on him. 

In the statement entitled: 

Honour to whom Honour is due, 

Gov Wike shines again, the PDP 

caucus noted that various 

bodies, including the Sun 

Newspaper, Independent 

Newspaper, African 

Leadership, Authority 

Newspaper and others, 

bestowed the governor of the 

year award on Wike. 

According to the statement, 

Wike’s achievements and the 

new award easily reaffirm PDP’s 

significance for a future that 

reflects genuine change in Rivers 

State and all other parts of the 

federation. 

Also, yesterday in a statement 

by Media Adviser to Speaker 

Yakubu Dogara, Turaki Hassan, 

the Speaker mourned the 

passage of Mr Bello Sani, 

representing Mashi/Dutsi 

federal constituency of Katsina 

State. 

Dogara said he was saddened 

by the sudden death of Bello 

whom he described as a 

hardworking, committed and 

patriotic legislator. 

“Our late colleague was 

humane, principled and a 

cosmopolitan, who interacted 

freely with all members,” the 

Speaker said. 

Wike sacks Health Commissioner 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

GOVERNOR Nyesom 

Wike of Rivers State has 

dropped his Commissioner of 

Health, Dr Theophilus 

Odagme. 

The Commissioner for 

Information and 

Communications, Dr Austin 

Tam-George, disclosed this 

yesterday at Government 

House, Port Harcourt, at the 

end of a state cabinet 

meeting. 

Dr Tam-George said the 

governor wished the former 

commissioner well in his 

future endeavours. 

Court awards 

N1m damages 

against Delta 

lawmaker 

By Gab Ejuwa 

A 

Delta State High 

Court sitting in Effurun, 

Delta State, yesterday, 

awarded N1 million as 

damages against a member of 

Delta State House of Assembly 

for unlawful trespass into a 100 

x 100 landed property located 

on New Ogorode Road, 

Sapele, Delta State, belonging 

to a property management 

company in the area, Assets 

Development and 

Management Company 

Limited and its Chairman, Mr. 

Chadwick Akpurie. 

Trial judge, Justice G. 

Gbemre, in his judgment in 

which the lawmaker is the 

defendant, affirmed that, “The 

claimant (Chadwick Akpurhie) 

is entitled to the statutory right 

of occupancy of the land 

measuring 943.360 square 

metres (approximately 

100X100) which survey plan 

number is VPSDT06194, with 

beacon number DTD7540, 

DTD7541, DTD7542 and 

DTD7543.” 

The court also granted the 

claimant’s prayer for “an 

order stopping the defendant 

by himself, agents, servants or 

privies from trespassing or 

further trespassing into the 

land." 

UPU set to 

resolve 

leadership crisis 

By Yinka Ajayi 

URHOBO 

Progress 

Union, UPU, has 

begun moves to resolve the 

lingering leadership crisis 

rocking the apex Urhobo 

socio-cultural body. 

Th UPU executives reached 

the decision in Mosogar, Delta 

State, at a meeting held with 

the President-General of the 

Union, Chief Joe Omene, who 

said, “We will bring all 

aggrieved persons to the 

house in the interest of Urhobo 

people at home and in 

Diaspora. No fewer than 20 

executive committees of the 

union’s branches across the 24 

kingdoms of the Urhobo nation 

have resolved to settle the 

crisis out of court." 

According to Omene, those 

who signed the communiqué 

at the end of the meeting 

included the President of UPU 

branch in Agbon Kingdom, 

Mr. Okpara Midevi, the 

President of UPU branch in 

Orogun Kingdom, Chief 

Agboje, that of Okpe 

Kingdom, Mr. D. Sajere, the 

President of UPU branch in 

Ughelli Kingdom, Mr. 

Isukuru Samson, among 

others.



Edo poll: Discrepancies uncovered in 

recounted ballot papers 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

BENIN—RESULTS of the 

recounted ballot papers 

used for the conduct of the 

September 28, 2016 Edo State 

governorship election in some 

wards and units in three out of 

the four local government areas 

of Edo State have shown 

discrepancies in the total 

number of figures as announced 

by Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC, 

and the figures recorded during 

the recounting exercise. 

The Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP and its candidate, Pastor 

Osagie Ize-Iyamu, it will be 

recalled, are challenging the 

declaration by INEC of Godwin 

Obaseki of All Progressives 

Congress, APC, winner of the 

election and had in their 

petition listed INEC, Obaseki 

and the APC as first, second and 

third respondents respectively. 

In its ruling on February 9, 

2017 and subsequent orders, 

the three-man tribunal headed 

by Justice Ahmed Badamasi, 

granted the prayers of the 

petitioners, namely the PDP 

and its candidate, Ize-Iyamu, 

Protest: IYC condemns attack on Ann-Kio Briggs, others 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—IJAW 

Youth Council, IYC, 

worldwide, has condemned 

Tuesday's attack on Ann-Kio 

Briggs and other Niger Delta 

activists by suspected hired thugs 

at Tombia Junction, Bayelsa State, 

while they were protesting the 

allocation of land by the state 

government to Fulani herdsmen. 

Spokesman of IYC, Mr Eric 

Omare, in a statement in Yenagoa, 

yesterday, called on security 

agencies to investigate those 

behind the attack and bring them 

to justice. 

The Ijaw youth body called for 

the probe of the role played by 

security agents who were at the 

scene of the attack. 

According to the statement, “It 

is totally unacceptable and 

undemocratic for Ann-Kio Briggs 

and other Ijaw activists to be 

attacked on Ijawland for 

ordering a recount of ballot 

papers used for the conduct 

of the election in Egor, Akoko- 

Edo, Etsako West and Etsako 

East councils of the state. 

In the report that was signed 

by the Assistant Secretary to 

the tribunal, Buhari Sani, for 

the Secretary and given to 

expressing dissent over a 

government policy. 

“This action does not reflect 

the collective position of the Ijaw 

nation. We feel strongly that the 

protest led by Ann-Kio Briggs 

and other Ijaw activists should 

be an opportunity to open a 

debate on the best approach to 

Why we're building Rumuokoro Market, bus 

station —Wike 

By Aniema Umoh 

RIVERS State governor, 

Mr Nyesom Wike, has 

said that the state 

government embarked on 

the construction of 

Rumuokoro Market and bus 

station to address the traffic 

congestion in that area. 

Speaking when he 

granted audience to the 

Nyeweli Rumuokoro, Eze 

parties in the case, the 

recounting exercise was 

concluded in Wards 1, 2, 3, 4 

and 5 in Etsako council, Wards 

1 and 2 in Akoko-Edo council 

and Ward 1 of Egor council. 

In the recounted wards and 

units in the three out of the four 

councils, namely Etsako West, 

the management of Fulani 

herdsmen on Ijaw land and the 

Niger Delta region instead of 

attacking them. 

“The right to assemble and 

peacefully demonstrate to 

express contrary views to 

government policy is an integral 

part of democratic governance as 

Allwell Ohwonda and leaders 

of Rumuokoro clan at the 

Government House, Port 

Harcourt, yesterday, 

Governor Wike also stated 

that the Rumuokoro market 

and bus station were a step 

towards stopping street 

trading in that axis. 

He said that after the 

completion of the two 

facilities, nobody would be 

allowed to trade on the major 

DSS arrests Danjuma, ex-NDRPP coordinator 

By Emma Amaize 

A 

S A B A — T H E 

Department of State 

Services, DSS, has arrested the 

former coordinator of Niger Delta 

Riverine Protection Programme, 

Mr Tikari Danjuma, and one of 

his aides, Jacob Sonoma. 

Danjuma, relieved of his job in 

January by the Minister of Niger 

Delta Affairs on grounds of nonperformance, 

was arrested by a 

team of four security operatives, 

who swooped on his Effurun 

residence in Delta State. 

Lawyers to Omes Ogedegbe, 

in a petition to the Director- 

General, DSS, said, “The 

continuous detention of our 

clients since January 9, 2017 

amounts to a gross violation of 

their fundamental rights as the 

DSS does not have the 

constitutional enablement to 

subject our clients to arbitrary 

arrest and detention at its 

pleasure, irrespective of whose 

complaint the agency is 

investigating.” 

On the charge of 

impersonation, he said: 

“Instructively, the issue of 

impersonation as the son of Lt. 

Gen. T.Y Danjuma (retd), is not 

within the purview of the DSS, 

hence our demand for the 

unconditional release of our 

clients. 

“Suffice it to state that the only 

investigation that can be 

conducted in this matter is to 

demand for the conduct of a 

Deoxyribonucleic Acid, DNA 

text which again our client cannot 

be compelled to do from custody,” 

he said. 

Akoko-Edo and Egor, the 

recounted exercise indicated 

that more ballot papers were 

used during the election 

contrary to the results declared 

by INEC in Form EC8A. 

The tribunal resumes sitting 

tomorrow with INEC opening 

its defence of how it conducted 

the election. 

LAUNCH: From left: Head of Sustainability Services, Ernest & Young Nigeria, Joseph 

Owolabi; Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale; Head, 

Sustainability Centre, Lagos Business School, Dr. Ijeoma Nwagwu; Global Sustainable 

Development Director, Diageo Plc, David Croft and Head of Governance, Water Aid 

Nigeria,Tolani Busari, at the launch of Guinness Nigeria 2016 Sustainability Report, at 

Ikeja Brewery in Lagos . Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi. 

guaranteed under the 1999 

Constitution (as amended) and 

Bayelsa State should not be an 

exception. 

“It is even more regrettable 

that the display of thuggery was 

done in the presence of security 

agents who ought to protect 

citizens’ right to assemble.” 

road, while illegal parking of 

commercial vehicles on the 

road would be prohibited. 

He noted that criminals 

operating on the road will 

also be dislodged and the 

Rumuokoro clan made more 

secure for business and 

residential purposes. 

He said: “Once we 

complete the Rumuokoro 

market and bus station, those 

trading on the road will be 

relocated to the market. We 

shall, therefore, no longer 

allow people to trade on the 

streets. 

“The community will be 

accomodated in the market as 

well. We will also build a 

community health centre for 

Rumuokoro clan.” 

The governor noted that 

his administration will 

continue to promote 

community development 

across the state, pointing 

out that project execution 

was one of the ways to 

appreciate the people for 

their loyalty and support. 

Uyo residents 

accuse govt, 

PHEDC of 

insensitivity 

over 15 years 

blackout 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

U YO—AGGRIEVED 

residents of Abak Road 

and Nsentip Street in Uyo 

Local Government Area of 

Akwa Ibom State, have 

lamented that they have 

suffered power outage for 15 

years. 

Some of them who spoke to 

newsmen, yesterday, in the 

area accused the state 

government and officials of 

Port Harcourt Electricity 

Distribution Company, 

PHEDC, of being insensitive 

to their plight. 

They lamented that efforts to 

draw the attention of 

government, relevant 

authorities and the 

management of PHEDC to the 

situation had not yielded 

result. 

Most of them on Abak Road 

lamented that they have 

suffered many years of untold 

hardship as a result of burning 

petrol and diesel on a daily 

basis in order to keep their 

business afloat. 

Mrs. Margaret Okpon a 

business owner in the area 

said their suffering has even 

been worsened by the 

prevailing economic 

recession. 

Idiovwa bags 

fellowship award 

THE global Maritime 

Academy of Nigeria, 

Ogoni Olomu, has conferred 

a fellowship award on Mr. 

Morrison Idiovwa and others 

for their contributions to the 

development of the school, 

communities and the larger 

society. 

The awards took place on 

the school campus, Ogoni, 

during the school’s 2017 

matriculation and 

convocation/passing out 

parade ceremony 

Conferring the award on 

Morrison Idiovwa, who is 

Chairman of Oil Community 

Development Board 

(OML3) Delta State, the 

Global Maritime Academy 

Rector, Mr. Isaac Aikoroje, 

who spoke in the same vein 

as the Registrar, Dafe 

Ogunje, said that the award 

on the recipients was due to 

their various contributions to 

the growth of the institution, 

the community and the 

society at large. 

He appealed to the 

awardees to keep the ship of 

development sailing in the 

school and always be there 

for the school authority in the 

interest of education.

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

Saraki, 

Dogara, 

others jet 

out to visit 

Buhari In 

London 


A BUJA—SENATE 

President and 

Chairman of the National 

Assembly, Senator Bukola 

Saraki, yesterday led the 

leadership of both the Senate 

and House of Representatives 

on a visit to President 

Muhammadu Buhari who 

had been on vacation in 

London. 

Saraki, who left Nigeria in 

the early hours of the day, 

travelled with the Speaker, 

House of Representatives, 

Yakubu Dogara; Deputy 

Speaker, Lasun Yusuf and 

Senate Leader, Senator 

Ahmed Lawan. 

A source told Vanguard that 

the team, which left on a 

presidential jet, would meet 

with President Buhari at 6pm 

where issues relating to his 

health, Nigeria, the economy, 

the 2017 budget, and how far 

the National Assembly had 

gone with the Appropriation 

Bill would be discussed. 

When called to confirm the 

story, a source in the Senate 

President’s office simply said: 

“ It is true, the meeting is 

scheduled for 6pm this 

(yesterday) evening at the 

Nigeria House in London.” 

It would be recalled that 

Senate President Bukola 

Saraki had yesterday read a 

letter from President 

Buhari that the Vice 

President, Professor Yemi 

Osinbajo, would act on his 

behalf as President of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria 

for the 10 working days 

President Buhari would be on 

vacation. 

In the letter addressed to the 

Senate President, President 

Buhari said he was writing in 

line with Section 145 (1) of the 

1999 constitution as 

amended. 

According to the letter which 

was read at plenary by Saraki, 

President Buhari said he will 

be away from Monday, 

January 23 to Monday, 

February 6. 

President Buhari had said in 

the letter: “In compliance with 

Section 145 (1) of the 1999 

constitution as amended, I 

wish to inform the 

Distinguished Senate that I 

will be away on a short 

medical vacation from 

Monday January, 23 to 

February 6, 2017 and while 

I am away, the Vice President 

(Osinbajo) will perform the 

functions of my office.'' 


Buhari’s signature forged to sell $19m 

crude oil to China — REP 

CHAIRMAN, 

House 

of Representatives’ Adhoc 

Committee on US-Nigerian 

Relations, Ehiozuwa 

Agbonayinma, has said President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s signature 

was allegedly forged to sell $19 

million worth of crude oil to 

China. 

Agbonayinma, who disclosed 

this on Sunrise, a Channels 

Television programme, also 

accused the NNP of gross 

corruption. 

‘’In this letter here (presenting 

same to the presenter), this is not 

President Buhari’s signature but 

it was forged by our people, by 

Nigerians who wanted to sell the 

crude to China worth about $19 

million. 

‘’I tell you the truth, the 

Attorney-General of the 

Federation is also aware; we are 

working day and night to also do 

what is needed to get it right 

because he (the AGF) is the 

custodian of the laws in the 

nation. 

‘’So, I’m saying I must tell you 

that the corruption in this country 

didn’t just start yesterday. It is a 

cancer and to cure the cancer, you 

need a radical approach. It means 

PRESENTATION: The RG/CEO Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, being presented 

with the “Innovative Leadership Award Certificate” by the Unity Bar Chairman, Ezenwa 

Anumunu in Abuja, flanked by officials of Unity Bar and CAC Management. 

FCTA to harmonise taxes, eliminate cases of multiple taxation 


ABUJA—MINISTER of 

the Federal Capital 

Territory Administration, FCTA, 

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, 

disclosed yesterday that the 

administration had put a 

machinery in place to harmonize 

taxes in the Federal Capital 

Territory, as part of moves to 

reduce cases of multiple taxation. 

The Minister, who said that the 

Administration would soon sort 

out all problems of multiple 

taxation and give the residents 

clear direction of what tax to pay, 

however, warned that on no 

condition must any kind of tax be 

paid into private accounts, since 

taxes were meant for 

government. 

According to him, one of the 

areas that has been of great 

concern to the FCT 

Administration is the multiplicity 

of taxes. 

Speaking yesterday in Abuja 

when he received members of the 

Hotel Owners Forum, FCT 

chapter, the Minister said: “One 

area that has been of great 

challenge to us is the multiplicity 

of taxes that FCT residents pay. 

It’s something that is of great 

concern and jointly with the 

Federal Inland Revenue Service 

and the FCT Inland Revenue 

Service which will soon be 

operational, will work on what is 

already being done nationally so 

that we can harmonize all these 

taxes. 

“The ultimate goal is for 

businesses and organizations to 

just make one payment to a 

you have to step on people’s toes, 

which might affect those that are 

probaly close to you. 

‘’What is important is the ability 

to have that willingness to 

commit to the fight against 

corruption. This is not something 

that is new. As a matter of fact, 

this is a copy of the letter in which 

President Muhammadu Buhari’s 

particular agency and that agency 

divides the payments to all the 

others. That way, you don’t have 

to communicate with five or six 

different people coming to you 

and you don’t know who is 

genuine and who is not genuine. 

I can assure you we are on the 

path towards being able to 

surmount that. 

“With regard to taxation, I want 

to clearly tell you now that any 

signature was forged to defraud 

Nigerians.. 

‘’My dear Nigerians, this time, 

I would like you to support the 

National Assembly when people 

want to divert attention from what 

government is doing by pushing 

up negative issues to the fight 

against corruption. Let’s give 

credit to the President in the war 

person that comes to you and says 

pay tax into a private account, 

don’t pay. Taxation is for 

government. Even if for any 

reason, taxes are being collected 

through consultants and so on, 

first and foremost, the taxes go to 

government coffers, then 

government pays the 

consultants. If you have a 

problem, report to me directly 

through your Association. 

NASS wants FERMA boss sacked 

...Over woeful implementation of 2016 budget 


ABUJA—THE National 

Assembly, yesterday, 

called on Acting President Yemi 

Osinbajo to urgently sack the 

Acting Managing Director of 

Federal Roads Maintenance 

Agency, FERMA, Engr. Peter 

Odey Ibu, over woeful 

performance, despite the N10 

billion allocated to the agency in 

2016 budget. 

The National Assembly noted 

that for lack of maintenance by 

FERMA, some Nigerian roads 

had become death traps. 

According to NASS, FERMA 

did not achieve anything in 2016 

budget. 

The Senate and House of 

Representatives joint Committee 

on FERMA said the management 

of FERMA still had challenges in 

sincerity and honesty in 

discharging its duties, stressing 

that the time was ripe for it to 

stand up to save the face of the 

agency from total collapse. 

The issues were raised 

yesterday when the Acting 

Managing Director of FERMA, 

Peter Odey Ibu, led other 

management of the agency on the 

defence of 2017 budget before the 

joint Committees of Senate and 

House of Representatives. 

against corruption. 

‘’As the National Assembly, we 

must do our part as well. Doing 

our part does not mean Nigerians 

should be kept in the dark. 

Nigerians must know exactly 

what is going on; what has 

happened to their money. The 

money that belongs to this nation 

belongs to you, it belongs to me.’’ 

“On the issue of the tenement 

rate and area of the jurisdictions 

of the Area Councils, particularly 

AMAC, it’s something that is in 

the court, so I will not say anything 

right now. But what we are trying 

to do will take care of all these and 

everybody will be carried along.” 

The Minister noted that the 

economic situation in the 

country had affected almost 

every sector of the nation. 

N1.162BN ALLEGED FRAUD: Court 

adjourns Dariye’s suit till March 2 

By Ikechukwu Innochiri 

A BUJA—JUSTICE 

Adebukola Banjoko of 

FCT High Court, Gudu, yesterday 

adjourned till March 2, the N1.162 

billion fraud suit filed against 

former Plateau governor, Joshua 

Dariye by the Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission. 

Dariye is facing a 21-count 

charge bordering on breach of trust 

and diversion of N1.162 billion 

Plateau’s ecological fund. 

The adjournment would provide 

the defendant time to enable him 

study a response to two motions 

he earlier filed. 

The call for sack of Ibu came, 

following the contribution of a 

member of the committee, Magaji 

Aliyu, representing Birnin Kudu/ 

Buji Federal constituency, who 

took the leadership of FERMA to 

task for lack of responsibility. 

The motion by the EFCC was 

served on him February13. 

The first motion filed by the 

defendant on December 6, 2016, 

was for the prosecution to recall 

two of its witnesses which included 

PW1 and PW9, for the purpose of 

re-examination. 

The prosecution witness (PW1) 

was the EFCC Investigation Police 

Officer (IPO), Mr Musa Sunday; 

the PW9 was the witness, from the 

United Kingdom, Mr Peter Clark. 

The second motion which was 

filed on December13, 2016, was 

seeking for the trial judge, 

Adebukola Banjoko to disqualify 

herself from further proceedings.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 —15 


Southern Govs 

wives converge 

in Abia 

By Anayo Okoli 

U MUAHIA—WIVES 

of the 17 Southern 

Governors of Nigeria have 

converged in Umuahia, the 

Abia State capital for their 4th 

quarterly meeting. It is being 

hosted by the wife of Abia State 

Governor, Mrs. Nkechi 

Ikpeazu. 

The governors wives 

expected at the three day 

meeting are those from South 

West, South-South and South 

East states. 

The meeting holding under 

the umbrella of Southern 

Governor’s Wives Forum 

[SGWF], would discuss 

issues on women 

development; upliftment of 

the girl-child as well as how 

to support the governors of 

Southern Nigeria to develop 

the nation and make Nigeria 

one unified country of love 

and hope. 

The SGWF, according a 

statement issued by Eze 

Achusi, the Chief Press 

Secretary to Abia Governor’s 

wife, was initiated by the wife 

of the President, Mrs. Aisha 

Buhari and its inaugural 

meeting was held in Owerri, 

Imo State. 

The second meeting of the 

Forum was hosted by Lagos 

State in June last year while 

Akwa Ibom State hosted the 

third meeting in October last 

year before the turn of Abia. 

The aim of the Forum, 

according to the statement 

includes to serve as a 

mechanism to strongly 

support the programmes and 

activities of the wife of the 

President of Nigeria; to 

complement the efforts of the 

Southern Governors; promote 

unity and peaceful coexistence 

among the Southern 

States of Nigeria and impact 

positively on the lives of 

women, children and youths. 

Don’t disrupt 2018 census, NPC warns 

MASSOB, IPOB 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA—THE National 

Population Commission, 

NPC, yesterday in Awka made a 

passionate appeal to the 

Movement for the Actualization 

of the Sovereign State of Biafra, 

MASSOB, and the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, not to 

disrupt the forthcoming census 

exercise scheduled to take place 

next year across the country, to 

avoid a repeat of what happened 

during the last exercise eleven 

years ago. 

This came as the MASSOB 

leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu 

promised that the organization 

had no intention to disrupt the 

census exercise, provided there 

would be no deliberate attempt 

to shortchange the people during 

the exercise. 

The Federal Commissioner in 

charge of NPC in Anambra State, 

Professor Chika Moore, who 

made the appeal at a news 

conference in Awka on the 

Thugs disrupt pensioners meeting 

By Chidi Nkwopara 

OWERRI—A gang of 

suspected thugs, 

believed to be acting out the 

script of Imo State 

Government, on Tuesday, 

disrupted the scheduled 

meeting of pensioners at the 

Imo International Conference 

Centre, IICC, Owerri. 

Vanguard, who closely 

watched the drama from a safe 

distance, gathered that 

although the meeting had 

earlier been scheduled by the 

senior citizens at the place, the 

pro-government elements 

however thought that the frail 

and hapless citizens were plotting 

a showdown ahead of the arrival 

of the Acting President, Professor 

Yemi Osinbajo, to Owerri. 

The State Chairman of 

Nigerian Labour Congress, 

NLC, Comrade Austin 

Chilakpu, was seen rushing out 

of the Accountant General’s 

Office, when he heard about the 

face-off between the pensioners 

and the government thugs. 

One of the first things the redeyed 

thugs did, on getting to 

where the pensioners from 

Owerri zone were gathering, was 

to dismantle the canopies 

mounted by the retirees. 

A pensioner, who was 

aggrieved by the act, told 

Vanguard that “we have been 

holding our meetings close to the 

Accountant General’s office over 

the past years and I don’t know 

why government decided to 

attack us this time”. 

When reminded that their 

meeting coincided with the 

coming of the Acting President, 

the obviously angry pensioner 

said that their presence should 

not have bothered the state 

government if it was doing the 

right thing. 

“Is it our fault that our scheduled 

meeting coincided with Professor 

Osinbajo’s visit to Owerri? Why 

should government be 

uncomfortable with our presence? 

They know that they have been 

cheating us in the past”, the man 

said. 

Another woman said that they 

were just holding their normal 

meeting and midway into it, "a 

government bus that was closely 

following a functionary, stopped 

in front of us. 

“The thugs were obviously 

discharging the instructions they 

received from the functionary. 

God is obviously seeing how we 

are being treated in this state”, 

the woman said. 

PEOPLE SPEAK 

commencement of fieldwork for 

the third phase of the 

Enumeration Area Demarcation, 

EAD, scheduled to take place at 

Ekwusigo local government area 

of the state for the proposed 2018 

national population and housing 

census, said everything possible 

was being done to ensure a 

successful head count. 

He said the Commission had 

already reached out to the 

leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, 

as well as the traditional and 

religious leaders in the state, to 

join NPC in appealing to the 

Biafra agitators to understand that 

the census exercise was necessary 

for planning a better living for 

everybody and should therefore 

be supported. 

He said: “Today, we are in 

Nigeria and since Nigeria is 

conducting census, our people 

should allow every area in all 

the states to be demarcated 

and counted. We are not out 

to frustrate your agitation or 

whatever, but let us not use 

census as a political tool. 

On Donald Trump's phone conversation with Buhari 

“We need to understand how 

we are and the number of our 

people to be able to plan 

effectively for everybody for the 

betterment of the entire country. 

In the last census exercise, some 

of these our brothers and sisters 

disrupted it such that this part of 

the country was undercounted. 

“Let us see census beyond 

politics. To us at the Commission, 

the significance of EAD exercise 

goes beyond the conduct of the 

2018 census as we plan to 

establish and maintain a national 

frame, including locality list and 

house numbering for future 

censuses and surveys in line with 

the mandate of the Commission 

under Section 24 of the Third 

Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. 

“I therefore wish to appeal to 

the states and local government 

councils, traditional 

institutions and communities 

to support the Commission in 

carrying out the EAD for the 

2018 census by allowing 

unfettered access to facilities 

and places to be demarcated.'' 

Wakanow set to launch 

commercial operations in UK 

IN a bid to consolidate its 

foray into the European 

markets, Wakanow, Africa’s fastrising 

tourism giant and Nigeria’s 

No.1 online travel company has 

announced plans to formally 

launch commercial operations in 

the United Kingdom, as part of her 

global expansion moves. 

This is coming barely few 

months after it launched 

DestinationsAfrica(R), a global 

booking platform that aggregates 

the best of African packaged 

holidays from over 23 African 

countries. 

Speaking ahead of the launch, 

Obinna Ekezie, founder and 

group managing director of the 

firm, said the new addition to the 

travel brand would allow the 

company to serve the European 

markets and demonstrate its 

capacity to compete favorably on 

the global stage. 

“We are very delighted about the 

forthcoming launch of Wakanow 

UK, and this excitement stems 

from our conviction that this 

addition has the capacity to offer 

something different to the 

European market when it comes 

to travelling into Africa. 

''Our protocol services into Africa 

is built on very strong relationships 

and will ensure our prospective 

customers get hitch-free and 

hassle-free movement in and out 

of the continent. Wakanow has 

honed its skills in African travel 

over the last eight years and will 

bring that to bear in offering best 

priced deals and making sure that 

her interactions with travelers will 

deliver a more positive narrative 

for African businesses,” he said. 

By Bartholomew 

Madukwe (08051019450) 

nwamad@yahoo.com 

Trump used office line to 

speak with all the leaders 

of other nations he has 

thus far spoken with and 

the press in Europe carries 

the news but it got to Buhari’s 

time he used mobile 

phone. Did any press in 

Europe carry the news. 

Miss Nwanneka Ofodile, 

Cosmetologist 

How can Buhari and 

Trump now engaged 

in telephone conversation 

when Buhari’s soldiers 

massacred IPOB members 

celebrating Mr Trump’s 

inauguration in Port Harcourt, 

thereby openly 

showing that they are enemies. 

Mr Martins 

Onuigbo, Worker 

Is it today that Trump 

won election? Is it today 

that he was sworn 

in? Hundreds of Nigerians 

in UK and 180 million 

Nigerians at home 

have been pleading to 

hear from their president 

to no avail. Miss 

Ndidiamaka Umenwa, 

Student 

Why is it impossible 

for President Buhari 

to speak to Nigerians? Nigerians 

in London went to 

where they said he was 

resting, he could not speak 

to them. Now he is speaking 

to Trump on phone. 

Nigerians need the truth. 

Mr Uche Vincent, 

NYSC Member 

What President Bu 

hari needs now 

from Nigerians is our 

prayers. The issue of 

whether Trump spoke to 

him or not should not be 

a debate because both 

are presidents and they 

can speak to each other 

anytime. Miss Oluchi 

Nwaihesie, Teacher 

Iwish President Buhari 

quick recovery, so he 

can complete the fight 

against corruption that 

he started. It is normal for 

any human being to fall 

sick. Let us bear in mind 

that the job that he is doing 

as the president is not 

an easy one. Miss Okonta 

Rose, Student


:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Lagos govt tasks police, stakeholders 

on child protection law 

LAGOS—LAGOS State 

Government has 

stressed the need for 

officials of the Nigeria 

Police Force, especially 

officers in the various 

gender units and other 

relevant stakeholders to 

protect the children's 

rights and to also 

internalise the 

provisions of the Lagos 

State Child Rights Law. 

Permanent Secretary, 

Lagos State Ministry of 

Youth and Social 

Development, Mr. 

Hakeem Muri-Okunola 

gave the charge yesterday 

at a one-day training 

programme for police 

officers and relevant 

stakeholders on children 

matters at Alausa, Ikeja. 

Muri-Okunola, said that 

the state government would 

continue to equip police 

personnel, stakeholders 

and relevant NGOs 

involved in child protection 

with necessary tools and 

information to ensure 

optimal protection of 

children in Lagos. 

He explained that the 

training programme was 

meant to strengthen the 

Governor Akinwunmi 

A m b o d e - l e d 

administration’s initiative 

tagged - “Lagos State 

Safeguarding and Child 

Protection Policy.” 

Muri-Okunola also 

urged individuals, NGOs 

and corporate bodies to be 

alive to their responsibilities 

by giving their best in 

helping the hapless 

children while also 

complementing the state 

government's efforts at 

providing opportunities for 

young people to succeed in 

life.

Preamble 

ISAID when I wrote ‘Now 

thatYar’adua is back’ (02/ 

26/10) that “Nigeria has become 

one huge Elizabethan theatre 

where clowns, harlequins and 

pantomimes now prowl the 

stage in an unending 

melodrama –sometimes more 

comic than Shakespeare’s 

‘Comedy of Errors‘. And in this 

unfortunate milieu it seems we 

are no longer divided over 

issues. We are rather titillated 

by personalities. 

We are so extreme in the way 

we canvass opinion nowadays 

that there is hardly any middle 

ground left –neither one as 

giddy height for the fence sitter, 

nor any as sanctuary for the 

non-aligned. We are either 

protagonistic about 

personalities or we are 

antagonistic about them. And 

either way, we are just simply 

unapologetic”. 

This obsession with the cult of 

personality, did once bring us 

to a very ugly episode: namely 

that terribly divisive Yar’dua 

health debacle -from an 

innocuous case of mortal 

indisposition (which every 

human is subject to), but which 

was raised by agent 

provocateurs to the height of 

apocalypse. 

We were hyped up to a 

needless hysteria about a 

‘national emergency’ with the 

contrived prognosis of the most 

imminent danger, and in our 

characteristic flight of 

extremism we all took sides on 

either of the divides of ‘pro- 

Yar’adua’ or ‘pro-Jonathan’. 

The North was set against the 

South; Islam was pitched 

against Christianity. 

Ethno-religious 

politics 

It’s been over six years since 

our nasty experience with the 

Yar’adua health challenge; and 

it seems we have not learnt any 

lesson at all. On the contrary, it 

appears we have even 

succeeded in upping the ante 

in this dangerous game of 

ethno-religious politics. 

In fact, we have now added a 

new industry, namely ‘rumourmongering’ 

to an old profession 

of ‘hate-mongering’. Rumour 

‘mills’ now abound like 

mushrooms on virtually every 

national issue, whereas the 

effort to establish genuine mills 

to grow the national domestic 

product, is still in fits and starts. 

‘Metaphor for a troubled 

kingdom’ is both a pun and a 

parody of two of Shakespeare’s 

great plays: ‘The Second Part 

of King Henry The Fourth’ and 

‘Measure for Measure.’ But it 

is also a ‘serious’ laugh on two 

societal ills: ‘rumour 

mongering’ and ‘corruption of 

state’. Happy reading. 

William Shakespeare 

unleashes a character named 

‘Rumour’, who plays the role of 

a ‘curtain raiser’ in one of his 

great ‘history’ plays ‘The 

Second Part of King Henry The 

Fourth’. And in addition to 

personifying the ‘vice’ (rumour) 

by humanising and 

characterising it, the Playwright 

also lends existential imagery 

Metaphors for a troubled 

nation 

to the ‘slanderous’ attribute of 

this malady –rumour- by 

costuming the character in 

‘painted ‘tongues’. 

And so we see a multi-tongued 

character, ‘Rumour’ mount the 

stage to set the tone of a play in 

which ‘false reports’ and ‘disinformation’ 

are in the detail of 

a design to discredit a 

supposedly cowardly-Prince as 

a ‘chink in the armour’ of a 

kingdom on the brink of defeat 

by internal rebellion. Happily 

though, Prince Hall manages to 

‘Measure For 

Measure’, set in a 

degenerate city, 

Vienna, is a 

fitting parody of 

Nigeria in which 

a wicked irony 

prevails where 

bad guys ‘rise by 

sin’ and good 

people even ‘by 

virtue’ fall 

rise gallantly from the ashes of 

dis-reputation to defeat his 

father’s enemies in battle and 

thereafter to assume the throne 

as King Henry the Fifth. 

It is, in fact, to the character 

‘Rumour’ that the opening lines 

of this great play belongs, as we 

see him prowl the stage in 

grandiloquent self-praise: 

“Open your ears; for which of 

you will stop the vent of hearing 

when loud Rumour speaks? I,” 

he says “from the orient to the 

drooping west, makes the wind 

my post-horse…, upon my 

tongues continual slanders 

ride, the which in every 

language I pronounce, stuffing 

the ears of men with false 

reports. I speak of peace, while 

covert enmity under the smile 

of safety wounds the world.” 

The personification of ‘vice’ as 

living ‘character’ in a play, was 

one of the many genius of 

Shakespeare; and in this play 

the wordsmith reveals, with 

uncanny poignance, all the 

‘multiplying villainy’ of ‘rumor’ 

in barely the opening words of 

a single character: 

‘Rumour’ is irresistibly sweet 

(“which of you will stop the vent 

of hearing when loud Rumour 

speaks?”); it is multi-lingual (“ 

the which in every language I 

pronounce”); it is persistent and 

un-abating (“upon my tongues 

continual slanders ride”); it is 

forceful and invasive (“stuffing 

the ears of men with false 

reports”) and it is guilefully 

injurious (speaking “of peace, 

while covert enmity under the 

smile of safety wounds the 

world”). 

And in fact from bombastic 

self-praise, we even hear the 

character (Rumour) drift into 

sophistic self-definition; for as 

he says: “Rumour is a pipe 

blown by surmises, jealousies 

(and) conjectures”; and that the 

vice is “of so easy and so plain 

a stop that (even) the blunt 

monster with uncounted heads 

(and) the still-discordant 

wavering multitude, can 

(always) play upon it”. 

Inconclusive 

information 

Thus ‘Surmises’, ‘jealousies’ 

and ‘conjectures’ are the 

veritable attributes of a nation 

that thrives on ‘rumour 

mongers’ -to ‘surmise’ meaning 

to ‘admit issues on the basis of 

limited evidence; to be ‘jealous’ 

meaning to be ‘bitter and 

unhappy about another’s 

advantages’; and to fall into 

‘conjectures’ meaning to judge 

on the basis of guesswork, 

incomplete or inconclusive 

information, all habits that are 

patently Nigerian! 

And because the vice of 

rumour –as Shakespeare wroteis 

“of so easy and so plain a 

stop”, virtually every Tom, Dick 

and Harry (or as he says the 

“wavering multitude”) is 

always able to play upon it. But 

it is also from the fact that the 

“wavering multitude” plays 

upon it, that the vice derives its 

reputation as a ‘multiplying 

villainy’ . 

For, unlike the fate of a circle 

in the water that enlarges itself 

until it disperses to nothing, 

‘rumour’ is a villainy that is 

born anew by contact with every 

new malevolent carrier of it. 

And thus says the Earl of 

Warwick, another character, that 

“Rumour doth double, like the 

voice and echo”. 

But we also see in the play 


17 

that as with the “wavering 

multitude” which has 

irretrievably fallen prey to the 

vice of ‘rumour-mongering’, so 

have nobles of the land and 

even men of God become 

advocates of the ‘Fallen angel’, 

preaching war when they 

should speak of peace. 

And so perhaps even more 

poignant is the sanctimonious 

bashing by the Earl of 

Westmoreland in rebuke of the 

conniving antics of the Lord 

Archbishop who is exposed as 

discreetly supporting the 

rebellion against his kingdom. 

The Lord Archbishop we are 

told, is a man “whose learning 

and good letters (even) peace 

hath tutored”; and “whose 

white vestments (everyone 

believes) figure innocence”. 

And it is on account of this 

reputation that the Earl of 

Westmorland angrily wonders 

why “you, (the Lord 

Archbishop) will so ill-translate 

yourself out of the speech of 

peace that bears such grace, into 

the harsh and boisterous tongue 

of war…. Turning” he says 

“your books to graves, your ink 

to blood, your pens to lances 

and your tongue-divine to a 

loud trumpet and a point of 

war?”. 

Measure 

for measure’ 

Or as another Prince, John of 

Lancaster puts it “Turning the 

word to sword, and life to 

death”! 

‘The Second Part of King 

Henry The Fourth’ is one of the 

plays in which Shakespeare’s 

empathy with the fate of leaders 

is captured in the truism: 

“Uneasy lies the head that 

wears the crown”. Just as in his 

tragi-comic play, ‘Measure For 

Measure’, he makes ‘public 

corruption’ the onus of judges, 

in the truism “Thieves for their 

robbery have authority when 

judges steal themselves”. 

‘Measure For Measure’, set 

in a degenerate city, Vienna, is 

a fitting parody of Nigeria in 

which a wicked irony prevails 

where bad guys ‘rise by sin’ and 

good people even ‘by virtue’ 

fall. In it Shakespeare weaves 

a spaghetti tangle of ‘lenity’ and 

Re: On Justice Onnoghen 

‘license’ in one breath and 

‘holiness’ and ‘vice’ in another. 

In the play, the Duke of 

Vienna, worried by the 

degenerate moral and spiritual 

state of affairs in his domain, 

feigns an urgent mission 

abroad, thereby temporarily 

transferring power to Angelo, a 

deputy reputed as “A man of 

stricture and firm abstinence” - 

even in the midst of 

degeneracy. 

And without much ado Angelo 

set to work warning that no 

longer will Vienna “make a 

scarecrow of the law, setting it 

up to fear the birds of prey, and 

let it keep one shape till custom 

make it their perch, and not 

their terror”. In this Angelo 

appears to re-echo the 

philosophy that although the 

true ruler or judge needs not 

be the most holy or zealous of 

men, his reason and moderation 

should exalt him above mere 

pity and passion! 

Overindulgent 

laxity 

According to the pair of 

Harold Brooks and Harold 

Jenkins in their critique of the 

play, “Vienna is shown as a city 

much like the decadent London 

(of old) with her idle gallants 

and cynical underworld”, where 

“in the absence of strict control, 

the appetite for lechery had 

grown beyond accustomed 

bounds”. And it became, with 

Vienna -as with Nigeria- “a 

ruler’s duty to repress the 

unbridled lust of man’s 

corruption” by switching policy, 

they said “from overindulgent 

laxity to a new severity”. 

Epilogue: We have the 

coarsest metaphors from the 

Duke’s poetic lament about the 

terrible state of affairs in Vienna; 

said he: “We have strict statutes 

and most biting laws… which 

for these fourteen years we have 

let slip; even like an overgrown 

lion in a cave that goes not out 

to prey;… so our decrees, dead 

to affliction, to themselves are 

dead, and liberty plucks justice 

by the nose, the baby beats the 

nurse, and quite athwart goes 

all decorum”. 

Fitting metaphors for your 

troubled nation. 

+2348171314331 :- The spate of killings recorded on members 

of IPOB shows us that Buhari has already declared war against 

the Igbos, and we can’t fold our arms for too long. 

+2348171314331:- Adamu please Nigerians are not asking for 

much. Let rice go back to 9000 per bag, fuel 85 per litre, kerosene 

50 per liter, Dollar one to 197 naira before his (Buhari’s) coming. 

Please help me tell Buhari to return Nigeria back to the way he 

met it, nothing else. 

+2348038669498:- Thanks for your write up ‘On Justice 

Onnoghen’. I am glad Nigeria is still blessed with people like 

you. May God continue to bless you and your pen against the 

wish of the devil’s advocates. Franklin CA Okechukwu, PH. 

+2349068143222:- Adamu, for God’s sake stop quoting law 

profusely. You are not a lawyer but a journalist. Read Ozekhome 

on page 42 of today’s Vanguard and be educated please. 

+2348033557107:- Mohammed Adamu, you are the head of 

compromised and ethnically biased journalists in Nigeria today. 

Must it take three months for PMB to forward Onnoghen’s name 

to the Senate. If PMB had done the needful before now this uproar 

would have been avoided. 

+2348139420580:-Good day sir, I am a regular reader of 

Vanguard newspaper and your column too, but one thing I have 

come to know is that you are tribalistic, always supporting wrong. 

You are spreading hate. Please change sir. 

C 

M 

YK


Implementation of the mandatory 

20 per cent Import Adjustment Tax 

(IAT) on medicaments by the Nigeria 

Customs Service, as provided 

in the 2016 Fiscal Policy Measures 

(FPM), made up of Supplementary 

Protection Measures (SPM), is an 

ill wind that is blowing Nigerians 

no good. 

The policy shift, as directed by the 

Ministry of Finance, in a recent circular 

titled “Import Adjustment 

Tax”, which imposed the extra payment 

on medicinal drugs, runs 

contrary to expectations for the provision 

of better medicare for the 

poor and needy. 

With the deleterious effects of the 

devalued Naira, high exchange rate 

and forex scarcity , this policy reversal 

is double jeopardy for the 

masses. It highlights the magnitude 

of the burden of health challenges 

that government vowed to 

drastically reduce. 

The effects of this new duty on 

imported medicaments will make 

Stop 20 % Import Adjustment Tax on drugs 

important drugs such as antihypertensives, 

anti-arthritics, antiulcers 

anti-diabetics, anti-rabies as 

well as common infectious antibiotics, 

alkaloids, anti-malarial, unavailable 

and unaffordable to most 

Nigerians who need them. 

The measure has already precipitated 

unprecedented increases in the 

cost of medical services and prices 

of drugs used in the treatment and/ 

or management of common health 

challenges 

This development negates the Federal 

Government’s promise to deliver 

affordable and available 

healthcare to Nigerians, especially 

the vulnerable. It is also contrary to 

the 1988 World Trade Organization 

(WTO) recommendation of a maximum 

five per cent duty on medicaments. 

It equally defeats the essence of 

the waiver granted by the ECOWAS 

Committee on Health and recommendation 

of zero per cent duty in 

cognizance of paucity of drug manufacturing 

firms in the sub-region. 

For a nation hoping to achieve the 

vision of affordable universal 

healthcare, the policy shift is unacceptable. 

Out-of-pocket payments 

for healthcare already constitute 

over 70 per cent of the total 

healthcare expenditure of Nigerians, 

which exceeds the globally recommended 

30-40 per cent. 

Worse still, less than five per cent 

of the total population is covered by 

any kind of health insurance or risk 

protection mechanism, contrary to 

the 90 per cent coverage recommended 

by the World Health 

Organization(WHO). 

With less than 300 local drug manufacturing 

companies, less than five 

per cent of which are certified by the 

WHO, this policy reversal is like a 

death wish because most of them are 

already crippled by the stifling economic 

environmeni. Even at full capacity, 

the 300 companies can only 

produce 20 per cent of the nation’s 

drugs needs. 

We call on the Federal Government 

to take another look at this 

policy and adopt more realistic and 

people-friendly methods to address 

public health financing challenges. 

More government investments in 

the sector would abolish out of 

pocket payments, ensure better 

health insurance cover and increased 

donor funding. 

Obaseki versus his kinsmen 

By Usman Abudah 

WHEN an individual unfolds his 

or her planned format of 

deliverance, unpredictable and irritating 

hurdles surface in rather disturbing 

definitions, very uncouth and 

unacceptable instances imbibed 

inabsolute nonsensical and arrogant 

styles, traceable to thuggery, wanting to 

reap where no planting towards a 

bumper harvesting was sown. 

This, in my opinion is what is being 

framed up in Edo state by a cabal of 

some social misfits, chesting out to 

confront the Executive Governor of Edo 

State, Godwin Obaseki, who from all 

realistic observations, was generally 

elected by an absolute majority of 

responsible citizens in the recent election 

that brought him to the seat of power to 

perform, better the expectations of 

Edolites in pursuance of good 

governance. 

While I guide my observations against 

beating the Election Tribunal’s final 

ruling on the case before it, I make bold 

to stroke the gong that when an elder is 

expective of a genuine and clear 

declaration of the TRUTH on an issue, 

such an elder would gnash his gums in 

totality of not expecting ANYTHING 

different from what Almighty has rightly 

established as a good omen for the 

people. 

But the recent thuggery behaviour of 

some social misfits harassing thepresent 

Governor, who from all indications is set 

to enhance further progressive 

Obaseki’s kinsmen 

should report 

themselves to ELDERS 

repenting, so that this 

ugly plan to hinder his 

administration would 

be nibbed in the bud 

governance, with a sound foundation 

laid for him by the immediate past 

governor Oshiomhole, calls for a sober 

reflection by that spoilt cabal whose past 

relationship with Oshiomhole, made it 

a harvester without a farm. 

Most painful, this clique can be traced 

to Governor Obaseki’s kinsmen. 

Governor Obaseki, I am told, is saying 

he has to be left alone to frame his own 

style and calibre of people he would 

conveniently UNDERSTAND and 

UTILISE to run his government, not 

spoilt hangers-on who had a field day 

during the past administration. 

OPINION 

There is of course abundant evidence 

to prove that this cabal did gain a lot in 

the past. If I was in their its shoes, I 

would have taken a step backward to 

munch what I was able to gain in the 

past and allow Obaseki shape his own 

specific style without being forced to 

inherit hunt dogs from the past who had 

never in the real sense of it hunted in 

the bush. 

Obaseki’s kinsmen must demonstrate 

an acceptable aporeciative attitude to 

the Almighty God in producing one of 

their own to lead, not by asking for what 

they generally don’t merit in the state. 

This clique or cabal can be sober and 

let there be peace in the state for the good 

of all citizens so as not to create a 

situation that would compel others to 

form a BRIGADE OF GUARDS, not only 

to protect the Governor and government, 

but also their votes that numerically 

framed his success at the election. 

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was a 

very diplomatic and productive Chief 

Executive who had that style of keeping 

the cat andmouse around without any of 

them knowing, he did utilize them to 

enhance his style of governance. 

Any upright Edo citizen trying to paint 

Oshiomhole in a different coat of 

negative governance, must get his or her 

head re-examined as majority of right 

thinking Edolites are of the view that 

Oshiomhole was too kind, considerate 

and he indeed enhanced some paupers 

who now want to turn the heat on 

Obaseki because he is quoted to have 

said his administration would not be 

“business as usual”. 

Governor Obaseki, from all indications, 

means business for the good of all Edo 

people, but the signals from some of his 

people, who ordinarily are actually not 

woth the salt, are the ones blowing hot. 

Their ELDERS should sound a note of 

warning to them to please let their son 

get along with the state assignment given 

to him. 

In African traditional setting, there are 

moments when the BAD BOYS ARE 

USEFUL, but not within, as they are 

always needed to scare away 

INVADERS, not brothers. 

Governor Obaseki is quite set to 

improve the project he began with 

Oshiomhole. So, one is tempted to ask, 

why this in-house cabal? 

I hope the Edo State Government is 

not benn pushed to the extent of 

identifying idle lazy ingrates as well as 

as enemies of the state in general. No 

issue is too complexed for ELDERS to 

handle. 

Governor Obaseki’s kinsmen should 

report themselves to ELDERS repenting, 

so that this ugly plan to hinder his 

administration would be nibbed in the 

bud because other senatorial districts in 

Edo state also have a stake in Obaseki’s 

success . 

*Mr. Abudah, a journalist and founder of 

Afenmai Heritage & Cultural Studies, 

wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 19 

Fitch revises BoI outlook to negative 

••CEO attributes it to recessionary economy 

By Franklin Alli, with 

Agency Report 

GLOBAL rating agency, 

Fitch, yesterday, revised 

Bank of Industry’s (BOI) Outlook 

to Negative from Stable, due to the 

health of the country’s economy. 

Fitch, however, reaffirmed the 

bank’s National long-term rating 

at AA+, as well as its Long- 

Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) 

at ‘B+’. 

Reacting, Mr. Waheed 

Olagunju, Acting Managing Director 

of BoI, said the reaffirmation 

of the bank’s National Long 

Term rating by Fitch at ‘AA+(nga)’ 

is the most important thing for the 

development bank. 

He stated: “It reaffirms that our 

bank is well managed and our 

books are good. However, because 

we are owned by government and 

Nigeria’s outlook was reviewed 

from stable to negative, therefore, 

it also affected the bank’s rating 

because we are government 

owned.” 

Revision of 

Nigeria’s Outlook 

“Because Nigeria’s outlook has 

been revised it follows that BoI, too 

was downgraded. There is nothing 

we can do about that because we 

are government owned, but on 

standalone, they reaffirmed our 

bank AA+. We also know that the 

downgrade of the country’s outlook 

was because of the recession.” 

Fitch in its latest rating, said: “The 

revision of the development bank’s 

outlook to negative is premised on 

“The recent revision of Nigeria’s 

Outlook to Negative. BOI is a stateowned 

development bank and its 

IDRs are driven by its Support Rating 

Floor (SRF) of ‘B+’, which reflects 

a limited probability of sovereign 

support. 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

$142. 45 0.30 

$1,926.00 -3.00 

20.70 0. 23 

$55. 60 -0. 37 

$52. 81 -0. 39 

304 304.5 305 

379. 8942 380. 518 381.1418 

323.6835 324. 215 324.7465 

303. 3171 303. 8151 304. 3132 

2. 6842 2. 6886 2.6931 

0. 4734 0. 4834 0. 4934 

411 . 0617 411.7367 412. 4117 

44. 3532 44. 4265 44. 4998 

81. 187 81. 3203 81.4536 

412. 4148 413. 092 413. 7692 

KRONA 43. 518 43.5895 43.609 

CBN Exchange rate as at 15/2/2017 

VISIT: From left, Director, Unity Bank Plc, Richard Gboyega Asabia, MD/CEO, Unity 

Bank, Mrs. Tomi Somefun, President, Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN), Sir 

Steve Omojafor and former Vice President of BDAN & member of Council, Mrs. Foluke 

Abdulrazak during a courtesy visit to Unity Bank Head Office, Lagos . 

“The SRF factors in BOI’s 99.9 

per cent state ownership, policy role 

and strategic importance to 

Nigeria’s economic and industrial 

development. It also reflects the authorities’ 

stronger ability to support 

BOI than for commercial banks, as 

BOI’s operations are almost entirely 

in local currency. 

“BOI’s funding is long-term and 

almost exclusively sourced from the 

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 

BOI’s Negative Outlook mirrors 

that on the sovereign rating. BOI’s 

National Ratings reflect the bank’s 

creditworthiness relative to the best 

credits in Nigeria. Fitch does not 

assign a Viability Rating to BOI as 

its business model is entirely dependent 

on the support of the state. 

“BOI’s IDRs, SR and SRF are sensitive 

to a weakening in the ability of 

Nigeria to support the bank, which 

BOI’s National Ratings 

are sensitive to a 

change in Fitch’s 

opinion of BOI’s creditworthiness 

relative to 

the best credits in 

Nigeria 

would be indicated by a downgrade 

of Nigeria’s sovereign rating. 

“The ratings could also be downgraded 

if Fitch’s view of the state’s 

willingness to support the bank 

changes adversely, for example in 

the event of a material change in 

the government ownership or a 

change in the bank’s policy role. 

“BOI’s National Ratings are 

sensitive to a change in Fitch’s 

opinion of BOI’s creditworthiness 

relative to the best credits in Nigeria. 

The rating actions are as 

follows: Bank of Industry Long- 

Term IDR affirmed at ‘B+’, Outlook 

revised to Negative from 

Stable Short-Term IDR affirmed at 

‘B’ National Long-Term Rating 

affirmed at ‘AA+(nga)’ National 

Short-Term Rating affirmed at 

‘F1+(nga)’ Support Rating affirmed 

at ‘4’ Support Rating Floor 

affirmed at ‘B+,” said the statement. 

Power generation hits 4,102MW as 

gas supply improves 

By Ediri Ejoh 

THE Transmission Company 

of Nigeria, TCN, yesterday, wheeled out 

4,102.7 megawatts of generated electricity to 11 

distribution companies. Though below targets, 

this shows an improvement from the low points 

that subsisted since this year. 

Daily power statistics from Nigerian Electricity 

System Operator (SO), a section of the Transmission 

Company of Nigeria, TCN, shows that power 

generation had risen from 3,528MW, to 

4,102.7MW between February 1 and 15. According 

to the data, the lowest generation recorded a 

day before (February 14) stood at 3,556.1MW, 

with its peak generation at 4211.2MW. 

TCN, in its website, said that the 515MW increase 

in generation as at February 15 was due 

to slight increase in gas supply to some power 

generating companies. 

An official of Egbin Power Station, who pleaded 

anonymity, said in Lagos that gas supply to the 

station had increased slightly in the last seven 

days, adding that the power station which has 

capacity to generate 1,320MW now generates 

420MW as against former generation of 160MW. 

The official called for more gas supply to the station 

to enable it fire all its five turbines, saying, “The 

420MW generated by the station has been linked 

to the national grid by 5.35 am on Wednesday.” 

The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, 

had announced drop in the power supply on January 

22 to 2,662.20MW due to low water levels and 

the challenge of accessing gas by electricity generation 

companies, GENCOs. It will be recalled 

that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, 

Mr. Babatunde Fashola, had said he would like 

consumers to be more resistant to the payment of 

electricity bills, if there was no supply. 

Fashola spoke on Monday at the 12th Monthly 

Power Sector and Stakeholders’ Meeting hosted 

by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company in 

Ibadan earlier this week. The minister said that 

vandalisation of gas pipelines had decommissioned 

power plants and their ability to provide up 

to 3,000 megawatts of power. 

He stated: “The 3,500MW to 3,800MW that we 

have been able to keep on the grid over the last few 

months will be assisted greatly by about 3,000MW 

if we have the gas pipelines back. “It means we will 

be able to deliver well over 6,000MW if the gas 

pipelines are safe.” 

Stock market 

bounces back, 

as investors 

gain N33.9bn 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

THE persistent losing streak 

on the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange, NSE, was halted, 

yesterday, as investors gained 

N33.9 billion propelled by positive 

activity in Nigerian Breweries Plc, 

Dangote Cement Plc and Forte 

Oil Plc. This came as the NSE 

launched Lagos Chapter of 

Nigerians in the Square Mile 

(NISM). NISM, established in 

2008, is a membership 

organisation and think tank 

made up of outstanding 

individuals in the financial and 

professional services sectors in 

the City of London and has 

become a quietly and increasingly 

influential organisation 

advancing the interests of Nigeria 

and Nigerians in the world’s 

leading financial centre. At the 

close of the day’s trading session, 

the market capitalisation of all 

listed equities rose to N8.697 

trillion from N8.774 trillion on 

Tuesday, representing 0.4 per 

cent increase. 

Industrial 

goods sector 

Similarly, the All Share Index, 

ASI, rose by 0.4 per cent from 

25,460.45 points to 25,130.26 

points. Performance across 

sectors was mixed as three 

indices recorded price gains 

while two declined. The 

consumer goods sector 

rebounded from a six-day bearish 

run, adding 1.7 per cent as 

investors swooped on shares of 

Nigerian Breweries Plc which 

rose by 4.2 per cent and 

International Breweries Plc that 

appreciated by 4.7 per cent. 

Similarly, the industrial goods 

sector witnessed 0.3 per cent 

increase on the back of gains in 

Dangote Cement Plc that 

recorded 0.6 per cent returns. On 

the flipside, the banking sector 

decreased by 1.1 per cent as a 

result of negative disposition to 

shares of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, 

Zenith International Bank Plc and 

Access Bank Plc, which went 

down by 2.0 per cent, 0.9 per cent 

and 1.5 per cent respectively, 

while the insurance sector closed 

0.5 per cent lower on the back of 

4.5 per cent and 0.3 per cent 

losses in Continental 

Reinsurance Plc and Custodian 

and Allied Insurance Plc 

respectively. 

Speaking at the launch of 

NISM yesterday, Oscar Onyema, 

CEO, NSE, said that the 

establishment of NISM in Lagos 

would provide a better link that 

works for Nigeria by connecting 

the best of two cities - London and 

Lagos.

20 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

Skills needed by today’s entrepreneurs 

BEING 

an 

entrepreneur can be both 

fun and challenging. Before 

you venture into the world of 

entrepreneurship, find out if 

you have the entrepreneurship 

skills that will help you succeed 

in your new arena? 

Entrepreneur skills are the 

abilities, inherent or learned, 

that will make or break your 

business. 

Having these skills from the 

start will reduce the challenges 

of starting a business but being 

able to use them strategically 

will ensure that your business 

stays on even when competitors 

come in. 

Here are some of the 

entrepreneur skills you would 

need to run your business 

successfully: 

Jack of all trades: You must 

be flexible enough to know the 

business fundamentals and 

how each independent aspect 

works. Among all the other 

entrepreneur skills, this one 

gives you the capacity to see 

how things are interconnected 

and allows you to run the show. 

Managerial and 

administrative skills: Most of 

the multinational corporate 

ventures employ hundreds of 

people with their own 

specialisations. Forget about 

that if you are starting small like 

most entrepreneurs. So, basic 

entrepreneur skills in the 

administrative department 

would come in handy for 

posting in your daily income 

and expenses, making your 

receipts and even for making 

sure you pay your bills on time. 

You also need managerial skills 

to be at the top of the situation 

The hardest thing 

for a one-person 

business, much 

more a homebased 

one, is the 

overwhelming task 

ahead of you every 

day 

when your business starts to 

operate. 

Planning skills: Planning is 

one of the entrepreneur skills 

you should arm yourself with 

especially if you are starting a 

home business. Your planning 

skills would make sure you 

have, not only an idea of what 

you have to accomplish for the 

day, but you are bent on sticking 

to your plan. The hardest thing 

for a one-person business, much 

more a home-based one, is the 

overwhelming task ahead of you 

every day. Multitasking is 

clearly the name of the game 

and you have to be really good 

at it to accomplish things 

Financial skills: Since you are 

in business not only to render 

service or to fulfill a dream but 

also to make money, you need 

to brush up on your financial 

skills to make ends meet. One 

of the most essential 

entrepreneur skills you need to 

have even for small business 

ventures is the ability to manage 

your finances so that at the end 

of the day, you have money to 

pay for your business and 

incidental expenses and have 

some left for your profit box. 

People’s skills: Establishing 

a business will require you to 

deal with people from all walks 

of life and this is one of those 

entrepreneur skills that will 

take your business far. Every 

successful entrepreneur has 

people’s skills and those who 

do not have it hire someone 

else who does. You will always 

deal with people at any phase 

of your business so make sure 

you are inherently interested in 

people and how they work. 

*Source: SME Toolkit Nigeria 

•Typical SME business in need of funding intervention in Nigeria 

BoI’s entrepreneurship scheme: Applicants lament 

non-disbursement of loans 

•Say bank keeps changing requirements 

By Yinka Kolawole 

APPLICANTS of the Youth 

Entrepreneurship Support 

(YES) programme of the Bank of 

Industry (BoI) have lamented 

that, months after completing the 

rigorous online and in-class 

training aspect of the scheme, 

they have not been able to access 

any loan from the bank. 

Their complaints are in 

response to a recent report in 

Vanguard on the experiences of 

beneficiaries of the programme, 

where they highlighted the 

impact of the scheme on their 

business orientation. The 

applicants claimed that while the 

training they under-went in 

various centres and online were 

very enriching, accessing the 

loans thereafter has proved to be 

a herculean task, contrary to the 

promise made by BoI officials 

during the training. Here are 

some of the complainants and 

their complaints: 

Samuel Temidayo: “Why the 

waste of time, money and 

resources? If you had no intention 

of making access to financing 

easier and better than the 

conventional bottlenecks in 

commercial banks, why waste 

over N800,000 in training each 

YES Programme participant, 

multiplied by the 2500 

individuals that scaled through 

to the final stage? We went 

through 3 months of online 

training and had remarkable 

exposure to the real business 

environment only to be thrown 

between the buses when we were 

all girded and ready to apply 

everything we have learnt. 

“I had my in-training at the 

EDC headquarter in Lagos and 

was opportune to hear from the 

MD of BOI that there’s enough 

money for all the 2500 successful 

candidates for the in-class. We 

were however shocked to see new 

sets of conditions, after the first 

set we were given on concluding 

the in-class. From then, new and 

more ridiculous conditions were 

been introduced like every other 

week. To be honest, this loan has 

not been accessed by a single 

person in my group, I don’t know 

about all other groups and state.” 

Oyetunji G. Abbey: “BoI has 

been so lackadaisical about this 

Continues on page 21 

Doing bankable business plan: 

The cash flow factor 

YOUR business plan is 

a blueprint for how 

your company, or a 

particular business 

transaction for which you 

may be seeking a bank loan, 

is going to turn out. Write a 

clear, detailed business 

plan, and you are over half 

way into securing a bank 

loan. You’ll even be able to 

use it as a tool to round up 

non-bank, interest-free 

funding or grant from 

international agencies, and 

may also attract investors. 

The flip side, of course, is 

that a bad or weak business 

plan will close the door to 

the second meeting with 

your bankers for loan let 

alone any serious funding 

agency or investor. 

Third-party 

feedback 

The problem with 

business plans is that 

entrepreneurs are usually 

so desperate and or excited 

to get a loan, and they rush 

through the planning 

process and never seek 

third-party feedback, 

leaving their business 

plans, especially the 

financial aspects, riddled 

with numerous flaws. 

Most early-stage business 

plans focus almost 

exclusively on profitability, 

the ability to generate more 

revenue 

than 

you’re spending in 

associated costs. But, even 

more important to consider 

is the idea of cash flow, 

which dictates how much 

cash your business has on 

hand at any given time. 

Technically, a business can 

be “profitable” on paper, but 

still have cash flow issues; 

imagine, for example, a 

scenario in which the bills 

are piling up and your 

customers aren’t paying their 

invoices on time. 

Negative cash flow can 

result in bankruptcy and 

collapse of, otherwise, a good 

business. Every loan officer 

in every bank know this. So 

make sure a cash-flow 

management strategy is part 

of your business plan. 

How? First, cash flow is the 

net amount of cash and 

cash-equivalent moving 

into and out of your business. 

Positive cash flow indicates 

that a company’s liquid (cash 

or its equivalent) assets are 

increasing, enabling it to pay 

its bills, re-invest in its 

business and provide a 

buffer against future 

financial challenges. 

Negative cash flow indicates 

that a company’s liquid 

assets are decreasing. Banks 

use this to assess the quality 

of a company’s income, that 

is, how liquid it is, which can 

indicate whether the 

company is positioned to 

repay its loan.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017—21 

BoI’s scheme applicants lament non-disbursement 

of loans 

Continues from page 20 

scheme even after the stringent 

conditions introduced after the 

entire 4 months training. We 

struggled to meet these 

conditions but yet, no update, no 

loan! I applied for a loan of about 

N5 million. I’m not a start-up, my 

business has been running, but 

my loan was reduced to N2.7 

million and several months after 

this notification of my loan 

reduction, I didn’t get any update 

from BoI. 

The cost of one of my proposed 

machinery I gave them, a 

delivery bike precisely, was 

N270,000 in the market, 3 months 

down the line with this 

lackadaisical attitude, the 

machinery went up to N350,000 

and now I don’t even know the 

current price of that machine. This 

would have happened to so 

many other applicants as well. 

The most annoying thing is no 

follow up, no information and no 

news. 

Economic 

development 

BoI should learn from the Lagos 

State Empowerment Trust Fund 

(LSETF). That is how an 

empowerment scheme should be 

run. Not putting people on hold 

for almost 12 months without any 

headway.” 

Dielamo Oyeghe: “I had 

thought the YES programme 

would be a stepping stone to 

achieving my entrepreneurial 

dreams and contribute my quota 

to the economic development of 


My dream is fading away due 

to the high-handedness of BoI. 

Good 10 months has passed and 

am still unable to access the loan 

due to the stringent conditions set 

by the bank. Initially, we were 

told that our University certificate 

and NYSC discharge letter could 

be used as collateral, only 

surprised to learn of impossible 

requirements to fulfill at the point 

of the in-class training. We went 

through vigorous and stressful 3- 

months online training and 5- 

days in-class training. Resources 

and time was drained in the 

process. I spent money buying 

data for the online training, 

traveled to Port Harcourt for the 

in-class training where I also fed 

NBCC to launch MSME centre to mark 40th 

anniver 

ersar 

sary 

By Naomi Uzor 

THE Nigerian-British 

Chamber of Commerce, 

NBCC, has disclosed that it is 

set to celebrate its 40th 

anniversary in Nigeria and 

United Kingdom, with the 

launch of MSMEs Centre. 

The president of NBCC, 

Prince Dapo Adelegan, who 

disclosed this at a press briefing 

in Lagos said that the Chamber 

will be launching the NBCC - 

DCSL MSMEs Centre at DCSL 

Corporate Services Limited. 

This, he said is in recognition 

of a partnership between the 

The way BoI is 

handling this 

programme, I doubt if 

they will achieve up to 

10 percent of the aim 

of this programme 

and accommodated myself. I 

hereby call for a review or total 

scrap of the loan conditions. It is 

a good initiative, but effort must 

be made to fast-track the loan 

disbursement process.” 

Joe Onyeka: The way BoI is 

handling this programme, I doubt 

if they will achieve up to 10 

percent of the aim of this program. 

I thought this is an intervention 

program to create 6000 direct jobs 

Chamber and DCSL taking into 

cognizance the pivotal role 

MSMEs play in modern 

economies especially in areas 

of job creation and contribution 

to the Gross Domestic Product 

(GDP). 

He stated that other activities 

lined up to mark the event are 

Lecture and Photo/Arts 

Exhibition which would also 

include a documentary of 

milestones covered in the past 

40 years, Cocktail & launch of 

the NBCC Abuja branch in 

March, the NBCC Golf 

Tournament in April, Gala 

Dinner and Dance/ Patrons’ 

and 30,000 indirect jobs but 11 

months after we applied for the 

programme and 4 months after 

the in-house training, I don’t 

think that up to 90 percent of the 

participants have met the criteria 

for the loan which means just less 

than 10 percent have submitted 

their requirements to BOI. Even 

those ones that have submitted, 

none of them have received the 

loan from the response I have 

been getting from the 

participants from the various 

WhatsApp groups. 

The programme started well, 

the online training was thorough 

and impactful. However, 

accessing the loan is problematic. 

For instance, in the work sheet 

given to us at the onset, the 

guarantor required was a Level 

7 officer in the civil service. But 

on applying for the loan, they 

now changed it to Level 12, which 

has not been easy to get. Even at 

that, nobody has been able to 

access the loan. 

No comment from BoI 

BoI is yet to respond to these 

allegations, as an SMS sent to a 

top official in the corporate affairs 

department of the bank has not 

been replied as at the time of 

writing this report. 

Steps to registering a business in Nigeria 

Investiture First week in June; 

anniversary visits to selected 

States and Trade Mission to the 

UK 22nd – 26th May, 2017, etc. 

“Let me give you a brief 

update on where we are today. 

The NBCC over the couple of 

months has made fantastic 

stride in the area of Policy 

Dialogue, Advocacy, 

Networking and Business 

Referrals even with the 

Country’s current economic 

state with the aim of garnering 

business sustainability in 

different sector of the 

economy,” he said. 

Industrialisation and 

Entrepreneurial Revolution 

IN 2009, the United Nations Industrial Development 

organisation (UNIDO) announced plans to conduct 

investor surveys In 22 African countries. A key goal of the 

survey in the case of Nigeria is to facilitate the creation of a 

Nigerian Industrial master plan. The programme will also 

evaluate the impact of policy on government efforts to 

promote rapid SME development. UNIDO officials in 

Nigeria claimed the survey would be of significant assistance 

to the private sector as well, helping expand operations and 

set performance benchmarks. 

At the same time, the manufacturing Association of Nigeria 

came out with a report identifying 37 companies that had 

closed down across the country over a space of just two 

weeks. The report once again confirms the bitter state of 

affairs of the Nigerian economy, where closures are a 

frequent and constant refrain. A complete account of 

contemporary Nigerian industry is in fact impossible without 

a mention of the de- industrialisation that continues to plague 

it. This is another core feature of the great ‘Nigeria paradox’ 

of acute economic backwardness despite abundant natural 

and human resources. 

The collapse of world oil markets in the early 1980s 

drastically reduced Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves and 

practically stalled economic growth. The cumulative effect 

of years of incoherent policies further upset the country’s 

fragile international and domestic fiscal conditions, causing 

massive inflation, unemployment and poverty. Nigeria’s 

standing as middle – income country was scuttled, and by 

the 1990s, it was confirmed as one of the poorest in the 

world, an even more demeaning fall in average living 

standards accompanied the loss of natural fortunes. 

The economic downslide proved especially harsh on the 

manufacturing sector, partly at least due to the overdependence 

on oil exports that thwarted economic 

diversification. With local sourcing of raw material confined 

to all but a few industries, capacity utilization plunged 

dramatically in import – dependent operations. Nigerian 

manufacturing is predominantly about isolated assembly line 

functions with very limited or no backward connections to 

the economy. These and other factors combined to bring the 

total GDP contribution from manufacturing down from a little 

over 9 percent in 1981 to 6 percent by the end of last century. 

Industrial 

decline 

Industrial decline has also, partly at least, been fed by 

unrealistic dependence on imports, often with shocking 

results, For instance, Textile imports have shot up to a 

staggering N4.3 billion annually to keep up with burgeoning 

demand. Sadly, the number of textile industries in local 

operation fell from 140 in the 1970s to less than ten presently. 

More importantly, existing units operate at less than 50 

percent capacity due to equipment and technical shortfalls. 

The overdependence on imported goods, however, is by 

no means limited to textiles. Nigeria imports everything from 

machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured 

goods to live animals. Many in Nigeria consider it a shame 

that the government abandoned agriculture in favour of oil 

in the early 1980s. What is even more shameful is the fact 

that this formerly agrarian nation is now critically dependent 

on food imports. Nigeria imported $ 600 million worth of 

rice in 2008 alone, with local food production amounting to 

only a fraction of overall demand. 

Nigeria’s chronic dependence on imports is a result of 

many decades of misdirected policies that swamped local 

industry and wiped out diverse avenues of employment and 

wealth creation. Infrastructure deficits have been the largest 

hurdle to industrial expansion. 

What Nigeria effectively needs are policies fostering rapid 

business development across sectors: In other words, an 

enterprise revolution that accelerates sustainable growth 

while simultaneously helping to alleviate poverty and 

improve living standard of. It also requires a radical rethink 

on the country’s import policies, in a manner that focuses 

on improving productivity and employment through 

development of locally relevant enterprises, import curbs 

can prove hugely beneficial for Nigeria, provided they are 

judiciously executed to promote industrial and smallbusiness 

resurgence in prospective sector.


By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young & Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

AHUNGRY man is an angry 

man, so goes an age-long 

maxim. But contrary to the 

saying, Labour Vanguard in this 

piece, gives insight into how 

leaders of Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC, and their Trade 

Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, 

counterparts, became happy on 

meeting with the Acting 

President, Yemi Osinbajo. It is a 

story of how a protest against 

perceived bad governance, and 

worsening hardship, turned into 

a solidarity visit at the 

Presidential Villa on February 9. 

In Lagos and Abuja, aggrieved 

workers and their society allies, 

displayed several placards with 

inscriptions such as “President 

Buhari let there be light, End 

jumbo salary for all political office 

holders, prosecute all indicted 

persons. Jail all looters, no sacred 

cows, President Buhari takes 

time to review power sector 

reform, End unpaid salary 

regime, pay N56,000 minimum 

wage, Buy made-in-Nigeria 

Goods and patronize local 

fabrics, garments.” 

Leading the protest, leaders of 

NLC and TUC made it clear that 

Nigerians were dissatisfied with 

the style of governance of the 

present government that had 

made Nigerians poorer and 

unable to cope with the 

hardship. They demanded that 

the Federal Government should 

make known the identities of 

those that looted the nation’s 

treasury and asked that their 

hands be amputated to serve as 

deterrent. 

Current 

recession 

The protesters insisted that the 

level of hardship in the country 

had risen to alarming level and 

that workers were the worst hit 

by the current recession, 

demanding upward review of 

the minimum wage. They also 

threatened to drag some state 

governors to the anti-graft 

agencies for alleged diversion of 

the bail-out funds recently 

released by the government for 

the payment of workers’ salaries, 

arrears, pensions and gratuity. 

In Abuja, NLC president and 

its TUC counterpart, Ayuba 

Wabba, and Bobboi Kaigama, 

respectively, at the Unity 

Fountain, among others, 

poured out the frustrations on 

the socio-economic and 

political situations in the 

country. On his own part, the 

Vice President of Industriall 

Global Union and General 

Secretary of National Union of 

Textiles, Garment and Tailoring 

Workers of Nigeria, Issa Aremu, 

lamented that before the 

increment of the pump price of 

petrol, labour had predicted 

what would be the outcome of 

•Labour leaders in a group photograph with Acting President Osinbajo and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris 

Ngige (front row, second from left ) 

How labour protest turns 

solidarity visit to Osinbajo 

the government policy, adding 

that the predictions had come to 

pass. 

From the unity fountain, the 

protesters moved to the National 

Assembly, where they demanded 

from the leadership of the National 

Assembly immediate upward 

review of minimum wage amidst 

increasing cost of items in the 

country, lamenting that besides the 

issue of minimum wage, pensioners 

in the country were owed up to 77 

months. They called on the 

National Assembly to synergize 

with other arms of government to 

pay them. 

Responding, the Senate 

President Bukola Saraki, said it was 

time to go into action towards 

Government at all 

levels and arms 

should abide with 

rule of law, 

corruption should 

not be tolerated. We 

are here to identify 

with government in 

its resolve to fight 

corruption 

addressing the numerous 

challenges confronting Nigerians 

and that everybody should sit 

down and work out how to make 

necessary adjustments. He said: 

“It can’t continue this way, the 

exchange rate is high, cost of 

things in the market have gone 

high but only the workers’ 

salaries remained the same. 

By the next time we will meet 

I will tell you what the 

National Assembly has done 

to improve the living condition 

of Nigerians.” 

Leaving the Assembly 

complex, the protesters decided 

to storm the Aso Rock Villa. 

But hardly had they got to the 

thresholds of the Presidential 

Villa through the Supreme 

Court route when they met with 

a horde of security agents 

preventing them from gaining 

access to the villa to deliver 

their protest message to Prof. 

Osinbajo. 

For more than an hour, they 

stood in the scorching sun, 

waiting and while they were 

still battling with the security 

operatives, words reached 

Osinbajo on the development. 

The acting president gave 

approval for their leaders to be 

allowed in. Initially the workers 

rejected the request insisting 

that the acting president either 

send a representative to 

receive their message or be 

allowed to gain access to the 

villa to deliver the message. 

But They later nominated 20 

representatives to take their 

message to the acting 

president. 

But the music changed the 

moment the leaders met with 

Osinbajo in his conference 

room inside the presidential 

villa. Why the leaders had 

thrown all types of darts at 

government at the Unity 

Fountain, upon meeting faceto-face 

with the government, 

they became good allies, 

chorusing strong support for the 

government. Hear TUC 

President: “It is a fight every 

Nigerian must be part of. 

Government at all levels and 

should abide with rule of law, 

corruption should not be 

tolerated. We are here to identify 

with government in its resolve to 

fight corruption.” 

Things took a dramatic turn 

when the protesters whose 

hearts were heavy ab initio wore 

broad smiles and happily posed 

in a photograph with the acting 

president after the meeting. 

Resolve to fight 

corruption 

Earlier, while receiving the 

labour leaders, the acting 

president took time to preach 

the government's anticorruption 

fight gospel to them. 

He said: “For a democratically 

elected government, we must 

constantly report to the people 

and we must show that we are 

accountable to the people. That 

is why positions like yours have 

to be received properly and 

we must find ways to positively 

take action on the many 

demands that were raised. Every 

time you fight corruption the 

way we are trying to fight 

corruption, there is a major fight 

back, because corruption in 

this country is wealthy, 

powerful, influential and it is in 

every aspect of our lives. It is in 

practically all institutions 

including religious institutions. 

“The social media campaign of 

bring back corruption is an 

orchestrated one. Nobody that is 

suffering can say bring back 

corruption. Attempts by those who 

are being tried for corruption to 

delay trials is also part of the 

orchestrated campaign. If we 

don’t speak up against corrupt 

officials who make it look as if 

there is a witch-hunt, then we will 

not succeed in the fight. 

Government needs everybody to 

speak up. We have a serious 

battle in our hands and if we don’t 

win that battle, this country will 

never get to the path of 

sustainable development. The 

major problem that this country 

has suffered so far is the looting 

of its resources. We must fight 

corruption hard. It is a tough one 

but we must fight it. If we don’t 

fight corruption, all we are doing 

is a waste. If a few can pillage 

the resources of the nation and 

get away with it, then we will 

just continue to go around with 

it.” 

Orchestrated 

campaign 

The acting president also 

underscored the need for prudent 

management of scarce resources, 

stressing that everyone must be 

held accountable. According to 

him, the government was 

operating at less than 60% of 

revenues as at 2015, saying: 

"Management of resources is 

critical especially when those 

resources are as small as what we 

are witnessing today. We want to 

ensure that everyone is held to 

account. If resources were not 

efficiently managed, we will not 

be able to do even the things we 

are doing now because we are 

operating at less than 60% of 

revenues as at 2015, today.” 

Osinbajo also promised that 

government would include the 

labour leaders in the 

implementation of the Economic 

Recovery and Growth Plan 

(ERGP) expected to be launched 

at end of this month.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 --- 23 

Stories by Princewill 

Ekwujuru 

The battle between Coca- 

Cola and Pepsi have taken a 

new dimension with both 

deploying numbers to corner 

a larger chunk of the market 

share. 

Both companies have made 

great investments over the 

years, and both offer solid 

growing dividend yields, and 

both excel in a particular 

niche. However, going 

forward, consumers think one 

of these companies has the 

edge on the other as an 

investment. 

While Coca-Cola has vowed to 

rebuild sales in the United 

States and other parts of the 

world. Pepsi has taken a 

different track. 

This fact is quite obvious due 

to the vast numbers of 

alternative and often health 

oriented drinks found at nearly 

every retail outlet. 

The new CEO refocused Pepsi 

on water, teas, juices and sport 

drinks. The company plans on 

expanding its nutritional 

business from $10 billion to 

$30 billion by 2020. It is relying 

on using its Gatorade, Quaker 

Oats, and Tropicana divisions, 

plus the newly formed Global 

Nutrition Group to follow the 

trend away from sugary sodas 

to healthier snacks and drinks. 

On the other hand, Coke has 

vowed to ramp up marketing 

with an extra $3 billion over 

the next three years. 

To be sure, Coca-Cola has 

been on a brand buying frenzy 

to ramp up its healthy offerings 

with brands, such as 

VitaminWater and Odwalla. 

While this shift is a huge 

positive, soda remains 75 

percent of Coca-Cola’s global 

sales. 

On the other hand, Pepsi’s 

snack division makes up about 

50 percent of the company’s 

sales volume. Soda is just 25 

percent of the company’s US 

sales compared to 60 percent 

of Coca Cola’s. 

All of these and more others 

have resulted in increased 

innovation, industry growth 

and shareholder value. 

Coca-Cola has won the Cola 

war in Nigeria. It controls a 

CHAIRMAN of Troyka 

Group, Mr. Biodun 

Shobanjo, has been nominated to 

lead a marketing discourse at the 

forthcoming investiture ceremony 

of the new president of National 

Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, 

NIMN, Mr.Tony Agenmonmen. 

The ceremony which will be 

hosted in Lagos is expected to attract 

dignitaries across the marketing 

communications industry. 

A statement from the institute’s 

secretariat revealed that the choice 

of Mr. Shobanjo was reached after 

extensive deliberations among 

stakeholders who consider him 

deserving and worthy to deliver the 

talk at such occasion. The statement 

noted that his preference was 

informed by his rich repertoire of 

knowledge and experience in the 

marketing communications 

business which has been on for more 

than four decades. NIMN had 

recently, in Ibadan, elected a new 

Coke, Pepsi lock horns 

in number game for 

market share 

larger chunk of the total CSD, 

compared to Pepsi’s 30 percent, 

according to Beverage Digest. 

Due to changing tastes and a 

healthier consumer, both cola 

brands have been in decline. 

Research firm IbisWorld has 

Both companies 

have made great 

investments over the 

years, they offer 

solid growing 

dividend yields, and 

both excel in a 

particular niche 

forecasted that per-capita soda 

consumption’s downward 

trend will continue with no end 

in sight. No matter how much 

money is spent on clever 

marketing, the overwhelming 

secular trend against sugary, 

calorie-filled carbonated 

beverages cannot be reversed. 

Shobanjo to lead discussion at NIMN investiture 

President, Tony Agenmonmen, in 

a contest that saw huge turn-out 

of members from different part of 

the country participating in the 

electoral process. 

Agenmonmen who had since 

assumed his new role is expected 

to embark on sweeping reforms 

that would restore integrity and 

dignity to the profession. 

Shobanjo, the enterprising 

businessman is unarguably one 

of the most respected 

professionals in the marketing 

communication industry for a 

number of reasons that include 

his knack for integrity and 

professionalism. 

Algorithem partners GroupM, to redefine media buying 

business 

ALGORITHEM Media, a media buying 

agency says it is partnering $810 billion 

billing agency, GroupM, to redefine media buying 

and planning business in Nigeria. 

The company which said it has been operating for a 

year now plans to take the industry by surprise with 

cutting edge technologies in the media buying segment 

of the integrated marketing communications, IMC, 

landscape. Mr. Seni Adetu, Founder/Chief Executive 

Officer, said at the formal unveiling of the company in 

Lagos, that the coming of the company will lift media 

buying business in Nigeria, while redefining the media 

buying and planning industry. 

He said the partnership with GroupM is not about 

the scale of the business GroupM does outside, but 

The new number game 

employed by both brands 

started late 2016 with a 

relatively new cola brand 

igniting the market to set both 

rival brands, Coke and Pepsi 

to re-strategise their 

marketing plans, when Big 

cola from the bottle line of Aje 

Group launched with a bigger 

PET which sold for N100. 

First, Pepsi responded with, 

‘Long Throat’ campaign to 

douse the threat posed by the 

new entrant, thus deploying 

stretched Pepsi bottle using 

images of music stars like 

Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Seyi 

Shay and others to attract 

consumers’ attention. The 

campaign which began with the 

popular Twitter campaign 

#ThingsILong-ThroatForWell, 

snowballed into a new 60cl 

Pepsi bottle a.k.a The Long 

Throat Bottle. Of course 

#ThingsILongThroatForWell 

campaign ignited a huge buzz 

on Twitter, trending all the way. 

But that is not all, the new 60cl 

Pepsi bottle is not only now 20 

percent bigger than the 

previous Pepsi bottle but it also 

still retails for the same price, 

this increase also applied to 

Mirinda, 7UP and Teem. Big 

Cola as crafty as it is entered 

the market with same price for 

increased bottle size, which 

sight eluded competition, a bait 

that invariably attracted 

patronage, because ‘consumers 

want more for less’, a well 

thought out strategic plan one 

would say, which paid off for the 

product. 

That aside, Coke on its part 

responded to the challenge of 

the new entrant late last year 

during the yuletide, a time the 

brand usually deploy 

campaigns to buy back loyalty. 

Consumers’ were not 

disappointed after all, until 

lately when it rejuvenated the 

share –a–coke–campaign that 

sold the brand like wide fire 

in the harmattan. In response 

to Big Cola’s challenge, Coca- 

Cola deployed even more 

exciting version of the Sharea-Coke 

campaign. ‘Share a 

Feeling’ The new campaign 

includes fun smiley that 

convey diverse emotions and 

messages on Coca-Cola and 

Coke Zero packs. The 

smiley also include popular 

Nigerian phrases that connect 

with everyone across 

boundaries, giving consumers 

an avenue to share their 

feelings with friends, family 

and even strangers. The 

company is partnering with 

popular rapper/comedian Falz 

in recognizing and ‘sharing a 

feeling’ with everyday 

Nigerians and influencers by 

delivering to them 

personalized Coke bottles 

with names and smiley. Some 

of the influencers who received 

their personalized Coke 

bottles include DJ Jimmy Jatt, 

TY Bello, Tekno, Cobhams, 

Chi-Gurl Kelechi Amadi-Obi 

etc. 

Speaking on the ‘Share a 

Feeling’ campaign, 

Marketing Director, Coca-Cola 

Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon 

had said, “The Yuletide period 

is perhaps the most exciting 

time of year for families, friends 

and neighbours. In the first 

Share a Coke campaign, we 

used the power of the first name 

in a playful way. With the 

Share a Feeling campaign. 

the partnership with Algorithem media. “It is all about 

the possibility it brings, the capability in terms of 

the training of its staff, capability about the tools 

that exist within GroupM worldwide that can be 

deployed into the Nigeria market. Our vision is to 

be the preferred media buying partner to key 

marketers in Nigeria, in that respect our focus 

should be the multinationals, but of course we are 

open to everybody,” he said. 

Given the economic challenges in Nigeria it’s 

going to be a journey where we will take one step 

at a time .The founder who said that it beats his 

imagination to hear that media buying agencies 

owe media houses promised that Algorithem Media 

will not be part of that legacy. 

BRIEFS 

O’Tudor to 

speak at NIDO 

leadership 

retreat 

PRINCIPAL Consultant 

of Adstrat Brand 

Management Consortium, 

Charles O’Tudor, will be 

speaking at this year’s 

Nigerians In Diaspora 

Organization (NIDO) 

conference tagged, 

‘Continental Europe 

Orientation and Leadership 

Retreat’ in Germany. 

Based on his pedigree in 

brand intelligence and 

advocacy, O’Tudor will be 

speaking on the topic ‘NIDO 

Brand and External Relations’. 

Among other things, he is 

expected to speak on the roles 

of Nigerians in the diaspora in 

rebranding Nigeria, rekindling 

the fire of patriotism in the 

nation with an unflinching love 

and loyalty to same. Other 

speakers include Mrs Abike 

Dabiri-Erewa (Senior Special 

Adviser to the President on 

Diaspora and Foreign Affairs), 

Sen. Rose Oko (Senate 

Committee on Foreign and 

Diaspora Affairs), Hon. Rita Orji 

(Chairperson House of Reps 

Committee on Diaspora 

Affairs), Mr. Ekpo Nta 

(Chairman Independent 

Corrupt Practices and Other 

Offences Commission (ICPC). 

Chivita, Hollandia 

win Best Brand 

Equity Awards 

2016 

CHIVITA, Holland from the 

production line of Chi 

Limited have won the bst brand 

equity award for 2016. 

The brands were recognised by 

Kantar Millward Brown, a research 

agency specialized in advertising 

effectiveness, strategic 

communication, media and brand 

equity research when it held its 

maiden edition of the Best Brand 

Equity Awards 2016 in Nigeria to 

recognize and honour some 

outstanding brands for the equity 

& consumer preference that they 

enjoy in the marketplace. 

Two of the brands earned the 

recognition in Juice, Nectar & 

Value Added Dairy products 

category and were honoured for 

their Outstanding Brand Equity 

and market leadership in their 

respective categories. Chivita won 

the Best Brand Equity Award in 

the Juices and Soft drinks Category, 

while Hollandia emerged winner 

of the Best Brand Equity Award in 

the Dairy category. “Speaking, 

Head of Marketing, Chi Limited, 

Probal Bhattacharya said that 

“Building strong brand equity 

cannot happen without a thorough 

understanding of the consumer 

and a deliberate decision to satisfy 

and exceed their expectations.


Massive job declines hit manufacturing sector 

By Franklin Alli 

JOBS creation in the 

manufacturing sector of 

the economy has been on the 

decline massively for two 

consecutive years (2015 – 

January 2017). 

Operators are blaming the 

job contractions on increasing 

hostile operating environment 

bedeviling the sector. Data 

obtained from the Statistics 

Department of Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, and 

Manufacturers Association of 

Nigeria (MAN), showed that 

jobs in the sector had been 

declining for 23 consecutive 

months. 

Beverage and 

tobacco sector 

Analysis of Manufacturing 

Purchasing Managers’ Index 

(PMI) for January 2017, 

released by CBN, revealed 

that of the sixteen sub-sectors, 

twelve recorded jobs declines 

during the period under 

review. 

The data further showed 

that the cement industry is 

leading the pack with -17.0 

per cent jobs drop as 

employment fell from 57.6 per 

cent to 40.4 per cent. 

Also, jobs in the Food, 

By Franklin Alli 

ACUTE shortages of 

industrial fuel such as 

low pour fuel (LPFO), 

automotive gas oil (AGO) and 

natural gas have retarded 

local cement production 

capacity to 20 million metric 

tonnes. 

The major producers are 

Dangote, Lafarge and BUA 

Group. 

According to Cement 

Manufacturers Association of 

Nigeria (CMAN) despite the 

massive investment in cement 

manufacturing by the 

producers in the last twelve 

years, local production is still 

peaking at 20 million metric 

tonnes from an initial 2.0 

million metric tonnes. 

CMAN said that although 

the combined installed 

capacities of these plants are 

over 28 million tonnes, their 

target is to deliver 40 to 50 

million metric tonnes by 2020, 

but added: “What can we do 

when there is no fuel oil and 

gas?” 

Investigations further 

revealed that due to the fuel 

shortages, Dangote Cement 

has slowed down its growth 

strategy in response to 

‘challenging’ markets in 

beverage and tobacco sector 

which stood at 54.9 dropped 

to 47.4 or -7.5 per cent; also, 

employment in Nonmetallic 

mineral products 

manufacturers, nosedived 

from an index point of 49.1 to 

42.9; representing -6.2 per 

cent. 

Likewise, jobs in the Paper 

products sector declined by - 

5 percent from 50.0 to 45. 0. 

Printing and related products 

also recorded drops in 

employment by -1.9 per cent, 

from 43.5 to 41.6; employment 

also contracted in the Textile, 

apparel, leather and footwear 

sector by -4.2 percent, from 

53.8 to 49.6. 

“The Manufacturing PMI 

stood at 48.2 index points in 

LPFO, gas shortage retard cement production 

capacity to 20 MMT 

Nigeria and the rest of Africa. 

The group now intends to 

focus on a five-year building 

programme to better balance 

funding and investment. 

Switching to coal power 

It was further learned that 

the company has switched to 

using coal at its cement plants 

across the country in response 

to disruption to gas supplies 

and to lower input costs. 

The company reported that 

its fuels costs rose by 32.3 

percent to $14.4/t in 2016. 

The cement producer intends 

to use 12,000t/day of coal. 

All our cement plants have 

been converted to coal," said 

owner, Aliko Dangote. 

Intermittent 

periods 

Similarly, Alhaji 

Abdulsamad Rabiu, the 

chairman of BUA Group, said 

its subsidiary, the Cement 

Company of Northern Nigeria 

(CCNN) was forced to shut 

down its Sokoto cement plant 

for intermittent periods in late 

2015 due to poor supplies of 

low pour fuel oil (LFPO) from 

the Kaduna refinery. 

He noted that imported 

inputs such as fuel, 

machinery, spare parts and 

gypsum would all affect the 

price of cemment. 

Also, Production managers 

at Lafarge Africa’s cement 

We are now 

using a mixture 

of gas and 

black oil for our 

operations, 

which is highly 

costly, and also 

drops our 

production from 

100 per cent to 

75 percent at 

the Ewekoro 

plant 

plants at Ewekoro and 

Sagamu, Ogun State have 

complained about poor 

supplies of gas. 

Segun Shoyoye and 

Hannes Diedericks said that 

January 2017, indicating a 

decline in the manufacturing 

sector during the review 

period. The index averaged 

45.2 in the last twelve months, 

and had grown in December 

2016 after recording declines 

for eleven consecutive 

months,” said CBN. 

Data from MAN, also 

showed that the aggregate 

the situation started in early 

2016 and has led to low 

production at the plants. 

"The major issue is lack of 

gas supply because of the 

blowing up of oil and gas 

pipelines by militants in the 

Niger Delta region. We are 

now using a mixture of gas 

and black oil for our 

operations, which is highly 

costly, and also drops our 

production from 100 per cent 

to 75 percent at the Ewekoro 

plant. This has been going on 

since February 2016,” said 

Shoyoye. 

He added that production 

at Sagamu stopped for six 

weeks in May 2016. 

Production has dropped from 

3000t/day to 1000t/day due to 

the issue. 

Lafarge Africa is currently 

sourcing alternative sources of 

energy for its cement plants. 

Vanguard further learned 

that Lafarge Africa has signed 

a $35million contract with 

Chinese company Rughn 

Power to build a 16MW captive 

power plant at its Ashaka 

cement plant in Gombe State. 

The lignite burning plant 

should provide a reliable 

energy source for the plant to 

increase its cement production 

capacity to 1Mt/yr. 

manufacturing jobs created in 

2014 and 2015 was 20, 535 jobs 

as against 53, 340 jobs created 

in the sector in 2013 alone. 

Carija 

Engineering to 

add value in 

construction 

industry 

By Godwin Oritse 

CARIJA Engineering 

Company says its 

entry into Nigerian 

construction sphere will add 

value to the industry. 

The company’s Chairman, 

Mr. Sheba Palama, disclosed 

this during the official 

opening of the company’s 

head office in Orhuwhorun, 

Udu Local Government Area 

of Delta. 

“Carija is a world class 

company in Spain; I decided 

to go into partnership with 

them to add value to the 

construction industry in 

Nigeria. Nigeria is a 

developing country; we need 

more companies to handle 

the infrastructural 

development in various 

areas. I decided to go into a 

joint venture so that our 

impact will be felt. 

Palama who had been in 

the oil and gas industry in 

the past 30 years, said he 

decided to divest because of 

the dwindling price of oil at 

the international market. “We 

are also going into quarry 

and farming as well, so that 

as we are constructing, we 

are also developing farming. 

Developing 

projects 

“One of the major problems 

is safety, but I told my foreign 

partners to forget about it 

because I am part of the 

system, the company will 

develop and the country is 

going to enjoy it,” he said. 

Palama said the company 

currently has four offices in 

Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja 

and Delta. Mr. Roberto 

Vazquez, the President, 

Carija Spain Global, said: 

“We are ready to collaborate 

in developing projects 

especially infrastructure in 

Nigeria and we will hit the 

ground strongly.” 

Chairman of the occasion, 

Mr. Eta Enahoro, said: 

“Carija is welcome to the 

construction environment in 

Nigeria and I pray for the 

success and collaboration 

with the ministry.” 

He urged youths in the 

community to create the 

enabling business climate for 

the company to thrive. “They 

should stop harassing 

companies in the name of 

“development fee,” he said.


I was mocked, 

stigmatised for 

having a cerebral 

palsy child 

—Amina Bello, Kogi First 

lady 

The wife of Kogi State Governor, Barrister Amina Oyize Bello, is the founder of Hayat 

Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, named after her first son, Hayatula 

Olarize Bello. 10-year-old Hayatula Olarize Bello was born a special child upon discovery 

that he has cerebral palsy 

Since his birth, Mrs. Bello has gone through a lot of trials such as stigmatisation for 

having a cerebral palsy child, starting from the immediate home and even as outsiders 

gather to whisper when the young Hayatula walks around. 

But rather than see this as an issue of discomfort, this astute woman displayed rare 

courage by turning her situation to advocacy and a voice for this set of special people.She 

kicked against situations where parents would lock children with cerebral palsy or other 

forms of deformities behind closed doors. 

According to her, “I had to come back home and that was how the whole thing started. 

When by the grace of God we found ourselves in the position of authority, I felt I found my 

calling and I couldn’t help but project the image of these hidden faces, where you go into 

some homes you have been visiting them for years you never knew there was a special 

child or maybe a child with a spinal cord injury; not just children with cerebral palsy. 

“Why don’t you take them to your church or your mosque as you go to every Sunday or 

Friday”, they say the religious leaders are not ready to accept them; people will feel they 

are not performing enough miracles or people will start looking down upon them or start 

calling them names.” 

Barrister (Mrs.) Bello spoke on the foundation and other burning issues with Chris 

Ochayi. 

Mrs. Anuli Obijiaku, School 

proprietress, Cuddly Kids, Amuwo- 

Odofin, Lagos. 

Valentine’s Day celebration is marked 

everyday in my home though, but 

February 14, each year is special in my 

house because it is my first child’s 

birthday. I do not believe Valentine’s 

day should be strictly a woman’s affair 

despite the fact that people believe 

buying gifts should be strictly a man’s 

thing. Despite the economic situation 

in the country, couples needed to 

unwind just to ease pressure. This, I 

think should not also be elaborate 

because no money in the country. 

Funke Osae-Brown, founder, The 

Luxury Reporter, an online portal. 

Valentines Day fell on a week day. I 

spent most of the working hour during 

the day attending to some official 

assignments in the office. Later in the 

evening, it was a mini celebration inhouse 

with my husband and children, 

popped a bottle of wine and unwind. 

For us in my family, everyday is 

Valentine’s Day because we share love 

among ourselves everyday. Love 

defines us, we live it. I believe 

Valentine’s Day should be a woman’s 

affair because women deserve to be 

Vox Pop 

celebrated more often. I don’t think men 

celebrate us enough 

Paulina Eje, Makurdi 

Valentine’s day should not be really 

centered around boy friend or girl friend. 

It is something you can still do on any 

other day. But if you are a lady and are 

in love with a guy and you feel you must 

show him you love him on a special day, 

you do not have to wait for him to make 

the first move. You could just surprise 

WHAT is the focus of 

Hayat Foundation? 

I have a son named Hayatula 

Olarize Bello. I gave birth to 

him sometime in 2007 and he 

has Cerebral Palsy. 

Initially, we didn’t know, we 

were just living in denial. 

We travelled from one 

country to the other, seeking 

solution and of course, we went 

through all those challenges 

Valentines Day: Strictly a woman’s affair? 

•Funke Osae-Brown 

•Egbunike Fidelia Obijiaku 

him. It spices up the relationship. 

Oluwole Asetoye, Warri 

Personally I took my wife out just to 

make her day. The major difference 

between this years Valentine’s 

celebration and the last was financial 

constraint. Having less money made it 

more fun because we had to think of 

exciting things to do. It has even made 

our love wax stronger. 

and discovered that he had 

Cerebral Palsy. 

But the major challenge was 

a society that was not 

accepting his kind. When we 

showed him too much love, 

people began to say that we 

must have used him for money 

rituals and when we don’t, it 

is like we are hiding him. 

I grew up with empathy for 

people and I love my son 

regardless; and my husband 

had to really put his feet down 

and insisted he is my first son. 

In a lot of ways, that gave me 

lots of peace and comfort. 

Eventually our journey took 

us to Kennedy Craig in the 

United States and Johns 

Hopkins respectively. 

Existence of 

the hospital 

There, not just the hospital 

but society was so loving and 

for the first time I realized there 

was nothing wrong with my 

son. We just found ourselves 

in a society that has not grown 

to that level. 

We thought of relocating at 

first but I got inspired by the 

story of the Kennedys’ and the 

Craigs’ which led to the 

existence of the hospital and 

the school in the first place and 

I felt if we all keep leaving 

Nigeria who will be the change 

maker. 

I had to come back home and 

that was how the whole thing 

started. When by the grace of 

God we found ourselves in the 

position of authority, I felt I 

found my calling and I 

Continues on page 26


I was mocked, 

stigmatised... 

—Amina Bello, Kogi First Lady 


couldn’t help but project the 

image of this hidden faces, 

where you go into some homes 

you have been visiting them for 

years you never knew there 

was a special child or maybe a 

child with a spinal cord injury; 

not just children with cerebral 

palsy. 

There are different special 

cases. Even when you ask 

them, why are they not in the 

family portrait they will tell 

you: “I don’t want people to 

start talking”. 

“Why don’t you take them to 

your church or your mosque as 

you go to every Sunday or 

Friday”, they say the 

religious leaders are not ready 

to accept them; people will 

feel they are not performing 

enough miracles or people will 

start looking down upon them 

or start calling them names. 

So we had to start this 

•Hayat Bello 

advocacy to try to re-orientate 

our people that it is not all 

cases that are via exorcism, 

some are just medically there— 

the same way we have black, 

white colourations; it’s the 

same way we have different 

children; and if parents are 

lucky to have healthy children 

all through, there are 

supposed to be a shoulder to 

lean on for parents that are not 

so fortunate. 

Training centre 

for therapists 

It doesn’t mean those 

parents that have special 

children have committed any 

wrong whatsoever. God is just 

testing them and your attitude 

to it will determine how far you 

will go. 

I have chosen to love my son. 

I want to be that face for 

parents that are ashamed of 

their ward and also for school 

owners that are quick to turn 

parents with special kids back 

for them to understand that 

they are just children. 

There are able bodied men 

that just go about their normal 

businesses and for accidental 

reasons they have spinal cord 

injuries and they have to learn 

how to walk, how to talk, how 

to live life all over again. 

Public places should make 

wheel chair accessible and 

every school should have 

special teachers in each and 

every class for special children. 

It’s not like I am not aware 

of severe cases that should be 

in institutions but mild cases 

should be in mainstream 

schools and every class all the 

way to the university should 

have a special teacher so that 

parents like me are not forced 

to segregate amongst our 

children. 

We are also working towards 

opening an institute that will 

focuse on severe cases, we also 

intend to have a training 

centre for therapists; for 

behavioral therapists, 

occupational therapists, 

physiotherapists so that 

teachers that have NCE can 

come for an additional 

programme, whereby they are 

equipped with this basic 

knowledge and schools can 

reach out to us for these 

teachers to have in their 

schools and also of course to 

find possible solutions causes 

and prevention of cerebral 

palsy. 

Is there any way there can 

be sponsorship of a Bill to 

make sure that the 

discrimination against these 

types of people take 

precedence? 

What we are trying to do is 

like a replica of what we have 

in Kennedy Craig and Johns 

By Josephine Agbonkhese, 

Anino Aganbi & Chris 

Onuoha 

IT’S been two days since St. 

Valentine’s Day celebration, 

but the euphoria still fills the air 

even as many wait patiently for 

the weekend to observe their 

own celebration. 

Valentine’s Day is a day set 

aside for the celebration of love 

and is observed almost across 

the globe even though it isn’t 

an official public holiday. It 

however took it roots from a 

Roman holiday called 

Lupercalia. 

The romantic practice dated 

back to the 5th century is in 

remembrance of a Christian 

martyr called St. Valentine. It is 

associated with red colour and 

an alluring red rose flower. 

Subsequently, the celebration 

has gone beyond normal 

observation to something of a 

social attraction with parties, 

festivals and even seminars. 

Some corporate and public 

organizations usually adorn 

their offices with roses while 

staff wears full red clothing or 

‘a peck of red’ as Valentine’s 

Day fashion. Churches also 

organize youth programmes to 

educate and redirect the minds 

of youths from the only 

perceived erotic love practice to 

platonic feelings towards one 

another. Some offices also 

organize small get together 

events, sometimes with 

balloted name picking for gifts 

sharing and so on. 

In the face of evolving 

technology, the popular rush for 

well designed custom-made 

cards has been replaced with 

internet generated love cards 

sent via social media platforms 

while other means of 

celebration are curtailed 

through whatsapp and 

Facebook platforms. 

However, this year’s Val 

celebration is assumed to have 

been affected by the economic 

situation Nigeria is passing 

through. 

Woman’s Own took time out 

Hopkins. We want a situation 

where people can come from 

all over Africa to get quality 

education for your ward if they 

have special cases. We are 

going to have even boarding 

facilities for such children. To 

that extent we don’t intend to 

restrict it to Kogi State. 

Even our religious and 

traditional leaders, we’ve 

been working with them to try 

and re-orientate them so they 

don’t feel like as an Imam your 

followers will look down upon 

you because you allowed 

special people come into the 

mosque to pray; or as a pastor 

your followers look less at you 

that you perform less miracles 

just because you have special 

people come in to the church. 

We are all God’s children. 

Were there situations where 

people tried to use this to 

What’s your owo 

Bimbo Akintola 

make mockery of you 

because we are in a society 

where things like that can’t be 

ruled out? 

The mockery is crazy and it 

made lot of parents develop all 

forms of depression. I have 

been advised to inject my son 

for instance. Some say why not 

take him to the village? 

For other people it is easier 

for them to live in denial but 

we were not brought up that 

way and today we celebrate 

him even his siblings are 

looking out for him, 

supporting him just because 

we made it so and my husband 

to a large extent really helped 

in this regard. He said this is 

the will of Allah and we all 

learnt to embrace Hayat and 

today we are better for it as a 

people. 

In America I was eager to go 

and whenever we go out either 

to know some people’s 

thoughts about the celebration. 

It’s not just for intimate 

lovers—Bimbo Akintola 

Talking to Woman’s Own, 

Bimbo Akintola, Nollywood 

actress said, “Valentine, to me, 

is simply a period of love and 

showing love to everyone, not 

just your boyfriend or girlfriend 

but for everyone including 

family members and friends too. 

My special Valentine for this 

to shop or to stroll in the park 

I always come back home 

burning with tears of joy. I 

must have lost count of people 

who walked up to us saying 

‘Hello, cute boy, how are 

you?.’ Some start singing nice 

songs to him; if we are in an 

elevator and there is a button 

to press, somebody will just 

oblige out of nowhere to press 

it and when we are to enter an 

elevator we are given first right 

at all times. 

Singing of 

nice songs 

Some parents told me they 

wish they were Hayat’s birth 

parents and when I asked why, 

they said government will 

make so many things easy for 

you because they know you 

have a lot to do. It’s really not

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 27 

wn n Val story? 

Toyin Ohio-Alegbe 

People do not need any special day to 

do what they want to do. Val or no Val, 

immorality is going on everyday. To 

some people, it is an opportunity to 

commit immoral act among youths and 

some adults of like minds 

year was my mum. I showered 

all the love to my mum whom I 

believe deserved it.” 

Bimbo also noted that though 

the economy is hard and biting, 

Nigerians still remain happy 

people. “Nigerians are happy 

people. They will always find a 

way to celebrate regardless of 

the situation. We will still 

celebrate even if it requires 

drinking soaked gari,” Bimbo 

said. 

It’s a time for 

reflection—Toyin Ohio- 

Alegbe 

Also sharing her views was 

Toyin Ohio-Alegbe, a socialite, 

TV personality and owner, HEV 

Communications, who, in her 

blunt comments, described 

Valentine’s Day as a celebration 

of love and sacrifice with or 

without financial attachment to 

it. 

She said: “Valentine’s Day, 

we all understand, means 

love and sacrifice. Yes, it’s 

okay to celebrate the day 

and with the economic 

situation in the country, 

it’s still worth 

celebrating. Although, 

it’s not about love being 

celebrated or situation 

commanding it either 

way. In the country now, 

people are celebrating 

every day—proposing 

and throwing lavish 

wedding parties here and 

there, buying exotic cars and 

building magnificent houses 

every day. If people think they 

have the money to go on 

holidays, picnics or throw 

parties in the name of Valentine, 

it is okay so long they don’t go 

borrowing or breaking banks to 

do it. 

Sometimes, some may go as 

far as collecting bribes in their 

workplace or doing nefarious 

things in the name of satisfying 

their loved ones on a day like 

this. I think it is not good, it is 

rather selfish. Valentine 

ideology does not imply a period 

to overdo, rather, it is a time to 

reflect, experience and share 

the true meaning of love. Love 

goes with sacrifice and if you 

are principled, able and 

capable to celebrate it, however 

minimally, why not? For me, 

Valentine should be every day. 

February 14 is set aside for it 

but for me, it should be timeless 

and daily. It must not be 

expensive but should be 

observed in what it represents.” 

Attitude towards Valentine: 

Talking about the attitude of 

people towards Valentine 

celebration with regard to its 

moral effects, Ohio-Alegbe 

blurted that people are bound 

to engage in immorality, with 

or without Val. 

“People do not need any 

special day to do what they 

want to do. Val or no Val, 

immorality is going on 

everyday. To some people, it is 

an opportunity to commit 

immoral acts prevalently 

among youths and some adults 

of like mind. 

Sharing of goodwill 

messages 

However, if we go by the real 

meaning of St. Valentine’s Day 

and what it stands for, there’s 

so much to benefit. It’s a time 

to renew your love vow, affection 

to someone and share gifts and 

goodwill messages too. You 

could also use the period to 

network and broker businesses 

through sharing of goodwill 

messages, greeting cards or 

exotic gifts as your resources 

can carry. 

“For the record, one’s 

Valentine does not have to be a 

lover. My mother can be my 

Valentine. A lot of people don’t 

see it like that. My siblings or 

family member or even an 

extended relation can be my 

Val. Even domestic quarrels or 

an issue with someone can be 

resolved using Valentine as a 

tool for that. But many people 

who perhaps do not really 

understand the meaning seem 

to see it as a time to take 

someone to bed and fulfill an 

urge.” 

A Catholic priest, Rev. Father 

Michael Eteghene, however 

emphasized the need to define 

what kind of love is being 

celebrated in the name of 

Valentine’s Day. 

“From the main proponent of 

this celebration, St. Valentine 

himself, it is clear that he was 

just doing his own thing as a 

child of God with gospel values 

and with the two greatest 

commandments – love of God 

and love of neighbors, through 

charitable means and other 

things. We know that in the 

spirit of this, people celebrated 

with exchange of gifts, cards 

and love in true sense of the 

word love, but overtime, these 

have changed. 

“Now, people have a way of 

socializing it and removing the 

Christian values from it. So, 

what you hear more about is the 

social aspect – people hanging 

out with their girl or boyfriends. 

Those who are practicing it in 

the real sense are few. However, 

it is not supposed to be February 

14 alone but all time 

celebration,” he said. 

Valentine in 

recession 

Indeed Valentine’s Day has 

become more of a social 

celebration, even requiring 

ridiculous amounts of money to 

celebrate these days. The 

present economic situation in 

the country has therefore made 

it nearly impossible for many to 

celebrate due to their 

understanding of the 

celebration. 

Father Eteghene however 

affirmed that love could be 

celebrated with or without 

money. 

“Of course you need money 

to buy gifts but in the absence 

of that, you can render help by 

other means. Prayers and 

emotional care do not require 

money. Although, economy 

has a role to play in anything 

we do, the most important 

thing. 

an issue over there. 

The schools we go to are 

eager to prove to me they can 

look over Hayat, they can bring 

out the best in him- in fact they 

pick on him more in a positive 

way but the reverse happens 

to be the case in Nigeria. 

Maybe the mild one will say 

sorry we don’t have facilities 

for him, some will just tell me 

straight on that parents will 

start withdrawing their kids if 

they should take him. As a 

parent those ones are even 

more painful than the day to 

day experience with my 

son. 

Is it not possible to 

criminalize such actions? 

Abroad, I interacted with 

some of my son’s doctors and 

that is how I got some 

inspiration and they said to me 

that once upon a time in 

America, it was like that, and 

if indeed you go through some 

of their old videos you will 

notice that there was stigma 

over there, but as a people they 

were consistent in voicing it 

out. 

Like the story about the 

Kennedy Craig, what they told 

me was that the Kennedys had 

a child with a special need 

and the Craig was a scientist 

and had all the inventions over 

what and what to do because 

they were in a place of 

authority and had the means 

as well. 

They were able to partner 

Craig in making Kennedy 

Craig what it is today and 

overtime, people started 

donating to that effect and now 

the school is massive, the 

hospital is massive, people 

now travel all over the world 

to that place. 

If you look at some other 

West African countries like 

The schools we go 

to they are eager to 

prove to me they 

can look over 

Hayat, they can 

bring out the best 

in him- in fact they 

pick on him more 

in a positive way 

but the reverse 

happens to be the 

case in Nigeria 

Ghana for instance, you will 

notice that they are just 

catching up with us in so many 

areas even in the 

entertainment industry and of 

recent the incident in Gambia, 

as a country we went through 

it sometime ago during the 

military era. I feel the same 

thing is happening in this 

area. Somebody has to 

advocate, that person needs to 

be consistent and gradually 

something is hitting your hard 

strong perception, gradually 

there is something in you 

when next you see a special 

child you begin to have a new 

orientation again and you will 

probably talk to somebody. I 

feel it’s a gradual process and 

we will get there someday 

God willing. 

For parents out there who 

have similar children, what 

message of hope do you have 

for them, particularly on how 

to access the foundation? 

They have to embrace whom 

they are and embrace their 

child regardless. There is 

something in that child; that 

child has come to this world for 

a purpose. They should stop 

wallowing in pain and selfpity. 

When people are 

pressing or stigmatizing them 

they shouldn’t hold it against 

them because they don't know 

any better. If they can take out 

time to talk to them, fine, if not 

you shouldn’t discriminate 

against them. 

In reaching out to us of 

course, we have got our face 

book page, we have our 

various numbers, we have our 

website and they also see my 

stories. The name of the 

foundation is Hayat 

Foundation. The website is 



I was mocked, stigmatised...— Amina Bello, Kogi First lady 


basically inspirational 

We are working with some 

international bodies, which 

use wheelchairs, standing aid, 

walking aid for children, 

because when kids out grow 

certain wheel chairs, of course, 

it becomes useless to them, 

because they have to get a 

bigger one. They bring to us 

and in turn we give it out. 

Once their child outgrows it 

they have to return it so that 

we can give to some other 

persons that equally need it. 

We also partner with some 

people that sell wheel chairs 

locally here. When you go 

round you will never see wheel 

chairs for children and it is still 

part of the denial. 

We have been talking to 

them that there are children 

who need them, that is the 

reason why some of them are 

usually on the floor because 

there are no wheel chairs for 

them. 

We come up with 

programmes depending on 

what is peculiar at that point 

in time to just be a shoulder to 

lean on for each other. 

Since you started this 

programme, how many of 

such cases have you been able 

to attract either through the 

websites, through outreaches 

and other forms of 

sensitization? 

People do inbox messages to 

us, most parents are still 

scared, maybe because of 

stigma to come out publicly. 

Usually, I don’t choose urban 

areas, I go to rural areas. For 

FCT, I normally chose the 

suburbs and that explains the 

few places we’ve visited. 

Doctors and 

physiotherapists 

Our target most times is to 

just bring smiles to those 

children and let the home that 

takes care of them, the care 

givers, know that there is 

someone out there looking out 

for them and since then we 

have engaged our doctors and 

physiotherapists, they have 

been visiting them on a weekly 

basis to teach the caregivers 

how to do various 

physiotherapy with those 

children because when we got 

there we discovered that some 

of them had not taken their 

bath for so many days. 

Some had nothing on, some 

of them were on the floor. 

Partly why it is like that is 

because most people that have 

or those in authority do not 

really want to go to that area. 

It can be emotionally 

draining. 

In western world those are 

the people that come first. I 

had to care for them and of 

•Amina Bello 

course I had to have to my 

team visit them every week. 

There was a particular time, 

we discovered that the drugs, 

Most women have 

been sent out of 

their matrimonial 

home just because 

they have special 

children; most 

people come up to 

say we have never 

seen this kind of 

thing in our family 

before, it must have 

been a witch and all 

sorts of names and 

before you know it 

she is out 

the food, so many things we 

took to them were not being 

used including the mattress, so 

we had to call the head there 

to order: Some of these things, 

by the time they know that 

people are watching now for 

these children, they tend to sit 

up on their own. 

If you are asked to draw a 

template for the government, 

what will be your 

recommendations to them? 

There is no better template 

than my own personal 

experience. It will start with 

legislation because there is no 

law, a backing that will show 

that there will be a penalty. 

When we talk about law 

people are quick to say it’s 

because she is a lawyer but 

unfortunately that is really how 

the society should work. 

Special 

people 

In other climes for instance, 

if you park in a parking lot 

meant for special people, you 

will be fined heavily and if for 

whatever reason you maltreat 

any special child, schools knew 

that they could be sued, just 

for discriminating against one 

special child. The first thing 

they do is to show you that this 

special child is more important 

to us and they will go into 

details, they will even show 

their different therapists. They 

are quick to make reference to 

Kennedy Craig or John 

Hopkins, if maybe they have 

any cause or encounter any 

challenge. I discovered that 

legislation is the key fact and 

of course making every road 

wheelchair accessible, it’s just 

as simple as that. 

Apart from seeing beggars in 

front of churches or mosques 

they are not really inside, you 

begin to wonder if they exist. 

Most women have been sent 

out of their matrimonial homes 

just because they have special 

children; most people come up 

to say we have never seen this 

kind of thing in our family 

before, it must have been a 

witch and all sorts of names 

and before you know it she is 

out. 

In essence will this 

legislation back it up that 

schools that discriminate 

against special children be 

shut down? 

Of course. Before you set up 

a school, the school should be 

first of all be accessible, you 

must have special therapists in 

each and every class and of 

course have a body from the 

special people’s community 

that will come and certify that 

all these things are in place 

before the school can 

ceremony. Subsequently in the 

event that parents have 

challenges with either 

proprietress or the head of any 

school as a result of one stigma 

or the other there will be a law 

that such person can take the 

case up. 

What is the source of your 

funding? 

We are depending on 

international organisations 

and of course some private 

organisations here, also some 

well-meaning Nigerians that 

are willing to and they have 

been helping in that regard. 

Your husband is the 

governor of Kogi State, what 

advice would you have for the 

governor in terms of 

empowering the women folk 

in the state? 

His Excellency Alhaji 

Yahaya Bello is very 

passionate about women’s 

needs and this is because he 

was for the most part of his 

life raised by his mum as he 

lost his dad at a very tender 

age. Naturally, he has 

empathy for women. In most 

of his programmes, he ensures 

they are carried along. 

As a country, we are going 

through challenging times and 

as a state we are also going 

through the same phase as a 

result of the reform going on 

particularly in the civil service 

and as you know Kogi state. 

So state for the most part, so it 

is really biting hard on a lot of 

us. 

Various 

programmes 

But I always advocate that we 

should be patient and of 

course be prayerful. I have 

also come up with various 

programmes in helping 

women like Poliatu in the 

different senatorial districts, 

there is this Igbira ei tu nu 

chenu popularly known by 

Yoruba sisters as aso oke. I 

have been helping in that 

regard, advocating and 

sensitizing our women to 

embrace it more, make it 

wearable and also produce 

quality materials. 

I do them by wearing them 

for the most part showing them 

to people that it is doable. To 

that extent we are able to create 

employment opportunities for 

our women. 

We also group women that 

we have helped with soft loans 

to start up their various 

businesses and there are some 

other groups that we have 

helped with borehole because 

in dry season they have to go 

far to fetch water and it’s not 

easy. Me in particular, 

growing up and going far to 

the stream to fetch water wasn’t 

easy, so I understood their 

challenges. We have also 

assisted schools with writing 

materials.


Nigeria, eight others to halve MNCH deaths by 2022 

By Sola Ogundipe 

NIGERIA and eight other 

countries have committed to 

halving maternal and newborn 

deaths in health facilities within 

the next 5 years. The other 

countries are Bangladesh, Cote 

d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, 

Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda – 

committed to halving preventable 

deaths of pregnant women and 

newborns in their health facilities. 

According to UNICEF, in 

Nigeria, 145 women die daily, as 

well as about 2,300 under-five 

year olds, representing a quarter 

of the total number of deaths of 

children under-five. 

In a statement released 

February 14, the World Health 

Organisation, WHO, said by 

working to improve the quality 

of care mothers and babies 

received in their health facilities, 

the countries will work through 

a new Network for Improving 

Quality of Care for Maternal, 

Newborn in conjunction with 

UNICEF and other partners. 

Strengthening 

capacity 

This Network aims to 

strengthen national efforts to end 

preventable deaths by 2030, as 

envisioned by the Every Woman 

Every Child Global Strategy for 

Women’s, Children’s and 

Adolescents’ Health. Countries 

will do that for example, by 

strengthening capacity and 

motivation of health professional 

to plan and manage quality 

improvement, improving data 

collection and increasing access 

to medicines, supplies, 

equipment and clean water. 

According to Director, WHO 

Department of Maternal, 

Newborn, Child and Adolescent 

Health, Dr Anthony Costello, 

“Every mother and infant 

deserves to receive the highest 

NIMR DG bags Africa’s icon of medical transformation 

award 

THE Director-General, Ni 

gerian Institute of Medical 

Research, NIMR, Professor 

Babatunde Salako has been 

honoured with the Africa Icon of 

Medical Transformation award by 

the African Students Union Parliament, 

ASUP. 

The award, presented in Lagos, 

according to ASUP, was in recognition 

of his commitment to effective 

healthcare service delivery in 


Presenting the award, ASUP 

Speaker, Abel Kewul described 

Salako as a leader that has dedicated 

his time and talents to serve 

the common good of mankind in 

accordance to the Pan –Africanism 

Ideology. 

Kewul said Salako is a purposeful 

leader, which has resulted in 

all facets of his specialty, especially 

with regards to administra- 

Valentine's & Condom Day Programme Flag off by Director General, National Agency for the Control 

of AIDS, NACA, with Management Staff of NACA, at the Silverbird Galleria, Abuja on Tuesday. 

quality of care when they access 

health facilities in their 

communities.” 

Through a global learning 

platform, the Quality of Care 

Network will build a community 

of health practitioners from the 

According to 

UNICEF, in 

Nigeria, 145 

women die daily, 

as well as about 

2,300 under-five 

year olds 

facility level and up to develop 

evidence-based, yet contextspecific, 

strategies to improve 

quality of care, harvest 

implementation ideas, and collect 

information and experiences 

about what is working. 

The nine countries in the 

Network have committed to 

identifying the actions they will 

take to improve quality of care and 

will work with partners to deliver 

the vision of quality that 

encompasses values of equity and 

dignity. 

To achieve this, governments 

will build and strengthen their 

national institutions, identify 

quality of care focal points at all 

levels of the health system, 

accelerate and sustain the 

implementation of quality-of-care 

improvement packages for 

mothers, newborns and children, 

and work with all groups involved 

to facilitate learning, knowledge 

sharing and accountability. 

Every year, worldwide, 303 000 

women die during pregnancy 

and childbirth, 2.7 million babies 

die during the first 28 days of life 

and 2.6 million babies are 

stillborn. Most of these deaths 

could be prevented with quality 

care during pregnancy and 

childbirth. 

Under WHO standards, the 

Prof Salako being presented with the Award by ASUP Speaker, Abel Kewul 

tive and medical services, management 

acumen, health sector the award would spur him to do more for 

amongst others. Responding, Salako said 

strategic development, qualitative 

healthcare delivery, training tinue to partner ASUP on reducing drug 

Nigeria and noted that NIMR would con- 

and research development, abuse. 

health facilities should have 

competent and motivated health 

professionals and the availability 

of essential resources, such as 

clean water, medicines, 

equipment, supplies and proper 

waste management. They also 

need functional referral systems 

between levels of care, access to 

functioning ambulances for 

emergency transportation, and 

information systems that collect 

adequate patient records, register 

births and deaths, and facilitate 

routine audits. 

Showcase your strengths, 

accomplishments Adewole tells 

hospital staff 

By Gloria Orogun 

THE Minister of Health, 

Professor Isaac Adewole has 

called on staff of Federal Teaching 

Hospitals and Centres across the 

country to market their strengths, 

capabilities and accomplishments 

in other to showcase the 

commitment of President 

Muhammadu Buhari led 

administration to 

providing quality 

healthcare to the 

people. 

Adewole gave this 

remark during a 

meeting with 

management staff of 

the Obafemi Awolowo 

University Teaching 

Hospital (OAUTH) in 

Ile-Ife. 

The Minister noted 

that he was impressed 

by the feats 

accomplished by the 

Centre. 

He said Nigerians 

are unaware of the 

capacities of the 

hospitals as all they 

are aware of are the 

unpleasant 

happenings such as 

incessant strikes. 

Pharmacy begins 

prostate cancer 

awareness 

A 

LAGOS-BASED 

pharmaceutical company, 

Superior Pharmacy, has 

announced plans to partner one 

of the General hospitals in 

Lagos on prostate cancer 

awareness. 

The company disclosed this at 

a media parley held during the 

week at its Head Office in Lagos. 

Speaking at the event, Vice 

President of Superior Pharmacy, 

Mrs. Harrison Ruth, said: “As a 

company, we are very much 

aware of our Corporate Social 

Responsibility and we have been 

doing something like that right 

from time. 

A few years ago, we donated 

defibrillator to the Federal 

Medical Centre in Kebbi State. 

And we also renovated the 

Pharmacy Department at the 

Island Maternity Hospital in 

Lagos. That is to tell you that our 

work knows no bound. 

This year, we are looking at 

working with a General Hospital 

in Lagos on prostate cancer 

awareness campaign as the 

disease is gradually becoming 

too common with people 

knowing little about it. We are 

also looking at donating inverters 

to a primary health center in 

Lagos here. One of our main 

purposes is to touch the lives of 

people.’’ 

“We under sell ourselves” said 

the Minister. “We have some of 

the finest brains you can find.” 

Adewole also pledged to work 

with the Chief Medical Director 

to project the hospital. He said 

that the Federal Government was 

working with Sterling Bank to 

document the capabilities of 

Federal Centres so that Nigerians 

know what they have and can do. 

Briefing the Minister earlier, 

the Chief Medical Director of the 

Centre, Professor Adetiloye noted 

that the hospital has been able to 

handle several cases, which 

Nigerians ordinarily go abroad to 

attend to. 

He said that the hospital has 

expertise for renal transplants and 

has trained many other hospitals 

on renal care. 

“We have provided over 600 

laparascopy surgeries, we have 

successfully separated Siamese 

twins and performed 14 open 

heart surgeries, in this facility we 

conduct total hip and knee 

replacement surgeries among 

others.” 

The Minister who was on an 

inspection visit to the facility, also 

commissioned a 50-bed 

Maternity Centre and a 

Pharmacy Complex completed by 

the institution.


Beko's intervention in the struggle for right 

to health in Nigeria 

By Femi Falana 

IN the 30s, 40s and 50s the 

Reverend Isaac Oladotun 

Ransome-Kuti and his wife, 

Olufunmilayo, were in the 

forefront of the struggle of the 

Nigerian people against British 

colonial autocracy. Their Abeokuta 

home served as the secretariat of 

the Nigerian Union of Teachers 

and the Nigerian Union of 

Women founded and led by the 

Kutis. Bekololari was born in 

1940 by the Kutis with a silver 

spoon. But like his elder brother, 

Fela, he never used the spoon. 

Early in life both of them were 

nurtured in the struggle against 

injustice and oppression. 

Both Beko and Fela witnessed 

the formation of the National 

Council of Nigeria and 

Cameroun in 1944. They also took 

part in the several street protests 

led by their mother which 

culminated in the abdication of the 

throne by the Alake, Oba Ladapo 

Ademola in 1947. The Alake had 

been accused of collaborating 

with the colonial forces to collect 

excessive taxation from the Egba 

people. Notwithstanding that they 

attended their mother’s primary 

school and the Abeokuta 

Grammar School headed by their 

father they enjoyed no 

preferential treatment. 

Preferential 

treatment 

Even though their father died 

while they were young their 

mother brought them up together 

with their elder brother, Olikoye 

and sister, Dolu. Beko read 

medicine at the University of 

Manchester while Fela studied 

music at the Trinity College, 

University of London. 

As undergraduates in the 

United Kingdom they took active 

part in the struggle for the 

decolonization of the African 

continent. Upon their return to 

Nigeria in the 60s Beko worked 

briefly in the civil service before 

setting up his own clinic at 

Mushin, a stone’s throw from 

Fela’s Kalakuta Republic. His 

involvement in the Nigerian 

Medical Association radicalized 

the erstwhile docile body. He was 

elected the Chairman of the Lagos 

Branch and later deputy President 

of the Nigerian Medical 

Association. He influenced the 

Nigerian Medical Association to 

compel government to fund the 

health sector in the 1980s. Not 

unexpectedly, he as victimized 

and detained on many occasions 

as he was always held vicariously 

liable for doctors’ industrial 

actions. 

Upon coming to the conclusion 

that the regular campaign for 

individual comrades who were 

detained without trial by military 

dictators was not sufficient Beko 

and other allies decided to 

establish the Committee for the 

Defence of Human Rights 

(CDHR). As its first president he 

laid a solid foundation for the 

human rights body. He also led 

the Campaign for Democracy, a 

coalition of human rights and prodemocracy 

organisations which 

effectively coordinated the 

campaign which culminated in 

the termination of military rule. 

He was detained by the Buhari 

and Babangida regimes while he 

was jailed by the Sani Abacha 

junta. 

When we were detained in 

Kuje prison in 1992 and 1993 the 

late Chief Gani Fawehiinmi SAN 

was always advising Dr. Beko 

Ransome-kuti to stop smoking to 

avoid possible cancer of the lung. 

As predicted, Dr. Ransome-kuti 

died of cancer of the long at the 

age of 65. Strangely, Chief 

Fawehinmi too died of cancer of 

the long at the age of 71. Both of 

them could have lived much 

longer if the country had efficient 

medical facilities. Now that Beko, 

Gani and other comrades are no 

longer with us the greatest tribute 

that we can pay them is to 

rededicate ourselves to the 

struggle 

against 

underdevelopment and the recolonization 

of Nigeria by 

imperialism. The progressive 

extraction of the civil society must 

quickly link up intervene to arrest 

the on-going descent to anarchy 

As undergraduates 

in the United 

Kingdom they took 

active part in the 

struggle for the 

decolonization of the 

African continent. 

Upon their return to 

Nigeria in the 60s 

Beko worked briefly 

in the civil service 

before setting up his 

own clinic at Mushin, 

a stone’s throw from 

Fela’s Kalakuta 

Republic 

and chaos by mobilizing 

Nigerians to take their political 

destiny in their own hands. This 

will require the urgent formation 

of a broad political movement of 

all progressive and democratic 

forces led by the labour 

movement. One of the immediate 

tasks of the movement is the 

launching of a campaign for the 

Health condition of President 

Buhari. Last year, President 

Buhari announced that he was 

proceeding on medical leave to 

•Late Beko Ransome-Kuti 

treat ear infection in the United 

Kingdom. In line with Section 45 

of the Constitution the President 

handed over powers to the Vice 

President. 

The nation wished the 

President well but not a few 

Nigerians called on the federal 

government to fix the local 

hospitals. Although the President 

announced that he would 

undergo another medical checkup 

during a 10-day vacation in 

the UK there have been wild 

speculations over his state of 

health. Some mischievous people 

have rumored the death of the 

President. The leave has since 

been extended on the advice of 

the President’s doctors. 

Another medical 

check-up 

No doubt, a full disclosure of 

the President’s state of health 

would have put paid to the 

speculations but no law has been 

violated by the presidency. 

Indeed, Section 14 of the Freedom 

of Information Act excludes 

disclosure of the medical record 

of any citizen. However, there can 

therefore be no justification for the 

action of some irresponsible 

Continues from Tuesday 

THE duty of the government 

to prevent the use of force 

was emphasised in the case of 

Attorney-General of Lagos v. 

Attorney-General of the 

Federation (2004) 18 NWLR (PT 

904) 1 at 53 by the late Justice 

Niki Tobi when he said: 

“The courts are available to 

accommodate all sorts of 

grievances that are justiciable in 

law and section 6 of the 

Constitution gives the courts 

power to adjudicate on masters 

between two or more competing 

parties. In our democracy all the 

Governments of this country as 

well as organizations and 

individuals must kowtow to the 

due process of the law and this 

they can vindicate by resorting 

elements who 

have used the 

social media to 

announce the 

death of the 

President. 

However, this is not 

surprising since 

one of them had 

actually published 

an advertorial 

during the 

electioneering 

campaign wherein 

he predicted that 

the President 

would die in office! 

In the obituaries 

published daily in 

our newspapers 

our loved ones 

usually die after a 

“brief illness” that 

is never disclosed. 

Majority of African people were 

surprised when the late President 

Mandela announced that his first 

son had died of HIV. When Fela 

Anikulapo-Kuti died of HIV in 

1997 his children were 

strenuously opposed to the 

decision of his elder brother, 

Professor Koye Ransome-kuti to 

announce the cause of the death. 

As he could not convince his 

nephews and nieces the former 

minister of health assured them 

that he would not announce the 

cause of their father’s death but 

that of his own brother! Thus, at 

the press conference held by 

Professor Ransome-kuti at the 

Afrika Shrine at Ikeja, Lagos he 

tersely said, “Gentlemen of the 

press, I wish to disclose that my 

brother, Fela Anikulapo-kuti, who 

I loved dearly has just died of 

complications arising from HIV/ 

AIDS.” 

Until the authoritative 

pronouncement of Professor 

Ransome-kuti majority of 

Nigerian youths never believed 

that HIV was real. Although the 

dangerous disease has claimed 

thousands of lives no other family 

has had the courage to emulate 

the example of Mandela and 

Ransome-kuti. 

Indeed, many families whose 

loved ones are killed by the 

disease or cancer it is always a 

case of the “enemies have done 

their worst.” The same hypocrisy 

is demonstrated when people are 

sick. Hence, it is not uncommon 

for Nigerians to say that they are 

strong when they are indisposed. 

The Biblical injunction is a 

justification for promoting the 

superstitious belief that it is a taboo 

to disclose one’s state of health. 

On a very serious note our 

experience as a nation calls for 

an amendment of the 

Constitution so that the medical 

reports on the state of health of 

contestants are submitted to the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission. Having regard to 

the unprecedented scale of 

looting of public treasury by the 

ruling class the mental state of 

contestants has to be examined 

by psychiatrists. 

Parlous state of 

medical facilities 

Accordingly, the Freedom of 

Information Act should be 

amended to allow interested 

members of the public to obtain 

medical records of public officers. 

The right of Nigerians to 

health: Instead of wasting 

precious time over the state of 

health of the President we should 

join issue with the State over the 

parlous state of medical facilities 

in the country. 

In other words, the Nigerian 

people should take advantage of 

the President’s health to demand 

the provision of adequate funds 

to fix our hospitals which General 

Buhari and his colleagues 

described as consulting clinics in 

1984. The President should be 

made to know that the consulting 

clinics have since become 

mortuaries for the masses. 

The practice of allowing poor 

citizens to die of preventable 

diseases while top public officers 

and rich private citizens are 

allowed to travel abroad for 

medical treatment can no longer 

be justified. In line with the letter 

and spirit of the National Health 

Act, 2014 public officers should 

no longer allowed to travel 

abroad for medical treatment at 

public expense. 

The legal right of Nigerians to protest against government 

to the courts for redress in the 

event of any grievance.” 

It has been confirmed that some 

of the demolitions were carried out 

while cases challenging the 

validity of demolition notices were 

being challenged in the Lagos 

High Court. Even under a 

military dictatorship the 

government was called to order 

in the case of The Military 

Governor of Lagos state v Chief 

Emeka Ojukwu (1986) 4 NWLR 

(PT 18) 621 when the Supreme 

Court said: 

“In the area where the rule of 

law operates, the rule of self-help 

by force is abandoned. Nigeria 

being one of the countries in the 

world, even in the third world 

which proclaims to operate under 

the rule of law, there is no room 

for rule of self-help by force to 

To be concluded tomorrow. 

operate... the rule of law means 

that disputes as to the legality of acts of 

government are to be decided by Judges 

who are wholly independent of the 

executive.” 

In the light of the foregoing, it is 

submitted that the demolition of houses 

carried out by the Lagos State 

Government without a court order is 

illegal and unconstitutional. If the victims 

seek legal redress the Lagos state 

government is liable to pay special, 

general and aggravated damages. 

Perhaps the attention of the government 

ought to be drawn to the damages of 

N166 billion awarded by the Federal 

High Court against the Federal 

Government in three separate 

judgments over the wilful destruction and 

demolition of houses during the military 

invasions of Odi, Zaki Biam and 

Gbaramotu. 

Concluded tomorrow.

Trump’s early gambit on Nigeria 

WHEN the news came that 

the newbie US President, 

Donald Trump, would call his 

ailing Nigerian counterpart, 

President Muhammadu Buhari, 

at exactly 3.45pm on Monday 

13 th February 2017, I was very 

expectant for several reasons. 

If the conversation took place, 

then it meant our President was 

not on a life support machine as 

rumoured. Well, you could not 

blame the rumour mongers 

because Buhari himself and his 

handlers fed the mill with 

adequate fuel by refusing to 

provide concrete and reliable 

information on the state of his 

health. Since Trump called 

Buhari, speculations about his 

health have died down, leaving 

us to look at the more helpful, 

concrete issues of what they 

discussed and their implications 

for our country. 

The call also put paid to the 

rumoured icy disposition of 

President Trump to President 

Buhari which, some alleged, was 

responsible for Buhari’s noninvitation 

to the Trump 

inauguration. Trump has 

demonstrated a proactive 

commitment to make America 

safer by tackling radical Islamic 

terrorism across the globe. That 

THE former Governor of Delta State, 

Chief James Ononife Ibori, could be 

a metaphor for the Nigerian politician – 

sometimes embraced and loved by all; and 

at other times, wanted by none and 

despised by all. 

It is difficult to resist the temptation to 

declare Ibori an instant hero of his people. 

But going ahead to declare him an outright 

hero is equally risky, given our firm stand 

against corruption – a thief is still a thief, 

even where he turns over the entire 

proceeds of his thievery to the altar of God. 

Truly, this piece would have been most 

undeserving if it was intended to get 

people out to welcome Ibori back home; or 

if it was intended to dissuade people from 

coming out to welcome him. But this has 

the opposite effect – it is a post-mortem 

that is more in the character of “If you see 

something, say something”. What have we 

seen on Ibori over the years? 

The question is no longer whether Ibori 

was corrupt in office; it is a question of 

how much. The accurate amount remains 

a matter for conjecture. However, there is 

a standing estimation that in their time, 

Niger Delta Governors, not excluding 

Ibori, constructively looted not less than 

75 percent of their States resources. 

In a single entry, Premium Times asserts, 

“At a cost average of N10 million per unit, 

the nearly N40 billion the former Governor, 

James Ibori, recently admitted to stealing 

between 1999 and 2007could have rolled 

back a minimum of 4,000 houses”. 

Delta is one of the most enlightened 

States throughout the Federation. It cannot 

be said that the people were unaware that 

they were being ripped-off. Yet, they love 

Ibori most passionately – to the extent that 

many would be willing to go to prison in 

his stead; and many would be willing to 

die so that Ibori could live. 

was what informed his so-called 

Muslim travel ban, and that is the 

main motivator for his early phone 

call to President Buhari. 

After commending our 

President for the progress made 

in eliminating Boko Haram and 

rescuing the Chibok Girls, Trump 

promised to sell military 

equipment to Nigeria to boost our 

anti-terror war. He then invited 

Buhari to Washington, which 

means he, too, may visit us to 

revive the strategic partnership 

with Nigeria. 

Indeed, the Nigeria – US 

alliance suffered mortal blows 

under the Barack Obama 

presidency, despite the 

unquantifiable emotional 

investment Nigerians, as with the 

rest of the global Black 

community, wasted on the first 

ever Black American president. 

Obama visited Africa twice and 

refused to come to Nigeria. 

Unlike his two immediate White 

predecessors: Bill Clinton and 

George HW Bush, who 

reciprocated Nigerian presidents’ 

state visits to America, Obama 

played us the “don’t dirty” card. 

Apart from that, it was during 

Obama’s tenure that America, our 

biggest crude oil customer, 

stopped buying Nigerian oil, 

Ibori: Hero or villain? 

When Ibori returned to Nigeria recently 

after about seven years incarceration forays 

abroad, he got the type of reception that 

no Nigerian Head of State has ever 

received. And this came in spite of the fact 

that many had written and spoken of the 

folly in coming out to welcome him; as it 

were, coming out to celebrate a criminal. 

On his arrival in Nigeria, crowd control 

provided a major problem for security 

agencies. The original plan was for him to 

To the extent that Ibori 

provides a good example 

of how not to neglect the 

people, we have no 

hesitation whatsoever in 

casting our vote for him 

as the people’s hero 

fly from Nnamdi Azikiwe International 

Airport, Abuja, straight to Osubi Airport in 

Warri, Delta State. Information revealed 

that as early as 10 a.m. the Osubi Airport 

area was already clogged up with human 

traffic. 

It then became necessary to quickly 

change the flight arrangement and that 

was how Ibori ended up at the Benin City 

Airport from where he travelled by road to 

his home town, Oghara, the Headquarters 

of Ethiope West Local Government Area. 

On arrival at Oghara, human movement 

literally came to a halt and it was said that 

if you threw up a seed of alligator pepper, 

it had no landing space on the ground. 

And because of the large crowd, Ibori’s 

entourage could hardly disembark when 

they finally meandered their way to Ibori’s 

which helped in plunging our 

economy into the current 

recession. Granted, Obama was 

pursuing his American energy 

independence policy which 

yielded fruit in the shale oil and 

other techy breakthroughs in oil 

production, still America bought 

oil from Saudi Arabia but 

boycotted us. 

Obama’s America also not only 

refused to sell crucial military 

The next question 

now is: how will 

President Trump 

supply arms to 

Nigeria to contain 

our Boko Haram 

terror challenges, 

since the Leahy Law 

is still very much 

operational? 

equipment to enable us defeat 

Boko Haram when it became a 

monster of global proportions, 

America actually covertly and 

overtly sabotaged Nigeria and 

frustrated our efforts to procure 

arms from alternative sources. 

This was what led us to turn to 

Russia to buy the arms which 

were used for the six-week surge 

to confine Boko Haram to 

Sambisa Forest. President Buhari 

later inherited these arms to 

remove the terrorists from the 

Forest. 

Most Nigerians were at a loss 

why our supposed “Black 

brother” President of the United 

States would take such hostile 

steps against the largest Black 

nation on earth and a stabilising 

military force on the African 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, , 2017—31 

continent. The only obvious 

explanation was the fact that 

Nigeria’s President, Dr. Goodluck 

Jonathan, signed the bill 

outlawing homosexuality on 14 th 

January 2014; a measure for 

which Obama’s America and 

other Western countries openly 

threatened our country with dire 

consequences. 

The then American Ambassador 

to Nigeria, James Entwistle, who 

had just been reposted from the 

Congo in October 2013, became 

an unabashed stumbling block in 

our anti-terror war. America footdragged 

in classifying Boko 

Haram as a terrorist group, 

ignored the fact that they were 

slaughtering Nigerians like 

chickens and instead demonised 

Nigerian troops for alleged 

human rights violations. This 

helped to dampen the morale of 

our fighting forces. 

To top it all, Obama dredged up 

the Leahy Law, which forbids the 

sale of crucial military equipment 

to countries that, but his 

judgement, allegedly violated 

human rights. Nigeria thus 

became one of eleven countries 

so affected by this controversial 

Law. 

Ambassador Entwistle ended 

his ignominious service in Nigeria 

with false accusation of our 

lawmakers who participated in a 

leadership programme in 

America, for which America has 

been slapped with a billion Dollar 

lawsuit by the aggrieved 

members of our House of 

Representatives, Hons. Samuel 

Ikon, Mark Gbillah and 

Mohammed Gololo. 

Many Nigerians are strongly 

convinced that Obama, who also 

dethroned President Muammar 

Ghadaffi (and thus potentiated the 

military might of the Boko Haram 

house. 

If some 

f o r m e r 

Governors 

who stole like 

Ibori did, had 

to quietly 

return home in 

total infamy 

after service; 

and you have 

Ibori’s return being celebrated in grand 

style, then, Ibori must have something 

going for him. He, therefore, becomes a 

special research subject. That’s our major 

point of interest. 

It would be recalled that with its entire 

arsenal, Ibori was one man that the 

Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, could not arrest. Only 

God knows where the timbers came from. 

Oghara youths used them to block every 

available route to Ibori’s place. As it were, 

they beat EFCC to its own game. 

Hitherto, Oghara was an outpost for 

crayfish, “kpokpo garri” and edible worm 

market. Ibori came and turned things 

around; and that was how Oghara got 

transformed into a modern city with a 

Teaching Hospital, a University, a 

Polytechnic, non-stop water and electricity 

supplies, sprawling private industrial 

complexes, fantastic network of roads, etc. 

Truly, governance is about human needs, 

the satisfaction of which is sole justification 

for government. There are obvious 

limitations. The truth remains that what is 

good for the goose is also good for the 

gander. That explains why people from 

other parts of Delta State would also want 

to be treated like Oghara people. 

Again, there is a thriving Nigerian 

phenomenon, which is passed to the 

elected official even before his 

inauguration. He is quickly reminded that 

he is passing this way only once so 

anything he has to do must be done now. 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Islamists), sabotaged and 

weakened Jonathan as a reprisal 

for the anti-gay law. Some even 

accused Obama of playing other 

under-the-table roles for the 

change of government in 2015. 

The next question now is: how 

will President Trump supply arms 

to Nigeria to contain our Boko 

Haram terror challenges, since 

the Leahy Law is still very much 

operational? The answer is not 

farfetched. Every regime in 

America pursues its agenda in 

line with its campaign promises 

to the people. Obama pursued an 

extreme, everything-goes 

libertarian agenda. 

Trump is not just a conservative 

president; he is also a nationalist 

who has postulated that every 

country has the right to protect 

its core interests just as he would 

push an “America first” agenda. 

This will surely reflect in his 

ideological disposition to laws 

and rules, such as the Leahy Law. 

He may decide that the Nigerian 

Army is not violating human 

rights by protecting its citizens 

against Islamic terrorists like 

Boko Haram, or that such alleged 

abuses have been stopped. 

What we need from our foreign 

friends and partners is not the 

foisting of odious and abominable 

foreign values on us. I don’t even 

care if America severely cuts 

down the number of our people 

streaming there. I strongly 

believe that America will be safer 

if it supports terror-prone foreign 

countries to fight their own battles. 

That is all we need. We can 

handle the rest. 

President Trump is a leader after 

my heart. If he continues to play 

the Trump Card with Nigeria and 

repair the broken links of the 

Obama years, then it will be good 

riddance to the Obama rubbish! 

Besides, he is told that he may not steal 

but he must also not return empty-handed. 

The Iboris of this world may be impelled 

by this to improve the lots of the entire 

States; but because they are engaged in a 

race against time and limited resources, 

they find themselves starting from their 

small cocoons. 

The framers of our Constitution foresaw 

this when they provided for Federal 

Character and geographical spread of 

appointments and elections, including 

those of Chief Executives, in Section 14(3) 

of the Constitution. The underpinning 

here is that if every elected official 

represents his area well, the entire state 

and country would be eventually 

developed. Our charge is that elected 

officials must learn to develop their people 

so as to earn their love and respect. 

It is bad enough to loot the treasury. But 

you are doubly damned if you must loot 

the treasury and build a fence around the 

proceeds for just you and your family. 

We insist that the current war against 

corruption must be transparent. Recovered 

loots and their looters must be properly 

identified. The net balance of the loots 

recovered from a former State Governor 

has no business in the Federation Account 

– it belongs to the State concerned. 

To the extent that Ibori provides a good 

example of how not to neglect the people, 

we have no hesitation whatsoever in 

casting our vote for him as the people’s 

hero. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

32 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

SCORPIO: Even if you continue to work under pressure 

via increased workload, you will have good results to 

show for your efforts today. Be steadfast. 

SAGITTARIUS: Better than yesterday. And the more 

co-operative you are today the better for you. Those of 

you travelling for love are in for an exciting day. 

CAPRICORN: Those of you willing to let go hard 

feelings at work are for a progressive day to the 

betterment of your finances. Let go yesterday, move ahead. 

AQUARIUS: Once again, you’ll have the needed 

opportunity to assert yourself to the administration of 

others. Both love and financial success can be yours with 

efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends. 

PISCES: You can make it a successful day with positive 

approach on your part. You will be in a better position to 

defuse tension within your working arena. Try to be more 

ambitious. 

By Richard Eromosele 

IF we must suc 

ceed in life, two 

things are very important 

and they are: 

the beginning and 

the ending. Unfortunately, 

we are more 

concerned with beginning 

well while 

making little or no 

L E I S U R E 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

The beginning and 

the end 

plan for ending well. 

This is abnormal. 

Much as the beginning 

is important, 

the ending is much 

more important. For 

example, of what use 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

is an athlete in a relay 

race being in the 

front at the beginning 

of a race only 

to come last at the 

end of the race? 

Life is like the relay 

race. And like the relay, 

the trophies of 

life belongs to those 

that ends well. Whatever 

you do, strive to 

end well. Remember, 

it is better to have a 

bad beginning and 

end well, than to 

have a good beginning 

and end badly. 

Think about it. 

By Kola Fayemi 

ARIES: Yes! You’re not scared a bit even, when opposition 

and/or competition come your way but, if you give in to 

diplomatic approach, you’ll fare better today. 

TAURUS: Pressure that came your way suddenly will 

give way unexpectedly, today, to the betterment of your 

course. The more financially ambitious you are today, 

the better for you. Be steadfast. 

GEMINI: You sincerely believe in intelligent argument 

or discussion. And if you allow your ability to be 

diplomatic come to play today, you’ll be better for it. 

Enjoy your love life. 

CANCER: You’ll tend to become both creative and 

persuasive to the administration of others. Then those 

who’ve been resisting secret love may slip suddenly and 

become excited. 

LEO: Even if opposition persists, supports you are 

getting from the influential people will be enough to see 

you through. Yet, the more cooperative you are the better. 

VIRGO: Your creativity quotient within your working 

arena will today be enhanced. You’ll be blamed if you 

keep official issues secrets from your challenges at work. 

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman 

LIBRA: After a few tension soaked days, you’ll have the 

needed opportunity to look through windows of the world 

and have your way as well. Magnetic and/or magic days 

is predicted for lovers today. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, Apapa, Lagos 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TAURUS 

RULER = LOVE AND MONEY RELATED VENUS. 

QUALITY =FIXED. 

ELEMENT=EARTH. 

SYBOL = THE BULL. 

GROUP = FEMININE. 

ZODIACAL NUMBER = 5TH 

Taurus although, second sign of the zodiac, is the first of 

the earth signs, and that means leadership ability 

especially when it comes to reckoning with who is who 

among people that have staying power and those that can 

be regarded as serious minded (hard workers) and practical 

set of peop1e.Through Venus C its’ ruler, Taurus rules 

money, movable possessions, and steadfastness. That is 

why Taurus born people hate whatever can lead to or be 

regarded as insecurity and they are good managers of both 

money and other material related resources. 

You appear cool headed and like true Taurus, you can 

exhibit ability to be patient and the degree of perseverance 

in your inner Cself is truly high. However, if anybody takes 

you for granted or try to take undue advantage of you, he/ 

she will be surprised with the level of resistance and/or 

resentment you will show. 

With the influence of Taurus in you, you are more of a 

person with powerful personality with strong determination 

to wear both oppositions and obstacles out of your way via 

renewed struggle and consistency. You see, people that do 

not really understand you may label you as an obstinate 

and excessively stubborn person. In fairness to them, there 

is some degree of stubbornness in you, however, if you 

rightly or wrongly think that failure is starring you at face, 

the bull in you can induce you to act like all head no heart 

type of a person. 

Taurus element is earth, its’ quality is fixed and its’ symbol 

is the bull. That is why they (Taurus born persons) attach 

importance to money and security. In fact, financial crisis 

can lead to despondency for Taurus born people. 

Earth connection makes you a practical person who will 

work very hard and patiently too. Native, of earth signs 

are cautious and reliab1e and they will rarely day dream. 

The quality of Taurus which is fixed makes it easy for you 

to always see your important projects to logical conclusion. 

Because of your unwillingness to change your mind 

unnecessarily, some people will call you a rigid person, 

but nobody can rightly accuse you of laziness. In-fact, fixed 

quality of Taurus is another indication of reliability in your 

horoscope. 

As Venus the planet of ARTS, music, beauty, money and 

elegance, rules Taurus, you are endowed with artistic and 

creativity talents. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



C-River retirees protest nonpayment of 

gratuity four years after retirement 

By Emma Una 

C ALABAR—MRS. 

Philomena Monkom, 

former Permanent Secretary in 

Cross River State Governor’ s 

Office was among hundreds of 

retired civil servants in the state 

who took to the streets, yesterday, 

to protest non-payment of their 

gratuity several years after they 

left service. 

The retirees who carried 

placards with various inscriptions, 

lamented that since 2012, the state 

has not released funds for the 

payment of gratuity to those who 

had retired from service in the 

state while the number of those 

yet to be paid keeps increasing 

and same is making it difficult for 

the government to pay. 

The placards had inscriptions 

such as, “Our gratuity is long 

overdue;” “The blood of deceased 

retirees will be on the heads of 

those who refused to pay them 

their gratuity;” “Pay us our 

gratuity while we are alive;” “Pay 

politicians their money only after 

you have paid us our gratuity,” 

among others. 

Mrs Monkom told Vanguard 

that she retired since 2014 after 

35 years of meritorious service and 

is yet to be paid her gratuity 

which was the reason she joined 

the protest. 

“I have retired since 2014 and 

despite working right there in 

Governor’s Office, I am yet to be 

paid my gratuity. That is why I 

am here protesting with my fellow 

retirees,” she stated. 

Delta Assembly workers resume strike over unpaid 

allowances 


ASABA—WORRIED 

by 

what they described as 

insensitivity of the leadership of 

Delta House of Assembly to their 

plight, the Assembly workers have 

resumed their strike action, 

demanding for the payment of 

their wardrobe allowances and 

appointment of a Deputy Clerk. 

The workers, under the aegis of 

Parliamentary Staff Association of 

Nigeria, PASAN, Delta State 

chapter, barricaded the gates to 

the Assembly Complex, thereby, 

preventing the state legislators 

from gaining access to their 

offices. 

The workers had, late last year, 

suspended their strike action after 

purportedly reaching an 

agreement with the leadership of 

the House on their demands. 

Chairman of the Association, Mr 

Emmanuel Edozie, said: “We had 

to resume the suspended strike 

action because the Assembly 

leadership has failed to fulfil the 

promises they made to us. 

“We want them to pay us our 

2016 wardrobe allowance and 

appoint a Deputy Clerk for us. 

According to her, she served 

the state diligently and honestly 

for 35 years and was expecting 

to be paid within a few months 

of her retirement but that has 

not been done for two years now 

and appealed that something be 

done by the state governor in 

that regard soon, as many 

retirees are dying. 

“Only recently, some of my 

friends passed on while waiting 

to be paid and with the state of 

things now in the country, 

surviving without money is 

difficult which is the reason we 

are appealing that we should be 

settled,” she added. 

That position has been vacant 

since 2015. It has created a 

vacuum. We are being 

stagnated in our career in the 

Assembly Service Commission. 

“None of the promises made 

has been fulfilled. The staff clinic, 

as we talk now is dead. There 

are no drugs, this is despite the 

promises made. 

“We had suspended the strike 

because we thought they were 

sincere. But up till now, the 

money has not been paid, the 

Edo deputy gov warns against divisiveness 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

B ENIN—DEPUTY 

Governor of Edo State, 

Mr Philip Shaibu, has urged 

political leaders in the state to 

play politics of development and 

not that of division, saying that 

the secret behind the electoral 

victories of All Progressives 

Congress, APC, since 2007 in 

the state, was due to its 

developmental projects. 

Shaib, who also commended 

his boss, Governor Godwin 

Obaseki, for insisting that ward 

Another retiree, Mr Paul 

Idagu, said since 2012 when he 

retired, he has been hoping and 

praying that God should touch 

the hearts of those responsible 

for the payment but his prayers 

have not yielded any fruits. 

“As you look at me now, do I 

look like someone who is doing 

well, both in health and socially? 

I cannot afford to meet my basic 

needs and my children’s 

educational demands. Please, 

they should pay us.” 

Mr Effiong Ita Imoh, the 

Special Adviser to governor Ben 

Ayade on Labour, while reacting 

to the protest, said plans were 

Were are committed to workers' welfare— 

Speaker 

issue of Deputy Clerk has not 

been resolved. We have 

communicated our resolution to 

resume the suspended strike to 

the leadership of the Assembly. 

“We are surprised at the 

attitude of the leadership of the 

Assembly. They refused to 

dialogue with the workers’ union 

despite several efforts made to 

engage them. They ignored us, 

saying that they are not 

responsible to us.” 

He said that while the 

leaders will henceforth 

determine who would be 

commissioners and Specials 

Advisers in this administration, 

said the people of the state were 

craving for development and not 

divisiveness. 

He spoke when he distributed 

empowerment materials, as part 

of his constituency project in his 

one year as member representing 

Etsako federal constituency in 

the House of Representatives, 

before his election as deputy 

governor. 

Some of the empowerment 

being made to pay the retirees 

their gratuity and appealed for 

calm. 

“I am surprised that they have 

taken to the streets without my 

notice because we held several 

meetings with them and the 

governor has said payment of 

gratuity should be top on the 

list of items to be addressed with 

the Paris Club money recently 

sent to the state.” 

Imoh, who said he too is a 

retiree and has not been paid, 

stated that for money to be paid, 

it has to undergo some 

processes which was the reason 

for the delay in the payment. 

DONATION: Wife of the deputy governor of Edo State, Mrs Marry-Ann Shaibu 

(right) donating baby items to Mrs Ndukwe whose husband ran away after she gave birth 

to triplets in Benin City. 

legislators get their allowances 

and entitlements with ease, the 

entitlements of the workers 

were not of any importance to 

them. “We are not calling off this 

strike until our demands are 

met,” he added. 

When contacted for comment, 

the Speaker of the House, Chief 

Monday Igbuya, said the 

leadership of the House was 

commited to the welfare of the 

workers, as he condemned 

those destroying the image of 

the House leadership. 

materials included tricycles, 

motorcycles, sewing machines 

and milling machines which 

were distributed to over 500 

persons. 

According to Shaibu, “If you 

want to play politics, play it the 

right way. I play politics of 

development and projects. I 

don’t play politics of division. 

Those who want to play politics 

of division, this is a warning to 

you. Our people want projects 

and when you play politics of 

development, it is a win win for 

you." 

Wike unveils 

land ship, MV 

Rivers Pride 

By Godfrey 

Bivbere & Abigail 

Ezeh 

RIVERS 

State 

governor, Chief 

Nyesom Wike, has formally 

unveiled Nigeria’s first ever 

land ship, MV Rivers Pride. 

The land ship was built by 

an indigenous maritime 

training institution, Charkin 

Maritime and Offshore Safety 

Centre. He also approved a 

certificate of occupancy for the 

land on which the land ship 

is situated at Ozuoba, on the 

East-West Road, Port Harcourt, 

Rivers State. 

To give effect to his approval 

on the land, Wike directed the 

Chairman and Chief 

Executive Officer, Charkin 

Maritime and Offshore Safety 

Centre, Sir Charles Wami, to 

meet with the Director of 

Lands to bring up his file on 

his table for his signature. 

Wike spoke at the formal 

unveiling of the land ship and 

the foundation lying of 200 

cadets’ accommodation block 

at the centre. 

He stated that the Rivers 

State Government would do 

everything possible to assist 

the centre to grow to an 

enviable height for the benefits 

of Rivers State indigenes in 

particular and Nigerians in 

general. 

Urhobo nation 

urged to rally 

round Ibori 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

OLEH—A 

group, 

Urhobo Awareness 

Youth Association, UAYA, has 

advised the Urhobo nation to 

rally round former governor of 

Delta State, Chief James Ibori, 

so as to bounce back into the 

mainstream of Nigeria’s 

politics. 

The group, in a statement by 

its National Leader, Kenneth 

Uvwo, expressed optimism 

that Ibori’s return to the 

country would pave the way 

for political breakthrough for 

the Urhobo nation in 2019. 

Noting that Ibori meant well 

and brought the Urhobo nation 

to political limelight when he 

was the governor of the state, 

the group said that Ibori's good 

works and empowerment 

policies had touched several 

lives positively within and 

outside the state. 

The statement warned those 

who are using the media to 

disseminate wrong 

information about Ibori to 

desist from it, reiterating that 

the former governor had 

brought succour to the people 

without tribal discrimination.


A-Court 

declines to 

sack Gov 

Ugwuanyi of 

Enugu 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA— THE Court of 

Appeal sitting in 

Abuja, yesterday, declined to 

sack Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi of Enugu State from 

office over allegation that he 

was illegally nominated by the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 

to contest the April 11, 2015 

governorship election. 

In a unanimous judgment, 

three-man panel of justices of 

the appellate court led by 

Justice Tinuade Akomolafe- 

Wilson, struck out the appeal 

marked CA/A/157/2015, 

lodged by a chieftain of the 

PDP in the state, Senator 

Ayogu Eze. 

Eze had prayed the 

appellate court to remove 

Ugwuanyi from office on the 

premise that he was not 

validly nominated by the PDP 

for the gubernatorial election. 

However, Governor 

Ugwuanyi, through his lead 

counsel, Chief Wole 

Olanipekun, SAN, prayed the 

appellate court to dismiss the 

pre-election case which he 

said was bereft of merit. 

Ugwuanyi equally filed an 

appeal marked CA/A/157b/ 

2015, wherein he challenged 

the validity of the parallel 

primary election that 

produced Eze. 

In its judgment, the 

appellate court held that under 

section 87 of the Electoral Act, 

Eze, lacked the locus-standi to 

challenge Ugwuanyi’s 

nomination having admitted 

that he did not participate in 

the primary that was 

conducted by the King Asara 

A. Asara led electoral panel of 

the PDP. 

It stressed that the trial high 

court ought to have dismissed 

the case for want of 

jurisdiction. 

“This appeal lacks merit and 

is hereby dismissed. There is 

no order as to cost. The 

decision of the trial court is 

hereby upheld. However, in 

view of the fact that the trial 

court lacked the jurisdiction to 

entertain the case in the first 

place, the appeal is therefore, 

accordingly struck out,” the 

court held. 


How PDP was destroyed, by Ekwueme 

•Says, ‘sometimes I feel like weeping for the party’ 

•We'll revive it and win back power in 2019 — Wali 

By Dennis Agbo 

ENUGU— 

SECOND 

Republic Vice President and 

founding member of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Alex 

Ekwueme, has noted that the 

PDP came to its present 

predicament because some 

members of the party, whom he 

said do not know the original 

philosophy of the party, wanted 

to take control of the party and 

subjected it to their whims and 

caprices. 

He particularly said the 

genesis of the destruction of the 

party was when the 

administration of former 

President Olusegun Obasanjo 

ordered for re-registration of its 

membership, with the intent to 

sack some members from the 

party. 

The former vice president 

added that he sometimes felt like 

weeping for the party, PDP. 

Ekwueme spoke in Enugu, 

yesterday, when the Prof. Jerry 

Gana-led Strategy Review and 

Interparty Relations Committee 

of the PDP presented its report 

to him in Enugu. 

Ekwueme said: “The story of 

PDP makes me sometimes to 

weep. When our founding 

fathers said the party will be in 

charge for 60 years or more, some 

thought they were just 

bragging. PDP was packaged to 

be a mass movement of all 

Nigerians just like the ANC of 

South Africa. 

Genesis of PDP's 

current situation 

“We started that way, the first 

election in 1998, December 5, 

we won massively across the 

country, we took control of 28 

out of 36 states, In 1999, we 

ended up with 21 of the 36 

governors. South-East and 

South-South were all PDP, 10 of 

the 19 governors of the north 

were PDP, it was a strong 

showing. 

“We also had control of the 

National Assembly. With that 

showing, all we needed to do 

was to manage the party 

properly as envisaged by the 

founding fathers, making it a 

mass movement and expanding 

AWARD: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right), receiving “The Man of 

the Year 2016” award from the Deputy Chairman, Editorial Board of Enugu Local 

Government Area News Magazine, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emeka Ngwoke, at the Government House, 

Enugu, yesterday. 

Igbo festival: Eze Nri’s cabinet announces 

indefinite postponement 


AWKA—THIS year’s annual 

Igbo festival expected to be 

performed at Nri, the acclaimed 

ancestral homeland of the Igbo, 

by the traditional ruler of the 

town, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh, 

on February 18, 2017, has run 

into a hitch as members of the 

Igwe-in-Council, yesterday, 

announced the postponement of 

the festival without the approval 

of the Igwe, following a crisis 

that has rocked the community. 

It was the climax of the 

dispute between members of the 

traditional council and the 

monarch, which made Igwe 

Onyesoh to announce the 

sacking of the entire cabinet, a 

move that is being resisted by 

the members. 

What sparked the crisis in the 

area was the decision of the 

traditional ruler to confer 

chieftaincy titles on five people 

during the February 18 

ceremony without consulting 

members of the Eze-in-Council, 

a development they described as 

an anomaly and a breach of the 

constitution of Nri Kingdom. 

Ojukwu would've joined APC if he was alive —Ex-Rep 


AWKA—A FORMER member 

of House of Representatives 

for Anambra East and West 

Federal Constituency, Chief 

Ralph Okeke, said, yesterday, that 

the late Igbo leader, Dim 

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, would have joined the 

All Progressives Congress, APC, 

to ensure national integration, if 

he was still alive. 

He said: “It is a shame that 

Anambra State is still governed 

by a party that exists only in one 

state. I know for sure that if Dim 

Chukwuemeka Ojukwu were 

alive today, he would have 

joined APC for national 

integration. 

“This is because Ojukwu’s 

intention was to raise APGA so 

that it could be accepted 

nationwide and subsequently 

win the presidency. But now that 

some characters have made it 

remain as one state party, I am 

sure that the Ikemba would have 

joined other well- meaning 

Nigerians in APC to make 

Anambra and the country great.” 

Okeke, who spoke with 

reporters in Awka, expressed 

disappointment that Anambra 

State had not moved at the pace 

it ought to, considering its 

abundant human and other 

resources that would enable it to 

excel and be a role model for 

other states. 

Members of the council had 

argued that the constitution of 

Nri provides that the council 

should be responsible for title 

taking in the kingdom, 

regretting that Igwe Onyesoh 

had consistently not been 

consulting them on such 

matters. 

But Eze Onyesoh said there 

was no going back on the 

festival, adding that everything 

had been put in place to ensure 

its success. He said that he 

decided to sack members of his 

former council to inject new 

blood into the traditional 

institution in the area. 

Meanwhile, the crisis in the 

town took a new twist, 

yesterday, with Agbadani 

village, one of the three villages 

in Nri, directing everyone in 

the area to boycott the festival. 

Following the announcement, 

a nominee from the village, who 

was selected by the traditional 

ruler for a chieftaincy title, had 

been forced to decline the offer. 

It was also gathered that 

another village in the town, 

Uruoji, would make a public 

announcement today to direct 

the people of the area to boycott 

the festival. 

its power base. 

“Unfortunately, some people, 

who did not know how the party 

was formed or what informed its 

philosophy, got involved in the 

party and decided to convert it to 

a personal estate without regard 

to the underpinning principles 

that formed it and gradually, we 

started to lose ground. 

“At one stage, in my state, they 

decided to commence the reregistration 

of members so as to 

exclude members, who they 

thought were not in their camp. 

Instead of attracting more 

members, they decided to exclude. 

That was the genesis of our 

present situation, coupled with 

lack of internal democracy. 

“I can’t remember how many 

times I’ve been called to 

spearhead the process of bringing 

back people to our party. That was 

what late Umaru Yar'Adua invited 

me to do as soon as he took over 

as president. We went round all 

the six zones, met with aggrieved 

members, unfortunately, Yar'Adua 

passed on and that initiative was 

not conclusively implemented.” 

Party'll get back to 

where it started 

The PDP founding father, 

however, said he was happy that 

after the debacle of 2015, there has 

been the need for retrospect as 

evidenced by the strategy 

committee, to try and find out 

where the party went astray and 

try to bring the party to its original 

plan. 

He promised to take time to read 

the report, noting that with the 

calibre of members of the 

committee, the party will get back 

to where it started, if the 

recommendation is fully 

implemented. 

We'll revive it and win back 

power by 2019— Wali 

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s former 

Ambassador to China and former 

Foreign Affairs Minister, Alhaji 

Aminu Wali, who presented the 

report to the former vice president, 

said the report had addressed the 

party’s woes, which he said would 

help revive the party. 

Wali said: “Impunity, party 

discipline, impositions and intraparty 

probems were looked into 

and solutions preferred. We’ve 

presented the report to the 

caretaker committee. We’ve learnt 

our lessons, the indiscipline that 

bedevilled the party over the years 

were tackled. 

“We want to rebrand our party 

and get back to the visions of the 

founding fathers which made the 

party a winning party. We will 

revive the party and win back 

power by 2019.” 

On mega party 

On the issue of the upcoming 

mega party, Wali said: “PDP has 

always been a mega party; find 

out the personalities behind the 

so-called mega party. I don’t want 

to dwell on that because it's not 

really a serious effort. They don’t 

understand how parties are 

formed. It's going to be very 

difficult forming a mega party."



Katsina State House of Assembly impeaches Speaker, Chief Whip 

By Bashir Bello 

THE Speaker of Katsina State 

House of Assembly, Alhaji 

Aliyu Muduru, was, yesterday, 

impeached from office by 

members of the assembly during 

plenary session. 

Dangote Rice 

targets 

16,000 

outgrowers 

in Sokoto 

Atripartite agreement 

initiated by Dangote 

Rice Limited to create jobs 

for 16,000 outgrower rice 

farmers in Sokoto was 

signed yesterday, with a 

pledge by parties to ensure 

the success of the scheme 

to make the country selfsufficient 

in rice cultivation. 

The agreement was 

signed during the launch 

of the Dangote rice 

outgrower scheme in 

Goronyo, Goronyo Local 

government, Sokoto State, 

witnessed by the Sultan of 

Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad 

Abubakar, where farmers 

were presented with rice 

seeds, fertilizers, nets and 

agro chemicals. 

Chairman of Dangote 

Rice Limited, Aliko 

Dangote, said he moved 

into rice cultivation because 

of the genuine interest of 

the Federal Government to 

revive agriculture as the 

mainstay of the economy, 

and reduce importation of 

foods that could be 

produced locally. 

He lamented that Nigeria 

consumes 6.5 metric tons of 

rice, which costs the nation 

over $2 billion annually, 

pointing out that it was 

heartening that the 

government now has policy 

direction that encourages 

private sector’s active 

participation in agriculture. 

According to him, 

“buoyed by the policy 

direction of the Federal 

Government, we at 

Dangote decided to key 

into this. 

“In the next three years, 

we want to produce one 

million tons of quality rice 

and make it available and 

affordable to the people. We 

hope to do 150,000 hectares 

and when we are done, 

Nigeria will not have 

anything to do with 

importation of rice.” 

In his remarks, Governor 

Aminu Tambuwal 

expressed delight, saying 

the coming of Dangote to 

invest in the state was as a 

result of his sustained effort 

towards inviting prospective 

investors to the state. 

The House Majority Leader, 

Alhaji Hanbali Faruk, 

representing Katsina 

constituency, moved the 

motion for the impeachment 

and was seconded by member 

representing Funtua 

constituency, Alhaji Abubakar 

Total. 

Twenty-three of the 34 

members voted in favour of the 

impeachment of the Speaker. 

The lawmakers also elected 

Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar from 

Kusada constituency as the 

new Speaker and was sworn 

in during the session. 

Similarly, the House Chief 

Whip, Alhaji Bishir Mamman 

Dutsin-ma was also removed 

and replaced with the 

member representing Daura 

constituency, Alhaji Nasir 

Yahaya. 

DIGITAL BANKING: From left— Senior Director, Business Development & Client 

Engagement, Africa, Infosys Finacle, Mr. Ganesh Premsankar; Chief Executive Officer, 

CWG Plc, Mr. James Agada; Senior VP and Head of Growth Markets, Infosys, Mr. 

Venkatramana Gosavi, and Chief Operating Officer, CWG Plc, Mr. Kunle Ayodeji, at the 

Digital Banking Nigeria 2017 event held in Lagos. 

Gov Ortom gives Agatu 72 hours 

to produce soldier's killers 

By Peter Duru 

M 

A K U R D I — 

GOVERNOR 

Samuel Ortom of Benue State, 

yesterday, handed down a 72- 

hour ultimatum to leaders in 

Agatu Local Government 

Area to produce the 

masterminds of the killing of 

a serving military personnel 

in the area. 

The governor, who spoke in 

Makurdi, the state capital, 

condemned the killing, 

describing it as barbaric, 

unacceptable and 

unwarranted. 

By Ndahi Marama 

M AIDUGURI—NO 

fewer than 13 countries 

have sought for an emergency 

$1.1 billion (about N330 

billion) for humanitarian 

needs for 1.8 million 

internally-displaced persons, 

IDPs, affected by Boko Haram 

insurgency in the North East. 

Ireland’s Ambassador to 

Nigeria and Ghana, Mr. Sean 

Hoy, disclosed this yesterday 

in Maiduguri at a briefing on 

“worsening humanitarian 

crisis” in the three affected 

states of Borno, Adamawa and 

Yobe. 

He said the 13 ambassadors 

and representatives of 

Republic of Korea, Sweden, 

Netherlands, Japan, 

Germany, France, U.S, United 

Kingdom, and Norway, 

among other countries, would 

He said: “Government would 

do everything possible within 

the law to ensure that those 

involved are identified, 

sanctioned and brought to 

justice.” 

Governor Ortom warned that 

the period of impunity and 

recklessness ended with the 

window provided by his 

amnesty programme, and that 

henceforth, anyone who had 

illegal weapons should 

surrender them or have them 

recovered by force. 

According to the governor, “if 

Agatu youths had surrendered 

their weapons during the 

attend the Oslo conference 

slated for February 24 to raise 

$1.1 billion appeal fund. 

The appeal fund, according 

to Hoy, will address the 

humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, 

noting that the IDPs had been 

lacking humanitarian 

assistance, including basic 

period of the carrot approach 

of our amnesty programme, 

the incident that took place 

would have been avoided. 

“We apologise for what has 

happened and we also 

sympathise with the Army 

over the loss. As a 

government, we will continue 

to cooperate with security 

agencies to ensure that peace 

is restored to that area.” 

Earlier, the Special Adviser 

on Security, Colonel Edwin 

Jando, took the governor 

round to inspect some of the 

weapons recovered from 

militant youths in Agatu. 

13 countries seek $1.1bn for IDPs in North-East 

By Suzan Edeh 

THE Bauchi State 

government has said it will 

revive its fertiliser blending 

company to boost farming in 

the state and beyond. 

Speaking during a tour of 

the company yesterday, the 

newly-appointed chairman of 

the company, Bappah Musa, 

promised to revive it and make 

it profitable. 

He lamented that despite the 

huge amount spent by 

needs such as shelter, water 

and health care services. 

Meanwhile, 130 

households, comprising over 

1,000 IDPs, have been ejected 

by landlords, following their 

failure to pay their monthly 

rents in their host community 

in old Maiduguri. 

Bauchi to revive fertiliser company 

previous governments, 

machinery and raw materials 

were allowed to waste away 

for over seven years. 

According to him, “when 

fully functional, the company 

will provide jobs for about 

500. The Governor 

Mohammed Abubakar-led 

administration, due to its 

commitment to key into 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s agric revival effort, is 

focused on ways to develop 

the sector in Bauchi State.” 

Mahmud, 

Egbunu 

honoured 

By Chris Ochayi 

THE Nigeria Bar 

Association, NBA, 

Abuja branch, has conferred 

Innovative Leadership 

Award on the Registrar- 

General, Corporate Affairs 

Commission, CAC, Alhaji 

Bello Mahmud. 

This came as a seasoned 

journalist and Publisher of 

Parliament International 

Magazine, Mr. Gowon 

Egbunu, was selected by 

the Arewa Youth Advocacy 

for Excellence, AYAE, as 

recipient of its Young 

Promising Politician of the 

Year award. 

At the last CAC-NBA 

Compliance Workshop on 

the theme, Obtaining Efficient 

and Effective Services 

of the Commission, NBA 

Chairman, Abuja chapter, 

Mr. Ezenwa Anumnu, 

officially announced the 

award, which was formally 

presented to the Registrar- 

General in his office. 

Mahmud expressed gratitude 

for the kind gesture. 

On Egbunu’s award, 

National President of AYAE, 

Alhaji Musa Wada, said in 

a statement in Abuja that the 

group had resolved to 

identify and stand with 

young Nigerian entrepreneurs 

to encourage them. 

Alhaji Wada said AYAE 

was determined to search 

and fish out young 

Nigerians, who have 

excelled in their fields of 

endeavour and expose 

them as role models. 

Kogi bizmen 

task Gov 

Bello on 

security 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA—THE Kogi 

Business Community 

Abuja, KBCA, a coalition of 

businessmen, is to engage 

the state governor, Alhaji 

Yahaya Bello, on how his 

administration intends to 

address security and 

confront the developmental 

challenges. 

KCBA, in a statement in 

Abuja through its Convener, 

Alhaji Abdulmalik Obadaki, 

said the group is concerned 

about the various issues 

affecting Kogi State, “hence 

the need to hear from the 

governor and see how we 

can partner to contribute our 

quota to move the state 

forward.” 

It commended Governor 

Bello’s efforts in ensuring 

the security of citizens and 

their property.


WINNING EDGE: From left— Head, Marketing and 

Communications, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo; CEO, AD 

Consulting Limited, Mrs. Olajumoke Adenowo; Convener of the event, Rev 

Funke-Felix Adejumo, and First Lady of Kwara State, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, 

at the 2017 Women on the Winning Edge conference in Lagos. 

WAPIC AT AIRTEL: From left— MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun 

Ogunsanya; Executive Director, Mr. Bode Ojeniyi, and Managing Director, 

Adeyinka Adekoya, both of WAPIC Insurance Plc., during a courtesy visit to 

WAPIC's head office in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau. 

NETWORKING COCKTAIL: From left— Managing Director, 

Fouani Group, Mr. Mohammed Fouani; Secretary-General, FNCCI, Mrs. 

Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore; Consul-General, French Embassy, Mr. Laurent 

Polonceaux; Head, Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics West Africa 

operations, Mr. Rajesh Agnihotri, and AG, FNCCI, Mr. Moses Umoru, during 

the Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Networking 

cocktail in Lagos. 

HONOUR: 

Senior Special Adviser 

to the President on 

Foreign Affairs and 

Diaspora, Mrs Abike 

Dabiri-Erewa, 

receiving a plaque 

from Mr. Boboye 

Oyeyemi, Corps 

Marshall, Federal 

Road Safety Corps, 

FRSC, in Abuja. 

ISN CUSTOMERS' FORUM: Executive Director, Business 

Development, ISN Products Ltd., Mr. Felix Ofungwu (standing), addressing 

participants at the firm's Customers Appreciation Forum in Lagos. 

PROPEL'S BRIEFING: From left— Operations Manager, John 

Elue; Marine Specialist, Bisi Olajugbe, and CEO, Harry Ebohon, all of Propel 

Limited, at a media parley on the company’s 15 years of operation in the oil 

and gas industry, in Lagos. 

CHARITY: From left— Industrial and Labour Relations Manager, Fan 

Milk Nigeria Plc., Mr. Kamorudeen Adekoya; Human Resources Officer, Miss. 

Toun Oladele; HR, Operations, Ms. Tochukwu Nnebe; Headteacher, Modupe 

Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Home School, Mrs. Florence Kayode; 

Training and Equipment Manager, Fan Milk Nigeria, Mr. Callistus Bechi; Human 

Resources Director, Fan Milk International, Ms. Maimouna Diarra; Human 

Resources Manager, Fan Milk Nigeria, Mr. Olumide Adediji, and the children 

during the donation of food items to the orphanage home in Lagos. 

NAFDAC TRAINING: From left— Senior Assistant to Director, 

Veterinary Medicine and Agro-Allied Products, VMAP, Directorate, Mr. Akin 

Fagoroye; Head, Animal Nutrition Department, Mr. Tunde Sigbeku, both of 

NAFDAC; Chairman, Association of Health and Agrochemical Producers, 

Mr. Tunde Adewoye; Deputy Director, VMAP Directorate, Dr. Miyaki Sanni; 

and Regulatory and Enforcement Officer, Mr. Odeleye Busayo, both of 

NAFDAC, at a three-day technical training for animal health and agrochemical 

producers.

Doris Simeon’s ex hubby confirms getting 

married to Stella Damasus 

By Rotimi Agbana 

DANIEL Ademinokan, the 

ex-husband of Nollywood 

actress, Doris Simeon, has confirmed 

that he’s now married to 

sultry actress, Stella Damasus. 

In a romantic message to the 

actress on Valentine’s Day, the 

popular film maker stylishly confirmed 

the rumour that went viral 

online some time ago. Recall that 

there have been rumours and speculations 

making the rounds for 

some time now that the duo are a 

pair. Both parties have maintained 

sealed lips over the rumour until 

his Valentine’s day message to Stella. 

“While people across the Atlantic 

are waiting for the announcement 

of a wedding date, I celebrate you 

today my beautiful wife 

@stelladamasus. You came into my 

life and gave me the right 

perspective. Thank you for being 

such a supportive wife, a remarkable 

mother to our kids and the glue 

that holds this home together. Everybody 

deserves another shot at 

Chief Eddie Ogbomah 

THE American government 

has donated about $160,000 

to the Federal government to help 

reactivate the country’s neglected 

social institution, including halls 

of fame, museums and archival 

centres. 

Foremost film maker, Chief 

getting it right with love, I’m glad I 

got my second shot. Thank you for 

loving me the way you do. Even 

when I do things that deserve time 

out in the microwave, you love me 

Eddie Ugbomah, disclosed this 

in a statement he made available 

to E-Daily. This move, according 

the veteran film maker, will 

compliment Governor Akinwumi 

Ambode of Lagos State’s recent 

plans to acquire or launch movie/ 

music halls of fame in the state. 

still. Every single day, I just can’t 

wait to come home to you because 

you are my safe place. With you, 

everyday is Valentine’s Day, I love 

you”, he wrote. 

American govt donates $160,000 to boost 

museums, archival centres, reveals Eddie Ugbomah 

In the bid to promote tourism 

in Nigeria, Ugbomah cited 

how the French government 

is making about 40% of their 

incomes from the country’s 

tourist programmes such as 

Roland Gaross, Lawn Tennis, 

Monaco car race, Cannes film 

festival and Paris jazz festival. 

“The Cannes Film Festival 

was set up 66 years ago by 

two brothers, today it is the 

world calendar of the big film 

festival,” he said. 

Recall that the veteran film 

maker recently appealed to 

Governor Ambode to salvage 

the movie and music makers 

halls of fame which he legally 

registered since 2002. “As 

Lagos is gradually building up 

as a tourist centre in all aspects, 

the people’s governor, having 

read my appeal, promised to 

salvage the historical movie 

and music halls of fame that 

had been dismantled from the 

gallery due to rent issues and 

wrong location.” 

Many artistes can’t combine school and 

music like I did—Deshinor 

B 

UDDING 

By Rotimi Agbana 

Afro-pop/highlife singer, 

Deshinor, has revealed his readiness 

to take the Nigerian music industry by storm 

now that he is done with his education at the 

University of Lagos, Akoka. In a brief chat 

with E-Daily, the talented Mass 

Communication graduate expressed 

excitement on becoming a graduate. 

“To be honest it is a blessing, not a lot of 

Daniel 

Ademinokan 

Stella 

Damasus. 

artists are able to combine classes and music 

making. I’m genuinely happy at starting a 

new phase of my life, which is to focus on 

my career as a musician and make the best 

out of it” Deshinor boasted. The multitalented 

singer, who released his debut 

single, New Wave, after being signed on to 

Matt Westside Records in 2016, boasts that 

he is now ready to take on his career full 

time after struggling with balancing 

education and music making. 

Vanguard, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 37 

Ex-Project 

Fame winner, 

Jeff Akoh joins 

Iyanya at TMC 

By Benjamin Njoku 

RnB starlet, Jeff Akoh has 

taken a bold step that will 

redefine his musical career as 

he joins leading creative 

agency and management firm, 

Temple Management 

Company. 

The gifted singer, who became 

the youngest winner of Project 

Fame in 2015, signed the dotted 

lines in the company of his 

mother, Betty Akoh, at the 

corporate offices of the 

company in Victoria Island, 

Lagos. 

Jeff impressed a high-octane 

audience holding his own 

among established acts like 

Awilo Longomba, Sir Shina 

Peters and Onyeka Onwenu at 

the recently held Sunny On 

Sunday Concert in honour of 

King Sunny Ade. 

According to Mark 

Redguard, head of 

entertainment, “Temple 

Management is not only about 

A-list artists, we are also 

focused on artist development 

by nurturing young stars who 

will take the reins. In Jeff Akoh, 

we at TMC see this lofty vision 

is actualised and we hope to do 

some wonderful things 

together.” 

By Anozie Egole 

NOLLYWOOD actor and 

model, Bryan Okwara, 

has been explaining that his 

relationship with a leading brand 

of drink, Martini, goes beyond 

being its brand ambassador. 

According to the faircomplexioned 

actor, “I feel 

Exuding with satisfaction, Jeff 

Akoh expressed optimism about 

his new relationship with 

Temple Management 

Company. “With Temple 

Management Company solidly 

by my side, I can concentrate 

fully on my music with 

confidence and some 

motivation. It is the joy of every 

artist is to have a solid backend 

and I am happy that TMC 

brings that and a lot more with 

strong affiliations with global 

players in the entertainment 

industry. After I won Project 

Fame, there has been a lot of 

expectations from Nigerians. I 

am more confident that I can do 

some fantastic music.” 

My relationship with Martini 

—Bryan Okwara 

privileged because it is not just 

being ambassador for a brand but 

being ambassador for a brand that 

is interested in you as a human 

being. For me it is more like being 

a brand ambassador it is more like 

a family. I want people to know 

that my friendship with Martini 

is inborn in me. It is a brand that 

assures you that they are with you 

in whatever you are doing and it 

is very interesting and rare to see 

that. 

"Other brands that I have 

worked with, they are not really 

interested in what you do for a 

living. They just want you to 

speak about the brand and all 

that. Martini have hands in most 

of my projects like, Meet n Greet, 

my fans, they engage a lot of 

people around me and it brings 

me joy. Some friendships are 

more than money, they are 

priceless. With the relationship I 

Bryan 

have built with Martini, it is 

priceless. I will definitely remain 

with a brand that I know I have 

future with. 

“They are empowering me and 

other people that are going to be 

on that project so it is a bigger 

synergy and a more established 

friendship. So I am here because 

I am looking at more years, I am 

looking at the record we broke last 

year and the one we are going to 

break this year. It is not all about 

money but there is always 

money,” he said.


By Amaka Abayomi, Tare 

Youdeowei & Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

DANIEL Obafemi, an 11- 

year-old JSS2 student in 

a private school, has always 

wanted to be a boarding 

student. But his father, Mr. 

Albert Obafemi, would have 

none of it. His reason? Boarding 

schools are no longer safe, 

especially with the increasing 

spate of kidnapping in both 

public and private schools. 

This is the fear of most 

parents, as majority of schools 

in the country are poorly 

secured or, in most instances, 

are not secured by trained 

security personnel. 

From the abduction of over 200 

female students from 

Government College, Chibok, 

Borno State, on April 14, 2014, 

to the kidnap of three female 

students of Babington 

Macaulay Junior Seminary, 

Lagos State, on February 29, 

2016, and the kidnap of four 

students, a teacher and a Vice 

Principal of Lagos Model 

College, Igbonla, Epe, on 

October 6, 2016, the vice is now 

a big money spinner for 

gunmen who carefully select 

and plot their escape with their 

trophies. 

The most recent, the kidnap 

of five students and three staff 

of Nigerian-Turkish 

International School, Isheri, 

Ogun State, on January 13, just 

underscores how porous 

security in most schools are and 

the need for more to be done by 

government, school owners and 

security agencies to ensure 

safety in our schools. 

Product of lack of 

employment 

Worried over the spate of 

kidnaps in schools, Vanguard 

Learning sought the opinions of 

parents, school owners and 

security experts on best 

measures to be employed to 

secure lives of staff, students 

and general safety of the 

schools’ premises. 

For a retired Commissioner of 

Police and presently a security 

consultant, Mr. Frank Oditta, 

kidnapping is a product of lack 

of employment though not at a 

very disturbing level. 

Adding that government is 

already promulgating laws that 

will act as a deterrent to 

criminals, he urged school 

owners to provide adequate 

security measures such as 

perimeter fencing, access 

control and security awareness 

education for staff and students 

to make them security 

conscious at all times. 

Listing three key measures to 

be put in place for the safety of 

students in schools, the 

Schools where students were kidnapped but later rescued 

Making Nigerian schools safe 

from kidnappers 

Principal, Melville College, 

Ojodu, Lagos, Dcn Onikoyi 

Enoch Abiodun, said security at 

school should be paramount to 

all stakeholders. “Three 

important measures to be put in 

place are: the installation of 

Close Circuit Television, CCTV, 

sensitization during Parents 

Teachers’ Association, PTA 

meetings, and the orientation of 

students during assembly. 

“Since security at school 

should be paramount to all: 

teachers, parents and students, 

the installation of CCTV at 

designated points, sensitization 

of students and parents on 

security alerts during PTA and 

other school programmes, 

orientations in class and during 

assembly should be routinely 

done.” 

In agreement is a Londonbased 

Nigerian and former 

teacher, Queens College, Yaba, 

Mrs. Felicia Peter-Thomas, who 

further outlined more security 

tips schools, especially those 

with boarding facilities, should 

adhere to. 

She said; “Schools should take 

safety seriously by having one 

entrance and one exit gates. 

CCTV should be installed and 

must be managed by trained 

personnel, while all staff and 

students must carry their 

identity cards at all times which 

could electronically tagged at 

the gate. 

“Dates and times for visiting 

must be clearly specified and 

displayed at the entrance and 

all visitors must be subjected to 

checks at the gate. Parents must 

Schools should 

take safety 

seriously by having 

one entrance and 

one exit gates. 

CCTV should be 

installed and must 

be managed by 

trained personnel, 

while all staff and 

students must carry 

their identity cards 

at all times 

also be adequately informed of 

the activities in the school and 

their schedules. Also, walls, if 

present, should have some form 

of computerised safety gadget 

with warnings for any intruder. 

"Communications privacy 

should be ensured by one-toone 

encryption of conversation 

between teachers, parents, 

students and any other caller. 

Playgrounds could be indoors, 

if planned in building the 

school, but should be monitored 

at all times. 

“In addition, the location of the 

school is important for 

government protection, 

therefore, there should be 

permanent links on safety 

issues between the state and 

schools’ administrators. So at a 

touch of a button, the security 

officers should report to the 

school within seconds. This 

means they must have their 

pass to get in for emergencies.” 

Community 

policing 

Calling for the 

introduction of community 

policing, a parent, Mrs. Tina 

Akamkpa, said it would reduce 

to the minimum, cases of 

kidnapping as community 

members would be on the 

lookout for each other and know 

when a stranger comes in. 

Her words “Some of the 

kidnap cases wouldn’t have 

occurred if community policing 

were in place because some 

residents reported to have 

noticed strange characters with 

sinister movements that 

indicated they were surveying 

the school to know how secured 

it is before the attack on Lagos 

Model College. Also, if they can 

afford it, schools should invest 

in CCTV that can be placed in 

strategic points for monitoring 

purposes." 

Not deterred by the incidences 

of kidnapping, Mr. Chidalu 

Onyema, a banker with three 

children in boarding schools, 

said his children would remain 

in boarding schools till they 

finish as the life lessons learnt 

from boarding house are too 

immense compared to a threat 

that has a slim chance of 

happening to them. 

He said “In a sense, you can’t 

say you won’t buy or drive a car 

because people have died from 

accidents. In the same vein, you 

can’t say children will not go to 

boarding schools because of 

kidnapping because the 

likelihood that your own child 

or children will be kidnapped 

is one in as many public, 

private, day and boarding 

schools that exist in Nigeria. 

“How many can they kidnap? 

What is stopping them from 

kidnapping them on their way 

from or to school as day 

students or when the driver 

drops them off in your flashy 

car? My children are still in 

their school in Enugu, and will 

remain boarders till they finish. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I am in 

support of schools beefing up 



By Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

Education standard: Go back to 

basics, says UNICEF consultant 

From left: Oluwaseun Pee, Event MC; members of the jury: Prof. Stephen Simukanga, former University 

of Zambia Chancellor and now Director General of the Higher Education Authority; Rodney Benn, 

Regional VP Africa: Eutelsat; John Ugbe, Managing Director: MultiChoice Nigeria; Mr. Ochenjele, 

the father of the 2016 poster category winner; the winner of the 2016 poster category, Emmanuel 

Ochenjele; Elizabeth Ohene, journalist and former Minister of State to the Ministry of Education, 

Science and Sports Ghana; Jenerali Ulimwengu, well known writer, columnist and lawyer Tanzania & 

Ronke Bello, CEO at Innovative Technology Literacy Services Ltd Nigeria. 

DStv Eutelsat Star Awards: 

Nigeria, Ethiopia lead Africa 

By Dayo Adesulu 

WINNERS of this year’s 

DStv Eutelsat Star 

Awards, the unique pan-African 

competition that encourages 

young minds to explore 

innovative thinking in science 

and space technology, has been 

announced. 

The sixth edition of the show 

sustained interest from African 

learners aged 14 to 19, attracting 

over 1000 entries from 20 

countries. Levels of accuracy, 

creativity and originality were 

judged to be higher than ever 

before, both in the essay and 

poster categories. 

Nearly 1,000 entrants were 

inspired by the topic of the essay 

category, encouraging them to 

envision the role played by 

satellite technology in the Africa 

of the future. 

Country 

specific needs 

The winner in the essay 

category, Leoul Mesfin from 

Ethiopia, his entry particularly 

struck the judges as it considers 

continental and country specific 

needs and closely aligns to the 

topic. He has won a trip to Paris 

and onwards to a launch site to 

witness a rocket blast into space 

to place a satellite into orbit. The 

runner-up in the essay category 

was Davids Bwana from 

Tanzania who wins a trip for two 

to visit MultiChoice facilities 

and the South African National 

Space Agency near 

Johannesburg. 

In the poster category, first 

place went to Emmanuel 

Ochenjele from Nigeria for his 

depiction of a constellation of 

diverse satellites all 

contributing towards the 

advancement of solutions to 

challenges such as global 

warming, conservation of 

biodiversity, as well as stable 

energy supply. He will visit 

Eutelsat in Paris to understand 

how satellites are operated, as 

well as a satellite factory. 

Aobakwe Letamo from 

Botswana was the runner up in 

the same category. The four 

winning schools attended by 

the overall award winners and 

runners-up were also rewarded 

with a DStv installation, 

including dish, TV set, PVR 

decoder and free access to the 

DStv Education Bouquet. 

Claudie Haigneré, Europe’s 

leading female astronaut and 

Emmanuel 

Ochenjele will 

visit Eutelsat in 

Paris to 

understand how 

satellites are 

operated, as well 

as a satellite 

factory 

now special advisor to the 

Director General of the 

European Space Agency (ESA), 

chaired the jury of the Awards 

for the first time. 

She commented: “Taking part 

in the DStv Eutelsat Star 

Awards for the first time has 

been quite simply a mindchanging 

experience, 

especially as this year’s topic 

was particularly challenging. 

The visionary ideas on Africa’s 

future satellite landscape 

developed in essays and 

posters underscore how Africa’s 

youth expect technology to 

drive positive change for their 

continent. The Jury engaged in 

intense discussions to award 

the most realistic and creative 

proposals that deserve to stand 

out on the African stage. Our 

congratulations go to all the 

finalists for their work and to the 

winners for their brilliant 

ideas.” 

She was assisted in her duty 

by a panel of international 

skilled industry experts: Ronke 

Bello, CEO at Innovative 

Technology Literacy Services 

Ltd (Nigeria), Elizabeth Ohene, 

journalist and former Minister 

of State to the Ministry of 

Education, Science and Sports 

(Ghana), Prof. Stephen 

Simukanga, Former University 

of Zambia Chancellor and now 

Director General of the Higher 

Education Authority, Jenerali 

Ulimwengu, well known writer, 

columnist and lawyer 

(Tanzania). 

The winners were announced 

in the presence of the Hon. 

Permanent Secretary, his 

Excellency Mr. Sunny Echono, 

representing the Minister of 

Communication Technology 

who said: “To my mind, this 

sixth edition shows sustained 

interest from African youths, 

adding fresh impetus to the 

mission shared by MultiChoice 

and Eutelsat to encourage 

young minds to positively 

change their world via 

innovative thinking in science 

and technology. 

This can be attested to by the 

number of Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies 

present at this event.” The next 

edition of the competition will 

open for entries later this year. 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

UNICEF consultant, Water 

Sanitation and Hygiene 

,WASH , in Isoko South Local 

Government Area, Delta State, 

Mr. Patrick Akinola Olupona, 

has advocated change in value 

system and attitudinal change 

on the part of parents and government’s 

motivation of teachers, 

as the panacea to the dwindling 

standard of education in 


Speaking at a quiz competition 

held at Oleh for selected 

public primary schools in Isoko 

South Local Government Area, 

Olupona stressed the need for 

Nigerians to go back to the basics, 

saying; “Our value system 

has to change. 

Value for 

education 

Presently, children don’t have 

value for education because 

they easily get money. They 

don’t see education as rewarding 

because they see those who 

didn’t go to school making fortunes. 

“We need to change our value 

system and ensure that no 

matter what, at the end of the 

initial delay you will be better 

off. When you have education, 

you can walk into any office, 

you can talk and you can do 

anything”. 

Making Nigerian schools safe from 

kidnappers 


security, particularly patrolling 

the premises, and if there are 

porous parts, they should be 

dealt with. Parents too need to 

teach their children basic safety 

tips, cooperate with school 

authorities on school safety 

measures and trust God.” 

In the same light, an 

educationist and school 

Parents too need 

to teach their 

children basic 

safety tips, 

cooperate with 

school authorities 

on school safety 

measures and 

trust God 

proprietor who declined to have 

his name in print, disclosed 

measure his school has taken, 

which he implored other school 

owners to emulate. 

According to him, “First of all, 

I believe God is our safety. Be 

that as it may, despite the size 

of the school, every school 

should have strong and viable 

He asserted: “Students are 

not ready to learn anymore as 

they spend time on movies, internet, 

pornography and others. 

"Let us look at the attitude of 

parents; some parents do not 

have time for their children because 

all that they are after is 

money. They think money can 

solve all the problems. 

“Teachers are also not helping 

matters. Some teachers do 

not even go to school while 

those that eventually go may not 

even teach. These are some of 

the factors affecting non-performance 

of our children in their 

schools. You have to make sure 

that your students are studious”. 

He advised government to 

take the welfare of students seriously 

and ensure “that teachers' 

salaries are paid regularly 

and their conditions of service 

bettered.” 

The quiz competition, which 

held in four centres in the council 

area, saw Ejova Primary 

School, Oleh, emerge winner 

while Omode Primary School, 

Irri and Erowha Primary School 

came out as first and second runners 

up respectively. 

Earlier, Head, Environmental 

Department, Isoko South Local 

Government Area, Mr. Collins 

Enigheno the completion and 

the WASH programme would 

have positive impact on the society. 

security, especially at the gate. 

When this is done, strangers 

should not be allowed into the 

school and people should not 

be allowed to walk in and go to 

the classrooms to pick up or 

check on their children. 

“For nursery and primary 

schools, when children are to 

be picked up, only familiar and 

regular faces are to be allowed. 

If the regular person would not 

available, the school authorities 

should be notified and the 

person should come to the 

school regularly for a week with 

the new person. 

“In secondary school where 

the students can come to school 

and go on their own, the school 

should also make sure that 

there is a time frame for students 

to come in the morning and in 

the afternoon. This means that 

lateness to school should be 

curbed, parents and students 

need to cooperate. Once the 

students are not in the premises 

at the stipulated time they are 

assumed absent and the school 

will be locked. In the afternoon 

when they leave, the school can 

no longer be held accountable. 

Nonetheless, parents need to 

educate their wards, as we do 

too, to go home straight, keep 

away from strangers.”


FORUM: From left: Mr. Olusegun Falemu, Pastor Adetolu Olatunde, Mrs. Omotunde 

Lawson, Mr. Ronald Cilliers (AISEN), Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, Mr. Nicholas Barrett (AISEN), 

Mrs. Eunice Agbede, Mr. Abiodun Olunoiki during an education stakeholders forum on 

bridging the gap organised by AISEN held in Lagos. 

AISEN tasks stakeholders on bridging 

education gap 

By Dayo Adesulu 

BOTHERED by the 

existing educational gap 

between private and public 

schools, authorities of the 

Association of International 

School Educators of Nigeria, 

AISEN, has brought key 

stakeholders in the sector 

together to chart the way 

forward. 

Speaking to Vanguard, the 

director of AISEN, Mrs Biola 

Lamikola, said AISEN is 

bringing stakeholders together 

because; "We realised that not 

every school has the privilege 

we have to give the quality of 

education we give, hence we 

want to deliberate with 

stakeholders to see how we can 

bridge the gap. 

"To achieve this goal, we hope 

to work with the community to 

adopt a school. We also hope to 

take it higher to the state level 

to see how we can contribute to 

the education. 

"Enhancing quality assurance 

in the system is one of the 

reasons we invited Lagos State 

officials to the programme. 

However in the next two years, 

we hope to see more 

cooperation, more 

communication between the 

divides and see where we can 

offer help to one another." 

Meanwhile, the programme 

which held at Ikoyi drew the 

likes of Director General, Office 

of Education Quality 

Assurance, Lagos State 

Ministry of Education, Mrs 

Ronke Soyombo and other key 

stakeholders of both private and 

public schools in Nigeria, as it 

was presided over by Dr 

Christopher Kolade. 

During the deliberation, they 

all concurred that there are gaps 

in private and public schools 

which need urgent attention. 

On both sides of the gap, they 

agreed that there are people of 

different levels, noting that they 

can bridge the education gap 

in people if everyone is 

dedicated and focused. 

The stakeholders who called 

for dedicated interest in 

bridging the gap, noted that 

until that is done, one cannot 

generate commitment. 

They lamented that there are 

graduates who can hardly write 

due to the gap of quality 

between the public and private 

schools adding, “we find a way 

of building a society where we 

have equal rights.” 

It was also pointed out by the 

discussants that lack of effective 

implementation of education 

LOT-WBC seminary graduates 18, 

matriculates 8 

THE Light of the World 

Bible College and 

Theological Seminary, LOT- 

WBC, has held its eighth 

matriculation and graduation 

ceremony at The Holy Church 

of Zion Mission, Ikate, Surulere, 

Lagos, where 18 graduated in 

different fields while eight 

matriculated. 

Speaking at the occasion, the 

Rector of the institute, Dr 

Emma Dan, said the seminary 

was established by God and 

inaugurated in June 2009 in 

Lagos and since then the 

school has been rolling out 

policies, is one of the causative 

agents for the gap among 

students. 

Buttressing the views of a 

discussant who called for 

clampdown on mushroom 

schools, Dr Kolade said; 

"children are referred to as raw 

material; the quality of a product 

largely depends on the quality 

of the raw material. 

“The environmental gap 

between public schools and 

private schools should be 

bridged,” they said. 

great men of God. He advised 

the graduands to always say 

the truth where ever and 

should uphold the teachings of 

Jesus Christ at all time. 

On his part, Dr Udoh Eyo, 

who doubles as a lecturer in 

the seminary and Chairman, 

Akwa Ibom Clergy Forum, 

urged the graduands to be 

good ambassadors of Christ, 

saying: “The church is no 

longer what it used to be. We 

must be careful of what we say 

and do.” He urged them not to 

do anything that will bring 

shame to the Kingdom of God. 

From left, Dr Divine Degreat, Lecturer, Light of the World Bible 

College and Theological Seminary, LOT-WBC; Apostle Asuquo 

Uyio, Chairman, Spiritual Formation Committee; Dr Emma 

Dan, Rector and Dr Samuel Offiong during the 8th matriculation 

and graduation ceremony of the seminary in Lagos. 

Amosun tasks corps members 

on ideals of the NYSC scheme 

By Peculiar Chukwuma 

GOVERNOR of Ogun 

State, Sen. Ibikunle 

Amosun has tasked corps 

members who just completed their 

three-week orientation 

programme not to forget the ideals 

which established the NYSC 

scheme. 

Amosun stated this during the 

closing orientation for the 2017 

Batch ‘B’ Stream 2 Corps 

Members held at the NYSC 

Permanent Orientation Camp, 

Sagamu, on Monday. 

The governor, who was 

represented by the Commissioner 

for Youths and Sports, Ogun State, 

Mr Afolabi Afuape, urged them 

to be worthy ambassadors who 

would project the country’s image 

positively. He commended them 

for their perseverance throughout 

the period of training. 

Dedication and 

selflessness 

Amosun while reminding the 

corps members of the aims and 

objectives of the NYSC scheme, 

pleaded with them to foster and 

promote unity in diversity 

wherever they are posted. 

He said: “I encourage you to put 

in more dedication and 

selflessness into serving your 

fatherland; as stated in a line of 

the NYSC anthem. Just as many 

of your predecessors have proven 

themselves worthy of praise in 

their various places of assignments 

in time past, you have a noble 

heritage to uphold. 

“Be rest assured that the people 

of Ogun State are very hospitable 

and caring. “You must ensure 

By Elizabeth Uwandu 

INTERNATIONAL Centre 

for Leadership 

Development Nigeria, 

ICLDNG, a Non Governmental 

Organisation, in partnership 

with Facebook’s initiative to 

educate African youths on 

safer, better internet use, has 

organised a one-day summit 

for secondary schools in Lagos 

to mark the 2017 World Internet 

Day tagged, “ Be the change: 

Unite for a better internet. 

The summit held at 

Government Senior College, 

Ipaja, Lagos, saw students 

being trained on cyber securit 

and the need to harness the 

opportunities of the internet. 

Executive Director, 

ICLDNG, Felix Iziomoh, said 

the training became necessary 

to orientate youths on the 

dangers of cyber crimes and 

encourage them to make use 

of the opportunities the 

internet offers. 

According to the first 

graduate of International 

Institute for Global Leadership 

that you identify with the people 

of your host community, support 

their hopes and aspirations and 

your entire service year will surely 

be worthwhile and memorable.” 

Afuape, however urged the 

young graduates to begin to 

concentrate on exploring their 

potentials and putting their talents 

to use. "The reality of global 

unemployment means that not 

every graduate can have access 

to white-collar jobs, thereby 

prompting the need to be 

innovative. 

“Education should be 

functional, people should go to 

school to be able to function 

independently and create wealth 

for themselves and others. 

“You must make good use of the 

NYSC scheme to develop 

specialised vocational skills to 

supplement the few available 

white-collar jobs. You must ensure 

you keep yourselves busy always 

for your own good,” Afuape said. 

While accepting that the 

opportunities for enterprise and 

access to loans are limited, the 

commissioner urged the youths to 

challenge themselves through 

innovation and setting targets. 

Ogun State is ready to provide 

funding for those who are 

enterprising enough and qualify 

on merit. 

“We know that it is not enough 

to learn a skill without an avenue 

to discharge knowledge so we will 

support as many as we can where 

funds are available.” 

The commissioner also used the 

occasion to appeal to the Federal 

Government to reinstate the 

National Sports Festival which has 

been suspended since 2012. 

NGO partners Facebook to educate 

youths on world internet day 

U.S.A (IIGL) and Board 

President, “Nigerians, 

especially the youths need 

proper training and reorientation 

on proper internet 

use. When they get informed, 

they will be able to shun cyber 

crimes and become better 

equipped to harness the 

opportunities of the net 

promoting their business ideas, 

their creativity and even use the 

net for academic purpose.” 

Echoing the words of Akua 

Gyekye, Public Policy 

Manager Facebook, Africa, 

who said nothing is more 

important than the safety of the 

people who use Facebook and 

the security of their 

environment, Iziomoh said the 

youths are also being taught the 

implication of information they 

share on social media. 

His words, “ Many youths 

don’t know that information and 

pictures they share on social 

media might expose them, and 

their families to dangers. And 

in some cases make them lose 

employment opportunities.”


2017 GEN MURTALA MUHAMMED MEMORIAL LECTURE: 

How ‘ego' and 

conspiracy theories 

led to Boko Haram 

killings, destruction 

By Kashim Shettima 

A 

part from the 

immeasurable national 

impact he made with just 198 

days (less than seven months) 

in office, what is decidedly 

affirmed to be the late General 

Murtala Muhammed's most 

famous speech set the stage 

for Africa's epochal 

confrontation with colonial, 

racist and settler regimes in 

Angola, Guinea-Bissau, 

Mozambique, Rhodesia 

(renamed Zimbabwe), and 

South Africa. At the Extra- 

Ordinary Summit of African 

Heads of States under the 

Organisation of African Unity, 

held in Addis Ababa, the 

political capital of Africa, on 

11th January, 1976, Africa's 

Martyr General Murtala 

Muhammed, put the world on 

notice. The speech aptly titled 

"Africa has come of age" 

declared that our countries, 

and by extension all their 

social and political 

organisations, "would not take 

orders from any extracontinental 

power however 

powerful." 

Extra-continental 

powers 

He, General Murtala 

Muhammed of blessed 

memory, further stated that 

"Africa is capable of resolving 

her own problems without any 

presumptuous lessons in 

ideological dangers, which 

more often than not, have no 

relevance for the problems at 

hand...". 41 years after 

General Murtala expressed 

this bold vision, we must ask 

ourselves, is it that Africa has 

now retrogressed below the 

threshold of positive 

consciousness bequeathed to 

us to this moment when 

"extra-continental powers" like 

ISIS or Al-Qaeda are directing 

Boko Haram to turn its lethal 

weapons on social progress, 

with poor people as the 

undeniable victims of their 

insurgency? 

For a succession of Nigerian 

leaders going back to the first 

republic under Prime Minister 

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, 

through General Yakubu 

Gowon and General 

Olusegun Obasanjo who 

succeeded General Murtala 

Muhammed, the willingness 

to deploy resources to secure 

the basic rights to life and 

happiness, not just in Nigeria 

but all over Africa, was deeply 

rooted in the psyche of the true 

leaders of our people. For 

again, in his famous speech, 

General Murtala Muhammed, 

minced no words in stating 

why it was necessary to fight 

evil wherever it occurred in 

Africa: "When I contemplate 

the evils of apartheid, my heart 

bleeds and I am sure the heart 

of every true- blooded African 

bleeds." 

Most researchers believe 

that the cradle of apartheid in 

South Africa was in 1948 and 

lasted till 1994 when Africa's 

legend, Nelson Mandela of 

the ANC had to be released 

from prison to assume the 

democratic leadership of the 

country. But in the age or era 

I came into office in 

the midst of the Boko 

Haram crisis in 

2011. As at that time, 

the insurgents had 

began serial 

assassinations and 

planting of IEDs 

mainly in Maiduguri 

metropolis, which 

was, and now even 

more so, the most 

populated part of the 

state 

of apartheid a total of 21,000 

persons were murdered 

according to reports published 

by the Human Rights 

Committee of South Africa 

which conducted extensive 

investigation into the atrocities 

of the Boers against Africans. 

At the time General Murtala's 

heart bled over atrocities of 

apartheid, the number of 

murders was less than 7,000 

in the run-up to 1976. 

However, a majority of the 

assassinations and murders 

totaling 14,000, actually took 

place between 1990 and 1994. 

Your Excellencies, 

Distinguished guests, ladies 

and gentlemen, how much 

Gov Kashim Shettima of Borno State. 

more would General Murtala's 

heart have bled today if he 

were around to know, that 

while it took South Africa's 

apartheid 46 years to take 

21,000 lives, it took Boko 

Haram only seven years to 

cause the murders of 100,000 

innocent people, largely 

women, children and old 

people in Nigeria? 

If General Murtala 

Muhammed were alive today, 

imagine how his heart would 

have bled most profusely! 

Certainly, his fate would have 

been no better than Egypt's 

General Gamel Abdel Nasser's 

in September 1970, when his 

heart failed over a lingering 

worry that fellow Arabs, 

Jordanians and Palestinians, 

were killing each other. I 

cannot resist such a 

comparison, for it stands to be 

argued that General Murtala 

Muhammed was to Africa, 

what Gamel Abdel Nasser was 

to Arabia. It was a heart failure 

that did in Gamal Abdel 

Nasser, whereas a black 

African consciously planned 

and carried out the 

assassination of Africa's martyr, 

General Murtala Muhammed! 

May his soul rest in 

peace!Amen. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

immersed, as I often find 

myself in thoughts over the 

greatness in General Murtala 

Muhammed, I was thoroughly 

bemused when Aisha 

Muhammed-Oyebode, 

replied my SMS of acceptance 

to this event, by saying the 

Murtala Muhammed 

Foundation was so honoured. 

Boko Haram atrocities 

I laughed at her humility as 

I considered myself to be the 

one who's truly honoured. 

What an honour to be a 

keynote speaker at the 

memorial of one of Africa's 

liberators, a man so 

immeasurably endowed with 

eternal greatness that 

contemporary African History 

credits him with hastening the 

collapse of apartheid South 

Africa and its surrogate 

regimes in Southern Africa. 

His name was one of the words 

that rolled off the tongues of 

Nelson Mandela when he 

regained his freedom. Africa 

remains grateful that in its 

hour of great need, it had 

General Murtala Muhammed. 

Again, may his soul rest in 

peace! 

Understandably, from July 

1975 to date, a lot of Nigerians 

have more admiration and 

respect, indeed nostalgia, for 

the days of General Murtala 

than they have for some of us 

holding public offices today 

and in recent times. 'Fellow 

Nigerians' as Murtala often 

addressed citizens, would 

normally stand up for leaders 

who truly served them. I must 

express my profound 

appreciation to the Board and 

management of Murtala 

Muhammed Foundation for 

giving me the platform to 

narrate the story of Borno's 

struggle with the evil that has 

continually wrought death and 

destruction in our state. 

Greatness in General 

Murtala Muhammed 

I came into office in the midst 

of the Boko Haram crisis in 

2011. As at that time, the 

insurgents had began serial 

assassinations and planting of 

IEDs mainly in Maiduguri 

metropolis, which was, and 

now even more so, the most 

populated part of the State. 

Last month, my predecessor 

Governor Ali Modu Sheriff 

issued a political statement. In 

it, he implied that as at the 

time he handed over to me in 

2011, Boko Haram had 

asserted territorial control and 

carried out its atrocities within 

Maiduguri only. According to 

him, Boko Haram wasn't in 

control of local government 

areas. His statement, 

designed as it were to aim a 

cheap political shot, simply 

stood down both the facts and 

internal dynamics of the Boko 

Haram terror strategy. The 

thesis, yet to be punctured, is 

that the spread of Boko Haram 

was a consequence of creating 

and nurturing the enabling 

environment that started it in 

the first place, and that 

consciously carved out niches 

for it in governance and 

society. Two years before I 

came into office, specifically, 

in July, 2009 when Boko 

Haram launched its first 

(major) concurrent attacks in 

Maiduguri, its cells carried out 

similar attacks in Damasak, 

headquarters of Mobbar Local 

Government Area in Borno 

State. Cells, then yet to 

become active, existed 

alongside visible followers in 

other local government areas. 

In fact, the Boko Haram which 

spread to Bauchi (Bauchi 

State) and Potiskum (Yobe 

State) from Borno State 

attacked targets in these states 

within the same July, 2009. 

Boko Haram was by this time 

everywhere in Borno State. I 

have restrained myself from 

blaming the previous 

Governor but the fact of the 

matter is that Governor Ali 

Modu Sheriff allowed his ego 

to override his actions by 

failing to amicably settle the 

violent disagreements that 

ensued between a group of 

armed forces and followers of 

the Boko Haram sect in 2009, 

who at that time were known 

as Yusufiyya. Between 2008 

and 2009, the late Mohammed 

Yusuf was a regular critique of 

Sheriff’s administration in 

some of his sermons, I do not 

know the basis of their 

problems. Then, in June, 2009, 

there were disagreements 

between Yusuf's followers and 

an anti-robbery squad code 

named, 'Operation Flush'. 

Operation Flush' 

The disagreements were 

over the use of crash helmets 

in Maiduguri which resulted 

in one of the armed personnel 

in Operation Flush firing at 17 

followers of the sect. I think 

the security agent said they 

attempted disarming him or 

so. It is true that the Boko 

Haram members had clear 

disregard for the policy on 

motorcycle safety (anti-crash) 

helmet and didn't wear it. But 

after a serious incident 

involving armed forces and a 

radical Islamic group, a 

Governor in his normal senses 

would at least visit victims of 

the shooting, even settle their 

medical bills to lay foundation 

for peaceful resolution and 

also set up a panel of Inquiry 

over the shooting of 17 radical 

sect members. We all saw how 

Governor Nasiru El-Rufai 

quickly set up a Judicial 

Commission of Inquiry over 

the Shiites crisis with the Army 

in Zaria, and a white paper 

has since been issued. But in 

the case of the June, 2009 

Boko Haram crisis with 

Operation Flush in 

Maiduguri, then Governor of 

Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff 

mismanaged the crisis by 

blatantly ignoring the entire 

incident. The Governor was in 

Maiduguri when the incident 

happened but he neither set 

up at least a Commission of 

Inquiry after the incident nor 

did he visit those shot and 

hospitalized while he also 

didn't send anyone and didn't 

settle medical bills of victims. 

Sheriff acted as if nothing 

happened. At the end, he 

played into the hands of the 

insurgents. 

To be continued.

42 —VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBUARY 16, 2017 

SANs who may be 

Supreme Court Justices 

By Dayo Benson, 

Abdulwahab Abdulah & 

Bartholomew Madukwe 

IF they meet the criteria and 

are subsequently 

recommended by the National 

Judicial Council (NJC), the 

body vested with the 

constitutional power to appoint 

and discipline judges, some of 

the nine Senior Advocates of 

Nigeria (SAN) short listed by 

the Nigerian Bar Association 

(NBA) will be appointed 

Justices of the Supreme Court 

(JSC) subject to President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

approval. 

Acting Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, Honourable Justice 

Walter Onoghen, had 

requested the NBA to nominate 

senior lawyers for appointment 

into the apex court as part of ongoing 

reforms in the 

administration of justice system. 

Besides, there had been 

clamours from critical 

stakeholders on the imperative 

to appoint justices to topmost 

echelon of the nation’s judiciary 

from the ranks of senior 

practising lawyers and 

distinguished academics. 

Qualified legal 

practitioners 

Sequel to the CJN’s request, 

the NBA President A.B. 

Mahmoud, had in a letter sent 

to the e-mails of all registered 

lawyers invited applications 

from suitably qualified legal 

practitioners to be appointed to 

the Supreme Court as provided 

in Section 231(3) of the 

Constitution of Federal 

Republic of Nigeria (as 

amended). 

The section provides that: “A 

person shall not be qualified to 

hold the office of Chief Justice 

of Nigeria or of a Justice of the 

Supreme Court, unless he is 

qualified to practice as a legal 

practitioners in Nigeria and has 

been so qualified for a period 

not less than fifteen years.” 

Consequently, nine silks were 

short-listed by the umbrella 

body of lawyers from 89 

Expressions of Interest that were 

received. The nominees are - 

Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), 

Anthony Idigbe (SAN), former 

Abia State Attorney-General 

and Commissioner for Justice 

Prof Awa Kalu (SAN), Yunus 

Usman (SAN) and Babatunde 

Fagbohunlu (SAN). Others are 

Miannayaaja Essien (SAN) 

(1985, Rivers), Prof. Awa Kalu 

(SAN) (1978, Abia), Prof Awalu 

•Babatunde Fagbohunlu •Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN •Olisa Agbakoba, OON, SAN 

Yadudu (1979, Kano), Tajudeen 

Oladoja (1985, Kwara) and 

Ayuba Giwa (1983, Edo). 

The names had been 

forwarded to the CJN who 

would then send them to the 

Federal Judicial Service 

Commission (FJSC) for 

screening and recommendation 

before final recommendation by 

the NJC. The Supreme Court 

at present has 17 Justices, four 

less than its full compliment of 

21. 

The implication is that only 

four of the nominees may scale 

through and the figure may be 

less. Those who will eventually 

be appointed would be 

following the footsteps of Teslim 

Olawale Elias (JSC) and Justice 

Augustine Nnamani (JSC) as 

they then were. Both were the 

first Justices to be appointed 

outside the Bench to the apex 

court. Who are these nine 

nominees? 

Maritime 

lawyer 

Olisa Agbakoba, OON, SAN 

was born on May 29, 1953 to 

Chief Justice Godfrey Ubaka 

and Mrs Phina Agbakoba in 

Jos. He later moved to Onitsha 

in 1965, two years before the 

Nigerian civil war. He is a 

maritime lawyer but more 

popularly known as a human 

rights activist in the Nigerian 

human rights movement from 

the early to late 90s. He is also 

a former President of Nigerian 

Bar Association. Fresh out of 

law school, he served as a 

research fellow in the Nigerian 

Institute of International Affairs 

(NIIA) Law and Intelligence 

Department. Agbakoba left 

NIIA after a year and formed 

his law firm, Olisa Agbakoba 

and Legal (OAL). 

Chief Anthony I. Idigbe SAN 

is a seasoned legal practitioner 

with 28 years experience in 

advocacy, arbitration, dispute 

resolution, privatization, capital 

markets, mergers & 

acquisitions, aviation law and 

telecommunications. Elevated 

to the rank of Senior Advocate 

in 2000, he has worked closely 

with regulators of privatization, 

capital markets, investments 

and corporate finance industries 

on the one hand, and 

companies involved in 

privatization, capital markets, 

investments and corporate 

It is a welcome 

development if 

practising lawyers 

are appointed to the 

Supreme Court. The 

Constitution does 

not bar it as all that 

is required is 15 

years post-call 

experience 

finance transactions on the 

other hand. 

He is the lead partner of the 

Legal Advisory Partnership 

(LAP), a consortium of law firms 

that provide advisory services 

to the BPE on privatization 

process issues. 

Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN is 

the fifth Senior Advocate of 

Nigeria (SAN) from the North. 

Born on November 15, 1957 in 

Ogbogodo Village, Dekina LGA 

of Kogi State, Nigeria. On July 

30, 1983, he was called to the 

bar and later conferred with the 

honour of Senior Advocate of 

Nigeria (SAN). Between 1983 

and1984, Usman was a lecturer 

in law during his NYSC with 

the Kaduna Polytechnic. 

Commercial 

litigation 

Among other positions held 

by him are from 2009 to date 

include Member, Body of 

Benchers, Member Osun State 

Truth And Reconciliation 

Commission in 2011, chairman, 

local organization committee 

Nigerian Bar Association 

Annual General Confernce in 

2010, chairman, Electoral 

Committee Nigeria Bar 

Association, Kaduna branch in 

2009, Trustee, International 

Islamic Resources 

Organization in 2008. He was 

elected second national 

secretary Nigeria Bar 

Association in 1988, Chairman, 

committee to investigate the 

existence of fake lawyers in 

1989, re-elected second national 

secretary Nigeria Bar 

Association from 1989-1990. 

Babatunde Fagbohunlu 

(SAN) is a partner at Aluko & 

Oyebode in Lagos, Nigeria. He 

specialises in commercial 

litigation and has litigated on 

extensive range of issues, 

including maritime law, 

banking, intellectual property, 

contract law, receiverships and 

insolvency, both at trial and 

appellate levels. He regularly 

represents Nigerian as well as 

foreign and multinational 

clients in arbitration and before 

arbitral institutions, such as the 

International Court of 

Arbitration of the ICC, and has 

served as an expert witness in 

an American Arbitration 

Association case. In 2008, 

Tunde was conferred with the 

rank of senior advocate of 

Nigeria by the Nigerian Legal 

Practitioners privileges 

committee. 

Miannaya Aja Essien, SAN, 

FCIArb, chartered arbitrator 

and notary public, is the 

managing partner and one of 

the founders of Principles Law 

Partnership, a firm of legal 

practitioners, arbitrators and 

notaries public with offices in 

Port Harcourt and Lagos 

Nigeria. 

Commercial dispute 

resolution matters 

She is an alumnus of the 

universities of Nigeria and 

Lagos and obtained her LLB 

(Hons) and LLM respectively 

in 1984 and 1991. She was 

called to the Nigerian Bar in 

August 1985. As counsel she 

leads complex corporate and 

commercial dispute resolution 

matters in Nigeria and 

internationally across the oil 

and gas, banking and insurance 

sectors. She was made a Senior 

Advocate of Nigeria in 2007. 

She is a chartered arbitrator and 

fellow of the Chartered Institute 

of Arbitrators (UK). She lectures 

at the Nigerian Law School, 

Abuja, where she is a member 

of the adjunct faculty. 

Awa Uma Kalu (SAN) is a 

lawyer with over thirty-eight 

years on the bar. He was born 

on March 9, 1953, in Umuahia, 

Abia State. He attended a 

number of primary schools as a 

result of the nature of his 

father’s job which required 

constant movements. He 


VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBUARY 16, 2017 — 43 

Legal practitioners’ role in effective implementation of anti-corruption laws 

Continues from last week 

PROVIDED that any gift or 

donation to a public officer 

on any public or ceremonial 

occasion shall be treated as a gift 

to the appropriate institution 

represented by the public officer, 

and accordingly, the mere 

acceptance or receipt of any such 

gift shall not be treated as a 

contravention of this provision. 

2 ) The Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission 

(Establishment) Act, 2004. 

3) The Constitution of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. 

4) Independent Corrupt 

Practices and other Related 

Offences Act. 

5) Money Laundering Act 

2004. 

6) Money Laundering 

(Prohibition) Amendment Act, 

2012. 

7) Code of Conduct Act. 

8) Nigerian Extractive 

Industries Transparency Initiative 

Act. 

9) Freedom of Information Act, 

2011. 

10) Fiscal Responsibilities Act, 

2010. 

11) Penal Code, Laws of the 

Federation of Nigeria 2004. 

12) Criminal Code, Laws of 

the Federation of Nigeria 2004. 

13) Administration of Criminal 

Justice Act, 2015. 

14) Public Procurement Act, 

2007. 

•Layi Babatunde, SAN 

15) Advance Fee Fraud and 

other related offences Act, 1995. 

16) Failed Banks (Recovery of 

debts) and Financial malpractices 

in Banks Act 

17) Miscellaneous offences Act. 

A brief comment on some of 

these Legislations, relative to the 

role of the Legal Practitioner will 

suffice. The most prominent of 

these legislations as at 2016; are 

the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission 

Establishment Act and the Corrupt 

Practices and Related Offences 

Act. We will focus more on these 

two. 

4.1 Economic and Financial 

Crime Commission 

(Establishment Act, 2004) 

The EFCC Act was first enacted 

in 2002, re-enacted in 2004. The 

Bill for the 2004 version was 

passed into law on the 23rd 

March, 2004 by both the House of 

Representatives and the Senate. 

The then president, Chief 

Olusegun Obasanjo assented to 

the bill on the 4th day of June 2004, 

thereby culminating into the 

enactment of the Bill into an Act of 

the national Assembly.[17] It was 

consolidated along with other 

enactments in the 2004 and 2010 

editions of the Laws of Nigeria. 

The Act has 47 (forty seven) 

sections, divided into seven parts. 

The seven parts covers the 

following topics: 

1) The Establishment of the 


Commission Etc, (sections 1-5); 

2) Functions of the 

Commission (Sections 6-7); 

3) Staff of the Commission, 

(sections 8-13); 

4) Offences (Sections 14-27); 

5) Forfeiture of Assets of 

Persons Arrested under this Act 

(Sections 27-34); 

6) Financial Provisions 

(Sections 35-37); and 

7) Miscellaneous provisions 

(Sections 38-47).[18] 

The Act provides for the 

establishment of the economic and 

financial crimes commission 

charged with the responsibility for 

the enforcement of all economic 

and financial crimes laws in 

Nigeria, among others. Section 

7(2) vests the commission with the 

power to coordinate the 

enforcement of the following 

legislation: 

a) Money Laundering Act, 

1995 

b) Advance Fee Fraud and 

other related offences Act, 1995 

c) Failed Banks (Recovery of 

Debts) and Financial Malpractices 

in banks Act, 

d) Banks and other Financial 

Institutions Act, 1991, 2007 

e) Any other law or 

regulation relating to economic 

and financial crimes including the 

Criminal and Penal Code. 

In summary, the Act provides 

for the establishment of the 


Commission charged with the 

responsibility for the enforcement 

of all economic and financial 

crimes laws, among others.[19] 

The offences created by the Act 

form the basis for the fight against 

official corruption by successive 

regimes at the federal level.[20] 

The offences include terrorism 

financing, false information in 

financial crimes, economic and 

financial crimes.[21] Penalties are 

also clearly specified.[22] The 

Federal High Court exercises sole 

jurisdiction in relation to the 

provisions of the Act. And there 

are provisions for all the offences 

including forfeiture provisions.[23] 

The Act also provides for the 

establishment of special units, etc., 

Special duties of the Units, 

Offences relating to Financial 

Malpractices, Offences in relation 

to terrorism, Offences relating to 

false information, Retention of 

proceeds of a criminal conduct, 

Offences in relation to economic 

and financial crime and penalties, 

and Jurisdiction and special 

powers of the Court. 

The Act makes comprehensive 

provisions for forfeiture of assets 

illegally acquired with proceeds 

of crime. These provisions are: 

Forfeiture of property, Foreign 

assets, Forfeiture of passports, 

Property subject to forfeiture, 

provisions at the forfeiture of 

property and Seizure of property. 

Others are: Disclosure of assets 

and properties by an arrested 

person, etc., Investigation of assets 

and properties of a person arrested 

for an offence under this Act etc., 

Interim forfeiture order, Final 

order, Final disposal of forfeited 

property, Offences in relation to 

forfeiture orders, Consequences of 

an acquittal in respect of assets 

and properties, Freezing order on 

banks or other financial 

institutions, Funds of the 

Commission, Accounts and audit, 

Annual report. 

Other provisions covers: Power 

to receive information without 

hindrance, etc., Protecting 

informants and information, etc. 

and penalty for false information, 

Appeals against interlocutory 

rulings, etc., 

To be continued 

SANs who may be Supreme Court Justices 


gained admission into the 

University of Ife in 1973 to study 

law. At Ife, he distinguished 

himself as an academic numero 

uno. He received a number of 

awards of excellence in 

acknowledgement of his 

brilliant performance in school. 

Some of such awards were Olu 

Ayoola Prize as Best Over-all 

LL.B Part One Student; Irvine 

& Bonner Scholarship as Best 

Over-all LL.B Part II Student 

and Justice Madarikan Prize as 

Best Over-All Final Year Law 

Student. 

Flying 

colours 

He graduated in flying 

colours in 1977 and earned the 

LL.B (Hons) Degree of the 

university. Soon after 

graduation, he was admitted to 

the Nigerian Law School, 

Victoria Island, Lagos, where he 

graduated on July 6, 1978, with 

his Barrister at Law (BL). 

Professor Auwal Yadudu, was 

a delegate from Kano at the 

former President Goodluck 

Jonathan National Conference. 

Tajudeen Oladoja, Year of 

Call: 1985 State: Kwara 

Ayuba Giwa Year of Call: 1983, 

State: Edo 

Speaking on the development 

a senior advocate, Mr 

Babatunde Fashanu, said: “It is 

•Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) 

a welcome development if 

practising lawyers are 

appointed to the Supreme 

Court. The Constitution does 

not bar it as all that is required 

is 15 years post-call experience 

insofar as those appointed have 

a wealth of knowledge and 

experience in actual law 

practice and are approved as to 

that and their character by the 

National Judicial Council. 

I did not apply because I am 

not interested in such venture 

at this time but the senior 

lawyers who applied deserve 

commendation in opting to 

leave their respective law 

practices and serve on the 

Supreme Court bench. 

“I have no doubt they are 

motivated by a desire to serve 

and contribute their quota to the 

development of law and justice 

dispensation from that angle 

more than anything else. 

Actual law 

practice 

•Miannaya Aja Essien, SAN, FCIArb 

This has precedence in the 

appointment of late judicial 

icons, Justice (Dr.) Taslim 

Olawale Elias from the 

academia and also Federal 

Attorney-General and late 

Justice Augustine Nnamani 

who was an Attorney-General 

of the Federation. ppointing 

senior lawyers to the Supreme 

Court bench is a win win 

situation for everyone because 

it will enable these seasoned 

lawyers to add their wealth of 

experience to the proper 

dispensation of justice by the 

Supreme Court in conjunction 

with the already vastly 

experienced justices who rose 

all the way from their respective 

High Courts through the Court 

of Appeal to the Supreme 

Court. 

In fact, I wish that a quota was 

set aside for practicing lawyers 

in appointments to, not only the 

Supreme Court, but also the 

Court of Appeal.” 

Also, the 2nd Vice President 

of the Nigerian Bar Association, 

NBA, Mr Monday Ubani said: 

“People resist change actually 

but without change the world 

cannot witness improvement in 

any sphere. The recent act or 

determination of using lawyers 

directly from the Bar to the 

Bench is necessitated by several 

factors. 

“This step in the way may 

bring the desired change all of 

us have been clamouring? for. 

It is a policy worth trying. Let 

us all support it and see how 

far it will go in giving us a 

fearless, independent, corrupt 

free and service oriented 

judiciary with an eye for justice 

and equity. I will advise a mix 

of both the Bar and Bench 

members, especially those 

identified with integrity and 

honesty in their works. It is a 

commendable one.” 

EDITORIAL 

Innocent Anaba 

( Head) 

Wahab Abdulah 

Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

Dayo Benson 

(Supervising Editor) 

08056180119 

dayobenson@yahoo.com

44 —VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

From (r) Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald 

Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Sara Netanyahu at the White House 

yesterday during the visit of the Israeli leader. Photo: REUTERS 

Two-state solution not only way to 

achieve peace — Trump 

*Attacks US intelligence community over Russia 

US President Donald 

Trump has said that 

a peace deal between Israel 

and Palestine can be a onestate 

or two-state solution as 

long as both sides agree on 

it. “Looking at two-state or 

one-state, I like the one that 

both parties like. I’m very 

happy with the one both 

parties like. I can live with 

either one,” Trump said, 

replying to questions 

during a news conference 

with Israeli Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu in 

Washington on Wednesday. 

“The United States will 

encourage a peace and 

really a great peace deal ... 

We will be working on it 

very, very diligently. But it 

is the parties themselves 

who must directly negotiate 

such an agreement,” 

Trump said. 

A two-state solution - the 

idea of Israel and Palestine 

living side-by-side and at 

peace - has been the 

bedrock of US diplomacy for 

the past two decades. 

In another development, 

Trump lashed out at the US 

intelligence community 

and media after new reports 

of contacts between 

members of his team and 

Russia. 

Prime Minister Benjamin 

Netanyahu said that he 

wanted to focus on 

“substance” and not 

“labels,” when asked about 

support for a two-state 

solution. 

“Rather than deal with 

labels, I want to deal with 

substance,” Netanyahu 

said during a news 

conference with President 

Donald Trump at the White 

House. 

“There are two 

prerequisites for peace. 

First the Palestinians must 

recognize the Jewish state. 

Second, in any peace 

agreement, Israel must 

retain the overriding 

security control over the 

entire area west of the 

Jordan River,” he said. 

North Korea asks for body of Kim’s 

late brother 

* As Malaysia arrests Female suspect 

NORTH Korea has 

asked Malaysia 

for the body of a man 

believed to be leader Kim 

Jong-un’s half-brother. 

Kim Jong-nam is 

thought to have been 

poisoned as he waited to 

board a flight in the 

capital Kuala Lumpur on 

Monday. 

arrested 

Local authorities are 

carrying out an autopsy 

to establish the exact 

cause of Mr Kim’s death, 

but Pyongyang has 

reportedly objected. 

Police have arrested 

one woman in 

connection with the 

death, but are still 

looking for other 

suspects. 

According to reports, 

North Korea sent a 

number 

of 

representatives to the 

hospital where the 

autopsy was being 

conducted on 

Wednesday to ask for the 

return of the body. 

Broadcast Journalists killed during Live broadcast 

POLICE in the 

Dominican 

Republic have detained 

three men after two radio 

journalists were shot 

dead during a Facebook 

Live broadcast, 

according to officials. 

The shooting took 

place on Tuesday in San 

Pedro de Macoris, east 

of the capital Santo 

Domingo. 

The attackers burst into 

the 103.5 FM studio and 

fatally shot presenter 

Luis Manuel Medina as 

he was reading the news 

on air. 

Gunfire and a woman’s 

voice shouting, “Shots, 

shots!” can be heard on 

a Facebook live video 

streamed by one of the 

journalists there at the 

time. 

Russia tells White House it will 

not return Crimea to Ukraine 

RUSSIA said on 

Wednesday it 

would not hand back 

Crimea to Ukraine or 

discuss the matter with 

foreign partners after the 

White House said U.S. 

President Donald Trump 

expected the annexed 

Black Sea peninsula to be 

returned. 

Moscow says an 

overwhelming majority of 

Crimeans voted to 

become part of Russia in 

a 2014 referendum 

wanting protection from 

what the Kremlin cast as 

an illegal coup in Kiev. 

Ukraine says the 

referendum was a sham 

held at gunpoint after 

Russian troops illegally 

annexed the peninsula, 

that Russia-friendly 

president Viktor 

Yanukovych was ousted 

by people power, and that 

Moscow should return 

Crimea. 

G20 foreign ministers to tackle fight 

against poverty in Africa 

G20 

foreign 

ministers will 

discuss ways to fight 

poverty in Africa, 

strengthen governmental 

institutions and better 

utilise the potential of 

many African countries, 

German ministry officials 

said on the eve of a twoday 

meeting in Bonn. 

Germany, keen to 

improve conditions in 

Africa and halt a growing 

stream of economic 

refugees fleeing to 

Europe, has made 

cooperation with Africa a 

centrepiece of its 

presidency of the Group 

of 20 largest 

industrialised countries. 

The European Union is 

also taking steps to stem 

immigration from Africa, 

which is set to rise after 

181,000 people arriving 

last year and an estimated 

4,500 believed to have 

died while crossing the 

Mediterranean Sea, often 

in flimsy boats. 

“Foreign policy is and 

must be more than crisis 

management,” German 

Foreign Minister Sigmar 

Gabriel said in a 

statement before the 

meeting. “We are well 

advised not to continually 

be running from one fire 

to another with a fire 

extinguisher.” 

Anthony Mothae 

Maruping, economics 

commissioner for the 

African Union, will 

participate in the meeting, 

which will also address 

implementation of the 

Agenda 2030 for 

sustainable development 

agreed by all U.N. 

members in September 

2015. 

Ministers will also 

discuss the war in Syria, 

violence in eastern 

Ukraine and other global 

crises during the G20 

meeting and bilateral 

meetings on the sidelines. 

Congo declares end to worst yellow fever 

epidemic in decades 

D Republic 

EMOCRATIC 

of 

Congo’s worst yellow 

fever outbreak in 

decades has ended two 

months after Angola 

declared its epidemic to 

be over, following a 

massive U.N.-backed 

vaccine campaign, the 

World Health 

Organization (WHO) 

said. 

No new cases have 

been reported in either 

country in six months, 

just over a year after the 

outbreak began in 

December 2015 in a slum 

in Angola’s capital, 

Luanda, before 

spreading into 

neighbouring DRC. 

In all, more than 400 

people died, the WHO 

said. 

The epidemic 

prompted a campaign to 

vaccinate 30 million 

people in the two 

countries with more than 

41,000 volunteers and 56 

charities carrying out 

mass the immunisation 

programme. 

“We are able to declare 

the end of one of the 

largest and most 

challenging yellow fever 

outbreak in recent 

years,” the WHO’s Africa 

director Matshidiso 

Moeti said in a statement 

late on Tuesday. 

The outbreak caused 

965 confirmed cases 

across the two countries, 

with thousands more 

cases suspected, the 

WHO said. 

African states wary of potential repeal of 

“conflict minerals” law 

A 

possible plan by 

U.S. President 

Donald Trump to suspend 

a rule on “conflict 

minerals” could help fund 

armed groups and 

contribute to a surge in 

unrest in central Africa, 

regional states said on 

Wednesday. Sources told 

Reuters last week that 

Trump planned to issue a 

directive targeting a Dodd- 

Frank rule that requires 

companies to disclose 

whether their products 

contain “conflict minerals” 

from war-torn parts of 

Africa, including 

Democratic Republic of 

Congo. 

A leaked draft seen by 

Reuters calls for the rule 

to be temporarily 

suspended for two years. 

Competition for Congo’s 

vast mineral resources has 

fuelled two decades of 

conflict in eastern Congo, 

including a 1998-2003 

regional war that killed 

millions, most from hunger 

and disease. 

The International 

Conference on the Great 

Lakes Region (ICGLR), a 

regional body comprising 

12 member states 

including Congo, warned 

that repealing the 

provision would make it 

harder to ensure that 

minerals were conflict free. 

Turkana tribesmen walk with guns in order to 

protect their cattle from rival Pokot and Samburu 

tribesmen near Baragoy, Kenya. REUTERS 

Swedish court upholds life sentence 

in Rwanda genocide case 

By Gloria Orogun 

A 

Swedish court of 

appeal on 

Wednesday upheld the 

life imprisonment verdict 

it gave to a man for 

genocide during the 

Rwanda conflict in 1994. 

The Svea court of 

appeal in Stockholm said 

Claver Berinkindi, a man 

in his early 60s who 

sought political asylum in 

the Nordic country in 2002 

and became a citizen 10 

years later, was guilty of 

the murder, attempted 

murder and kidnapping 

of several thousand 

people. 

“The court largely 

agrees with the District 

court and therefore 

sentences him to life 

imprisonment for 

genocide and gross 

crime,” the court said in 

a statement. 

The court also said 

Berinkindi should pay 

damage to victims. 

Berinkindi was charged 

in Sweden in September 

2015 and sentenced by 

Stockholm District court 

in May last year. Under 

Swedish law, courts can 

try Swedish citizens and 

other nationals for 

crimes committed 

abroad.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017— 45 

NPFL players deserve a chance in Eagles 

– Lawal tells Rohr 

FORMER Nigeria 

international Garba 

Lawal believes the Nigeria 

Professional Football League 

boasts of quality players 

capable of challenging for a 

place in the country’s senior 

national team. 

The Super Eagles will face 

Senegal in a friendly on 

March 23 and the 42-yearold 

has urged Gernot Rohr 

to offer more home-based 

players a chance in coming 

international matches. 

He insists coach Rohr 

needs to make good use of 

the abundant talents in the 

country’s domestic league. 

“The Nigeria Professional 

Football League is fantastic. 

We all came from the local 

league - I started from the 

amateur league to the 

National league. 

“In three years, we’ve 

established ourselves. From 

Kaduna, I was taken to Lagos 

where two to three seasons 

played with Julius Berger. 

“I’ve watched the NPFL 

very well and I think there 

are good players here. The 

chairman Shehu Dikko and 

CEO Nduka Irabor are doing 

a great job with the league. 

It is improving a lot.’’ 

According to him, the 

German tactician should 

discourage the over-reliance 

on foreign based players at 

the expense of the home 

based pros. 

“Whenever he [Rohr] sees 

a player born in Europe, he 

always wants to go and bring 

Gyan 

Continues from Back 

Some match officials in the 

United Arab Emirates 

enforce the rules because 

they are concerned about 

children copying the styles. 

Similar guidelines have 

been enforced in 

neighbouring countries. In 

2012, Saudi Arabia 

goalkeeper Waleed 

Abdullah was told to cut his 

“un-Islamic” hair by the 

referee before playing for his 

club side Al Shabab. 

The UAEFA sends a 

Rohr 


now in the two games 

because they are African 

champions and we did not 

play in Gabon, and don’t 

forget they will be in 

Russia for the 

Confederations Cup.” 

The former Bayern 

Munich defender added : 

“But the good thing is that 

it will be difficult for them 

because they won’t have 

many holidays to rest. 

“What is positive for 

L-R: Ilya Pam, 1st Nigerian to cross the finish line; Bimpe Osanyintuyi, Marketing 

Manager, Voltaren; Philibus Sharubutu; 2nd placed Nigerian and Shakira Sadiq- 

Bamgbopa, Regional Manager, South Business, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria 

Plc at the 2017 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. 

him,’’ he continued. 

‘’I think he needs to keep 

monitoring him gradually 

before he decides to bring 

him. 

“That’s if they want to play, 

then if they do not want to 

play for Nigeria - there is 

player’s club a warning letter 

in the first instance, with 

punishments escalating to a 

fine and then a suspension 

if he does not comply. Gyan 

is one of 46 players at the 

warning letter stage. 

According to Middle 

Eastern football website 

Ahdaaf, Al Wahda’s Suhail 

Al-Mansoori was told to cut 

his hair while UAE 

international and 2016 

Asian footballer of the year 

Omar Abdulrahman, who 

sports a similar style and 

also plays in the Arabian 

Gulf League, was let off. 

them is that they were 

together for five to six 

weeks ahead of the Cup of 

Nations, they played six 

games and became better 

as they progressed which 

is normal”. 

Rohr is back in Nigeria 

after working as a pundit 

and scouting the Super 

Eagles group opponents 

Cameroon and Algeria at 

the just concluded African 

Cup of Nations. 

nothing he can do. 

“He should concentrate on 

getting some players from 

the local league and I believe 

he can get some talents that 

can fit into his style of game. 

I believe with that, the sky is 

going to be the limit.” 

Barca 


Gomes’ contract when he 

signed for the club deserves 

an honorary degree,’ 

quipped one comment 

piece. He had probably 

been the worst of a bad 

bunch but most roads in 

‘Blamesville’ led to Luis 

Enrique’s door – he had 

after all agreed Gomes’ 

£30m acquisition last 

summer and picked him in 

the biggest game of the 

season. And according to 

the majority he is the one 

who has betrayed 

Barcelona’s sacred playing 

style. 

AS said the coach had 

signed his own death 

warrant with a performance 

completely devoid of any 

trace of Barcelona’s 

Bolt retires 


everything I wanted to 

do in the sport,” Bolt told 

Reuters on the red carpet 

at the Laureus World 

Sports Awards in Monaco. 

“I asked (former U.S. 

sprinter) Michael 

Johnson the same 

question, ‘why did you 

retire when you were on 

top?’. He said the same — 

he had done everything 

he had wanted to do in 

athletics so there was no 

reason to stay in the sport. 

Nigeria will face South 

Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup 

of Nations qualifiers on 

August 12 before locking 

horns with African 

champions, Cameroon in the 

2018 Fifa World Cup 

qualifiers. 

Police Baton, NAF Rockets clinch Premier League slots 

TWO teams, Police 

Baton Basketball 

Club and NAF Rockets 

Basketball Club, both of 

Lagos, have clinched the 

two remaining slots in the 

Atlantic Conference of the 

Nigeria Basketball 

Federation Premier 

Basketball League for the 

2017 season. 

This follows their success 

at the interview conducted 

by the federation”s 

technical committee for four 

clubs bidding for a place 

in the elite basketball 

league. According to the 

NBBF, their admission is 

Provisional and subject to 

their meeting certain 

conditions stipulated in the 

offer. The successful clubs 

are expected to bring their 

previous experience in the 

league to bear when the 

new season dunks off. 

The two other clubs which 

also put in a bid for a slot 

but were not successful are 

Whitecap Chiefs Basketball 

Club and Raptors 

Basketball Academy. 

philosophy. That warrant 

will not be served until the 

end of the season but save 

a miraculous turnaround in 

the second leg – which no 

one believes in – it will most 

definitely be served. 

No club’s supporters care 

more about the 

aforementioned ‘style and 

philosophy’ of the team 

than Barcelona’s and for a 

long time now there have 

been whispers that both had 

been completely lost under 

Enrique. 

The guns were loaded 

and pointing his way and 

if one day results stopped 

saving him then triggers 

would be pulled. The words 

of Sergio Busquets dug the 

hole his manager was 

standing in a little bit 

deeper. He said PSG had 

Now I understand what 

he means.” 

Bolt completed a ‘treble 

treble’ of 100m, 200m and 

4x100m Olympic titles at 

the 2016 Rio Games, but 

had his 2008 relay gold 

stripped last month after 

team mate Nesta Carter’s 

re-tested sample showed 

traces of a banned 

substance. 

Carter has said he will 

appeal to the Court of 

Arbitration for Sport. 

The 30-year-old Bolt 

fired his team of 

Etim refutes reports of 

lack of funds 

CAPTAIN of Nigeria’ 

reigning NPFL 

Champions and TOTAL 

Champions league 

hopefuls, RANGERS 

International F.C, Etim 

Mathew, has promised the 

teaming supporters of the 

club that the players have 

resolved not to disappoint 

in the second leg, 

preliminary round match 

against visiting Algerian 

side, J.S. Saoura on 

Sunday in Enugu. 

The defender in an 

exclusive chat, said, “It is 

our wish and resolve to 

make a name for ourselves 

and supporters of the club. 

After the game in Algeria, 

we now know much of how 

our opponents play and we 

shall counter them on 

Sunday to book a ticket for 

next round of the 

competition.” 

On motivation from the 

club’ financiers, Enugu 

state government, the 

Both clubs were however, 

advised to “work harder to 

harness (their) potential in 

the lower leagues to earn 

promotion next season 

under the new promotion 

system to be introduced by 

the federation.” 

‘surprised’ Barcelona, 

pointing to tactics rather 

than intensity being the key 

to the defeat. 

NPA Lagos Int’l Polo tournament: 

Lagos teams face visiting 

oppositions in Silver Cup 

IN continuation of the 

ongoing NPA Lagos 

International polo 

tournament, Lagos teams 

will be taking on teams 

from Ibadan and Kano in 

a quest for honours in the 

Silver Cup. 

The first match of today 

will see Lagos Insight 

Redifini take on Ibadan 

Challenge. 

This will be followed by 

the Lagos STL versus 

Kano Magarat while 

Lagos Adcom and Kano 

international ‘All Stars’ to 

victory in the inaugural 

Nitro Athletics Series in 

Melbourne last week. 

He ran his first 

individual race of the year, 

burning away from a 

modest field for an easy 

win in the 150m sprint. 

“I just wanted to run 

and to be part of it,” he 

said. “I had to take it easy 

because I wasn’t at the 

level I would usually be. 

It was the first time I had 

competed at this time of 

the year.” 

Akwa Ibom state born 

defender said, “Sure, we are 

being taken care off and we 

are motivated to deliver the 

goods on Sunday and 

further in the competition. 

I must say that all we need 

now is prayers and good will 

of all supporters of the club 

for us to overcome the 

challenges expected from 

the Algerians. With good 

luck on our side, there is no 

way we will fail. Our 

governor has been up to his 

duties as a father and he 

even called us before the 

game in Algeria to give us 

words of motivation that to 

a very large extent, saw us 

achieve the result we got in 

the first leg and he has 

promised us more goodies 

for us to deliver a victory on 

Sunday.” 

Etim also denied reports 

making the rounds that the 

players of RANGERS were 

begging for financial 

assistance from members of 

the public credited to him 

stressing, “I am not sure I 

made such a statement to 

any reporter. On our way 

back from Algeria, in Lagos, 

some reporters came and 

after talking with our coach, 

came to me and I only said 

that we need the prayers 

and full support of all 

Nigerians to overcome our 

opponents. Never did I say 

that we are lacking financial 

support from the 

government of Enugu state. 

I was simply mis-quoted.” 

Agad match concludes 

affairs in the Silver Cup. 

Similarly, hostilities will 

commence in the Open 

Cup competition. The 

opener in this category 

will feature Lagos A Plus 

take on Lagos Leighton 

Kings later to close affairs 

for the day. 

The tournament 

continues tomorrow. 

In one of the matches 

played yesterday in the 

Silver Cup, Ibadan 

Challenge lost 3-11 to 

Lagos STL. 

Bolt is nominated for the 

Laureus World Sportsman 

of the Year award along 

with back-to-back 

Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 

metres gold medal winner 

Mo Farah and double 

Olympic tennis champion 

Andy Murray. 

Real Madrid and 

Portugal forward Cristiano 

Ronaldo and basketball 

duo Stephen Curry and 

LeBron James are also 

shortlisted.


HUGO BROSS... Eyeing Bafana Bafana job 

Broos set to dump Cameroon 

AFRICA Cup of 

Nations 2017 

winning coach, Hugo 

Broos may dump the 

Indomitable Lions of 

Cameroon after submitting 

his CV to the South Africa 

Football Association. 

Broos against all odds led 

Cameroon to a fifth AFCON 

win in Gabon. But his agent 

Gino Laureyssen of Ligi 

Star Management has 

revealed Broos’ resume has 

been submitted to SAFA. 

“I asked him [Broos] if he 

wants to be a candidate for 

BLOCKED... 

Neymar checked 

by PSG' s Lucas 

Moura 

SAFA because they are 

looking for a head coach,” 

Laureyssen told KickOff. 

“So this week we have sent 

his CV to the CEO of SAFA, 

but until now we didn’t get 

any answer, which I think 

is a little [unusual]. 

“He’s very interested in 

working with a young 

group and I think the 

South African national 

team hasn’t done well in 

recent years, and if you see 

how he did with Cameroon, 

with not only stars but 

players who want to fight 

Champions League: Barcelona 

won’t give up, Neymar vows 

NEYMAR has said 

Barcelona will 

not give up against 

Paris Saint-Germain 

after their 4-0 

demolition in the 

Champions League on 

Tuesday. 

The French 

champions’ dominant 

display at the Parc des 

Princes means Barca 

will have to become the 

first team in Champions 

League history to 

recover from a four-goal 

deficit if they are to 

remain in the 

competition. 

“PSG deserve credit,” 

Neymar told reporters. 

“They were great 

throughout the game, 

took their chances and 

were good at getting 

into our box. 

“Now we need to think 

about the next game, see 

what we can do and try 

to turn it around. It will 

be really difficult, 

practically impossible — 

but we can’t give up. 

“It will be tough to 

prepare. We’re four 

goals behind... I don’t 

think I’ve ever been in 

this situation. All I can 

to do is give my 

maximum and help try 

and work hard, I think that 

[his interest] is a good 

sign.” Laureyssen said 

Broos is content with his 

achievement of lifting the 

continental crown with 

Cameroon and would 

prefer a new challenge 

elsewhere. 

“Look, if he has won the 

African Cup of Nations and 

is a hero in that country, I 

think he’s very smart [to 

know] that it can only go 

backwards [from here on 

out],” he added. 

“I mean, he has reached 

the maximum possible with 

that team, in that 

tournament, so I think now 

the challenge is to look for 

a new project where he can 

see what he can do – if he 

can maybe go to the [2018] 

World Cup or the next 

Nations Cup. 

Cameroon are second in 

a World Cup qualifying 

group with leaders Nigeria, 

Zambia and Algeria. 

CAF election: Why I want to succeed Hayatou 

— Ahmad 

Ahmad 

Mourinho fears marathon fixtures 

will affect Man United title chances 

JOSE Mourinho fears 

Manchester United ‘s 

potential 66-match 

marathon campaign and 

congested finale could 

threaten the Reds’ top four 

ambitions. 

But the Old Trafford boss 

insists he won’t sacrifice a 

silverware chase to ease the 

burden. 

United play Saint-Etienne 

in the Europa League last 

32 first leg tie at Old Trafford 

before playing Blackburn 

Rovers in the FA Cup fifth 

round on Sunday at Ewood 

Park. 

The Reds then travel to 

France for the second leg 

next Wednesday and are at 

Wembley in the EFL Cup 

final against Southampton 

four days later. 

“We cannot choose 

competitions at Manchester 

United, we know that our 

situation is really 

complicated. We know that 

the Europa League is also 

a competition where we 

play on Thursdays and that 

makes it even more difficult 

for us,” said Mourinho. 

“The accumulation of FA 

Cup and League Cup and 

AS the date for the 

CAF elections 

slated for March 16, 

2017 draws near, presidential 

hopeful and 

president of the Madagascar 

Football Association, 

Ahmad Ahmad has 

advanced reasons why 

he is seeking to succeed 

incumbent CAF president, 

Issa Hayatou. 

According to Ahmad 

who said that he has 

nothing personal 

against Hayatou, he 

hopes to introduce more 

Ex footballers in the 

Technical committee of 

the Confederation as 

the match postponements 

makes it really hard for us. 

If we progress in the 

competitions, we will be in 

trouble in May. 

“We cannot choose 

competitions so we play 

them to win. If you ask me 

if I want to beat Saint- 

Etienne and continue in the 

competition, I tell you yes. 

“We know it can be really 

difficult but we also know we 

Mikel counsels Iheanacho 

SUPER 

Eagles 

captain and 

legend John Mikel Obi 

who spent 10 and half 

years at English Premier 

League giants Chelsea 

has advised Kelechi 

Iheanacho on his future 

at Manchester City. 

Iheanacho has been 

well as propose a new 

process of deciding the 

host for CAF Competitions. 

This may not be unconnected 

to the withdrawal 

of the hosting 

right of the 2017 U-17 

Nations Cup from 

Madagascar, Ahmad’s 

country by the Executive 

Committee of CAF after 

he declared interest to 

challenge Hayatou for 

don’t throw away 

competitions.” 

United already have to reschedule 

the Manchester 

derby against City at the 

Etihad, which was 

postponed because of their 

EFL Cup final 

commitments. 

Further fixtures could still 

have to be shoe-horned into 

the final two months of the 

campaign. 

the CAF presidency. 

The Madagascar FA 

President argues that 

CAF’s Executive Committee 

wields too much 

political influence on 

the process of deciding 

a host for CAF competitions 

and reveals he 

wants the Congress to 

also have an input in the 

decision making process. 

CAF Confederation Cup: Wikki set to battle 

Sierra Leone army 

WITH a deficit of 2- 

0 loss hanging on 

them, Wikki Tourists are 

hopeful of qualifying for 

the second round of the 

CAF Confederation Cup, 

when they play against 

Republic of Sierra Leone 

Armed Forces Football 

Club(RSLAF) in the 

second leg on Sunday at 

the Tafawa Balewa 

Stadium in Bauchi. 

TACTICALLY UNITED... Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba 

frozen out of the first 

team set up at the 

Manchester City as the 

20 year old has failed to 

make the matchday 

squad in their last five 

games in all 

competitions. 

Mikel who is no 

stranger to battling for 

Wikki captain and right 

back Mustapha Ibrahim 

said their aim is to score 

three or more goals in the 

match and advance. 

“After the game at 

RSLAF FC, it dawned on 

us that we did not 

represent the country 

very well. 

“However, we equally 

know that the loss is not 

the end of the road for us 

shirts with star names 

says the competition in 

the Man City team, that 

has kept Iheanacho out 

of the team will help him 

become a better player 

in the future. 

“Iheanacho will 

become a better player 

after this phase, he is a 

strong lad, a very 

positive minded being 

and level headed. 

as far as the CAF 

Confederation Cup is 

concerned. 

“We know there is 

another chance for us to 

make amends as well as 

redeem our qualification 

campaign. 

“We are convinced we 

will get the required 

three or four unreplied 

goals here on our home 

ground in Bauchi on 

Sunday."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 — 47

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 

I’m not afraid of 

Cameroon – Rohr 

SUPER Eagles coach 

Gernot Rohr is 

optimistic the national team 

will end the first phase of 

African World Cup 

qualifiers with maximum 

points from three matches. 

The German noted that 

Nigeria’s next opponents 

are the new African 

champs but remains 

confident of a victory 

because of their home 

advantage and Cameroon 

will be faced with a fixture 

congestion following their 

participation at the 2017 

Confederations Cup. 

Broos to 

dump 

Cameroon for 

South Africa 

Page 46 

•Bolt 

TODAY'S PUZZLE 

“I’m not afraid of 

Cameroon because I 

believe we can beat them 

in Uyo in August, “ Rohr 

Sudoku 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can 

have two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also 

nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a 

bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 

through 9. This means that no number can appear twice 

in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division 

or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

told the NFF YouTube 

channel. 

“They will be favourite 


Bolt retires! 

JAMAICAN sprint retire from athletics in 

great, Usain Bolt 2017 as he has 

says he has no regrets accomplished 

about his decision to everything he wants to in 

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS 

Gyan found guilty of having 

‘unethical HAIR’ 

•Gyan... Guilty as charged. 

DISGRACE: Messi and Neymar discuss their disgraceful outing in Paris. Coach Enrique (r) is shocked. 

the sport. 

Bolt will hang up his 

spikes following the 

world championships in 

London in August, 

ACROSS 

3 Depart (5) 

9 Walker (5) 

10 Whole (6) 

11 Yawned (5) 

12 Hero (4) 

15 Bread (4) 

17 Fortress (7) 

20 Sprite (3) 

21 Kingly (5) 

23 Excuse (4) 

25 Unaccompanied (4) 

26 Emulate (5) 

28 Pig-pen (3) 

30 Sited (7) 

33 Nobleman (4) 

35 Board-game (4) 

36 Cogs (5) 

38 Pantry (6) 

39 Consuming (6) 

40 Miscarry (5) 

ACROSS: 1, Bear. 4, Kit. 6, Leak. 8, Dragon. 

9, Nature. 10, Dry. 12, Truth. 14, Ready. 15, 

Tinge. 18, Negate. 20, Edited. 24, Talon. 26, 

Heart. 28, Gazed. 30, Sly. 32, Future. 33, 

Odious. 34, Cede.35, Tie. 36. Yell. 

bringing the curtain 

down on a career that 

has delivered eight 

Olympic gold medals. 

“I’ve just done 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

DOWN 

1 Sorcery (5) 

2 Abbey-head (5) 

3 Limb (3) 

4 Rubber (6) 

5 Outlook (4) 

6 Finish (3) 

7 Boat (5) 

8 Employees (5) 

13 Argument (7) 

14 Stratum (5) 

16 Permitted (7) 

18 Lawful (5) 

19 Owns (3) 

22 Regional (5) 

24 Sicken (3) 

27 Linger (6) 

28 Upset (5) 

29 Long (5) 

31 Jacket (5) 

32 Evade (5) 

34 Plant (4) 

36 Beverage (3) 

37 Headgear (3) 


YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS 

FORMER Sunderland 

striker Asamoah Gyan 

is among a group of more 

than 40 players deemed to 

have “unethical hair” under 

United Arab Emirates 

Football Association 

(UAEFA) guidelines. 

The 31-year-old Ghanaian 

is on loan at Dubai-based 

Arabian Gulf League side Al 

Ahli from Shanghai SIPG. 

Some Islamic teachings 

ban ‘Qaza’ hairstyles, where 

only part of the head is 

shaved. 

Individual match referees 

judge whether players’ 

haircuts are appropriate. 


Barca 

slammed 

after 4-0 

thrashing at 

PSG 

THE inquest into 

Barcelona’s 4-0 defeat 

in Paris agreed on one thing 

– this was not a team losing 

a football match so much as 

a club losing its way. ‘This 

is not Barca’ headlined 

Diario Sport over the image 

of Marc-Andre ter Stegen 

and Gerard Pique dumped 

on the Parc des Princes turf 

by one of PSG’s four goals. 

Only the goalkeeper, Jordi 

Alba and Neymar were 

given any sort of mark in 

Diario AS’s ratings as 

everyone had the finger of 

blame pointed at them – 

some more than others. 

‘Whoever put a Ballon 

d’Or clause in Andre 


DOWN: 2, Error. 3, Regatta. 4, Kind. 5, Tiny. 

6, Lithe. 7, Abridge. 11, Rag. 12, Tan. 13, Hit. 

16, Net. 17, Eel. 19, Execute. 21, Dog. 22, 

Inanity. 23, Dud. 25, All. 27, Rouse. 29, Equal. 

30, Sent. 31. Yoke. 

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 

01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com 

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01—4548355, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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