22072017 - Atiku's camp fault APC

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2—SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017—3

4 — VANGUARD, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017 

Restructuring: Atiku's camp faults APC 

•Says el-Rufai's C'ttee needless 

•Restructuring will stop sharing mentality 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

THE decision of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, to set up a 

10-man committee on restructuring 

under the 

leadership of Kaduna 

State governor, Mallam 

Nasir El-Rufia has been 

faulted by the camp of 

former Vice President 

Atiku Abubakar on the 

grounds that the committee 

was needless. 

It also said that having 

an el-Rufai, who had 

earlier made his anti-restructuring 

stance known 

to head the committee, 

was laughable. 

These positions were 

stated in a statement yesterday 

by the estranged 

Deputy National Publicity 

Secretary of the party, 

Mr. Timi Frank. 

The statement reads: 

“Governor El-Rufai has 

not hidden his opposition 

to the issue of restructuring 

since Nigerians 

began to remind us 

of our promise which is 

boldly written in our 

party’s promise book, 

hence the need to remove 

him because he 

does not believe in it. 

“Kaduna State Governor 

has also called some 

of our leaders and former 

Head of State different 

names because of this 

issue. Kaduna State governor 

while speaking recently 

in an interview 

had described those calling 

for the restructuring 

of Nigeria as political 

opportunists and irresponsible. 

“For the fact that restructuring 

is one of the 

promises in APC manifestoes, 

it will amount to 

deceit if the party reneges 

on its promise. 

“The governors and 

the National Working 

Committee (NWC) 

should know that the 

promise of restructuring 

was one of the reasons 

Nigerians massively 

voted for the party in 

2015. Therefore, such 

issue is non-negotiable 

and should be a priority 

that must be fulfilled. I 

see no reason for setting 

up a committee for something 

that is not negotiable 

at this time.” 

On his part, Atiku, 

who earlier spoke last 

Thursday on the import 

of restructuring at an 

event in Nsukka, further 

broadened his argument 

yesterday on his twitter 

handle, saying it meant 

returning power to the 

people. 

Atiku said: “I favor restructuring 

because I am 

proudly Nigerian and 

favour a united Nigeria 

that offers every man, 

woman, and child a 

brighter future where 

each and everyone has a 

chance to build and share 

in this great nation’s potential. 

“The restructuring I 

want to see happen is 

changing the structure of 

our country to take power 

from the elite and give it 

back to whom it belongs 

to, the people. It will help 

to bring the benefits of 

the change that our 

people were promised in 

the last general election. 

“The whole purpose of 

restructuring is to eliminate 

those policies that 

feed the mindset that 

drives the sharing behavior. 

“Our national wealth is 

being drained by a select 

few instead of building a 

country for all of us. It has 

to end. 

“We need to return resources 

and power back 

to the people. 

“By restructuring, we 

can guarantee unity, equity, 

security for our nation. 

I favor a united Nigeria 

that offers everyone 

a brighter future and we 

have a chance to build 

and share in this great 

nation’s potential. 

“The restructuring I 

want to see happen is to 

bring the benefit of the 

change that our people 

were promised in the last 

general election. 

“Let me caution that restructuring 

is not a magic 

bullet that would resolve 

all Nigeria’s challenges 

but is a necessary first 

step. Those, who seek to 

dismember the country, 

think that once their 

dream is achieved their 

part of the country will 

become a paradise. Not 

so. 

“To me, restructuring 

means making changes to 

our current federal structure 

so it comes closer to 

the vision of our founding 

Inauguration of Sport federation: From left, Minister of Sport and Social 

Development Solomon Dalong discussing with The President Karate 

Federation of Nigeria and Deputy Governor, Nasarawa State, His Excellency 

Silas Ali Agara President of LOC, Abudl Gumel and President of Gulf 

Federation of Nigeria and Former Governor of Osun State , Prince 

Olagosoye Oyinlola during Inauguration of Sport Federations at National 

Stadium Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan. 

fathers. 

“It also means restructuring 

the very issues and 

challenges that led our 

founding fathers to opt for 

a less centralized system. 

“The issue of restructuring 

is beyond resource 

control. My vision of re- 

structuring will not make 

some states richer and 

others poorer. Restructuring 

is a win-win for all 

Nigerian states. 

“If we are to grow our 

revenues we need to 

change the way we think 

of our resources and nur- 

Badoo strikes in Ogun, kills couple 

By Bose Adelaja 

THE notorious cultists 

group, known as 

Badoo, which terrorised 

the Ikorodu area of 

Lagos for long has 

reportedly struck in 

Ogun State, killing two 

lovers at Hassan 

Abiodun street, Ojodu 

area of Ifo local 

government. 

According to eye 

witnesses’ account, the 

lovers identified as 

Ifedayo Kolawole, 20, 

and her heartthrob 

simply identified as 

Bode, 30, were both 

murdered in their sleep 

in Ifedayo’s one-room 

apartment. 

Saturday Vanguard 

gathered that when 

Ifedayo’s co-tenant and 

relation, Mrs Akinyemi 

noticed that the love 

birds had not been seen 

for the day, she banged 

at their door but there 

was no response. She 

then decided to peep 

through the window and 

was speechless when she 

saw their lifeless bodies 

on the bed. 

The assailants were 

said to have accessed the 

room by removing the 

window net and louvres 

while a blood stained 

grinding stone was found 

beside their bodies. 

It was gathered that 

the couple had fixed date 

for their wedding before 

their untimely death. 

Ifedayo was said to be 

a native of Ekiti State 

while Dayo hailed from 

Abeokuta, Ogun State 

Policemen were later 

invited to the scene 

Husband beats wife to death over alleged adultery 

Daud Olatunji, 

Abeokuta 

MEN of Ogun State 

Police Command 

have arrested One Femi 

Adebowale for allegedly 

beating his wife, 

Kuburat Adebowale to 

death over allegation of 

adultery . 

The suspect was said to 

have alleged that his late 

wife has been involving 

in act of infidelity for 

quite some time to the 

extent that she was 

dating their next door 

neighbor. 

The State Police Public 

Relations Officer 

,Abimbola Oyeyemi 

disclosed this in a 

statement ,saying ,the 

incident occurred on 

Monday at 15 Campbell 

Street Agbado in Ifo local 

Govt area of Ogun State. 

Oyeyemi said the 

suspect was arrested 

following a complaint 

from the younger brother 

of the deceased one 

Shakiru Alao who 

reported at Agbado 

Division that his elder 

sister has been beaten to 

death by the husband 

over allegation of 

adultery. 

He said “upon his 

complaint, the DPO 

Agbado Csp Sunday 

Omonijo led his men to 

the scene where the 

suspect was promptly 

arrested. 

“In his statement, the 

suspect stated further 

that on the fateful day, the 

deceased asked him for 

money which she will 

spend on her younger 

brother’s naming 

ceremony of which he 

gave her the sum of 

#10,000 but the deceased 

insisted that the money 

was not enough. 

“ It was her adulterous 

practice that made him to 

refuse giving her more 

money and which was the 

genesis of the fight that 

resulted to her death. 

“ The body of the 

deceased has been 

deposited at Ifo General 

Hospital mortuary for 

autopsy. 

Meanwhile the 

Commissioner of Police 

has ordered the case to be 

transferred to Homicide 

section of the State 

Criminal Investigation 

and Intelligence 

Department for further 

One killed, another injured as herdsmen invade Delta 

community 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

S herdsmen 

USPECTED 

have 

invaded Okueke, a farm 

settlement in Amoji 

community, Ndokwa West 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, killing a 

farmer, Mr. Sunday 

Ezeugo and inflicting 

bullet wounds on one 

other person. 

Two motorcycles and a 

bicycle were also set 

ablaze during the attack 

which lasted for several 

hours in the area. 

Speaking yesterday on 

the development, 

Spokesman of Amoji 

Development Union, Mr. 

Precious Enebeli told 

Saturday Vanguard that 

the herdsmen stormed the 

farm settlement on 

Wednesday and started 

shooting at random. 

“They chased the farmers 

from the farm settlement 

and later proceeded into the 

community and continued 

shooting. The people then 

started running out of the 

community. 

“After the herdsmen had 

left, it was discovered that 

Sunday Ezeugo aka 

Sparco was missing. On 

Thursday, the people now 

went to look for him and he 

was found dead in a bush 

around the community,” he 

ture them for the benefit 

of all. So let us start by 

not thinking as if our resources 

consist only of oil. 

Oil is not infinite. 

“We must begin to look 

for other and more sustainable 

sources of income 

than oil.'' 

who deposited the 

bodies at the morgue 

and removed the 

exhibits to the station. 

The couple’s cotenants 

were afraid to 

talk to the press while 

some of them have 

vacated the area until 

further notice. 

Some of the 

sympathisers 

expressed shock saying 

they did not expect the 

dreaded Badoo cultists 

to extend their 

operation to the 

community. 

investigation and 

possible prosecution of 

the suspect. 

‘The Cp warned that 

the Command will not 

tolerate any form of 

domestic violence, he also 

advised couples to desist 

from resulting to violence 

whenever they have 

disagreement in their 

homes. 

said. 

Confirming the incident, 

Police Public Relations 

Officer of the state 

command, Mr. Andrew 

Aniamaka said the 

deceased was murdered 

with cuts. 

He said: “The people are 

asking that the corpse be 

released to them for burial. 

Autopsy has been done 

and we are looking for the 

criminals who committed 

the murder.”

I would have left PDP if Sheriff had 

won—Okowa 

•Serves quit notice to APC 

•PDP remains a stronger party- Uduaghan 

By Festus Ahon 

GOVERNOR 

of 

Delta State, Senator 

Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday 

said he would 

have left the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP if 

the Supreme Court had 

decided in favour of Ali 

Modu Sheriff’s faction. 

Speaking during a 

stakeholders’ meeting to 

celebrate the victory of 

the Ahmed Makarfi-led 

Caretaker Committee, 

held in Asaba, Okowa 

said the party was positioning 

itself to win the 

2019 presidential election. 

He said: "I did contemplate 

leaving the party, 

unfortunately, the party 

leadership at the national 

level was in the hands 

of Ali Modu Sheriff at 

that time, and they 

brought out a candidate 

for Warri South Constituency 

I bye-election 

without consulting us. 

"So, we decided to stay 

indoors. That was exactly 

what happened. We 

stayed indoors and the 

PDP did not do well, 

hence the Accord Party 

candidate won. Our victory 

will make the APCled 

Federal Government 

sit up and deliver democratic 

dividends to the 

electorate. 

"The victory is for democracy, 

you know that 

APC is in power at the 

moment, and if we don't 

have a credible opposition, 

it will not be good 

for the country, it will not 

be good for the economy. 

I believe that with the 

victory, the APC government 

at the centre will sit 

up. 

"We the PDP members 

have also learnt our lessons. 

So, I believe that 

we are going to have a 

better process of integrity 

going forward in the 

party. I believe that it is 

good generally for democracy 

in the country 

and for our economy. 

"The government at the 

centre knows that they 

need to sit up. We have 

given them a sack notice 

for 2019 because we are 

working very hard, and 

I can see the enthusiasm 

not only in Delta State 

but across the nation that 

the PDP needs to take 

over in 2019.’’ 

Also speaking at the 

well-attended event, 

former governor of the 

state, Dr. Emmanuel 

Uduaghan said the Supreme 

Court victory was 

a victory for democracy. 

Uduaghan said the 

PDP remained a stronger 

party, urging political 

appointees to 

strengthen the party by 

spreading dividends of 

democracy to the people. 

He said: “If you are 

holding a political position, 

the only way we can 

build our party is to 

spread democratic dividends. 

Governor Okowa 

has done excellently well 

and you should not run 

down the government, 

especially if you are 

holding a political office.’’ 

In their separate 

speeches, the Minority 

Leader of the House of 

Representatives, Mr. 

Leo Ogor, and the Chairman 

of the PDP in the 

South South geopolitical 

region, Mr. Emmanuel 

Ogidi said the Supreme 

Court judgment had returned 

the party’s winning 

streak. They urged 

members of the party to 

remain focused and committed 

to the ideals of the 

party. 

100,000 unemployed youths registered in our job portals 

—Edo Govt 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

THE Edo state 

Government yesterday 

disclosed that over 

100,000 unemployed 

youths have registered in 

its job portals, assuring 

that the governor Godwin 

Obaseki led admini- 

stration is determined to 

create 200,000 jobs 

promised the people of 

the state in four years. 

This was disclosed by 

the Commissioner of 

Wealth Creation, 

Cooperative and 

Employment, Barr. 

Emmanuel Usoh, during 

a four-day training for 

EFCC arrests credit card scammer over $5400 fraud in Canada 

By Soni Daniel 

THE Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission has arrested Yusuf 

Balogun Alabi, a suspected credit card 

fraudster, who allegedly masterminded 

the theft of $5,400 Canadian Dollars from 

a catering entertainment outfit in 

Brantford, Canada. 

The fraud came to light after a young 

Nigerian undergraduate of Thompson 

Rivers University in British Columbia, Tony 

Ifeoluwa Adebero, was arrested in Toronto, 

Canada on charges of wire fraud. 

The youngster who was expecting to 

receive his tuition from his dad, Mr 

Adebero Oyewole, did not suspect fraud 

when his account was credited by his bank. 

He however became worried when few 

days after, he got a call from his bank, TD 

Canada Trust Bank, asking for details of 

the person who made transfer to his 

account, within 12 hours. 

He immediately called his father who in 

University and polytechnic 

graduates on 

Digital Marketing which 

began yesterday in Benin 

City. Usoh stated that the 

Edo State Government 

would ensure that 

everyone registered in 

the Edo Jobs portal gets 

employed after acquiring 

the needed skills to 

enhance their entrepreneurial 

abilities. 

“We have so many 

unemployable youths 

who have certificates but 

need to acquire certain 

skills or trainings to be 

able to create value for 

their prospective 

employers,” the commissioner 

said. 

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017–5 

Osinbajo, Obasanjo, UN scribe 

pay last respect to Oshotimehin 

By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan 

ACTING President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, 

former President Olusegun Obasanjo and industrialist, 

Dr Oba Otudeko were among other eminent 

Nigerians who paid their last respect to a former 

Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin whose 

remains were interred in Ibadan yesterday. Late Oshotimehin 

an ex-Executive Director, United Nations Population 

Funds (UNFPA) died on June 4, 2017. 

Also in attendance at the burial service which held 

at the All Souls’ Church, Bodija, Ibadan included 

Deputy Secretary General, UN, Aminat Ibrahim; Executive 

Director, United Nations, Dr. Nazikna Kauem; 

Executive Secretary, Women, Phumzile Mlambo- 

Ngcuka; Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, 

Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Chief (Mrs.) 

Yetunde Onanuga, Secretary to Osun State Government, 

Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, who represented Governor 

Rauf Aregbesola; Vice Chancellor, University 

of Ibadan, Prof Idowu Olayinka; Chief Medical Director, 

University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof Temitope 

Alonge and several others. 

In his tribute, Former President, Chief Obasanjo, 

said: “Indeed, the finality of Professor Osotimehin’s 

passage is painful, especially as he would still have a 

lot to contribute to his family, his community, the nation, 

Africa and indeed the entire world, but we can 

draw solace from the fact that he lived a life of service 

to humankind and to his fatherland. 

“No doubt, Prof Osotimehin has left an indelible mark 

in his national and international assignments. His 

manners and conduct displayed while alive will continue 

to linger in our memory and serve as a source of 

inspiration.” 

•From left: Aminat Ibraheem Representing the United Nation Secretary 

General, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo former President and Governor •Cross section of the Late Professor Babatunde Osotimehin 

Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state. during The Funeral Service for the Late 

Minister of Health Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin (OON) was held at the 

(OON), Late Minister of Health, during was held at the All Souls 

All Souls Church Bodija Ibadan yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube Church Bodija Ibadan yesterday. PHOTOS: by Dare Fasube 

turn contacted a Bureau de Change 

operator, Kassim Ishola, who fingered 

one Idris Oni whom he gave the 

money to transfer, but Idris mentioned 

Yusuf Balogun as the man who 

effected the transfer while Balogun 

supplied the name Bacon Jamie Cecil 

as the person that actually wired the 

funds to Tony in Canada. 

Unfortunately, Bacon Jamie Cecil 

was discovered to be a fake name 

prompting the arrest of Tony in 

Canada. 

The scam was brought to the 

attention of the EFCC through a June 

2, 2017 petition by Mr. Oyewole who 

informed the Commission that his son 

Tony was charged to court in Canada 

for engaging in internet fraud. 

He explained that sometime in 

2016, he approached his bank in 

Nigeria when he wanted to pay his 

son’s school fees in Thompson Rivers 

University BC Canada but had 

difficulty due to foreign exchange 

scarcity and the stiff forex 

regulations at the time. 

As a result of the challenge, he 

met a church member, Mrs. 

Ibidola, who also had children 

schooling abroad. She introduced 

him to a Bureau de Change 

operator that would help transfer 

the funds to his son. 

Adebero said on 6th September 

2016, Tony, informed him via 

telephone that the Canadian bank, 

TD Canada Trust Bank called him, 

requesting for the details of the 

person who made the transfer to his 

account. 

The information according to him 

was to be provided to the bank 

within 12 hours, as they suspected 

a fraudulent transaction. Adebero 

contacted the Bureau de Change 

to provide the details. 

We’ll use Paris Club refund to pay 

salaries—Benue govt 

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

THE Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Benue state 

Governor, Mr. Terver Akase has stated that the 

state government received the sum of N6.460billion 

as its share of the second tranche of Paris Club refund 

from the federal governmental assuring that the 

money would be dedicated to salary payment. 

Akase who clarified the issue when he spoke to 

reporters in Makurdi, said “ though what was published 

in newspapers was N6.8billion as the state’s share, what 

actually got to the government was N6.460. 

The Bureau de Change operator, Kassim 

Ishola claimed the transaction was made by 

one Idris Oni who also pointed to Yusuf 

Balogun Alabi as the person who initiated 

the transfer. Yusuf later sent the name, Bacon 

Jamie Cecil to him, but the name according 

to the bank authorities was false, which 

warranted Tony’s arrest in Canada. 

Investigation by the commission led to the 

arrest of the prime suspect, Balogun Yusuf 

Alabi, a.k.a. Monica Donal, a 20-year-old 

Nigerian, who resides in Lagos. 

The EFCC found that Balogun Yusuf, in 

an online transaction, contracted a caterer 

in Canada, Bruce Morris, while posing to 

be a lady by name Monica Donal, based in 

the United States of America. 

He thereafter initiated the fraud, by placing 

request for 100 boxes of lunch for a family 

reunion to Bruce Morris, owner of Kaizen 

Catering Entertainment, Brantford Canada. 

They arrived at an estimated figure, while 

Bruce raised an invoice for payment.


Let’s use Biafra to get our rights — Ohaneze 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

ANAMBRA State 

chapter of pan Igbo 

socio-cultural organization, 

Ohaneze Ndigbo has said 

that instead of calling for a 

sovereign state of Biafra, 

the proponents of the 

current agitation should 

use their pro-Biafra stand 

as a platform to demand a 

better life for Ndigbo. 

Speaking in an interview 

in Awka, President of 

Ohaneze in the state, 

Chief Damian Okeke said 

the pro-Biafra agitators 

should be made to realize 

that Igbo leaders would not 

support any agitation that 

would lead to war. 

Consequently, he 

advised that they tread 

softly while expressing 

their anger over the 

happenings in Nigeria. 

Okeke said it would be 

foolhardy to expect Igbo 

people to abandon their 

investment in other parts 

of the country. 

In addition, he said 

anybody who witnessed 

the Biafra War, like he did, 

would not want to 

experience another war. 

Nonetheless, he said the 

fear of war would not stop 

the Igbo from speaking 

against oppression. 

He said: “Anyone who is 

marginalized will always 

feel bad, but that will not 

make those marginalized 

to commit suicide. 

“That is why we cannot 

completely condemn the 

youths for what they are 

doing. If not for what they 

are doing, we will not be 

discussing with the people 

of Niger Delta today. 

Because of what they are 

doing, we have a better 

understanding with the 

people of the South West 

today. Today, the Hausa 

nation, the Yoruba nation, 

and the Igbo nation are 

finding a common solution 

to Nigeria’s problems. 

We cannot exist in 

isolation 

“For the first time since 

the end of the civil war, the 

governors of the states in 

the former Eastern Region 

are meeting to ensure a 

better Nigeria. Even those 

in the National Assembly 

are meeting, just as the 

people of the Middle Belt 

have indicated their 

interest to discuss with our 

people. 

“We have to admit that 

there is a problem in 

Nigeria and it is only 

when we acknowledge this 

that we will begin to find a 

solution. That is why we 

need to always speak with 

one voice because that is 

the only way we can 

achieve our goal. 

“The truth may be bitter, 

but the fact is that we 

cannot exist in isolation. I 

cannot stay here and order 

our people to abandon their 

investments in other parts 

of Nigeria and come home 

immediately. That will not 

be the solution. 

“What we advocate is 

that the rule of law must 

be obeyed and justice and 

equity ensured for peaceful 

co-existence in Nigeria. 

We agree that peace will 

reign in Nigeria if the right 

things are done. 

Meaning of Biafra 

“As far as I am 

concerned, we are using 

Biafra to ask Nigeria to do 

the needful because that is 

the vehicle we should use 

to get our rights. What is 

happening to us today has 

gone beyond 

marginalization. We 

should work together to get 

what will benefit the Igbo 

and the important thing is 

to get what belongs to us 

in Nigeria. 

“I recall when Ohaneze 

once asked the late Ikemba 

Nnewi, 

Dim 

Chukwuemeka 

Odumegwu Ojukwu, what 

was really the meaning of 

Biafra and his answer was 

that it is like a fully loaded 

trailer descending the 

Milikin Hill in Enugu and 

nobody knows where it 

would land. What we have 

in mind are equity and justice. 

If we get our rights in 

Nigeria, what else are we 

fighting for? 

“Ohaneze Ndigbo had 

severally made it clear that 

members of IPOB and 

MASSOB are our children. 

We are all working towards 

the betterment of Igbo 

nation. 

“I want to say that the 

leadership of Ohaneze, the 

governors of the South 

East states and many other 

Igbo elders are jointly on 

top of the situation of the 

quit notice to Ndigbo by the 

Arewa youths.” 

Female lawmakers condemn 

rejection of 2 LGA nominees in Kano 


FEMALE lawmakers 

across the 36 State 

House of Assemblies under 

the aegis Conference 

of Female Parliamentarians, 

CONFEPA, have condemned 

the decision of 

some political leaders and 

Ulamas in Kano state to 

drop two female nominees 

for Local Government 

Area chairpersons. The 

two women were said to 

have been rejected based 

on religious sentiments a 

claim the groups said 

were untenable. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Benin City yesterday, 

Chairperson of CON- 

FEPA who also is the Deputy 

Speaker of Edo State 

House of Assembly, Mrs 

Elizabeth Ativie assisted 

by the Secretary, Princess 

Titlayo Akerele from Ekiti 

State House of Assembly 

and Hon Shola Ogbemudaibo 

from Delta State 

House of Assembly, said 

the decision to drop the 

women, Arch. Binta Fatima 

Yahaya and Hasiya 

Ismail Mukhtar negates 

constitutional and global 

charters as it amounts to 

discrimination against 

women. 

They added that it was 

a plot to “undermine and 

subvert the rights of women 

in Kano State. 

She said, “we wish to 

state clearly that the constitution 

of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria which 

is the supreme law of our 

land guarantees freedom 

for all, including women 

to aspire and occupy political 

positions. 

“The reason given by 

the Kano State political 

leaders and the Ulamas is 

that women in Islam do 

not lead. But this is not 

verifiable as some other 

Muslim dominated countries 

across the world 

have had female heads of 

state, Prime Ministers 

and Presidents. 

Nigeria begins to export 400 

locally made vehicles to Mali 

By Victoria Ojeme 

NIGERIAN Charge‘d Affair in Mali,Yara 

Abdulsalam, said that Innoson Motors, an 

indigenous manufacturing company had signed an 

MoU with a Malian firm to export 400 locally made 

vehicles to Mali. 

Abdulsalam stated this yesterday when he led a team 

of business delegation from Mali to visit the Foreign 

Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama in Abuja. 

He said that Innoson Motors had during the week 

signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Taxi Plus 

VIP, a Mali based transport company for the expansion 

transport business in Mali 

He said that the development was the outcome of 

“Made in Nigeria products exhibition” held in Bamako, 

Mali in 2016 facilitated by Ginco Group, a Nigerian 

firm based in Mali to show-case Nigeria’s potentials. 

“From the exhibition Taxi Plus VIP approached the 

embassy that they wanted to import vehicle from China 

but we told them that we had indigenous company in 

Nigeria that manufactures vehicles. 

“They started talking with Innoson through Nigerian 

Export Promotion Commission (NEPC) and the deal 

was later finalized. 

“Mali is the centre of Francophone countries which 

has boundary with eight countries, if this materialise 

in Mali, it will affect all other countries and will increase 

Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria,” he said. 

Financing Conference will take 

Creative Industry to golden era 

—Minister 

THE Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai 

Mohammed, has said the Creative Industry 

Financing Conference, which was held from JUly 17 

to 18, 2017, would take the industry into a golden era 

of smooth access to short and long term financing, 

world class management as well as local and 

international distribution. 

The event, was organised by the Federal Ministry 

of Information and Culture in conjunction with the 

Think Tank Media and Advertising. 

The Minister said the two-day conference was 

conceived ‘’because of our realization that lack of access 

to financing is stunting the growth of the Creative 

Industry’’ 

Alhaji Mohammed recalled that the conference was 

the latest in a series of conferences and other events 

that have been held by the ministry to boost the 

industry, citing others as the National Summit on 

Culture and Tourism held last year to chart the path 

for the industry, the Roundtable on the Creative 

Industry held in Lagos last Monday and the 

MoUs with the Bank of Industry, Tony Elumelu 

Foundation and the British Council.

No cause for alarm, electorate'll 

decide election results 

— LASIEC's boss reassures 

*Accreditation, voting take place simultaneously between 8 and 3pm 

*Tasks media on objective, fair reportage of exercise 

*Over 3,0000 security personnel on patrol duty to ensure safety 

of lives and property-CP 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

AS Local Government 

election is 

being held across 20 Local 

Government Areas 

and 37 Local Council Development 

Areas, LCDAs 

of Lagos State today, 

Chairman, Lagos State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, LASIEC, 

Justice Ayotunde Philips 

has assured of a level 

playing field for all the 

political parties and their 

candidates, saying “we 

will be neutral”. 

This is just as over 

30,000 policemen have 

been mobilised to compliment 

other security agencies 

to ensure safety of 

lives and property during 

the election. Justice Philips, 

at a media briefing 

yesterday on the preparations 

of the commission 

for the conduct of today’s 

elections noted that the 

elections would be competitive, 

describing it as 

good for democracy 

Her words; “I wish to 

reiterate that the commission 

will provide a level 

playing ground for all 

political parties and their 

candidates. The commission 

shall remain committed 

to its responsibilities 

of conducting free, 

fair and credible elections 

into the 57 councils. 

“Nobody, therefore, has 

any cause to entertain 

any fear or doubt on the 

neutrality of the commission 

as electoral umpire 

at the local government 

level of the state. We are 

very much aware of our 

responsibilities as provided 

for in the relevant enabling 

laws.” 

In practical demonstration 

of its commitment towards 

a hitch- free exercise, 

she said, the commission 

had already deployed 

non-sensitive and 

sensitive materials to the 

57 councils so that the 

electoral officers have 

adequate time to distribute 

the materials to locations 

where they would 

be used today. Philips 

said with the early deployment 

of the materials, 

she was confident that 

the elections would be 

conducted without any 

hitch whatsoever. 

According to her, “Accreditation 

and voting by 

voters will take place simultaneously 

between 8 

and 3pm on July 22, 

2017, election day, during 

which any kind of movement, 

not on electoral 

duty will be restricted between 

the hours. 

“The results of the 

chairmanship elections 

will be declared at the 

collation centre in each of 

the councils, while results 

for councillorship elections 

will be declared at 

each of the ward collation 

centres of the state. 

“The only condition that 

may warrant the declaration 

of the results outside 

the collation centres is if 

it is discovered that the 

environment is not safe 

and conducive.” 

She explained that part 

of the innovations that 

have been introduced to 

enhance the electoral 

process and ensure effective 

monitoring and feedback 

mechanism is the 

introduction of the Election 

Support Centre and 

Situation Room at the 

headquarters of the commission. 

“Through the 

facilities the commission 

will be able to monitor 

whatever is going on in 

the field from the headquarters. 

This will enable 

the commission to respond 

promptly to any 

development arising from 

the elections”, she said. 

Cautions media on sensationalism 

While appealing to the 

media to be fair, objective 

and patriotic in the reportage 

of the elections, Philips 

said, “As patriotic citizens 

you (media) owe 

the nation and Lagos 

State the duty of performing 

your reportorial duties 

in a most responsible 

and patriotic manner, devoid 

of narrow self-centredness 

that could cast 

doubt on the electoral 

process and plunge the 

state into crises. 

“I need to remind you 

that pen is mightier than 

the sword. As holders of 

the pen, you must be circumspect 

in the way you 

use it so that the remaining 

part of the electoral 

process can be peaceful 

and hitch-free. “I therefore 

urge you to please 

demonstrate fairness, objectivity 

and patriotism as 

you report the elections. 

It is our collective interest 

that the elections are 

successful and therefore, 

owe it as a civic duty to 

ensure this is achieved.” 

Also speaking at the 

event, the state’s Commissioner 

of Police, Fatai 

Owoseni, said adequate 

preparations to ensure 

safety of lives and property 

have been put in 

place by inter agencies, 

urging residents and 

electorate to go about 

their normal activity without 

any fear. He said 

about 30,000 Policemen, 

excluding other security 

agencies, such as Soldiers, 

Navy, among others, 

has been deployed to 

ensure adequate security 

in the state, including 

the riverine areas. 

“All that is required to 

secure the exercise has 

been put in place to further 

ensure lives and 

property are guaranteed,” 

Owoseni assured. 

He therefore appealed 

to parents and guardians 

to keep their wards from 

being used for selfish 

purpose by some mischievous 

elements, as the 

law would not be spared 

in dealing with anyone 

caught in any act of lawlessness 

or attempt to 

commit electoral fraud. 

While saying that the 

state’s Police Command 

has identified violent 

prone areas with adequate 

structure to deal 

with any situation, Owoseni 

added that Investigation 

Desk has been set up 

at the State’s Criminal 

Investigation Department, 

SCID, Panti, Yaba, 

to deal with any perpetrator 

of any form of violence. 

“No matter what 

happens, we are fully prepared 

to secure everyone”, 

he assured. 

In case of any distress 

situation, the commissioner 

of police gave out 

the following hotlines 

number to call for prompt 

response: 08063299264, 

08033040870. 

Policemen on ground at Lagos State Independent Electorial Commission, 

LASIEC Office in Yaba for Local Government Election. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU 

Name people who gave you fake documents 

against Amaechi, Civil Society dares Wechie 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

UNITED Action for 

Democracy, UAD, 

yesterday dared the Executive 

Director of Integrity 

Group, Mr. Livingstone 

Wechie, to name the 

persons who gave him 

the alleged forged document 

against the Minster 

of Transportation, Mr. 

Chibuike Amaechi. 

UAD also tasked the 

Rivers State Government 

to make public the certified 

copies of the documents 

tendered before 

Justice George Omereli 

led panel of inquiry on 

the allegation of corruption 

against, Amaechi, 

who is the former governor 

of the state, 

It will be recalled that 

Wechie had on Tuesday 

made a shocking revelation 

that the Omereji panel 

report that he presented 

on the floor of the Senate 

in 2015 against Amaechi 

was forged. 

Speaking in Port Harcourt, 

the Chairman, 

UAD, Mr. Romeo Need, 

described as worrisome 

the fact that Wechie said 

the state government 

gave him the documents, 

noting that government 

cannot be held responsible 

of any criminal 

charge. Need called on 

Wechie and the Rivers 

State Government to 

make public the alleged 

document for public scrutiny 

and comparison. 

He further called on the 

state government to make 

available the budget of 

the state from 2015 till 

date for public perusal 

within 72 hours, stressing 

that the document which 

contained the financial 

activities of the state cannot 

be hidden from the 

people. 

Need said: “To reinforce 

public confidence the 

present government 

should publish all state 

budgets starting from 

May 2015 when they took 

over power till 2017. The 

UAD will in 72 hours demand 

for the copies of the 

state budget.” 

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017 — 7 

Amosun laments rate of food 

importation, procures 10 

bulldozers BY DAUD OLATUNJI, Abeokuta 

THE Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amo 

sun, has lamented the high rate of importation 

of food in Nigeria ,describing it as a shame that the 

giant of Africa imports what it eats. 

Amosun who also emphasized diversification of 

economy ,said there was no way the country would 

achieve diversification without industrialization. 

Amosun who advised farmers in the country to make 

better use of the opportunities provided to them by 

the government , announced plans to commence aggressive 

land clearing within the state. 

The governor stated this at the Governor’s Office, 

Oke-Mosan,while inaugurating ten newly purchased 

bulldozers adding that the machines would be used 

for land clearing and other agricultural projects. 

He said the 10 bulldozers were the first batch to be 

purchased by the state noting that in subsequent 

weeks and months, more machines would be bought 

by the states in batches. 

“”We will be using them for ourselves and our farmers 

are welcome to hire at a reduced subsidized rate. 

We need to have food sufficiency. It is a big shame 

that we import what we eat, we need to be able to feed 

ourselves. We are going back to the basis and if 

diversification is going to be achieved, it must be 

through industrialization. 

CRK: Christians want more 

from Education minister 

By Sam Eyoboka 

NIGERIAN Christians yesterday welcomed the 

news of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu 

Adamu, directing the Nigerian Educational Research 

and Development Council to make the Christian 

Religious Knowledge and the Islamic Religious 

Knowledge distinctive subjects in the basic education 

curriculum. 

The Christians who had been at daggers drawn with 

the Federal Government over the controversial merger 

of the two subjects to be known as Religion and 

National Values without the input of stakeholders from 

the Christian community, yesterday described the new 

development as a temporary victory. They however 

submitted that a lot still needs to be done 

According to the National President of the Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Samson Olasupo 

Ayokunle, who spoke through his media aide, 

Mr. Bayo Oladejo, “beyond the separation of the two 

subjects now, there is still need for Government to 

call for the input of CAN and JNI to rub minds on 

such sensitive issues like religion. There is a need for 

Government to organise a workshop, so that all the 

stakeholders could make their contribution to arrive 

at a consensus. We have some text books that are currently 

in use but bear no relevance to the development 

of the nation because they are garbage materials 

to say the least. 

“Government has taken the first step but there’s need 

for them to go the whole hug to review the entire curriclum 

and the things they teach our children. We 

should get scholars to brainstorm with stakeholders 

on some of our textbooks,” he noted. 

Police arrest tricycle robbery 

gang in Imo State 

By Ifeanyi Okolie 

THE Police in Owerri, Imo State, have arrested 

three suspected notorious armed robbers, who 

have been terrorizing the state capital with tricycles. 

The suspects, Chinedu Ogieri, Morgan Smart, Jacob 

Ogbu, and Chibueze Nwatameole, were arrested by 

men of the Scorpion Squad on routine patrol along 

Egbeada Ubomiri Road in Mbaitolu Local Government 

Area of the state. Vanguard gathered that acting on a 

tip-off, the squad learned that the three-man gang 

were operating with a tricycle and gave the hoodlums 

a hot chase which led to the arrest of the suspects. 

The gang was accused of robbing ladies, who go for 

morning exercise. Recovered from the suspects were: 

one fake gun, one tricycle, one Q-link motorcycle and 

one Samsung J7 phone.


Alleged unrecovered TSA funds: We have no 

hidden accounts — NNPC 

•Says bank balance is $231.8m not $793.2m 

•Presidency, CBN aware of accounts 

By Udeme Akpan 

THE Management of 

the Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC yesterday provided 

an informed perspective to 

the trending media report 

alleging that the Corporation 

colluded with some 

banks to prevent the remittance 

of $793.2m into the 

Treasury Single Accounts, 

(TSA), scheme as directed 

by the Federal Government. 

The NNPC in a release 

by its Group General 

Manager, Group Public 

Affairs Division, Ndu 

Ughamadu, explained that 

the allegation was not only 

misplaced but equally 

misleading. 

He said the corporation 

had earlier taken steps to 

inform the Presidency, 

Office of the Accountant 

General of the Federation, 

(AGF) and the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) on 

the existence of the said 

accounts prior to the 

creation of the Federal 

Government Asset 

Recovery Account. 

The NNPC explained that 

it would be totally out of 

place to move the funds to 

the FG Asset Recovery 

Account as reported, noting 

that it is unreasonable and 

sheer waste of funds to pay 

any agent 5 percent, whistle 

blowing fee for the 

phantom recovery of 

genuine NNPC funds 

which had been disclosed 

to the Presidency, CBN and 

By Emma Amaize 

CONVENER of the 

pan Niger–Delta Forum, 

PANDEF, and South- 

South leader, Senator Edwin 

Clark, yesterday, expressed 

shock over the killing 

of a soldier and theft of 

a General Purpose Machine 

Gun, GPMG, by 

suspected militants, who 

attacked a military checkpoint 

at Ogbogbagbene 

community, Burutu Local 

Government Area, Delta 

State, last week. 

Clark, who spoke on 

phone to Saturday Vanguard 

yesterday said: “I 

am aware that the army 

has a checkpoint at Ogbog- 

other relevant stakeholders. 

Providing further breakdown 

on the lodgments, 

the NNPC said the amount 

includes: $174.4m domiciled 

at Diamond Bank, 

$40.7m in Skye Bank and 

$16.7m in Keystone Bank 

bringing the total to 

$231.8m. 

The statement explained 

that in line with the directive 

of the Presidency, the 

apex bank is supervising 

the remittance of these 

funds to the CBN TSA 

Account and it has made 

great strides in this regard. 

The NNPC noted that as 

an entity with fiduciary 

responsibility to the 

government and people of 

the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria, its commitment to 

transparency and 

accountability remains 

unwavering. 

Clark condemns killing of soldier by suspected 

militants •Urges Army chief to call rampaging soldiers to order 

bagbene community and 

there was no evidence that 

they were hostile to the villagers 

in the performance 

of their duty.” 

“So the callous murder of 

a soldier and theft of a 

GPMP belonging to the 

army is wrong and I 

condemn it in its entirety. 

The military should fish out 

the perpetrators and bring 

them to book, “he added. 

The elder statesman, 

however, asserted: 

“Reports reaching me from 

the area indicate that 

soldiers were harassing 

and intimidating innocent 

residents in the search for 

the criminals. People from 

the affected areas called to 

inform me that they were 

being subjected to all kinds 

of indignities by soldiers. I 

heard that they were 

puncturing tyres of 

vehicles, destroying 

speedboat outboard 

engines, breaking into 

homes and making life 

even more uncomfortable 

for residents, while food 

supplies to some of the 

communities have been cut 

off. 

“I do not think that this 

is the way to go, that is why 

I am calling on the Chief 

of Army Staff to call his men 

in Delta and Bayelsa states 

to order because innocent 

people, who know nothing 

about the reprehensible 

misdeed of hooligans, 

who, obviously had fled the 

places under siege were 

the ones now bearing the 

consequences,” he said. 

Chinese Consulate in Lagos 

donates borehole to Unilag 

IN furtherance of its corporate social responsibility 

(CSR) in Nigeria, the Chinese Consulate in Lagos 

has donated a borehole to the University of Lagos 

(UNILAG), Akoka. 

The project, which was executed under the framework 

of ‘China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action,’ was 

handed over to the university authorities by the Consul 

General of China (CGC) in Lagos, His Excellency, Mr. 

Chao Xiaoliang at a ceremony yesterday. 

According to the Consul General, the project, which is 

located within the Faculty of Education, will enhance 

water supply on campus and make the university environment 

more conducive for teaching and learning. 

Xiaoliang explained that the ‘China-Africa People-to- 

People Friendship Action’ is aimed at fostering better 

relations between Chinese companies and their host 

countries. 

He noted that the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos 

began operation 34 years ago and has been paying 

attention to public sector needs as its CSR in Nigeria. 

He said: “CGC began operation in Nigeria 34 years 

ago, that is 1983. Ever since then, we rapidly grew into 

business including consultancy, investment, infrastructure, 

logistics and trading with its footprint across the world. 

“We decided to donate this borehole as soon as we 

realised that lack of portable water in the campus of 

UNILAG. Now, we fulfill this CSR by completing this 

project with good quality. We hope it will be an effective 

way to abate the shortage of portable water here.” 

Nnamdi Kanu storms Rivers 

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME 

MEMBERS of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, 

in their large numbers yesterday trooped to 

Obigbo in Rivers State to welcome their leader, Mr 

Nnamdi Kanu. 

As early as 6 am many of them marched through Aba 

road , chanting solidarity songs. Vanguard gathered 

that some of the large crowd came from Eleme, Iriebe 

and even as far as Aba, Abia state. 

Kanu, who later addressed the mammoth gathering 

commended their solidarity, expressing hope that Biafra 

was realisable. 

Motorists were stranded for some hours at the Obigbo 

end of Aba-Port Harcourt express road. 

Niger Delta 

group 

condemns 

plot to 

blackmail 

Okunbor 

THE media reports that 

linked the chairman of 

Ocean Marine Security 

Limited, Capt Hosa 

Okunbor, over an 

involvement in the 

controversial oil swap deal 

has been vehemently 

condemned by the people of 

Niger Delta. 

The controversial Offshore 

Processing Agreements 

known as oil swap was 

initiated by the former 

Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. 

Diezani Allison-Madueke, 

for which she is being 

probed. In a statement 

yesterday, Comrade 

Kingsley O. Toukumor, 

Coordinator, Niger Delta 

Peace and Development 

Forum NDPF, said: “the 

people of Niger Delta are 

totally against any plot to 

blackmail Capt Hosa 

Okunbor over what he knew 

nothing about. We advise 

those behind the evil agenda 

to seek forgiveness from 

Okunbor and from God.” 

•Nnamdi Kanu acknowledging cheers from the 

crowd 

Groups condemn attack on 

Omo-Agege 

SEVERAL political pressure groups in Delta State, 

mainly the Delta State APC Women Group, DAPCWG, 

the Concern Uvwie Mothers Group, CUMG, and the Uvwie 

Youth Congress, UYC, yesterday condemned in strong terms, 

a recent attack on the senator representing Delta Central in 

the Senate, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, by armed thugs, in 

Effurun and Ekpan markets, both in Uvwie LGA of the state. 

The lawmaker and his entourage were attacked by the 

thugs during empowerment programmes in the area. 

While the Delta APC Women group, through their leader, 

Dr Janet Oyubu described the attack as, “a total affront 

against all imaginable standards of decent political behavior,” 

the Concerned Uvwie Mothers, through their leader, 

Madam Comfort Igede has described it as, “the worst form 

of wickedness in African culture.” Also, the group, Uvwie 

Youths Congress, led by Jacob Urhotorene, also described 

the attack as “a senseless manifestation of political ineptitude 

on the part of failed politicians in the state,” all of them 

urging the senator’s political opponents to emulate his good 

gesture. 

In their separate reactions, they described the attack as 

“completely unacceptable,” adding that those who have done 

nothing for the people do not have the nerve to attack the 

Senator in his own constituency “simply for coming to the 

assistance of his constituents in these financially trying 

period.”

VANGUARD, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017 — 9 

Osun state needs urgent divine intervention—Hon Kehinde 

By Gbenga 

Olarinoye, Osogbo 

Aaspirant governorship 

in Osun State 

on the platform of the 

Alliance for Democracy 

Hon. Femi Kehinde, F.K, 

has declared that the 

present situation in the 

state has become 

precarious that needed 

divine intervention. 

Addressing the 

stakeholders of the party in 

Osogbo , the former House 

of Representatives member 

observed that the present 

administration in the state 

had allegedly destroyed the 

state through its policies 

and programme. 

His words: “In education 

for instance, Aregbesola’s 

administration had 

completely destroyed it. 

There is no other state in 

the federation that operate 

elementary, middle and 

high schools policies. 

There is also no other state 

in the country where a 

public holiday is declared 

for the traditional 

worshippers except Osun”. 

“I will change the 

educational policy of the 

state to operate the same 

policy with other states in 

the country by the time I 

become the governor of 

this state. Elementary 

school, middle school and 

High school system are 

strange in the country. We 

are going to change the 

state, we will bring it back 

to God because we are 

presently far away from 

God. No other state 

declared holiday for 

traditionalists except Osun 

State”, he added. 

Hon. Kehinde also 

condemned Governor 

Aregbesola for his failure to 

pay workers their full 

salaries and other 

emolument as at when due 

adding that such attitude 

was wicked. 

He said that next year’s 

governorship election will 

not be won on the basis of 

the political parties the 

candidates belong to but 

purely the individual 

personality. 

“If you look at the 

outcome of the last 

senatorial bye-election for 

Osun West district, you will 

discover that it is no longer 

the parties’ business but the 

candidates’ pedigree. 

Hon. Kehinde who is a 

legal practitioner stressed 

that for the state to come out 

of its present economic 

problem, it has to return to 

Agriculture which was the 

main source of income for 

the Western Region when 

the late sage, Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo was in 

government. 

He advised his numerous 

party members not to be 

discouraged by the number 

of people in the AD in the 

state, stressing that when 

Action Group, AG, was 

formed in the first republic 

only very few people were 

with Chief Awolowo, before 

others started to join him. 

State police will breed anarchy — Owie 


FORMER Chief whip 

of the senate, Senator 

Rowland Owie has urged 

the National Assembly not 

to support the call for the 

creation of a state police, 

saying that governors will 

use it as a tool to harass and 

intimidate their opponents. 

Owie who is also the South 

South leader of the Action 

Democratic Party (ADP), said 

the creation of state police 

will not only create dictators 

out of some governors but 

will also cause mayhem that 

may snowball into a civil war 

in some states. 

According to him, “No 

sane Nigerian, will at this 

stage of the political 

development of our great 

country support the 

establishment of State Police 

Force, especially when we 

are witnesses to how the 

State Governors have 

turned State Independent 

National Electoral 

Commissions to 

departments of state 

Government Houses. 

“With State Police, some 

State Governors will harass 

their opponents and their 

families out of the state and 

states where a governor is 

not in good terms with a 

particular tribe, he can use 

the state police to eliminate 

or annihilate that particular 

tribe due to selfish interest. 

Nigeria is not yet matured 

to operate a state police 

particularly now that you 

have tension across the 

nation. 

“When we are talking 

about ensuring unity in this 

country, state police is a tool 

for destabilization. The 

disadvantages are more 

than the advantages and 

that is the danger in calling 

for its creation. 

Amosun 

Mourns 

Onagoruwa 

O 

GUN State Governor, 

Senator Ibikunle 

Amosun has mourned the 

loss of former Attorney 

General of the Federation 

and Minister of Justice, 

Dr. Olu Onagoruwa. 

The governor, in a 

statement, said the 

demise of the former 

human rights activist is 

sad and would be deeply 

felt by the downtrodden 

and oppressed Nigerians 

that he passionately 

championed their cause. 

Amosun recalled how 

the commitment of the 

late Senior Advocate of 

Nigeria towards the 

emancipation and better 

welfare of ordinary 

citizens, made him a 

subject of attack by the 

authorities, particularly 

during military regimes. 

“We cannot also forget 

his patriotism, which was 

in the interest of the 

generality of Nigerians, 

when as Attorney 

General of the Federation 

and Minister of Justice, 

during the regime of the 

late Gen. Sanni Abacha, 

he condemned and 

dissociated himself from 

some draconian decrees 

promulgated without his 

knowledge.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017 

•Hon. 

Oladipo 

Olaitan 

I feel sorry 

for Tinubu, 

Aregbesola has 

damaged him 

By Emmanuel Aziken, 

Political Editor 

H 

on. Oladipo Olaitan, the 

National Financial 

Secretary of Afenifere, the 

apex Yoruba socio-cultural 

body was at the inception 

of the Fourth Republic, the leader of the 

Alliance for Democracy in the House of 

Representatives, a prime position that 

gave him opportunity into the affairs of 

the nation at that time. 

Before then, the lawyer turned 

politician and property tycoon had served 

Governor Lateef Jakande in Lagos State 

in various capacities between 1979 and 

1983 including as Political Adviser, 

Security Adviser and Legal Adviser. 

In this interview he gives the Yoruba 

perspective of the crisis that prompted the 

mass defection of NCNC members to the 

AG on the floor of the Western House of 

Assembly in 1951, why the Yoruba are 

standing with the Igbo against the 

expulsion threat by the Arewa Youths, 

why AD members stood with President 

Olusegun Obasanjo against alleged 

conspiracies weaved by his deputy. 

The Osun born politician also ventilates 

Okay, Okogie follow the 

Constitution, establish 

schools, but you have to 

take the rules for 

establishing schools 

from us. If you want to 

establish schools in 

Lagos State, you must 

have a standard Olympic 

Swimming Pool, you 

must have a standard 

football pitch and that until 

you fulfilled these 

requirements you cannot 

establish a school and 

that was how we 

defeated Okogie 

•Tinubu 

– Olaitan, Afenifere Financial Secretary 

•Aregbesola 

•How Zik provoked Yoruba NCNC MPs to defect to AG 

•Says APC wasn’t prepared for governance 

•Catholic Schools: The legal trick Jakande used to defeat Okogie 

his position on the pace and pattern of 

governance in his home state with a 

damning prediction on the prospects 

of the incumbent governor of the state, 

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. 

Excerpts: 

What prompted your career choice 

in law and politics? 

When I was growing up, there was 

this practise of some officials going to 

waylay farmers on their way from farm, 

and they would round them up and take 

them to the D.O’s (District Officer’s) 

office for the offence that they had not 

paid their taxes. It was horrible. Some 

of them (illiterates) would have their 

tax papers, but the officials would not 

even give them the opportunity of 

showing their tax papers. They would 

take them to the D.O.’s office, collect 

some money from them and then release 

them. 

I was growing up, and I didn’t like it, 

and I was looking for a way I could do 

something about it. That gave me the 

idea of wanting to be a lawyer, so I 

could be able to help these people. 

Growing up, I saw Zik 

campaigning; I saw Awolowo 

campaigning. In fact, Awolowo 

used to stay in my father’s 

house in Ikare each 

time he came to Ikare. 

So, I got close to 

them and used to 

watch them during 

their campaigns. So, 

I loved it. These 

people could impact 

upon human beings 

around them, so I 

grew up with 

wanting to either be 

a lawyer or a 

politician. To the glory 

of God, I qualified as a 

lawyer at London 

University in 1970. I was 

called to the bar in 1971. 

Remember, it was a military 

regime at that time. I stumbled at a 

meeting in Jakande’s house; one of 

those underground meetings that 

they were holding in those 

days. I sat at the back, and 

they were discussing how 

to have party cards, and 

the question was, ‘how 

do we number the 

party cards, say 

Agege, Ikorodu, 

Ikeja?’ They couldn’t 

figure it out, and I 

put up my hand and 

said why don’t we do 

it this way? Let’s put 

alphabets before 

the numbers say, 

Agege – A1234, then 

B to Ikeja. That 

sounded novel to 

Jakande who I had never 

met before then. So when we 

finished the meeting, he called 

me and asked if that was my first time 

of coming to the meeting and I said yes. 

He then enquired about my profession, 

and I told him I was a lawyer, and he 

said ‘come to these meetings regularly,’ 

and that was how I met Jakande and 

ended up being Special Adviser on 

Political Affairs in 1979. 

He believed so much in me. I was 

special adviser on political affairs, and 

anytime there was trouble anywhere in 

government, I was assigned there; I was 

put in the Governor’s Office. We had a 

running battle with Bishop Okogie in 

those days because we were taking 

schools off the missionaries. Okogie 

refused and took us to court on the basis 

that the Constitution allows him to 

impart knowledge. 

Each time we went to court, he won, 

and we lost based on the claim that he 

was imparting knowledge and that he 

could not be denied that right. I walked 

to the governor’s office one day and said 

we don’t have to fight about this and told 

him that the law gives us the right to 

give rules and regulations for 

establishing new schools. Okay, Okogie 

follow the Constitution, establish 

schools, but you have to take the rules 

for establishing schools from us. If you 

want to establish schools in Lagos State, 

you must have a standard Olympic 

Swimming Pool, you must have a 

standard football pitch and that until 

you fulfilled these requirements you 

could not establish a school and that was 

how we defeated Okogie. 

Jakande couldn’t believe it, and that 

was how I was moved from being 

political adviser to legal adviser and we 

were shut out of power in 1983. After 

1983 we went into our private businesses 

until 1992 when Abiola came around. I 

was very, close to Abiola. 

In 1993, I contested for the Senate in 

Lagos here with Tinubu, Odi Onikosi of 

blessed memory and Dominic. Tinubu 

was just coming into politics at that time. 

On the day of that election, we were 

all filed up, you know it was Option A4. 

Sarunmi was the person we knew as 

Continues on pg 11

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017—11 

‘How Zik provoked 

Yoruba NCNC MPs 

to defect to AG’ 

Continues from pg 10 

nobody knew Tinubu then, so Sarumi 

stood in front. Sarumi was the head of 

their group then known as Primrose. 

It started to rain so heavily that the 

electoral officers asked us to go home, 

but to our chagrin, some people came 

back, and they were counted, and the rest 

is history, and that is how Tinubu 

emerged as a senator, and we all left it. 

That is when also Bucknor-Akerele also 

emerged with four votes at the Island. 

We all went home until 1999 when 

AD (Alliance for Democracy) came. 

When the AD came, I, by the grace of 

God won the election to the House of 

Representatives under Afenifere. 

Afenifere was the rallying point for all 

of us, but no sooner than we all won the 

election, everybody started to have 

peculiar interests. Idiosyncrasies of each 

person started to play out, and then some 

people were either with Tinubu or with 

Afenifere. I stayed with Afenifere and will 

never bite the finger that fed me. I have 

nothing against Tinubu, absolutely 

nothing, but I just could not...it was 

difficult for me to understand that I would 

abandon my old ship and join another 

person. That was how the little difference 

emerged, and we were carrying on and 

carrying on, but in the party we knew 

ourselves. You were either for Tinubu or 

main Afenifere, and I was known to be 

main Afenifere. Of course, he who pays 

the piper dictates the tune. Tinubu being 

the governor, he would say he is the 

leader of the party and had the presence 

of those he says believed in him and by 

his own calculation, I could not have 

believed in him if I would still stay in 

Afenifere. 

Naturally, when people were to be 

returned, I was not returned because I 

did not belong. And up till today, I thank 

God that I am the National Financial 

Secretary of Afenifere and if my race 

gives me a particular position to hold 

for them, I will believe that I am holding 

it in trust for them. Like when I was in the 

National Assembly I saw myself as 

leading the Yoruba Race in the National 

Assembly. 

I did, it wasn’t easy, but I did it. 

Do you see the Yoruba Race as 

endangered under the current 

dispensation? 

We have always been endangered 

from time immemorial. Even Luggard 

didn’t like us from amalgamation. They 

didn’t hide it because when the 

colonialists came, with tremendous 

respect to the minorities, they saw three 

of us – they knew the Hausa very well, 

and they didn’t hide it, and in some of 

their declassified documents, they wrote 

that they were uneducated and could be 

pushed around, so they had no problem 

with them. The Yoruba were educated and 

were asking why are you doing so so and 

so to us, why are you not doing this, so 

they didn’t particularly like us; so we have 

been an endangered specie from the 

beginning. That is us; we stand up for 

what we believe. 

Up till now? 

Yes. Up till now. There was a clarion 

call from Arewa Youths saying that the 

Igbo should quit the North from 1st of 

October and immediately, Afenifere said 

to them that if you ask the Igbo to leave, 

you are asking us to leave. 

But they didn’t ask the Yoruba to 

leave? 

That is us. 

But the Yoruba joined the North 

to fight the Igbo in the civil war? 

That is very unfair. We did not join 

the Hausa to fight the Igbo. 

What happened? 

What happened was this, when 

Ojukwu decided to leave, Awolowo went 

to Ojukwu, took all the risk and said 

‘my brother don’t do this, let’s stay 

in this country and restructure it. 

What they may be doing to you 

may not be fair, it is not that we 

are happy about it ourselves, 

but let’s stay in there and sort it 

out. That is how the question of 

Aburi came about. So we now 

went to Aburi to try and sort it 

out. The soldiers of East origin 

would go to the East, soldiers 

of Western origin would go to 

the West, and soldiers of 

Northern origin would go to the 

North. We came back. It was 

Gowon who reneged. When 

Gowon reneged, Awolowo again 

went and met Ojukwu and said, we 

don’t need to fight a war, but Ojukwu 

said his mind was made up. At first, 

Awolowo played this card and said, (to 

Gowon) look, if you by act of omission 

or commission you make Ojukwu to 

leave, then we will leave. What he was 

saying was that if you force them out, 

you treat them as low people, then we 

will say you are saying it to us as well. 

This thing has to be mutually agreed. 

Till today we don’t consider the Igbo 

wanting to leave as treasonable because 

that is the essence of democracy – self 

determination. 

But Awolowo was understood to 

have said that if the Igbo left that the 

Yoruba would also leave! 

Yes, by an act of omission or 

commission, that if you force them out 

and that you must do everything to 

encourage them to stay. Ojukwu has the 

right to self-determination. 

Between 1967 and now what has 

changed that the Yoruba are now 

partnering the Igbo? 

We have always been. 

Not always? 

The totality of Obasanjo is a 

Northern product, his brain, 

his intellect, his orientation is 

Hausa. What do I mean? He 

has been a product of the 

Caliphate Army. Everything 

he has been in life has been 

the result of his being in the 

Caliphate Army. Don’t forget 

that this same man was 

imprisoned and was brought 

out by the caliphate 

•Awolowo 

•Zik 

Give me an example. 

Afenifere is saying that if Nigeria 

were to break into a war that the Yoruba 

will not join the North unlike what you 

did in 1967? 

You got it wrong again. We did not 

join the North; we were in Nigeria. 

Ok, will you stay in Nigeria to fight 

the Igbo? 

No 

What has changed? 

Nothing has changed besides the 

question of self-determination. You see, 

this amalgamation, we were nations 

brought together, and you cannot force 

us to be together. We can talk about it to 

stay together, but you cannot force us to 

stay together. We hold that as sacrosanct. 

If the Igbo decide to leave as they are 

saying and we are persuading them not 

to, and I am a member of the Southern 

Leaders Forum, and our decision is that 

we must try and salvage this nation but 

on the basis of justice and fair play. 

What do you consider justice and fair 

play? 

For those of us who were born before 

1966, we remember that Western 

Nigeria had its Constitution, the North 

had its own Constitution, and the East 

had its own Constitution. 

We developed at our own rate and 

pace, there was heavy competition 

between the trio, and that is simply what 

we are talking about. Let’s go back to 

what Ironsi took away from us. It was 

Ironsi who messed this up. It was Ironsi 

who suspended that Constitution and 

all we are asking is, go back to that 

Constitution. Let us go back to what 

Ironsi took away from us! 

Why should the North agree to that 

given its electoral advantages in 

federal constituencies? 

Why should I not lock my door and 

not allow a thief to come in and take 

my things? Tell me! Why should they 

continue to ride roughshod on me and I 

continue to be happy? We are saying 

no. In truth and indeed, nobody 

wants to be at a disadvantage 

anyone in this equation. North 

was growing at its own rate and 

used to have groundnut 

pyramids in those days and 

what is stopping them from 

continuing? Because of oil? 

I tell you this, and maybe this 

is unknown to them, the 

Northern part of Nigeria has 

the best mineral resources this 

country can ever think of. 

There is gold, there is diamond, 

there is uranium, everything 

you can think of is in the North, 

but why are they not prospecting 

it? 

Why? 

If you can stay at your desk as 

managing director of one company and 

sign documents, and you get bribe of 

N100 million just for signing a 

document, and you tell that same man 

to come and establish a factory costing 

N100 million but will not get profit 

from it for the first five years, do you 

think the man will do such a thing? 

No 

That is what is wrong. They 

are getting cheap money. They 

are not used to labouring for 

money; they are used to cheap, 

easy money, they don’t want to 

work. They don’t have the need 

to work. But we are saying to 

them, work and then reap from 

the proceeds of your labour, but 

they say no, we don’t want 

proceeds of any labour, we don’t 

want to labour, we just want 

proceeds. 

But some Southerners are even 

against restructuring? 

Mention one! 

President Obasanjo! 

Gen. Obasanjo is an enigma of a 

sort. You have people like that. You can 

be an enigma for good purpose, and you 

can be an enigma for a bad purpose. 

Awolowo was an enigma for good 

purpose, for liberation, for freedom, for 

development of his race. Obasanjo is the 

opposite, and I will tell you why. 

The totality of Obasanjo is a Northern 

product, his brain, his intellect, his 

orientation is Hausa. What do I mean? 

He has been a product of the Caliphate 

Army. Everything he has been in life has 

been the result of his being in the 

Caliphate Army. Don’t forget that this 

same man was imprisoned and was 

brought out by the caliphate. 

But as AD leader of the House, you 

rallied round Obasanjo? 

Yes, I did. 

That was because he was Yoruba, 

you then did not see him from the 

Caliphate angle? 

I did not. If you watched me on 

television in those days, if you asked me 

about Obasanjo I would tell you that 

the last person I would vote for as the 

president of this country was Obasanjo. 

But when he became president you 

rallied to support him? 

At a point! And I will tell you why. 

Why? 

In the history of this country, no 

president has ever done as much as 

Obasanjo has done to develop the 

economy of this country. We were in the 

woods, owing Tom, Dick and Harry 

before Obasanjo came. He paid all the 

debts, and we started to have external 

surplus. Who wouldn’t support a person 

to do that? When we saw that in him we 

said let’s give this man a chance. 

For that reason we supported him, but 

there was an undercurrent going on and 

let me say this for the first time. Atiku 

(Atiku Abubakar, former vice president) 

Continues on pg 12


CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: 

The legal trick Jakande 

used to defeat Okogie 


was using some members of the House to 

undermine him (Obasanjo) on a daily basis, 

and we thought that was not good. That 

was not fair. 

Were they AD members or PDP 

members? 

PDP members! In fact, when I say PDP 

members, I mean top PDP members. 

Including Speaker Na‘Abba? 

Possibly! Most likely, probably and we 

saw it, and we thought that was not fair. 

During the move to impeach Obasanjo 

you were in the Speaker’s Office when 

Atiku came to mediate. Is it true that Atiku 

had a private briefing with Na‘Abba in an 

inner room? 

Na‘Abba is very close to Atiku. Do I need 

to say more than that? That Na‘Abba could 

have been working for Atiku? Do I need to 

say more than that? And we saw it, and there 

was no point. Everything Obasanjo did was 

not good. There was nothing he did that 

was good in the eyes of Na‘Abba. If 

Obasanjo was going to the toilet, it was bad, 

if Obasanjo was having breakfast it was 

wrong for him to have breakfast and it got 

to the point that Na‘Abba was putting posters 

around Abuja pushing himself as Speaker. 

And we said no, this should not happen and 

I stood up with my AD members and fought 

it. 

We didn’t vote Obasanjo, no. If tomorrow 

you ask me to vote, I will not vote Obasanjo; 

but in those days he was doing some right 

things and we supported the right things he 

was doing. This is the typical thing about 

the Yoruba race if I don’t like you and you 

are doing the right thing I will still support 

you. That is the Yoruba man for you. The 

sense of justice is innate in us; I don’t care 

what anyone says. 

In the days of NCNC, my senior brother 

was in the Western House of Assembly as 

an NCNC member. He was a minister in 

the Old Western Nigeria House of 

Assembly as NCNC member. That is us! 

But Paul Unongo in a recent interview 

with Vanguard, accused the sage, Obafemi 

Awolowo of introducing ethnic politics 

when NCNC members overnight defected 

to the Action Group? 

This is what happened. We say in Yoruba 

that there is a limit to your wanting to be 

nice to a person. If that person now wants 

to see you as a fool, we can say, stop there 

my brother; I am not a fool. What happened 

was that the NCNC was a nationalistic 

party; the AG was not that much of a 

nationalistic party. In the whole of Lagos, 

all council elections were being won by 

NCNC even though Yoruba were the people 

being voted for such as Adelabu, Fadahunsi, 

Olaitan. We didn’t see any difference 

between us and the Ibo man; we were all 

human beings, we were just looking at the 

programmes of each party. 

This thing had been brewing since Zik 

and Awo were in London. They had these 

various associations, and it was Zik in one 

of those associations who said this (Awo) is 

a Yoruba man, don’t follow him and that 

was how that thing started. When they came 

back, Awolowo just overlooked it but when 

Zik was winning in Lagos and was now 

disparaging our culture... 

In what way? 

You know it. We tried to swallow it and 

pretend that there was nothing – Nnamdi 

Kanu is doing the same thing now. Yes, Kanu 

is doing the same thing, but we will pretend 

as if we don’t know. 

Kanu in one of his videos said 

that if any Ibo man goes to a 

church headed by a Yoruba man, 

that man is a fool! 

What did Zik say? 

It is like he said that he is going to 

rule us whether we liked it or not. He 

was going to be in charge, he was going 

to rule the East, he was going to rule the 

North, and he was going to rule the West. 

We said we didn’t mind you ruling the 

East, we won’t come there. We won’t come 

to fight election in the East, and we never 

did. So, why don’t you fight election in 

your own area and we fight election 

in our own area? 

All Awolowo did was to say fair 

enough, this is our house, it is 

entirely up to you, if you are saying 

to yourself that you cannot 

manage your house, you need a 

stranger to manage it for you, it is 

up to you. He did not say more than 

that. What the Yoruba of those days 

were virtually saying to themselves 

was we cannot manage our home. 

It is just like the UK saying, get a 

German to come and rule us because 

Theresa May is not doing well. I don’t 

think that would be acceptable to an 

Englishman. 

That is not tribalism, it is you saying 

hold on to your turf, and I will hold on to 

my turf; if you call that tribalism, we take 

it. 

...but there was an 

undercurrent going on 

and let me say this 

for the first time. 

Atiku (Atiku Abubakar, 

former vice president) 

was using some 

members of the House 

to undermine him 

(Obasanjo) on a daily 

basis, and we thought 

that was not good. 

That was not fair 

What does the defeat of the APC in the 

Osun West Senate contest mean to you? 

I am from Osun. We have been badly 

treated; we have not been governed 

properly by the governor. 

Sometimes, I shudder and ask could this 

be deliberate? Could this be intentional? 

This is because I happened to know the 

governor and knew him growing up as a 

child. 

I also knew him in Alimosho, nice young 

man and he rose up to be a commissioner 

in Lagos State. But are you now telling 

me that a man who served as 

commissioner for works in Lagos for 

eight years will not know the rudiments 

of running a government? Will such a 

•Jakande 

•Okogie 

person be in charge of a state and refuse 

to conduct local government elections? 

Will such a person be in charge of a state 

and refuse to appoint commissioners? 

Is that not even a constitutional 

aberration? For somebody to be a 

governor and refuse to appoint 

commissioners, what is the difference 

between being a dictator and being a 

democrat? A democratically elected 

governor who refuses to appoint 

commissioners, is he not a sole 

administrator? That is a dictator, 

whatever name you call it. So, what 

could have made this man to think that 

that is the best way to run Osun State? 

Of course, when you sow the wind, you 

will reap the whirlwind. For almost eight 

years he has been sowing the wind and 

now, he must reap the whirlwind. I am 

sure that he is not surprised that he is 

losing. 

Are you telling me that you don’t need 

commissioners to make inputs into what 

you do? It is unbelievable! 

It beats my imagination. He is the lord 

of the manor, no commissioner, no 

person to ask him questions, nobody to 

make inputs and so he wakes up one 

day and says, I want to build an 

international airport! 

Under normal circumstances, who did 

the quantity surveying? There should 

have been a lot of underground work 

before you say you want to build an 

international airport and commit 

several millions which are all gone into 

the drain now. 

Why? 

There is no airport there. I have the 

picture of the airport; there is only one 

dilapidated building standing there. 

Then you wake up one day and say 

you want to build an 

interdenominational something? Have 

you had of government building 

churches? It is because he is alone, he is 

thinking for himself. He is thinking for 

himself and talking to himself. He is 

sowing the wind, and he is reaping the 

whirlwind. 

How does this affect the 2018 

governorship election? 

He will lose(He meant Aregbesola’s 

candidate as he is in his second tenure). 

So you think the APC will lose? 

If he doesn’t lose, I will be shocked. 

No salaries paid, pensioners are not 

paid, you go and buy a helicopter 

for Osun State, and nobody sees the 

helicopter, except occasionally 

when you want to go from Oshogbo 

to Ipetu-Ijesha. By road, it is less 

than one hour, and you are taking 

a helicopter there? So, why do we 

need a helicopter for? What is the 

size of Osun State in any case? 

Have you heard about the 

educational system in Osun 

State? You have heard about the 

opon-imo, not one single one 

available anymore and we spent 

billions on it. 

All the students in Osun State must 

wear the same uniform. It is unfair, 

completely unfair, totally unfair. It is 

not right. I think he is not being fair 

to Tinubu. He has done great 

damage to the man. I feel sorry for 

Tinubu, and I am sure he believed in 

him, and I don’t know what will be 

going on in the mind of Tinubu now. 

He fought hard to get him there and 

at a point in time, during the struggle, 

he gave Aregbesola his bullet proof 

vehicle to use just to protect him. 

What then can a leader do? 

And now see what he is getting. 

Remember when they were about to 

do the last general elections, Tinubu 

had to physically go there just to rescue 

him. So, would they have expected him 

to have gone to campaign for him for 

the Osun West senatorial bye-election? 

Or would you have expected Bisi 

Akande to go and campaign for him? 

So they left him to his own and now he 

can see himself. He cannot win. There 

is no way he can go about it. Teachers 

are not paid, pensioners are not paid, 

no roads, nothing! Let him point to 

one thing! He has been trying to build 

one bridge at Gbongban. 

It is unfortunate, very unfortunate, 

very unfortunate. 

What is the way out for Nigeria 

given the call for restructuring? 

We don’t have a choice, and I hope 

that common choice will prevail. We 

all know that things are not right, we 

all know unless we are pretending. We 

have all been sitting on this fossil oil 

from the Niger Delta; time is running 

out on it, development is running out 

on it. Volvo, one of the biggest car 

manufacturing companies in the 

world will soon stop manufacturing 

cars using fossil oil. 

Very soon, the price of crude oil will 

be $15 or so. Let us go by what we used 

to have. Let us learn how to work. Even 

the Holy Bible says you reap out of 

your sweat. Let us also work, let us 

begin to tell our children that they need 

to work. Let us institutionalise the 

dignity of labour; it is not here 

anymore. 

Take all these things away from the 

exclusive list apart from Foreign 

Affairs, Defence, Immigration, 

Citizenship. 

Give police to each region; we used 

to have it before. Do you know that 

each region used to have its own 

police? 

Do you remember that when 

Nigeria was being amalgamated 

that the North insisted that it be put 

in the document; the right to 

secession and self-determination. 

But those were the things that Ironsi 

removed through the Unification 

Decree of 1966. That is where the 

problem started. Western Nigeria 

had its own Constitution; the East 

had its own, the North had its own. 

As a matter of fact, Western Nigeria 

had its own Agent-General in 

London and the house being used by 

Nigeria in London now was owned 

by Western Nigeria. We were 

competing. The first television 

station in Africa was from Western 

Nigeria. But now, we cannot build 

railways just because it is in the 

exclusive list.

In yesterday's issue, the report focused 

on how government and security 

agencies had risen to the challenges of 

insecurity in the state. Today, it presents 

accounts of the bizarre killings in 

Ikorodu by the Badoo cult group. 

THE gangsters aresometimes employed 

to settle scores of various types and 

used as foot soldiers by some very important 

personalities in the society. Identified 

groups include ‘Aye,’ ‘Eiye,’ ‘Awawa Boys,’ 

and ‘One Million Boys’. Two groups- 

‘Owonikoko and Happiness’ are made of 

members with ages between 10 and 14 

years”. He also informed that 486 robbery 

suspects were arrested while 46 of them were 

killed during confrontation with the police, 

adding that 38 suspected kidnappers and 

181 other suspects were arrested in 

connection with cultism and street fights. 

When compared to year 2017, kidnap 

might be higher than last year’s going by 

the number of cases so far recorded. But a 

new twist was introduced to the kidnap saga 

towards the end of 2016 following its 

extension to schools. The first attack was 

launched at Lagos Model College, Igbonla, 

Epe, following the abduction of a vice 

principal and four students. Kidnappers' next 

port of call was 

being part of the ransom collected, was 

recovered from one of the suspects. 

Former Force Public Relations Officer, Don 

Awunah, gave the names of the suspects as 

Bekewei Agbojule aka “Prince Yellow”, Philip 

Joel Kakadu aka “General Kakadu,” a militant 

leader, Romeo Council aka “Raw” and Totki 

Okoda(the informant) who resides in the 

creeks behind the school at the Ijaw 

fishermen settlement(he provided 

information for the gang about the school and 

the victims). According to him: ”The IGP’s 

Intelligence Response Team, IRT, working in 

synergy with the Tactical Intelligence Unit, 

TIU, of the Nigeria Police Force in a joint 

operation supervised by AIG Kayode 

Aderanti, AIG Zone 2, Lagos successfully 

smashed the notorious kidnap gang and 

arrested four vicious kidnappers who are 

active members of the gang.” 

Aside this arrest, there had reportedly been 

several others , among which was the widely 

reported and celebrated arrest of the kidnap 

kingpin, Chukwudi Onuamadike, popularly 

called Evans who confessed to have been 

responsible for several abductions of Lagos 

residents. A senior police officer who spoke 

on strict anonymity informed that much were 

being put in place to tackle crime in Lagos 

State, even as he lauded the efforts of the 

state government in this regard. He further 

stated that a security meeting between all 

security agents in the state usually holds 

every week where notes are compared and 

areas where more efforts are needed to be 

stepped up are highlighted. 

Noting kidnap as a worrisome trend in the 

state, the senior Police officer added, “All 

hands are on deck to fight this menace. The 

Police have been able to make a number of 

arrests as well as work in synergy with other 

security agencies to eradicate this. The latest 

attack on students wasn’t the fault of the Police 

because the schools are sited close to the river. 

SECURITY IN LAGOS 

GOS...WHA 

...WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY 

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JULY 22, 2017—13 

Reign of criminals: Whither security agencies? 

the Nigerian- 

T u r k i s h 

International 

school , Isheri, 

Lagos where three 

members of staff 

and five students 

were abducted in 

January 2017. 

They were, 

however, released 

12 days later after 

ransom was paid. 

Students and staff 

of Lagos Model 

College Igbonla 

were still smarting 

from the kidnap 

ordeal when the 

unwanted and dreaded visitors struck again 

in May 2017. This time around, they made 

away with six students whose whereabouts 

are still unknown. 

We have made 

arrests-Police 

But Police authorities in response to the 

barrage of attacks against their perceived 

poor performance profile said they had made 

some breakthrough in the fight against 

criminality in Lagos State. For instance, the 

police noted that they had been able to arrest 

suspected kidnappers that masterminded the 

Turkish school kidnap where N1.2 million, 

Raymond 

Ibinuolapo, 

Contractor 

TO me the Lagos 

State government 

and the security agents 

are trying in protecting 

the people of Lagos and 

their property. As we all 

know you cannot be in 

all places at the same 

time. In such places that 

we have insufficient 

police presence, crime 

All hands are 

on deck to fight 

this menace. 

The Police have 

been able to 

make a number 

of arrests as 

well as work in 

synergy with 

other security 

agencies to 

eradicate this 

•Raymond Ibinuolapo 

is always on the high side. 

Policemen are also human; they run away when they 

cannot cope with a particular situation. I do not know 

how we are protected. Speaking for myself, I am not 

protected by government or any security agents, I am 

protection by God Almighty. 

Polce inspector general, Ibrahim Idris with Lagos State governor, Ambode 

Beatrice Okoroafor, Fashion 

Designer 

GOD is our protector. I have 

resided in Lagos for over two 

decades now. The Lagos State 

government and security agents are 

living up to expectations in terms 

protection of lives and property 

despite the population of the state. 

Crime rates are under control. 

I still have confidence in them; 

they are trying. The kidnapping and 

the Badoo Boys in Ikorodu will soon 

be a thing of the past. 

Nobody or institution is perfect. We 

the citizens are to report to the police 

any suspicious movements in our 

environments. With this, the rate of 

Besides, security isn’t the exlusive 

responsibility of security agencies but that 

of all and sundry. 

“The only situation at hand is that of the 

six abducted students of Lagos Model 

college, and I can assure you that they 

would be rescued. Recall that Policemen 

led by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos 

State Police Command, CP Fatai Owoseni, 

stormed the Ishawo creeks three months 

ago shortly after the killing of some 

policemen and an Army Captain. Thirteen 

suspected kidnapers were arrested during 

that raid and their camps were destroyed. 

“Also, three suspected kidnapers who 

masterminded the kidnap of the Igbonla 

students were arrested while on their way 

to Benin. Several other kidnap attempts 

have been foiled, while other suspects were 

arrested and charged to court”. 

Police 

statistics 

Crime statistics at Vanguard INSIGHT’s 

disposal showed that in February 2017, 24 

robbery suspects, 19 suspected kidnappers 

and eight suspected cultists were arrested, 

with the recovery of 18 different firearms, 

26 rounds of live ammunition as well as 22 

different exotic cars. 

In order to address the crime rate, the 

Lagos State Police command also embarked 

on raid of criminal hideouts in the state 

where over 400 suspects were arrested. 

Some of the suspects arrested were said 

to be Badoo boys. But the Lagos State 

Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde 

Famous-Cole, was quick to clarify that 

suspects arrested were screened, at the end 

of which innocent ones were allowed to go 

while those found wanting were 

prosecuted. 

By Frederick Okopie 

•Beatrice Okoroafor 

crime like kidnapping, vandalism, 

stealing, etc, will reduce.

14—SATURDAY, VANGUARD, JULY 22, 2017 

LAGOS: A megacity in the grip of criminal 

elements 

•Parents of students of kidnapped Government Model College, Epe, Lagos State...going to two months yet no news of release 

Continues from yesterday 

THIS aspiration to transform Lagos into 

a mega city which was first mooted 

during the administration of Ashiwaju Bola 

Ahmed Tinubu, gained some measure of 

urgency during the Babatunde Fashola 

years as governor of the state and has 

remained in the front burner for the present 

administration led by Akinwunmi Ambode. 

But recent developments bordering on the 

worsening insecurity of lives and property 

have in the estimation of many observers, 

put a big question mark on whether Lagos 

is truly on the path of becoming a veritable 

mega city. After what would appear as a 

period of relative peace, the state has in 

recent years experienced a disturbing 

resurgence in crime wave as robbers, 

kidnappers, hired killers and cultists have 

returned with vengeful fury and have 

seemingly been taking turns to unleash 

terror on the populace. 

For instance, in most areas of the state, 

employees of several organisations as well 

as traders who usually leave their homes 

early, no longer feel safe as they are regularly 

waylaid by robbers who operate on 

motorcycles in the process of which they were 

dispossessed of their valuables. 

Regrettably, many other Lagosians have 

had their lives cut short by these criminals 

who would stop at nothing to enrich their 

pockets. Some unsuspecting passengers who 

boarded commercial buses to their respective 

business places ended up falling into the 

hands of catch-in-the-air robbers. At times 

victims were thrown out of fast moving 

vehicles after being robbed. Some fortunate 

ones sustained injuries in the process, while 

others died on the spot as they were run over 

by oncoming vehicles. 

Areas where such operations are common 

include the Oshodi/Apapa expressway, Mile 

Two/Badagry expressway, Ikorodu road, 

among others. 

Other victims also fell into the hands of 

kidnappers who posed as passengers but 

who together with the drivers and bus 

conductors were members of kidnap gangs. 

Most times, these impostors would blow 

powdery substances on the passengers to 

put them to sleep. Some hours later they 

would wake up at the kidnappers den where 

they were either killed, their bodies 

dismembered and parts sold for ritual 

purposes. This type of kidnap incidents are 

rampant along the Mile/Two Badagry 

expressway. 

Sometimes, kidnappers and ritualists hide 

under the camouflage of Muslim or Christian 

clerics to get their preys who usually 

patronised them for spiritual cleansing or 

deliverance from perceived demonic forces. 

A case in point was that of an unidentified 

SECURITY IN LAGOS 

GOS...WHA 

...WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY 

Fanny Iyendo, 

trader 

IDONT feel safe in Lagos 

at the moment. 

That shows the state 

government and security 

agents are not working at all. 

People have been kidnapped 

without trace; what you hear 

from government are empty 

promises. You cannot move 

freely in Ikorodu town because 

of the Badoo cult group; in 

Ajegunle and environs, the 

One Million Boys are 

operating with impunity, apart 

from the usual area boys 

harassment. 

How can I trust them to 

protect me when they cannot 

•Fanny Iyendo 

even protect themselves? People 

are dying mysteriously, others are 

missing and nobody is 

apprehended. How then is 

government providing security? 

Sylvester Osadolor, 

Okada Operator 

THE security 

agents in 

Lagos State, 

especially the police, 

are working. But we 

the citizens must 

play our own roles to 

help them protect 

us. Apart from that, 

the police need to be 

motivated financially 

by the government 

so they won't 

compromise when 

duty calls. 

woman who, four months ago, left her 

Sango, Ogun State home to meet a Muslim 

cleric for spiritual cleansing at Ikoga 

community in Badagry. She ended up 

being one of the several victims used for 

money rituals. She was lured to a river in 

the community where she was allegedly 

beheaded by one Taofeek Hassan. 

The 61-year-old suspect who was arrested 

while taking the fresh human head to a 

herbalist to prepare the concoction for 

money ritual, disclosed that he was paid 

N4,000 to carry out the dastardly act. 

Heart-rending 

incident 

Another heart-rending incident was that 

of the murder of an ex-Nigerian Customs 

officer, Angela Kerry, whose desperate 

search for a baby landed her in the hand 

of a herbalist, one Alhaji Olatunji Azeez. 

She ended up being murdered and buried 

by the herbalist after parting with N9 

million for pregnancy concoction which 

failed, while her 10-year-old adopted 

daughter was kept in custody by her 

assailant. 

With regards to robbery, it has remained 

a regular occurrence in the state with 

Ikorodu, Ajah, Epe and other far-flung 

places often at the receiving end of most of 

•Sylvester Osadolor 

the attacks. Ikorodu 

in particular has in 

recent time 

witnessed several 

bank robberies 

master-minded by 

a notorious militant 

group led by a 

criminal popularly 

known as ‘America’. 

In one of such 

robberies that shook 

Ikorodu town, four 

policemen, an Army 

captain and a 

couple were killed 

by the rampaging 

robbers. 

In June 2015, 

another gang led by 

a woman who 

reportedly 

festooned herself 

Continues on page 15

Continues from page 14 

with 20 live snakes carried out coordinated 

robbery attacks on branches of First Bank and 

Zenith Bank in Ogolonto, Ebute/Ipakodo axis 

of Ikorodu at the end of which it carted away 

over N80 million after a heavy exchanges of 

gun fire with some police men that rushed 

to the scene. Witnesses claimed that the 

woman was dressed in army camouflage and 

armed with two guns which she fired 

sporadically to scare away people as her 

gang members raided the banks. 

Although some members of the gang were 

later reportedly arrested, robbery attacks 

have remained a recurring decimal in the 

area, with the nearby Majidun river making 

it possible for the robbers to make good their 

escape by speed boats after each operation. 

It is a development that has left many 

residents of Ikorodu fuming and demanding 

for more appropriate response from the Police 

who allegedly always arrive late at robbery 

scenes to arrest innocent citizens who are 

then forced to part with huge sums of money 

to secure bail. 

Other parts of Lagos, including highbrow 

areas of Ikeja, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and 

Lekki, have not been spared the rage of 

different rampaging robbery gangs as 

evidenced by Police and media reports of 

robbery incidents perpetrated by them. In 

fact, no day passes without the media 

reporting one robbery incident or the other 

in parts of the state, with the State Police 

Command seemingly on its toes to contain 

the situation. 

Rage of kidnappers 

and cultists 

The insecurity situation in Lagos State has 

since taken a turn for the worse with the 

increasing kidnap of individuals, including 

school students by criminal elements as well 

as activities of a cult group known as Badoo. 

Indeed while most Lagosians may have 

come to terms with the spate of robberies in 

SATURDAY VANGUARD, JULY 22, 2017—15 

LAGOS: A megacity in the grip of criminal elements 

the state and 

seemingly 

b e c o m e 

resigned to the 

situation, they 

are more than 

seriously 

alarmed at the 

upsurge in 

kidnappings 

and lately cultr 

e l a t e d 

attacks, 

especially in 

the Ikorodu 

area of Lagos. 

T h i s 

development 

has left many 

people with 

the impression 

that the state is 

In most areas of 

the state, 

employees of 

several 

organisations as 

well as traders 

who usually leave 

their homes early, 

no longer feel safe 

as they are 

regularly waylaid 

by robbers 

presently 

under the siege of criminals. 

The impression in several quarters is that 

robbers have over the years graduated into 

kidnappers as they now regard abductionfor-ransom 

as a very lucrative criminal way 

of making mega-bucks with minimum risk 

of arrest. And it will also appear that while 

this has become common in most states of 

the country, Lagos has somehow become the 

kidnappers capital as it seems to have 

provided them the haven to thrive. 

It was this development that in May 2012 

prompted some civil society organisations in 

Lagos to take to the streets in protest and 

cried out to both the State and Federal 

governments to publicly acknowledge the 

problem and take measures to combat it 

throughout the country. The organisations 

had in a statement expressed concern that 

the State Government, despite being aware 

of the problem, had failed 

or neglected to take any 

action to curb it, as the 

government preferred to 

conceal the development 

so as not to scare investors 

away. They anchored their 

concern on several 

kidnapping incidents 

recorded over the years. 

Taking the government 

to task, they had declared 

thus: “We believe that the 

primary purpose of any 

serious government is to 

ensure the security of 

lives and property of the 

citizens and foreign 

nationals in the country. 

We are concerned that the 

failure of the Lagos State 

Government to tackle the 

problem and provide an 

environment where 

victims and their families 

will receive the protection 

of the law has continued 

to exacerbate the 

situation.” Unfortunately, 

their expressed concern 

did not receive the 

envisaged response as 

rather than abate, the 

problem has between 

2012 and 2016 escalated 

alarmingly, not only in 

Lagos, but across the 

country. Indeed several 

kidnap cases have been 

recorded in the state in spite of the 

Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration 

signing into law the state’s Kidnapping 

Prohibition Bill 2016 which prescribes death 

penalty for convicted kidnappers whose 

victims die in custody or in the course of 

being abducted. 

A clear indication that the kidnappers are 

unrelenting in their operation in spite of the 

law is the recent kidnap of six students of 

Lagos Model College, Igbonla in Epe area 

of Lagos. As at the time of writing this report 

and close to two months after they were 

whisked away by gunmen, the girls are still 

in the custody of their abductors while 

negotiation for ransom payment for their 

release in still on-going. 

Another pointer to how embedded 

kidnappers have become is the interesting 

revelations from arrested kidnap kingpin 

suspect Chukwudumeje George 

Onwuamadike alias Evans. Although the 

Police are still celebrating their success in 

bursting the Evans kidnap gang, the story 

of how the gang operated for years with out 

detection has continued to send chills down 

the spines of many, especially as some 

members of the gang are still believed to be 

at large. 

Enter Badoo 

cultists 

Lagosians, nay Nigerians, were still 

savouring the drama of Evans' arrest and 

the story of his kidnapping exploits when 

they were suddenly jolted by series of ritual 

killings in Ikorodu, Lagos reportedly 

perpetrated by some cult elements identified 

as Badoo. 

Before the Police intervened and arrested 

over 100 suspected members of the notorious 

Badoo, the cult group had terrorised and 

remorselessly committed some gruesome 

murders in Ikorodu and environs. The Police 

intervention which was done in conjunction 

with members of the Department of State 

Service, DSS; representatives of the 

Nigerian Army; the Lagos Neighbourhood 

Security Corps and the Oodua Peoples 

Congress, OPC, elicited sighs of relief in 

many quarters that the worst may at last be 

Madam Belau, one of the first victims of Badoo 

over for the embattled people of Ikorodu. 

But that relief was not immediately felt in 

Ikorodu itself where palpable fear continues 

to rule the hearts of residents, with almost 

everyone on edge about the possibility of 

another attack from the dreaded cult boys. 

And as if to confirm their fear, some 

members of the cult group soon struck 

again, killing three persons and sending 

threat letters to two communities where they 

planned to carry out attacks. 

Rampaging 

cultists 

Indeed Ikorodu remains on edge with 

residents in various communities in the 

area resorting to self-help by arming 

themselves and organising their defence 

either through vigilantes or hiring 

neighbourhood security outfits since they 

seem to have lost confidence in the ability 

of the Nigeria Police and other security 

agencies to protect them from the rampaging 

cultists. 

Genesis of Badoo nightmare: At the root 

of it was the outbreak of serial raping of 

some community members in Ikorodu. 

People were still trying to come to terms 

with this disturbing development when it 

degenerated into killings and maiming, 

prompting a mass relocation of residents 

from the affected areas. The worst hit were 

Ibeshe, Ogijo, Odogunyan, Ijede, Itamaga, 

Eruwen, Igbo-Oluwo, Isiu and Maya, 

among others. 

Still fresh in the minds of many residents 

is a particular rape incident that preceded 

the cult killings. The victim, an 86-year-old 

woman, Madam Belau Jimoh, was attacked 

in May 2016. The resident of Oke-Ota 

community had her nose chopped off after 

she was raped by a suspected serial rapist. 

Narrating her ordeal, the traumatised old 

woman said the faceless man gained entry 

to her room through the window of the 

uncompleted building she was staying at 

about 2.00am when her co-residents were 

fast asleep. Madam Belau said she initially 

thought she was dreaming until she woke 


16—SATURDAY VANGUARD, JULY 22, 2017 

9, Aliyu Adesanya Street, Odogunyan, Ikorodu...where a 

family of five was killed 

LAGOS: A megacity in the grip of criminal 

elements 

At the initial 

stage, women 

were their 

victims, as they 

usually raped 

them and 

cleaned them 

with 

handkerchiefs 

which were 

taken away. It 

was towards the 

end of last year 

that they 

introduced the 

use of grinding 

stone 

Continues from page 15 

up and caught sight of her assailant who 

threatened her with a whispered: ”Sshh, if 

you shout, I will kill you”. That was when it 

dawned on her that there was danger and 

she started pleading for her life. But all her 

pleadings fell on deaf ears as her attacker 

was determined to have his way. This he 

eventually did after throwing her through 

the window and chopping off her nose in 

the process. 

At dawn, her daughter who noticed her 

absence from the room started searching for 

her and later found her gasping for breath 

and immediately raised alarm that attracted 

the attention of other residents who assisted 

in rushing the old woman to hospital. 

On regaining consciousness, Madam 

Belau recollected that her assailant was 

armed with a knife, a sledge hammer and 

white handkerchief which he used to clean 

her private part after the rape. 

Two weeks later, a similar incident 

occurred in Adetutu Itsuokor Castle, Oke- 

Ota, where a teacher at Methodist Primary 

School, Ibeshe, Mrs. Grace Jubril was 

attacked and raped to death in the presence 

of her 14 months old baby. 

The 27-year-old victim popularly called 

Mama Nifemi was said to have recently 

moved into a room-and-palour apartment 

and her husband was away to Oshogbo, 

Osun State when the incident occurred. 

Neighbours found her half dead; she died 

a few hours later. A community leader in 

Ibeshe, Alhaji Ibrahim Akeem said Grace 

was found naked and half dead in her own 

pool of blood at about 3.00am, that effort to 

resuscitate her proved abortive. 

Both incidents threw residents into 

Recovered grinding stones used by the Badoo cult 

confusion and some women dressed halfnaked 

took to the streets in protest. They 

took their protest to the palace of their Oba, 

Richard Ogunsanya, to underline the 

traditional undertone behind the attacks. 

Initially, women were usually the target, 

but later men and children were equally 

attacked with objects like sledge hammer 

and white handkerchiefs usually left behind 

after each attack. But recent attacks by 

assailants featured the use of grinding 

stones and mortar which were left at the 

scenes of the attacks, with residents still at 

a loss on the significance of these objects. 

At the last count, over 30 persons, 

including toddlers have had life snuffed out 

of them by the dreaded Badoo boys, who 

usually stormed victims residences while 

they were asleep. It is suspected that they 

hypnotised their victims as none of them, 

except during last week’s operation at 

Odogunyan, had ever been conscious of 

their presence. They would thereafter 

smash the victims head with a grinding 

stone and use a handkerchief to clean the 

blood and brains before leaving the scene. 

They usually left without taking any 

valuables. 

Ibeshe the 

worst hit 

A resident of Ibeshe community, Afariogun 

Taofeek, who confirmed the arrest of some 

members in the community, revealed that 

at least 10 persons had been killed by Badoo 

boys in the community . 

He said: “The first time they struck was 

last year at Oke-Ota community where they 

raped a woman and killed her Ghanaian 

husband. A month after, they struck again. 

This time around, their target was a 60-yearold 

woman, Madam Francisca. Her 

daughter Marvelous , who escaped death 

by the whiskers, lost her sight. She said they 

poured a substance into her eyes. 

“The gang also stormed the Celestial 

Church of Christ at Itesiwaju area of Ibeshe 

during a vigil. They lured an eight-yearold 

girl outside, abducted her and thereafter 

gang- raped her until she passed out. They 

then cleaned her priate part with a 

handkerchief. Happily, one of them holding 

a handkerchief was caught by some 

members of a vigilante group. During the 

brief interrogation, he took members of the 

vigilante group to where they abandoned 

the little girl. He was roasted alive before 

the Police arrived the scene”. 

Continuing, he said: “At the initial stage, 

women were their victims, as they usually 

raped them and cleaned their private parts 

with handkerchiefs which were taken away. 

It was towards the end of last year that they 

introduced the use of grinding stone. At this 

point, they went for families. They never 

spared even children no matter how old they 

were. 

“One of the pathetic cases occurred at 

Owode Ibeshe last November after the 

cultists invaded the home of a widow. She 

and her three children were attacked. 

Fortunately for them, we found them 

unconscious and rushed them to the 

hospital where they regained consciousness 

after three days. When the family returned 

from the hospital, they could not stay in their 

homes anymore. We also recorded two other 

incidents where a family of four was killed 

in a building and another four in another 

operation”. 

Foetus removed 

Another resident of Oluwoye community, 

Mrs. Rukayat Ogendegbe, also narrated 

how the gang struck at the home of a family 

of four. She said: “A pregnant woman was 

not only killed, they removed the foetus and 

used their handkerchiefs to clean the blood. 

Her husband, Yusuf Kazeem and two 

children, narrowly escaped death as they 

were revived in the hospital. They have 

wreaked havoc on people in Ikorodu. I don’t 

know why their concentration is on Ikorodu. 

"They have so far struck at Lasunwon, 

Odogunyan, Ogijo, Ibeshe Tutun, Eruwen, 

Olopomeji areas in Ikorodu,” she said. The 

latest attack was last Wednesday at 

Odogunyan where a family of five: the 

father, Mr David Ike (50); his wife, 

Margaret and their three children of ages 

five, four and two, were wiped out. But 

another resident who simply gave his name 

as Ojo, said some owners of buildings in 

areas affected were forced to move out in 

order not to fall victim to the cultists. 

How the name 

Badoo emerged 

Presently the mere mention of the name 

‘Badoo’ evokes palpable apprehension in 

Ikorodu and environs just as Boko Haram 

is dreaded in North East Nigeria and 

beyond. Sources said before now the group 

carried out its attacks mostly on uncompleted 

buildings, usually against women. But 

recently males, both young and old, have 

been targeted. For example, a family of five: 

father, mother and children were killed at 

Olu-odo. They were reportedly attacked with 

a grinding stone. At Ajose, a family of four: 

father, mother and children were killed 

while at Oremeta, a 65-year-old woman and 

her eight-year-old granddaughter were 

killed in what some people described as 

mysterious circumstances. 

Continues tomorrow in Sunday Vanguard

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Has Pope 

forgiven 

Ahiara 

priests? 

BY SAM EYOBOKA 

TWO weeks after the 

expiration of papal 

directive to Catholic 

priests in Ahiara Mbaise 

Diocese to write individual 

letters of apology to the 

Catholic Pontiff or risk 

suspension, there is no clear 

indication if all the priests had 

complied with the directive 

and what action Pope Francis, 

who was visibly vexed by the 

embarrassment the protracted 

rejection of Bishop Peter 

Okpaleke, has taken. 

Pope Francis had on June 9, 

2017 given all Ahiara Mbaise 

priests 30 days to write a letter 

promising obedience to him 

and accepting Bishop Peter 

Okpaleke, appointed for their 

diocese, stating that any priest 

who failed to write the letter 

could be suspended. 

In our efforts to get to the 

bottom of the crisis, our 

correspondent stumbled on a 

letter dated July 3, 2017 and 

signed by the Archbishop of 

Abuja and the Apostolic 

Administrator of Ahiara 

Diocese, John Cardinal 

Onaiyekan titled: “I bring 

greetings and best wishes 

from Rome to the priests of 

Ahiara Diocese.” 

Though the letter spoke of a 

meeting with the Pope where 

the latter offered full 

forgiveness for all past acts of 

omission and commission and 

“looks forward to embracing 

everyone in a new spirit 

loyalty and communion,” 

sources close to the Vatican 

told Saturday Vanguard 

that the head of the over 

1.285 billion Catholics could 

not have forgiven the priests 

who had not adhered to his 

directive. 

The letter signed by Cardinal 

Onaiyekan on July 3, was 

marked delivered on July 5— 

four days before the expiration 

of the papal directive—reads 

thus: “My dear brothers in the 

Sacred Priesthood, may the 

peace and joy of the Lord 

Jesus Christ be with you all. 

Amen.” 

It was addressed to the Ahiara 

Mbaise priests. 

Continuing, Onaiyekan said: 

“I was briefly in Rome last 

week, for the consistory of the 

five new cardinals on 

Wednesday, June 

28, and next day 

June 29, for a 

papal Eucharistic 

concelebration of 

the solemnity of 

SS Peter and 

Paul, both 

events in the 

Vatican Basilica 

of St. Peter’s. at 

the end of the Holy 

Mass, I had a brief but warm 

exchange of greetings with 

the Holy Father, Pope Francis. 

“He asked about Ahiara 

Diocese. I assured him that 

with his prayers and God’s 

grace, all will be well. He 

sends his blessings and good 

wishes to you all, and to the 

entire diocese. 

“The one month of grace, 

granted by His Holiness for 

the true and sincere 

restoration of reconciliation, 

unity and peace in your 

diocese is fast drawing to a 

close. The Pope has offered 

full forgiveness for all past 

acts of omission and 

commission. He looks forward 

to embracing everyone in a 

new spirit loyalty and 

communion. We continue our 

fervent prayers that the Holy 

Spirit may guide everyone 

into the path of full 

communion with the church 

cum et sub Petro. 

“Please be reminded that the 

letters to the Holy Father are 

to be sent by registered mail or 

Pope Francis had 

given the Ahiara 

Mbaise priests 30 

days to write a letter 

promising obedience 

to him and accepting 

the bishop appointed 

for their diocese, 

stating that any priest 

who fails to write the 

letter will be 

suspended 

•Pope 

DHL in good time in hard, 

signed original, NOT EMAIL, 

to either the Nunciature in 

Abuja, or directly to the 

Congregation for the 

Propagation of Faith in Rome. 

I am hoping and planning to 

pay a short pastoral visit to 

Ahiara very soon after July 9, 

to join you in Eucharistic 

worship in the Cathedral for 

God’s mercy, grace and 

blessings on Ahiara Diocese. 

Details will be communicated 

soonest. May the Lord guide 

and guard our sincere 

intentions. 

“Counting as always on the 

powerful intercession of Our 

Lady, Mother of the Church 

and Patroness of Ahiara 

Diocese, I remain,” the cardinal 

concluded. 

Pope Francis had given the 

Ahiara Mbaise priests 30 days 

to write a letter promising 

obedience to him and 

accepting the bishop appointed 

for their diocese, stating that 

any priest who fails to write the 

letter will be suspended. 

A day earlier, a Nigerian 

delegation met with Pope 

Francis to discuss the situation 

of Bishop Peter Ebere 

Okpaleke, who was appointed 

Bishop of Ahiara by then-Pope 

Benedict XVI in 2012, but who 

has been unable to take control 

of the diocese because of 

protests, apparently by a 

majority of the priests. 

The Vatican issued only a short 

communiqué on the meeting 

with the Pope, describing the 

situation in the diocese as 

“unacceptable.” The protests 

were motivated by the fact that 

Bishop Okpaleke is not an 

indigene of Mbaise. 

“The Holy Father, after a 

careful evaluation, spoke of the 

unacceptable situation in 

Ahiara and reserved the right 

to take appropriate measures,” 

the Vatican said. 

According to the Pope’s 

remarks posted by President of 

Catholic Bishops Conference of 

Nigeria, CBCN and 

Archbishop of Jos, Archbishop 

Ignatius Kaigama, Pope 

Francis said: “I think that, in 

this case, we are not dealing 

with tribalism, but with an 

attempted taking of the 

vineyard of the Lord.” 

The Pope also referred 

to “the parable of the 

murderous 

tenants” in 

Matthew 

21:33-44. 

“Whoever 

was 

opposed 

to Bishop Okpaleke taking 

possession of the diocese wants 

to destroy the Church. This is 

forbidden,” the Pope said. 

Francis said he had even 

considered “suppressing the 

diocese, but then I thought that 

the Church is a mother and 

cannot abandon her many 

children.” 

Instead, he said, every priest 

of the diocese, whether 

residing in Nigeria or abroad, 

must write a letter to him 

asking for forgiveness because 

“we all must share this common 

sorrow”. 

Each priest’s letter, he 

emphasized, “must clearly 

manifest total obedience to the 

Pope” and indicate a 

willingness “to accept the 

bishop whom the Pope sends 

and has appointed”. 

“The letter must be sent within 

30 days, from today to July 9, 

2017. Whoever does not do this 

will be ipso facto suspended 

‘a divinis’ and will lose his 

current office,” the Pope said, 

according to the posts. 

“This seems very hard, but 

why must the Pope do this?” 

Pope Francis asked. “Because 

the people of God are 

scandalized. Jesus reminds 

us that whoever causes 

scandal must suffer the 

consequences.” 

Bishop Okpaleke, the 

contested bishop, also met 

the Pope and was joined in 

Rome by other Nigerian 

bishops and a handful of 

priests making an unusual 

kind of visit “ad limina 

apostolorum” (to the 

threshold of the apostles) in 

early June. 

While “ad limina” visits 

usually are done in national 

groups, the Vatican 

communiqué described the 

Ahiara diocesan visit using 

the same term. It noted that 

the nine-man delegation 

prayed at the tombs of SS. 

Peter and Paul and in the 

Basilica of St. Mary Major. 

They also participated in a 

private celebration of the 

Mass with Pope Francis. 

Later in the day, the Pope 

held a private audience with 

the group. Members also met 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 

Vatican Secretary of State, 

and Cardinal Fernando Filoni 

and other top officials from the 

Congregation for the 

Evangelisation of Peoples to 

examine what the Vatican 

called the “painful situation 

of the Church in Ahiara”. 

When Bishop Okpaleke was 

appointed to the diocese, the 

announcement was greeted 

with protests and petitions, 

calling for the appointment of 

a bishop from among the 

local clergy. 

Nevertheless, he was 

ordained a bishop in 

May 2013, although 

the ordination took 

place at a seminary in 

the Archdiocese of 

Owerri. 

Ahiara is in 

Mbaise, a 

predominantly 

Catholic district of 

Imo State. Bishop 

Okpaleke hails from Amesi 

in Aguata Local Government 

Area of Anambra State, 

which borders Imo to the 

north. 

A petition to Pope Benedict 

XVI launched by the 

“Coalition of Igbo Catholics” 

said: “That no priest of 

Mbaise origin is a bishop 

today…is mind-boggling. 

Mbaise has embraced, 

enhanced the growth of and 

sacrificed for the Catholic 

Church, has more priests per 

capita than any other diocese 

in Nigeria and certainly more 

than enough pool of priests 

qualified to become the next 

bishop of the episcopal see of 

Ahiara diocese, Mbaise.” 

According to the Vatican, the 

diocese has close to 423,000 

Catholics and 110 diocesan 

priests. 

Trying to calm the situation, 

in July 2013 Pope Francis 

appointed Cardinal 

Onaiyekan to serve as 

apostolic administrator of the 

diocese, and the following 

December he sent Ghanaian 

Cardinal Peter Turkson, thenpresident 

of the Pontifical 

Council for Justice and Peace, 

to Ahiara to listen to the 

concerns of the diocesan 

priests and local laity. 

Cardinal Onaiyekan joined 

Bishop Okpaleke on the “ad 

limina” visit to Rome, as did 

Archbishop Anthony Obinna 

of Owerri and Archbishop 

Ignatius Kaigama. Three 

priests, a religious Sister and 

a traditional elder also made 

the trip. 

All efforts to get Cardinal 

Onaiyekan to explain the 

current situation were not 

successful as he didn’t pick our 

numerous calls neither did he 

replied our text messages. Our 

correspondent also tried the 

president of CBCN, 

Archbishop Kaigama but his 

lines were switched off.

18—SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard 

anguard, , JULY 22, 2017 

APGA chair says 

anyone can compete 

with Obiano for ticket 

—Says size of wallet will not influence APGA primaries 

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor 

National chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, 

APGA, Chief Martins Agbaso has dismissed insinuations 

among some supporters of Governor Willie Obiano that 

the party’s ticket is his own for the taking. 

Agbaso told Saturday Vanguard that the ticket is open to 

anyone irrespective of the person’s wallet or standing in 

the society saying nobody has the assurance of anything. 

“Anybody that is in APGA that is interested in contesting 

is welcome. We are going to have open primaries and 

ensure internal democracy,” Agbaso told Saturday 

Vanguard over the telephone. 

“Everybody, every human being irrespective of your 

standing in the society, the size of your wallet, whatever 

you are, you must be subjected to primaries. We must show that 

it can be done and done right.” 

Rebuffing insinuations in the camp of the governor that the 

ticket is his, Agbaso, who was recently upheld by the court as the 

national chairman of the party said: 

“Nobody has any assurance in anything. If he is interested in 

recontesting, he must submit himself to all the processes of election 

milestones and if he is the one that our party members want, we 

will all go out and fight for him and if he is the one that the 

members don’t want then we will have to give him a good 

•Jim Nwobodo 

Small parties hiring offices 

to woo big aspirants 

•Governor 

Willie Obiano 

BY VINCENT UJUMADU 

POLITICAL parties not considered to be big in the estimation of 

Anambra voters have started acquiring offices in the state capital, 

Awka as an attraction for governorship aspirants. 

Only few political parties in the state could boast of befitting state offices 

before now, but in recent times, almost all the political parties registered 

by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, started hiring 

offices with one-year rent payment. 

While some of the offices are situated on two or three bedroom apartments, 

others are occupying two or one room apartments as state offices. 

If you ask any of the state chairmen of the small political parties about 

governorship aspirants of their parties, they would tell you they have 

many and that more would soon join, even though they would not provide 

names of such aspirants. 

However, checks indicated that such parties are waiting for some 

aspirants who will fall by the way side after the August primaries of the 

major parties. In fact, it was gathered that some aspirants of the big political 

parties are the ones paying the rent for some of the small parties, which 

they hope to use as a fall back if they fail to secure the tickets of their 

parties. 

handshake.” 

Asked if Governor Obiano has applied, the 

national chairman said: 

“The only way that anyone can show interest 

is when the time-table comes out, and you buy 

your nomination forms and once you do that 

we know you have shown good indication.” 

Before the clarification by Agbaso, there had 

been reports attributed to him to the fact that 

Primaries: APC alleges plot to 

compromise NWC, committee 


SOME stakeholders of All Progressives 

Congress (APC) in Anambra State have 

raised the alarm over alleged plans by 

of the governorship aspirants of the party to 

compromise members of the National Working 

Committee (NWC) and the Senator Jim 

Nwobodo-led election committee ahead of the 

party’s primaries. 

A group in the party led by Chief Walter 

Okoli, who vowed to resist such a move, urged 

the National Executive Council (NEC) and the 

leadership of the party to look into the matter 

before it was too late. 

According to the group, some governorship 

aspirants, who he did not name, had become 

desperate over the Anambra election. 

There are 14 aspirants from the three 

senatorial zones of the state jostling for the 

ticket of the party. 

The group also dismissed media reports that 

three aspirants had been picked for 

the ticket, arguing that some 

aspirants had become afraid of free, 

fair and credible primaries and 

were, therefore, looking for ways to 

cut corners to achieve underserved 

victory during the party’s primaries. 

Okoli said: “Our forum finds this 

disgusting, fraudulent and against 

every good thing APC stands for, 

and we are poised to expose every 

single detail of this plot as well as 

the characters involved in the 

alleged gratification. 

“The party members are being 

mobilized to resist any attempt to 

falsify the delegate’s list with the 

aim of creating an undue advantage 

for some aspirants. 

“It is also seriously being 

rumoured that some desperate 

•Chief 

Martins 

Agbaso 

Obiano should not be afraid that he is an asset 

to the party a claim that had reassured the 

governor’s supporters that the ticket would be 

his for the taking. 

Agbaso reportedly made the claim at the Owerri 

Airport after arriving from Abuja where he had gone 

to validate his position as chairman of the party at 

the headquarters of the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC. 

aspirants are attempting to 

compromise the chairman of the 

Anambra State electoral committee, 

Dr. Jim Nwobodo, who is a former 

governor of old Anambra State, a 

former minister of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria and a 

distinguished senator, which we find 

difficult to believe. 

“We do not believe that the revered 

Chief Nwobodo will allow such a 

thing to happen as everybody in the 

South East holds him in high esteem. 

We want to believe that his name is 

being dropped by some desperadoes. 

“We, the APC stakeholders’ forum, 

advise all aspirants to go to the party 

delegates to canvass for votes and 

support, instead of going through the 

back door to seek evil and dangerous 

short cut to the party ticket.” 

Obaze, Obidigbo, Ezeemo appear 

before stakeholders forum 


THREE governorship aspirants from three political parties have participated in a forum 

organized by a group of Anambra political elders in Awka 

Those who appeared at the forum were Mr. Oseloka Obaze of the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Dr. Chike Obidigbo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of 

Progressives Peoples’ Alliance, PPA. 

The chairman of the Anambra Political Stakeholders’ Forum, Dr. Okey Umeano, said the main 

aim of the forum, among others, is to “install in Anambra State a responsive and responsible 

government and to assist credible individuals who have political ambitions in any of the political 

parties in the country. 

Obaze, in his speech at the forum, said his candidacy presented Anambra State with a credible 

leadership alternative. “For the record, I have taken the position that if elected the Executive 

Governor of Anambra State come November 18, 2017, I will keep faith and serve for only four 

years. Thus Anambra North will conclude its term in 2022, as agreed.” 

“I am a student of comparative politics and governance. So, when you say a nation is doing 

well; we must ask, can it do better? When you say a state is working; I will ask, is there still room 

for development? 

In his speech, Obidigbo said the state needs someone who can create jobs for the teeming 

unemployed, adding that as an industrialist and employer of labour, he knows what to do to end 

unemployment in the state.

Freedom comes with concomitant 

responsibility 

As parents gathered in the 

chapel of St. Gregory’s 

College, Ikoyi, Lagos, for the Holy 

Mass to commence the graduation 

ceremonies of their children last 

Saturday, one feeling was mutual: 

joy. Beyond that, there were 

divergent feelings. For some parents, 

St. Gregory’s was a refuge for their 

children while away from home. Now 

they are moving to the university with 

cultism and other social vices and 

they are worried about how their 

children would cope. Some are 

worried about how their children will 

manage the new found freedom 

when they get to the university. 

Those who will send their children 

to private universities or foreign 

universities were probably dealing 

with the arithmetic of the increased 

expenses. But while parents were 

struggling with their mixed 

emotions, the graduating students 

were chatting away in low tones, 

hugging and back-slapping 

themselves before the Mass started. 

They were certainly cherishing their 

impending “freedom,” away from the 

regimented life at St. Gregory’s: low 

hair cut, waking up at a specific hour, 

food timetable, etc. 

The homilist and St. Gregory’s 

Assistant Administrator, the very 

cerebral Rev. Fr. John Njorteah, 

correctly gauged the feelings of the 

students. Seizing the opportunity of 

talking to them together for probably 

the last time, he told them some 

home truths about life out there. 

Parents kept nodding as Fr. John 

spoke. Please find below excerpts 

of the homily, a reference for every 

teenager and young adult. 

My dear little ones, as you step 

out of this college today to go into 

the world, I humbly implore you to 

listen attentively to me as I share 

with you the word of God on this 

auspicious occasion. First, I would 

like you all (the graduands) to look 

around and see yourselves again. 

Today marks the end of your 

gathering together as a group. 

Never shall you all be complete as 

a class. You have journeyed 

together as a group and today you 

are beginning another journey on 

your own. Yes, your individuality 

will be key in determining the 

extent you will go in life. 

My dear friends, for some years 

now the college has taught and 

protected you, and now you are 

being unleashed into the world. 

This is the world that is full of evils 

and times have really changed. 

Insecurity is at its peak, kidnapping 

has become commonplace, economic 

hardship is killing our people, suicides 

and suicidal attempts are becoming rife 

among our people. Our cultural values 

are being eroded in the wake of imitating 

western trends and fashions, and there 

is less of everything in the world today. 

Our phones have become wireless; cars, 

keyless; our dresses have become 

sleeveless, our youths, jobless; our 

leaders, shameless; our relationships, 

meaningless; our attitudes, careless; our 

feelings, heartless; our education, 

valueless and our children “mannerless” 

(ill-mannered). 

Do not, therefore, fail to make recourse 

to the good training you had in the 

college. Indeed friends, you have been 

given the flesh of moral discipline and 

uprightness. Remain firm and sturdy in 

this path. Lies fill the length and breadth 

of the social media and move faster than 

the speed of light; thanks to the power 

of the internet. 

Your academic foundation is one that 

is the envy of many who are not 

privileged and who might have desired 

to be beneficiaries. Let it not amount to 

naught. Your desire for freedom is 

realised. Know your freedom comes with 

responsibility. The era of pushing the 

blame to someone else gives way to the 

era of “I did it.” Put your future in good 

hands—your own. 

Remember that we led you to God, 

allow Him to accompany you through 

your life. You were always instructed that 

there is a God who seeks the response 

of your love and wants you never to 

forget Him. Today, there is a neoatheism. 

Denial of spiritual realities and 

replacing God with money. We see the 

extent to which money has driven people 

to do the unimaginable in the country. 

Do not live above your means. Do not 

impress anyone. Practice your faith, live 

your faith and be glad to share it. Do 

not be ashamed to live for God. 

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it 

SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard, 

JULY 22, 2017—19 

Lies fill the length and 

breadth of the social 

media and move faster 

than the speed of light; 

thanks to the power of 

the internet 

living someone else’s life. Don’t let 

the noise of other people’s opinion 

drown your own inner voice. Be 

focused and firm on whatever path you 

want to tow in the university and with 

God’s help you will succeed. 

Remember that bad company corrupts 

good manners. Choose your friends 

and do not let your friends choose you, 

and ensure that you do not make 

friends with people of questionable 

character. 

Today, you have a new mother in this 

institution, please do not put her to 

shame by your conduct and ways of 

life. Just as Jesus Christ enjoined his 

disciples in Mt. 28:19 to ‘Go therefore 

make disciples of all nations,’ in the 

same way you are being charged to 

become ambassadors of this college, 

and see to it that you contribute your 

own quota to the growth and 

development of this institution. 

Continue to rely on the promise of 

Christ to you in the gospel reading 

when he says, ‘In the world you will 

suffer, take courage for I have 

overcome the world.’ You are being 

charged then to heal and not to 

contaminate the world, to build and 

not to destroy, to uplift and not to bring 

down, to support and not to oppose, 

to renew and not to ruin. 

Toughen the thighs, improve the heart 

The bow 

Technique: Lie flat 

face downwards on 

the floor. Keep the hands 

at your side. Breathe out 

and bend the legs at the 

knees, drawing the feet 

above the thighs. Stretch 

the arms back and catch 

hold of the right ankle 

with the right hand and 

the left ankle with the left 

hand. 

Make secure the position 

of the hands, with normal 

breathing. Raising 

the head, body and knees 

by tugging the hands and 

legs, so that the whole 

weight of the body rests on 

the abdomen. Retain the 

posture for a few seconds. 

Gradually increase the 

duration. 

While remaining in the 

posture, concentrate on 

the abdomen, thighs and 

back muscles. Release the 

ankles, stretch out the 

legs and bring the legs, 

chest and head to rest in 

a straight line on the floor. 

Relax with the head on 

The bow 

folded arms for a few seconds. 

Repeat this Asana 

twice with normal breathing. 

Benefits: 

The bow expands the thoraxic 

region. Of great benefit 

to those with respiratory problems, 

it renders the spine 

elastic and the muscles of the 

back get a good massage and 

there’s a general strenghtening 

of the entire musculature. 

The Deep Knee Bend 

Technique: Get on your 

The bow by a female 


knees with the feet quite wide 

behind you. Firstly, lower your 

body down till your buttocks 

rest on the floor. Then bending 

slightly to the left, place down 

your left elbow then right elbow 

and gently ease your back flat 

down on the floor. Spread out 

your hands by your sides. 

Breathe deeply and slowly as 

you retain the posture for 5 to 

15 seconds. 

Benefits: The Deep Knee 

Bend tones the quadriceps (the 

front thigh muscles) and burns 

fat in the thighs. It lubricates 

the ankle and knee joints. 


Technique: 

Get on your knees with the feet 

quite wide behind you. First, lower 

your body down till your buttocks 

rest on the floor. Then bending 

slightly to the left, place down your 

left elbow then right elbow and 

gently ease your back flat down on 

the floor. Spread out your hands by 

your sides. Breathe deeply and 

slowly as you retain the posture for 

5 to 15 seconds. 

Benefits: The Deep Knee Bend 

tones the quadriceps (the front 

thigh muscles) and burns fat in the 

thighs. It lubricates the ankle and 

knee joints. 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

C 

M 

Y 

K

20—SATURDAY Vanguard,JULY 22, 2017 

In 2015 one Livingstone Wechie 

emerged from nowhere. With a 

file on his head and a microphone in 

his hand he went everywhere 

announcing the rape of Rivers states. 

Those conversant with Nigerian 

politics recognized his magical dance 

steps. And knew that a hidden 

drummer supplied the frenzied 

rhythm. He came before the Senate 

with teary eyes and a petition he wrote 

on behalf of the common people of 

Rivers State. Amaechi was too corrupt 

to be a minister in the government of a 

righteous Buhari, he exclaimed. He 

said he was a watchdog. He was the 

self acclaimed founder and director 

of Anti corruption organization, 

colorfully named —The Integrity 

Group. He said he was acting in good 

faith. He threw enough tantrums. It 

was a mission nearly accomplished. 

Amaechi was confirmed but his 

reputation was sullied. 

Livingstone is back to television. He 

is back with a bag of confessions. He 

has proclaimed that all the documents 

he brandished against Amaechi were 

all forged. Livingstone is not a 

fraudster. He is a man of integrity. He 

is a man of uncommon integrity. Truly, 

not many possess the courage for his 

sort of patriotism. Many do hatchet 

jobs, don’t get their remunerations, 

and walk away. I know a man who 

wrote exams for someone and didn’t 

get his due. He didn’t run to JAMB to 

cry a confession. Prostitutes tell tales 

of promiscuous customers who refuse 

to settle after the act. Self respecting 

prostitutes don’t hold such defaulting 

customers by the crotches as some wild 

ones do. They simply walk away. 

Perhaps they lack Livingstone’s 

courage and patriotism. 

Livingstone may be worthy of 

emulation then. He has come clean. 

He paints an unflattering portrait of 

Governor Wike. He says the governor 

is exceptionally unscrupulous. It’s 

risky to believe Livingstone now. He 

says Wike used him. And perhaps 

dumped him. He denies all criminal 

and moral responsibilities. Livingstone 

is a lawyer. But he shouldn’t be 

worried about being struck off the 

register. He thought the documents he 

carried on his head around the country 

When the Yom Kippur war 

otherwise known as the Arab 

Israeli War broke out in 1973, it was 

not envisaged that oil, a veritable 

source of energy would become a 

geopolitical weapon to settle old 

scores. The Arab members in OPEC 

led by Saudi Arabia used oil supply 

against the United States, accused of 

re-supplying the Israeli military that 

had two-frontal attacks by Egypt and 

Syria on the Yom Kippur, when the 

Israelis were off guard celebrating the 

holiest day of the Jewish year. For the 

first time all countries including the 

United States and its allies that 

supported Israel had an oil embargo 

slammed on them from October 1973 

to November 1974. 

The restriction on oil trade brought 

fuel queues at every pump for the first 

time in the history of America. The 

then United States President, Richard 

Nixon’s “Address to the Nation about 

National Energy Policy” on November 

25, 1973 restated his overall objective 

of America on energy in Project 

Independence 1980 summed up in one 

word, “independence.” It was the pain 

of a president who reeled out plans to 

ensure that America did not rely on any 

source of energy other than America. 

There was a ban on U.S. oil exports 

and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, 

SPR was created. The political scars 

have not disappeared despite the 

hobnobbing between the United States 

and the Middle East bloc. Global oil 

shocks have been pretentiously woven 

around market share and price control 

whereas the oil geopolitics has been 

for neither love nor money. Successive 

presidents built on Nixon’s policy 

through researches, technologies and 

innovations culminating in the Shale 

revolution that fuelled global oil 

instability. President Donald Trump’s 

Nyesom Wike and Livingstone Wechie: 

The hunter and his Rottweiller 

then were genuine. It is unwise 

to label Livingstone a fool. 

Livingstone fell with many 

others. 

It was the Livingstone files 

that a certain Rivers state 

commission of enquiry relied on 

to reach it’s legendary verdict. 

It was on that once 

unimpeachable verdict that the 

Wike hasn’t told us if 

Livingstone who is 

now behaving like a 

hyena was once truly 

his Rottweiller. 

Rivers state government stood and 

published a widely circulated 

white paper. It was Livingstone 

that threw confusion into the 

Senate ethics committee and left 

them reasoning like drunken 

sailors. It was same Livingstone 

and his files that made the PDP 

caucus with all their wealth of 

commonsense walk out of the 

Senate chambers the day Amaechi 

was confirmed. Those forged 

Livingstone documents left many 

in a lurch. 

So Livingstone should not 

mourn. Hopefully, old things 

have passed away. Livingstone, it 

Nations tailspins from America’s 

‘Fracking 2.0’ 

‘’America First Energy Plan’’ is also a 

fulfillment of the Nixon’s war chest for 

energy independence. 

Research is what America used to 

conquer the world. Mack Mills, a senior 

fellow of the Manhattan Institute and a 

Faculty Fellow of the Northwestern 

School of Engineering and Applied 

Science believes that the American oil 

production from shale at volumes and 

prices has dislocated global energy 

landscape. The expert’s calculation is that 

if the U.S. shale industry were a country, 

it would have ranked the fifth world’s 

Shale technology otherwise 

known as Fracking 1.0 is 

being challenged in another 

frontier known as Fracking 

2.0. Latest revelations are that 

the crude from shale is thick, 

heavy and of low quality 

appears, is now a very considerate 

man. He says we should forgive the 

members of the commission of enquiry. 

He says they were misled. Wike 

hasn’t told us if Livingstone who is 

now behaving like a hyena was once 

truly his Rottweiller. But he will speak 

soon. He likes to speak on Sundays, 

in church. Once the microphone 

reaches his hands, he reaches for his 

opponents. When he is done, taking 

ten teeth for a tooth, he looks towards 

the cross, and hands them over to 

God. What follows usually is a 

thunderous applause from a titillated 

congregation. 

Livingstone, I heard you plan to 

squirrel into a hole. Gov Wike is a 

harmless butterfly. He is a Christian. 

Never mind that fake recording that 

had a voice like his threatening to 

eliminate an INEC official. He goes 

to church every Sunday. He will only 

talk and talk , and hand you over to 

God. I don’t know what the Senate will 

do. They might summon those who 

should have given you proper home 

training. If they raise eyebrows they 

would tell them the Senate has powers 

to investigate all shortfalls to the 

federation account. So they must come 

with their company tax certificates 

even if they are petty traders. 

I saw the PDP caucus walk out of 

the chambers the day Amaechi was 

confirmed. They had tears of 

righteousness in their eyes. Before 

they left, they had looked to the 

heavens and called on God. They 

called Him to judge those reprobates 

who went ahead with the confirmation 

and derailed your mission that day. 

Now Livingstone, your confessions 

will make them feel miserable. This 

largest hydrocarbon producer. 

Today, America is the largest global 

petroleum producer, having 

overtaken both Saudi Arabia and 

Russia. America is now exporting 

crude oil having lifted the ban in 

2016. Its current crude export is 

about 1.3 million barrels per day 

which is 15 percent of its domestic 

production with import terminals 

now being converted to export 

terminals. 

Research is the methodical 

investigation in to a subject in order 

to discover facts, to establish or 

revise a theory or to develop a plan 

of action on the facts discovered. 

With advanced and incredible 

strides in technology in shale 

drilling, cementing, fracking fluid 

formulas, and spacing, break-even 

prices are reducing. In fracking for 

oil and gas, chemicals are injected 

into the earth as deep as 

underground water for up to two 

miles. Discoveries are that the 

injected chemicals seep into rivers, 

lakes, wells and reservoirs and 

contaminate drinking water. There 

are threats that the cracking of the 

deep earth rocks causes 

earthquakes. 

Shale technology otherwise known 

as Fracking 1.0 is being challenged 

Senate doesn’t forgive. They found 

unchartered routes through 

TETFUNDS and GTB. They will find 

a way. 

Veteran watchdogs never stagger. 

Once they are well fed, they will take 

whatever comes. They can do a series 

of somersaults and remain unshaken. 

Livingstone has the agility of a cat. 

It’s no use speculating whether 

Livingstone merely changed owner 

or has cut the leash and appropriated 

freedom. Time will tell. 

I have often wondered why Wike 

with all the powers on his shoulders 

chose lamentations. I couldn’t 

understand why his Attorney 

General armed with a mountain of 

evidence has been so impotent 

against the arch enemy. Livingstone 

has helped me solve the puzzle. 

Wike, he says, never planned 

prosecuting Amaechi. Livingstone 

says what they had was a mountain 

of forged papers, ‘oluwole’ stuff. 

Little wonder Wike hand nothing to 

give the court when the court sought 

evidence of ownership of the Ikoyi 

money. 

I rrepressible Livingstone Wechie 

now wants his former master to tell 

the world why Rivers has not 

published a budget in the last two 

years. Livingstone is leaving no stone 

unturned. His old friends now call 

him a living liar. But he is digging 

up and throwing around brand new 

allegations. He says Wike isn’t just 

a tyrant but that he is so petty he 

doesn’t allow his commissioners 

room to breathe let alone flourish. 

How can a governor corner road 

contracts and corner those for food 

and pens? It’s a little unfair. 

I suspect the Rottweiller would 

visit Magu soon. And if we see him 

with a bag of fresh documents we 

won’t be surprised. We wont ask 

Livingstone whether he was 

mobilized in 2015, that’s a dead 

question. If he got something for 

transport like the journalists that went 

to synagogue after that building 

collapsed, that wont be corruption. 

It’s enough that he has repented. 

Those who keep dogs know where to 

buy better dogs to replace their 

dogs that have strayed. 

One day the truth will set dogs 

and dog owners free. 

in another frontier known as Fracking 

2.0. Latest revelations are that the 

crude from shale is thick, heavy and 

of low quality; has not exactly solved 

the problem it was intended. The 

Fracking 2.0 is believed to be safer 

than any other source of electricity 

including solar and wind. The energy 

produced from Fracking 2.0 is zero 

zip with no carbon dioxide emission; 

meaning it is clean. Fracking 2.0 may 

also be a fantasy because it is 

uranium and the method is different 

from that of oil and gas according to 

the Forbes magazine. 

Fracking for uranium involves 

injecting oxygenated water in to the 

sand for between 400 and 800 feet to 

dissolve out the uranium. Although 

this method poses no problem the 

uranium extracted is the radioactive 

raw material for nuclear weapons. 

The promoter Uranium Energy 

Corporation, UEC is a Canadian 

company that has extensive 

operations in the uranium belt of 

Southern Texas. Nick Hodge who 

discussed this issue of Fracking 2.0 

extensively in his Wall Street’s 

Underground Profits shied away from 

it nuclear content and also not 

emission free oil. 

Uranium if ingested can cause 

serious health problems including 

liver and kidney cancer. For America, 

it is a matter of the chicken and the 

egg. We have been told that the new 

fuel is more powerful than fossil 

fuels; with 10,000 times the energy 

potential of oil by weight and enough 

to generate power that could power 

New York City for 14 and half years. 

This technology would make America 

independent of foreign sources of 

uranium, a privilege its power rival, 

China with adequate local sources 

enjoys. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

At my age and with my profession, 

it is inescapable that I would 

have had encounters with the police 

at different levels. I have been locked 

up, put under house arrest, invited to 

make statements on quite a few 

occasions and once kept in the cold 

for over an hour at a check point at 2 

am for refusing to ‘co-operate.’ But I 

can say that I have never been 

personally brutalised in any of the 

encounters. In that, going by the law 

of averages, I would say I have been 

very lucky. There are people whose 

only encounter with the Police, has left 

them with loss of limbs or even lives. 

There are incidents of police officers 

either liquor drunk or power drunk, 

who have shot hapless victims at check 

points over virtually nothing. Just 

because they can! Some have framed 

and tarnished reputations of victims 

just to cover up their crimes. There 

have been vengeful attacks, reprisal 

attacks and all sorts of wilful attacks 

that have nothing to do with the 

dispensation of justice. But when 

police officers begin to take on other 

government officials who are supposed 

to be doing their legitimate jobs, then 

it is yet another wake-up call for all of 

us. 

According to reports, two unharmed 

officers of the Federal Road Safety 

Commission who were supposedly 

doing their jobs were allegedly shot 

along the Aba/Port Harcourt Express 

Road in Abia State by some policemen. 

The wife of the Speaker was alleged 

to have been stopped for violating 

traffic regulations. The convoy stopped 

alright, only for the occupants to 

unleash terror on the FRSC officers. 

Apparently not satisfied by the 

beating, the Speaker got to the scene 

and in fury ordered the FRSC officials 

shot. Somebody also ruthlessly and 

callously removed the battery of their 

car so they would not be able to access 

help including medical help quickly. 

I find this report difficult to believe for 

quite a few reasons. One, that a highly 

placed official, elected to a public office 

would, even if he was a psychopath, 

have the impunity to order the 

shooting of a fellow human being and 

News reports that the All 

Progressives Congress, APC 

does not understand what Nigerians 

mean by restructuring must have hit 

many hard. 

It was in the bid to understand the 

meaning of restructuring that the party 

set up a committee headed by one of 

the party’s most erudite and eloquent 

chieftains, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the 

governor of Kaduna State to study the 

term. 

The decision was taken at a joint 

meeting of the party’s National 

Working Committee, NWC, and the 

party’s governors last Wednesday in 

Abuja. 

Ironically, the move came the same 

day that one of the party’s leading 

chieftains, Atiku Abubakar, at a public 

lecture in Nsukka, Enugu State 

declared that Nigeria would not make 

progress without restructuring. 

So, given the dire prognosis from 

Atiku, it will not be difficult for many 

Nigerians to understand why the 

country is in dire straits. 

If Atiku says Nigeria cannot make 

progress without restructuring and his 

party claims it does not understand the 

meaning of restructuring, then 

Nigerians do not need to bother why 

the party that promised so much during 

the campaigns is yet to inspire 

confidence in the electorate. 

Remarkably, restructuring and the 

application of true federalism is 

reflected as a key component in the 

2015 manifesto of the APC. 

In the introduction to that manifesto, 

the APC in a jab to the former ruling 

party, the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP had stated thus: 

“When this democratic dispensation 

commenced in 1999, the Federal 

Government that emerged did not tell 

Nigerians what its vision was for the 

(In)security and the police 

a government law enforcing officer to 

boot. Two, that the people he would 

order to do such a dastardly job would 

be policemen trained and paid to 

protect lives and property. Three, that 

the policemen would obey. Four, that 

anybody, not just policemen, trained 

in the use of fire-arms could turn a 

gun on unarmed civilians. Five, that 

the police force has descended so low 

that some of its officers could so easily 

violate the raison d’etre of the 

profession which is to protect lives 

and provide security. Clearly, the 

Inspector General of Police has a job 

on his hands. Regarding this case, 

he needs to move quickly to restore 

sanity to the madness that had gone 

on in that state. He needs to 

investigate, and bring to book, all 

those who are directly and vicariously 

liable for the shooting frenzy. I hope 

his sense of outrage is high enough 

to do the needful and the courage to 

step on toes. 

Just as we were digesting the Abia 

incident, news came that parts of 

Apapa, home to West Africa’s busiest 

port, had literarily gone up in smoke. 

By the time the smoke cleared, two 

banks were burnt with valuables, at 

least one person was dead and 

several others injured. It was said 

that a tanker driver, unable to find a 

place to park, decided to park in front 

on a bank thereby blocking its 

entrance. He was asked to move his 

tanker. He refused. In anger, a 

policeman picked up his gun and 

shot him dead. Naturally, 

pandemonium ensued. The tanker 

drivers mobilised and asked the bank 

officials to hand over the policeman 

who had run inside the bank to hide 

from jungle justice. The officers refused. 

Angered by the refusal, the tanker 

drivers ran amok, burning, looting and 

maiming. Innocent policemen became 

collateral victims. The vibration caused 

by this mayhem was felt by half of 

Lagos; businesses were disrupted, 

traffic was disrupted. This is what 

happens when respect for justice, law 

and order have been replaced by 

lawlessness and impunity. It is a jungle 

out there and our law makers and 

enforcers are the chief promoters of 

jungle laws. In my opinion, every active 

participant in this tragic episode is 

guilty with the possible exemption of 

the bank officers who refused to hand 

over the policeman. And the guilty must 

be brought to justice —if there is still 

any justice left. But beyond that, a more 

wholesome arrangement has to be made 

for all stakeholders in Apapa. The 

present untenable situation in Apapa is 

an accident waiting to happen; a 

tinderbox begging to be ignited. The 

nerves are frayed and it will happen 

again. 

On a wider level, the Apapa and Abia 

episodes are symptoms of the general 

malaise within the police force. Clearly, 

reforms and house cleansing are 

urgently needed. Many of our so called 

leaders to whom the policemen are 

attached, have turned them to 

uniformed maiguards at best, or worse 

still, tools for performing and 

legitimising, clearly illegal and criminal 

acts. Many of these policemen are so 

APC and restructuring: Many things Nigerians 

don’t understand 

If Atiku says Nigeria cannot 

make progress without 

restructuring and his 

party claims it does not 

understand the meaning 

of restructuring, then 

Nigerians do not need to 

bother why the party that 

promised so much during 

the campaigns is yet to 

inspire confidence in the 

electorate 

country; because the party that formed 

the government had none. And without 

a vision, that party at the centre has 

led Nigeria from one crisis to another, 

lurching deeper into political anarchy, 

economic decline, and social 

disillusionment…Suffice to say that it 

had thrived on the maxim: Promise 

nothing, do nothing. 

So the APC in its philosophy of change 

promised much, including restructuring. 

How far the party of change has altered 

the mindset of Nigerians and the pattern 

of governance is there for many 

Nigerians to behold. 

The cavalier renunciation of the 

promise of restructuring was shown to 

Nigerians when President 

Muhammadu Buhari in a rare media 

outing said the 2014 National 

Conference Report transmitted to him 

from the previous administration was 

meant for the archives. 

The way and manner the 

administration subsequently went about 

its appointments only helped to deepen 

the sore that provoked the now 

boisterous clamour for restructuring. 

There were other promises that the 

APC may also need to constitute panels 

to distil for Nigerians to understand. 

SATURDAY Vanguard, , JULY 22, 2017—21 

But when police officers 

begin to take on other 

government officials who 

are supposed to be doing 

their legitimate jobs, then 

it is yet another wake-up 

call for all of us 

low in self-esteem that they will do 

anything to remain in the good books 

of their ogas; too poorly trained to know 

when they cross the line between law 

enforcement and crime; and too 

‘Nigerian’ to care. I have seen police 

vehicles run red lights. I have seen 

police vehicles take one way roads. I 

have seen police vehicles drive 

recklessly without consideration for 

other road users. I have seen police 

vehicles laden with livestock. I have 

seen police officers shorn of shame, 

collect bribe on the streets and 

highways. I have seen police officers 

engage in physical scuffle with 

civilians and with themselves. These 

obvious displays of indiscipline hardly 

promote security and confidence. 

Every security organisation works on 

intelligence. Yet, how can people 

supply information when they don’t 

trust that the information will not be 

used against them. Police have been 

known to rent out guns to criminals. 

They have been known to supply 

information to criminals. They have 

been known to participate actively in 

crime. They have also been known— 

as we have just shown—to be guilty of 

excessive use of force and abuse of 

fire-arm. 

In essence, the custodian of our 

individual security is actually one of 

the causes of our insecurity. 

The promise to promote transparency 

in government business, the APC 

presidential campaign promised, 

would be projected through the 

inauguration of the board of the 

Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP, 

the specialist agency of government 

that is technically equipped to award 

contracts. 

The Buhari Campaign had in its own 

words promised to “Inaugurate the 

National Council on Procurement as 

stipulated in the Procurement Act so 

that the Federal Executive Council, 

which has been turned to a weekly 

session of contract bazaar, will 

concentrate on its principal function of 

policy making.” 

Till today, that board and boards of 

several government agencies are yet 

to be inaugurated. 

Indeed, the fact that it took the 

meeting of the party’s governors and 

the NWC for a decision to be taken to 

define restructuring is also reflective 

of a disconnect between the party and 

its own constitution. 

In seeming disregard of its 

constitution, the ruling party has failed 

to hold most statutory meetings. After 

much dithering procrastination, the 

party this week finally claimed that the 

illness of the president was the reason 

behind the failure to hold meetings. 

But even before the president 

embarked on his medical vacation, 

statutory meetings were a rarity. The 

party’s explanation is also reflective 

of the dignity with which the ruling 

party holds not just its constitution, but 

that of the country which provides for 

an acting president in the absence of 

the substantive president. 

Indeed, there are many things 

Nigerians do not understand about a 

party that promised so much but 

prevaricates at the point of delivery. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Seven possible for 2023 presidency 

Those who fail to plan for the 2023 

Presidential race can only blame 

themselves when the chips are down. 

I am talking to the Igbo nation. Other 

groups plan 10 years ahead and map 

out effective strategies. That is the 

way to go. Enough of the follow follow 

that does not pay. 

The Igbo have every opportunity 

under the sun to get it right in 2023. 

At the moment they are playing Fifth 

fiddle, far from their vantage position 

in the first and second republics. That 

I can understand. The civil war has 

taken enough toll on the people. The 

good, the bad and the ugly dabbled 

into politics. Many of the good ones 

left so soon when they discovered 

that touts and people who had no 

means of income were calling the 

shots. 

Except for a few who owned visible 

businesses, majority of the post 1998 

politicians were village idiots and 

failures who were not sound enough 

to represent the Igbo group. They 

could hardly rub shoulders with more 

experienced politicians from the West 

and North. 

It was so bad that from May 29, 2007 

things began to crumble. Many of 

them in the ruling Peoples Democratic 

Party (PDP) stood out like eye 

witnesses, hands akimbo, while other 

regions shared the spoils of victory. 

Ten years on, the Igbo voice 

disappeared from the national radar 

for bad. It is therefore little surprise 

that there are agitations from the 

younger generation. 

The Ohaneze Ndigbo must sit up 

now and start preparing capable 

hands for the top job in the next 

six years. I am going to make my 

candid contributions towards this. 

For starters, I have identified 

some notable men and women that 

have what it takes to lead Nigeria. 

They all have Igbo blood in their 

veins. 

The Ohaneze Ndigbo 

must sit up now and 

start preparing capable 

hands for the top job in 

the next six years 

Mr. Peter Gregory Onwubuasi 

Obi. Lt.General Azubuike 

Onyeabo Ihejirika. Professor 

Chukwuma Charles Soludo. Mr. 

Emeka Nwajiuba. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo 

Iweala. Professor Onyebuchi 

Chukwu. Mrs Bianca 

Odinakachukwu Olivia 

Odumegwu Ojukwu. 

This is a blend of the old and 

young. And gender sensitive too. 

They are from diverse backgrounds 

but have worked up to the Federal 

level. That is the experience they 

require to lead our country. I am just 

trying to guide those whose tough task it 

will be to pick from the pack. 

I have equally taken my time to 

suggest a screening committee, made 

up of eminent men and women. Professor 

Ben Nwabueze still has some energy to 

advise. He could serve as chairman. 

Other members could be Professor 

Uzodinma Nwala, Sir Mike 

Mbamaonyeukwu Okiro, Mr. Olisa 

Agbakoba, Justice Valerie Azinge and 

Mr. Emma Okocha. The list includes Col. 

Ben Nnanyelugo Gbulie, Mrs Ivy 

Okoronkwo, Maj. Gen. Obi Umahi and 

Dame Comfort Obi. 

Ohaneze and other Igbo groups must 

mend fences. They should build bridges 

instead of walls. It is wrong for any Igbo 

man to choose to decide the fate of other 

groups. The will to resist domination is 

part of the movement of History. To rule 

Nigeria, the Igbo need Hausa-Fulani 

support as much as Yoruba solidarity. 

That is politics. 

I want to treat the Seven possible 

candidates individually. I have included 

women in deference to our background. 

The name Nigeria was coined by Lady 

Flora Louisa Shaw in 1897. The first 

National Anthem came from Lillian Jean 

Williams in 1950 and was composed by 

Francesca Benda. Of course, our first 

Olympic gold was won by Immaculeta 

Chioma Ajunwa. 

Igbo women have had to show their stuff 

when called upon. Remember the Aba 

womens’ riot of 1929. Great names like 

Margaret Ekpo, Janet Mokelu stood out 

in politics. Mary Nwametu Nzimiro(nee 

Onumonu ) controlled British pounds 

before Independence. Her daughter, 

Priscilla, was the first Igbo female medical 

doctor. Flora Nwakuche (nee Nwapa) 

excelled in the Arts. 

Peter Obi will be 62 in 2023. He will be 

imbued with more wisdom to tackle the 

affairs of a nation like ours. Called 

Okwute (rock) by his admirers, this man 

emerged from the corporate world to 

change the equation in politically volatile 

Anambra State. A graduate of Philosophy 

from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, 

he moved on to acquire professional 

qualifications from Havard and 

Cambridge. 

Obi is more known for turning 

Anambra around in his eight years as 

governor from 2006-2014.Denied 

victory, impeached, ousted. He fought 

and won remarkable judicial wars. And 

has affected the landscape positively. 

In education, Ananmbra has climbed 

to the top because of his innovation. 

Prudence is his watchword and he 

knows his way round the economy. For 

a man who has chaired such boards as 

Fidelity Bank, Chams, Future View 

Securities, Data Corporation, 

Paymaster, Card Centre and Next 

International, he could like past 

American Presidents: Thomas 

Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt Jimmy 

Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill 

Clinton, mount the presidential seat as 

a former governor. 

Okonjo-Iweala might turn out to be 

the Golda Meir of Nigerian politics. 

Yes, she will be 69 in 2023. The Israeli 

was 71 when she became Prime 

Minister in 1969. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 

of Liberia was 68 when she was sworn 

in 2006. An Economist of global repute 

it will be ignorance to dismiss her 

experience. 

Like Meir and Sirleaf, Okonjo-Iweala 

was trained in the United States. She 

remains Nigeria’s first female finance 

minister as well as foreign minister. 

Those who accuse her of mismanaging 

the economy, have ended up 

murdering our economy. 

Charles Soludo did well as Central 

Bank Governor. That same job took men 

like Winston Churchill, Harold 

Macmillan and Gordon Brown to 10 

Downing Street in the United 

Kingdom. Onyebuchi Chukwu will be 

remembered for the role he played in 

fighting Ebola. 

Ihejirika might be our version of 

Dwight David Eisenhower, the 16th US 

Army Chief who later became 

president. He will be 68 and Soludo, 

63. Nwajiuba is much younger. A 

lawyer and former Member of the 

National Assembly. Bianca is beauty 

and brain. She was Ambassador to 

Ghana and Spain respectively, will be 

55. In Argentina a former Night club 

dancer, Isabel de Peron, became the 

world’s first female President in 1974. 

T 

Of beggars and taxes 

here is this story of a ‘blind 

beggar’ that usually stationed 

himself with a plate for alms at the 

foot of a bridge in Lagos. On this 

particular day, a passer-by attempted 

stealing from his plate and the 

‘beggar’ gave him a hot chase for the 

money. 

How did he see the non-blind thief? 

Your guess is as good as mine. But 

those familiar with the area identified 

the ‘blind bagger’ as a permanent 

feature at that spot over the years. He 

would resume there every morning to 

beg and close late in the evening. 

After the incident, though, no one 

ever saw the beggar there again. He 

obviously changed location, after his 

bubble was busted. 

Some beggars in Lagos are actually 

said to make a lot of money, enough 

to build houses they rent to hard 

working people, whose taxes are 

probably deducted at source from their 

not-so-impressive salaries. 

So, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of 

Finance, may have a point, after all, 

when she reportedly said that baggers 

should pay tax on their income, since 

‘proceeds from begging are taxable.’ 

The minister, while delivering a 

lecture at PWC’s Business School, last 

week, had argued that some beggars 

were earning millions, and that 

government would look at their 

lifestyles and tax them. 

Her words: “You are supposed to pay 

taxes, even if your means of income 

is begging.” 

Granted that some Lagos beggars 

may be making cool money from the 

‘venture’, but is that good reason 

to ask beggars to pay tax? I don’t 

think so. Instead, it refreshes ones’ 

memory to 15 th Century French 

history, when their monarchs were 

said to have exercised unlimited 

powers, declaring themselves as 

“God” on earth. 

Those leaders engaged 

themselves in luxurious and 

extravagant lifestyle, especially at 

the Royal Court of Versailles. Their 

elitist and predatory governance, 

according to a financial expert, 

blinded them from focusing on 

fiscal arrangements that favoured 

the large population of extremely 

disgruntled and angry poor French 

citizens. 

In a chat during the week with 

Professor Marius Emeka 

Adimmadu of the African Center for 

Economic Research and Public 

Policy Analysis, he recalled that it 

was this extravagant and defective 

governance that formed the political 

cause of all four French revolutions 

by the common people, the lower 

clergy and provincial nobles. 

This epidemic of arrogance of 

power, he said, invariably, also led 

to the glorious revolution in 

England in 1688. 

Relating the above scenario to 

present day Nigeria is the fact that 

we have a small minority of very 

powerful political elites and their cronies, 

stupendously rich along with their 

religious elites and subordinates. At the 

base is a large mass of extremely poor 

people, which Prof Adimmadu said, 

nearly approximates the three French 

class structures prior to the French 

uprising, that is, the clergy, the nobles 

and the common people. 

The Nobles and the Clergy paid taxes 

to the Monarch, who exploited the 

common people in various ways. Even 

the street beggars were forced to pay tax, 

while the elites or the First Estate were 

exempted from tax liabilities. 

In Nigeria where majority of those who 

evade taxes are mostly the supper rich; 

it is obvious that the poor are roundly 

exploited by the rich. Ideally, these very 

wealthy Nigerians should be the target 

and should not be left out in the 

campaign to enlarge the tax net. Not the 

beggars, most of who just manage to 

Some beggars in Lagos are 

actually said to make a lot of 

money, enough to build houses 

they rent to hard working 

people, whose taxes are probably 

deducted at source from 

their not-so-impressive salaries 

survive and are mostly victims of bad 

leadership. 

In the face of chants of discontent and 

dissatisfaction among the nation’s 

more than 250 tribes, intense 

geopolitical tensions and increasing 

spate of other social crimes such as 

kidnappings, armed robbery, cultism, 

etc, the idea of having beggars, and 

not even some churches and their 

leaders that live so large, to pay tax 

should be the least of government’s 

problem at this time. 

Currently mired in an unabated 

recession as a result of fragile 

dependence on a single commodity — 

petroleum, which in effect is 

threatened by global oil crisis, what 

should rather preoccupy government’s 

time is how to provide safety valves to 

cushion the cumulative impact of the 

recession on citizens. And to also 

reduce the growing trend of ‘executive 

beggars’ that openly parade public 

and private offices. 

Add these executive beggars to the 

increasing population of long suffering 

beggars on our cities and streets, what 

you get is a mass of desperate citizens 

that hardly can survive the harsh 

economic realities of the day. 

The nation’s finance minister, more 

than anyone else, knows that 

government fiscal objective should be 

to create economic expansion and 

widespread prosperity without which 

it will be hard to achieve economic 

buoyancy that improves tax 

capacity and internal stability. 

Pushing the mass of extremely poor 

citizens to a breaking point has always 

yielded negative result for any country. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Would you reveal your past 

to your future spouse? 

Past relationships can be a sensitive issue to 

discuss with a future partner. While on the 

one hand, being open and honest lays the 

foundation for a stable and healthy 

relationship built on trust, on the other hand, 

going into vivid details about one’s past may 

seem awkward and may be like opening 

the Pandora’s Box. 

This has been an issue of concern 

in relationships… As usual, we 

sought the views of celebrities and 

their responses are as follows; 

It depends… 

— Ene Ochu, 

Actress/Model 

It depends. If I study 

him and realize he 

isn’t the type that I can 

confide in then I won’t 

reveal anything to 

him. But if he is the 

type I can confide 

in and I know 

he wouldn’t 

judge me 

then I will. 

Truth is not 

all men can 

handle 

situations 

so I will have 

to be careful 

and be sure 

before telling 

him anything. 

•Joy Bucknor 

It’s really complicated, but for me, it 

depends on the kind of past I have. 

If a person has a very bad past 

which is going to affect the relationship 

in any way... For instance, if the lady has 

done an abortion before meeting the guy 

which affected her womb, then she can 

reveal that to him. But if it’s not 

something that would jeopardise the 

marriage or relationship in future, I’ll 

just keep it to myself. There are things 

that are better not known, because when 

it’s known the person now begins to see 

you in a different light. If a lady or guy 

•Ene Ochu 

•Grace 

Johnson 

Yes, es, to 

avoid problems in 

the future 

— Amaka Ogbonna 

It depends on 

the kind of past 

— Joy Bucknor 

•Amaka 

Ogbonna 

Sure, I will to avoid problems that 

may arise in the future. Marriage 

shouldn’t be build on lies but truth. 

What is love? Love is patient. Love is 

true. Love does not lie. If you love 

me, you wouldn’t want to lie to me. 

Your husband is supposed to be 

your friend. You might not 

even know when you 

end up telling 

has had several sexual partners and 

luckily didn’t contract any disease, 

there’s no need to tell the future spouse 

the numerous partners they’ve had in 

the past. Some past should remain in 

the past as long as there’s nothing in 

the present that would affect the 

future. Also, if you’re just getting to 

know each other it’s really not 

advisable to reveal everything about 

yourself to someone you just met. But 

if you’ve known each other for long 

and there’s a deep level of trust, why 

not? So, one has to be wise. 

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017 — 23 

JULIET EBIRIM 

08137897935 

juliet.ebirim@gmail.com 

I will if he 

cares to 

know 

— Grace 

Johnson 

Yes I will if 

he cares to 

know. 

Because some 

spouses want 

the past to 

remain in the past 

while some will 

care to know. So if 

he is the type that 

cares to know about 

my past , why not? 

I’ll definitely reveal 

my past to him. 

•Yetunde Bakare 

I have to make 

sure he can handle 

it first ... 

— Annette Cookey, Singer 

Old things have passed 

away. Truth is, it is 

very important to 

understand your partner/ 

spouse. In as much as I 

would love to tell him about 

my past; the good, bad and 

ugly, but not in a hurry. I 

must be sure that he is 

ready and can handle such 

information and I must be 

sure that he won’t use it 

against me in future for any 

reason at all. Especially if 

things do not work out years 

later. With great 

understanding I can share a 

few stories, but not all, he 

is human and may not take 

it well. Let time help you do 

the talking. When a man 

sees that you are loving, 

caring, diligent, faithful, 

honest etc... your past will 

not get in his way. Give him 

time (years) to know the 

new and improved you and 

unpleasant past won’t erase 

his love for you. 

Annette Cookey 

The past doesn’t 

really matter 

— Yetunde Bakare 

It depends.... If there are 

some vital things he need 

to know, like if a child is 

involved, of course I’ll 

explain to him. Because no 

man will adopt another 

man’s child without an 

assurance that he’s safe but 

if there’s nothing vital I 

don’t have to tell him e he 

asked except he asks. 

And if he does, I’ll tell 

him what he needs to 

know. The past doesn’t 

really matter. If he truly 

loves me he’ll see my 

past as my past and 

it’ll remain there. 

He wouldn’t pull 

yesterday’s 

cloud over 

today’s 

sunshine


Edited By AYO ONIKOYI 

08052201215 

onikoyi68@gmail.com 

By JOSEPHINE 

AGBONKHESE 

Her songs, video concepts, fashion sense, and overall outlook 

reek of creativity. In fact, Ada Ogochukwu Ehi, the voice 

behind popular gospel music ‘Only You Jesus’, would have 

sent many secular singers to the cleaners if she had chosen 

that sub-genre. A graduate of Chemical & Polymer 

Engineering, wife and mother, Ada is a strong departure from 

what is regularly seen on the Nigerian gospel music scene. 

This international gospel music minister whose latest music 

video ‘I Overcame’ had hit over 186,550 views on YouTube 

barely seven days after its release, speaks on her 

works and life as a gospel artist, in this interview. 

Tell us about the journey so 

far...? 

To the glory of God, it has been 

from glory to glory. My first 

official single was done in 2009 

but was not released. Later on 

that year, I came out with an 

album, Undenied. In 2012/ 

2013, I did a double disk, Lifted 

and Soul Fly. Now in 2017, we 

are looking forward to my 

newest album coming up by 

the end of July. The journey so 

far has been interesting. It is a 

story of God’s grace; of a lady 

made extraordinary by the 

steadfast love of God. 

You are beautiful and have got 

a very strong voice; why 

gospel and not secular music? 

I’m called to do what I do; 

gospel music is a calling for 

me. Even if I wasn’t called, I 

would still have done gospel 

music because if I have five 

minutes of your time, I feel I 

must leave you with something 

that could give you life no 

matter what situation you are 

in. I might not be physically 

present there with you, but I 

believe that if you have five 

minutes to listen to my music, 

I should be able to inspire you 

to make the right decision 

concerning your situation and 

eternity. 

I love to make music that would 

make the presence of God 

tangible because when the 

presence of God becomes 

tangible, the miraculous 

becomes inevitable and then 

you can receive whatever 

miracle, inspiration or whatever 

is the drive that you need for 

the next move. 

Does it bother you that secular 

artists get more endorsements 

than gospel artists? 

When you say secular, that’s 

about show, popularity, money 

and fame while gospel is about 

the teaching or revelation of 

Christ. So, we have different 

priorities; we are not on the 

same mission. It is the mission 

that determines the road you 

take to your destination. We are 

not here for fame or money. My 

promoters are not promoting 

good looks or money. Our 

mission is soul winning and 

that is where we are more 

interested in. And we are not 

here to get noticed or 

endorsements. We are to preach 

through music. So, if those in 

secular music have more 

endorsements, it is so because 

that is what they are about and 

so they are going to go out 

looking for it. But we are not 

looking out for endorsements; 

but if endorsement comes, 

Why gospel 

artistes have fewer 

endorsements than 

secular ones 

— Ada Ehi 

Says, “ Secular music is all about 

fame and money” 

praise God! Otherwise, we are 

on course. At the moment 

though, I have an 

endorsement that is still 

running. 

How do you feel about gospel 

artists branching into secular 

music later on in life? 

Really? Well, where I stand, I 

see a lot of gospel artists doing 

exceedingly well. We have the 

best selling records and of 

course, that is one of the 

reasons why we are here and 

you will agree that we actually 

do fantastic sales. I released 

the video, “Jesus” two months 

ago and it hit over one million 

views on YouTube in one month. 

And yet you have a lot of big 

secular videos struggling with 

three hundred thousand views 

in one month. God is in the 

business of changing lives and 

He is doing it every day per 

second. 

Your single, Only You Jesus, 

has also continued to trend. 

What inspired the lyrics? 

Only You Jesus talks about the 

resurrection power. That is, the 

power that raised Christ from 

the dead being able to quicken 

our mortal bodies. It was given 

to me by the Holy Ghost when 

I was going through a period 

of warfare. 

Tell us about your newest work 

‘I Overcame’? 

‘I Overcame’ is a musical video 

in my latest album whose name 

I’m not going to disclose yet 

until it is launched by the end 

of this month. It was shot at 

various locations in Osun 

State, including Erin-Ijesha 

Water Fall and the Obafemi 

Awolowo University. The video 

with its concept of victory over 

the devil and his cohorts can 

compete with many 

mainstream videos in the 

industry. We have about 19 

songs in the album and the 

central theme is Jesus. Every 

song on the album talks about 

Jesus. 

I’ve seen the video and I 

must commend its 

excellence. But what 

challenge did you 

encounter putting it 

together? 

There were a lot of 

challenges while 

doing this video. 

There is this 

particular 

o n e 

Gospel artists doing 

exceedingly well. We 

have the best selling 

records and of 

course, that is one of 

the reasons why we 

are here and you will 

agree that we 

actually do fantastic 

sales 

that I won’t forget in a hurry. It 

happened while we were 

shooting at the Erin-Ijesha 

Water Fall. During one of the 

scenes, the cloud that was 

bright suddenly became dark, 

threatening to rain and we were 

losing light. We began to pray, 

speaking in tongues. We 

noticed that one of the tour 

guides, an average old man, 

somehow was attracting the 

rain. My husband and one of 

the pastors in our team walked 

up to the man, looked into his 

eyes and told him: “Baba, sorry 

you can’t go beyond this point”. 

He turned and left and when 

he left, the rain that was 

already drizzling stopped, and 

the sky was clear again. This 

shows that we are not just 

singers but ministers called by 

God for his glory. 

Which is your favourite music 

in this soon-to-be-released 

album? 

My favourite songs are yet to 

be released but then I still love 

the songs “Only You Jesus”, “I 

Testify” and many others. 

These are songs that were put 

out as singles but they have 

gone all over the world. That 

is the power of the Holy Ghost. 

What was growing up like for 

you? 

I grew up surrounded by 

Christian music. My father 

had an excellent taste for 

music and he had a lot of 

good music. I watched 

a lot of theatrics 

including King and 

I, Sound of Music, 

Seven Brides for 

Seven Brothers, 

Chiti Bambam, etc. 

I had very long hair 

growing up so the 

only way to get me 

to sit down was 

the slot in the 

sound of music. 

That sort of 

formed the 

foundation for 

my love for 

music. But I 

would say Pastor 

Chris Oyakhilome 

thought me the 

excellence you all 

see in my work. 

When was your first time on 

stage? 

That was a very long time ago. 

I was still a child then and I 

went on stage with child star, 

Tosin Jegede, as one of her 

backup vocalists. 

...and how would you describe 

your style of music? 

I do alternative gospel pop, rock 

and electric dance music 

(EDM), but I do mostly pop 

music. Gospel is the theme 

but the style is pop. 

Is music full-time job for you? 

Music is full-time for me and 

being a wife and a mother, I 

have a handful of work at 

home. Before I came here today 

for example, I had to do 

revisions with my kids, get 

them ready for school and then 

do a whole lot of other things. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Edited By AYO ONIKOYI 

08052201215 


By ROTIMI AGBANA 

Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade, popularly known as Mr 

Eazi, broke into the Nigerian music limelight mid 

2016 with a unique blend of Ghana-Nigerian music 

called ‘Banku’ which has surprisingly sneaked Its 

way into the hearts of music lovers within a very short period. 

In this exclusive interview with Showtime Celebrity, the Leg 

Over crooner talks about his barely 1-year music career in 

Nigeria and more. Hear him: 

You’re famous for being 

controversial, why? 

Oh am I? I didn’t know I was; 

but I know I’m a Kubolor (a 

wanderer or vagabond). A 

Kubolor is like a gypsy who 

cares less about anything, 

that’s who I’m. 

Where and how do you get 

inspiration for your music? 

I get it everywhere, from 

everything and anything, life, 

communications with people, 

from everything basically. 

What differentiates you from 

other Nigerian artistes? 

I just feel it’s the G-factor; that 

is the grace factor, that’s just 

it. I won’t lie to you I wasn’t 

making the best music; I’m not 

making the best music though 

I make good music. I only 

decided to do music July 22 nd 

last year (2016); and if you see 

what we’ve done between 

then and now you’ll be 

surprised. And to be honest, 

we didn’t spend any crazy 

budget. I’ve never printed a 

promo CD in my life, I never 

played a free show in my life, 

it’s just the grace of God in 

my life. 

Having achieved so much 

within a short time in a 

demanding music industry 

like Nigeria’s, how do you 

feel? 

First, I’m grateful to God, I 

feel blessed; I take it back to 

the grace of God, time and 

chance. 

What exactly gave you an 

edge to have achieved so 

much within a short time? 

I feel like we came at a 

good time, the sound 

came at a good time; a lot 

of factors helped. A lot of 

people were not 

dropping music and we 

dropped music, so that 

gave a chance for the 

new sound to breathe. 

I think that generally 

people were looking 

for something new 

and we brought it to 

them, that’s what 

everybody is on right 

now, everybody is on 

that vibe, that mixture of 

Ghanaian & Nigerian music. 

It’s beautiful to know that 

people can look back and say 

that Mr. Eazi brought that 

new sound, even though right 

now they might not accept it 

but this is what it is. 

Word on the street is that if 

you hadn’t been signed to 

Wizkid’s Star Boy Music 

label you wouldn’t have 

come this far, what’s your 

reaction to this? 

I feel everybody has their 

mouth and are free to say 

whatever they like; anything 

you feel that one na for your 

pocket. The most important 

thing is that I’m where I’m 

now and I’m enjoying my life. 

What’s your personal 

opinion on the ongoing 

supremacy battle between 

Wizkid and Davido? 

To be honest, I’ve not spoken 

to either of them about it. For 

all you know, it might just be 

the media playing on 

something or it might just be 

that they want to drop a song 

tomorrow and they are just 

toying with people or they 

want to go on tour together. 

At the end of the day these 

things are not really known 

until you ask the person. 

Maybe when next I see 

Wizkid and I ask him then I’ll 

call you to give you exclusive 

inside gist which you’ll pay for, 

(laughs). 

Do you have any surprise up 

your sleeve for the Nigerian 

music industry and your 

fans? 

First, I won’t say I’m in the 

industry but in the 

‘Outdustry’; the funny thing 

is that this is my first show in 

Nigeria in 2017 and it’s my 

own show; so you can see 

that I’m not in the 

industry. I’m not at 

any 

industry shows, no disrespect 

to anybody, but you don’t see 

me at those industry shows, 

you can see that I’m in the 

‘Outdustry’, 

the 

‘Gracedustry’, so I’ll just keep 

riding on that grace of God. 

There is a huge 

announcement I’m doing on 

Wednesday the 26 th of July, 

2017, a very huge 

announcement, I can’t wait for 

that to happen. To give you a 

hint, this music is going to be 

I’m a dirty boy 

who just loves 

to have fun 

— Mr Eazi 

Says, 

“ Davido, 

Wizkid may 

go on tour 

together 

soon” 

I feel everybody has 

their mouth and are 

free to say whatever 

they like; anything 

you feel that one na 

for your pocket. The 

most important thing 

is that I’m where I’m 

now and I’m enjoying 

my life 

on that worldwide platform; 

it’s going to have the same 

thing the biggest artistes in 

America or in Europe have, 

that same level of recognition. 

You never know what will 

happen tomorrow, every day 

I wake up with a surprise so 

for now I can’t say much. 

Is it true that Wizkid is 

grooming you to become the 

next biggest African artiste in 

the world? 

To tell you the truth, I just 

want to come, have fun, make 

money, buy a few houses, set 

up a few businesses, feed my 

family, dirty myself, travel the 

world with other people 

paying for it, help people and 

just have fun. I never planned 

to be an artiste, I never woke 

up one day and decided I 

wanted to be a musician; this 

just happened. So whilst 

we’re on it, we’re just going 

to have fun with it. If tomorrow 

I wake up as the biggest 

artiste in Africa omo we go 

enjoy am now! We go do 

everything, we go tour, we go 

chop all the money and we go 

touch as many lives as we 

can. 

They say you are a bit proud 

& snobbish, how true is this? 

Mr Eazi is a dirty boy o, I’m 

just a free guy mehn! If you 

know me or anyone that 

knows me knows that I’m a 

very free kind of person. I 

literally almost don’t care 

about anything, that’s why I 

said I’m a Kubolor, a gypsy. If 

you know who gypsies are 

they don’t care about 

anything, they just drift, that’s 

who I’m, like I don’t care 

about cars, I don’t care about 

houses, I just have these 

things because of my kids and 

for my family, but for me as a 

person I don’t care. Till now 

even though my manager 

fights me I can go and buy 

‘boli’ (Smoked Plantain) on 

the street, people see me and 

rush to take selfies and they 

don’t mob me because when 

they see me they know that 

this is their boy Mr. Eazi, so 

I’m just free having fun and 

thanking God for life. 

You’ve been talking about 

family, how soon do you 

intend starting up one? 

Honestly, I want to have kids; 

but I want to set up 

something that my kids will 

bless me for. I’ve always 

wanted to be a millionaire; I 

didn’t know it was going to 

come through music. 

When did you make your 

first million? 

By August 17 , 2016 I was 

already a millionaire and I 

thank God because I never 

expected it. 

What plans do you have for 

the remaining part of 2017? 

I can’t know for now, we can 

never know right now. 

How true is it that you smoke 

marijuana and drink alcohol 

to get fired up before going 

up on stage? 

To be honest I feed off the 

energy of the crowd, that’s 

why I don’t perform where 

people are sitting down so just 

think about it. I’ve not 

performed where anybody is 

sitting down before; I drink 

water and not alcohol, it’s the 

energy from the crowd that 

gingers me. If the crowd is 

energetic I’ll also be 

energetic, if the crowd is dull 

then it will affect me, I’ll just 

vibe through the session and 

move on. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


BY ROTIMI AGBANA 

08137741609 

rotimiagbana@gmail.com 

Olamide is 

immature — Xino 

•Puffy Tee 

Olamide 

•Davido 

Former YBNL artiste, Xino, 

has taken a bold swipe at his 

former boss, Olamide, aka 

‘Baddoo’, calling him an immature 

Former Made Men’s Music 

Group (MMMG) artiste, 

Bassey Okon Bassey, has finally 

opened up on why he parted 

ways with the Ubi Franklin led 

label. According to his interesting 

revelation in an exclusive chat 

with Showtime, Ubi Franklin 

made some promises to him which 

he never fulfilled, because of his 

non contractual relationship with 

the label, home to Selebobo, Tekno 

and others. Bassey disclosed that 

he had to move on with his music 

career all by himself since Ubi 

failed to fulfill the promises he 

made to him about helping his 

music career. 

He said; “I’ve not actually put 

out an official press release, but 

the truth is that I’m no longer with 

MMMG. It’s been long coming, 

a couple of years down the lane 

with a lot of promises but nothing 

came through; so I decided to 

move forward on my own, to do 

myself by myself. It’s not like I had 

and inexperienced record label 

CEO who needs to up his ante on 

the business aspect of music and 

artiste management. In an exclusive 

chat with Showtime, he picketed 

Olamide for lacking managerial 

experience, saying, it was one of the 

reasons he parted ways with YBNL. 

“YBNL management and other 

labels in Nigeria need to adopt an 

entrepreneurial system that focuses 

on artiste development because 

there is zero fan base in Nigeria. 

Once any new sensation comes out 

we all switch to that one. Olamide 

and other CEOs need to grow up 

business-wise. Beyonce’s husband, 

Jayz, is an undisputed boss because 

he understands this concept and 

Why I parted ways with 

TripleMG - Bassey Okon 

creates acts that last to create 

others too”, he blurted out.” 

The fearless singer later 

corrected the impression that his 

music career is dying because 

he left the Olamide’s record 

label, YBNL. 

“I’m engaging in other moneymaking 

options, music is just an 

option and one that I love very 

much; I never asked to be 

signed on to •Wizkid YBNL, so I’m not 

bothered as much. But for the 

sake of those who dig my songs 

I’m coming with something 

soon, something cooking with 

Kiddominant is dropping soon”, 

he revealed. 

You’re a nonentity if you think I 

want to enrich myself with IDP 

support funds- 2face Idibia 

Afro-pop music legend, 2face Idibia has 

declared he has no ulterior motive to 

divert funds that would be realized at the 

special fund raising concert, tagged 

Eargasm, for his personal use. According to 

him, fund realized at the concert scheduled 

to hold today at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, 

Abuja, will be used to cater for the Internally 

Displaced Persons, which is the major 

objective of the concert. In an exclusive 

chat, 2face told Showtime that people who 

think he has hidden agenda to enrich 

himself with proceeds from the fund raising 

concert are nonentities. 

“My attention is focused more on the 

individuals and organizations concerned 

with providing support for IDPs; people who 

murmur about hidden agenda don’t matter”, 

he retorted. 2baba who is set to thrill tonight 

denied allegations that his support for IDPs 

a fight with anybody, it’s just that we 

didn’t have a concrete contractual 

agreement on what I would have 

been in the company so I decided 

to move on; but I’m still friends with 

everybody on the label. I don’t want 

to start calling names but I relate 

with everybody fine and I’m fine 

with that.” 

You may recall that Bassey will not 

be the first artiste, (signed or not), 

to part ways with MMMG. Emma 

Nyra and Iyanya had left the label 

under mysterious circumstances 

which were never clarified due to 

unresolved differences undisclosed 

to the public. Showtime further 

inquired if he gained anything 

substantial at all from the label and 

he was quick to respond. 

“Being with MMMG was a 

learning period for me, I learnt how 

to do things in the outside world, 

and it was a lovely experience. I 

gained contacts and memorable 

experiences; I learnt everything 

positive from the label.” 

may be a calculated attempt to 

redeem his image for pulling out of 

the February 6th peaceful protest. 

“If they are pessimists and haters 

then they need to be saved from 

themselves. The 2face foundation’s 

first activity in January 2017 was 

Project 1.4-1.4, with which we 

sought to raise N14M in 14 days to 

assist IDP intervention work being 

undertaken by winners of the 2face 

peace awards. We launched million 

voices for peace project in 2012 and 

have a rich history of peace building 

initiatives. It’s primarily in the 

interest of peace that I called for the 

February 6th peaceful protest; for 

anyone who thinks my image needs 

redemption for my commitment to 

peace building, I have absolutely no 

comment”, he said. 

•Bassey Okon 

Artistes now 

depend on 

producers to write 

their songs - Puffy Tee 

Talk about the creative craft of beat 

making, the name, Puffy Tee will 

surely spring up in the minds of anyone 

familiar with Olu Maintain’s hit song, 

Yahoozee, and others, during his hay days 

as a hit-maker. Apparently, the talented 

music producer, Puffy Tee, has not been 

very visible as he was but he has been 

working underground and smiling to the 

bank. When Showtime recently ran into 

him, he made a rather disturbing 

revelation. According to Puffy Tee, artistes 

no longer take time to write their songs 

without the help of music producers. He 

insinuated that artistes have become so lazy 

that they depend on artistes to write their 

songs. 

“A lot of artistes just want an easy way out, 

they want easy stuff, and because the 

Nigerian audience as a whole sometimes 

can’t be predicted, you can’t predict what 

they would like. Now, artistes are 

dependent on producers’ efforts to write 

their songs. When a producer makes a beat 

the artiste gets inspiration from there and I 

don’t think it’s a bad thing. Sometimes, 

songs are done the way the artiste feels; the 

way it comes from their mind and the way 

they get the inspiration. Gone are the days 

when people sing songs that talk about 

culture, attitude, how to treat ourselves or 

love ourselves, respect ourselves and do the 

right things, work hard and all that. I write 

good songs with good lyrics but I’ve to look 

for something catchy, something 

commercial as they call it”, he said. 

How the music industry, 

surgery affected my music 

career- Ketchup 

Dancehall music exponent, Ketchup, may not 

be as popular as he once was when his hit 

singles, Show me your rozay and pam pam rocked 

the airwaves; but the reason behind his silence in 

the music industry has been a mystery to everyone. 

In an exclusive chat with Showtime, he explained 

that the Nigerian music industry, the loss of his dad, 

family commitments and medical surgery have all 

had a negative effect on his music career. 

“When I dropped ‘Show me your rozay’, it was 

like a national anthem in Nigeria at that time. There 

are a lot of things that you can’t explain to 

everybody; when I dropped Show me your rozay I 

lost my dad; I’m from an Igbo family and I’m the 

first child and I had to go through surgery on my 

right leg. The doctor was like if I don’t do this surgery 

I won’t dance again ever, and dancing is my life. I 

was a little drawn back at the time because Show 

me your rozay was a little faster than me at that time. 

I had to attend to family and my health at the same 

time, I wasn’t really out there as I should have been. 

That’s why sometimes I like to introduce myself 

when I meet people, so that’s one of the 

complications I think affected me as an artiste. The 

industry also ran me down a lot of times when I was 

trying to push my music and nobody knew what I 

actually looked like, some people thought I was 

Jamaican because my music was out there but you 

wouldn’t know it’s me”, he lamented. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Ibori: Yes, 

It’s 

True 

There has been a widespread 

speculation 

about a certain young 

lady by the name of Miss 

Senami Sosu who has been 

a constant by the side of 

former Delta State 

Governor, Chief James 

Onanefe Ibori. 

It is no longer news that 

the two have been a couple 

for years now; the 

speculation in recent times 

really has been whether they 

are officially a married 

couple or not. Now, the 

Weekend Vanguard has the 

answer, and it is a resounding yes! 

They have for long tied the knot 

officially in an intimate but also 

very private ceremony, with only 

family members and close friends 

present; and they have so far 

respected the couple’s wish of 

keeping their nuptials out of the 

public arena. 

•Ibori and Senami 

Lekki lights up as ‘Wanneka’s 

Lounge’ opens 

T 

he 

Two women on a mission 

Like other women who are breaking the artificial barriers foisted on them by the society, 

Oluwaseun Aina and American author, Kathy Brodsky have thrown their weights around 

a worthy course. 

Their meeting was magical. Oluwaseun Aina, a Nigerian literacy critic and coach, had 

attended the 2016 edition of the International Literacy Association Conference, a Global Reading 

Network in Boston, with the intention of gaining better exposure to children literature. Back 

home in Nigeria where she runs a Magical Book Club, she has had to contend with myriads of 

challenges noticeable in children’s books, as they are either not interesting, error-prone or have 

poorly illustrated pictures. 

Brodsky’s books have won multiple awards, including Book of the Year from Creative Child 

Magazine in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. She was also voted into the Top 10 in the International 

Literacy Association and Children’s Book 

Council’s Children’s Choice Reading List. 

Initially, Brodsky had given her newest book, 

High Wire Act to Aina during the conference. 

However, she also decided to donate the rest of 

her books after an engaging and exhilarating 

Skype session with children at the Magical 

Book Club. 

Aina was worried that despite the fact that 

these children were supposed to have attained 

the stage of reading, most of them still had 

difficulty ‘learning to read’. ‘Struggling readers’ 

abandon reading all together because it’s such 

an effort for them with no one around to make 

the reading process enjoyable”. Hence, Kathy 

Brodsky’s highly imaginative and picturesque 

books have become very useful for Magical 

Book Club. 

Brodsky believes Nigeria can market her 

culture heritage through story telling. “Nigeria 

has a rich history of storytelling that needs to 

be shared with the world. There are thousands 

of verbal stories handed down from generation 

to generation that need to be captured in 

writing as the continent of Africa is unique to 

the world in so many ways”. 

Children who attend Magical Book Club are 

already enjoying Brodsky’s books. It has 

opened newer vistas of knowledge and 

experience to them. 

grand opening of a luxury lounge and food court ‘Wanneka’s Lounge’ 

is scheduled for Sunday, July 23rd, 2017. The red carpet event will 

•Aina and Brodsky in Boston 

Encomiums as PCO Festac 

Passport Command retires 

It was an emotion laden event last week in Lagos as 

colleagues, friends and well-wishers of the retired 

former Comptroller of Immigration services in-charge of 

Festac Passport Command, Sir Okey Moses 

Agbakwuru known as ‘Mr. Smiling face’ was sent forth 

from a meritorious service to the fatherland in a party 

amidst encomiums and fair-well wishes. 

The event held at the Festac Passport Command by 

the new Passport Control Officer in-charge of Festac 

Command, CIS Dr. Festus Amajuoyi attracted high 

ranking colleagues including CIS Mrs. Justina 

Ahmadu, Comptroller, Ikoyi/Festac Command; ACIS 

Christoper Iwenofu PRO, Zone A, representing 

Comptroller Zone A Command and others from all the 

various commands within Lagos territory. Others are 

retired Comptroller of Immigration, Mr. Emmanuel 

Ogbumno, Retired CIS Chief Fidelis Ugonabo, Dr. O.C. 

Ibenegbu, Chief Medical Officer, Redstrat Hospital and 

Maternity, Festac Town, Lagos among others. 

Sir Okey Agbakwuru, an armour bearer of the 

Catholic Order of Knight of St. John is a humble, perfect 

gentleman of open-door policies, as witnessed and 

attested to by his former and immediate colleagues. 

commence by 4pm, followed by dinner at 6pm. The event will bring together 

people from all walks of life, creating a cozy and relaxed atmosphere for 

networking. 

To celebrate the opening, there will be free tasting of top dishes 

delicately prepared by very experienced team of chefs, offering a 

wide range of local and intercontinental cuisines. 

The lounge which has been described as a home away from home 

has impeccable design and finishing complemented with stunning 

décor’. Inspired by various cultures in Nigeria, the ground floor 

specialises on local dishes from Yoruba Kitchen, Calabar Kitchen, 

Delta Kitchen and Igbo Kitchen. There is also a sit out for sharwama, 

pizza, smoothies, pastries and other assortments. The first floor 

houses array of lounges with top-notch À la Carte menu for private 

meetings and get-together. The Penthouse which is the last floor 

serves as the buffet room for parties. 

Located in a serene environment, Wanneka’s Lounge is a perfect 

mix of fun, relaxation, entertainment and top-notch meals, treating 

customers to a unique and cost effective dining experience. Wanneka’s 

Lounge is the brain child of Mrs Doris Nkumah, the young and 

energetic CEO of ‘HairbyWanneka’, a serial entrepreneur and hair 

mogul popularly known as Mizwanneka, the hair boss. According 

to her, “Wanneka’s Lounge is a dream come true. I have always 

loved cooking and this lounge idea has always been at the back of 

my mind, so I’m so excited that it is finally a reality.” 

•Wanneka 

Emelda Mukosoro explores new frontier 

•Musokoro 

By Ifechi Okoh 

Drop dead beauty, Igwe Emelda Mukosoro no doubt has all it 

takes to successfully go into modeling, fashion and T.V 

presentation, which she has embraced at last. 

Muky as she loves to be addressed disclosed recently that she has 

concluded plans to start a T.V programme, to be known as “Then and 

Now” which focuses on how celebrities set out in their different 

endeavors, braving all odds to make it big . 

“The success story of Oprah Winfrey really inspired me to package 

the programme which is meant to showcase role models who will 

inspire the younger generation. These are my target audience. I 

wouldn’t invite anybody who has no inspiring story to tell the 

viewers”, she maintained. 

The program slated to debut soon on the AIT network will be selfproduced 

by Muky and directed by Dele Aberuagba, veteran print 

journalist. 

Like a sacrosanct believer in professionalism, the pretty Mukosoro 

went to PEFTI where she did a presentation course, before 

proceeding to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.


By AYO ONIKOYI 

08052201215 


•Tony Okoroji 


After a dreary weekend 

marred by floods, the 

resilient city of Lagos has 

gotten its groove back; thanks 

to a colourful flash mob of 

street sweepers that toured the 

metropolis for three days doing 

choreographed dances while 

cleaning on the go. Aptly 

named ‘Skate and Clean’, a 

colourful team of street 

sweepers on skates were led by 

hip-hop artiste, Olamide 

Adedeji popularly known as 

‘Olamide Baddo’, all clad in 

bright orange overall uniforms 

of the Lagos Waste 

Management Authority 

(LAWMA) employees, courtesy 

of Sterling Bank. 

Skate and Clean was 

initiated by Sterling Bank as a 

pre awareness campaign for the 

Sterling Environmental 

Makeover (STEM) 

programme. STEM is Sterling 

Bank’s corporate social 

100 Nigeria’s best 

music stars for COSON 

Week 2017 – Tony Okoroji 

The Chairman, Copyright 

Society of Nigeria 

(COSON), Chief Tony 

Okoroji has declared that the 

next COSON Week, holding 

from October 27 to November 3, 

2017, will see one hundred of 

Nigeria's best music artistes 

perform. 

According to the celebrated 

former President of PMAN, “we 

are not going to cut any corners 

at COSON Week 2017. At each 

of the seven different events 

holding on seven different days 

at seven different venues in 

Lagos, the best production 

values in the continent will be 

on display. Lovers of first rate 

entertainment are assured that 

every single event of COSON 

Week 2017 will be turbo 

charged. It will be 777!” 

According to Okoroji, 

COSON and TOPS are co- 

responsibility initiative aimed 

at promoting practices that 

protect the environment for the 

benefit of humanity in 14 states 

of the federation. This year’s 

flagship cleaning exercise 

is slated to hold at the popular 

Computer Village market 

on Saturday, August 12, 2017. 

For three days, using the 

power of music and dance, the 

youthful street sweepers toured 

Lagos on skates cleaning and 

dancing to a special theme 

song produced by Olamide. In 

the melodious theme song, 

Olamide implored Nigerians to 

keep their environment clean 

and shun dumping of refuse in 

drainages. 

Last year, the MD/CEO of 

Sterling Bank, Yemi Adeola and 

popular Nollywood actor, 

Funke Akindele popularly 

known as Jenifa, made the 

news when they led 

employees of the bank to 

clean up Oyingbo, one of the 

oldest and busiest markets in 

Lagos. 

ordinating their ‘A’ teams to 

ensure that there is zero loose 

end in COSON Week 2017. In 

his words, “we are mobilizing 

over 100 of Nigeria’s best 

artistes for COSON Week 2017 

to spread good music across 

the land. COSON is the 

biggest brand in the music 

industry in Nigeria today and 

we will be working with the 

best brands in the land. Good 

music will be everywhere to 

give Nigerians succour and 

reduce the tension in the land. 

Just in case your friends have 

not yet heard, please tell them 

that the COSON Week, the 

biggest event of the music 

industry, will envelope Lagos 

from October 27 to November 

3 and the vibrations will 

spread across the nation. Trust 

me, the only way to describe 

it is ‘wow!’” 

Sterling bank partners Olamide on 

skate and clean campaign 

Between Blixxy 

and rap legend, 

Fat Joe 

Things seem to be going on well for Afro hiphop 

act Blixxy. Barely a couple of weeks after 

he inked a mouthwatering deal with American 

based label, Fully Focused, a platform that has 

managed the likes Lil Caesar, late Notorious 

B.I.G, Junior Mafia of Bad Boy records and 

recently, Uncle Murder, a G-Unit signee, he 

was recently sighted in the US with rap legend, 

Fat Joe and tongues are wagging already.“In 

the words of a source close to the act: “Blixxy’s 

career is on the rise no doubt. He is one of the 

faces we should watch out for in the industry. 

Some weeks back the news of Blixxy’s signing 

an international management deal with 

America's frontline management outfit, Fully 

Focused Management broke the internet, 

causing a stir. ““Now the rapper has taken to 

his Instagram page and posted a picture of 

him and rap legend, Fat Joe aka Joey Crack of 

the famous Terror Squad rap group, working 

in the studio and consequently, fans are asking 

‘is there a collaboration brewing between them? 

Only time will tell.“Meanwhile, the act recently 

released a collaborative video with the self 

styled musical Taliban Oritse Femi entitled 

'Tomorrow Carry Belle' which is currently 

enjoying massive rotation on both television 

and radio stations nationwide. 

Alibaba, Adekunle Gold, others to light up 

Kennyblaq's Oxymoron show 


Ace comedians, Alibaba, Julius Agwu, Klint D 

Drunk, Gbenga Adeyinka, Seyi Law and others 

have been confirmed to be among the eclectic line 

up of entertainers to light up music-comedian, 

Kenny Blaq’s debut comedy show tagged ‘The 

Oxymoron of Kennyblaq’, slated for tomorrow, 

Sunday July 23, 2017 at the Convention Center 

of the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria 

Island, Lagos. 

The lineup of comedians will be performing 

alongside topnotch artistes like 2face, Adekunle 

Gold, Reminisce, Reekado Banks, Simi, Sound 

Sultan, and Small Doctor among others. Kenny 

Blaq, who has been in the comedy industry for 

some years and has performed on some of the 

biggest entertainment stages in Nigeria, has 

promised that his performance at ‘The Oxymoron 

of Kenny Blaq’ will surpass anything he has done 

before. 

Over the years, the young comedian has 

become a special favourite of top celebrities and 

high-ranking individuals in the country and you 

can expect them to show up for the event. 

•Blixxy and Fat Joe 

•Kennyblaq


AMAA 2017: Beyond the glamour 

•Doris 

Simeon 

The annual Africa Movie 

Academy Awards,AMAA, 

always bring some insane 

moments, but reverse was the 

case last Saturday night when 

this year’s edition held at the 

Convention hall of Eko Hotel, 

Lagos, amid applause. 

Even though it was a night of 

glamour and celebration of the 

best of the best in the motion 

picture industry across Africa 

and the Diaspora, it was also, a 

night that was full of jawdroppers 

too. 

From some serious fashion 

faux pas on the red carpet to 

winners’ moving acceptance 

speeches and Nse Etim-Ikpe’s 

applaudable hosting strategy, 

the show did not disappoint 

when it came to making the 

guests gasp, laugh and 

sometimes, shake their heads in 

disbelieve. We bring to you some 

of the show’s biggest jawdropping 

moments of the night: 

All the wild fashion: 

As usual, any awards show in 

Nigeria bring some crazy 

fashion, and this year’s AMAA 

didn’t disappoint. From 

Ghanaian actresses, Ella 

Mensah and Sophia Diva whose 

wild dressing caused a stir to the 

*Jahwar 

Soudani , 

winner of 

Best Actor 

award 

worst and best dressed stars on 

the red carpet, the night was full 

of jaw-dropping ensembles. Ella 

Mensah’s applied crazy make 

up, while Sophia had to cover 

her nakedness with a love 

smiley. The two actresses 

wanted some undue attention at 

the show and they really got it, 

just as veteran actor and cast 

member of the New 

Masquerade, Tony Akposheri 

was out of the ordinary in his 

attire. He got everyone talking 

about his dressing when he 

climbed the stage to present an 

award. To many, Akposheri was 

passionate about promoting his 

Urhobo culture on the AMAA 

stage. 

Ramsey Nouah’s 

expensive joke: 

Ramsey Nouah’s graceful 

appearance at the event, 

however, put to rest his death 

rumour, which went viral on the 

Internet last week. But this is not 

the story. The handsome actor 

who was sporting designer’s 

blazer on white bold tie, caused 

a stir on stage. While presenting 

the Best Comedy award to Opa 

Williams for his movie, ‘3 Wise 

men,’ Ramsey Nouah attempted 

to rewrite history after what 

happened at this year’s 

OSCARS, when there was a 

bizarre mix up, which saw ‘La 

La Land’ announced as winner 

of Best Picture award before a 

correction was issued that it was 

‘ Moonlight.’ On this note, 

*Opa Williams and Ramsey Nouah 

opening the envelope, the actor 

made to announce AY’s ‘ A Trip 

to Jamaica’ as Best Comedy, 

before he quickly corrected 

himself as he announced ‘ Opa 

Williams’ ‘3 Wise Men’. As if that 

was not enough, Ramsey Nouah 

jokingly said, ‘Lagos State is the 

only state in the country that is 

supporting the creative industry.” 

Realizing that the statement did 

not go down well with some of the 

representatives of other states’ 

governments in attendance, the 

actor muttered, “I hope other 

states would not kill me for this.” 

What does he expects! 

What Nse told AY on stage 

The show host, actress Nse 

Ikpe-Etim was in her best 

element. Even though it was her 

first time, hosting an international 

event like AMAA, Nse did not 

disappoint her fans. On stage, she 

exuded a tremendous amount of 

confidence that many could not 

help but admire her courage. 

Beating the imagination of her 

critics,Nse did not spare acecomedian-turned-producer, 

AY. 

She threw jabs at him, calling 

him out to leave numbers alone 

and make a film. ‘ AY leave 

numbers alone and make a film’ 

, she told the ace-comedian, and 

immediately, the message got to 

AY, he joined the actress on stage, 

but then, she has already passed 

the message. Recall that AY has 

produced three popular 

adventure films, including “30 

Days in Atlanta”, “A Trip to 

Jamaica” and “10 Days in Sun 

City.” 

Opa Williams goes sober on 

stage 

Opa Williams, the brain behind 

*Ghanaian actresses, Ella Mensah and Sophia Diva 

*Kunle Afolayan and Hilda Dokubo presenting awards 

the comedy show, “Night of a 

thousand laughs” gave a sober 

reach out to ailing veteran actor, 

Victor Olaotan, while receiving 

the award for the Best comedy 

film, “Three wise men.” Olaotan 

who was one of the actors in the 

movie is currently in the hospital 

and might have one of his legs 

amputated following the car 

crash he was involved in back in 

October, 2016. The actor was not 

present at the event, but Opa 

Williams prayed for his speedy 

recovery. It was emotional.. 

How Senegalese film ‘Felicite’ 

ruled the night 

Senegalese film, Felicite’ a 

movie about a nightclub singer 

who grapples to pay for her son’s 

treatment after a road accident 

was the talk of the night. The film 

swept away awards in three of the 

six major categories, winning best 

film, best actress in a leading role, 

and best supporting actor. When 

it was time for the presentation of 

awards, it looked as if Nigeria was 

going to lead the way, but the 

story changed when ‘Felicite’, 

came from behind to sweep away 

three of the major five awards, 

beating Nigeria’s historical film , 

’76 and ‘ 93 Days’ to coast home 

to victory. Many practitioners 

and critics expressed shock and 

disbelieve, but then, they 

unanimously agreed that the film 

was not only exceptional but also, 

desired to win the award. 

Veteran actor, Tony 

Akposheri on stage 

*Raymond Anyiam-Osigwe, Kennedy Anyiam- 

Osigwe and Francis Litti Mboge, former Gambian 

Minister of Works and Transport at awards night. 

*Past winner of AMAA Best 

Actor in a Leading Role, Daniel 

K. Daniel and Nollywood 

Actress, presenting an award 

*Peace Anyiam-Osigwe 

presenting AMAA recognition 

Award to Celine Loade 

C 

M 

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08116759759 

Model with massive 

70S boobs returns 

to Hollywood as 

'black woman' 

An ex-air hostess with 

busty 70S breasts has 

visited Hollywood for the 

first time as a black woman 

after she changed her skin 

colour through radical tanning 

injections. 

Glamour model Martina 

Big , 28, who reportedly has 

'Europe's biggest boobs', 

was filmed standing in front 

of the Hollywood hills on a 

recent trip to California. 

Martina has spent more 

than £50,000 on plastic surgery 

to achieve her massive 

70S cup size (UK 32S). 

Yet those body enhancements 

were not enough for 

the German glamour model 

as she decided to become 

black, vowing to get "darker 

and darker and see what the 

limits are." 

Martina said standing in 

front of the iconic Hollywood 

sign with an unusual 

accent that "last time I visited 

this with blonde hair 

and white skin." 

Martina added: "And now 

I'm a black woman with African 

hair." 

Her unusual video has already 

been watched more 

than 137,000 times with 

people decidedly divided 

over Martina Big's unusual 

looks. 

One wrote: "I'm not 

pleased or supporting this 

mess. I'm a black woman as 

Crocodile returns with body of 

a dead man it killed - after er it was 

as 

summoned by a WITCH DOCTOR 

This is the chilling moment a crocodile 

clutches a missing man in its jaws - after being summoned 

by a SHAMAN to return the body. 

Syarifuddin, 41, was bathing with friends when the 6.5ft 

reptile pounced and dragged him beneath the water in 

Berau, Indonesia, on Tuesday at 6.20pm. 

Desperate relatives searched for Syarifuddin but he appeared 

to have disappeared in the murky depths of the 

Lempake river after police failed to find him. 

Villagers contacted a local black magic wizard who 

specialises in crocodile witch craft and they cast a spell 

for Syarifuddin to be brought back alive. 

Incredibly, the croc emerged this morning, floating to 

you can see 

and I don't 

think this is 

cool. It's sad. It's 

pitiful. I think 

she may have mental issues." 

Another added: "Martina you are beautiful in 

our colour. I don't mind what people do with their 

lives or body as long as they are happy. At least 

you show these Africans who bleach to turn white 

that black is beautiful." 

Martina started her surgeries in 2012 on the 

encouragement of her boyfriend, taking a whopping 

21 surgeries to turn them to size 70S. 

Her reported motto is "big is not big enough," 

according to German media. 

Bizarrely her boyfriend, a beer-bellied pilot, has 

also started to use tanning injections in order to 

turn black. Now Martina Big also wants to get a 

bum the same size as her breasts. 

Yet plastic surgeon Dr Karl Schuhmann from 

Dusseldorf was not overly eager to help her with 

that. Schuhmann said: "Martina Big would like 

to enlarge her butt with 1.5 kilos of implants each. 

"From a medical point of view, I clearly cannot 

advocate the procedure. Alternatively, I recommended 

her a lipofilling [fat transplantation]. The 

risks are much lower." 

It has not been reported yet what Martina Big 

has decided to do. 

the banks with the naked body of Syarifuddin in its 

jaws. 

It then dropped off the corpse as residents yelled 

at it to release its victim, who was already dead - 

sparking suggestions that the crocodile had actually 

been guarding the victim's body from other 

predators. 

Friend Andi Resmin who was with Syarifuddin 

when he was captured by the croc said: "He was just 

in the water and the crocodile humped at him and 

took him." Local resident, Eet, who like Syarifuddin 

only has a first name in line with Indonesia tradition, 

said he had never witnessed a crocodile attack. 

He added there was a local myth that 

anyone bathing with clothes on in the river 

would be fine - but bathing naked would 

result in a crocodile attack. 

He said: ""If the person bathes naked, 

they will be definitely be eaten by crocodiles, 

for sure. If they wear clothes they 

will not be ambushed." 

Police chief Inspector Talisayan Faisal 

Hamid, who is now investigating the incident, 

said: "The victim's friends report 

to the officer he was attacked by a crocodile. 

That night we did a search." 

The officer said nothing was returned 

that evening and so residents contacted a 

"crocodile charmer" and the body appeared the next 

morning on Wednesday. 

He said: "It is also very weird that there were three 

crocodile emerged from the river, such as they were 

guarding the body, so the body of victim could be 

delivered. "It is indeed estuarine crocodiles in the 

river. And people also bathe in the water, so again, 

it is unlucky that he was killed by the crocodile. 

"The victims Syarifuddin had been torn on the 

right ribs. He was found dead." 

Pol Insp Hamid said the "important thing was 

that the body had been found" and that locals were 

now "hunting the crocodile that attacked" the man. 

Gruesome footage shows 2kg 

hairball the size of a MELON 

removed from teenager's stomach 

T 

his is the gruesome moment doctors removed a massive 2kg 

hairball from a teenage girl's stomach. 

Aakansha Kumari, 16, had secretly been eating her own hair for 

years - but her parents had no idea anything was wrong until her 

weight plummeted to just over TWO stone. 

She was having problems eating and kept vomiting so doctors 

did an x-ray which revealed a huge mass taking up more than 80 

per cent of her stomach. 

They were astonished when they pulled a massive lump of tangled 

hair from her belly - and diagnosed her with trichophagia - 

where people compulsively eat their own hair. 

A team, led by gastro surgeon Dr Abhay Kumar, removed the 

hairball in a open surgery at Doon Medical College and Hospital, 

in Dehradun, India. 

He said: "The hairball occupied 250 ml to 300 ml of space in the 

stomach. And this was causing her to lose interest in eating. 

"The surgery was challenging because we had to extract the 

hairball in one go. 

"We couldn't do it piece by piece and risk dropping strands of 

hair in the body cavity as it would lead to further complications. 

"The girl is doing much better after surgery." 

Her father, Satish Chandra, there was a visible lump on her 

stomach before the op. He added: "My daughter is looking much 

healthier and happier now."

SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard, 

JULY Y 22, 2017—31 

Pomp as Mall for All launched in Ken 

enya 

L-R: Co-founder, Mall For Africa, Tope Folayan; Chief Marketing Officer, 

Robert Goryon ; Country Manager, Kenya, Naomi Konditi Kivuvani; 

Country Manager, Nigeria, Tolu Oladipo ; and Head of Business Processes, 

Kenya, Yinka Odunbaku. 

MallforAfrica.com; 

Africa’s fastest 

growing e- 

commerce and 

consumer service 

company has pulled 

out all the stops for 

its massive Kenyan 

launch. The Launch 

which held on the 26 th 

of May 2017, at The 

Mirage Towers, Nairobi 

had in attendance 

more than 250 

dignitaries and guests. 

The company launched 

Kenyan Base of 

Operations to provide 

service to the East 

African market space 

as well as take 

advantage of the vast 

opportunities available 

within the territory . 

Country manager, 

Kenya, Naomi Konditi 

Kivurani, speaking. 

Chief marketing 

officer, Robert Goryon, 

speaking. 

Co-founder, MallforAfrica, Tope Folayan. 

Cross section of guests 

The Sulemans celebrate e 60th, 50th birthda 

thdays 

It celebration galore in the home of Chief and Chief 

(Mrs) Raniha Suleiman, when he and his wife 

turned 60 and 50 respectively re recently. The 

party which held in Benin saw friends, relations and 

t h e i r 

children celebrating the couple. Photos by 

Barnabas Uzosike. 

L-R: Head of Marketing, MallforAfrica, Enobong 

Kennedy; Country Manager, MallforAfrica and 

Kenya, Tolu Oladipo; Naomi Konditi, Brand online 

and Media Manager, Marylin Ayua 

Maria Omizu laid to 

rest 

It was indeed a celebration of life and a carnival 

of sort when the children of Late Chief (Mrs) Maria 

Omizu committed her remains to mother earth 

recently. The burial took place at Ughoton, Okpe 

local government area of Delta State on June 30, 

2017. 

Chief Raniha Suleiman cutting his 60th birthday 

cake. 

From left: Eze Titus Ezewuzie (Eze-Igbo 1 of 

Sapele) and Chief Tony Okoro Jr. 

Cross section of Chief (Mrs) Maria Omizu’s 

children and in-laws 

Chief (Mrs) Rufina Suleiman cutting her 50th 

birthday cake. 

From left: Chief Ben Odjugo and Elder Peter 

Agbonkonkon-Ogbeide and his wife former 

National vice-president, IPMAN. 

Cross section of some traditional chiefs who 

came to pay their last respect 

C 

M 

Y 

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How to cut risk of 

early menopause 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

EATING tofu, soy and 

other foods high in 

vegetable protein cuts 

the risk of an early 

menopause by up to nearly 

60 per cent, a study found. 

Around one in ten women 

in Britain reach the 

menopause before the age of 

45, which increases their risk 

of heart disease, osteoporosis 

and early cognitive decline. 

Experts have assumed this 

is a quirk of genetics and 

unavoidable for some 

women, particularly those 

who also reached puberty 

early. 

But research suggests 

women can lower their risk 

of reaching the menopause 

early by altering their diet 

and sticking to it. Scien- tists 

from Harvard School of 

Public Health in Boston and 

University Of Massachusetts 

at Amherst found that high 

consumption of vegetable 

protein was linked to a 

significantly lower risk of 

early menopause. 

They tracked 116,000 

women from 1991 to 2011 

until they were all postmenopausal. 

Those whose calorific 

intake included at least 9 per 

cent vegetable protein such 

as tofu, soy, nuts, brown 

pasta, brown rice and whole 

grains had a 59 per cent lower 

risk of an early menopause 

than those for whom 

vegetable protein made up 

less than 4 per cent of their 

diet. Meat protein was not 

found to have the same 

effect. The researchers, 

whose work is published in 

the American Journal of 

Epidemiology, said 

vegetarians are most likely to 

eat this much vegetable 

protein. But those women 

who follow a ‘flexitarian’ diet 

– becoming vegetarian a few 

days a week – are also likely 

to benefit. 

Figures last year from 

consumer analyst Mintel 

revealed that 35 per cent of 

The menopause, 

which occurs on 

average at the 

age of 51, 

happens when 

the body stops 

naturally 

producing 

oestrogen and 

other sex 

hormones, 

ending a woman’s 

reproductive life 

Britons 

eat meatfree 

meals several 

times a week, finding 

alternative sources of protein 

such as nuts, grains and tofu. 

The menopause, which 

occurs on average at the age 

of 51, happens when the body 

stops naturally producing 

oestrogen and other sex 

hormones, ending a woman’s 

reproductive life. 

The scientists suspect 

vegetable protein – which is 

in a different form to meat 

protein – protects the ovaries 

and reduces depletion of the 

follicles, which are key to the 

reproductive process. 

They think that if they can 

work out exactly how this 

happens, they may 

eventually be able to help 

prevent early menopause. 

The authors wrote: ‘A better 

understanding of how dietary 

vegetable protein intake is 

associated with ovarian 

ageing may identify ways for 

women to modify their risk 

of early onset menopause and 

associated health conditions.’ 

The researchers said very 

few women in the study 

actually met the 9 per cent 

dietary requirement that 

reduced their risk by 59 per 

cent. But 20 per cent of 

women got 6.5 per cent of 

their calories from vegetable 

protein – enough to reduce 

their risk of early menopause 

by 16 per cent. 

Making love is good for your heart 

Men rarely require 

much 

encouragement to indulge 

in a night of passion but 

now they can argue it’s 

good for their health. 

Scientists have revealed 

that enjoying regular sex 

could be the best remedy 

for avoiding killer heart 

disease – although 

somewhat unfairly, only 

for the male of the species. 

Making love several 

times a week can slash 

levels of homocysteine – 

a chemical in the blood 

that can trigger cardiac 

problems, a study 

found. 

But women do not get 

the same benefit 

because their sexual 

arousal is less dependent 

on a healthy blood flow, 

experts said. 

Men who enjoy regular 

sex sessions often have 

better circulation and 

healthier blood vessels, 

which helps prevent a buildup 

of homocysteine. 

Doctors have long 

suspected that frequent sex 

can reduce the risk of heart 

attacks. A previous study 

found intercourse twice a 

week halved a man’s chances 

of clogged arteries compared 

to those indulging less than 

once a month. 

But until now there has 

been little scientific evidence 

to explain why a healthy sex 

life protects against illness. 

The latest findings, published 

in the Journal of Sexual 

Medicine, are to the first 

reveal the link with reducing 

homocysteine levels. 

The chemical is a vital 

building block of proteins and 

occurs naturally in the body. 

But excess levels, which can 

be caused by poor diet, are 

thought to damage blood 

vessels supplying the heart 

– raising the risk of a deadly 

clot forming. 

Previous studies have 

linked high readings with a 

66 percent increased chance 

of dying from heart disease, 

as well as higher risks of 

stroke, Alzheimer’s and 

cancer. 

Researchers from the 

National Defence Medical 

Centre in Taiwan tracked 

more than 2 000 men and 

women aged 20 to 59. 

Analysing blood samples, 

they compared homocysteine 

readings to frequency with 

which volunteers had sex. 

The lowest traces were 

found in men claiming to 

have sex at least twice every 

week, while the highest 

readings were found in those 

restricted to less than once a 

month. But in women there 

was no significant variation. 

Researchers are now calling 

on doctors to advise male 

patients at risk of heart 

They wrote: ‘For a woman 

with a 2,000- calorie diet, this 

is equivalent to 32.5 grams 

of vegetable protein per day, 

or three to four servings of 

protein-rich foods such as 

enriched pasta or breakfast 

cereal, tofu and nuts.’ 

Culled from dailymail 

disease to have more sex. 

They wrote in a report: ‘A 

good quality sex life, 

frequent sex and libido are 

all related to health in the 

middle-aged and elderly. 

‘Increased sexual 

frequency could have a 

protective effect on general 

health and quality of life – 

especially in men – so 

doctors should support 

patients’ sexual activity.’ 

Dr Mike Knapton, of the 

British Heart Foundation, 

said the study produced an 

“interesting result” but did 

not prove regular sex 

reduced homocysteine 

levels. 

He added: “A relationship 

does exist between sex and 

heart disease risk. 

‘Checking your blood 

pressure and cholesterol, as 

well as keeping active and 

not smoking, remain the best 

ways to ensure a healthy 

future.’


Just Female 

In 1976, a group of female doctors got 

together with the purpose of 

improving the health and welfare of 

women in the country. Their coming 

together heralded the birth of the Medical 

Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN). 

Just a year later in 1977, the Lagos State 

Chapter of MWAN birthed. The first 

president of the branch was the late Dr. 

Abimbola Silva— mother of actress Joke 

Silva. 

Today, 40 years later, so far so good. The 

group has come a long way impacting the 

society in nurturing the health of not just 

the women, but society as a whole. 

They are experienced medical specialists 

registered by the Medical and Dental 

Council of Nigeria. They are caring and 

nurturing, they have empathy and 

compassion, they feel and multitask, they 

understand and persevere in whatever 

situation. 

Without an iota of doubt, the MWAN 

Lagos chapter has come a long way in the 

bid of impacting the society in line with 

its Motto: Nurturing the Health of the 

Mother. 

So many distinguished and important 

women are their products. Among them is 

Professor Adenike Grange—who is the 

first female Nigerian Minister of Health 

and first Nigerian President of the World 

Pediatrics Association. Others include 

Professor Folasade Ogunsola, the first 

female provost of the College of Medicine, 

University of Lagos and currently the 

Deputy Vice- Chancellor, University of 

Lagos. 

A recent parley with the executives and 

senior members of the all female healthfocused 

association was stimulating. The 

discussion group included the current 

president, Dr. Abiola Modupe, two past 

presidents—Dr Dumebi Owa and Dr. 

Sowemimo Efunsola, and a Consultant 

Physician Dermatologist, Dr Funmi Ajose 

who is an Associate Professor of Medicine, College of Medicine, 

University of Lagos. Also present were Dr. Yemisi Kila (Assistant 

Secretary General); Dr. Ishola Temitope (Protocol Officer), Dr. 

Martina Agberien (member) as well as the President-elect, Dr. 

Bakare Omowumi, a Public Health Physician, Lagos State 

University College of Medicine, (LASUCOM). 

One of the passions of the Medical Women is maternal and child 

health. It is passionate about anything that promotes health. As 

they turn 40, this passion is stronger than ever. 

A lot of collaborations have been carried out with the Lagos State 

Government, Ministries of Health and Environment, etc. A lot of 

mentoring, health education and promotion have also been going 

on. 

“Presently and recently, we have noticed that cancers are on the 

increase, so we concentrate on female cancer specifically breast 

We educate our 

women on health 

issues because we 

know this part of the 

world when women 

are sick nobody 

takes care of them. If 

you train a child you 

have trained an individual 

but if you train 

a woman you have 

trained a nation 

*Lagos State Chapter of MWAN 

Nurturing maternal 

health is not for 

women only 

and cervical cancer. We have 

done a lot of screening with the 

religious organizations 

especially at the grassroots. 

Over the years we have been 

able to secure a centre at 34 

market road Ebute Metta. 

We’ve been able to procure a 

machine for screening 

procedures, but there is still so 

many things that we need, 

chemotherapy, mammogram. 

We also undertake blood 

pressure screening, glucose 

screening, HIV screening, 

dental checks, eye tests, etc. 

“Screening women for 

cancers of the cervix and breast 

are great passions of MWAN. 

We are passionate about this 

not only because we are women 

because we know that women 

are facing many issues and are 

usually put at the back burner 

and women have to take their 

destiny in their hands. 

“We educate our women on 

health issues because we know 

this part of the world when women 

are sick nobody takes care of them. 

If you train a child you have 

trained an individual but if you 

train a woman you have trained a 

nation, and we know Nigeria is a 

nation that is evolving and we 

need to build our economy and the 

base of building the economy is 

with the women and our women 

have to be healthy.” 

Medical Women pioneered the 

VIA—Visual Inspection in Acetic 

Acid for cervical cancer. 

“We have a centre where we have 

been putting pap smear for 

women, however, first even 

getting people to come to do the 

pap smear at a very low cost was 

a challenge so reaching out we 

had the challenge of going to 

places we call had to reach areas. 

“As women we know in the 

professional field we have to look 

after the home. At times, women 

have to tend to homes so 

sometimes to come out, we also 

need a more central secretariat 

where people can have access to, 

we want to be sure that we are 

accessible and available. 

”Right now, we continue to 

carry out pap smear at our centre 

and the cost is the cheapest in 

Lagos State. You are free to walk 

into our centre to have your pap 

smear done. This is where we see 

women on a daily basis Mondays 

to Fridays, 9am to 4pm, and we 

take care of their health medically. “We intend to 

do more in Lagos State, we intend to impart the 

society more and that is why it is important for us 

to foster our relationship with the media. 

“We don’t have facilities to carry out mammogram 

and this is part of the reasons we carry out VIA 

because it is a faster and cheaper method of 

diagnosing people that are liable to cervical cancer. 

When we find out any kind of growth in the body 

and early detection helps as to manage it quicker, 

better and cheaper. 

“For cervical cancer, some of them can actually 

be managed with therapy. For breast cancer, some 

of them are so small that you probably would not 

detect it just by palpating the breast. 

“So these are machines that we need the 

mammogram, the breast scans and anything that 

will actually improve women’s health in general 

and specifically for cancers. We need a lot of 

support and that is why we are collaborating with 

LUTH and other centres already carrying out tests 

that take the case of cancers.” 

The Medical Women is also into research 

“Nigeria has the highest maternal mortality rate 

in the world, yet we have not tried to find out what 

our girls know about child birth, nobody is looking 

at the girl child education as one of the important 

means of reducing maternal mortality because of 

maternal mortality occurs more first time mothers 

and who knows when the girl will be a first time 

mother. 

“The education should start when the girls are 

in school. If we understand that as a research 

importance and organise/sponsor that kind of 

research it will be used as part of the national 

strategy of prevention of maternal mortality. 

“Research is important for national development; 

if the government engages the Medical Women 

we will assist them in translating the research 

materials into practice.”


Why men are 

clamouring for 

women in 

leadership — Alile 

Osayi Alile, CEO, Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation. Over the last 18 

years she has been working in the NGO sector. She was CEO FATE Foundation 

for about 8 years and after that she served as a consultant to Access Bank on CSR. 

During these periods she had done a lot work with youths, entrepreneurs and women. 

Alile who was the last chairperson, WIMBIZ, is always looking for innovative ways 

to better the lives of communities and Nigeria as whole so that we can grow our 

economy as well. I am passionate about empowering our youths and our society. 

By Moses Nosike 

Can you tell us more 

about ACT Foundation, 

its focus and how this 

will effect the economy? 

ACT Foundation is a vision that 

was built from Access Bank and 

it is something I had worked 

with them on for a while. ACT 

Foundation officially began last 

year in 2016 and our aim is to 

address challenges and 

associated vulnerabilities in the 

African Continent. 

Our focus is on health, 

entrepreneurship, 

environment and leadership 

and this is because these four 

pillars change the way we see 

society, these are what people 

feel are the issues affecting the 

society daily. We are talking 

about the percentage of young 

people that are unemployed 

and also talking about 

enterprise and these are basic 

things that we are dealing with. 

One unique thing about us is 

that in our approach to solve 

challenges associated with our 

focus areas, to be community 

based, working with 

communities, NGOs and 

CBOs. 

You are a woman so I want 

us to talk a bit about women. 

Findings from our 

environment have shown us 

that women especially at the 

grassroot suffer when they 

lose their spouses. So how do 

NGOs look at empowering 

•Osayi Alile 

these poor community 

women? 

The funny thing is that the 

same problems the women in 

the grassroots go through is the 

same every other woman 

encounters. When husbands 

die in our environment, things 

change for everyone because 

most women do not have 

buying power. More than 70% 

of women are left without 

buying power and that is why 

we have organisations like 

WIMBIZ that aim at supporting 

women in business and 

management. And this effort is 

a continual one. I hope that 

NGOs in these areas get a lot 

of partners in order to effect 

change. 

Having been in top 

management for various 

organisations, can you share 

some of your experiences 

being a woman in such 

elevated positions? 

Some people have reported of 

negative experiences at 

management level, but I have 

never had any of such 

experiences. I have always had 

men and women supporting 

me in every role I found myself 

and this could also be because 

I am very open about how I 

manage myself. Of course 

Women need to 

move out of their 

comfort zones to 

make sure they 

are more 

accomplished 

and prepare the 

future because it 

is well known 

that women live 

longer than men 

these things happen and this 

is clear through the statistics 

that doesn’t do women any 

justice but this has changed 

over the last few years. Before, 

we always liked to avoid these 

kind of topics and act like they 

are not there or handpick the 

very few women that hold top 

positions, but today it is a 

different story. Even in my 

work with WIMBIZ for the last 

13 years I have seen positive 

changes. Men are even 

speaking up on our behalf and 

clamouring for women to be in 

top positions. Women’s 

involvement is not a nice thing 

to have, it is a necessary thing 

to have women in those 

positions and of course women 

manage well. It is a balanced 

world so decisions should be 

made by both sexes thus 

making it a balanced decision. 

We cannot survive without the 

men and I don’t think the men 

should survive without us. 

Admitting more women in 

leadership... 

First, we need to change the 

perception that women would 

misbehave. When we see a 

woman in high places, people 

with wrong perception tend to 

ask, how did she get there? We 

should change that mind set 

and not only that we should 

encourage more women and 

start teaching our children that 

success is gender blind. 

We also need to change the 

conversation and perception of 

how we see women. Our 

perception of women is one of 

the reasons we don’t see many 

women in politics and the few 

there achieving success, we 

call them names. I always like 

to encourage women who are 

moving up. 

In our bid to get a balanced 

family, how do we think we 

can empower women to 

impact on the society and 

family? 

Statistics have shown that 

more women are taking the 

responsibilities at home now. 8 

women out of 10 pay school 

fees of their children. So things 

are changing because the truth 

remains that more women are 

engaging themselves to be 

productive in order to help 

their families and society at 

large. 

Women also need to learn and 

build themselves, not just with 

regards to education but in 

business and finances. Women 

need to move out of their 

comfort zones to make sure 

they are more accomplished 

and prepare the future because 

it is well known that women 

live longer than men. So 

women need to know how to 

sustain themselves in 

retirement and old age. This 

they can do through various 

economic and entrepreneurial 

activities. 

ACT Foundation is focused 

on health as well as other 

things. So what do you want 

to achieve in the area of 

health? 

We are looking at maternal 

health and nutrition, breast, 

cervical and prostrate cancers 

and we are also looking at 

malaria. And before choosing 

these areas, we conducted a 

thorough research to 

understand what is truly 

affecting and killing people. 

Malaria is the highest killer 

disease after HIV/AIDS, so it 

is imperative that we tackle this 

menace that is rapidly taking 

the lives of thousands of 

people. Maternal health is 

important because of the 

women and children involved. 

And so we want to ensure that 

the children in our continent 

are healthy individuals who 

will shape our world, which is 

why nutrition is key. As we go 

along, things might change, 

but for now till the next five 

Continues on pg 35

Leave Lagos out of it! 

Last week, Ondo state governor 

Rotimi Akeredolu called on 

investors to invest in his state, 

touting the Southwestern state as an 

investors’ destination superior to 

Lagos. 

You can call him delusional; others 

call him ambitious and they would be 

right. The veracity or otherwise of his 

submission that his State can become 

the hub of economic activities in 

Nigeria is clearly subjective at best. But 

he comes with hard facts. 

He cites a Nigerian Police Force and 

Department of Security Services (DSS) 

report that places Ondo state at number 

3 in terms of security in Nigeria as well 

as the state’s proximity to Lagos, Delta 

and other strategic parts of the country. 

He also cites verifiable facts, such as 

the one that Ondo sustained free 

education for the entire Western region 

in the 60s with its cocoa production. 

He boasts of natural resources such as 

bitumen, good soil and an agreeable 

climate. In short, he demonstrates his 

total and unshaken faith in his state, 

as every good executive should do. 

Moreso, Akeredolu demonstrates a 

spirit that we have lost as a people- a 

healthy competition between the 

unitary entities that constitute the 

nation called Nigeria. It is a spirit that 

will necessarily foster development 

rather than disintegration. It is also a 

spirit that will ginger industry rather 

than direct energies towards anarchy 

and insurrection. 

This spirit is the very one that is 

missing in Nnamdi Kanu, his 

followers and his ill-fated quest for 

their own nation state. The natural 

spirit of healthy competition which 

he rightly claims to be present in the 

Igbo has, in a twist of irony, been 

Like Hitler, he 

seeks to portray the 

indegenous peoples 

of the South east as 

this pure breed of 

people whose stark 

purity has never and 

must never be 

diluted by cross 

breeding with the 

rest of the world, 

especially Yoruba 

and Hausa/ Fulani 

undermined by their unhealthy 

pronouncements, disjointed 

analogies, illogical philosophies 

and rash judgments. 

Of all the cards by which the 

leader of IPOB is playing his 

followers, the singular most 

dastardly yet seemingly effective 

one is the propagation of idea 

that people of South-eastern 

Nigeria are superior to the rest 

of their erstwhile compatriots; 

that they, alone know anything 

about industry or commerce ; that 

they are naturally wired to get the 

highest scores in national 

examinations and that, for the 

lofty reasons stated above, the 

rest of the country holds them in 

contempt and envy, and is 

determied to hold them down. 

Like Hitler, he seeks to portray 

the indegenous peoples of the 

South east as this pure breed of 

people whose stark purity has 

never and must never be diluted 

by cross breeding with the rest 

of the world, especially Yoruba 

and Hausa/ Fulani. It is a 

flattering narrative, one which 

necessarily seduces his air 

headed fans. 

It is also a faulty narrative . 

Beyond sounding pompous and 

self important, Kanu has been 

unable to propound any real -let 

alone profound - solutions to the 

very glaring needs confronting 

the South east as well as the rest 

of the nation. And because the 

IPOB founder has no regard for 

facts, he is unable to appreciate 

the contributions made by the 

people of the other geopolitical 

zones in the country to the 

collective. 

This is not surprising in the 

least, since he pays no mind to 

the background to several issues 

which he rashly and ignorantly 

pours petrol upon. The fire 

spreads rapidly and gets the 

desired results. He is glad. 


One of his most dangerous 

theories is that the “Igbo man” 

developed Lagos by his dexterity 

in commerce. On the contrary, the 

colonialists came and found Lagos 

an already thriving major city 

which was a veritable nerve center 

for commerce. It was also a vastly 

cosmopolitan city which boasted 

incredible diversity. Apart from the 

Edo, the Awori and Ilaje which 

constituted the indigenous 

population at the time, Tapa, Hausa 

and the Efik were already present 

there. 

In addition, the Portuguese, Saro 

and Brazilians were not only doing 

business in Lagos, they were living, 

building houses and settling down 

there. By the dawn of the twentieth 

century, while the rest of Nigeria 

dozed on, Lagos switched on her 

first street lights. 

Even in more modern times, 

Lagos remains the nation’s 

industrial hub and center of 

commerce. Not surprisingly, the 

coutry’s most important port is here, 

and is about to fade into irrelevance 

as residents groan under the 

pressure of being at the gateway 

through which the entire country 

gets its supplies. Two new ports 

are under construction in Ibeju 

Lekki and Badagry respectively. 

They have nothing to do with the 

Federal Government but are set to 

surpass Apapa port by every 

standard. In the worst of times 

Lagos continues to attract 

investment from everywhere 

because her arms remain wide open 

in welcome to visitors. Kanu and 

his followers should pursue this in 

earnest but healthy competition 

rather than whipping up a storm 

over some non existent advantage 

given to Lagos by the Federal 

Government. 

This is an age that is no respecter 

of location, and Nnamdi Kanu and 

his ilk will do well to brush up their 

history books, if they own any. 

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Why men are clamouring for 

women in leadership 


years or so, these are the areas we will 

be focusing on. 

Achievement and challenges... 

We only started last year, so what is 

key for us now is getting credible 

partners to work with. Nonetheless, so 

far we are getting people more 

enlightened about things we are 

passionate about. So we join the rest of 

the world in commemorating world 

observance days like Malaria day and 

world environment day, because we 

believe that we can make a difference in 

every single way. 

However, assessing the effects of 

various campaigns can’t be done 

immediately and can only be done after 

a period of time. 

Young girls in prostitution; some say 

unemployment, poverty are 

responsible, what is your take on that? 

It should be ill of me to start 

apportioning blame. When we are 

talking about prostitution, we have to be 

very careful. My perception is that you 

are talking about adult, people that have 

decided that is the work they want to do. 

That is a different ball game. Because 

when you are talking about children in 

prostitution, it is a different ball game 

because most of those girls you see on 

the streets probably have someone 

who is sending them out there. 

So when we are talking about issues 

that deal with communities, there is 

usually an underlying factor, so if I’m 

speaking to this situation at the surface 

I don’t feel I have done justice to the 

issue. I believe there are people who 

are competent in this area that can deal 

with the issue holistically. This is not 

my core area. 

In areas where religion and culture 

are preventing female children from 

building formidable careers, what is 

your advice? 

Our religion is important, culture 

also is important because these are the 

things that make us who we are. There 

are things that are fundamentally for 

men and things fundamentally for 

women. However, we must draw a 

balance. Most of the people promoting 

these things have female children, are 

they going to throw them away? In 

old age who takes care of the aged 

ones? It’s the women. 

Nonetheless, it is important we 

develop our female children or allow 

them pursue their career which 

empowers them for the future. We 

need to begin placing more value on 

our children, because God gave them 

to us for a purpose and we should 

realise that and build 

them up. 

The world is 

changing, 

women are 

becoming 

empowered and 

pulling weights 

in various 

sectors all over 

the world and 

we must not 

confine because 

of culture or 

religion. So the 

bottom line is we 

parents should 

support our 

children to be 

better than us 

and achieve 

m o r e . 

Though it 

can’t be 

achieved overnight, it’s a gradual 

process. 

A good example is the Oni of Ife. 

I admire him and the way he 

presents his wife, giving her the 

platform and opportunity to 

express herself. He goes about his 

duties with her like he did in 

America, or when he mentioned 

her at the parliament. These things 

•Osayi Alile 

were not so in the past. 

How do you intent to 

position ACT 

Foundation in the next 

5 years? 

We are looking 

beyond Nigeria. We 

don’t want to 

measure 

ourselves 

on the 

platform of 

N G O s 

here, not 

because 

they are 

not doing 

well, but 

because 

like every 

o t h e r 

organization 

we are 

looking 

bigger and 

outward. 

And when 

looking at 

t h e 

strategy for 

o u r 

foundation 

we examined foundations that 

have been around for eons. We 

might start small but my mind is 

seeing something very great in 

the nearest future even if I’m not 

here, the foundation will be 

reckoned or recognized as one of 

the best in the areas of health, 

entrepreneurship, environment 

and leadership.


BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI 

After months and years of dithering 

procrastination, local council 

elections are set to hold in 20 Local 

Government Areas, LGAs and 37 Local 

Council Development Areas, LCDAs of 

Lagos State. 

1,300 candidates are contesting to be 

chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors 

in the 376 wards in the state. 

The last local government election was 

held in 2011. A total of 28 political parties 

participated in the election in which 5,000 

candidates contested for 57 chairmanship 

seats and 376 councillorship positions in 

the state. 

24 hours after the election which took 

place on October 22, 2011, protests 

erupted over alleged irregularities in the 

announcement of the results and mainly 

because the Lagos State Independent 

Electoral Commission, LASIEC at that 

time decided to centralise the results. 

The main show down at that time was 

between the Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP) and the then ruling Action Congress 

of Nigeria, ACN. 

The protest followed the announcement 

of results by a state-run television station 

contrary to LASIEC’s instructions 

warnings not to do so. 

The PDP rejected the outcome of the 

polls, alleging that they had been rigged 

to favour ACN. 

Though, ACN won most of the seats on 

offer, the PDP which had been favoured 

to win in its strongholds in Badagry and 

Lekki areas of the state strongly 

denounced the results which it claimed 

were doctored. 

After the term of office of those who were 

inaugurated ended, the then governor of 

the state inaugurated 57 Executive 

Secretaries, ES, to run the affairs of 57 

councils in the state following expiration 

of their statutory three-year tenure on 

October 18, 2014, of the elected chairmen 

The councils had since been run by 

the council managers before the 

appointment of Executive Secretaries. 

Between then and now the councils have 

been administered by unelected 

appointees of Fashola and subsequently, 

by those designated by his successor, Mr. 

Akinwunmi Ambode. 

The procrastination of the state 

government to organise the election 

compelled the National Conscience 

Party, NCP to drag the government to 

court and in October 2015, the Lagos 

High Court in Igbosere ordered that new 

elections be conducted in all the Local 

Government Areas of Lagos State within 

30 days. 

Unease as Lagos holds 

delayed polls today 

In the ruling, Justice Abdulfatai Lawal 

said: 

“I call upon the Lagos State 

Government to immediately implement 

the judgment of the court by dismantling 

all the illegal structures of local 

government caretaker committees. 

“I also call upon all state governments 

where the local governments are being 

manned by administrators to conduct 

elections immediately.” 

Indications that the state 

administration would obey the order did 

not show until May 2016 when the new 

governor began processes for the election 

to the councils following various 

developments considered as a prelude 

to the conduct of the polls. 

Among the measures was the assent 

by Ambode of the Local Government 

Administration Amendment 2016, bill 

into law. 

The councils had 

since been run by 

the council 

managers before the 

appointment of 

Executive 

Secretaries 

Police in Abia smash kidnap 

gang, gun down two suspects 

By Joseph Undu 

A 

four-man kidnap gang 

terrorizing Aba and its 

environs has been smashed by 

detectives attached to Omoba 

Division at Ovungwu, Isiala-Ngwa 

South Local Government of Area 

Abia State. 

The gang had on 18th July, 2017, 

in Osisioma Ngwa, abducted one 

Onyemaechi Mbamaonyeukwu 

Ijeoma, the Managing Director of 

Mba Hotels, Aba in his ash colour 

Nissan Infinity SUV with Reg. No. 

GWA 807 DH and 

held him hostage in 

an uncompleted 

building at 

U m u a j u j u 

Ovungwu, Isiala 

Ngwa South LGA 

while negotiating 

for ransom. 

Following a tip off, 

the detectives led by •Abia CP 

their Divisional 

Police Officer, swooped on the 

hoodlum’s den where the gang opened 

fire on sighting them. During a 

shootout, two of the kidnappers later 

identified as Nwadibia and Monday 

were gunned down while others 

escaped with bullet wounds. The victim 

was rescued unhurt and one of the 

detectives sustained some injuries. 

Items recovered include; the victim’s 

Nissan Infinity SUV, two (2) motorcycles 

and four (4) GSM phones. The injured 

detective was said to be responding to 

treatment while the victim has re-united 

with his family. 

Confirming the story, Abia 

state Commissioner of Police, 

Leye Oyebade said that a 

man-hunt for the fleeing 

members of the gang was in 

progress and urged members 

of the public to volunteer 

information to the police or any 

other security agency on 

anyone found with bullet 

wounds. 

One of the provisions of the new law 

was the increase in the tenure of council 

chairmen and councillors from three 

years to four years. 

The increase was believed to have 

flowed from the need to minimise the 

cost of organising the elections through 

reducing the frequency of the elections. 

Intrigues within the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC led to the 

dissolution of the caretaker committees 

inaugurated by Fashola and their 

replacement on June 13, 2016, by a new 

set of sole administrators. The move 

some claimed was to position trusted 

associates of the new administration in 

power ahead of the council polls which 

had been called by LASIEC. 

Chairman of LASIEC, Justice 

Ayotunde Philips, (Rted), said in line with 

its statutory responsibilities, the 

commission requested all the candidates 

whose names were submitted to it by the 

various political parties vying for elective 

offices in the forthcoming elections to 

appear before it for validation. 

The 12 political parties that presented 

chairmanship and councillor candidates 

for the election are: Accord (Accord ), 

Action Alliance ( AA ), Alliance for 

Democracy ( AD )All Progressives 

Congress ( APC ), Peoples Democratic 

Party ( PDP ), Labour Party ( LP ) and All 

Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA ). 

Others are United Democratic Party ( 

UDP ), United Progressive Party ( UPP ), 

Kowa Party ( KP ), National Action 

Council ( NAC ) and Peoples Democratic 

Movement ( PDM). 

Meantime, the participation of 

the NCP in the polls was as at press 

time still unsure given the party’s court 

case against LASIEC. The party had 

asked a Lagos High Court to stop the 

conduct of the elections on the claim 

that the commission refused to register 

its 77 candidates submitted to 

LASIEC. 

The party had initially dragged 

LASIEC to court for imposing 

administrative levies on the parties 

participating in the election. 

The LASIEC guidelines had 

stipulated N50, 000 for chairmanship 

form, a demand the party said was 

irregular. 

National General Secretary of the 

party, Comrade Ayodele Akele 

alleged that the guideline was part of 

a grand conspiracy by the APC 

LASIEC and the Judiciary to 

manipulate the electoral process in 

favour of the ruling party in the state. 

“We have been ostracized along 

with the millions of people that never 

met the conditions imposed by 

LASIEC. Unlike LASIEC, 

Independent National Election 

Commission, INEC forms are 

available online free of charge for 

party candidates to down load fill and 

submit with supporting documents. 

Why must INEC forms be free and 

LASIEC forms are not. Why must 

LASIEC case be different, where is the 

precedent. ?” 

He maintained it was completely 

illegal and undemocratic for LASIEC 

to charge a single kobo for any form 

for the election given what he claimed 

as Supreme Court rulings against the 

guidelines which were upon a lawsuit 

filed by the founder of NCP late Chief 

Gani Fawehinmi. 

The ruling APC has also had its 

own share of troubles as internal 

dissension over the conduct of the 

primaries led to a serious strife which 

even by Election Eve was still being 

managed. 

The potential damage on the ruling 

party has, however, been mitigated by 

the fact that the main opposition, 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP 

entered the contest as a divided house. 

LASIEC had taken candidates 

drawn from the Senator Ali Modu 

Sheriff led tendency which was last 

week delegitimized upon the ruling 

of the Supreme Court which identified 

the Ahmed Makarfi tendency. The 

Makarfi faction had shepherded its 

supporters and candidates towards 

Labour Party through an alliance 

between both parties. 

Enugu Police spokesman 

gets award 

The police public Relations Officer, Enugu state, Sp Ebere 

Amaraizu, recently, received the prestigious Nigeria Football Award of 

the Nigeria Pitch as Manager of the year 2016 for grass root football 

development and promotion. This was held at Uyo Akwa Ibom state 

immediately after the Nigeria Super eagles /South Africa clash. Pix 

shows the formal handing over ceremony of the Award by the Enugu state 

Commissioner of police, Danmallam Mohammed, to the Police Public 

Relations officer, Sp Ebere Amaraizu

SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, , 2017—37 

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 

When the dirty-oldman 

is the dad! 

EDWIN sat relaxed in his London flat. He was on 

a business trip and he’d arranged for his 

girlfriend to move in for the five days he would 

be around. With his thick-rimmed glasses and balding 

head, he wasn’t exactly God’s gift to women. But he has 

a fit body with sophisticated moves on the dance floor. “I 

can dance any of these young things off the floor if I feel 

like it,” he often boasts. When Toks, the girlfriend 

arrived, she served the meal she’d cooked for both of 

them from home. It was this cozy atmosphere that 

greeted Taofeek, Edwin’s son 

when he strolled into the 

flat. His jaw nearly hit the 

floor at the spectacle that 

greeted him—his respectable 

dad and his girlfriend of 

nine months having dinner 

together! 

I didn’t know there was 

anything between them even 

though I suspected that Dad 

fancied Toks” Taofeek said. 

“I’d brought her to the flat a 

few times when he was 

around, but on our last visit 

Dad tried to show off his 

dancing moves. It was as if 

his bum which was still pert 

had a life of its own 

wriggling provocatively in 

the tight blue jeans he’d 

been able to pour himself 

into. It was embarrassing to 

say the least, but Toks 

seemed to be impressed 

especially when Dad insisted 

we joined in. I declined 

leaving both of them on the 

dance floor. 

“When he called he would 

be arriving on this particular 

visit, we made arrangement 

to meet at his flat the next 

day as I had a meeting in 

the office that would run for 

hours. The meeting was 

postponed till the following 

day at the last minute and I 

decided to spend the 

evening with dad. I had a 

key to the flat and decided to 

just chill out waiting for him 

if he’d gone out. He scarcely 

allowed the grass to grow 

under his feet on his brief 

visits —a sort of break from 

my mum and siblings, and I 

often marvelled at how he 

was more of a friend than a 

Dad whenever he visited. I’d 

met a few of his girlfriends 

over the years. Some slept 

over and most of them outdid 

each other feeding him. 

But Toks? My own 

girlfriend? 

“Dad was mildly surprised 

when I showed up, but he 

quickly got his wits back. 

Toks didn’t say a word—it 

was as if the nights we 

spent together never 

happened. I was 

determined to embarrass 

the two of them for as 

long as I could. I had 

some of the supper they 

were having even 

though the food nearly 

stuck in my throat! Toks 

was obviously hoping to 

be seduced—or had she 

been seduced already? 

Instead of her usual T- 

Shirts and Jeans she 

flaunted herself in a 

fetching short skirt and 

low-cup top, her often 

pretty and fresh face 

now plastered in makeup. 

It was odd. Did she 

really need to go to such 

length to impress Dad 

who was more than 53? 

Toks was a mere 23! 

“After supper, Dad 

shamelessly put on the 

seduction techniques 

he’d used with his 

previous victims; like 

the sexy look he gave 

his preys, the haunting 

love songs he was now 

playing and I was really 

on edge. 

Then Toks went to the 

Kitchen to get some ice 

and Dad quickly followed. 

This lust must have bitten 

him real bad! I followed a 

few minutes later and 

caught both of them with 

their arms wrapped round 

one another. I 

coughed and they 

sprang apart. Toks 

stared at the floor, but 

Dad glared at me, 

eyes blazing. “What’ s 

going on Dad?,” I 

asked. “Tok’ s upset,” 

he said, “I was just 

comforting her.” He 

barged past, cool as a 

cucumber—certainly 

not as if I’d just 

caught him with my 

girlfriend. 

“ At this stage, I 

knew I had to leave. 

Dad is a very 

generous man, but 

dangerous to cross. 

There was no way I 

would jeopardize my 

relationship with him 

over a girl who had 

no qualms sleeping 

with 

father and son I was 

really sad that I had 

to experience such a 

betrayal. Even though 

Toks wasn’t the love 

of my life; she was my 

current girlfriend 

when Dad snatched her. To 

this day, we haven’t discussed 

Toks and I only ran into her 

once. In fairness to her, she 

never insulted my intelligence 

by trying to phone ‘to 

explain,’ and I didn’t bother 

flogging a dead horse 

either.... 

You need to 

let your 

spouse know 

you’re in the 

mood! 

Knowing your partner is 

in the mood for love, says 

an expert, can be as tricky 

as mind-reading or as easy 

as ABC, as long as you can 

crack the love-codes. Many 

couples who have been 

with one another a long 

time will use their own 

very personal signals to let 

each other know when 

‘tonight’s the night.’ Here 

are some of the signals 

experienced by a few 

couples: “When my wife 

strips down to nothing but 

her necklace, I know she’s 

feeling randy. If she takes 

her necklace off before bed, 

I know sex might be off as 

well.” “I wear the flimsy 

night dress he loves to see 

me in, and let him watch 

as I squirt perfume behind 

my ears and my knees. My 

husband takes his clothes 

off then wanders round 

singing. “I’m in the nude 

for love.” When my wife 

wears a dress zipped up 

front or back, I know my 

chances of hooking her are 

high. If she’s in jeans and 

sweater, it’s not 

promising.” 

“If my husband shaves at 

night instead of in the 

morning, I know he’s got 

his mind on fun and games 

at bed-time. In case I 

haven’t noticed, he 

sometimes takes my hand, 

places it on his cheek and 

says, “smooth as a baby’s 

bottom.” 

“If he leaves the landing 

light on when we go to 

He scarcely 

allowed the 

grass to grow 

under his feet on 

his brief visits — 

a sort of break 

from my mum 

and siblings, and 

I often marvelled 

at how he was 

more of a friend 

than a Dad 

whenever he 

visited 

bed, I know he’s in the 

mood because he likes to 

see what he’s doing. We 

don’t like to make love 

with the bright bed room 

light on? “She takes her 

shoes off and walks 

around barefoot on his 

toes. Then she sits near 

me and rests her feet on 

my knees, so I can 

massage them. That’s 

her signal. She’s ready 

and willing.” 

“When he suggests we 

take our night cap up to 

bed after a good dinner, 

I know what’s coming.” 

“When I get home from 

work: and notice the 

lights in the sitting room 

are dimmed and the 

curtains 

closed, I know my 

wife’s setting the scene 

for sex. She’ll have 

prepared a meal we can 

eat with our fingers, 

have a bottle of wine 

chilled and the kids out 

of harm’s way….”

38—Vanguard, SATURDAY, JULY 22, 2017 

Twitter: @yetundearebi 

yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk 

08054700825 

Yetunde Arebi 

Acouple of weeks ago, I published the 

story of a lady who eventually married 

her rapist. Ucharia described her 

husband as a serial rapist whose infamous 

escapades dated back to his secondary school 

days which even earned him a nickname 

among those in the know. A former banker 

too, she met her husband on her first day at 

work when he confirmed that he knew her in 

his neighbourhood. They instantly struck a 

friendship and he offered her rides to and from 

the office. It was on one of these rides that he 

raped her at his cousin's place. He 

subsequently proposed marriage which she 

accepted. Unfortunately, his new status was 

not enough to correct his perversion for 

masochistic sex. Story of another rape incident 

of yet another junior colleague forced Ucharia 

to walk out of her marriage and eventually, 

her banking career. Interestingly, she described 

her ex-husband as a near perfect gentleman, a 

successful banker, loving father and 

dependable friend, but for this little 'snag'. 

It has been established that the enemy is 

closer home than many women imagine. Just 

as most abusers are known to their victims, 

most rapists prey on their friends, colleagues 

and neighbours, too. Our culture of silence 

makes it easier for them to get away with their 

dastardly acts. While the guilty walks away 

pumping the air with clenched fist, a satisfied 

smile of mission accomplished, the victim often 

retreats into a shell, covered with shame, a 

subdued spirit and an empty vacuum of hurt 

and pain too deep to reach. 

Ucharia's story prompted a couple of calls 

and mails from ladies who identified with her 

story and expressed desire to share their own 

experiences too, albeit, anonymously. The guys 

they called friends, raped them and they were 

unable to do anything about it. And though 

these women claim they had since moved on 

with their lives, their experiences remain 

unforgettable. 

Unfortunately, there were other readers who 

blamed Ucheria for what happened to her. In 

their view, she had no reason being in Jude's 

company all the time without being in an 

intimate relationship with him especially when 

she had been informed that he had a reputation 

with women. After all, can a dog and a lion be 

good friends? I intend to share their responses 

in subsequent editions. 

Let us assume that a successful and close but 

platonic relationship is most unlikely to 

flourish between two people of opposite sex. 

Or let us pretend that guys who come as friends 

and potential suitors before they turn to rapists, 

meant well initially. Why force them to have 

sex when they are not ready for it? Why put the 

cart before the horse if they meant well? 

Bose: 

It happened during my secondary school 

years, I was in class 111 at the time and I had 

a bosom friend called Agbeke. She was a nice 

and well behaved girl whom my parents loved 

almost as much as they love me. Then, I had a 

boyfriend called Tunde. Tunde was in Class V, 

and he was the Head Boy of our school. He 

had been pestering me to be his girl friend but 

I refused initially on the grounds that I was 

still a virgin and could get pregnant. This to 

me, meant that I would end up as a drop out 

and my parents would never forgive me 

because they always gave me anything I 

needed. 

After severe punishments in school, I agreed 

but on a platonic basis which he also agreed 

to. For about six months he made sure no senior 

ever beat or punish me, which I enjoyed. Then 

one day, he invited me to his house. I hesitated 

initially, but he promised not to try anything 

funny. To further ensure that he kept to his 

promise, I went there with my friend, Agbeke. 

When we got there we met him and his friend 

who was also our senior in School. They 

entertained us and we later relaxed in their 

company. Tunde then asked me to come 

upstairs with him to another room for some 

discussion. We were there discussing about our 

so called future when suddenly I heard my 

friend calling me and crying for help. I was 

afraid and decided to go and see what was 

happening to her but Tunde held unto my skirt, 

insisting that I should let her take care of 

herself. I started struggling with him, 

reminding him about his promise and that I 

had asked Agbeke to accompany me, so it was 

not fair that such a thing should befall her. 

Tunde suddenly went wild and pounced on me 

violently. That was how I lost my virginity. All 

my pleas fell on his deaf ears. He later 

apologised but the damage had already been 

done. On getting downstairs, I found my friend 

crying, she too had lost her virginity. It was 

only natural that she should blame me for what 

Putting the cart 

before the horse 

After severe 

punishments in 

school, I agreed but 

on a platonic basis 

which he also agreed 

to. For about six 

months he made sure 

no senior ever beat or 

punish me, which I 

enjoyed 

had happened to her. But who do I blame? 

Nine years later, I ran into Tunde during a 

festival back in our home town. We stared at 

each other for some time, then he greeted and 

I replied. The memory of my experience in his 

hands many years back flashed before my eyes 

immediately. I felt ashamed and walked away 

as he called after me. The following morning, 

Tunde came to our house with his cousin to 

plead and apologised. Although he showed 

signs of remorse, I couldn’t bear his presence. 

He proposed to me, disclosing that the incident 

of that fateful day never left his conscience and 

that he'd been truly sorry and looking forward 

to an opportunity of a chance meeting with 

It is a major achievement that Nigerian 

women now have a forum where they can 

discuss personal and private issues like 

self-love, self-esteem and sex in marriage. 

The programme titled, “The Sexually 

Confidence Woman” conference, was initiated 

as a platform to engage, motivate and 

encourage women on their sexuality. 

Speaking at the second edition of the 

programme, convener, Tope Mark-Odigie, 

said her vision is to help restore and develop 

self-love, improve self-esteem and confidence 

in women and as well help women form the 

habit of appreciating their body structure 

without feeling inferior at any point in time. 

“What we want to achieve in this edition 

tagged self-love Is to make women understand 

that there is no ideal body size, no ideal body 

shape, no ideal face and as well no perfect 

body. Whatever body structure, colour God gave 

you, make the best out of it and make it last for 

you. 

According to Mark-Odigie, “every woman 

will not be thin, so appreciate whatever you 

have and love it, that is the purpose of this 

programme. 

“Every women that attended this programme 

must have learnt how to appreciate and call 

herself beautiful. They will have known that 

they are unique. 

Narrating how the initiative was conceived, 

the Young entrepreneur and television 

presenter Tope Mark-Odigie said that due to 

being on TV, a lot women confide their private 

issues in her and she discovered that lack the 

of self-love is becoming an issue among them, 

most especially after giving birth some people’s 

body would lose shape, some will have stretchmarks 

and all that. While we already Have 

me, so that he could make amends. He 

reminded me that he was my first date with 

whom I lost my virginity. He said that back 

then, he did not know the importance of being 

a virgin but he now knows and being the first, 

he wanted to be the last also. His cousin also 

pleaded for him adding that we were now adults 

and mature and can iron out our differences. 

Though Tunde had become a medical doctor, 

all I could see was his cruelty when I needed 

his cooperation most. I did not consider the 

fact that I was also still single at 27 years then 

and turned him down. Besides, it would only 

damage what I had left with Agbeke, my 

childhood friend though she was already 

married with two children. Guys who rape their 

so called friends are nothing but selfish beasts. 

Juliet also had this to share: 

“I was raped, but I have come to terms with 

the fact that it was my fault. I had assumed 

that I was dealing with an enlightened, decent, 

well mannered and understanding guy. But I 

was proved wrong. Most guys are not worth 

being called friends. We met about a year 

before the incident at a youth programme. We 

were both presidents of our different clubs and 

had some other common interests, so it was 

only natural that we became friends. Then, he 

began asking me out which I promptly turned 

down because I was convinced the relationship 

would not work and we were too old to be 

fooling around. Then one day, after one of our 

club meetings, he invited me for dinner 

somewhere at Ogba. The hotel was very nice, 

he said it belonged to his friend. He informed 

me that he had a suite there, where he usually 

spent his weekends when he wanted to get 

away from his parents as he still lived at home. 

We were ushered into his suite, where we 

had our dinner and exchanged small talks. 

Then he requested for a bottle of stout and I 

protested because time was fast spent and we 

had to go to the office the next day. But he 

wouldn’t listen, and that was where the trouble 

started. He came over to sit by my side and 

kissed my check. He’d done that several times 

before so, I didn't initially think anything of 

it. He was my friend. But when he wouldn’t 

let me go, I tried to brush him off. I told him 

I would be angry if he didn’t hurry up with his 

drink, so we could leave. Then, the trouble 

began. He said he was sick of my 

stubbornness and called me a frigid, 

uncooperative and wicked girl. He said he 

had loved me since the first day he set his eyes 

on me, but all I had ever done in return was to 

ridicule him in the presence of his friends 

and colleagues. I didn’t understand what he 

was driving at, and I told him so, advising 

him to control himself, and demanded we 

left. But he refused, telling me that he had 

been patient for too long and that it was my 

turn to listen to him that night. He tried to 

cajole and entice me with promises about 

marriage, but I wouldn’t budge. I warned 

him that I would scream for help if he touched 

me again. Then he dared me, stressing that 

no one would listen or believe my story as we 

were in a hotel. He asked me why I had come 

this far with him if I did not want him too. We 

began shouting at each other, and then he 

slapped me hard across the face, threw me 

on the bed and pulled up my skirt. I struggled 

with him with all the strength I could muster 

up but he managed to overpower me. I wept 

through the ordeal as I couldn't believe that 

such a thing could happen to someone of my 

age in the hands of a friend. 

He began pleading with me afterwards, 

insisting he didn't know what got into him. 

He prostrated, and cried but I couldn’t care 

one bit. I locked myself in the bathroom and 

tried to scrub him off my body but I could not 

remove him from my mind and I could not 

forgive him also. I picked my bag and walked 

out of the room. I refused to join him in the 

car but walked the long distance to the bus 

stop, while he followed in his car, begging me 

to grow up. There were very few commuters 

and the time was close to 11.00pm. After a 

short while, I saw a bus heading towards Ikeja 

and jumped in. He was stunned. I guess he 

never thought that I could react in such a 

manner. That was the last time I set my eyes 

on my “good friend”. He came around to my 

house and office a couple of times, but I 

refused to attend to him. Later, he sent a note, 

saying that I was too stubborn for my own 

good, that after he had 'broken the barriers', I 

would be forced to go out with him. But he 

was wrong. My reaction was that since he 

had forcibly had his way, he should be content 

with that. 

Indeed!! Do have a wonderful weekend. 

Ever 

ery y woman needs self-love e to achie 

hieve e in life 

L-R: Kate henshaw, Mrs Moji Bakare (sterling bank) , Mrs Ifeyinwa Ighodalo ,Tope 

Mark-Odigie (convener of the event) With Aramide with lepascious Bose 

platforms like WINBIZ where women can 

gather and discuss business, we don’t have nonreligious 

events discussing women and their 

sexuality. 

I’m happy today that we now have a forum 

where women can now talk about self-love, 

sex in marriage and other issues relating to 

womanhood. This edition of Sexually 

Confidence Woman conference is to tell a 

woman that if she loves herself it will show in 

her business, her relationship with colleagues 

in the office, it would also show on the way she 

trains her children and in her relationship with 

her husband. Self-love is key to success in the 

home. So, I tag it, “Self-love, impact on your 

life from bedroom to boardroom”. A Woman 

must understand that if she doesn’t love herself, 

things would not workout for her. 

The second edition was powered by One 

Woman - Sterling Bank and other strong 

supporters like P&G, Quick Teller, techmall 

and many others. 

Our advise to women is love your self, accept 

who you are and boldly embrace your sexuality. 

Nobody would love you if you don’t love 

yourself”.


How I cope with 

my 98 children 

—Father Damian Adizie 

•The battles of a Catholic 

priest serving humanity 

By Sam Eyoboka 

FOUNDER/Spiritual Director of Catholic Adoration of the Holy Spirit and 

Favoured Children of the Orphanage of the Holy Spirit in Maryland- 

Egoro Amede, Ekpoma, Edo State, Reverend Father John Damian Adizie 

was born on February 3, 1975 in Aliko-Oboh in Imo State. He lost his father 

when he was in JSS 3 and his mother while in the seminary. Life was brutish 

without parents. At 20, he needed money to enrol for WAEC so he ventured 

into music and was able to register for GCE with the proceeds of his debut 

album. He made his papers and immediately proceeded to Carmelite Order, 

an Order of the Brothers of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary on Mount Carmel 

who took care of everything, sending him to Nairobi, Kenya where he did his 

theology. He was ordained at Immaculate Heart Parish in his home town in 

2004, the first Carmelite to be ordained there. They were many but he was the 

only one that survived so they gave him the option to choose the venue of his 

ordination. 

In appreciation of the divine intervention in his life after the demise of his 

parents, he entered into a covenant with God, that any orphan that comes his 

way is a favored child. He found a co-traveller in Ezinne Nneoma Charity 

Onuoha, co-founder/matron with whom he found the orphanage/ 

rehabilitation home. “That’s why I call the orphans here favored children. 

Because God favored me through the Carmelite Order, I said I’ll also 

favor other orphans. That’s what gave rise to the vision and immediately 

after my ordination, we started a Catholic Adoration of the Holy Spirit. 

And the first thing God told me was that the ministry would create resources. 

God gave me various options to choose from and I immediately opted for 

an orphanage. And He blessed it. The more the children are coming, 

He keeps taking care of them. Till now, our bank balance has never hit 

N100,000 but He always provides the means for projects and their 

feeding. We don’t have agencies funding us but on a daily basis, you 

see God providing for us. 

There was one inspiration that came early this year when the leaders 

started attacking us that we should close down the place. They 

announced that people should not be coming here for programs 

because they thought we were getting money from offering. There 

are two projects He gave us; one is the fishery you saw, another is 

baking that we have not fully executed. This year we went into radical 

farming because He knew that eventually when the offering money 

stops, it will not shake the home. So God already prepared our mind 

ahead of time. And I must tell you that these people are really trying. 

When did you decide to go into this 

ministry? 

Immediately after my ordination. While I 

was doing my theology in Kenya, I was 

equally doing a diploma in print journalism 

because I have passion for writing. As a 

seminarian, I was doing what other 

seminarians could not do because people 

like to hide their gifts, waiting until after 

ordination before they explode. For instance, 

I had a weekly radio program where I invited 

leaders from different religions in Kenya and 

we dialogued. When I came back to Nigeria, 

God inspired me to this ministry. So I chose 

the youths in the rural area. The vision is to 

see how we can empower the young people 

to develop these rural areas. It has not been 

easy. 

Why did you have to leave Imo state to 

come to an evil forest in Edo State? 

The ministry actually started at Nsukka 

after my ordination. Transfer brought me to 

Edo State. I have been posted to several 

places but Edo State is where we had the 

opportunity to acquire a permanent site. So 

we started here in 2006, about one and a 

half years after my ordination. We went 

through the elders to acquire this land and 

they supported us. We started at a smaller 

parish and people were coming in and the 

priest there was wondering about what was 

happening. I remember one day we were to 

hold an all night program and 

people gathered from different places, but 

he locked up the church and we were all 

stranded and confused. That was where the 

attack started and God showed us this place 

as an alternative venue because we have 

We have so many 

children on the streets, 

hawking and selling 

and nobody cares. 

These are the ones 

that will constitute a 

nuisance in the future. 

It’s not part of our 

culture to say let’s help 

these children or what 

can we do for these 

children? 

•Father Damian Adizie 

already 

gathered people and we cannot 

fail them. That was how the idea of this 

place came about. Our mother of faith 

helped us and we were able to acquire this 

land where we started from the scratch. It 

was an evil forest where villagers and 

women were not allowed to enter. Our 

mother of faith happened to be the first 

woman that entered it. 

And you started with how many 

orphans? 

We started with an orphanage. We 

announced it to the community, saying if 

there were stranded children or those who 

ought to be in school but were not or those 

without parents, they should be brought to 

us. And people started coming. As time 

went on, we got it registered under the 

Women Affairs and Corporate Affairs 

Commission, Abuja. We started with one 

orphan who we nicknamed as Senior 

Orphan. His name is Victor. He’s now a 

graduate. God does not give people a load 

they cannot carry. Today, we have about 98 

children. 

Are you working with the police and 

other agencies? 

Exactly. Some police officers have their 

children here. They didn’t drop any dime. 

We have so many children on the streets, 

hawking and selling and nobody cares. 

These are the ones that will constitute a 

nuisance in the future. It’s not part of our 

culture to say let’s help these children or 

what can we do for these children? 

How much assistance do you get for the 

upkeep of the 98 children? 

There are few. The most common 

assistance we get come in the form of 

foodstuffs, noodles, toiletries and fairly used 

clothings. People have been trying. We have 

a lot of tissues in our store, but nobody 

gives us cash. But there are some 

individuals...like last month a guy 

came here and celebrated his 

birthday and brought some food 

items. Before leaving, he 

dropped N100,000. It meant 

a lot. He does that every year. 

So few individuals like that 

do visit. The Austrailan 

Embassy, for instance, 

erected a hostel for us. There 

was a time, Total Oil made 

a donation of N200,000 to 

the home. Apart from such 

rare occasions, when it 

comes to daily running of 

the home, I will tell you 

that everything is by divine 

providence. Now we have 

to go into farming because 

I’m looking at the future. 

I’ve not taken time to 

calculate what it would 

cost on a daily or monthly 

basis. You do such 

calculations when you 

have money. We are living 

totally on divine 

providence. The need this 

month may not be the need 

next month. For instance, 

a child may not be sick and 

you will not have to spend 

anything on medication. 

Last year we had only five 

students in the university, 

but this year we have 12 

and 14 

seminarians. 

All these are 

needs. God 

tackles them 

as they arise. 

Do you 

know the 

parents of 

some of the 

children? 

Yes. Some of 

them. Like I said, 

there are some 

that were brought 

in by their grandparents 

who 

rarely visit but we 

•Visitors with Orphans 

know that they are 

there. We keep 

telling them the 

children will not 

remain here forever. 

We’ll train the ones 

w h o 

are ready to go to 

school to the highest level after which they 

will start to fend for themselves or 

incorporated back to the society. 

Do you have a program of reconciling 

them to their biological families? 

Yes. Those who don’t have biological 

families. We let those without biological 

parents to know that after training , they 

must acquire land in any part of Nigeria 

and establish themselves 

Have you started to give them out for 

adoption? 

We have not done that. Edo State is 

notorious for child trafficking and we don’t 

want our children to end up in wrong hands. 

Instead of giving them out and not knowing 

what becomes of them in the future, we 

decided to open schools for them: nursery, 

primary and secondary. Our interest is not 

to keep them here but make them useful. We 

have tried it, we sent them to homes to spend 

holidays and some didn’t like the idea. A 

child does not belong to one person; a child 

belongs to the community. You may accept 

the child, but has the community accepted 

Continues on pg 40


Senate and Buhari’s 

Anti Graft War 

BY CHUKS OKOCHA 

Some Nigerians are quick to 

jump into conclusion that the 

Senate, indeed the National 

Assembly is not supporting the anti 

corruption campaign of the 

President Muhammadu Buhari led 

Federal Government. In fact, the 

Attorney General of the Federation 

and Minister of Justice. Abubakar 

Malami once accused the National 

Assembly of not supportting the 

anti-corruption campaign of the 

present administration. 

But when the facts are crosschecked 

with what is on ground, and 

especially with what the Senate has 

done on anti corruption bills, it does 

not support the claim that the red 

chambers is sabotaging or not 

supporting the Federal Government 

crusade in tackling the monster 

called corruption. 

The 8th Senate under the 

leadership of Dr. Abubakar Bukola 

Saraki has, in many ways than one 

supported the Buhari 

administration’s quest to curtail 

corruption. Indeed, from 1999 till 

date, none of the sessions of the 

Senate has given support to a 

president like the present set of 

Senators has done, especially on 

issues of corruption and fixing of the 

ailing economy. 

One of such evidence to show that 

the Senate is indeed on the same 

page with President Buhari in the 

fight against corruption is last 

Wednesday’s passage of the Whistle 

Blowers Bill, which is seen as one of 

the potent bills aimed at curtailing 

and tackling corruption. 

The Bill, when signed into law, seeks 

to encourage and facilitate the 

disclosure of improper conduct by 

public officers and public bodies 

and was presented by the Committee 

on Judiciary, Human Rights and 

Legal Matters, chaired by Senator 

David Umaru, the member 

representing Niger East District in 

the 8th National Assembly. 

Otherwise known as “An Act to 

Protect Persons Making Disclosures 

for the Public Interest and Others 

from Reprisals, to Provide for the 

Matters Disclosed to be Properly 

Investigated and Dealt with and for 

other Purposes Related Therewith”, 

the Bill also seeks to ensure that 

persons who make disclosures and 

persons who may suffer reprisals in 

relation to such disclosures are 

protected under the law. The Bill also 

specifies who is qualified to make 

disclosure of improper conduct; the 

procedure for making disclosures; 

and the protection due to 

‘whistleblowers.’ 

Under the newly passed Bill, a 

person who makes a disclosure shall 

not be subject to victimization by 

his or her employers or by fellow 

employees. Additionally, a person 

who makes a disclosure has the 

right to take legal action if he or she 

is victimized, dismissed, suspended, 

declared redundant, transferred 

against his or her will, harassed or 

intimidated in any manner. 

Additionally, the bill makes it a 

criminal offence with jail terms of 

not less than five years without any 

option of fine for any government 

official to under-declare any 

proceed of crime to the relevant 

authorities. 

Speaking on the passage of the Bill, 

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar 

Bukola Saraki stated that: “The 

passage of this bill today is a 

landmark. This is a promise kept. 

Today, we have passed a landmark 

piece of legislation to fight 

corruption and protect patriotic 

Nigerians who are fighting 

corruption,” he said, “This Bill will 

protect the lives of those who risk 

themselves to expose corrupt 

practices in Nigeria.” 

Still on the senate’s active supprt to 

the Buhari administration in the 

fight against corruption. the red 

chamber passed the Proceeds of 

Crime Bill on June 4th this year. 

The bill is focused on recovering 

illegally acquired property through 

forfeiture, confiscation or civil 

recovery and provides the powers to 

seize, freeze, and restrain criminals 

from dealing with their property. 

The Senate Committee Chairman 

on Human Rights and Justice, 

Senator Umaru Dahiru 

commended the 8th senate for 

passage of this bill. He also 

described his colleagues as 

patriots. He described the 

Proceeds of Crime Bill as a necessary 

legislation to move the country’s 

anti-graft war forward. 

He said. “It is no news that the assets 

recovered from corrupt politicians 

in Nigeria cannot be accounted for. 

They are simply re-looted, thereby 

making a mess of the anticorruption 

war.”, arguing that with 

this new bill, it will be impossible 

for people to enjoy the proceeds of 

crimes as the law will hunt them till 

their arrest and prosecution. 

Another anti corruption bill passed 

by the Senate is the bill for mutual 

assistance in criminal matters 

between Nigeria and other foreign 

countries to facilitate the 

identification, tracing, freezing, 

restraining, recovery, forfeiture and 

confiscation of proceeds, property 

and other instrumentalities of 

crimes. 

The bill, sponsored by the executive 

arm, would provide a legal 

framework that would strengthen 

the fight against corruption, 

terrorism, economic and financial 

crimes, money laundering and other 

related offences. It would also 

facilitate the voluntary attendance 

of persons in the requesting state. It 

is also intended to effect the 

temporary transfer of persons in 

custody to assist in investigations or 

to appear as witnesses, facilitate 

obtaining and preserving of 

computer data, and providing any 

other assistance that is not contrary 

to the law of the requesting state. 

Before the eventual passage of this 

bill by the Senate, Senator David 

Umaru in his lead debate said that 

the passage of this bill was 

paramount to the anti-corruption 

drive of the government, as it seeks 

to eliminate territorial and 

jurisdictional constraints in the 

prosecution of cross border crimes. 

In his comment, the Senate 

President, Bukola Saraki, said the 

passage of the bill would restore the 

confidence of foreign investors in 

doing business in Nigeria. 

With the passage of the Whistle 

Blowers Act, the Senate has 

concluded work on three anticorruption 

Bills. In May 2017, it 

passed the Mutual Legal Assistance 

in Criminal Matters Bill, while in 

June 2017, it passed the Witness 

Protection Bill. 

The Bill to establish Special Anti- 

Corruption Courts has been sent to 

the Constitution Amendment 

Committee. The Proceeds of Crime 

Bill has been sent to the Senate Joint 

Committee on Anti-Corruption and 

Judiciary. 

•Okocha is Special Assistant to 

President of the Senate 

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 

•Orphanage of the Holy Spirit with Uncle Sam 

The battles of a Catholic priest 

serving humanity 


the child? What happens when you are gone? 

If it is in the western world, yes. There are so 

many things involved. So these are the things 

we consider. So this is a home for them. 

So when did you introduce the 

rehabilitation aspect? 

Rehabilitation came when we discovered 

that so many young people are unemployed 

and are depressed. Some of them are roaming 

the streets and people refer to them as mental 

people. I’ve been visiting prisons to celebrate 

with prisoners. One day somebody brought a 

case and after prayer, she was okay. There was 

another one, after prayers, he was not healed 

and we discovered that he needed follow up. 

In as much people believe that most of these 

mental cases are spiritual, there are still real 

cases of mental illness. We now had to partner 

with doctors and nurses and we set up a 

standard rehabilitation center which has been 

approved by relevant authorities. Some of 

them who were drug addicts, by the time you 

pull them out from their environment and put 

them here for a period of time, you see them 

renouncing those drugs or alcohol. We are running 

this alongside with the orphanage home and the 

Adoration Ministry. We have over 50 people there. If 

you enter this compound, you will not notice that you 

have people with mental illness here. I don’t know 

how God does it. He arrests them. No matter how 

violent they may have been. 

You don’t have a parish now? 

No! This ministry is my main apostolate. 

What are the major challenges you have? 

The misunderstanding has always been there from 

my fellow priests because they see it as something 

new and they feel I want to break out from the Catholic 

Church and the church is right to do that. The Bible 

says test every spirit, but in trying to test the spirit, they 

often end up testing God. So all these years we have 

tried to make them know we really mean good but 

for reasons best known to them, it has not been easy to 

convince them. They have written all kinds of petitions. 

There was a time they threatened to expel me from 

priesthood but I was ready to lose it. In a year, I got 

three to four transfers. I was transferred from Nsukka 

to Ekpoma, from Ekpoma back to Nsukka, from 

Nsukka to Enugu, from Enugu to 

Ibadan. I got four transfers in one 

particular year, and these were 

distractions to see whether I would 

change my mind. I was obeying. There 

was a stage where I was told to abandon 

all these things and go to Ibadan or be 

expelled and that the order was from 

Rome. 

As God would have it, our Superior 

General came from Rome and the first 

question he asked: if I had been obedient 

to all the processes imposed on me and 

they said yes. The man was surprised 

that a man you say is a rebel could do 

this. So he commanded them to allow 

me do my ministry and it was put in 

writing. And that is the highest authority. 

Immediately after the approval, those 

in Nigeria started saying stop and then 

I said no. Recently, they sent some 

delegates to come and warn community 

leaders, asking them why they should 

attend an all night programme? They 

just have this mind that if they stop the 

people from bringing their offering, the 

whole place will die a natural death. 

Some men of God believe that any 

ministry you are doing is all about 

money. So that’s the only challenge we 

have. How I wish people will just mind 

their business. We are not dragging 

anything with them. That is why we are 

in this village. 

Have you made an attempt to explain 

this vision to your bishop? 

Series of times. In fact the last one, I 

kept pleading with him but he said no. I 

brought a Monsignor here for a retreat 

and he so much believed in what we are 

doing and encouraged us. After the 

retreat, I took him to my lordship to 

introduce him, but my bishop 

misunderstood the whole thing. He said 

so now I am reporting him to people 

and want to show him that I have a 

Monsignor. He was now talking and 

talking. I don’t know when I said 

something that got him more angry. I 

said ‘My Lord remember this ministry 

was here before you were ordained 

bishop’. He felt insulted. He rang a bell 

and the receptionist came and he said the 

young priests should come and bundle me 

out of his office. This is a man I so much 

love, we were friends. I don’t know what 

he must have been told. He has never 

visited this place. There was a time he told 

me he sent three priests to inspect this place 

and they told him the place is nothing to 

write home about. I asked and found that 

nobody came and I told him the priests 

were lying and he said I was accusing him 

of telling lies. As God would have it, one of 

the priests he sent was passing and he 

called him and said ‘were you not among 

those I sent to visit the place,’ he said yes 

but the parish priest instructed them not to 

go. So the report they gave was what the 

parish priest gave. Instead of him to now 

stand as a shepherd, he said even at that, 

he has said what he had said and that I 

should leave his diocese. I knew that this 

man had made up his mind. He just sent 

those people to fulfil all righteousness. So 

that was the last day I visited his office 

because he said he did not want to see my 

face again. 

What advice do you have for Nigerians? 

A tree cannot make a forest. We can’t do 

it alone. We have made a statement and 

we want others to key into this. Let’s help 

the young people no matter where they 

are. This is not the only place where we 

have orphans or mental people. If you want 

to partner with this ministry, you are free 

to do so. We want to establish this vision in 

different parts of the state. We want to 

expand to greater heights. We have 

financial challenges. The greatest support 

we need is to empower these seminarians 

so that they will help us carry this vision to 

a greater height. We spend about 

N250,000 per seminarian and this has 

been increased recently to N280,000. After 

training them, I don’t think the burden will 

be much. We are looking at continuity and 

sustainability. After training these 

seminarians, they will be able to help run 

with the vision. Let’s channel resources into 

youth empowerment. Those are the major 

things we need to get the vision to spread.


Stories by Moses Nosike 

Lagos State government in collaboration with 

GTBank and other partners saw ability in Nigerian 

adult and children living with disabilities especially 

autism and so decided to provide awareness that could 

help their families and society harness their God-given 

potentials like any other Nigerians who can 

communicate normal. 

This awareness which was initiated by GTBank 7 years 

ago cut the attention of Lagos State government which 

didn’t hesitate to expand and participate on this 

awareness and other partners at least to bring relief to 

many families whose children are living with disabilities 

especially autism. 

The one week programme which attracted huge 

number of children diagnosed with autism had also 

medical experts, consultants from US and others who 

conducted the screenings and made necessary 

recommendations. 

Representative of the Lagos State government at the 

autism awareness in Lagos, Special Adviser on Social 

Development to His Excellency Governor Ambode, Mrs. 

Joyce Onafowokan, said, “actually what we have done 

was to identify, diagnose and tell parents where they can 

receive services. We also advised parents to find out what 

is wrong with the child so that steps can be taken for 

solution. 

I’m was amazed with the number of people who came 

from different places and all walks of lives because 

disability cut across social, economic leathers etc. I’m 

surprised with the turn out of people 

everyday through out the exercise. 

With this exercise, we have been able 

to ascertain some form of date of 

the affected children and know who 

has what. 

Even though is autism, people 

came with different disabilities and 

we couldn’t drive them away. For 

me it’s important because I had a 

mandate from His Excellency 

Governor Ambode to put the 

programme in place that would 

drive the need of these children and 

families”. 

In addition, Director, Patrick 

Speech & Languages Centre, Dr. 

Dotun Akande said that we’re proud 

that Lagos state has come into the 

programme and done a very big 

service. “ You can’t come in when 

you don’t know the origin. So, this 

Following its efforts in nation 

building and economic growth 

via research and capacity 

development, Lagos Business 

School’s First Bank Sustainability 

in collaboration with SUN business 

network, stakeholders in nutrition, 

public and private sectors together 

on ‘Nutrition: Everyone’s Business’. 

The programme which targeted 

‘scaling up nutrition’ for healthy 

living which empowers workforce 

according to experts and promotes 

economic growth. The convening 

was organized in collaboration with 

SBN and the Global Alliance for 

Improved Nutrition (GAIN). 

The SUN Business Network was 

launched by the United Nations 

World Food Programme and GAIN 

in 2012, to promote business 

engagement in the Scaling Up 

Nutrition (SUN) movement. It is a 

collaboration of corporate 

organizations and NGOs, with a 

defined focus to improve nutrition 

and address food security in their 

respective countries. In Nigeria, the 

SUN Business Network has over 45 

members including AACE Foods, 

Coca Cola Company Nigeria, 

Dansa Foods Processing Limited, 

Flour Mills of Nigeria, Honeywell 

Flour Mills Plc, Nigerian Breweries, 

Technoserve, UAC Foods Limited 

and Unilever Nigeria Plc. 

GAIN is an international 

organization that was launched at 

the United Nations in 2002, to 

address the issue of malnutrition 

globally. GAIN has helped 1.1 

billion people in developing 

countries access healthier foods 

through its alliances with 

governments, businesses and civil 

society. 

Addressing the audience at the 

event on ‘Improving Nutrition and 

L-R Dr Yewande Oshodi- Adolescent Psychiatrist & Senior Lecturer College of Medicine, 

Mrs Joyce Onafowokan- Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Social Development, 

Dr Adeola Fayemi Director International Center, Office of International Programs, Auburn 

University, Alabama, USA. 

Lagos, GTB, other 

thers s see ability 

in disabilities 

programme on autism was born 

out of the fact that therapy is the 

way out it; we have also seen 

families given different kinds of 

disabilities services and all that. 

That was what led to this 

collaboration in order to support 

some families dearly. When 

families tell us the challenges they 

are facing, we now find a way to 

support them because not 

everybody affected you can take to 

LBS, SUN business networ 

twork, , stak 

akeholder 

eholders s discover 

ver 

role of nutrition in production process 

Growing Business: Principles that 

Work, Head, Department of 

Entrepreneurship and Strategy, 

Lagos Business School, Prof. Chris 

Ogbechie said that a convening like 

this is essential to building 

businesses in Nigeria and indeed 

Africa. He stated that the game of 

nutrition cuts across all companies. 

He noted that Nigeria is the most 

populated nation in Africa and 

nutrition is essential for building 

human capacity, even as he 

enumerated 5 principles for 

building businesses that are also 

essential for building nutrition 

businesses, which are vested interest 

in the well-being of consumers, 

marketing expertise, quality 

management and food safety 

systems, ability to innovate and 

scale to reach more people 

Explaining further, “Ogbechie 

reiterated that affordability does not 

mean cheap, stating that it is possible 

to set standards even higher than 

what regulatory agencies set. He 

the centre. Lagos has done well 

because after GTB has gone back to 

its normal banking business for 

another year, Lagos can support 

mini collaboration so we can see 

those with the challenges on a 

quarterly basis. I believe with the 

way we are going now, there is hope 

for the victims”. 

In the same vein, Managing 

Director, Prefix Communications, 

Sade Okogwu, whose daughter 

suffered autism but was corrected 

Cross session of participants at the SUN business network in Lagos 

recently. 

pointed out that reliance on 

government alone is not 

sufficient, but rather, it is 

possible for businesses to solve 

social problems and yet have 

economic benefits to go with it”. 

Speaking on quality 

management and food safety 

systems, he explained that it is 

very important, especially in our 

Nigerian climate, for companies 

to set quality standards and 

enforce those standards without 

waiting for checks from the 

regulatory bodies, stating that 

it was also time to actively begin 

considering the necessity of 

recalls, where necessary. 

The program also served as a 

platform for SBN to present the 

3-5 Year Strategic Plan of the 

SUN Business Network. In 

attendance was the Global 

Coordinator, SUN Business 

Network, Jonathan Tench, and 

the Team Lead for the Network 

in Nigeria, Uduak Igbeka. 

after taken her to the US and 

necessary therapies administered 

on her, advised parents that after 

diagnosis, there is need for early 

intervention in order to minimise the 

effect of autism. “However, If you 

are able to catch it early, the child 

can do well in his potential. 

Again, parents should take 

advantage of every single 

information that is available. 

Research also enables parents help 

the child to certain level even though 

the therapies are expensive. Don’t 

cage them indoors”. 

Experts laud firm’s breakfast 

campaign 

The 

ongoing 

#BreakfastwithChivita100% 

campaign which has trended for 

months on influential social 

media platforms and enjoyed 

positioning on strategic out of 

home platforms, as well as a blitz 

of television advertisement on 

terrestrial and satellite channels, 

is a pointer to prepare a good 

communication campaign. With 

its key message of making 

breakfast complete 100% fruit 

juice gaining traction, the brand 

has through effective 

communication endeared itself to 

consumers by offering a highly 

attractive value proposition. 

According to a Brand 

Consultant with Wingplus 

Communication, Ikem Onyeka, 

brand campaign succeeds when 

the owner is able to persuade 

consumers on the benefits of the 

brand; hence it is not every time a 

brand achieves the objective of 

exciting the consumer in ways that 

ignite conversation. 

YEFA, , partner 

tners 

train emerging 

entrepreneurs 

Considering the place of 

logistic and supply chain 

management in developing 

countries of Africa and global 

competitiveness, Young 

Entrepreneurs Foundation of 

Africa (YEFA ), a not for profit 

Organization poised with 

vested interest in nurturing 

Africa’s innovative youths 

toward becoming 

entrepreneurs who can earn 

decent living despite their level 

of education, is set to present 

a 4 day training and 

empowerment workshop 

which aims at raising 21 st 

century entrepreneurs in 

logistics and supply chain 

business in Nigeria. 

The workshop tagged, 

“Emerging Entrepreneurs in 

Logistics Business” is billed 

for July 25-28 at Ikeja Local 

Government Council Hall will 

provide job opportunities in 

logistic sector. 

According to the President/ 

Founder, Yemi Richard, 

“franchisees will be set up for 

prospective trainees/members 

in logistics business even as 

the workshop provides 

opportunity to become 

commission agencies to world 

class logistics firms. There will 

be start-ups funds and grants 

for exceptional trainees/ 

members. 

JAN trains 690,000 entrepreneurs, 

tar 

arge 

gets additional 310,000 by y 2020 

Junior Achievement Nigeria, JAN, says it has so far trained 690,000 

entrepreneurs, reiterates commitment to train additional 331,000 to 

bring the number to 1million by 2020. About 50 participating students are 

expected to be trained in the next edition of the camp. 

Speaking, the Senior Programme Manager for JAN, AbiodunAdegbola 

at a press conference to herald the annual LEAD CAMP of the organization, 

said that JAN which operates in 29 cities across Nigeria, has trained 690,000 

entrepreneurs. This explains the feasibility and close reality of JAN’s curious 

drive to bring the total trained entrepreneurs to 1million in the next 3years, 

as it remains only 310 trainees complete the round. 

She went on, the camp is an avenue entrepreneurship programmes and 

mentorship are impacted in prospective entrepreneurs, where already 

empowered participants showcase their achievements through JAN. She 

said that the main focus of the camp is for the empowerment, development 

of youths particularly student so that they can be self-reliant. 

“The Chivita 100% breakfast 

campaign has ticked all the boxes 

for a good communication 

campaign. First, the brand puts 

forward an appealing and 

beneficial value proposition, and 

essentially enriched our idea of a 

healthy complete breakfast”. 

In addition, Biodun Balogun, a 

health nutrition expert said that 

as a nutritionist, my job involves 

offering dietary advices to people. 

In recent times, I have seen a 

noticeable trend in enquiries 

around the benefits of 100% fruit 

juice for breakfast. Many of my 

clients attribute their enquiries to 

the Chivita 100% breakfast 

communication campaign, 

which shows that the brand is 

doing a good job of owning the 

breakfast narrative.” 

“It is a good sign that more 

people are becoming conscious of 

what they consume and seeking 

complete breakfast beverage 

choices that offers great taste, 

quality nutrition and a healthy 

alternative”.


•Charles Udeogaranya 

By Chioma Gabriel, 

Editor Special Features 

Many Nigerians are of the view that 

the resolution of the PDP crisis in 

favour of the Senator Ahmed 

Makarfi has put your party on its 

toes. How do you think the 

development will affect the fortunes 

of your party ahead of the 2019 

general election? 

I have always been a firm believer 

in a genuine democracy and you 

cannot have a genuine democracy 

without a vibrant opposition. I belong 

to the new generation of democrats 

who do not see opposition as enemies 

but rather as collaborators in the 

pursuit of good governance and 

delivering common good to the 

people. 

As they say “a chain is only as strong 

as its weakest link”. Therefore, the 

quality of opposition determines the 

quality of your democracy, because 

it is the opposition that will help keep 

the ruling party’s attention fixed on 

delivering the dividends of democracy 

to the people. So, the resolution of 

the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 

crisis by the Supreme court in favour 

of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led 

Caretaker Committee is a welcome 

development for Nigerians; it is a 

confirmation that our Apex court is up 

to task in delivering sound 

judgements on political matters. 

For my party, the APC, the resolution 

of the crisis will give us the necessary 

drive to do more and give the best of 

governance to Nigerians. And with 

that, our chances of winning the 2019 

general elections become even 

brighter. 

How would you react to 

C 

M 

YK 

A younger Nigerian 

should be elected in 2019 

– Udeogaranya, APC Chieftain 

C 

speculations in some quarters that 

some APC members who were 

originally in the PDP are already 

nursing the intention of going back 

to PDP after the resolution of the 

crisis? 

Our country’s constitution allows 

freedom of association and so, every 

Nigerian is at will to associate with 

any political party of his/her choice. 

However, I wonder why someone in 

a ruling party should be nursing the 

intention of crossing over to the 

opposition party. 

But don’t you think that losing 

your members to the PDP might 

spell doom for your party in future 

elections taking into cognizance the 

The unity of 

Nigeria is not 

under threat 

because we never 

had genuine unity 

among the 

component 

sections of the 

country; and that is 

why we have not 

crystallised a 

common nationality 

for all Nigerians 

•Says resolution of PDP crisis good for Nigeria 

•Unity of Nigeria not under threat 

•It’s time for S’East to produce Nigeria’s President 

hief Charles Udo Udeogaranya, a chieftain of the All Progressives 

Congress , APC, and a former chairman, Lagos League of Political 

Parties in this encounter speaks on a range of national political issues and 

disagrees with the belief in some quarters that the resolution of PDP crisis by the 

Supreme Court will affect the performance of APC in the 2019 general elections. 

He also disagrees with restructuring, saying the unity of Nigeria is not under 

threat because Nigeria never had genuine unity among the component sections 

of the country. 

He posits the time for Igbo to produce the President is now as that would douse 

tension and agitations for Biafra republic. 

Excerpts of the encounter: 

fact that your party recently lost the 

Osun West senatorial by-election 

to the opposition party? 

The victory recorded by the PDP 

in the Osun West Senatorial byelection 

was as a result of a 

sympathy vote trend. The 

unfortunate and sudden demise of 

Late Adeleke who was the senator 

representing the Osun West 

senatorial zone made the electorate 

in that zone feel his younger 

brother should serve out his late 

brother’s tenure. They gave him a 

sympathy vote. The victory was not 

as a result of people crossing over 

to PDP. 

What is your take on the 

Executive-Legislature face-off, 

which has been portraying your 

party as one in opposition with 

itself? 

It is normal in a democracy. If you 

are following events in the U.S. 

Senate and Congress, it is almost a 

frequent occurrence and it is good 

because a legislative house that 

doesn’t query the executive’s moves 

is considered a dead house or a 

rubber stamp house. Remember 

there is this thing called separation 

of powers between the executive, 

legislature and judiciary. So, as 

expected, members of these arms of 

government sometimes will have 

issues that they may not entirely 

agree on. More so, you need to note 

that the lawmakers are not entirely 

members of one party and in this 

context, the APC. In fact, the 

leadership comes from across 

parties. 

So, my party is not in opposition 

with itself; rather, vibrant 

governance in a democracy is at play 

and Nigerians should congratulate 

us. I am happy that the Presidency 

has resolved to take the matter to 

the court for one final resolution. 

The agitation for the restructuring 

of the nation has resulted in the realignment 

of political forces along 

ethnic/regional lines. With the 

unity of the country obviously 

under threat, what immediate steps 

do you think should be taken to 

bring the situation under control 

& re-focus the country? 

The unity of Nigeria is not under 

threat because we never had 

genuine unity among the 

component sections of the country; 

and that is why we have not 

crystallised a common nationality 

for all Nigerians. Nigeria to many 

is a place to take their share instead 

of a place to give their proceeds. 

I have listened to various 

arguments for restructuring and 

my word to the agitators is this; the 

problem with Nigeria is not the 

system, it has to do with the 

operators of the system. Some are 

saying we should go back to the 

parliamentary system, but they 

simply forget that we have 

practised it before and it failed. 

Some say it is the military that suits 

us; but they seem to forget that we 

have had several of them and it 

wasn’t as welcome as it should be. 

Some are saying we should go back 

to regionalism, but we were in 

regions before and that also failed. 

So, the problem with Nigeria has 

nothing to do with restructuring the 

country but more to do with 

constitutional amendments. 

The restructuring agitation arises 

from the economic downturn the 

nation is going through as a result 

of the slump in crude oil prices. 

There is hunger in the land and 

there is anger and blame trade. 

The realignment of political forces 

along ethnic/regional lines in 

pursuit of economic progress is 

therefore a welcome development 

that will make Nigerians find 

strength in unity of purpose. If we 

can have that going on across the 

nation, then achieving national 

unity becomes easier as people 

would have seen through that 

process that there are strength and 

other good things in our diversity 

if we work together for common 

good. 

The South-East is known not to 



NDDC ‘s Scholarship scheme 

defrauded because it is in 

dollars – MD 

•Vows to prosecute fraudulent contractors 

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME 

Managing Director, Niger Delta 

Development Commission, Mr Nsima 

Ekere in this interview with selected journalists 

in Rivers state speaks on effort by the new 

board of the commission to change the narrative 

of NDDC as a corrupt institution. 

Excerpts: 

How has it been for the new board? 

Some of you have been in this commission 

much longer than I do . I am not coming to tell 

you what you don’t know. When we came in we 

saw that without disparaging the effort and 

contributions of past managements and boards, 

we will like to acknowledge their contributions 

in laying a solid foundation for the take off 

of the NDDC, we also saw that a whole lot needs 

to be done. I was stunned by the report of the 

Orosanye panel, another one was the report of 

the bureau service reforms that had looked at 

NDDC with a view to restructuring it. The 

conclusion of the report as presented to us was 

that whey they studied NDDC they found that 

virtually everything that could possibly be 

wrong with an organization was wrong with 

NDDC. Based on that we came up with a very 

ambitious and very articulated program we 

tagged four R strategy to make the place deliver 

efficiently for the good of the region and the 

country. We said we must first reform the 

governance system, the system must be properly 

reformed to deliver efficiently. We said we must 

restructure our balance sheet, because the 

NDDC balance sheet is over bloated, to ensure 

it is more meaningful. We have contingent 

liabilities in excess of 1.3 trillion naira. So there 

was need to reform the balance sheet to ensure 

the place runs efficiently. 

One step we have taken, is that the last 

management meeting approved cancellation 

of over 600 projects. We found that some of the 

contracts were not properly procured. Some 

of the contractors have not gone to site, some 

of the jobs are as late as 2002. Surprisingly, 

and sadly too some of the contractors have 

collected advance payment yet no work in site. 

So we terminated the contracts worth about 

100 billion naira . This is one step we have taken. 

The second phase will involve 

projects within zero to five 

percent completion . In this 

case some of the contractors 

have gone to site but have 

achieved very negligible 

work compared to what 

they were asked to do. We 

are going to look at these 

ones. Some of the 

contractors have also not gone to site 

for five to seven years. We are looking 

at all the situations. 

We must also restore the commission 

back to its core mandate. NDDC was 

set up for rapid socio economic and 

integrated development of the Niger 

Delta. We want to ensure that the projects 

we do achieve the core mandate of the 

commission. You will observe that 

some of the contracts were done to satisfy 

one interest or the other, which should 

not be. So we are going back to the 

master plan which is about ten years 

old yet not much has been achieved on 

this. A point I like to emphasis is that 

the NDDC master plan is not only for 

the NDDC. It spells out the programs 

and projects that should be pursued by 

all development stakeholders in the 

region, the state governments, 

international oil companies, IOCs, the 

local government councils, these are all 

centres of development. The master plan 

is to integrate the development efforts of 

the development centers. 

Some contractors had the mindset 

they were coming to defraud the 

region. How do you handle this? 

First, I acknowledge the effort of a 

former management of the 

commission. They came up with the 

policy of no payment of advance on 

projects to stop this fraud. It is good and 

it is also bad. On our part, we are 

determined to go after the contractors 

who got money and abandoned the 

projects. We are also going after the 

banks that issued the advance payment 

•Nsima 

Ekere 

guarantees . We have already recovered 

about 60 million already from the 

banks. We have a committee working 

on this. So we want to ensure all 

NDDC funds that are in the hands of 

these contractors are recovered and we 

are going to prosecute the contractors. 

We are working with the office of Mr 

President to prosecute the defaulting 

contractors. 

Let me also say that by the time we 

update the master plan, we will then have 

an integrated development plan for the 

region. It will eliminate stand alone 

project, duplication of projects. We will 

eliminate situation where state 

government, Ministry of Niger Delta 

and the NDDC will be handling one 

project. We had a project where a state 

government, NDDC and Ministry of 

Niger Delta had paid for the same job. 

Regular engagements with stakeholders 

will stop this in the future. 

There are fears that the NDDC has 

abandoned its overseas scholarship 

programme for post graduate students. 

What is the situation of things ? 

Let me say that NDDC does not have 

intention and will not abandon any of 

the students. We discovered a lot of 

discrepancies with the way the 

scholarships were administered. I don’t 

want to say fraud. The scholarships are 

for studies abroad. But you found that 

some of the people were still in Nigeria. 

There is a fixed amount paid for the 

scholarship. Some went to another 

university different from what we have 

in our record because it is cheaper. We 

get invoice on a student from one university 

whereas by our record the person is in 

another school. They even go for a different 

programme than what they got scholarship 

for. So these raised questions on the whole 

process. NDDC has areas in which we want 

to develop manpower. We have set up a 

committee in-house to resolve all these. We 

made the first release to some of the students 

recently. I sympathise with the case of the 

genuine students. A lot of people have 

abused the process because it is paid in 

foreign currencies. The assurance I want to 

give to all genuine students in the program 

is that they will certainly get their funds. It 

might take some time but they will be 

attended to. We seek their understanding. A 

lot of people have defrauded the NDDC 

scholarship scheme because it is paid in 

dollars. We regret the delay in releasing 

funds to the genuine students, the hardship 

they have gone through because of the delay 

. we are doing everything to resolve the 

problem and make disbursement. 

What is your board doing to engage 

idle youths at the gate of the commission 

begging for alms daily ? 

It is unfortunate. When we resumed we 

found out that there are groups of youths at 

the gate. We found some have even 

benefited from training programs by the 

commission and at the end of the exercise 

they got the starter packs and sold them. 

I think this is one of the larger problems of 

the region. We need to educate the mind 

sets of our youths so they can think of being 

productive . We will keep working on this. 

We are committed to working on a 

sustainable development program that will 

get our youths engaged. We will ensure that 

all our training programs provide 

sustainable economic development 

programs. We will want to train our youths 

in the right skills for the oil companies,. 

We have had training in catering, home 

management and other kind of ventures. 

Another thing is to provide direct support 

to small and medium scale business 

operations . We are going to work with the 

development partners and institutions to 

achieve this. There is something we 

discovered we must deliberately do. People 

are here to exploit hydro carbon and 

products that God has helped us with. This 

is a region that rain fails in nine months a 

year , The rain is not friendly, it is a rain 

forest, so we must come up with a very well 

articulated plan to attract investment to the 

region. We are working with our consultants 

on this. We want to see that the region 

attracts industries and other businesses. 

C 

M 

Y 

K 


be receptive of the APC and this is being 

waxed by the secessionist agitation in 

the zone. What are the chances of your 

party in the forthcoming Anambra State 

governorship election? 

It is unfortunate that south easterners 

have reservations about the APC. I can 

only hope that they see reasons and 

allow good reasoning to prevail by giving 

APC a chance. As it stands today, it is 

only the APC that can give Ndigbo the 

Presidency in 2019 as the main 

opposition party has ceded that position 

to the North. 

APC as a party is aware that Ndigbo 

has not tested the Presidency in the 30 

years of our democracy and 50 years 

since their return from Biafra. That 

Ndigbo must truly be reconciled into the 

Nigerian political space for justice and 

equity to reign is incontestable. So, I 

plead with my people to give APC a 

chance and also remember as Bob 

Marley sang in one of his songs, “Your 

best friend could be your worst enemy 

and your worst enemy, your best friend”. 

So, even if my people refuse to listen to 

this plea, I still have confidence that APC 

will nominate me as their presidential 

flag bearer in the 2019 presidential 

election as a bold step in healing the 

breaches of the past. 

What is your message to Nigerians at 

Resolution of PDP crisis 

good for Nigeria’ 

President Buhari had 

said he would have 

wished the presidency 

came to him when he 

was younger than he 

is now. In other words, 

the President 

underscores the need 

for youthfulness at the 

presidential level in 

delivering the kind of 

quality leadership that 

Nigerians are 

yearning for 

this stage of your campaign to 

lead the country to come 2019? 

My message is simple. The 

nation seems to be clamouring for 

a young president. If you seek the 

opinion of majority of Nigerians, 

President Muhamadu Buhari 

has given his best, but 

Nigerians are 

clamouring for more. 

President Buhari 

had said he would 

have wished the 

presidency came to 

him when he was 

younger than he is 

now. In other 

words, the 

President 

underscores the 

need for 

youthfulness at 

the presidential 

level in delivering 

the kind of quality leadership that 

•Udeogaranya 

Nigerians are yearning for. This is 

my personal interpretation and I am 

not trying to impose it on him. But 

my import from it is that a young 

Nigerian should take over the 

leadership of the country. 

I am 46 and this is the peak of all 

ages to offer the best of leadership 

in this generation. I have outlined 

eight new industrial cities that will 

diversify our economy and make 

crude oil a thing of the past. I am 

prepared to serve and create a better 

Nigeria for all Nigerians and ensure 

that Nigeria is on the path of 

sustainable development, which 

entails diversification of our 

economy, economic 

success impact on 

citizens, re-orientation 

of our citizenry, food 

security, enthronement 

of meritocracy, 

entrepreneurship 

education and youth 

empowerment. 

Do you believe the 

Igbo will succeed this 

time around ? 

The time for the Igbo 

to be president of 

Nigeria is now because 

it would douse the 

tension in the South 

East and calm all agitations for Biafra.

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017


By Jacob Ajom 

It was in one of those boring 

mornings of my early days in 

Lagos in 1986. I had just lost 

my job at the Nigerian National 

Supply Company, which was being 

wound up by the federal 

government under General Ibrahim 

Babangida. Hundreds were laid off 

and I was affected. That was how I 

lost my first ‘important job’. I was in 

Administration department of the 

company, so I saw it coming. I sent 

my family home as I could not 

imagine myself living in Lagos, 

jobless, with a family to carter for. 

I was lying on the bed, totally 

blank. I tried to think about survival 

but I could hardly grasp anything. 

Even my consciousness was 

incomprehensible. 

“Kpum kpum kpum”, sounded 

the knock on the door. Back to 

reality, I jumped out of bed. I 

opened the door and there he was, 

Eddie Bekom, the News Editor of 

the Patriot Newspapers (now 

defunct), an Ikeja-based tabloid. 

“Ah, Eddie, it’s you. Good 

morning. You look set for 

work. How kind of you to 

have come by.” I ushered 

him in. 

“Good morning Jacob,” 

he responded. Quickly, 

Eddie asked, “what are 

you doing?” as he 

walked in. I told him 

I was not doing 

anything but only 

thinking about 

where my 

breakfast would 

come. I expected 

sympathy. 

Instead, Eddie 

burst into laughter, 

which I thought was 

misplaced. 

“Look, my friend, 

go get yourself a bath 

and dress up. We are 

going out together.” 

“Where to?” I asked. 

“You and I are going out 

together. You must start 

something today. We have 

to go together to look for 

stories,” he said. 

“But I am not trained for your 

kind of job yet. How do you want 

me to go with you?” I asked. 

Eddie would take none of this as 

he insisted that I joined him. I did 

his wish and scampered out with 

him. 

He took me to the National 

Stadium, Lagos where we 

attended a press conference. After 

the conference he took me to the 

office, somewhere in Ikeja. When 

we got there, he wrote his story 

and read other stories brought to 

him by other reporters. I couldn’t 

fathom exactly what he was doing. 

It was not a big newspaper so 

there were few reporters. 

We continued that way. Every day 

we would go to the stadium, to the 

office and home. After about two 

or three days in the ‘job’ I asked 

Eddie, “how do you get your 

stories?” 

Again, he just laughed. “You will 

soon know how,” he responded, 

looking at me encouragingly. In 

my first week as a cub reporter, I 

slept in the cell and even taken to 

court. On about the third day on 

the job, a neighbour who was 

detained by the Police the previous 

night returned with news of a lady 

who cried the whole night in the 

Police cell. I asked what the story 

was all about. “The girl killed her 

Ghanaian boyfriend,” my friend 

said. After hearing his story, I 

exclaimed, “this is front page 

news”. I was excited and 

proceeded straight to the 

Ilasamaja Police post with the 

intention of hearing from the 

proverbial horse’s mouth. 

I got to the station. There were 

no hiccups as the men at the 

counter led me to the cell where 

the suspect was. 

This lady was a Ghanaian sex 

worker. She had a boyfriend. One 

EDDIE BEKOM: 

•Late Eddie Bekom 

on hospital bed 

From Isolo Police Station cell 

to Vanguard Newspapers 

•How Eddie Bekom influenced my career 

•Late Eddie Bekom 

day, the boy accused her of having 

an affair with another man. He 

called to ask her. They disagreed 

during the discussion and it 

resulted in a scuffle. She said the 

boy broke a bottle. It was a piece 

of the broken bottle that she used 

to cut her man in self defence. 

“Although he suffered some cuts, 

there was no serious problem. Two 

weeks later, the boy went to fetch 

water. He lifted a 50-litre jerry can 

of water and one of the scars 

developed in his hand from the 

wounds he sustained during the fight 

burst. The wound was infected by 

tetanus. This resulted in his death. 

The Police were called in and I was 

arrested and detained at the 

Ilasamaja Police post, while 

investigations continued.” 

I got my story. Excited, I made for 

the way out. The suspect called me 

back and this conversation ensued 

between us: 

Suspect: “Excuse me sir, when are 

you taking the case to court?” she 

asked, innocently. 

Me: “I have no business with the 

court”. 

Suspect: “Are you Emma’s (the 

deceased) brother?” 

Me: “No”. 

Suspect: “Then who are you?” 

Me: “I am a journalist,” I said 

proudly. 

Suspect: “Who is a journalist?” 

She asked. 

Me: “One who writes for a 

newspaper, for a publication”. 

Suddenly she began wailing and 

crying in a loud voice. “So I will 

appear in the Daily Times. Why me 

...” The cry attracted the attention of 

the superior Police officer on duty. 

He came out of his small office and 

asked what was going on in the cell 

and why the suspect was crying. 

They had allowed me thinking that 

I was related to them or a lawyer to 

defend the girl. 

The officers at the counter who 

led me in denied me. They told the 

O/C that they had caught a 

journalist who was interviewing a 

suspect in detention. The O/C was 

red in anger. He seized me by the 

collar of my shirt and demanded 

my ID Card. I brought out a piece 

of paper, with the heading, “TO 

WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” 

given me by my News Editor, 

Eddie Bekom. I was then 

whisked away to the 

Divisional Police 

Headquarters, Isolo. After a 

brief encounter with the DPO, I 

knew I was in for a big trouble. 

The Police dislike journalists 

and this man was ready to vent 

his spleen on me. “Who sent you 

to question the suspect. You want 

to do Police job? You want to be 

Dele Giwa eh? Where did you 

learn your journalism. And you 

think it is at the Police station you 

want to practice?” 

I kept quiet throughout the 

questioning. Suddenly I was taken 

behind the counter and asked to 

undress. I undressed to my pants 

and they herded me into the cell. 

A very kind Policewoman, an 

Inspector, helped me to call my 

office by phone and informed 

them that I was being detained at 

the Isolo Police Station. Not long 

afterwards Eddie arrived. He 

asked what happened and I 

relayed the whole story to him. He 

smiled and told me not to bother 

as he was going to Oduduwa, the 

Lagos State Police Headquarters 

to seek my release from there. 

Tried as he did, I spent the night 

in the crappy cell with hordes of 

hardened criminals. The following 

morning I was taken to court on two 

charges. 1. That I conducted myself 

in a manner likely to cause a breach 

of the peace at the Police Station and 

2. That I deceitfully told the Police 

that I was a relative of the detainee 

and therefore I should be jailed for 

committing such crimes against the 

state. 

The Magistrate lambasted the 

Police for detaining me as the 

offence, purportedly committed was 

not as severe as to warrant 

detention. To Eddie’s delight, I was 

granted bail. 

I went ahead and published my 

exclusive story. Indeed, the headline 

was a front page banner. That was 

my baptism of fire in journalism. As 

God would have it, the case was 

struck out in the second hearing and 

the Lagos State Commissioner of 

Police was asked to apologise to me 

for wrongful detention. My attorney 

asked if we should sue the Police. I 

told him I was not interested. That 

week, I told Eddie I would travel to 

the village. 

While in the village, my 

admission letter from the Nigerian 

Institute of Journalism got to my 

uncle in Lagos. I exclaimed, “God 

answers prayers!” This is because 

while in the cell, I prayed, “God, if 

you want me to be a journalist let 

me go to journalism school”. 

That was how I went for proper 

training. After just one week at 

school, I knew I fumbled at the 

Police station because I had no 

business revealing whom I was to 

the suspect. That was just a lesson. 

While at school, I continued writing 

and getting published, with the 

help of Eddie. I was already well 

grounded after I left school. 

After my studies, Eddie and I were 

employed by Sports Fortune 

Courier, which was the second all 

sports publication in Nigeria. Eddie 

was the editor while I was a reporter. 

Everything about the publication 

spun around the two of us – from 

news gathering to the final 

printed material. It was a weekly 

publication. On the day of 

printing we spent the night at 

Daily Times, our printers. We 

worked for some months and it 

folded up. We parted ways. In the 

late 90s, Eddie who was then with 

Satellite Newspapers, took me in 

again, this time as a freelancer. 

Eddie Bekom was my teacher, 

my mentor and godfather. My 

early introduction to the national 

stadium exposed me to a lot of 

other colleagues. Those were the 

early days of SWAN, when 

journalists wore branded ‘T’ shirts 

to press conferences, when a threeinch 

story in print was celebrated 

and when journalists worked 

without internet. He was a pioneer 

in many respects. 

Eddie Bekom was an industry on 

motion. He was everything an 

employer needed in a journalist. 

He was a linguist, as he spoke 

Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba fluently. 

Apart from those three major 

Nigerian languages, Eddie spoke 

Efik, Ibibio, Tiv, Obudu and 

numerous other dialects. Eddie 

could easily mix with any group. 

He took delight in bringing up 

younger people, as he said in his 

last interview, while on his dying 

bed, “I believe in sharing 

knowledge. It is not enough for 

you to know everything and your 

follower knows nothing.” 

He began his journalism career 

at the Chronicle, a publication of 

the Cross River State Newspaper 

Corporation. He quit Chronicle 

under hazy circumstances. He 

then moved to Lagos in the late 

1970s. In the second Republic 

Eddie worked as a Legislative 

Aide to a certain senator from the 

north. After the collapse of the 

second republic, Eddie returned 

to the press with numerous 

newspapers. 

Despite his brilliance and vast 

knowledge in the trade, Bekom 

was not lucky to work in a big 

publication, except for his stints 

with The Chronicle and Satellite 

Newspapers. Eddie’s biggest 

problem was his uncompromising 

nature. He did not know how to 

go and bow 

before ‘better 

placed’ 

colleagues he 

felt he was 

superior to. 

He wouldn’t 

want to be 

bossed by a less knowledgeable 

colleague. He must get what he 

wanted, on his own terms. 

Apart from print, Eddie later 

excelled in broadcasting. Initially, 

I feared he might not make it. 

Eddie, like his late father was a 

stammerer. Surprisingly, when he 

was behind the microphone, 

Eddie was as fluent and smooth 

as one could expect from a 

European. Eddie Bekom’s first 

experience with broadcasting was 

made possible by Emeka Odikpo 

at Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi. Emeka, 

now retired paired Eddie in their 

early morning sports programme. 

The two men, one veteran, the 

other a ‘beginner’ made the 

programme a must to radio 

listeners. 

His knowledge in sports 

reporting set him apart. Eddie 

was not a passionate everyday 

football reporter. His focus, in 

those early days of my association 

with him was on the so called 

“lesser sports”: Taekwondo(he 

held a belt I can’t remember the 

colour), martial arts generally, 

boxing, cricket, and so on. I 

remember, the first day he took me 

to a cricket match, I fell asleep in 

the very first inning. I could not 

understand why one man would 

hit a ball with a bat and three or 

more people would be pursuing 

to catch it. Today, I am proud to 

say through Eddie’s tutelage and 

prodding, I am one of the few 

Nigerian sports writers who know 

how to report cricket. 

Last Sunday, Eddie Bekom, a 

renowned journalist, broadcaster 

and Vice President, South-South, 

of the Sports Writers Association 

of Nigeria passed on. 

Until his death, Eddie was a staff 

of the Cross River State 

Broadcasting Corporation, 

(CRBC), Ikom. He was a senior 

editor at the station. Apart from 

covering sports, Eddie edited 

news and presented numerous 

other programmes. 

Eddie met his death after a 

mysterious fire incident in his 

home at the Cross River State 

Housing Estate, Ikom. It was a 

gas explosion from a neighbour’s 

kitchen. The fire caught up with 

Eddie’s wife in her own kitchen 

and the entire Bekom’s family 

who were home that evening were 

caught up in the inferno. No one 

could explain how a family of six 

got burnt to the extent that all the 

victims got second degree burns. 

They were rushed to a nearby 

hospital in Ikom where they were 

treated. Due to the seriousness of 

the fire, they were taken to Federal 

Medical Teaching Hospital, 

Abakaliki in neighbouring Ebonyi 

State. Bekom’s step daughter died 

two days after they were taken to 

the hospital. His wife followed two 

days after their daughter. 

When everyone thought Eddie and 

the remaining three patients would 

survive, the biggest shock came July 

16, when Eddie, who had granted 

an interview to a radio station 

debunking news of his death gave 

up the ghost. Their little daughter 

Divine is alive and responding to 

treatment. 

Adieu, Eddie B.

46 — SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017 

Eagles goalkeeper: 

We’ll work with what 

we have – Agu 

… Says Enyeama can come back if he's fit 

By Jacob Ajom 

Who steps into the shoes of Carl 

Ikeme, Nigeria’s ailing 

goalkeeper who was diagnosed of 

acute leukaemia recently. The news 

hit Super Eagles coach, Gernot 

Rohr, the Nigeria Football 

Federation and Nigerians generally 

so hard that there has been so much 

lamentation in the land. 

It was worse because the 

development took the technical crew 

by surprise. To date, nobody except, 

perhaps, Rohr alone knows who is 

the number one choice to replace 

Ikeme. 

A lot of names have been bantered 

in recent days. Some people have 

even gone to unearth long forgotten 

names like Dele Aiyenugba, who last 

kept for the national team in 2011. 

The former Super Eagles number 

one has been in Israel since 2009 and 

switched clubs last year to join 

Hapoel Ashkelon from fellow Israeli 

side Bnei Yehuda.. 

He kept last for the Eagles in an 

ill-fated 2012 AFCON qualifier 

against Guinea in Abuja. Nigeria 

needed a win to qualify for the 

tournament. After leading 2-1 at the 

Abuja National Stadium, Eagles 

defence capitulated and the 

Guineans equalised. “It was due to 

loss of concentration,” coach Siasia 

said after the match. But many 

Nigerians blamed the late goal on 

Aiyenugba. 

Not many would give Aiyenugba 

a chance for a return to the national 

team. 

Another option receiving a lot of 

mention is Vincent Enyeama, 

Nigeria’s best goalkeeper, after the 

days of the famous Peter Rufai, who 

retired after a bust up with former 

coach, Sunday Oliseh. The call for 

•Dalung 

BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA 

The Minister of Youths and Sports, 

Barr. Solomon Dalung yesterday 

in Abuja inaugurated the boards of 29 

sports federations. 

Addressing the elected board 

members at the National Stadium 

Abuja, Dalung charged them to take 

seriously the issue of sports 

development especially at the 

grassroots. 

the return of Enyeama has grown so 

loud that former Nigeria captain, 

Nwankwo Kanu has volunteered to 

intervene to ensure the Akwa Ibomborn 

safe hands returns. 

“Everybody has to get back to 

work, let us come together and beam 

our searchlight both within and 

outside our shores to get what we 

want and give Nigerians what they 

want,” national team goalkeepers 

trainer, Alloy Agu said in an 

interview with Saturday Vanguard 

Sports. 

“We are looking outside and 

within, you never can tell, because 

that was how we also discovered 

Ikeme. In the interim, we are 

going to work with what we 

have, we should be able to fill 

in the gap and we are looking 

outside , maybe we can get one or 

two we can also bring in.” 

Agu said among the local 

goalkeepers, they have been an 

encouraging number he could 

confidently put between the posts 

and go to sleep. “For now we 

have Ikechukwu Ezenwa, 

Daniel Akpeyi, Dele 

Alampasu has been in the 

team and we have other 

great ones who have been 

in the team; Afelukhai has 

been a national goalkeeper, 

we are looking at him, Dele 

Ajiboye too has been up and 

doing for the national team 

and for his club. We have 

a lot of them 

around to work 

with to make 

sure Nigeria 

does not have 

any problem 

in this area.” 

O n 

Vincent Enyeama, Alloy, a former 

Nigerian number one and one time 

captain said, “football is all about 

performance. It doesn’t matter how 

old you are it is all about 

performance. If you are on top of 

your game that means you will be 

relevant for your club and your 

national team. For Enyeama, his 

form is what is at stake and if he is on 

top of his game, of course, he is a 

Nigerian. But we are talking about 

performance 

not name. 

People have 

announced 

t h e i r 

retirements in 

the past 

a n d 

•Ezenwa 

He noted the importance of taking 

sports seriously saying apart from 

becoming a powerful instrument of 

international diplomacy, that it has 

become a veritable source of income. 

Dalung made a number of 

comments which if properly 

fashioned in his words; will add value 

to the administration of sports in the 

country. 

He reminded the boards especially 

the presidents to ensure that board 

meetings take place at least once in 

every quarter while the general 

assembly is to hold at least once every 

year. 

The minister also charged the new 

federations to begin to look inwards 

to find a way of formulating their own 

constitutions that will guide their 

internal activities. 

Meanwhile, the boards of the 

Gymnastics and Taekwondo 

federations were not inaugurated 

alongside the others despite the fact 

that the board members were present. 

Though there was no official reason 

•Ajiboye 

•Enyeama 

Dalung inaugurates 29 sports 

federation boards 

•Gymnastics, Taekwondo left out 

given by the minister for his action, 

Sports Vanguard gathered that the 

bye-elections which were earlier 

scheduled to hold could not be 

resolved. 

For the Taekwondo federation, the 

exercise was called off after the 

delegates failed to form the statutory 

quorum of at least 30 of the 50 members 

required. 

However, the case of the Gymnastics 

federation was a little bit more 

confounding. 

The South West representative Mrs. 

Moyo who had earlier insisted as 

having a re-run for the position of 

president after series of consultations 

accepted to be an ordinary board 

member. 

But curiously when everybody was 

thinking that it had been sorted out, 

unconfirmed reports said that the 

election had been cancelled because 

the Deputy Senate president, Ike 

Ekweremadu who had been part of the 

first election had kicked against his 

non involvement in the exercise. 

still came out of it. So, it’s all about 

decision making. If he is on top of 

his game, he is a Nigerian, who says 

he can’t come back? He has done 

well for Nigeria and served his 

country well, so there is nothing 

stopping him from playing for his 

country if he decides to. 

“If he is performing well and ready 

to come, then he is welcome. It is a 

decision he took and no one, except 

himself that can change that 

decision. 

“Another question is, ‘is he fit?’ We 

have to look at all those things. If he 

is not fit, then we can’t be talking 

about all this. Is he in pre-season with 

his club? If he is not fit he will be 

coming in to create problems for 

those who are coming in and those 

who have been in the team.” 

If Enyeama comes back, would he 

agree to play under a captain who is 

probably younger than him in the 

team? We posed the question to Agu. 

“That is all about decision making. 

That boils down to what you want to 

do for your nation. Nigeria comes 

first. You have to put Nigeria first 

before yourself. That shouldn’t be a 

problem if he decides to come back. 

If he has made a decision to play for 

Nigeria, captain or no captain won’t 

stop him. I was captain of the 

national team and at a point the 

captainship was taken away from 

me, but I continued keeping for the 

national team. It was not about me 

it was about Nigeria. You are talking 

about 180 million people you are 

representing. So they come first. 

Nigeria come first.” 

•Alampasu 

Nigeria 

Godfrey Oboabona has signed 

a one-year deal with Saudi 

Arabian heavyweights Al-Ahli 

Saudi FC. 

The centre-back moves to the 

Jeddah-based outfit on a oneyear 

deal - with the option of a 

one-year extension - after 

leaving Caykur Rizespor, the 

Saudi side confirmed on their 

•Akpeyi 

Oboabona joins Saudi 

Arabia's Al-Ahli FC 

•Oboabona 

international 

Rohr. 

He 

official Twitter handle. 

Oboabona had spent the 

last four years in Turkey 

after joining Rizespor in 

August 2013, but departed 

the club at the beginning 

of the month following the 

Black Sea Sparrowhawk's 

relegation, having come to 

the end of his contract. 

The 26-year-old was a 

key figure in the Nigeria 

side that won the Africa Cup 

of Nations under the late 

Stephen Keshi in 2013, but 

has lost his place in the 

Super Eagles in recent 

months, following the 

appointment of Gernot 

represented 

Sunshine Stars in the NPFL 

before departing for 

Europe in 2013 and was 

once forced to deny 

speculation that he'd 

criticised Arsene Wenger 

after being offered a trial 

at Arsenal.

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017 — 47 

Preseason: Lukaku, 

Rashford score as 

Man U defeat City 

Utaka 

seals France 

return 

Former Nigeria striker John Utaka 

has secured a return to French 

football after three seasons by sealing 

a move to National 2 side Sedan. 

Les Sangliers confirmed the move 

on their official Twitter handle on 

Tuesday, as the 35-year-old returns to 

Europe following a spell in Egypt. 

35-year-old Utaka hasn’t played in 

France since 2013, when he ended a 

two-year stay at Montpellier, where 

he was a Ligue 1 champion in 2012. 

Before that, he’d also spent time 

with Racing Club de Lens - where he 

scored 24 goals in 102 league games 

- and Stade Rennais. 

His form in Rennes prompted 

interest from Premier League side 

Portsmouth, and while he wasn’t 

prolific during his time in English 

football, he was part of Harry 

Redknapp’s FA Cup-winning side of 

2008. 

After leaving Montpellier, Utaka 

spent time with Sivasspor in Turkey 

before returning to Egypt, where he 

had been top scorer with Ismaily in 

the 1999-2000 season. 

He joins Sedan on a free transfer 

after his six-month contract at Aswan 

ended on June 30. 

Sedan, who were last in the French 

top flight in 2007, will hope that the 

arrival of the pacy wideman will help 

them ensure that their stay in the 

fourth tier - the newly branded 

National 2 - is brief. 

Mourinho predicts 

doom for Chelsea, 

Liverpool 

JOSE MOURINHO reck 

ons rivals Chelsea and Liverpool 

could struggle to compete 

for the title next season because 

they are back in Europe. 

The Manchester United boss 

believes the title race will be 

more balanced than last season 

because the Blues and Reds 

have to cope without the advantage 

of not being in Europe. 

Mourinho believes United 

can improve on their sixthplaced 

finish last time out and 

finish top of the pile. 

But with all of last season's top 

seven facing European commitments 

this time round, 

Mourinho believes this will 

have an affect on the race to 

see who is crowned champions. 

He said: "There is one thing, 

this season is going be a little 

more balanced because of the 

fact the top six are all in European 

competitions. 

"Not like last season, when 

Chelsea and Liverpool played 

all season one match per week, 

with all the others playing in 

Europeans competitions – especially 

us, playing in Europa 

League. 

"Next season, six teams, and 

also Everton, are going to play 

in Europe and that is going to 

create a new situation for Chelsea 

and Liverpool." 

Mourinho reckons the Blues 

had a big advantage last season 

because of their lesser 

workload. 

•Utaka 

He added: "I don't want to say it was 'key' 

because if I say that, I don't want to take credit 

from the credit that they (Chelsea) deserve. 

"But obviously, to play one match per week 

and one, two or three days off during the week, 

have no injuries or no accumulation, the same 

with Liverpool, I think obviously it helps. 

CAF increases Exco membership, 

prunes com.mittees 

The CAF Congress on 

Friday in Rabat, 

Morocco put a seal on a 

number of changes 

proposed at a two – day 

symposium on African 

Football and which the 

Executive Committee approved 

on Thursday. The 

symposium that took place 

Tuesday and Wednesday at 

the International 

Conference Centre in 

Skhirat, outside Rabat 

crystallized a plethora of 

ideas for the African game 

going forward, including a 

24 –nation Africa Cup of 

Nations finals, expansion of 

the youth competitions 

from the current 8 –team 

finals, moving the AFCON 

to June/July and a more 

inclusive CAF alive to, and 

abreast with, the dictates of 

new realities. 

On Friday, at the Extra- 

Ordinary General Assembly 

at the Sofitel Hotel and 

Resorts in Rabat, CAF 

President Ahmad called 

on the African football 

family to unite and 

approach the future with 

determination and conviction, 

and to afford CAF full 

support in “this vast project 

of change.” 

He also indicated that the 

new administration would 

always insist on global best 

practice in service, attitude 

and application, and in 

evaluating the preparedness 

of host nations for CAF 

championships. 

•Ahmad 

Mourinho 

•Rashford 

Lukaku 

Romelu Lukaku and Marcus 

Rashford found the net as 

Manchester United claimed a 2-0 win 

over Manchester City in Houston. 

The first ever Manchester derby 

played on foreign soil was an open 

affair devoid of any real chances, until 

£35million keeper Ederson went 

walkabout, and was ruthlessly 

punished by £75million hitman 

Lukaku. 

Less than two minutes later, United's 

lead was doubled, a clinical finish from 

Rashford - after being teed up by 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - making it three 

goals in as many games for the 

England forward. 

City tested David de Gea, with 

Raheem Sterling going close, but it was 

United who went closest to a third, with 

Lukaku smashing an effort off the 

crossbar. 

Edo lawmakers task Ewere on 

Insurance 

•Robben 

•Bacca 

Members of Edo State of House of 

Assembly are not too happy with 

the Roland Ewere - led technical crew of 

Bendel Insurance Football club of Benin 

who has been struggling and fighting 

hard to get the Edo Arsenal out of the 

Nigeria National League (NNL) for the 

past ten football seasons. 

In a chat with our reporter in Benin, 

some of the legislators expressed doubt 

in the abilities of technical team to give 

Insurance FC promotion to the elite 

•Gov 

Obaseki 

Pinnick appointed into 

CAF Emergency 

Committee 

The Confederation of African 

Football on Friday appointed 

Mr. Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of 

the Federation Royal Marocaine de 

Football, as its 3rd Vice President. 

Lekjaa, who is also Chairman of 

the CAF Finance Committee, joins 

Ghanaian Kwesi Nyantakyi and 

Omari Constant Selemani of DR 

Congo as President Ahmad’s 

deputies. 

At the same meeting on Friday, 

CAF composed its Emergency 

Committee, which has NFF 

President Amaju Pinnick as a 

member. Other members of the 

Emergency Committee are 

President Ahmad, Nyantakyi, 

Omari, Lekjaa, Souleman Hassan 

Waberi (CECAFA) and Musa Bility 

(WAFU A). 

league. 

According to honourable Lawani 

Damian chairman House 

Committee on information and 

appropriation, “I must commend the 

efforts of the Deputy Governor 

Comrade Philip Shaibu, for the 

support and commitment to the 

team, he has been the engine room 

of the team since the start of this 

league season. His presence in every 

home game is a big boost to the team, 

and all members of the State House 

of Assembly have imbibed the 

culture of going to the stadium to 

watch the team on every home 

match. 

“However, I want to say that I am 

not impressed with their away results 

because home wins alone cannot 

give them the ticket for promotion. 

Yes they are doing well and fighting 

hard to actualise the dream, so I want 

to encourage them to up their game 

each time they play away. They can 

do it. We want a situation where 

premier league games will be played 

here at the Samuel Ogbemudia 

Stadium”. 

Bayern battle Milan tonight 

The pre-season tournament clash between 

Bundesliga champions, Bayer Munich and top 

Italian side AC Milan will be transmitted to millions of 

Nigerian viewers by StarTimes on Saturday. 

Bayern and AC Milan met in the International 

Champions Cup last year and played out a 3-3 draw. 

Both sides are believed to be strong going forward with 

the likes of Silva and Columbian star Carlos Bacca 

poised to be a threat to the German champions, whilst 

Bayern can count on Arjen Robben, Robert 

Lewandowski and new man James Rodriguez. 

Bayern won their first pre-season friendly 9-1 against 

Erlangen-Bruck while Milan on the other hand lost 3-1 against 

Borussia Dortmund in the ICC opening game last Saturday. 

Similarly, in New York on the same day, Juventus will 

lock horns with Barcelona. Juventus fans only have to 

look back to last season for their team’s previous clash 

against Barcelona, the Bianconeri romped to a 3-0 

aggregate victory in an unforgettable Champions 

League quarter-final in April. 

Speaking on these coming International Champions 

Cup matches, Acting Brands and Marketing Director, 

StarTimes, Mr. Qasim Elegbede, said StarTimes remains 

committed to delivering quality sporting content to its 

subscribers.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 22, 2017 

CROSS WORD PUZZLE 

ACROSS 

1) President,Nigerian Medical 

Association (NMA), Prof. Mike - (7) 

5) LGA in Cross-River State (5) 

8)British Prime Minister ,Theresa - 

(3) 

9)Ondo state Capita.(5) 

10)Former Edo State 

Commissioner 

for Local Government & 

Chieftaincy Affairs,Mr.Tom_(5) 

12)Former Niger State Governor, 

Dr ~Musa_(5) 

15)Lagos State Commissioner for 

Health,Dr .Olajide_(5) 

17)Number(3) 

19)Minister of Environment, 

Alhaji Suleiman_(6) 

20)Traditional Ruler of Sokoto(6) 

22)Former Chai:rman,lndependent 

National Electoral Com.mission 

(INEC),Mr .Maurice_(3) 

24)lndian Currency(5) 

27)Real M:adrid Skipper ,Sergio_(5) 

30)Country in Asia(5) 

31)African Waterbuck(3) 

32)Director-General,Department of 

State Security Service(DSS), 

Mr • Lawal Musa_(5) 

33)Finish(3) 

34)Adamawa State Deputy 

Governor, 

Mr .Sa ’ ad_(5) 

35)EdO State Governor ,Godwin_(7) 

DOWN 

1)Super Eagles Vice Skipper, 

Ogenyi_(5) 

2)Former Rivers State Deputy 

Governor ,Engineer Tele_(5) 

3)Lagos State Capital(5) 

4)Ogun State Governor,lbikunle_(6) 

5)Mozambique ’ s President, 

Mr .Felipe_(5) 

6)Fragrance(5) 

7)Secretary-General,Nigerian 

Labour Congress(NLC), 

Mr .. Peter _(3,.4) 

13)lgbo Word for nChild”?(3) 

14)Trash(5) 

16)State in Nigeria known as ‘The 

Big Heart of the Nation”?(5) 

17)Director-General,National 

Agency for Food & Drugs 

Adm.inistration & Control 

(NA.FDAC),Mrs.Yetunde_(3) 

18)Cross-River State Deputy 

Governor ,Professor Ivara_(3) 

21)Chairperson,Federal Civil 

Service Commission(FCSC), 

Mrs.Joan_(3) 

23)lndonesian President, 

Mr .JOkO_(6) 

25)Colour(5) 

26)Sea DuCk(5) 

28)Rodent(5) 

SOLUTION ON PAGE 46 

Pre-season: Lukaku, 

Rashford score as Man 

U defeat City 

NPFL 

NPFL Fixtures for Sunday 23/07/17 

Akwa Utd vs Nasarawa Utd 4 pm 

Sunshine vs El Kanemi 4 pm 

Tornadoes vs Ab/Warriors 4 pm 

Ifeanyi Uba vs Gombe Utd 4 pm 

Lobi Stars vs Plateau Utd 4 pm 

Shooting vs Enyimba 4 pm 

Pillars vs Remo Stars 4 pm 

MFM vs Katsina Utd 4 pm 

ABS vs Rangers 4 pm 

Rivers Utd vs Wikki 4 pm 

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

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Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X). EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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