04032018 - DAPCHI SCHOOL GIRLS: Confusion over Boko haram negotiator

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PAGE 2— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
L-R: Education Secretary, Lagos Island L.G.E.A,
Mr Moshood Maiyegun; Education Secretary,
Lagos Mainland L.G.E.A, Mr Tajudeen Tijani; MD/
CEO FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, Mrs Hamda
Ambah; School Manager, Lagos Street African
Church Primary School, Mrs Mary Olufunke Ojo;
Head HR/ Admin, FSDH MB, Mrs Fola Wiltshire;
Vicar, African Church Salem, Ven. Moses
Makanjuola; and CFO, FSDH MB, Mr Wasiu Shafe, at
the handing over ceremony of the recently renovated
Lagos Street First African Church Nursery and Primary
School by FSDH Merchant Bank Limited.
From left: Mr. Atul Kashetry, President, Rotary
Club of Palmgroove Estate; Omo Oba Olumuyiwa
Sosanya, All Progressives Congress[APC] chieftain, representing
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Mrs. Olubunmi Popoola,
a beneficiary carrying Brainard, her baby; Senator Gbenga
Ashafa, sponsor, and Rotarian Wale Ogunbadejo, District
Governor, Rotary Club, Lagos State, and the beneficiary’s
children, during Ashafa’s Free Eye Surgery and Opening
Day programme held in conjunction with Rotary Club of
Palmgroove and Indo Eye Hospital, at Lagos Island General
Hospital, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez
Bumper package for traders
as Ugwuanyi re-launches
Empowerment Scheme
Governor
Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi’s
administration has
announced the second phase
of the Enugu State Traders
Empowerment Scheme with
an annual bumper package
of N120 million.
This marks a 100% increase
from the previous N60 million,
to assist the traders in the state
grow their various businesses
Briefing newsmen after the
meeting of the State Executive
Council, the Commissioner
for Commerce and Industry,
Barr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo,
explained that in the new
scheme, 200 genuine traders
will now win N10 million
every month as against N5
million for 100 traders in the
last scheme.
Barr. Ogbu-Nwobodo
stated that the state
government added 17 other
markets to the existing 37 to
ensure that the
empowerment scheme
reached every nook and
cranny of the state for more
winners to benefit.
According to him, “the first
phase of this all important
Enugu Traders
Empowerment Scheme was
all involving. Genuine
traders were present at the
events and participated fully.
No fraud was recorded. It
was so successful that only
genuine traders won. The
lessons we learnt from the
previous will be improved on
in this second phase to assist
more traders grow their
various businesses. The
council after reviewing the
exercise said that it must
continue because of its
positive impact on the
traders and the economy of
the state”.
Barr. Ogbu-Nwobodo
noted that few winners of the
scheme have not come to
collect their money and
advised traders to crosscheck
with the leaders of their
various markets to find out
if they won or not, adding that
the names of those who have
not claimed their money will
soon be made public in the
media.
NIHORT trains
farmers in Oyo
Ola Ajayi, Ibadan
IN its effort to boost food
production, the Nigeria
Institute of Horticulture,
NIHORT, in conjunction
with Projektlink Konsult, has
organised a three-day
capacity building training
for select farmers in Oyo
State.
The Value chain capacity
building training for select
farmers in Oyo State was
organinsed in order to
encourage farmers to work
harder for better productivity
as well as enlighten
participants on various uses
of plantain, banana and
tomatoes.
Dr Abayomi Afolayan, the
acting Executive Director,
NIHORT, encouraged
farmers on ways to boost their
incomes through the
planting of the crops.
During his presentation, Dr
Kunle Adepeju, a resource
person said, “what we are
trying to do is to reduce
hunger and improve
knowledge”.
According to him, due to
lack of adequate knowledge
on how to preserve the
perishable crops, farmers in
the country lose their farm
produce.
He added that the seminar
would help the
participants minimize waste
and also reduce overdependence
on tomatoes
from the North.
“We want to be self
sufficient in tomatoes. Many
companies are coming up to
buy the produce”.
The Commissioner for
Agriculture, Natural
Resources and Rural
Development, Mr Oyewole
Oyewumi said the
government would put all
machinery in motion to
empower farmers in the
state.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 3

PAGE 4— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
(L-R.) Dr.Muhammad Ali, Director-General of Complete Care
and Aid Foundation, Bar.Aisha Alkali Wakil,Founder of Complete
Care and Aid Foundation,Prince Lawal Shoyede, Country
Director/Co-Founder of Complete Care and Aid
Foundation, Dr.Tahiru Seidu HEO of Complete Care and Aid
Foundation, after their distribution of relief and food items to one of
the Community IDPs Centres in Maiduguri last week.
ADAMA
AMAWA: A: ATT
TTACK AFTER PEACE MEETING
BY UMAR YUSUF, YOLA
It was one of the deadliest
attacks since the lingering
farmers/herders feud
started in Adamawa State and
some parts of the North. It
remains a deadly attack
because of the personalities of
the victims and the number of
communities razed.
Kwamba people of about
five towns and villages would
not forget last Tuesday in a
hurry after suspected
herdsmen struck.
Kwamba is located in
Borrong District of Demsa
local government area of
Adamawa with 95% of the
inhabitants as peasant farmers
and fishermen owing to its
proximity to the River Benue.
As the predominantly
Christian communities were
finishing Residents of Sabon
their early morning devotion,
the herders struck from all
angles.
Pegi, Galanga, Gidan
Mission, Swera, Somdi and
Lamoro villages took to their
heels as the invaders arrived.
They took the villagers,
according to them, by surprise,
shooting sporadically and
setting houses ablaze and,
within hours, no fewer than 37
persons were killed. Notable
among the victims was a
former Commissioner for
Youths and Sports under the
administration of former
Governor Murtala Nyako,
Mr. Sam Zadok.
Zadok was, until his death,
the Publicity Secretary of
Adamawa State chapter of the
Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).
A youth leader in the area,
Mr. Paul Musa, said Zadok
was killed alongside six others
in the same car in Bare village,
some 15 kilometers to the scene
of the fight.
The slain commissioner was
very vocal during recent peace
From left:GM, Bounce News Nigeria, Goodluck Ikporo; Deputy
Editor, Onnaedo Okafor; one of the winners, Oladayo Adio, and Editor,
Ehizojie Okharedia, during the BounceAWOOF campaign held
in Lagos.
Killers s took us by y surprise, shot sporadically
adically, , set
houses ablaze —Survivors
Babcock University’s
President/Vice
Chancellor, Professor
Ademola Tayo, has called on
youths to shun thuggery.
He made this call while
declaring open the third
edition of the youth
empowerment programme
attended by 18 Secondary
Schools drawn from Ogun,
Lagos and Oyo states on
Tuesday.
Represented by the Deputy
Vice Chancellor,
Management Services,
Professor Sunday Owolabi,
he said the essence of the
programme was to bring to
the fore the missing values in
Nigerian youths.
He said the idea was also to
let them know that academic
success alone does not
translate to success in life.
According to him, success is
not free but earned, pointing
out that in everything they do,
they should understand that
there was always a prize to
pay for success.
According to him, Babcock
University was not only a
faith-based university but also
a place where there was zero
tolerance for cultism, drugs
and examination
misconduct.
Managing director/ chief
executive officer, Image
Doctors Services Group, Rev.
Funke Irabor, on her part
urged the students not to take
the success in the secondary
school lightly because it was
the foundation of success in
life.
Also, 500 level medical
student, Nwachukwu
Olusegun, and 400 level
student, Mercy Familusi,
gave firsthand experience
about the university to the
students.
Highlight of the event was
the presentation of prizes to
schools whose students
performed brilliantly well
process between herdsmen and
farmers put together by the
Committee on Herders/
Farmers Conflict headed by
Governor Dave Umahi of
Ebonyi State, when the warring
parties signed peace accord
and to lay down their arms.
The accord was not obeyed
as barely a week after it was
agreed, suspected herdsmen
invaded Gwamba in Borrong
District of Demsa LGA.
There were different versions
of the circumstances leading
to the death of Zadok and six
others in his vehicle. One report
had it that the former
Commissioner, along with his
entourage, was killed in an
ambush by herdsmen on their
way to the troubled
communities.
The version asserted that the
victims went there to defend
their territory when they met
their deaths.
Another account showed
that they were in the
communities to broker peace
and had even persuaded the
people to maintain the peace
VC calls on Nigerian youths to shun violence
WapTV and PEFTI
Film Institute hosted
over 70 students from the
Mass Communication
Department of the prestigious
Covenant University, Ota,
Ogun State, last Tuesday, for
a comprehensive educational
tour of their various facilities
in Ajao Estate, Lagos.
The tour took the students
and their lecturers to wapTV,
where they were shown the
station’s several multimillion
Naira studios and hitech
equipment; they also had
conversations with the
presenters. Two of the
students were interviewed on
TV during a live programme.
They also visited a location
where the new season of Papa
Ajasco Reloaded was being
during the question and
answer session. These were
Vinecrest College Iperu-
Remo, Classic Royal
Academy, Ikene and Jextoban
Secondary School, Ibafo, all
in Ogun State.
An SS3 student of
Babcock Academy, Abeokuta,
Favour Ogunji also received
a book, Abundance of
Heart, donated by the author,
Olusegun Nwachukwu for his
contribution during the
question and answer session.
Funfare as WapTV, PEFTI host
Covenant University students
recorded and met the stars,
spoke with the crew and a few
of them even participated as
actors in a few scenes.
According to Wale
Adenuga MFR, Chairman of
the group of companies, “We
have been entertaining and
training for decades and
during this time, a lot of
cumulative experience has
been gathered. Passing part
of this knowledge to the Mass
Communication students
from Covenant University
was a fun experience.
WapTV is a 24-hour Family
Entertainment Satellite TV
Channel available across
Nigeria and several parts of
Africa, Europe and Asia via
DStv Channel 262, StarTimes
Channel 116 among others.
and were ambushed while
returning to their base.
The military has,
meanwhile, arrested 17
suspects in connecting with the
attack.
Parading the suspects in Yola,
the Brigade Commander of the
23rd Armoured Brigade,
Yola, Brigadier General
Muhammad Bello, disclosed
that the suspects were arrested
by the troops of 101 Special
Force Battalion on Exercise
Ayem Akpatuma deployed to
Numan to quell the sectarian
crisis.
The Brigade Commander
disclosed that despite concrete
efforts to rescue the villages
from destruction, the herdsmen
set the villages ablaze before
the arrival of the troops.
The determined troops,
according to him, trailed the
fleeing herders and arrested six
By Naomi Uzor
The
Standards
Organisation of
Nigeria (SON) yesterday
said SON Act 2015 would
revamp ailing industries
while also creating an
enabling environment to
attract both local and foreign
direct investments into the
country.
The Director General,
SON, Osita Aboloma,
explained that with the
proper implementation of the
of them, even as they “showed
stiff resistance in an attempt to
arrest them as they engaged the
troops in cross fire leading to
the death of 10 of the attackers”.
“Assorted AK47 rifles, locally
made guns, rounds of
ammunition, bows and arrows
as well as cutlasses were
recovered from them”, Bello
said.
The attack has been greeted
by nationwide condemnation.
The Lutheran Church of
Christ of Nigeria, LCCN,
described it as unfortunate as it
happened barely five days after
a peace accord was signed
between the warring parties.
In a statement, Archbishop
Musa Panti Fillibus told
government to put-up
mechanism to halt the killings
in Adamawa and other parts of
the North.
Fillibus, who is also the
leader of the Lutheran Church
Worldwide, observed that no
religion preaches violence not
to talk of taking human life,
saying that perpetrators should
face the wrath of God.
Media Women
Forum Holds
Talk On Women
Participation In
Politics
Media Women Forum
is set to hold talks on
“Mobilizing Women for
Politics” to mark the
International Women’s Day.
The event will hold
10:00am on Thursday,
March 8, 2018, at WFM 91.7
Women Radio Station in
Arepo, Ogun State.
According to a press
statement issued in Lagos by
Janet Mba Afolabi, the
Convener, papers will be
presented by different guest
speakers with the aim of
encouraging more women to
actively participate in politics
because it is no longer only a
man’s game.
Expected guests at the event
include but will not be limited
to government officials,
senior media executives,
broadcasters, political
analysts, women leaders and
members of the public
Media Women Forum was
established to champion the
cause of women, motivate
women to be active agents of
change in their communities
and empower women to live
quality lives. It also provides
training programs for female
journalists within and outside
Nigeria. To achieve this,
Media Women Forum
encourages government and
individuals to take positive
actions on issues affecting
women. Media Women
Forum is largely made up of
female media executives who
hold decision making
positions and seasoned
broadcasters who anchor/
produce popular Radio and
TV shows
SON Act to Revamp Ailing Industries, Boost Local
Production
SON Act 2015, the business
community and industries
would grow, bringing about
massive job creation and
employment, while also
creating a market for
certified Made-in Nigeria
products globally.
The SON boss stated that
concerted efforts are been made
to bring back the industries that
hitherto dotted the landscape of
Lagos, Aba, Port-Harcourt,
Ibadan, Benin City, Kano, Kaduna
and other cities in Nigeria,
stressing that the standards body
is currently deploying the use of
standardisation and quality
assurance to boost Nigeria’s
industrialisation drive.
Aboloma who was
represented by the Director,
Inspectorate and Compliance,
SON, Engr. Bede Obayi, at
stakeholders’ sensitisation
programme on SON Act 2015
in Lagos, said the essence of Ease
of Doing Business initiative by
federal government is to drive
business and industrial growth
across the country, stating that
creating an enabling
environment would promote
steady growth and development.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 5
President Muhammadu Buhari, flanked by Managing Director, Nigerian Ports
Authority, NPA, Hadiza Usman, and members of the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers
Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), after meeting with the President at the
State House, Abuja on Friday. Photo; Sunday Aghaeze
L-R: Prof Pat Utomi (book reviewer) ; Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Papal
Nuncio to Trinidad & Tobago (author); Mr Peter Obi, Chairman of Occasion;
Archbishop Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos Diocese; Prof . Fr. Theresa
Okure; and Prof Fr Paulinus Odozor, at the launch of a book "One Faith, Many
Tongues: Managing Diversity in the Church in Nigeria" at the Resource House,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
DAPCHI SCHOOLGIRLS
GIRLS: : Confusion over ver Boko o Haram am negotiator
or
By Soni Daniel,
Northern Region Editor
As desperate search for
the Dapchi
schoolgirls, believed
to have been captured by
Boko Haram continued,
yesterday, two sets of people
with knowledge of how
terrorists operate, differed on
the claim by a self-acclaimed
female negotiator, Aisha
Wakil, that she had been
contacted by the terror group
on the girls.
An aid worker with an
international mission
working in the North-East,
who spoke with Sunday
Vanguard, said it was
plausible that the terrorists
had actually contacted Wakil
given the fact that “she is
respected by the group”.
A mediator, who is known
to have been part of the
negotiations for the release of
some of the Chibok girls,
however, dismissed Wakil’s
claim as attention-seeking.
The aid worker, who
declined to be quoted, said
Wakil remained a credible
source of contact with the
group.
According to her, the self—
acclaimed negotiator
appeared to have earned
Boko Haram’s confidence.
She said,” I believe that they
have made contact with her
because those who took the
girls are those who are
desperately looking for
credible persons to negotiate
the release of the girls in
exchange for cash, which they
desperately need to continue
to prosecute the war with
government.
“Over the years, the guys
must have run out of cash and
they picked the girls so as to
use them as bargaining chip
with government for cash”.
The mediator, credited with
being part of the negotiations
for the release of the two sets
of Chibok girls with the
Federal Government, in her
counter position, dismissed
Wakil’s claim as ‘attentionseeking’
and aimed at getting
government to recognise her
as one who could help find
the missing girls.
“I don’t think any Boko
Haram element from the
Abubakar Shekau faction or
the Benawi faction ever
called her about the
abduction and the location of
the victims. I would advise
that government just ignores
the woman,” the mediator
said.
Meanwhile, the Presidency,
yesterday, distanced itself
from the claim by Wakil,
saying only the military and
other security agencies could
respond to her statement.
Special Adviser on Media
to the President, Femi
Adesina, told one of our
correspondents that the
Presidency had no comment
to make on Wakil’s claim.
“It is clear therefore that the
Boko Haram insurgents are
really launching a new and
more ferocious phase of
offensive against civilians
and military with a view to
diminishing the gains
already made”.
The aid worker disclosed
further that the claim in
certain quarters that there
was a major disagreement
between the two factions of
the Boko Haram insurgents
was misplaced as the foot
soldiers loyal to Shekau and
Benawhi were working
together for their common
interests.
“It is true that while
Shekau is more interested in
fighting government to install
its form of government in
Nigeria, the other faction is
made up of people who want
pecuniary gains and are
ready to kidnap for ransom.
“This may explain why
kidnapping of young
schoolgirls has become
rampant in recent years.
She lamented that the
insurgents swooped on the
Dapchi Science College and
took the girls away in four
trucks without any challenge
from any security outfit.
“It is possible that the
insurgents and the girls are
still being holed up within
Nigerian territory since they
could not have crossed over
to any country in those trucks
within the few days,” the aid
worker said.
Wakil, aka Mama Boko
Haram, had, while saying she
had been contacted by the
Boko Haram faction holding
the Dapchi girls, on Friday,
said: “They were even the
ones that called me, and said
`Mama, we heard what you
have said’ and told me that
they were with the girls and
they were going to release
them’.
She had continued: “I
begged of them and said
please let this not be another
1,000-plus days of Chibok
girls, and they laughed and
said no. I asked them where I
can come and stay with them
(girls) for two days, but they
did not say anything.
“I can assure Nigerians
that so far they are with my
son Habib and his friends;
Habib is a nice guy, he is very
nice boy. He will not harm
them, he will not touch them,
and he will not kill them.
“He is going to listen to us,
and so far he indicated
interest that he loves peace.
And I love them for that and
believe what they said on this.
“They will definitely give us
the girls. All I am begging
Nigerians is to calm down,
be prayerful, everything will
be over in God grace” (sic).
In a related development,
insight into how aid workers
and soldiers were slaughtered
by rampaging Boko Haram
terrorists in the Internally
Displaced Persons Camp,
IDP, in Rahn, Borno State, was
given by the aid worker who
spoke to Sunday
Vanguard.
The official, who claimed
to have been in Borno at the
time of the attack, revealed
that over 120 Boko Haram
fighters overran the military
post in the town and killed
four soldiers and riot
policemen on duty, before
making away with their arms
and ammunition.
“Sadly, despite clearly
identifying themselves as aid
workers, the terrorists still
shot them dead in their
respective apartments”, she
said.
Also, yesterday, former
President Goodluck
Jonathan and erstwhile
governor of Kaduna State,
Senator Ahmed Makarfi,
condemned the spate of
killings in the country,
particularly the attack that
killed international aid
workers in Rann.
Jonathan, in a post on his
Facebook wall, called for
international co-operation in
the war against terrorism,
noting that an attack on the
aid workers is an attack on
all nations of the world.
“I condemn the killings of
members of staff of the
United Nations (UN) and
other humanitarian and aid
workers in Rann by Boko
Haram terrorists. My
thoughts and prayers are with
the UN and the families of
the victims as well as those
injured in the dastardly and
cowardly attack”, he said.
In a statement signed by his
spokesman, Mukhtar Sirajo,
Makarfi also offered his
condolences to the families of
victims of another bomb
explosion in Bumi Yadi and
Madagali on Saturday
stressing that until terrorists
are chased out of the nation,
the fight against insurgency
cannot be said to have been
won in the true sense of the
word.
The Nigeria Security and
PDP lies dangerous, Osun APC
warns
ALL Progressives Con
gress in Osun State has
warned “against what it described
as “dangerous lies of
the PDP, spread through the internet
about events in the state”.
“In this election year, the PDP
will get beyond itself in telling
outright lies to confuse, deceive
or mislead those who have
limited access to authentic information
in order to demonize
the state government and
attempt to win people’s sympathy”,
the party said.
In a press release from the
APC Directorate of Publicity,
Research and Strategy, and
signed by its Director, Kunle
Oyatomi, the party said that
whatever information put out
there in the social or regular
media by the PDP should be
regarded as a cocktail of distorted
information, outright
lies and disinformation materials,
should be taken with a
grain of salt.
The APC was particularly
peeved by stories inserted in the
depraved social media used by
2019: NIM to partner INEC on
voter sensitization
By Emmanuel Okogba
AHEAD of the 2019 gen
eral elections, a group
known as the National Intervention
Movement,NIM, or
the 3rd force, a non-partisan
body have concluded plans to
partner with INEC to sensitise
the public and c active citizens
in the country to help change
the political discourse by turning
them from just followers
to real active citizens who dictate
the agenda.
This was made known when
Anthony Kila, member of the
national committee and secretary
of south west zone, NIM
and Lagos state secretary of
the group, Babatunde Gbadamosi
spoke with journalists
in Lagos.
According to Kila, the group
will embark on a nationwide
operation of helping voters to
register through a helpdesk
aimed at informing people,
Civil Defence Corps NSCDC
equally reportedly deployed
hundreds of special forces
across schools in the North-
East to forestall more
kidnappings..
Commandant General of
the Corps, Abdullahi Gana
Muhammadu, disclosed this
in a statement signed by his
Media Assistant, DCC Soji
Alabi.
PDP trolls to the effect that only
about 100 people loyal to the
party were paid backlog of
pensioners’ entitlement, which
the government started disbursing
on Monday.
“But the truth”, according to
the APC, “is that 2006 people
have had disbursements totalling
N1.2 billion, either in gratuity
or contributory pension
and another N150 million has
again been approved during
the week for the same purpose.
And we confirm that the payments
were made without discrimination”.
“So for the PDP media of lies
and wickedly made-up stories
to diminish the impact of this
exercise on the fake news outlets,
is disgraceful, and unbecoming
of a party that seeks
political power in Osun”.
The APC said that ‘the marvelous
achievements of the Aregbesola-led
APC government,
even at a time of limited resources
on the home-stretch of
his tenure, will get the PDP into
desperation and resort to lies
and made-up stories from their
factories of lies.
providing information and
guidance to voters.
His words: “We are a group
that came together to identify,
support and promote programmes
and policies that
will lead to good governance
in Nigeria. We understand
that to do that we need to
get citizens that are empowered,
who are engaged to
make good governance
happen. In line with this,
part of what we are doing is
to help create awareness for
voter’s registration. There
are a lot of people who can
vote and should be voting
but are not voting partly because
they do not believe in
the system.
“So part of what NIM is
doing as our commitment is
to help eliminate the problem
they have in registering by providing
information which will
make it possible for voters to
believe in the system.

PAGE 6— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
reminiscences
NLC AT 40
Challenging OBJ's abuse of
power was my most difficult
time as labour leader
– Oshiomhole
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
A FORMER President of Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, and immediate past
governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole, in this interview, takes a look
at NLC in the past 40 years.
Since you left the Government House in
Edo State. How has it been?
is probably my fourth
retirement. I retired as a textile
Wonderful. This
worker, I retired as the General
Secretary of the National Union of Textile and
Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, then retired as
the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress,
and now as governor of Edo State. It is a real
opportunity to make up for what I call 16
years of not sleeping properly. Eight years of
NLC, very turbulent years, and another eight
years of not only governing Edo State, but
also fighting very vicious godfathers. To be
honest, I feel quite good.
But people around you do not believe that
you are resting. Some say you are busier now
more than when you were President of NLC
or even when you were governor of Edo.
Well, the difference is that a lot of people
come to seek my view on a couple of issues.
And you know, politics is where people come
to share their thoughts, and stories, rumours
and so on. But those are not demanding. It is
just socialising or sharing thoughts or ideas
with people. But I have maintained my touch,
my contacts strongly with the labour
movement.
Talking about labour movement, the NLC,
which you were one of the most celebrated
Presidents, is 40. Looking back from the time
you became actively involved and now, how
do you describe the NLC, first, on its impact
on workers and, second, on the Nigerian
state?
Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, the founding
President, laid a very solid foundation. I was
inspired by his style of leadership; vocal,
militant and displaying uncommon will
power. As a much younger union leader in
those days, I was in the Textile Union as Deputy
General Secretary when Sunmonu was
President. At the time NLC was inaugurated
in February 1978, I had left for Oxford because
I needed to further my education, equip myself
because I was determined to be in
trade union movement. It is good to
have courage, honesty and
commitment to a goal, but you also
need capacity to engage, you need to
be able to have the brain to articulate
quite convincingly the other side on
public policy, at the level of the
enterprise, at the level of the industry
and at the level of the economy. So, I
was in school then, but I was very
much concerned about what was
happening at home.
Sunmonu laid a solid foundation
which I believe successive leaders
have built on. There is no question
that labour has made a difference. But
first, we need to understand that NLC
is an umbrella organisation. It is not
a primary trade union. The primary
trade unions are the industrial unions
that cover workplace environment
like issues of salaries, allowances,
terms and conditions of service,
disciplinary issue, promotion issues.
But NLC deals with broad policy
issues, engages the state at various
levels. You are dealing with macroeconomic
issues, trade issues,
monetary policies, fiscal policies and
so on and how they impact
on the quality of life of
workers and working
families. I believe NLC has
made tremendous impact
in moderating negative
impact of bad policies,
even sometimes preventing government from
pursuing a policy that will undermine public
welfare and long time public interest. In the
life of NLC, it has been a story of cooperation
and contestation between successive
governments and successive leaders of the
NLC.
Some have argued that after the
generation of labour leaders during your
time, the NLC has lost its vibrancy and there
is now disconnect between labour leaders
and workers. What is your take?
My very good friend who is widely respected
within the labour movement , Sylvester Ejiofoh,
had always expressed this fear when I was
President of the NLC that we should have a
policy of creating an environment that will
indoctrinate younger union leaders so that they
imbibe certain values, traditions and,
subsequently, become ideologically clear
about the dos and dons, be familiar with the
history of the movement so that, overtime, as
they begin to grow from the cadre to becoming
leaders, they are already well grounded. And
he had tirelessly expressed his fears that if we
did not do that, we are going to, overtime,
have a crop of leaders who may not have
sufficient clarity about those issues that define
society and the place of labour in society. I
guess there may have been few cases where
people who have not been properly grounded
have found themselves becoming leaders at
the level of industrial unions. The mistake
most analysts make when they look at the NLC
is that they are looking at those elected
formally as NLC leaders like the President,
Deputy President and what you might call
members of the National Administrative
Council, NAC. But the truth is that these leaders
have to emerge from the unions and, because
NLC is mass driven, mass funded and a
democratic organisation, it is what the
majority of the affiliate union leaders want
that translates to what you might call NLC
policy. At that level, things can
become quite complicated. Most
commentators do not understand the
inner workings of congress. Yes, you
have the NLC President who seems
to have all the power, but the truth is
taht power does not reside with him.
The power resides with leaders of the
industrial unions.,They are the ones
who can remove the NLC President
and the entire leadership. The NLC
President is not in a position to
remove the leaders of industrial
unions. So, that is a very complex
relationship. It is unlike in
government where the President or
governor appoints members of his
cabinet (federal executive council),
they hold their offices at the mercy of
the President or, in the case of the
state, at the mercy of the governor.
For the NLC, it is the opposite. It is
the President who stays in office at
the mercy of the affiliate unions. So,
the character of NLC leadership will
always be an aggregate reflection of
the values of the leaders of the
industrial unions. However, this is not
to deny that the leadership can
inspire and influence the direction
I think the most
challenging one I faced
was when we tried to,
after series of
engagements on prices
and so on, Obasanjo
announced what he
called fuel consumption
tax and without
recourse to parliament
and character of the movement by working
hard to stamp his authority and influence the
style and help to influence what gets to be
discussed and what is played out. So, this is
not to certainly underestimate the influence
of the direct leadership of NLC.
Challenges
When people talk about the vibrancy of the
movement, of all the positions I have been
privileged to occupy, including the
governorship of Edo State, I think that my
days as President of NLC was easily the most
challenging . Because then I was obliged to
build consensus. I did not have instrument to
force anybody to fall in line and, given the
socio-geopolitical reality of Nigeria, to get
people across the premodial sentiments to
agree on a common policy and to go back to
their respective states and local governments
to drive those policies, particularly where it
has to do with mass action, was tasking. I also
found out that each time people invest that
trust in you by participating in a mass action
necessary to bend the hands of the government
of the day, particularly a very strong willed
President like Olusegun Obasanjo, each time
you succeed in moderating him or even
compelling him to abandon certain policies,
your responsibility tends to increase because
people now think that you can get everything
done, if only you want to do it. And yet to get
Nigerians to believe in your can be quite a
challenge, across religion, ethnicity, region and
so on.
I think the most challenging one I faced was
when we tried to, after series of engagements
on prices and so on, Obasanjo announced
what he called fuel consumption tax and
without recourse to parliament . In my view,
he illegally ordered the demolition of all the
toll gates across the country that were created
by an Act of parliament . He tried to be very
smart by making the tax something that is so
negligible, N1.50. Of course, we saw through
it that this is where leadership comes in. The
workers might say N1.50, does it worth our
trouble? And a good section of society will
say, N1.50, let him take it and let us avoid that
trouble. But at the level of the leadership, we
•Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole
sat down and said no, the issues here were
two. First, does the President have the power
to order the demolition of toll gates that were
a creation of the law? We were convinced that
he did not have such powers. That was abuse
of executive powers. Two, without an Act of
parliament, does a President have a right to
introduce a consumption tax on petroleum
products? It is not the issue of the amount.
Because at the heart of democracy, it is not
just about what you do or even your intention,
it is the process. It is actually a celebration of
procedures and parliament is what defines
democracy. Because whether you are under
dictatorship or under monarchy or so, the only
thing that can be absent is the parliament.
When parliament makes laws, those laws are
meant to be obeyed especially to the extent
that those laws are not in conflict with the
constitution of the country. So, when
parliament makes laws about toll gates, in
my view, the President did not have the power
to demolish them without recourse to
parliament to, first, repeal the Act. The second
issue was, does the President have the power
to impose taxes? Taxes have to be imposed or
levied by parliament. And if we allow him to
get away with it, not only do we create a
dangerous precedent, the President will begin
to exercise parliamentary powers which our
constitution does not invest on him.
Unfortunately at that time, we did not have a
viable opposition. Nigeria was almost a one
party state even though on paper, there were
other political parties. Somehow, consciously
or unconsciously, it became our responsibility
under my leadership of NLC to try to provide
not a political opposition, but the only
countervailing force that could moderate
President Obasanjo when he exceed what we
considered to be his powers as President. I
also remember that people often do not
appreciate this, when members of the then
National Assembly decided to appropriate
N5million and N2million to senators and
House of representatives respectively for
furniture allowance, the NLC under my
leadership challenged it. We got mass
popular support. I am happy that we were
able to explain it convincingly to the public
that it was not about the amount, although
N5 million at that time was a lot of money
because the minimum wage then was N5,
500. I believe if you now look back at the
first assembly, you will fnd out there is a
difference between what was going on then
and now in all facets of governance.
We have to engage, for example, the issue of
the right of the public to criticize their leaders
without endangering their lives. For instance,
with Chinwoke Mbadinuju as governor of
Anambra State, the NBA Chairman in
Onitsha and his wife, who was alleged to be
pregnant, were murdered in cold blood . It is
not for me to say who the suspects were or who
was responsible for the murder. But we were
convinced that lawyers could not boycott
courts, when they boycott court, dictators are
happier because whatever they do are not
challenged in court because the courts are shut.
So, NBA did not have the capacity, in our view,
to put up the kind of fight they ought to put

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 7
OH APC! A RULING PARTY IN CRISIS
As it was for PDP…
•How unbridled egocentrism pours faeces on the faces of party leaders
•Oyegun’s tenure elongation runs into legal hitch
•Buhari ... endorsed tenure elongation
•Tinubu ... elongation makes his
reconciliation job more difficult
•Oyegun ... escapes the heat this time
By Jide Ajani
WITH scornful disdain, they
threw their party constitu
tion out of the window.
Leaders of the the All Progressives
Congress, APC, last Tuesday, at its
National Executive Committee, NEC,
meeting, began its own march down
the valley of discontent, just as the
now vexed and vexatious leaders of
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, did
some four years ago, starting from
2014.
Again, just as then President
Goodluck Jonathan presided
over a NEC meeting of the
PDP where he disclosed that
beleaguered chairman of the
party, Bamaga Tukur, had resigned,
but that he did no
wrong, President Muhammadu
Buhari presided over
the APC NEC meeting where
it decided to elongate the crises
in the party by elongating
the tenure of John Odigie Oyegun-led
National Working
Committee, NWC. The tenure
was extended by one year
starting from June this year.
This was a NEC meeting that
did not enjoy the complement
of the presence of both Senate
President Bukola Saraki and
Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
Caucus after the caucus
Like a carefully orchestrated
coup, some right-wing leaders
of the party, who had held a
national caucus meting the
night before, did not as much
hint at such a move.
At the caucus meeting the previous
night, according to information made
available to Sunday Vanguard by usually
dependable Aso Rock insiders,
President Buhari was said to have
played the democrat by calling for
congresses which would then lead to
a national convention. That was in
the open.
However, another caucus after the
caucus held and repudiated the earlier
position, say, consensus, at the
earlier official meeting.
Sunday Vanguard
was made to understand
that some leaders
of the party, including
but not limited to
The flipped,
however, is that
the crises of
many shades
presently
rocking the
party may not
be about to
abate on
account of the
further
exacerbation of
an already
poisoned
environment
Transport Minister,
Rotimi Amaechi; Governor
Nasir el-Rufai of
Kaduna State; Arakunrin
Rotimi Akeredolu,
governor of Ondo
State; and Governor
Yahaya Bello of Kogi
State spearheaded the
move to extend the tenure
of the NWC.
Earlier schemes
Indeed, some scheming
that had been going
on behind the
scene saw a situation
where state chairmen
of the APC had endorsed
a two-year tenure
extension for the
Oyegun NWC. The
catch in their move was
self-preservatory as an
extension of the
NWC’s tenure would
automatically drill down an extension
for state chairmen too. That way, perquisites
and benefits derivable from
and which go along with the prosperity-generating
atmosphere of electioneering
would be theirs. That is just
one leg of it. The other leg would seek
to engender an entitlement mentality
which would see the NWC members
and state chairmen laying claims to
whatever success the APC is able to
muster at the 2019 general elections.
Both ways, the NWC and state chairmen
saw victory in the horizon.
Muddying the waters
The flipped, however, is that the crises
of many shades presently rocking
the party may not be about to abate
on account of the further exacerbation
of an already poisoned environment.
In fact, those who hailed President
Buhari’s appointment of the former
Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, to help reconcile warring
leaders of the party, saw in that move
the wisdom of the old.
Unfortunately, events immediately
after the appointment and
commenced,went of reconciliation
moves and events immediately before
the caucus meeting appear to be tending
towards pouring cold water on the
peace initiatives. Mind you, as at the
last conservative count, the APC has
ignominiously generated over more
than 27crises in its under three years
of taking over as the ruling party [See
box: APC CRISES, 2015 - 2017 (Dec)].
For instance, while Governor Nasir
el-Rufai of Kaduna State went on a
bulldozing mission, demolishing the
building of his opposition leader, Governor
Rochas Okorocha of Imo advanced
the cause of nepotism by saying
he would endorse his son-in-law
to take over from him as state governor.
NEC(k)-deep in crises
It was some of these built-up tension
that the NEC meeting was expected
to create an ambience of resolution
for and not create an environment
which would make others digin,
while some feel betrayed.
But as it turned out, even the NEC
meeting insinuated the party neckdeep
in crises.
When the motion for the tenure extension
was moved, no counter motion
was allowed despite the spirited
efforts of Governor Yari of Zamfara
State and the party’s Deputy National
Chairman (North), Senator Lawan
Shuaibu, to raise objection. As the
drama played out, President Buhari,
whose position was to be assailed by
that motion kept mum. Bola Tinubu,
whose job of reconciliation would appear
to be in jeopardy, also kept mum.
The elongation of the tenure only
seems to point to one fact: That a section
of the party leadership appears
to be comfortable with Oyegun and
the NWC and, therefore, did not want
to rock the boat. This appears reasonable.
Pursuing the line further,
some believe - and rightly so - that
going for a national convention before
a general election at the door comes
with dangerous possibilities that may
lead to unintended consequences
which may be too grave for the party.
But the undemocratic foundation that
has been laid by whimsically extend-
•Continues on Page 8

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
terms”.
Already, one Okere Uzochukwu, who
claims to be a member of the party in
Imo State and an aspirant to the chairmanship
seat in the state, feels the tenure
elongation would injure his aspiration.
OH APC! A RULING PARTY IN CRISIS
As it was for PDP…
•Continued from Page 7
ing the tenure, in the estimation of
right-thinking leaders of the party
would only seek to further polarise and
has actually further polarised the party
because the only signal it has sent out is
that the reconciliation may not really be
necessary since the party has rewarded
one side of the battle with tenure elongation.
Position of the law
Tenure elongation is not backed by APC
Constitution and 1999 Constitution.
Tenure extension would have required
an amendment to the party's constitution.
The much-quoted Article 13 of the APC
Constitution rightly states that NEC can
assume powers of convention in between
two conventions.
But the much-sidelined Article 30 says
constitution amendment can only be done
at convention and states processes for it.
Article 17 talks about 4-year tenure for
elected executives, which is renewable.
But no where did it envisage tenure extension.
The move also offends Section 223 of
the constitution which talks about periodic
elections.
Article 13.3(ii) of the constitution empowers
NEC to: “Discharge all functions
of the National Conventions as constituted
in between Conventions”.
Article 30(i) states that: “This Constitution
and Schedules hereto can be amended
only by the National Convention of the
Party
“(ii) Notice of any proposed amendment
by any member or organ of the Party shall
be given to the National Secretary at least
twenty-one (21) days before the date of
•Saraki, Dogara...absent at meeting
the National Convention. The notice,
which shall be in writing, shall contain a
clear statement of the proposed amendment
and reasons thereof.
"(iii) Notice of proposed amendment(s)
shall be served on the members of the National
Convention at least fourteen (14)
days before the date of the meeting at
which the proposed amendment is to be
considered. Publication of the notice of
the proposed amendments in a National
Newspaper shall be deemed to be sufficient
Notice.
"(iv)The Constitution or any part thereof
shall stand amended if a proposed
amendment is supported by at least two
thirds of the delegates present and voting.
"(v) Where new positions and Offices are
created as a result of the amendment of
this Constitution, the relevant Executive
Committee shall until the next Convention
or Congress fill such positions and
office in an interim capacity"
Article 17 (i) of the party’s constitution
provides for the tenure of office of the
party elected or appointed;
“Except as otherwise provided in this
Constitution, all officers of the Party elected
or appointed into the Party’s organs
shall serve in such organs for a period of
four (4) years and shall be eligible for reelection
or re-appointment for another period
of four years only, provided that an
officer elected or appointed to fill a vacancy
arising from death, resignation or
otherwise shall notwithstanding be eligible
for election to the same office for two
Power, wealth and politics
It was Andrew Chua who wrote that
“some have said that Wealth is Power.
But it is equally well-known that Power
brings Wealth. So what is the relationship
between these two objects of desire?
Which brings which? Which is the
chicken and which is the egg?
When we combine the definitions of
Wealth and Power, we get the correct
perspective to view these two subjects.
The truth is, Wealth is ONE TYPE of
Power. Wealth itself can also be traded
for other types of power. You can use
wealth to influence those in positions
of authority, through both legitimate
lobbying and corruption. So the question
of 'Do you want wealth or power?'
is in itself faulty. Wealth is one type of
power. It's like asking if you prefer apples
or fruits. A better question would
be 'Do you prefer Wealth or Authority?'
Maybe this is what people really mean
when they ask the afore-mentioned famous
question. Now we are correctly
asking if you prefer apples or oranges.
And of course, like choosing between
two different species of fruits, the answer
comes down to personal preference”.
For those who own the APC, they want
all. And any which way, the one brings
the other. But which one first! Both;
depending on the status at the point of
entry.
And because they want all, they create
all manner of confusion in their bid
to get all. Even the simple matter of
laid down procedure by their own hand
is treated with disdain.
Today, intrigues and surfeit of distractive
tendencies to good governance
have become the hallmarks of APC. Not
that the other political parties conform
to a modicum of decent conduct in their
activities too, the one-chance problem
Nigeria has found itself in, and which
is the APC vehicle, needs soul
searching.
What happens next? If any party
member goes to court, anything
done by that executives for the period
of the extension becomes null
and void. This may affect primaries
and party decisions.
PDP crises, 1999 - 2003
* February1999: Presidential primaries in Jos, Plateau State: Olusegun Obasanjo’s victory
as the presidential candidate shakes the party.
* Between May and June 1999: Obasanjo rejects the choice of Chuba Okadigbo as senate
president and instead forces Evan(s) Enwerem on the senate – this creates ripples in the party
* Mild crisis in the PDP over the forced resignation of Imam Salisu Buari as Speaker – a
resignation which Obasanjo attempted to ward off because he saw Buari as malleable.
* Another confrontation on the installation of Okadigbo as Enwerem’s successor in a
palace coup on the floor of the senate – an extension of the brewing crisis in the presidency
between Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar, his deputy.
*Late 1999: Katakata over choice of Bernabas Gemade over Chief Sunday Awoniyi as PDP
chairman – Gemade wins at national convention. To date, that has been the only keenly
contested chairmanship tussle in the PDP.
*Crisis over amendment of party constitution to extend tenure of national executive committee
of the party by one year but this leads to crisis over whether the incumbent exco
members should benefit.
*Emmanuel Ibeshi and Gbenga Olawepo (publicity secretaries of the party) insist and push
for reforms in the party. This leads to another round of crisis.
* 2001: Gemade announces the suspension of Chief Anthony Anenih but this immediately
backfires as the former was to recant the following day. He is forced out of office but makes
a prophesy, that the fate that would befall his successors would be worse than his own in the
coming years.
* Audu Ogbeh, long-forgotten Second Republic Minister of Communications, is exhumed
and made PDP chairman but this also creates its own ripples
* April 2002: Brouhaha over presidential ambition of Obasanjo for second term. Crisis
erupts again as associates of Vice President Atiku Abubakar talks of a MANDELA OPTION
which Obasanjo was expected to adopt. This creates bad blood between Obasanjo and Atiku
but they both try to manage the crisis and keep it under the table. Even the public declaration
of Obasanjo for second term at the International Conference Centre, ICC, saw a president
not mentioning the name of his running mate at all as he assesses his administration and
prepares for a possible second term. Just before then, Atiku, too, had played footsy by not
making himself available for the public declaration but had to be compelled to attend to
allow peace reign.
* Mid 2002: An attempt to impeach Obasanjo as president by the national assembly
polarizes the party. Whereas the senate was able to sheath its sword, the Ghali Umar Na’Abbaled
House of Representatives goes ahead, prompting many influential personalities to wade
into the crisis – the attempt was dropped eventually.
* Battle of wits between Obasanjo and Na’Abba spills into the party. It deepens and weakens
the party in December 2002 just before its presidential primaries.
* January 2003: Atiku eyeballs Obasanjo over presidential primaries
January 2003: State governors insist that Obasanjo would not be marketable for the 2003
elections; urges Atiku on; Atiku turns down the offer at the last minute. Alex Ekwueme
contests against Obasanjo again but loses.
APC crises, 2015 - 2017 (Dec)
Early, even before the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari on
May 29, 2015, the APC had already fallen on bad times.
*First was the composition of the Transition Committee which created bad
blood in some quarters
*This was followed by the quest to impose the leadership of the National
Assembly; it failed as both Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, were not the
choices of those who attempted to carry out the imposition
*The prolonged non-submission of nominees for ministerial posts created its
own crisis
*The crisis between the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation
*The tiff between the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
*The no love lost relationship between the Attorney General of the Federation
and the EFCC Chairman
*The open face off between Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of
the party and John Oyegun, National Chairman
The battle has since moved to the states:
1. Ondo State: Borrofice Versus Akeredolu.
2. Kogi state: a. Faleke Versus Yahaya Bello; b. Dino Melaye/APC Exco Vs
Yahaya Bello
3. Bauchi State: Speaker Dogara Versus Gov. Mohammed Abubakar
4. Kaduna State: Sen. Shehu Sani versus Gov. El-Rufai
5. Oyo State: Adebayo Shittu versus Gov. Ajimobi
6. Ogun State: Sen. Adeola-Yayi versus Gov. Amosun
7. Kano State: Sen. Kwankwaso versus Gov. Ganduje
8. Zamfara State: Sen. Marafa versus Gov. Yari
9. Rivers State: Amaechi versus Sen. Magnus Abe
10. Imo State: Gov. Okorocha versus Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume
11. Edo State: Oyegun versus Oshiomhole
12. Bayelsa: Timipre Sylva versus APC State Exco
13. Abia: APC elders versus Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu
Enelama.
14. Gombe: Sen. Danjuma Goje vs. (disbanded) State APC Eco
15. Ekiti State: Segun Oni versus Fayemi
16. Osun State: Aregbesola versus Lasun
17. Lagos State: Ambode vs. APC National Legal Adviser, Muiz Banire.
18. Delta State: Erue Jones-led Exco versus some party bigwigs.
19. Adamawa State: Gov. Jubrilla Bindow versus ex-Gov. Nyako, Sen. Nyako
and Mr Nuhu Ribadu.
20. Cross River: State Exco versus Niger Delta Affairs minister, Pastor Usani
Nguru.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 9
APC TRUE FEDERALISM
COMMITTEE'S REPORT
Why it is dangerous
to delay Nigeria’s
restructuring till
2019 or beyond
—Guy Ikokwu
Chief Guy Ikokwu, the President of PNF and
member, Southern Leaders/Middle Belt Forum, in this
piece, analyses the report of the APC Committee on
True Federalism.
•Guy Ikokwu
THE APC Committee on True
Federalism submitted its report on
the 25th of January 2018 to the National
Working Committee of the party.
Surprisingly over the past two years,
members of the ruling APC, despite the
inclusion of true federalism in the party’s
manifesto for the 2015 elections, have
denied the restructuring of Nigeria. Some
of the APC notables confessed publicly
that they needed to be educated on the
true meaning of restructuring. There has
been a nationwide debate on the lateness
of the admission by the APC that
Nigeria’s system of governance and
constitution needs to be rejigged and
modernized structurally in order to
purposefully meet the obligations of good
governance.
The APC manifesto for the 2015
elections had pledged to “devolve more
revenue and powers to the states and local
governments so that decision making is
closer to the people” and emphasized the
need for political decentralization
including local policing. Against this
background, one is amazed at the furore
and the lethargy of the party leadership
and especially President Muhamadu
Buhari who promised to “change the
Nigerian infrastructure”.
It was even more amazing that Buhari
himself had consigned the 2014 confab
report which was handed over to him to
the archives!
However, this report by the APC
committee indicated that it was necessary
for the party “to listen”,and “to deliver”
what it owes as a duty to the people of
Nigeria.
There were about nine key issues and
matters which the committee in its public
outreach looked into.
It also looked at various reports
including the 1994/1995 Obasanjo
constitutional conference; the 2005
Abacha national political reform
conference and the 2014 Jonathan Abuja
national conference in order to see how
they compare and what ingredients in the
reports might materially benefit an
urgently reformed polity of Nigeria.
The APC committee made several
recommendations on germane issues in
the polity.
1. Creations of State: The committee
noted in its recommendation that the
creation of new states would weaken
rather than strengthen true federalism by
denying the federating unit enough
resources to discharge additional
responsibilities that may be thrust on
them. But that in the case of the South
East Zone which requires a new state in
equity with other geopolitical zones may
be attended to through existing
constitutional avenues if found necessary.
2. Merger of States: The committee
found that the opposition to the merger
of states is very strong in the 3 northern
zones and it viewed the growing regional
economic cooperation amongst states as
a way of merging their economic
potentials.
3. Derivation Principles: The committee
feels that the federal government should
expeditiously review the current
derivation formula upwardly in favour of
solid minerals and hydro-power. That the
REVENUE MOBILIZATION and Fiscal
Allocation Commission Act 2004 should
be amended to vest the commission with
the power and responsibility to
periodically review the derivation
formulas and make proposals to the
President who shall then table same to
the National Assembly for necessary
legislation.
4. Fiscal Federalism and Revenue
Allocation: Some of the zones preferred
maintenance of the status quo, while
others preferred an upward review as a
better developmental option. The
committee observed that the constitution
presently provides for the principle of
derivation of not less than 13% in Section
162(2) of the Constitution but there is
clearly room for its upward review but
did not state the extent. Some of the
proponents of upward review have in the
last years proposed a return to our 1960
independence position of 60% derivation
of resource control to the resource owners
while the rest is shared among the federal
government and the other states. It should
be noted that the current formula for
sharing revenue is 56% to the Federal
Government, 24% to the State
Governments, and 20% to the Local
Governments. Many contributors
nationally have felt that with the
devolution of a lot of the present powers
of the Federal Government, its share
should be greatly reduced in line with its
exclusive responsibilities reduction.
5. Devolution of Powers: The committee
felt that more than 30 items had been
variously identified across the 6 zones for
devolution from the Federal Government
to the State Governments. The items
variously mentioned for devolution
include the Police and Community
Policing, Education, Prisons, Health,
Roads, Security, Agriculture, Railway,
Mineral Resources, Trades and
Commerce and Housing. On an issue like
Roads, which should be ceded to the State,
it was generally agreed that the Federal
Government should on this subject be
limited to only a few cross country
interstate roads.
This issue of devolution of powers has
been the most contentious among the
various proponents and opponents. The
committee quite rightly observed that the
“major issue with the Nigerian Federation
is the enormous exclusive legislative
powers of the Federal
Government with resultant
over – centralization of
power and authority”.
It is generally believed that
a “further decentralization of
some of these powers by
devolving more powers,
autonomy, and resources to
the federating units will
foster efficiency and subnational
responsiveness and
local accountability”.
The committee, therefore,
recommended that this
would entail the transfer of
various items on the
exclusive legislative list,
some to the concurrent list
and others to the residual list
of the States.
The major problem which
the APC committee then had
as shown in the report was
the non-itemization
sufficiently of the items to be
transferred from the
exclusive list to the other
lists. Indeed it only
mentioned 2 items for the
exclusive list which are the
narcotics and psychotropic substances on
the one hand and the registration of
businesses operating beyond the state.
Other few items listed as food,
fingerprints, labour and industrial
relations, police, prisons, public holidays,
railways were placed on the concurrent
list. It should be noted that in the 1999
Constitution, the exclusive list was
composed of about 68 items and one of
the national pressure groups the Southern
and Middle Belt Leaders Forum in its
own contribution to the national debate
listed about 11 items only which should
be reserved in the exclusive list of the
Federal Government and other items to
the residual list so as to increase the
capacity of the states or coordinating
Surprisingly
over the past
two years,
members of the
ruling APC,
despite the
inclusion of true
federalism in the
party’s
manifesto for the
2015 elections,
have denied the
restructuring of
Nigeria
regions/zones to carry out the
fundamental developmental programs
with adequate financial resources in
order to make Nigeria TRULY FEDERAL.
It has been observed that in the last 50
years the military had bastardized the
Nigerian constitutional requirements
into an over centralized “command and
control” militaristic system of
governance.
It has continuously told a lie to the world
that the Nigerian constitution is federal
whereas it is truly unitary. This is the
reason why Nigeria’s
governance system has
been dysfunctional,
unproductive, and
economically comatose.
In the present
constitutional set up
where the federal and
state tiers have joint
responsibilities in the
concurrent list, the
present constitution
affirms the superiority of
the central government
where it attempts to
assume any of the
responsibilities, in the
concurrent list to the
disadvantage of the states
or regional tiers of
government.
The Southern and
Middle Belt Leaders
Forum feels that apart
from the exclusive
legislative list of the
central government the
other items should be in
the residual list under the
control of the states/
regional or zonal tiers
with the primary responsibilities which
they can at their own discretion cede to
the federal government to be coordinated
in the general interest of the Nigerian
nation.
To this end, the above leaders affirm
their “stand on the point that since
Federalism is a system of government
founded on democratic principles and
institutions in which the power to govern
is shared between the national and
federating units, such federating units
should have control over their own affairs
and be treated as equals in status with
their own constitutions which should be
consistent with federal constitution”.
To be continued

PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
SECURITY CHALLENGES:
We need peace concerts
in Delta, Bayelsa, Abuja
— Capt. Okubodougha
By Ephraim Oseji & Destiny Eseaga
Captain Okubodougha Selekinwei
Johnny is the Shepherd of Jesus
Band Gospel Outreach, aka Jesus
Band International Outreach Inc.
Worldwide, based in Warri, Delta State.
The Messenger of God, as he prefers to be
called, says God gave him a message that
President Muhammadu Buhari and other
leaders across the country must organize
a peace concert. According to him, the
security challenge facing Nigeria and the
world is a sign that all is not well, insisting
that with the convocation of the peace
concert, normalcy would be attained.
When did you start the ministry?
God established this ministry about three
years ago for the purpose of divine
assignment. And God said that he wants to
use it to liberate the whole world. This
ministry is not a church; it is an outreach
for divine assignment. I worship at the
Redeemed Christian Church of God, Warri.
You claim you have a message for
Nigeria, the US and the rest of the world.
What is the message?
Yes! God has a message, a divine mandate
for Nigeria, Cameroun, US and the rest of
the world. That is Nigeria Peace Day,
Secretary General of the Conference of
Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Chief
Willy Ezugwu, is a first class traditional
ruler. The CNPP, as led by Alhaji Balarabe Musa,
is the umbrella body of all the registered political
parties and political associations in the country.
The Convener of Save Enugu Group (SEG)
and National Coordinator of the South East
Revival Group (SERG), in this interview, speaks
on the restructuring debate, the presidential
ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, preparations
ahead of the 2019 general elections among other
national issues.
One of the issues that will shape the
2019 political campaign is the
restructuring debate. Recently, the ruling
All Progressives Congress (APC), which
initially rejected restructuring, came up
with their own version of restructuring.
What do you have to say on this issue?
It is quite interesting that the APC returned to
restructuring though their idea of restructuring is
far from that of the rest of us. But it means that
restructuring is the way to go to keep Nigeria
united. At least, the grand advocate of restructuring
in recent time, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will heave
a sigh of relief. He was the one who brought back
restructuring to the discussion table ahead of 2019
elections. Without mincing words, Nigeria, as it
is today, is not working and we can only get it to
work by going back to true federalism. The unitary
presidential system we are running will continue
to create distrust among Nigerians because of
growing sense of injustice. Like Alhaji Atiku said
in Nsukka in 2017, the rising tension and
agitations in the country can only be checked
with a restructured country that engages her people
on productive activities instead of all these killings
going on. So, we need to restructure if we are
serious about making progress as a country.
You mentioned Atiku Abubakar and
though you are not a member of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as a
CNPP leader, whose membership cuts
across all political parties, how do you
assess the quality of those who have
expressed interest to contest for president
on the PDP platform?
I’m a Board of Trustees member of the All
Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and I can
tell you that my party will do everything possible
to field a credible presidential candidate in 2019.
However, to answer your question, I can tell you
that the PDP has only two presidential aspirants:
Cameroun Peace Day, United States Peace
Day and World Peace Day Programme. The
programme will hold in each of the
countries concerned.
Looking at the security situation in the
country- herdsmen/farmers clashes,
kidnapping, organised crimes, etc, - what
do you have to say?
People say what you have are herdsmen/
farmers clashes, kidnapping, armed
robberies, etc. The nomenclature does not
matter; it is the activities the perpetrators
are into that gave them these names. They
are involved in these activities ignorantly.
Something of course is prompting them to
do it and God is about to address that, hence
the Divine Peace Programme because God
is the Prince of Peace, the Peace Maker, the
Master of the Universe and the Creator of
Heaven and Earth.
What gives you the assurance that this
programme will address the problems
bedevilling Nigeria?
I am not the one organizing; it is God’s
mandate for Nigeria and Niger Delta
region. What gives me the assurance is that
God is not human that will lie (Numbers
23:19), whatever He says is what He will
do. As a God’s Captain - The Messenger of
the Most High God, I am sure of the peace
mandate because God is not human that
•Okubodougha Johnny
He will fail. Also Nigerian must be very
happy to see that God has answered their
prayers and heard their cries. Divine peace
must be restored at the end of the divine
peace programme. Every human effort has
failed and God said this is the time
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 8).
Do you have a specific message for the
APC - led government in the face of the
security challenges confronting the
country?
God directed the Nigeria Peace Day
mandate to President Muharnmadu Buhari
to chair the Nigeria Peace Day Programme
in Abuja. I know the President will be very
happy to hear this God’s mandate that has
to do with peace in the Niger Delta in
particular and Nigeria as a whole. Also
Nigerians will be very happy to hear that
God has answered their prayers and cries.
After this peace concert for normalcy,
what would be your next line of action?
God has come up with this mandate for
Nigeria which includes the Itsekiri and
Ijaw Liberation Day Programme, the
2019: Nigeria cannot contain
the bandwagon effect of
presidential poll coming first
– Willy Ezegwu, CNPP leader
•Chief Willy Ezugwu
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and others. If you are
talking of a candidate that is sellable across the
country on the platform of the PDP, in the North
and the South, Atiku is the man.
Nigeria needs a successful business man to run.
We have tested military generals like Olusegun
Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari. We have
tried politicians like the late Umaru Yar’Adua
and Goodluck Jonathan. It is time to try business
men. Nigeria needs to be restructured and
reorganised for greatness. Nigeria needs to
achieve its full potentials and a business-minded
person is needed at this time that our economy is
at the lowest ebb.
It is believed in some quarters that
Atiku is corrupt. His sources of income
have been questioned. He has come out
several times to challenge anyone that
has evidence of corruption against him
to come forward...?
(Cuts in) Today, we have a man assumed to be
Mr Integrity as President. How has that brought
about better life for the people? When political
cabals don’t like any one’s face, they will tag you
as corrupt because they know that Nigerians are
suffering and they will see anyone with the tag of
corruption as an enemy of the people. Today,
Nigerians are suffering. With 100 per cent
increment in the pump price of petroleum
products, we still experience fuel scarcity. It means
that there is more to it than shouting Mr Integrity.
What Nigeria needs at the moment is leadership.
In the world today, business men are taking over
political leadership. American President, Donald
Trump, is a businessman, and in Africa, we are
following the trend. The new South African
President, Cyril Ramaphosa, is a business man.
We cannot afford as a country to flow against the
trend. If we are the giant of Africa, we must get
our leadership right ahead of other African
countries. From the little I know about Atiku, all
the allegations against him are the imaginations
of people who don’t wish Nigeria well. They are
the same people who packaged a lie and sold it to
us as change. Has any government taken Atiku
to court, let alone convict him? This means all the
allegations are made in order to
make sure that Nigeria is denied good
leaders. Now, let’s look at Atiku’s
businesses: he started transport
business in 1971. He has told the story
of how he was posted to Idi-Iroko
border as a young Customs officer
and how he became a distributor of
SCOA, and bought four pick-up
Peugeot cars and gave them to drivers
who made daily returns.
He grew his businesses cutting
across education, maritime,
manufacturing among others. He has
shown leadership in business and
Urhobo and the Ijaw Unity Programme, the
Delta State Peace Programme, the Bayelsa
Peace Day Programme, Niger Delta Peace
Programme and the Nigeria Peace Day
Programme; after this, God will decide the
next line of action because God has the
final say
Who is responsible for the organization
of the concerts since you are just a
messenger?
I am just the carrier of the divine message.
God mandated the following persons to
organise the programmes: The Nigeria
Peace Day Programme is to be sponsored
by the Federal Government under
President Muhammadu Buhari; the Niger
Delta Peace Programme to be sponsored by
Edo, Delta and Bayelsa State Governments
and under the chairmanship of governor
Seriake Henry Dickson; the Bayelsa Peace
Day Programme to be sponsored by the
Government of Bayelsa State; the Delta
State Peace Day programme to be
sponsored by Delta State Government
under the chairmanship of Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa, the Urhobo and Ijaw Unity
Programme to be sponsored by the
government of Delta State and the
chairman will be Prof. Benjamin
Okumagba; the Itsekiri and Ijaw Liberation
Day Programme to be sponsored by the
government of Delta State under the
chairmanship of the Olu of Warri, HRM,
Ogiame Ikenwoli.
Nigeria is a secular nation. How do you
expect the Federal Government to be
involved?
Nigeria is a secular nation but is not
owned by any human being but by God and
he says the Federal Government should be
involved because it is all about peace in
the country. And I think we should obey
the voice of the Lord.
What is your advice to Nigerians on this
divine mandate?
I, the God’s Captain - The Messenger of
the Most High God - appeal to Nigerians
to pay attention to God’s mandate and for
those concerned to send representatives to
have an urgent meeting with the
Messenger of the Most High God for the
divine peace programmes to come to pass
and also to collect a copy of the divine
mandate.
politics. He has remained the most outstanding
Vice President Nigeria has ever had.
According to research, one of the major
problems of under-development in Africa
is poor leadership and Nigeria has few
good and selfless leaders. What is your
perspective?
When we talk of leadership, we are talking of a
call to service, a call to put others first in decision
making. It will be an expensive mistake at this
stage of our political life if we do not look for men
of impeccable character, a strong-willed Nigerian
who has succeeded in many sectors, who is also a
nationalist that can unite Nigeria. Atiku is a
bridge-builder who is at home in the six
geographical zones of the country. Today, there is
obvious leadership vacuum as a result of the lack
of purposeful leadership by the President Buhari
administration, with its fruitless policies. And the
country has continued to go round a vicious cycle
of stagnation, poverty and hopelessness. This is
because of lack of leadership. There is corruption
in other parts of the world, yet they are making
progress. So, we need a leader who has succeeded
in business like Atiku has.
The National Assembly just reordered
the 2019 general elections’ schedule.
What is your take on the matter?
The truth of the 2019 general elections is that
the presidential election should come last to save
Nigerian democracy and the country from nosediving
into a one-party state and, the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) should
cooperate with the National Assembly because,
if the elections were not reordered, the party that
wins the Presidential election will sweep the polls
at all level. This is dangerous for democracy.
I have heard some civil society organizations
(CSOs) who kick against the presidential election
coming last and I will advise them to retrace their
steps because they are unwittingly
trying to aide a rigging formula that
will turn the country into a one-party
state.
If INEC wants to conduct elections
devoid of rigging, the Commission
should listen to the voice of the
representatives of the people, who are
working hard to reduce bandwagon
effect in voting. The members of the
National Assembly should remain
united in reordering the elections as
experienced politicians and major
stakeholders in the outcome of
elections.

It is difficult icult to choose betw
tween
Oshiomhole and Obaseki
—Orbih, Edo PDP Chairman
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
Chief Dan Orbih is the Chairman of the
Edo State chapter of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview,
Orbih reviews the 15-month stewardship of
the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the
governance of the state, explaining why the
PDP decided to lift its self-imposed
moratorium on its criticism of the Obaseki
administration.
Excerpts:
How is governance in Edo State?
In Edo State, I must say that Governor
Obaseki assumed office after the end of the
tenure of Adams Oshiomhole. For us, in the
PDP we said we would give him adequate time
to settle down to the job. So, you would have
noticed that for about one year that we
deliberately did not speak, for we decided to
give him enough time to do the job he asked
Edo people to give him the opportunity to do.
However, we discovered that it was not in the
interest of our people and the state to keep
quiet in the face of failure on his part to address
the very issues he promised that he was going
to address if given the opportunity. First, there
was this issue to engage 200,000 graduates.
After one year, I will tell you quite frankly that
the man has refused to provide jobs for these
people and I can also say quite frankly that if
you look at the statistics of those who had
been repatriated from Libya, Edo State has
taken the number one position and most of
these people are people who were frustrated
after looking forward eagerly to Obaseki’s
electioneering promise that he was going to
give them jobs. They became frustrated, no
jobs and they decided to troop out in large
numbers to Libya.
So you insist that it is the failure of the
government that drove them out of the
country?
Yes, the failure of Obaseki to fulfill his
campaign promise to provide them with
200,000 jobs drove them out from Edo State
and Nigeria.
But this problem was there even before
Obaseki came?
But the number has increased. It is the
increase in the number of Libya returnees that
is worrisome.
Are you now saying that Governor Adams
Oshiomhole managed the situation better
than Governor Obaseki?
A lot of people left during the time of
Oshiomhole, but the number has
increased under Obaseki.
So, you are saying that Oshiomhole
was a better governor than Obaseki?
I have not said so. Adams Oshiomhole
was a total failure in the governance of
Edo State; that is not the issue now. But
now that you have brought it up, Adams came
with the populist programme wanting to do
things differently from what the average
politician would do in government and a lot
of people thought that he was speaking the
truth, but they discovered after four years in
office that there was nothing remarkable
different from what others were doing. Things
came to a head when I exposed his famous
Go and Die encounter with a widow, and that
was able to show that he was a preacher who
was not practicing what he was preaching. I
think Adams has gone and that page is full of
regrets and disappointments.
So who do you say is a better governor of
Edo State better between Oshiomhole and
Obaseki?
That is a very broad question. I am talking
about the Libya returnees.
Okay on the issue of youth employment?
That is ok. All I am trying to say is that
not that Adams did very well, but that we
have two different persons, one came on a
populist agenda, I would do things
differently and the other said, ‘look I am a
technocrat, give me an opportunity, I will
take the youths off the streets, I will give
them 200,000 jobs.’ One year of his
administration, he has not created 1,000
jobs. So, if you say let’s say he will create
one or two thousand jobs every year, you
will find out that at the end of four years he
may not be able to create 4,000 jobs
So, what I am saying is that you don’t
raise the hopes of people only to make them
discover too early in the day that all that
was political gimmicks. So, you will find
out that there is an increase in the number
of Edo people who are now coming back as
returnees from Libya and it is a reflection
of what Obaseki has done in office; he has
failed the people. He promised them jobs,
and he failed to deliver.
You have lately accused the Edo government of
not being forthright in the supply of rice to IDPs
in the state and been challenged by the
government to show proof?
I have the official letter from the Customs Service
conveying the message that the Federal
Government has instructed it to make available to
the IDP camps, seized consignment of rice,
vegetable oil, clothes, and shoes. These things were
conveyed in a letter to the state government. It
would interest you to know that this letter was
written in November 2017 but these people kept
this information to themselves. Then the state
government decided to go to the IDP Camp, in
December during the festivity and they made some
donations, and we have the evidence in the news
report in Vanguard. They gave the impression that
what they brought was from the state government
even, hiding information that these items were
donated by the Federal Government. Those of us who
knew what was going on started giving serious
Orbih made false claims against Obaseki — Osagie
By Festus Ahon
Mr. Crusoe Osagie, Special
Adviser, Media and
Communication to Governor
Obaseki, in this interview,
responds to the issues raised by
Chief Dan Orbih on the creation
of 200,000 jobs and the
distribution of rice to IDPs in Edo
State.
What is your reaction to the
claim by Chief Dan Orbih
that the government received
6,882 bags of rice from the
Federal Government but that
your government presented
about 1,000 bags in December as
its own to the IDPs and another
1,000 plus bags in February?
That allegation is completely
false. There is a very elaborate
process that led to the release and
distribution of the rice to the
displaced persons. There was an
allocation of 6,000 plus bags of
rice; that was an allocation
document. After that allocation
was made, it was directed that we
should go to the various ports in
the country to retrieve the items.
For Edo State, the allocation was
6,000 plus bags of rice on paper,
then 76 cartons of vegetable oil
allocated on paper, 100 bags of
shoes allocated on paper and then
another 20 pairs of shoes
allocated on paper. One of the
ports Edo State was to collect its
allocation was Owerri Port which
was to have the bulk of the rice
allocated. When Edo State got
there, and when they opened the
storage, where the rice was
supposed to be, they found that a
large portion of the rice allocated
from Abuja – 2,182 bags in Owerri
Port were already bad. We could
not receive rice that was already
bad and unusable, so the Customs
now reissued another document
stating the actual quantity
collected even though the actual
quantity allocated was 6,000 plus
bags. In total, we collected about
4, 640 bags of rice. We rejected
2,182 bags of the rice. For
vegetable oil out of the 76 cartons
allocated, not a single one was
collected because the entire 76
cartons were expired according to
the expiry date written on the
containers by the manufacturers.
The customs also endorsed a
document to us stating that we did
not collect a single carton of
vegetable oil because all of them
were expired. In all, all that were
collected were 4,640 bags of rice,
no single carton of vegetable oil,
100 bags of used shoes and
another 20 pairs of used shoes. We
have documents from the customs
and the army which transported
these consignments.
How did you distribute the
items?
In December because we knew
that most of these camps get a lot
of patronages, we decided to be
strategic in the release of these
materials. On Christmas Eve we
gave 500 bags of rice at the IDP
Camp in Uhogha and then in
January, another 2,101 bags to the
same camp. We also distributed
to displaced persons in Edo
Central and Edo North, 1,421
bags of rice because we have
internally displaced persons in
•Orbih
The failure of Obaseki
to fulfill his campaign
promise to provide
them with 200,000 jobs
drove them out from
Edo State and Nigeria
SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 11
those areas who were displaced
mainly on account of flooding.
We staggered this distribution
because we know that if they
were clogged with everything at
the same time that they would
not make the best use of it. We
still have another 617 bags of
rice in store yet to be distributed.
We also have another 35 bags
of shoes that are yet to be
distributed.
Chief Orbih has also alleged
that we have so many
returnees from Libya to Edo
State because of the failure of
the Obaseki government to
create the 200,000 jobs it
promised during the
campaigns?
The right question to ask him
is when did the government
come to power? This government
came into power in November
2016 meaning that it has had only
one full year in office, so the
question you will ask him is how
many of the people returning
from Libya embarked on the
journey in 2017?
information to the relevant people
concerned that you have a right to
demand for what was sent to you.
The government only responded
when they now knew that it had
become public knowledge and that
was when they now decided to take
some items to the camp – things that
they got as far back as November
last year. And the government’s
defence cannot hold water, and it is
very clear now that the information
is in the public domain; they are now
cooking up stories to cover up. These
people were given a consignment of
6,822 bags and instead of delivering
that quantity to the camp, what they
took altogether was 2,101 bags.
What they donated during the festive
period, they pretended that it was
the state government that gave it.
So, if you really want to take their
defence seriously, it means that what
they took there in December was the
state government’s own donation to
the camp; so it means that as at date,
what they have actually taken to the
place is 1,000 bags; not the 2,101
bags which is what you get when you
add what they took in December and
what they took in February.
How are you sure that the
government is not taking these
things in phases?
No, no. You need to read their
statement. What they are now saying
is that the rice was meant for
Internally Displaced Persons and
that they understand that there are
some in one village, there are some
in another village. We have taken
pains to go and do our investigation;
there are no IDPs in the places the
government has mentioned. The
letter was very explicit; the Federal
Government mentioned the IDP
camp where the consignment should
be taken to and what the government
has done is that they did not even
follow the instructions of the Federal
Government; they diverted goods
meant for a particular camp. The
truth which I must not fail to tell you
is that members of the APC
government took this rice and
shared it among themselves for their
personal use. It is painful that items
meant for people who should
naturally attract our sympathies and
support are now being denied of
items that are legitimately what
rightly belongs to them. If they can
do this, they can take anything. These
are not people who should be
entrusted with the right of managing
our resources. The letter from the
Federal Government did not
mention orphanages. They have
also come up with the explanation
that the vegetable oil sent from
Customs has expired. I am aware
that the vegetable sent was in good
condition and was certified good for
human consumption. They did not
even take one gallon to the IDPs. I
think this is totally unacceptable and
shows the level of corruption under
the administration of Governor
Obaseki. They want to trivialise it
by saying that the police should
investigate Dan Orbih’s claims,
these are not allegations; these are
facts. For somebody to say I gave
some to one orphanage here and
there, the instruction was specific;
send them to the IDP camp.
Beyond the media, have you
taken this issue to the government
or the police?
Let me say that with all seriousness,
I thought that with what I did that
the governor should have written
me, commending me and
apologizing to the people of Edo
State for this daylight robbery.
Instead of them to render a public
apology, they are trying to trivialise
the issue by saying that the police
should apologise. They are also
saying that they discovered that
some bags of rice were bad. They
talk as if they are talking to people
who don’t reason. You were asked to
give something to Mr. A; is it your
responsibility to say what you were
asked to give to Mr. A is bad? It is for
Mr. A to receive what was sent and
he is the one in position to say that I
have received it; this was bad, this
was good. What this means is that
on your own you were opening the
bags which were not meant for you
and checked them!

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
2019: Buhari is sure of
over one million votes
v
in Edo — Obaseki
By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin-City
ANYONE who entered the Samuel
Ogbemudia Stadium Benin-City,
last Thursday, for the rally of Edo State
All Progressives Congress (APC)
ahead of yesterday’s local government
elections, will know that the party,
under the leadership of the immediate
past governor of the state, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole, is not taking
anything for granted. The stadium was
filled to capacity by party members
across the 18 local government areas
of Edo. The success of the event did
not come as a surprise following the
painstaking efforts made by the
Secretary to the State Government,
Osarodion Ogie (aka Field Marshal),
to ensure a successful outing. It is
believed in the politics of the state that
whatever the former governorship
candidate of the PDP, Pastor Osagie
Ize-Iyamu, can fix politically, Ogie will
unfix. Ogie and the Chief of Staff to
the governor, Taiwo Akerele, were said
to have temporarily relocated to the
Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, two
days before the event, to get things
right. The event witnessed the
defection of estimated 10,000
members of the PDP into the APC. The
defection, according to analysts, was
a big blow to the PDP particularly with
the exit of a former National Chairman
of the Association of Local
Governments of Nigeria (ALGON),
Mr Felix Akhabue, who is a top figure
of the opposition party in the state.
They were received into the party by
the National Chairman of the APC,
Chief John Odigie Oyegun.
In his opening remarks, the state
chairman of the APC, Barr. Anslem
Ojezua, explained, “I have told the
remaining members of the PDP that
since their leaders have abandoned
them on the high seas, we are ready
to accommodate them. We are
receiving over 10, 000 PDP members
today and, by 2019, there will be no
PDP anymore in Edo”. Also speaking,
Oyegun told the defectors, ¨APC is
not a lazy party or party for cowards.
I congratulate Obaseki for his silent
works in the state and Comrade
Oshiomhole for laying the foundation
for the development that we are
enjoying today. APC is a party
passionate about the destiny of our
nation and we are going to move this
nation forward come 2019 and beyond.
This is just a local government elections
rally and look at the crowd here.
I wonder what we are going to see by
February next year. By next year we
are going to deliver another APC President
and governors. Let me assure
all of you, the APC is a party that welcomes
people and a party that is passionate
about the pressing needs of
the people. And we will continue to
deliver the promises made by the party
to Nigerians”.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, who
commended the defectors for joining
the party, declared that the APC will
deliver 1.2 million votes in the 2019
general elections. According to him,
the chairmen and councillors of the
party expected to emerge at the local
government elections will replicate the
developmental strides of his
administration in the 18 local
government areas of Edo. His words:
“I am not sure that there is any state
where they have had a rally like this
to finalize campaigns for local
government elections The reason we
do this is because we want our people
to see ‘the wake and see chairmen and
councillors’ in your local
governments. What we are seeing in
the state is now what we want to
replicate in your local governments
and wards. Because we want to make
sure that infrastructural development,
which we have started in Benin City,
gets to every ward and local
government in Edo State. Our
candidates are men and women of
integrity, these are people who are
well grounded. I am promising you
that the local government councillors
and chairmen will extend all what we
have been doing at the state level to
the villages. Let us show Nigerians
that Edo is an APC state. Let us tell
our President (Muhammadu Buhari)
that he has 1.2million votes in Edo.
We want to show that we have
numerical strength in Edo APC”.
There was thunderous ovation when
the master of ceremony and former
House of Represnetatives member,
Patrick Obahiagbon (Igodomigodo),
introduced Oshiomhole to address the
rally.
Addressing the crowd, the former
governor said, “The broom (APC
symbol) is just getting better and
stronger. Not many of you understand
how I feel today. On this ground in
this stadium, we launched ‘one man
one vote’. On December 16, 2007, in
the name of local government, PDP roll
out the armed forces, they rolled out
the police, to ruthlessly rig local
government elections. We fought them
but with the power of the armed forces,
they stole the election in the 18 local
government areas. And I said, in this
state, in the name of God and our
ancestors, we will work to liquidate
and banish the system that oppressed
our people. For me it is a thing of joy
that that machine that deployed those
forces on December 16, 2007, today
with their leaders alive and all of us
alive, that party called PDP is dead.
The point now is that in our life time,
the party of the godfathers surrendered
without a punch. I can see everything
turning around. It will interest
Nigerians to know that Edo PDP
surrendered. I can see the power of the
people”. Urging the people of the state
to shun PDP in the general election
since the party decided to boycott the
Local Government election,
Oshiomhole noted that “the burial of
PDP was done when after my election
they said, ok this will be the last one.
Then we brought Obaseki they said it
will not work but he won.
“For PDP, local government is for local
people, chairman and councillors are
not their business. But when it gets to
National Assembly polls, they will
expect people to vote for them.
Meanwhile they are not interested in
local government elections. So I want
to tell Edo people, whoever refused to
support you to be a councillor or local
government chairman, you cannot
support him to become a senator. We
will stand on our feet and we will make
this nation greater. Nobody thought in
their life time that PDP will chicken out
of election even before the election,
Halleluiah! And we give God the
glory that they are down and out”.
EDO LG POLLS: Amid high turnout, gov says APC will win
By Simon Ebegbulem
THE 2018 local government
elections kicked off in several
polling units across Edo State on
optimistic note, recording high turnout
of voters who were seen casting their
ballots to elect new helmsmen at the 18
LGAs across the state.
With the restriction of movement
between 7am and 3pm announced by
government to ease voting process,
voters were afforded ample opportunity
to exercise their franchise.
Checks at polling units across the
three senatorial districts of Edo revealed
that contrary to the insinuation that
there was going to be voter apathy due
to the boycott by some opposition
parties, the polls recorded large turnout
of voters.
Governor Godwin Obaseki cast his
vote at Emokpae Primary School
Mission at 12:30pm, amid cheers from
a mammoth crowd that had gathered at
the polling unit. He assured the people
that the elections will be free and fair,
as all parties were presented equal
shots at the elective offices.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC)
is certain of victory. And I appreciate
the huge turnout for the polls. This
shows that the electorate is truly
committed to seeing the ‘wake and see’
phenomenon replicated at the local
level,” he said.
After casting his ballot, the governor
went round some voting centers,
including Oluha Primary School in
Uselu area of Benin, Ologbosere
Primary School in Ugbekun area and
St Maria Goretti Secondary School to
monitor the conduct of the elections.
Speaking to journalists on his
impression of the polls, Obaseki said
•Governor Godwin Obaseki at Emokpae Primary School,
Benin-City to cast his ballot.
he was satisfied with the turn out of
voters, the high sense of organisation
displayed by them and the fact that
there were no major incidents at the
voting centers.
“I commend the electorate for coming
out enmasse to cast their votes for their
preferred candidates and I also
commend the people for abiding by the
restriction on movement,” he said.
Asked if the non-participation of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) affected
the turn out of voters, the governor noted
that to the contrary, “the large turnout
of voters across the state shows that Edo
people and residents are in support of
this election” and assured that his party,
the APC will coast to victory in all the
18LGAs of the state.
It was gathered that electoral materials
were distributed first to communities in
far-flung parts of the state before those
close to the city center got the materials,
to ensure that the voting process was
synchronised.
As at 9am, voting had commenced in
Ugbekun Primary School in Ikpoba
Okha Local Government Area, as it was
observed that accreditation and voting
took place simultaneously.
One of the voters, who didn’t want
her name in print, said the process had
been peaceful and that the materials
arrived early at the polling unit. She
commended the Edo State Independent
Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) for the
seamless coordination of the process.
“I just cast my vote and it was quite
seamless. This is quite commendable.
EDSIEC did a good job with easing up
the voting process by allowing for
simultaneous accreditation and voting.
“The roads are clear, as everyone is
gearing to vote. We are the early birds
•Electoral official educating voters on the modalities for
casting votes.
here now. More people are coming in
to participate in the pools,” she said.
At Okpokhumi Primary School, Ward
2, Owan East Local Government, voting
materials arrived at about 10am, after
which accreditation of voters
commenced. Security operatives on
ground to ensure law and order, were
also seen at the ward. Electoral
observers were also present, as voters
trooped in steadily.
The voters who arrived the polling
units in the area well ahead of time,
were visibly anxious to cast their votes,
noting that the early arrival of electoral
materials was quite commendable
“This is quite seamless, I must confess.
The conduct of the officials since the
arrival of the electoral materials shows
that we are in for a serious business.
You can see that people are still trooping
in to cast their votes, “ one of them said.

C
M
Y
K
SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4 , 2018, Page 13

Page14, SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4 , 2018,
South-West Post
*Heap of refuse. Inset: Compactor arrested for allegedly dumping wastes on the road
Wastes' war rocks Lagos
•Govt alleges sabotage of clean initiative
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Lagos State government is
battling to restore sanity
into wastes management in the
state.
13,000 metric tons of wastes were
generated daily in Lagos but the volume
has, of recent, increased.
Consequently, Governor Akinwunmi
Ambode, in 2017, signed the
Environmental Management
Protection Law to sanitise the
environment.
The law limits government’s role to
wastes regulation. The wastes
management aspect has been left for
an environmental utility company,
Visionscape Sanitation Services
Limited, VSS, to handle under a 10-
year franchise.
The VSS, a multinational company
with the reputation for rendering
innovative environmental solutions, is
to manage wastes in line with global
best practices and commenced full
commercial operation on March 1,
2018.
The contract was to initially handle
wastes in residential areas. But this did
not go down well with Private Sector
Participants, PSP, operators who had
been in charge of wastes management
in Lagos. They dragged the state
government to court. The matter lasted
one year and ended only when the
parties in the suit reached an out-ofcourt-settlement.
While the matter went
on in court, the resources of
Visionscape, which were
initially meant for
collecting domestic wastes,
had to be stretched because
they were also deployed for
managing commercial
wastes in public areas that
had been abandoned by the
PSPs.
The PSPs, now called
Wastes Collectors, WCOs,
have over 400 approved
wastes collection operators.
They concentrate on
collecting commercial
wastes from schools,
churches, industries,
hospitals and other
businesses, while
Visionscape focuses on
residential wastes
collection.
To underscore the readiness of
Visionscape to fulfil its mandate, its CEO,
John Irvine, in an interview with
Vanguard, articulated a roadmap at the
end of which he said Lagos residents would
be able to appreciate the Cleaner Lagos
Initiative, CLI, fully.
Irvine further stated, “In line with the CLI
framework, wastes gathered by the
community sanitation workers will be
segregated, recycled and sent away and
will be made into brushes, shovels and bins
to come back into the state to be used in the
environment”.
In January 2018, the state government
announced a total ban on cart pushers and
wheel barrow operators in the state, saying
their activities were inimical to environmental
cleanliness.
The Secretary to the State Government, SSG,
Mr. Tunji Bello, announcing the ban, said that
with the flag off of the CLI, the continuous activities
of cart pushers would pose a threat to the success
of the initiative.
Bello said that investigations had also revealed
that the cart pushers were responsible for most
of the dumping of wastes in canals and road
medians at night which causes flooding, adding
that, aside constituting environmental nuisance,
they were also sources of security threats.
He explained that government had discovered
that those set of people used the night to perpetrate
all sorts of dastardly acts. They dump refuse
indiscriminately on the median of major roads
and highways. They also pose serious security
threats because they use those carts to hide arms
and ammunitions and hide under the guise of
carrying refuse to rob unsuspecting residents.
The state government, therefore, declared zero
tolerance for the activities of cart pushers and
wheel barrow operators and directed security
agencies to ensure that those found still operating
are arrested and prosecuted according to the
State Environmental Laws.
As part of the steps to tackle the menace, the
state government arrested some suspects
allegedly caught in the act. The state
government, on Tuesday, said it had concluded
plans to arraign four officials of some PSP
operators arrested for dumping wastes on the
streets in the middle of the night along the Central
Business District, CBD, of Lagos Island.
Also, four cart pushers, Yusuf Saheed, Abubakar
Lawal, Bashiru Umar and Amira Abdul, who
were arrested in Moshalasi Alhaja in Agege area
of the state, for dumping refuse
in unauthorised spots, were to be
arraigned in court.
The state Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Mr.
Kehinde Bamigbetan, said the
The state
government is
committed to
ensuring that
the corruption
in the waste
management
system is
stamped out
PSP operators were arrested by
security operatives in the early
hours of Tuesday, in the process
of using their compactor to
dump refuse on the street.
Bamigbetan said the latest
arrest brought the number of
PSP operators arrested for
similar offence in the last one
week to five, while hundreds of
cart pushers and wheel barrow
operators had equally been
arrested for dumping wastes in
public places and canals in
various parts of the state.
The commissioner
maintained that the arrest was a
clear confirmation of the suspicion of
government that the new environmental waste
management policy encapsulated in CLI was
being sabotaged by vested interests.
He said: “A PSP operator was caught along
Lagos Island Central Business District
discharging refuse on the street. He was arrested
by security operatives in the middle of the night
which shows the institutional corruption that has
been lingering in the sector which the state
government intends to fight with the reforms put
in place.
“The arrest of the PSP operator is a clear
example of the deliberate efforts to sabotage what
the State Government is doing. The PSP
operators are not being driven out of their
businesses with the reforms as they are making
the public to believe.
“Under CLI, the government has made
provision for the PSP operators to handle
collection of commercial waste and there
are over 15,000 companies in Lagos that
can serve the over 200 PSP operators in
the State. So far, the CLI has been able to
get over 50,000 new employees out of the
labour market.
“The government has also stressed itself
by getting N2.5billion loan to enable the
PSP operators buy equipment to be more
competitive. These are the things they can
key into than blackmailing government.
The whole idea is to build local capacity
in order to employ more of our
unemployed youth,” Bamigbetan said.
Meanwhile, a PSP operator arrested in
Mushin has been charged to court, while
the latest suspect would also be charged
to court by the Lagos State Environmental
Sanitation Corps, LAGESC.
“The PSP operators are being used by
those fighting against the reforms the
government is putting in place. The CLI
is part of the measures to fight institutional
corruption in the system which the
government is determined to eradicate”,
the Information Commissioner said.
“Government will not be blackmailed
into abandoning the right thing for the
people. The state government is
committed to ensuring that the corruption
in the waste management system is
stamped out.
“Any PSP operator henceforth caught
will be dealt with using the full weight of
the law. No government will fold its arms
and allow few vested interests whose
interests are inimical to the majority of
the people and aimed at sabotaging
government’s policies and
programmes to have a field day”.
He urged residents to exercise a little
more patience as the current
challenges with waste disposal would
soon be over, just as he advised the
PSP operators to support government
by embracing the new initiative.
Commissioner for Environment,
Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, at media
briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, said, “What
we are currently experiencing across
the state is temporary. It would soon
disappear. All we want is for residents to
bear with the state government on the
refuse found across the state”.
I am not a cart
pusher - Suspect
Meantime, one of the suspects,
Abubakar Lawal, who claimed to be a
bus driver employed by a private
school, said that he was on his way to
school when he was apprehended
by environment officials, even as
he alleged that no fewer than 15
persons were arrested but released
after negotiations.
He said: “I was on my way to the
school where I was employed as a
driver when the state government
officials arrested me. I do not know
the reason for their action. And
later they told me that I was found
dumping refuse at unauthorized
locations”.
It is unfair to call female
politicians promiscuous
—Fateema Muhammed
•‘Why I Want To Serve Ifako-Ijaiye
In House of Reps’
By Lekan Bilesanmi
Hon.
Fateema
Muhammed is a
woman politician. In
this
interview,
Muhammed speaks on
her ambition to
represent Ifako-Ijaiye
Constituency, Lagos in
the House of
Representatives in 2019
on the platform of the
Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), among
other issues.
•Hon. Fateema
Muhammed
How long have you
been nursing the
ambition of going into public office and who
and what actually encouraged you to go into
active politics?
A whole lot of factors spurred me into taking part in
active politics or perhaps participating in politics. The
first and which I would describe as the major was when
I was driving by and saw where a woman was abused by
a man. When I say abuse I don’t mean verbal abuse but
physical. I had to stop and mediate but to my greatest
surprise, she never had anyone to support her, and the
said man was also her husband. This gave me a pulse
that there is the need for women to brace up and speak
yet maintaining decency. Stand for their rights and
demand for it not minding whose ox is gored. Another
reason for participating was to clear this impression
that women politicians are promiscuous and not
assertive when it comes to governance.
Would you say you had leadership traits from
childhood?
There is a popular saying that goes that everyone is
born a leader, but it now depends on what role and
purpose you are created for. Leadership has been an
inborn right from my childhood, though my university
days and to this moment.
As a grassroots politician, what exactly do
you think is the main challenge confronting this
country?
The main problem I would say we have as a nation is
being selfish and not compassionate as individuals.
Nigeria is naturally endowed to provide basic,
infrastructural needs of its citizenry and also make every
Nigerian gets the basic amenities but we would rather
enrich ourselves than the nation. I pray for a Nigeria
that will look at the national pledge and act accordingly;
development does not rest on the shoulder of a particular
peer group, nor respects age and agility, but rather bows
to a man who possesses rejuvenated mind-set about
development and growth. Based on the question, we
also have the issue of trust; the inability of one group to
see the other just as it sees itself. Let’s trust others just
exactly the way we want them to trust us.
You are aspiring for the House of
Representatives. Would you like to share the
developmental programmes you have in plan
for your constituents?
There is nothing I had ever wished to do politically
that I have never done, only that there will certainly be
an increase in the quality and size. I have always been a
woman who loves to give back to the society. I am
passionate about cushioning the effect of poverty. I have
a comprehensive growth and development induced
programs to embark on in no distant time. Whether I
win or not, our women must be empowered with the
basic and necessary tools so as to thrive in whatever
environment they find themselves. The men are not also
left out in my plans.
Do you think politics is really a dirty game?
Like I said earlier, everything in life is all about mindset.
What’s your mind-set about money, marriage,
friendship, business, religion and politics? Your mindset
is the determining factor in the whole process of life.
Some people might see politics to be dirty and ungodly,
but for me, I see politics as a profession meant for people
with mature leadership in correcting the anomalies
embedded in the national structure.
If elected to the House, what is going to be
your main focus in legislation?
One of my concerns so far has been gender equity and
not gender equality. Obviously we can’t match the men
when it comes to strength and wit but we can contribute
our own quota in the society not forgetting that we are
the mothers of the nation. My federal constituency is
the second largest in Lagos and one of the least
developed. But let me assure the good people of Ifako
Ijaiye that I am here to change the narrative God willing
when I become their representative. I would also step
up my empowerment programmes and my community
development would be taken to another level.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4 , 2018, Page 15
HEARTBROKEN FAMILIES
We are grieving — Parents of
Dapchi schoolgirls
The kidnapping of 110 girls from a school
in Dapchi bears striking similarities to the
2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok
- right down to the contradictory information
from the authorities. The BBC’s Stephanie
Hegarty went to the town to visit the school
and meet families of those missing children.
THE grounds of the boarding school in
Dapchi town are eerily quiet. Instead
of the high-pitched chatter of 900 schoolgirls,
there’s only the bleating of goats as they
wander through empty classrooms.
Thirteen-year-old Fatima Awaal is walking
down the dusty path. She walks past a littering
of rubber sandals, lost by girls as they ran
away on Monday 19 February.
When the militants from the Boko Haram
Islamist group attacked, she was in her
boarding house with her best friend Zara.
They were just about to have dinner when
they heard the gunshots.
“One of our teachers told us to come out,”
she said “And that’s when we saw the gunfire
shooting through the sky.”
The militants were coming from the far
end of the compound, firing in the air.
“We started running, many of the girls were
screaming,” Fatima said. “We were
running towards the gate. As we were
running the militants were shouting
at us to stop. They told us to get in the
trucks; that they were there to help
us. But we just ran.”
The attackers were in military
fatigues, but they were wearing
sandals and they had beards and
turbans on their heads. She knew they
were Boko Haram, but some girls
were confused and went with them.
As Fatima was running she lost her
best friend. Zara Tijjani is a little older
at 14, but they grew up around the
corner from each other and spent all
their time together at school and in
the holidays.
‘My heart is breaking’
Zara’s home is a big mud-brick
building in a large compound close
to the school. Her father Yussuf is a
farmer and community leader. He
told us that on the night of the attack,
the family heard gunshots from the
school and the sound of girls
screaming.
“I ran over there to get my
daughter,” he said. “I was about to
climb the fence when I saw the men
shooting.”
•Heartbroken parents Yussuf and Habiba Tijjani can
do little but wait - and pray - for news of daughter Zara
He had to run back to his compound,
where he met more than 100 children taking
refuge.
He searched and searched
through the crowd for his daughter.
By the morning he knew that she
had been taken.
As we spoke, Falmata’s 25-yearold
sister was listening, washing
dishes. Absent-mindedly, she
swished soapy water around the big
plastic buckets.
I started to ask her about her
sister.
“We are very close,” she said. Then
her voice cracked, she stopped. She
dropped her head into the nook of
her elbow and started sobbing.
“I can’t stop thinking about her.
The worst thing is that we don’t
know how she is, we don’t know what
she is going through.”
Sitting on a mat outside their
house, Zara’s mother and father
showed us some of her schoolbooks,
her name scribbled over and over
across the pages. Her favourite
subject was business, her friend
Fatima had told me. “Yes,” her proud
father said, pointing to the teacher’s
full marks etched in red on the
pages.
“She’s a good girl, so caring,”
mother Habiba said. “We are very
•Falmata, Zara's sister, says
she cannot stop crying
close but now we’ve lost her. My heart is
breaking. She’s my daughter and I don’t
know where she is or who she is with.”
‘The children of poor men’
Zara is just one of 110 girls who were taken
that night. All around the small town of
Dapchi, families are grieving.
Like the Manugalawans. Eighteen-yearold
Hafsat was in school that night when
she heard the gunshots, grabbed her 15-yearold
sister Hauwa, and ran.
“The Boko Haram man was shouting at
us to stop, he said he would shoot but we
kept running,” she said.
Hafsat paid the words no heed. They ran
towards a perimeter fence and she told her
younger sister to climb first. But when she
got to the other side, Hauwa was gone.
Their mother Joloni Mohamed is angry.
“I can’t put in words how I’m feeling,” she
said. “Only God knows.”
“At the beginning we were told that our
daughters were rescued, that they were on
our way back to us,” she said. “That was the
hardest part.”
She was referring to an announcement by
the governor of Yobe State two days after the
attack, claiming that some girls had been
rescued. The following day the governor
addressed parents, admitting that the rescue
had never happened.
Standing outside as we spoke to Joloni was
yet another anguished relative: Her nextdoor
neighbour Aisha Isa Kalallawa. She
was holding her phone, waiting to show us
pictures of the three sisters she lost - Maryam,
Fatima and Falamatu. The youngest was 14,
the oldest 17.
On every corner of this small town there is
a sad story.
Since the kidnappings, there have been
many conflicting lines from the authorities
on what exactly happened in Dapchi that
Monday night. It wasn’t until three days after
the assault that they finally acknowledged
some girls had been taken. It was another
three days before they gave a number of how
many were missing.
Now, President Muhammadu Buhari says
the army and air force are in pursuit of the
girls and are doing everything it can to find
them. But most of the parents we spoke to
don’t feel they are doing enough.
“I don’t know why the government has not
reacted faster,” said Zara’s father Yussuf.
“But these are not the children of senior
politicians; they are the children of poor
men.”
Over the past week, the echoes of the
Chibok kidnapping have never been far from
people’s minds - least of all the parents of
Dapchi. Four years later, more than 100 of
those girls are still missing.
The biggest fear of the families here is that
they will also wait years until they see their
daughters again - that is if they see them at
all.
•Source: bbc.com
C
M
Y
K

PAGE 16 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
Govt admits fraud in SIP:
Matters arising
“If you shut up truth
and bury it underground,
it will but grow and
gather to itself such
explosive power that the
day it bursts through, it
will blow up everything
in its way.” Emile Zola,
1840-1902.
One unpleasant
truth has
recently blown
up in the faces of
President Buhari and
Vice President Osinbajo.
On May 29, 2015,
President Buhari
announced the Social
Intervention Programme,
SIP, which was called the
most audacious attempt
by any government in
Nigeria to address the
issues of poverty and
joblessness. The four
components of SIP
included: employment of
500,000 teachers;
payment of N5000 per
month to five million poor
Nigerians; ICT Training
designed to turn trainees
into entrepreneurs and
employers of others and
the feeding of 5 million
school children. If it had
succeeded, it would have
been Buhari’s legacy
project which would
have also made him
Nigeria’s greatest leader
of all time.
Unfortunately, for
Buhari and Nigeria, SIP
was a product of more
wishful thinking than
effective planning. It
never had a chance for
success as conceived.
But, Buhari, appointing
people based on
sentiments rather than
competence, planned the
seeds of failure and fraud
even as he sent in the
first budget in 2016 to
kick-start the SIP. In the
2016 Budget, SIP was
allocated a mindboggling
N500bn; it was
the largest allocation. It
was even bigger than
what Fashola got as
Super Minister of Power,
Housing and Works. Few
people, except Senator
Danjuma Goje and I
questioned the allocation
of so much money to a
totally new programme
whose detains were still
to be worked out.
Buhari did not fall into
this trap all by himself.
Perhaps knowing his
own limitations when it
comes to understanding
complex programmes,
the President relied on
the Vice President – a
Professor of Law.
Osinbajo also was keenly
aware of his own
deficiencies in such
matters. So, he turned to
one Mr Laolu Akande –
his Senior Special
Adviser – whose tissue of
lies on SIP has finally
blown up in everybody’s
faces.
When the 2016 Budget
estimates reached the
Joint Appropriation
Committee, Senator Goje
made this observation.
“There is no detailed
and clear-cut structure
being laid down for the
implementation of this
project because what we
have in the budget is
N300bn recurrent and
N200bn capital. We had
to push hard to get some
details which were not
convincing. For instance,
the explanation we got is
that N5000 will be given
to one million Nigerians.
Who will choose the one
million? (Sen. Goje,
March3, 2016).
The Joint Appropriation
Committee, at first deleted
that amount from the 2016
budget and advised the
Federal Government to go
and do its homework
before re-presenting the
Buhari, appointing
people based on
sentiments rather
than competence,
planned the seeds
of failure and fraud
even as he sent in
the first budget in
2016 to kick-start
the SIP
SIP in the 2017 budget.
But, those who were hellbent
on taking Nigeria to
the cleaners would have
none of that patriotic
advice. They must have
their scam ratified by
the National Assembly.
Pressure was brought to
bear on the NASS and
N500bn was
appropriated for a
project that has never
been tried. That was
almost double what was
allocated to Education
or Health – the
operations of which
were well-known to all.
It never made sense and
will never make sense.
In no country does a
good government
allocate more funds to
an untried project.
Senator Danjuma was
not alone in raising
alarm. In August of
2016, I wrote as follows
about SIP. “
That was the first of
at least twelve articles
written about SIP
warning Nigerians that
SIP, under VP Osinbajo
has become a den of
corruption. On each
occasion, I had
challenged Mr Laolu
Akande and the VP to
substantiate their claims
that SIP was achieving
results. For instance,
the article -- “Fooling
Nigerians on N5000
payment” - was written
in January 2017, after
traveling to nine states
and finding no single
official recipient of the
money. “Questions on
FG’s School Feeding”
appeared in August. It
detailed all the lies
which were being
reported from the VP’s
office, refusal to disclose
the list of schools
benefiting from the
School Feeding
Programme. All to no
avail.
Just as I was about to
give up; thinking “the
wicked have done their
worst” about SIP and
Nigerians don’t seem to
care about the swindles
involved in SIP, Mrs
Maryam Uwais, Senior
Special Adviser to the VP
and the person directly in
charge of SIP suddenly
opens up and vindicates
me. On February 16,
2018, a national
newspaper published on
page 10: “NEC: Social
Investment Programme
Marred by Fraud,
Corruption.” Another
made it front page news.
“Govt Admits Fraud in
N1t Social Investment
Fund”. Mrs Uwais, tired
of the cover-up of
monumental fraud under
the SIP, located in the
VP’s office is letting us
into the dark secrets
which had characterized
Buhari’s pet project. Mr
Laolu Akande,
predictably, is now
difficult to reach by
media…
To be continued
Waking nightmare
“When there is no enemy
within, the enemy outside can
do you no harm.”-African
proverb
Terror once again visited
a female only boarding
school and leaving in its wake,
devastation and distraught
families and school mates. In
a run down, dilapidated
school compound, it is
evidently telling in the
aftermath, what was left were
only traces of footprints and
items of clothing of the
abduction, the footprints left
of the girls, indicated that the
girls struggled and fled in all
directions. These school girls,
11-19 years old, ran for their
lives, some towards the
bushes, others mistakenly in
to the hands of their
abductors, with relief that they
were the members of the
army. They were dressed in
military fatigues with one
significant difference; as one
of the escaped girls observed.
This might have very well have
saved her life; she noticed that
they were wearing flip flops
and she deduced in all the
kerfuffle that army don’t wear
flip flops. Those that escaped
were also helped by their
brave teachers who helped
them escape by assisting them
to scale fences,hide in the
bushes or in nearby homes
until it was safe to come out.
110 girls are missing,110
children whose parents and
relatives are grieving,
inconsolable and beside
themselves with dread of what
will become of their children
in the coming months or years
- (some Chibok girls have
been missing since 2014). We
can only imagine what their
parents are going through; no
parent deserves this ordeal or
nightmare of not knowing
where your child is and no one
is able to give you answers or
reassurances of the safe return
of your child. Dapchi, like
Chibok has become
synonymous with the
abduction of school girls by
the nefarious militants, Boko
Haram.
The government has failed
to address the vulnerability
and security of such seat of
learning robustly and they
should have continued to
offer security immediately
after the Chibok abduction
until the threats are no longer
evident. Despite what the
military said, after this current
event they left a couple of days
prior to the abduction, there
recognizance was way off and
it is little comfort to the
parents of the abducted girls
in particular and the
community as a whole. In the
army’s defence, they said that
they had evaluated the risks
and had assumed that the
school was safe from attack
hence no further security was
needed. Well, they evaluated
wrongly and as a result 110
girls are missing. How do you
tell parents and reassure them
that their children are safe to
go to school after this mass
abduction? How do you say
to them that they have been
let down because they trusted
that the powers that be have
made the place safe for their
children to go to a place of
learning without the fear of
abduction, rape and worse?.
Any well-meaning parents
will do what comes naturally,
keep their respective children
safe from harm and they will
keep them away from schools.
This is a disaster and it is
playing into the hands of the
deplorable and despicable
murderers without a cause.
The tragedy is that these
parents despite, the hardship
and sacrifices they made to
send their children to schools,
now wish they had not done
so; but they did so, that their
girls can be educated and lift
their whole family out of
poverty. The illiteracy rate in
the north for women is far
higher compared to the south
and the surrounding regions
and this latest abduction will
play well into the hands of
people who are vehemently
opposed to educating girls.
The BK’s insurgency in the
north, according to UNICEF,
has forced and kept more than
11 million children out of
formal education. About
1,400 schools have been
destroyed in Borno State and
many in the surrounding
states.
Right now, these parents are
experiencing a living
nightmare and the coming
days will be torturous and
traumatic every single day the
girls remain missing. This loss
and absence is not theirs
alone to carry, we should as
Nigerians know that, we all
should help support them in
their time of need and we hope
and pray to God for the safe
return of these young girls.
One of the parents said,” My
demand now is to see our
children back. That is our
demand. We are pleading, for
every single community,
whether it is international,
Nigerian, whoever, to rescue
our children in a civil manner.”
The federal government has
since provided details of the
missing girls;” Of the 110
missing girls, eight are in JSS1,
17 in JSS2, 12 in JSS3, 40 in
SS1, 19 in SS2 and 14 in SS3.
The girl’s ages range from 11
to 19 years.
The Minister of Information,
Lai Mohammed, issued a
statement providing further
details on the missing girls.
Mr Mohammed said the
Nigerian Air Force had flown
200 hours while conducting the
search at 6.00 p.m. on Monday
but they are yet to locate the
missing girls. We cannot
afford for the missing girls to
The tragedy is that
these parents despite,
the hardship and
sacrifices they made
to send their children
to schools, now wish
they had not done so;
but they did so, that
their girls can be
educated and lift their
whole family out of
poverty
become another hash tag,
neither can we let these
hoodlums create fear and terror
that perpetuate the region and
set back the progress for
females back decades.
CNN undercover report
CNN undercover report
unveiled the underbelly of
human trafficking hub in Edo
state and it is very revealing and
shocking that after the recent
exposure of the slave
markets in Libya of black
Africans, including
Nigerians, that the miserable
trade continues to flourish in
spite of the dangers is beyond
normal comprehension. It
shows clearly that many
criminals are profiting from
this human tragedy. The
reporter was able to pose as
potential illegal immigrant,
looking for a way to leave
the country. Clandestinely
met with a trafficker who
was to arrange a route to
smuggle her out of the
country. Of course for many,
it is their way out of Africa
and into Europe. The
meeting was in a bordello,
dark and dingy as the trade
itself, the arranger was
intimidating and he asked
for $1,400 for the first leg of
the journey to Libya and he
warned that he did not want
any undercover reporter to
waste his time, that this was
serious business. It was
painful to watch.On
embarking the bus, the
arrangers called her aside
and ask her if she had golden
circle or Kiss kiss which were
apparently condoms. He
more than one way implied
that she was going to be
raped and it was in her best
interest to carry protection
and not resist when these
men come forward to
“assist" her.
Edo State is now dubbed
Nigeria’s trafficking hub
and one of Africa’s largest
departure points. Each year,
tens of thousands of migrants
are illegally smuggled to
North Africa and through to
Europe, most are escaping
hardship in Nigeria and
others are being trafficked
for the sex market in Europe.
Most if not all, will be
traumatised by this journey
and some will die as a result
of human trafficking.
From my archive
Trouble with Dino
“So here we are again in
2016, if it is to be believed, a
senator using language that
is unbecoming of the high
office. There is no justification
to threaten a woman with
rape! No justification. What
followed for Melaye,
supposedly a damage control
to put his own side of the story
which failed spectacularly? I
am appalled that some of
the people reacted as if it was
nothing or that he was
justified. Melaye recounted
that Remi Tinubu called him
a thug and then, he called her
stupid! Wow! It was a case
of he said, she said. And she
called him a dog, and he stood
up and told her that “this was
not Bourdillion and as he was
not one of those senators who
normally come to prostrate to
them, I am from Kogi and not
from Lagos” So he did not
deny anything but he said” I
am not a coward”
Can someone tell him that
it is not what they call you but
what you respond to? This is
not the way any person should
behave talk less a senator. So
he charged towards the
female senator and had to be
held back by other senators,
who remonstrated with him
to let peace reign. Why did
they not tell him that he
misbehaved nor are they
saying that his behaviour was
acceptable?
Dino has got his temper
which gets the better of him
all the time. He is erratic and
out of control. No man should
be allowed to get away with
such behaviour and it is a
conduct not becoming of a
senator. He has a bully
mentality and does not know
how to hold a civil
conversation and resorts to
use his fist and potty mouth.
He threatened to beat Tinubu
up and impregnate her on the
floor of the Senate and he
boasted that nothing will
happen! Why this man is still
allowed to walk free?
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018,PAGE 17
Callous herdsmen
attacked butcher,
raped woman
– Taiga, Urhobo leader
•Says over 300 cattle-rearers occupy
two communities in Ughelli LGA
By Dapo Akinrefon, Dep. Regional
Editor, South West
Olorogun Moses Taiga is the
President General, Urhobo
Progress Union, UPU. In this
interview, Taiga advocates a return to the
1960 and 1963 constitutions, which he
believes would move the country forward.
He also bares his mind on the activities
of herdsmen in Urhoboland even as he
insists that no single inch of Urhoboland
land would be allocated for cattle colony.
Attacks by herdsmen on their host
communities, especially farmers, across
the country pose threat to the unity of
Nigeria. How can this menace be
addressed?
Nigeria must first look inwards, if it must
address the challenge; otherwise we will
continue to make noise and, at the end of
the day, nothing concrete will come out. It
is a critical issue that deserves serious attention
from all stakeholders in the Nigeria project.
As it is currently, herdsmen activities across
the country have raised tensions and our
various governments must be very proactive
in addressing the issue as soon as possible.
We need to go back to the automation system
whereby we used rail and trucks to transport
cattle to the South. For example, in Sagamu,
they used to bring cattle by train and take
kolanut to the North through the same means.
We need to reactive that. I learned that
Ajaokuta-Warri rail line would be
commissioned before the end of the year. They
are also working on the Lagos-Ibadan rail
line. With pockets of such projects, I believe
the situation will improve. Besides, the roads
are not too bad for trucks to bring cattle down
to the South. During Christmas, I used to send
people as far as Sokoto to buy cows for me to
distribute to my communities, which they
bring in trucks. So, we cannot abandon what
worked for us before. There are trucks coming
to buy diesel and petrol all the way from the
North. They are there in Apapa, Warri and
Port Harcourt to carry the products up North.
So, what is the problem using the rail and
roads for cattle transportation? We also need
to start planting trees so that we can reclaim
the land that has been lost to desertification.
Recently, the Economic Intelligent Unit
published by the London Economist said that
57 per cent of our arable land is gone. Togo is
the worst with 79 per cent. We need to develop
land for grazing by planting trees that will
create foliage.
Do you agree with the argument that the
killer herdsmen are not the real Fulani
herdsmen living in the communities, but
migrant Bororo who are very elusive to
track?
I really don’t know whether the attackers
are the Bororo or whatever name you call
them. Recently, I attended a meeting of
Southern Leaders’ Conference held in Lagos.
And the South-West zone, which has been
keeping statistics, noted that up to 2015, there
were only about 50 cattle herdsmen’s
settlements in the region. But suddenly between
2016 and 2017, the figure grew to 127. That is
an increment of about three folds in one year.
It is possible they have an objective for coming,
but we do not know what their objective is.
What we do know is that their land in the
North has become bare as a result of
deforestation. When the land becomes bare,
they try to move down South. That is why I am
suggesting that the Federal Government
should reverse that trend. If at all they have to
come with their cattle, they should move them
by rail and road. I don’t buy the excuse that
the attackers are difficult to track. I also don’t
buy the excuse that they are foreigners from
Niger. This is a problem that was not there
before and has now become a real problem.
Government seems to be insisting on
establishing cattle colony across the country
as the best solution to the crisis. Do you
subscribe to a cattle colony in Urhoboland?
No inch of Urhoboland will be ceded to any
colony. Are there cassava colonies or poultry
colonies in the North? Why is the Federal
Government segregating and selecting a
particular type of people? Cattle-rearing is a
private matter and individuals should make
their private arrangement, just as crop farmers
do, in that regard. Has government
established cassava, yam, cocoa or plantain
colonies? These squatters are trespassers and
have to stop. I am speaking on behalf of my
people; no inch of Urhoboland will be ceded
to a colony. And I am on the same page with
my governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on this. He has
even made a statement on the matter. So, we
are speaking with one voice in Delta. I don’t
know of any other place, but for the Urhobo
on whose behalf I am speaking, we are one
and united. I want to use this opportunity to
inform the Federal Government that Urhobo
nation is against the proposed cattle colony
and the Urhobo will not cede an inch of their
land for the purpose of establishing a cattle
colony.
Could you narrate the threat posed to the
Urhobo nation by herdsmen and steps you
are taking to protect your people?
I am saying this with a heavy heart that the
activities of herdsmen in some communities
in our land are already creating fears among
the locals. In recent times, persistent herdsmen
killings across the country have become a
problem that demands special attention and
I am using this medium to raise the alarm
that many atrocities are being perpetrated by
armed herdsmen in Urhoboland. The
Urhobos in Delta State face a clear and
present danger. You would have been reading
about the incessant attacks of Urhobo people
by Fulani herdsmen in their towns and villages
for some time now. Our men are being killed
and our wives and daughters are raped. The
attacks are going on in Abraka, Uwheru
Kingdoms and towns, Ovwor and many other
towns and villages in Urhoboland.
Recently, they struck in Ovwor, attacking three
men and raping one woman. Ironically one of
the men they attacked is a butcher going to his
place of work very early in the morning. These
herdsmen are very daring and callous. Even a
butcher, who patronises them by buying their
cows, is not spared of the attacks.
While we call on President Muhammadu
Buhari, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and security
agencies to, as a matter of urgency, dislodge
herdsmen from the land, I want to state that, at
present, over 300 herdsmen are illegally
occupying shops in an ultra-modern market not
in use between Otovwodo and Ogor towns in
Ughelli North Local Government Area. There
are fears that the number of the herdsmen might
double in no time. As I speak, most Urhobo
Our people are
farmers, they grow
cassava, they produce
yam. Now, they are
being told not to go to
farm. That is why we
are shouting
people live in perpetual anxiety and trepidation
in their homeland and the onus is on the security
authorities to dislodge these hoodlums before
they wreak further havoc. We must not allow the
recent disaster in Benue State, where 73 people
were killed by herdsmen, to occur in Urhoboland
or any other place for that matter, again, in
Nigeria.
Do you agree that communities should start
arming themselves for self-defense?
Urhobo are peace-loving; we have never been
involved in any intertribal war. We are not to
arm ourselves to fight back. If we are going to
do that, we will not be calling on government to
take care of the situation. Urhobo do not think
that the solution to the problem is to arm
ourselves for war.
What are you telling your people so that
they will not be victims of attacks?
Our people are farmers, they grow cassava,
they produce yam. Now, they are being told not
to go to farm. That is why we are shouting. In
the case of Ughelli, some women went to the
farm and they were driven back. They have
virtually taken over a town called Agadama.
So, it is a serious issue. I want to implore my
people to be patient. We are crying hard to let
the government know that it is not peace as
usual and that they need to do something. It is
not a one-day affair. We are hoping that the
authorities will do the needful. There is already
hunger in the land and we must not compound
the situation. As we speak, our women can no
longer go to farm to produce yams, cassava,
and garri, which they bring to market to sell.
Government should know that we are close to
the precipice and it is very dangerous. They
need to make sure that peace comes back to
the land because we are peace-loving people.
As the President-General of UPU, you have
expressed concern on the effects on your
people but the issue cannot be addressed in
isolation. How can Nigeria get out of the crisis?
Genuine cattlemen are leading their
cattle through farmlands down to the
South, destroying the crops along the
way because there is no green vegetation
for them in the North anymore. As they
do this, they are stopping our people
from going to farm. The trend portends
hunger in the land. There is urgent need
for government to stop the hunger. They
should stop these people from marching
down South. One way to stop it is to start
planting trees and provide more irrigation
waters. We should also go back to
automation. That is, using railway and
road to transport cattle to the South rather
allowing the Fulani to troop down like
an army of occupation.
Like I said earlier, we need to reexamine
the old system. There is the
need for a return to the 1960 Constitution
where regions managed their resources
and only contributed a percentage to the
Federal Government. That is one of the
ways to achieve lasting peace in Nigeria.
It will also bring back healthy competition
among regions, which helped to speed up
growth and development in those days.
C
M
Y
K

PAGE 18—SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
BEN AGANDE, KADUNA.
Before Monday, last week,
Emmanuel Ugwuanyi was a
successful wholesaler and
hotelier in Kasuwan-Magani, a bustling
semi urban settlement 30 kilometers
away from Kaduna city on the busy
Kaduna-Kachin highway. He owned one
of the best watering holes in the town and
was the biggest wholesaler of alcoholic
drinks. But within three hours, his
investment of over six years were reduced
to ashes. He lost a truck that he
purchased barely a week earlier for N3.8
million; he also lost about N6 million in
cash, being sales that he made over the
weekend which his manager had
planned to deposit in the bank in nearby
Kaduna city, that fateful Monday.
When Sunday Vanguard met him in
the ruined remains of his once bubbling
shop, Ugwuanyi, who hails from Enugu,
was a distraught and an obviously
inconsolable man. “I cannot believe that
my investment just went up in flames
because of no fault of mine. I am a victim
of a violent disagreement over romance.
It is very painful,” he told Sunday
Vanguard while fighting back tears.
What started as a mere disagreement
between some youths in the town over
whether people from a different religious
group should date ladies from a different
religion from theirs quickly escalated to
an orgy of violence and arson with
devastating consequences. By the time
security reinforcement from nearby
Kaduna city moved in to restore sanity,
11 people had died and almost all shops
in the settlement had been torched.
So, what actually triggered the
violence? Investigations by Sunday
Vanguard indicated that though tension
between the majority Christian
population and the minority,
economically more empowered Muslims
had been simmering for a while, what
served as a trigger was the decision of
Christian youths in the area to discipline
Christian girls who were found to be
dating Muslim boys, against the “decree”
passed by the Christian youths.
One of the “punishments” prescribed by
the Christian youths against any
Christian girl found to be dating any
Muslim guy is 20 lashes of the cane.
According to the chairman of the
Christian Association of Nigeria in the
area, Rev. Makama Danjuma, “I was away
to Kaduna when I received a call that
there was tension in Kasuwa Magani. I
rushed back and I was ambushed by some
young men - obviously, these were
Muslims. Some of them said I should be
killed but majority of them rejected the
idea because, according to them, there
was no need for the trouble in the land. I
went round to dissuade people from
making trouble.
But before this issue, there had been a
problem. I was called by the chief of
Kajuru on a Sunday for a meeting. When
I went, I saw a lady in Hijab. He told me
that I was invited as the chairman of
Christian Association of Nigeria because
the lady I saw in Hijab wanted to convert
from Christianity to Islam and as the
leader of Christians, I needed to be
informed. I told him that I was not going
to be part of it. I told him that he should
allow me to hold a meeting with the girl
and her parents before they go ahead with
the planned conversion but he insisted so
I left.
“This is one problem that has lingered,
the issue of Muslim guys dating Christian
girls and to worsen the case, they would
be boasting that ‘we will sleep with your
mothers and your daughters and you
cannot do anything because we have the
economic wherewithal to do so’. It is this
provocation that is at the root of this latest
crisis” he said.
Though purveyors of violence in the
area tried to give it a religious slant, what
happened was more of an economic crisis,
with an economically less empowered
group resisting what they saw as an
oppression by an economically
advantaged group, that just happened a
different religion.
According to Ugwuanyi, what happened
was mere criminality that people used
religion to justify.
“I have been doing business here for six
years. There is nothing like religious crisis
DANGEROUS LOVE
Disagreement
over dating
brings mayhem
to Kaduna town
•Ugwuanyi loses N7m in three hours
because it is criminal gangs who are
made up of Christians and Muslims. The
people who burnt this place went straight
to my manager’s room because they know
that that is where money is kept. I lost
over N7 million because we did not go to
the bank for three days” he said.
The Kaduna State Police
Commissioner, Austin Iwar, who led a
security team to the area for an
assessment vowed that no stone will be
left unturned to identify perpetrators of
the violence and bring them to book.
“It is unfortunate. As we can see the level
of destruction is very high, some people
were killed and properties were destroyed. This
is not what we wished for our state, Kaduna.
Let me say that we will not leave any stone
unturned in investigating the remote and the
immediate causes of this problem. We will talk
to the stakeholders here and try to find out
what the problem is and through civil problemsolving
approach and conflict resolution, we
will deal with that. We will also look at the
criminal aspect of it. So far, we have arrested
18 people that we suspect were involved in the
crisis. We are working round the clock to
ensure that we get to the root of the matter. We
have recovered a number of dangerous items,
including petrol bombs. We believe this is a
They would be boasting
that ‘we will sleep with
your mothers and your
daughters and you
cannot do anything
because we have the
economic wherewithal to
do so’. It is this
provocation that is at the
root of this latest crisis
planned thing and we will get to the
root of the matter. We will do a
thorough investigation to ensure that
it does not happen again” he said.
Though peace has been restored in
the area, as long as the root cause of
the crisis is papered over, there is no
guarantee that some criminals may
not resort to religion to wreak havoc
on innocent people. The security
agencies must work hard to ensure
that those who use religion to
perpetrate violence are brought to
book.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018 — PAGE 19
healthy living
By Chioma Obinna
Mrs. Modupe Janet Oyedele lost her only child on Christmas Day
to leukaemia (cancer of the blood cells) at the age of eight and a
half years. Oyedele held Sunday Vanguard spellbound as she
narrated how her challenge has become a source of strength to encourage
others.
It was a Saturday of ‘Red’ when family members, friends, co-workers,
well-wishers, and parents of children living with leukaemia gathered at the
Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja to voluntarily donate
blood to save the lives of children with leukaemia in memory of Timilehin
Oyedele who lost the fight to cancer.
To some listeners, their stories may sound incredible but for these helpless
mothers, it was a day they found their voices and relived their battles.
Their accounts may have seemed similar, but that of Modupe, an
employee of the National Union of Textile Garment Tailoring Workers of
Nigeria, was the most gripping. One after the other, the mothers took turns
to narrate their cancer stories.
“It was a big trial. He was our only child. We had him two years
after our marriage,” Modupe told Sunday Vanguard.
According to her, all was well with the almost nine-yearold
until December 2010 when he complained of pain on
his left leg. He was taken to a private hospital where he
was treated for malaria twice. Meanwhile, the pain
refused to go away. The mother then took him to
LASUTH where he was diagnosed of leukaemia, a
malignancy (cancer) of blood cells. She continued:
“I lived in LASUTH for four months. I was going
to office from the hospital throughout the period.
You can imagine the condition we were in then?
You know in hospital you are not allowed to
sleep on the bed. You can only lay your head on
the child’s bed and, if you are found putting
your head on the child, you are sent out. I
slept on the chair throughout the four
months. It was not funny. We later moved
him to Ife to continue the treatment.”
Search for treatment and the
challenges of blood
Naturally, Modupe’s world was nearly
shattered on hearing that her only child
was suffering from a deadly disease. “We
were too close to imagine that one of us
could die,” she said.
And she had not heard about leukaemia
before. So the mother went to the internet to
learn about the ailment. “I quickly browsed
the internet to understand what it is and other
issues concerning anaemia.”
Apart from the financial implications, the
search for cure was not easy as it involves
constant replacement of blood. This is because
scientists say that leukaemia cells continue to
grow and divide, eventually crowding out the
normal blood cells, resulting in difficulty for the
body to fight infections, control bleeding and
transport oxygen.
At this point, Modupe and the family felt the
impact of the acute shortage of voluntary blood
donation in Nigeria as, every day, Timilehin required
a blood product known as platelets apart from normal
blood transfusion.
Sustaining blood transfusion and other blood
products required by the child was not funny. This is
because, in Nigeria, blood donation remains a topic
not many are comfortable with and this has made 100
per cent voluntary blood donation in the country a tall
dream.
The child was placed on chemotherapy treatment
while doctors advised he should take not less than four
platelets a day to prevent him from bleeding.
Getting blood the first time for him was not easy.
Modupe was forced to donate blood for Timilehin after
she was told a pint of blood cost N15, 000.
“He took his first blood precisely on January 4, 2010
in LASUTH when I went to the blood bank and met a
huge man in suit and I told him I needed blood for my
child. He asked me the blood group and I said B
positive. I asked how much, he said N15, 000.00. I
begged him to take N10, 000 but he refused. I had to
donate blood for him”, the mother stated.
“The amount you spend treating leukaemia children
cannot be quantified because, when you are treating a
child with leukaemia, infections will come in which is
not part of the treatment regime. Then you have to get
blood and platelets because he needs to take a lot of
them.”
Modupe told the story of how she fainted one day
after she had donated blood for the child. “I can still
remember one day when I donated for him. On my
way going, I fainted because I have to rush to drop the
blood at the laboratory for screening. I was revived by
a Good Samaritan’”, the mother said.
“My husband and I prayed and I donated blood for
Timilehin more than 10 times while taking care of him
in hospital.
“At a point, the doctor will get medical students to
donate for him. I cannot tell you this is the number of
pints of blood or platelets he took. Sometimes in a
day, he took up to four platelets at N10, 000 each. And
the following day they will tell you ‘your child is short
of blood again.’ The child came out of leukaemia two
years after.”
However, while Modupe and her family were
rejoicing and following doctor’s advice on the kind of
•Modupe
Janet
Oyedele
A MOTHER'S CANCER STORY
‘My only child
died in my
hands on
Christmas Day’
food and further treatments and check-ups, two years
after, the cancer relapsed.
“For five years I was battling with leukaemia. My
child came out of leukaemia and was well for two years
but, in August, 2014, everything changed again. He
began to complain of pain. By the time we went back to
LASUTH, we were told there was a relapse.”
Devastated, the mother, who could not control her
emotions, began to ask questions: “What caused the
relapse? We don’t have the money but with my family
and office support, we were able to do what we should for
him as parents, so why the relapse?”
Still wondering what went wrong, Timilehin died. Her
questions remained unanswered even today as doctors
Imagine when he was
dying on that Christmas Day
in 2014, he left a message.
He told me he wanted to
rest. He said, ‘mummy, God
will take care of you;
continue the good work'
still do not have answer to the question
on why cancer sometimes relapses.
“Before we knew it, my child
died in my hands on a Christmas
Day. Christmas is a day the whole
world celebrates. I gave birth to
him on the 25th and lost him on
the 25th”, she lamented.
“Imagine when he was dying
on that Christmas Day in
2014, he left a message. He
told me he wanted to rest.
He called ‘mummy, God
will take care of you;
continue the good work’.
I refused to accept it. I
told him I was not going
to accept his thank you
until he was married
with children. But he
woke up again from his
sleep while we were
praying and said: ‘Mum!
Mum!’ That was how he
left me. I was shattered.
I begged him not to give me
another shame so that people
will not begin to ask if I had
God”
Expressing what many parents
go through while taking care of a
child with leukaemia or any other
cancer, she explained that
following the death of the child, she
decided to set up “Timilehin
Leukaemia Foundation” in his
memory.
According to her, the son’s death has
given her the strength to help others
like her.
“I know what mothers go through in
hospitals taking care of these children.
Even some mothers do not have money to
buy syringes not to talk of paying for
chemotherapy. And doctors cannot tell you
the exact amount it will take to treat a
child with leukaemia. Today’s blood
donation is for children living with
leukaemia in LASUTH. We intend to do
this thrice annually”, she said.
She told Sunday Vanguard that
Timilehin Foundation was founded on
seven points agenda as follows: Create
awareness about leukaemia, give support
to families, establish research centres,
laboratories and blood banks which
patients can access, grant scholarship to
medical students abroad who will like to
specialise in the field, influence
government health policies, organise
voluntary blood donation and undertake,
and provide medical treatment for about
10 patients annually.
Further, Modupe, who lamented scarcity
of blood in the blood banks, urged
Nigerians to embrace voluntary blood
donation as it has been proven safe if an
individual is taking enough water and
vegetables.
To parents who are yet to understand that
even children suffer cancer, she said:
“When they told me that my child had
leukaemia, I did not know what it was
then. I had to go to the internet to read
about it. But now that I know, I want to go
to the nooks and crannies of the country to
create awareness because some people will
bring the children to hospital and when
doctors say it is cancer, they will run
away. When I went to UK with my son, the
doctor that attended to us was a Nigerian.
Each hospital should have laboratories
where children can be tested at the early
stage”.
C
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PAGE 20 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk
08056180152, SMS only
70, not 50, is when your new life
begins,
“
not ends!
“
I
can’t believe I’ll be
turning 70 later this
year,” observed Stella, an
old friend recently as we
enjoyed another friend’s 70th
birthday. All tanked up on
bubbly and all kinds of food; a
few of us suddenly sat up! It
might not be this year, but 70
is looming for a couple of us.
Stella is certainly not coy about
the almighty seven-o!
“It might be a surprise even
to me but I’m hurtling towards
that age,” she continued. “I
have survived seven actionpacked
decades with a few
wrinkles but absolutely no
regret . I’m of sound mind, and
relatively firm body ... “
Hurrah! I hailed. “There’s
much to be happy about;
enough to roll out the drums.”
“Don’t bank on it,” she warned
surveying the lavish tables at
the party. “I definitely shan’t
be having a big celebration.
You can forget ice buckets filled
with fizz, silly cocktails or even
live band with you lot gyrating
on the dance floor. No special
aso-ebi. No give-away packs
or my hard-earned money in
the palm of a party-planner
with outlandish decorations
planned for an equally
expensive hall. Instead, I’ll
just disappear abroad and live
things up as dangerously as I
could!”
Wow! Stella’s no-nonsense
attitude is hardly the norm
these days. Where once
women celebrated their 21st
with enthusiasm, then kept
quiet about any date
afterwards, now 70 has become
a significant date, something
to be celebrated with maximum
fuss. Until a decade ago, 50
was the ‘big one’; from then on,
it seemed life would be
downhill. It marked the start
of old age, of being sensible,
of wearing comfy clothe, not
making new friends, following
the same routine. Some of the
kids had left home and women
are stuck with dreary partners,
and the future seemed grey, job
prospects limited. For women,
turning 50 meant being
resigned to being ignored at
parties and social gatherings
whilst older men with almost
dead batteries pant after ‘battery
chargers’ that could make them
get it up!
Today however, many woman
feel that life really starts at 60
or 70. It’s no longer the start of
the end of your life, it’s just a
stop on the journey. People in
their 70s are not now written off.
They are categorised as the
generation born immediately
after the last war - the first
teenagers who wanted to stay
youthful for as long as possible
and they have re-defined
ageing every decade of their
lives. Once, you got married
and were settled by your 30s,
then the baby boomers made it
acceptable to be a thirtysomething
singleton. They went
on to declare that 50 was the
new 40, and now are reinventing
the world of senior
citizens as they reach 70.
By this age, our parents
were often stuck in loveless
marriages, embittered. Now
there are more single women
of a certain age than
ever, spending money on
themselves and looking
great. Divorce is no longer
stigmatised - this generation
have become known as the
‘silver splitters’ because once
the kids have left home, why
stay together? For what!?
Starting a family also
changed. If you yearn for a
child after devoting your life
to your job, it’s possible in
middle age. Seventy, not 50,
is when your new life begins,
not ends. So why do I tend to
agree with Stella to give a big
celebration a miss when I
eventually hit 70? As my
friends and some readers are
well aware, in the past I’ve
had legendary birthday
parties. My 50th took place
on a sports field adorned with
one or two markees after a
lavish book launch. My 60th
was another big bash at my
place with the rain chasing
guests off after a celebrity -
studded book launch in the
afternoon.
Only this time around, I
would be calling a halt on big
celebrations. Don’t get me
wrong. It’s not that I’m
depressed by the march of
time - far from it. It’s just that
my time is too precious to
spend organising a 70th
extravaganza. More
importantly, why celebrate
being 70? It’s just another date
and it’s still some time away.
Definitely not this year.
Of course, there are downside
to ageing. Can you
imagine anything worse than
an attractive bloke telling you.
“I never guessed you were
pushing 70 - you don’t look a
day over 50!’ Humph! There
are many things I don’t want
to draw attention to either. My
face could do with a little lift if
I could afford it, although once
I flashed my charming smile,
the jowls are less noticeable!
There are also some small
changes that make turning 70
different from turning 60.
These days, I rarely sleep for
more than six hours, although
it’s joint pain, not regrets that
keep me awake.
I also worry about spending
my fmal years alone. It’s not
as if I’ve led a celibate life, but
I do wonder how much more
sex I’ll be lucky enough to
enjoy! Then I remember a
much admired actor, Judi
Dench (the James Bond
Monepenny, remember?!)
found a new partner in her socalled
mature years, and am
optimistic; not desperate
though!
So why celebrate 70 when
I’ve got three decades to plan
my centenary? You can snigger
all you want, but I defmitely
will be around to tell you: ‘I
told you so!’
Forget-Me-Not? (Humour)
Two elderly couples are
enjoying a friendly
conversation when one of the
men turns to the other. “Arthur,
I’ve been meaning to ask you,”
says the pensioner. “How’s
your course at the memory
clinic going?” “Outstanding,”
replies Arthur. “They teach us
all the latest psychological
techniques: Visualisation,
association and so on. It’s
made a huge difference to me.
“That’s great,” says his mate.
“What was the name of the
clinic again?” Arthur goes
blank, then wrinkles his brow.
“Wait there, I can do this.” He
closes his eyes and his lips
move as he thinks to himself.
“What do you call that flower
with the red petals and
thorns?” he says finally. “You
mean a rose,” says his friend.
“Yes, that’s it!” says Arthur,
and turns to his wife. “Rose,
what was the name of that
clinic?”
Y
OUR column to express your loving
thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t
be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how
dearly you feel. Write now in not more than 75 words
to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007,
Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sundaylovenotes@yahoo.com
Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"
Beauty My Beauty
They say the beautiful ones are not yet born.
On this lovely morning,
I see the future through your beauty.
Your beauty outlives tomorrow,
Beauty wishes she were as beautiful as you
are.
You are a model for the beautiful ones yet
unborn.
They say beauty is in the eyes of the
beholder.
As I hold and caress you in my eyes,
I realise the past and the future are now.
kingsley.alumona@yahoo.com
08030872649
Don't be discouraged!
Getting discouraged because of the difficulty
you are experiencing in your love life is not so
good.You might not be getting favourable
response from most of the overtures that you are
making. If care is not taken the tendency of
letting hell loose on your love affairs is eminent
but I will advise you to take it easy and watch
how things pan out. Why can't you sit him down
and have a serious discussion about the matter.
Michael Adedotun Oke
maof2020@gmail.com
08027142077
C
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SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 21
AUCHI – LIBYA – ITALY
Undercover operation
exposes ‘mafia’ smuggling
Nigerians to Europe
•Trafficker’s chilling warning:
Don’t struggle if you’re raped
By Nima Elbagir, with Lillian Leposo
and Hassan John
In a lurid pink hotel room in Edo State,
southern Nigeria, a trafficker is
arranging to smuggle us across the
continent to Libya — and ultimately Europe.
Fluorescent lights flicker intermittently
inside the hotel, which doubles as a brothel
and serves as the headquarters of tonight’s
operation.
We are posing as would-be migrants
attempting to reach Italy with the help of our
“pusherman” — one of an army of brokers who
work alongside smugglers on the Nigerian end
of the migrant route from Africa to Europe.
Edo State is Nigeria’s trafficking hub and one
of Africa’s largest departure points. Each year,
tens of thousands of migrants are illegally
smuggled from here. They’re refugees fleeing
conflict or economic migrants in search of better
opportunities in Europe, most having sold
everything they own to finance the journey.
But as CNN revealed in an exclusive report last
year, they often never get beyond Libya.
When they arrive, they’re told by smugglers they
will need to pay thousands of dollars more to
continue their journey across the Mediterranean.
When the migrants fail to pay, they are held in
grim living conditions, deprived of food, abused
by their captors, and sold as laborers in slave
auctions.
Footage obtained of a slave auction in Libya —
in which young men were sold by smugglers for
as little as $400 each — caused international
outrage.
The ‘VIP’ package
Three months later we wanted to see whether
that outrage had translated into action. CNN
producer Leposo and I went undercover as two
wealthy women paying for the “VIP” travel
package from Nigeria to Europe, which includes
a smuggler who will meet us in the northern city
of Kano and escort us across the border into Libya.
We gave scant detail about our situation, saying
only that we hoped to reach Italy and then travel
from there to London. The smugglers were mostly
interested in our money, and asked few questions.
In reality, our plan was to secure a deal, set off
from Auchi in the north of Edo State, and then
quit the journey as soon as we were safely out of
the sight of smugglers.
Setting up the deal was incredibly easy. Hassan,
another CNN producer, worked undercover to
negotiate a deal with the pusherman in Ekpoma,
also in Edo State.
Hassan negotiated 500, 000 Nigerian naira
for each of us, roughly $1,400.
The money was due on our arrival in Libya.
Hassan was the guarantor of our journey and
would be held accountable if we became
frightened and backed out of the deal.
He was told by the pusherman that the price to
smuggle women is higher than for, say, small
boys, because women’s journeys are “even more
difficult — they are molested there (in Libya).”
As part of our “VIP” travel package, we were
offered condoms for the journey. The pusherman
later expressed dismay that I hadn’t packed any
myself.
“We give you contraception,” he told me. “You
need men in Libya to be kind to you. They will
have things you want. Do you understand?”
When I said “yes,” he laughed.
“Of course, you understand,” he continued. “You
don’t get something for nothing in this life. You’re
lucky, the men sometimes wait six months before
they’re put on the boat to Europe.”
Women though — if they’re like you —
sometimes you can be put on a boat the very next
day.” He has a warning for me: “Listen, don’t
struggle if you’re raped.”
Sexual abuse on migrant route
Women and children routinely face sexual
violence, abuse and detention along the Central
Mediterranean migration route from North
Africa to Italy, according to a 2017 UNICEF
report.
“Nearly half the women and children
interviewed had experienced sexual abuse during
migration — often multiple times and in multiple
locations,” said the report, which compiled
testimony from 122 migrants.
The attorney general of Edo State, Yinka
Omorogbe, is leading a taskforce that was set up
last August to combat modern slavery and human
trafficking.
“We are actively involved in investigation and
have commenced several prosecutions,” she
told CNN in a written statement. “Like I have
said, we have just started. We are awaiting a
state anti-trafficking law which will further
strengthen us. We have a destination and we’ll
get there.”
“Trafficking in Edo is neither solely about
economic issues nor underdevelopment, but
has deep cultural roots that must be exposed,
examined and pulled out.”
Meeting the pusherman
Within one day of Hassan securing a deal,
we met the pusherman at the hotel to embark
on the first stage of the journey.
Floral curtains adorned the room’s barred
windows, and not much was explained to us
by the traffickers. Very quickly we were taken
to the local bus depot in Auchi, where the
pusherman flagged down a bus traveling north
to Kano.
Public transport offers good cover for
smugglers in Nigeria. It’s far more difficult
for authorities to keep tabs on buses running
through their usual routes, laden with people
and legitimate goods, then it is to chase down
vehicles specially used by the traffickers.
We squeezed down the aisles of the busy
overnight bus before the doors were locked
shut from the outside as a safety precaution
against potential hijackers.
Once out of sight of the smugglers, we
disembarked on the outskirts of the city, where
Hassan was waiting for us. We were relieved
to see him.
Had we kept going — as our traffickers
intended — we would have arrived in Kano
14 hours later. From there, the plan was that a
member of the smuggling network would
have put us on a second bus destined for
Agadez in Niger.
From Agadez we would have traveled to
Sabha in southern Libya — a place where
survivors of the slave trade have
previously told CNN they were marched
off the bus at gunpoint, later to be sold at
auction.
Luckily for us, none of that is our future.
For others, it is a horror they cannot
escape.
And as our rapid quest from contacting
a pusherman, to negotiating a deal, and
setting off on a bus towards Libya showed,
it is a still a journey all too easy to make.
Source: cnn.com
C
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PAGE 22 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
BY SIMON EBEGBULEM,
BENIN-CITY
The battle to end human trafficking
in Edo State is far from over
following stories told by some
natives who returned from Libya. About 2,
500 natives stranded in the North African
country had returned home since August
2017. But despite the fact that they were
helped back home by the Federal
Government after their inhuman treatment
in that country, the cartel involved in the
illicit trade seems to have continued to
sponsor natives to Europe through Libya.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that even some
of the victims who returned last year and
were rehabilitated by the state government
through the Committee against Human
Trafficking may be back in Libya after they
could not sustain themselves economically
in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, 20-year-old
Vivian Imunero, who is among the 65 who
returned, penultimate week, lamented that
her younger sister was recently sponsored
to Libya by a kingpin, said to be a Nigerian
woman residing in Italy. “As we speak, the
same woman who took me to Libya
sponsored my younger sister’s trip to the
country and she is over there now involved
in prostitution. I am not happy about it. I
understand how things work there and I
know it is not good because they don´t use
condom there. I was raped in a place called
Gatron in Libya”, she told Sunday
Vanguard.
“This happened when we were going to
Saba. Our vehicle parked there and they
said we were going to sleep there. These
Libyan men will come to the section where
they keep women; they will wake us up one
after the other and rape us. They will put
gun to your head and you must follow them.
But I thank God I did not contract any
disease after all”.
Pregnant, helpless
Saying she became pregnant for a Libyan
man, Vivian said, “He is a white man that
pushes people to Italy. He saw me and told
me he wanted to help me which he did even
though he abandoned me later. When I
went to prison, I was supposed to pay money
before they freed me but I did not pay a
dime because he came to free me. I travelled
with the help of one guy called Biggy. He
resided at Upper Sakponba Road here in
Benin-City. Somebody in our village took
me to him and he contacted one ‘Madam’
operating from Italy. Biggy gave me N15,
000 that day. As we speak ‘Madam’ is
threatening to kill me because we took oath
before I left Nigeria. Biggie and one other
man took me to a native doctor on the
orders of ‘Madam’ to take the oath. We were
two girls and we took oath that if we got
there and ran away or slept with her
husband or failed to pay her money, juju
should kill us. They killed a chicken and
gave us the heart raw to eat. Then they gave
us water to bath and asked us to go. Biggy
is the one taking girls to Italy through Libya
and, from there, ‘Madam’ will arrange how
the girls get to their final destination.
‘Madam’ is angry that I am supposed to
wait in Libya until I could make it to Italy
because she wanted me to come and be
making money for her through prostitution.
She didn’t care how I fed while I was in
Libya; she never sent me money to eat. I
was even raped and she did not care”.
She went on: “I discovered I was pregnant
on April 26, 2017 when I went for test. I felt
bad because I knew I was young to have a
baby, besides there was nobody on ground
to help me. However, I decided to leave it
because I remembered my mother always
said a child is a blessing. I just prayed that
God will help me and that is why I named
the baby Treasure.
“I spent two years in Libya. I
once entered a boat heading
to Italy but the boat was
arrested on the high seas by
some Libyans who took us
back to Libya. I called
‘Madam’ to inform him that
they had taken me back to
Libya. She started threatening
that she was going to make
trouble with my family and I
in Nigeria. Then I met this
man who was helping people
to get to Italy. I had no option
than to stay with him and he
took care of my needs. He tried
to help me to cross to Italy five
•Vivian
Imunero
More girls
head to Libya
• The only thing I
achieved in trip is this
baby girl — Vivian,
20-yr-old returnee
times but those five times they arrested me.
On the fifth occasion, May 5, 2017, when I
was arrested, I was a month pregnant then.
Those who arrested me took me to
prison where I was ill-treated. All the
guards there wanted to sleep with me
even with my pregnancy. I refused. One
particular man there insisted he must
sleep with me but I told him that it is
forbidden in my place for a man to
sleep with a pregnant woman. Because
of that, he starved me of food for several
weeks and even beat me up. I never
knew my baby will survive. I spent six
months in the prison. My parents
thought I had died because they were
not hearing from me. On October 30,
2017, the father of my baby came to
free me from the prison. I gave birth on
December 20, 2017. Then I started
having issues with the father of my baby
and he left me. The only thing I can say
I achieved in Libya is this baby girl. I left
Nigeria because I had no helper”.
‘I will avenge’
Another returnee, 20-year-old Igbinosu
Jennifer, narrated her ordeal. “I headed to
Libya on February 9, 2017 through my
‘Madam’ called Mama Gift who lived in
Akpata Street, Egor”, she told Sunday
Vanguard.
“She said I should go and meet her sister
in Italy. But when I got to Libya, it was
hell for me. I was arrested and sent to
prison.
I was calling my ‘Madam’ to help me
out but she said she had no money. I spent
four months and three weeks in prison.
My boyfriend, a Gambian, helped me out
of prison. After that he tried to help me
cross to Italy but it did not work and I
decided to come back to Nigeria. I will
avenge what this woman (‘Madam’) did to
me. They deceived me to travel and
abandoned me. But the funny thing is that
when some of my people heard that I was
coming back, they asked what I was
coming to do in Nigeria as there is no
money here. They didn’t know what I went
through. If not for the Gambian man that
assisted me, I probably will not be alive
today”.
Asked whether she took oath like other
girls who went to Libya, she replied, “Yes
we took an oath before leaving. We went
to a village outside Benin-City, about three
hours’ drive. The native doctor was a
woman, they called the village Usen. I took
an oath that I will never try to escape or
call the police to arrest the ‘Madam’ in
case of any problem in Italy. I was forced
to eat a life chicken in the process and
drank something I didn’t even know”.
Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki,
who is tackling the problem of human
trafficking from Edo head on, is not
finding it easy due to the financial burden
of catering for the returnees and the battle
against the cartel perpetrating this evil.
The governor recently told Sunday
Vanguard, “The first thing we did was
accepting that there was a problem. Even
in our political debates and conversations
everybody pretended about it. Again you
have to understand the economics of
migration; they are people who support
their families at home from what they get
over there, so politicians don’t want to
talk about it to avoid a backlash. So
the first thing we did was that we
accepted there was a problem,
illegal migration has taken
a new dimension. It was
not just about the girls
going to Europe, it has
become more serious, so
many people were getting
involved, so many people
were losing their lives and,
as a government, we have
a responsibility to deal with
it. That acceptance led us to
all other things we did, like
setting up a Task Force to deal
with the situation. We
domesticated national laws to
make penalties for trafficking
stiffer and that Task Force began
to develop more responses to
the problem. First, how do
you deal with the returnees,
how do you resettle them, how do you
reintegrate them? And the Task Force has
done very well, you can verify the
progresses from the IOM and I believe
it is only Edo that has a Task Force.
“The other issue is that we never
expected that the repatriations would
bring a large number of returnees very
quickly. So we were not really prepared
financially for that but we are coping.
Though we have been stretched and that is
why we are reaching out to the Federal
Government and donor partners to see
how we can get resources to deal with
the size of the problem. And the way we
see it, the first thing is advocacy, trying
to make potential victims see the hazards
associated with being trafficking. We
have a team at the airport any time we
have Edo natives coming back; we
welcome them, transport them back to
Benin, run a medical check on them,
counsel them, give them stipends and put
them in skill programmes to help them
rebuild self-confidence and open up
opportunities for them for jobs.
Mafia
“It was not in my consciousness. I did
not appreciate it until we went to Rome,
where we had a session with the Italian
parliament and the security forces, and,
in their briefings, they narrated how
Nigerian confraternities got involved,
that there is actually a Nigerian mafia
that runs the trade in collaboration
with the Italian mafia. For us as a
government, it is just to focus on law
and order and strengthen the
institutions such as the police, the
judiciary, the prison system, just to
ensure that these institutions work. So
we don’t single out any special group
for special action. Just strengthen the
institutions and people will respect
themselves”.
Stressing the need for stakeholders
to fight human trafficking in the state,
the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr
Taiwo Akerele, said, “Often times, the
governor does not sleep well after
seeing the mayhem against our people
in Libya. It is really sad and that is why
he is determined to make the economy
of Edo the best in Africa, not just in
Nigeria”.
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 23
“I wish I hadn’t snatched her husband”
WHEN Sikemi’s
daughter’s 10th
birthday approached,
Jide, her ‘husband’ of over ten
years arranged for his first wife
to be informed of the
impending celebration.
“Jide always insisted we gave
Dorcas every respect she
deserved,” said a sombre
Sikemi. “In her early 60s,
Dorcas was the perfect
matriarch and hostess”, when
we called at the old family
house - fussing around
ensuring we all had a lot to eat
and drink. But the
circumstances could not be
more awkward for me - I do not
deserve to be made so welcome
in this kind, accommodating
and unquestioning woman’s
house.
“As we left, she stood alone
on the doorstep and cheerily
waved us off I had to turn my
head away. It was too painful
to look, I willingly endured
contact with her because of the
guilt I feel at stealing the only
man she ever loved. I also
robbed their grandchildren of
the stable family life I believe
everyone deserves. If I hadn’t
started an affair with Jide, who
was then my boss, when I was
24 and he was 47, they would
still be a family unit today. So
my advise to anyone
contemplating stealing another
woman’s husband is this:
prepare for a life time of guilt.”
In today’s society where
husband-snatchers are more or
less the good ‘guys’, is Sikemi
for real? Now in her early 40s,
she’s a co-founder of a
marketing services company
with her partner, Jide who’s
almost 24 years older. “We have
two lovely children,” she
continued, “and all we could
want materially and all would be
perfect were it not for my abiding
remorse over appropriating
another woman’s life. Dorcas
came from a family of strict
Roman Catholic and she’s a firm
believer in the sanctity of
marriage, so divorce was out. In
fact, Jide became a knight of the
church several years ago.
“Though I would have loved
to get married,I know that
divorce would hurt Dorcas more
than being married to the man I
loved would make a difference
to me. As it is now, I remain
haunted by the fact that Dorcas
hasn’t had a relationship since
she and Jide split and doesn’t
want one. In short, she’s on her
own because of me. Jide was the
boss of a commercial bank when
I joined aged 23 and fresh out of
the university. Sophisticated and
greying with fancy cars and sexy
physique, he was hugely
attractive - the 24-year age gap
only added to his allure.
“It was easy to fall in love with
him when he pursued me with
all the trimmings. Two years into
our affair, he professed his love
for me and his wish for us to live
together. When he finally plucked
up the courage to tell his wife
about us, Dorcas was genuinely
shocked. She said it was the first
she knew of our affair, though Jide
maintained he had told her many
times how unhappy he was in
their marriage. And although she
ranted and raved at him, she was
too proud to confront me, for
which I was grateful.
“Their three children, aged
between 24 and 20 were
outraged and his only son barely
spoke to his father for two years.
As we moved into one of his
modem houses, shock waves
went through the bank we both
worked - we’d done a good job of
hiding our affair from colleagues
- and Jide was tormented by the
hurt he’d caused his family. He
went on to
use money to assuage his guilt,
and even paying his
grandchildren’s private school
fees when the time came. I
managed to convince myself that,
because his family were
financially comfortable, they
weren’t suffering because of me.
He visited them regularly which
eased my conscience. Whenever
he left however, I would sit at
home, feeling like
the mistress again, and would
search his face on his return,
expecting him to announce he
was going back to his first family.
“Over the years, Dorcas and I
tried to be civil towards each other
but it wasn’t all that plain sailing.
The most challenging occasion
was when their first daughter was
getting married. I didn’t really fit
in anywhere despite wearing the
same ‘aso ebi’ with the family and
his daughter made sure I wasn’t
in any of the photographs. Then,
a couple of years ago, when Jide
suffered financial catastrophe at
the start of the financial crash, I
discovered that underneath the
brave front Dorcas put up, there
was still a very raw wound. Jide
was no longer able to afford school
fees for his grandchildren and
also had to reduce the generous
financial support he was giving
Dorcas, forcing her to downsize
her home. In the end, she was
persuaded to move into the
specious bungalow at the back of
the family house so she could rent
out the main building and use the
cash. It was a bit humiliating for
her and for the first time, she
blamed me for her plight.
“Thank goodness the company
is now picking up - and my
children are now teenagers,
asking all sorts of questions. I
always let them know that it’s not
marriage that keeps parents
together but love, and that their
daddy and I love each other very
much. But a part of me is aware
that, despite all these years
together, Jide still isn’t wholly
mine. We had a native law and
customs ceremony, but it’s not
like being the legal wife. If I
could go back to advice my 23-
year old self, I would tell her to
steer clear of married men,
particularly if they already have
a family. Affairs cause too much
heartache for everyone.
“Yet if I hadn’t met Jide, I
wouldn’t have my beautiful
children, who are more than
worth the emotional price I’ve
paid ... “
08052201867(Text Only)
Renew your life with daily exercise
IT’S normal in this age to expect
scientific proof of anything and
everything.
If science has a stand-point on
something we want to know it. We
are encouraged to do or not to do.
This means we live our day to day
lives with a lot more confidence. We
do not have to tread too gingerly as
if in total darkness.
One of the things we should all
know by now, if we don’t already is
the proven fact that exercise can
reverse the hand of the clock.
Exercise can make you feel younger
and live life fuller.
Try and introduce a daily exercise
discipline into your life. Early morning
is best for some. Well, temperaments
differ. In this case suit yourself.
What time you exercise should
not matter much. The practice is
the thing.
For me the total lack of need for
any tool is what I find most appealing
about yoga.
Once you’ve picked up the
techniques to performing a few of
them all what you’ll ever need for
practice is just a little space and
enthusiasm hinged to the knowledge
that you’re doing yourself a great
favour.
Don’t dwell on the negative
thoughts of what happens to those
who fail to exercise.
You should think thoughts that say
you’re improving physically, emotionally
and mentally. There are
Head- to- Knee Pose
times when we feel very low in spirits
and in the body. The practice of the
postures will restore your sense of
aliveness. It will help put back the joy
into your life. The Asians or postures
are definite anti-depressants.
If you have been unduly assailed by
too much excitement you can practise
the relaxation technique to quieten
you down.
In fact a daily practice of say twenty
minutes of relaxation is good for everyone.
More so if you are hypertensive.
Remember there’s proof that
with the practice of meditation high
blood pressure can be reduced to
levels only possible before with medication.
The Camel Pose
The body must go through one hell
of a house-cleaning to do that. Remember
the body is self-healing. You
only need to take away the obstacles
and presto!
Let’s see how you get by with the
following two postures:
The Camel
Technique: Sitting on the legs and
toes out stretched put the palms of
the hands float down just behind the
toes. Now lean on the hand and
throw the head back. Take a deep
breath and slowly lift the heels and
thrust forward the lower part of the
body and humping up the chest
which means your spine being
arched. Retain the posture for a while
and return to sitting on the heels with
the head held high and breathe out.
Rest and repeat.
Benefits: The camel posture
affects the go-nards and thyroid
glands. The spine regains elasticity.
It is also a great help against
constipation and gas.
Head to knee posture (standing)
Technique: Stand with feet
together. Raise your hands straight
over head. Breathe in as you do so.
Now bend your upper body down
dropping your hands. Keep your
breathe out.
Keep the palms down and your
forehead brought into contact with
your knees. And stay in this position
for a while and as you inhale return
to standing position. You may repeat
a couple more times. This posture
maintains elasticity of both spine
and hamstrings. Those into sports
will do well to practise this very
posture. It’s a great insurance
against pulling hamstrings - a common
happening at athletic meetings
and soccer games. This posture
massages deeply the regions of the
abdomen and pelvis. Women folk
who suffer painful periods should
practice this before the onset of their
periods. With it they get relief.
C
M
Y
K

PAGE 24 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
Networking/ Sponsorship
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Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in
or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does
so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.
Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of
requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore
request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to
enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For
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•Daniel 28, handsome,
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Anambra State, needs a sugar
mummy, who is liberal with her
money, for a discreet affair.
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COMMON SEXUAL AL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVEL
VELTY Y BASED SOLUTION (ADVER
VERTORIAL)
One of my relatives on my
mother’s side just came back
from America with her wife.
She is married to a woman. I
am supposed to go and see
her and she is eager to meet
my children but I am
nervous. I don’t know how to
discuss gay matters with my
children and I don’t want to
have that conversation with
them yet – Florence
I totally understand how you feel.
Parents struggle all the time with
the changing world and it is hard
and uncomfortable to explain
homosexuality to children. But we
have to remember that
information is everywhere and gay
themes are on Television and the
internet. Our kids will find out
about these things anyway. It is
vital that we be the ones to educate
them about it. We need to explain
to kids in simple terms that there
are people in the world who are
attracted to people of the same sex.
Keep your explanation short and
promise to explain better when they
are older. I did the same thing with
my kids. But parents cannot run
away from this. We have to prepare
our kids for the real world. By the
way, you can always visit your aunt
without your kids and make up a
story about them being busy with
homework or something.
However, you will have to deal with
this issue at some point. The sooner
the better – Uche
A friend gave me your number
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For the penis enlarger, go for the
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I am 48 years old and I have
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Sorry for your loss Jane. I think
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Take the Moe Shine Rabbit
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My wife is always
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This is common and happens for a
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Get the Erotic Sex Positions film
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That is all for today. Adults in need
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Media.
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 25
PRESIDENCY FIRES BACK ON DAPCHI KIDNAPPING
Enemies of Nigeria jubilating
over schoolgirls’ uncertain fate
By Bashir Adefaka
Let us start with the abduction
of the schoolgirls in Dapchi,
Yobe State which some
people have been accused of
politicising and, in fact, jubilating
on the grounds that it is poetic
justice for the administration
following the way President
Buhari and the APC, then in
opposition, harassed the ruling
PDP in 2014 when Chibok girls
were kidnapped by Boko Haram
under the Jonathan administration.
If anybody jubilates over that
(schoolgirls abduction), that person
is an enemy of humanity and he is
also an enemy of Nigeria. If you
jubilate over the abduction of
schoolgirls, you hate humanity, you
hate your country. To anybody that
is jubilating over that, that is my
message for him or her.
Six months into the
administration of your
government, you told me in your
office at the Aso Rock Presidential
Villa in Abuja that those who were
calling President Buhari a failure
were unfair. You said the President
has a mandate of four years and
that his performance will
determine whether he would go for
second term or not. This is the
time to assess the President’s
performance, especially in the light
of current happenings in the
country. What is the update?
First and foremost, what I would
like to say is that, going for another
term is the personal decision of Mr.
President. He has not made that
decision but when he makes it, just
as he said very recently, he will
address Nigerians. But the second
part of the question is, does he have
enough grounds to seek second
term? I say more than enough all
fronts: Political, economic, social,
security, everything! On all fronts
there is more than enough. Let’s
take it
one by one. He promised that he
would secure the country, which he
has done and he is doing.
In spite of the Dapchi
kidnapping?
That was a freak occurrence,
calamitous, very sad, but it is not
what you should use to determine
whether the country is more secure
or safer than it has ever been. Those
who live in the North-East would
easily tell you. Roads that had been
Femi Adesina
closed for years are now open. Emirs
that had fled their palaces are back
in the palaces. Places where NYSC
orientation was not holding are
now hosting NYSC orientation.
Markets that had been deserted,
people are back there. Farms that
had been abandoned, people are
back there. Of course, the region is
a lot of safer. Does it mean that the
insurgency is completely over? No.
There are still remnants of
insurgents who launch occasional
attacks, and that is what happened
in Dapchi. But in terms of securing
the country, yes, the President has
done quite well. The job is not fully
done but he has done well.
The
second
promise he made was to fight
corruption. If you are honest,
despite even the recent report of
Transparency International, you
will know that at no time had
corruption been fought vigorously
like this in Nigeria. Do you know
how many people are before our
courts? Do you know how many
people have decided to enter into
plea bargain? The anti-corruption
war is well and alive and we are
making progress.
Despite the view in some
quarters that the way the anticorruption
fight is going is onesided?
They say it is one-sided and I ask,
‘All the former military chiefs who
are answering before the courts
now, are they PDP members?’ That
is one big question they have been
unable to answer. The
administration’s position is that
anybody who runs foul of the law
must face the consequence. And the
anti-corruption war is well, alive
and on course. The third promise
was to revive the economy. The
National Bureau of Statistics just
said that inflation has dropped
consistently in the past 12 months.
As of this time last year, our foreign
reserve was $24billiion. As we
speak, it is $42.8 billion. If it was
not a prudent government, how
would that happen? In six
years of the previous government
when oil price sold at $112, $113 per
barrel, foreign reserve did not go
up. How come under this
government that took off at a time
oil price dropped to $29 but is now
between $45 and $50, foreign
reserve has gone up? Also, the
stock market is growing. It is on
record that our stock market is
The Presidency, through the
spokesperson for President
Muhammadu Buhari on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina, has a
message for those it says are
jubilating, for political reason, over
the abduction of over 100 schoolgirls
in Dapchi, Yobe State: You are
enemies of Nigeria. Adesina fielded
questions from Sunday Vanguard last
Wednesday on the Dapchi kidnapping
allegedly carried out by a faction of terrorist
group, Boko Haram, among other issues
number four best in the world and
it has never been as active as it is
now in the history of Nigeria. And
then foreign investments are
coming into the country, heavily,
like they have never been. On the
Ease of Doing Business, Nigeria
has moved up 24 points. So, there
is a lot that this government has
done for Nigeria in different
phases. So, if it is re-election
based on achievements, the
government has a lot to show for
it. But then, like I said earlier, it is
the President that will determine
whether he is running or not.
In spite all of these, some people
claim they have seen nothing that
has been done and it is on that basis
that they are calling on Nigerians
to vote against the President
If you jubilate over the
abduction of
schoolgirls, you hate
humanity, you hate your
country. To anybody
that is jubilating over
that, that is my message
for him or her
in 2019. Why do you think
somebody would live in a house
and he wants the house to collapse
on his head?
It baffles me why some
Nigerians want to pull down the
country. You see government
pulling up and you see those people
pulling down. I think they are
people who have not got out of
primordial sentiments and
loyalties. They are people who
will say, ‘Because the President is
not from my area, he doesn’t speak
my language, he is not of my
religion, so there is nothing he
can do.’ Some are in pre-2015
election mood; you know that the
2015 election was very keenly
contested. In fact, Nigeria was
polarized along different lines;
religion, ethnicity, language,
everything; all our fautlines
reflected in 2015. Regrettably,
after the election, some people have
still not accepted that the election
had been won and lost. So, they
are resolutely opposed to the
government that had emerged.
But there could be natural
consequences for all of these.
What is your advice? It is a
democracy and in a democracy,
people have the right to their
opinions. But this same
democracy works for the
society where we copied it
from. Why is it not working in
Nigeria?
We will get to learn. Let me just
believe that we are learning. Our
democracy is how old? Nineteen
years. We will eventually learn
and realise that this is our country
and what we make of it is what it
will be.
It was about the first time that
any Nigerian President would
appreciate his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity like President
Muhammadu Buhari did thanking
you for ‘holding out against
mischief makers’ at a time hate
speeches and fake news spread
about him when what he needed
was support for his quick recovery
with prayers.
Talking more seriously, why
would you think that such
statement could come from the
President to you?
Well, it shows you that the man
has an appreciative heart; and that
is just President Buhari for you.
He has an appreciative heart that
whatever you do for him, he
appreciates. He never forgets
those who have done him good.
How did I come to work for him?
Because since 2003 when he began
to run, I had always supported him
and, as a journalist, I had always
written to support him. Whenever
he read my articles, he would
phone me and we would discuss.
We didn’t meet one-on-one for
many years. I think the first time I
met him was 2009.
Professor Tam David-West had
written a book on him, which was
being launched in Lagos and I was
the Master of Ceremony (MC) at
that event. That was the first time
we met one-on-one. And then
when my mother passed on in 2013
and we were having a
commendation service for her in
Lagos and I sent him an invitation,
he came, all the way from Kaduna!
So, the President never forgets
people who have shown him
loyalty. Loyalty is two ways; when
you show loyalty to a man, that man
should always be loyal to you. And
that is President Buhari for you.
Moving forward, you talked
about how it is characteristic
of President Buhari to
appreciate his loyalists
particularly anybody who has
done him any good. Is that a
confirmation of the claim
that he gave some of his top
government appointments to
his loyalists or associates
from ANPP, CPC days?
When you are going to give
appointments, you start from the
known before going to the
unknown. When Obama came,
first term, as President of the United
States of America, who were the
people he appointed? His college
mates, his friends, those he had
known for some time. Those were
the people that were predominant
in his administration. So, in
appointment, you start from the
known to the unknown.
But when you have the known
behaving the other way expected
of the appointing authority, what
then happens to our perception
about the appointment of the
known like it happened in the
Babachir’s case?
There are some things that are
prerogative of the leader; the
decision is his. When somebody
is appointed and he turns out to
behave contrary to expectation, it
is the prerogative of the President
to then act and decide what will
happen and we leave our President
to decide that.
But some people still believe,
despite the sack of Babachir, for
instance, that the President has
refused to act on the matter. What
about that?
The prerogative is his; let us leave
him to exercise that prerogative. You
replied Dr. Reuben Abati when he
wrote about demons in the Villa.
How come President Buhari who
emerged on the platform of selfintegrity
and popularly suddenly
became someone people talk ill of;
recall the allegation of nepotism
and so on and so forth? Is it not
the Abati’s tale of demons in the
Villa now coming to reality and
does it not mean that you are
already feeling the heat concerning
what Abati wrote about, especially
when even your colleagues in the
media criticize you that you don’t
tell the truth about your
government?
Not at all. You know there are
some people who just want to
believe the worst about the next
man. So, if that is their
predilection and frame of mind,
there is nothing you can do about
it. But the thing is, we would
continue to do what we are doing,
we would continue to do what is fair,
just and right. We would continue
to tell Nigerians the truth. We
would not deliberately lie to
Nigerians. We have never lied to
them and we would never do that.
The President I am serving does not
want me to twist information for
him. He wants you to just tell
Nigerians the way things are. That
is what we would continue to do
and there is nothing anybody will
say that will push us out of that.
Some people have just made up
their minds that, ‘This is what he
must say, this is what he must tell
us’, and they want you to say it. But
(laughter), it will never happen.
C
M
Y
K

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
•Reverend
Emmanuel
Morris
Nowhere to live and
worship because of
Boko Haram
—Anglican Bishop Morris
By Ndahi Marama
R
everend Emmanuel Morris, the Bishop
of Anglican Communion, Maiduguri
Diocese, took charge of the Diocese on
October 22, 2017 after the demise of his
predecessor, the Most Rev. Emmanuel Kana
Mani, earlier in February. In this interview,
Morris bares his mind on Boko Haram and
other issues in the polity.
Borno State is obviously
challenged by insecurity. How do
you assess the situation?
I came into the state last year at
a time when there was a relative
peace, and the peace has
continued to improve.
Which areas do you think the
state government needs to
improve in order to impact
positively on the lives of the
people, especially the vulnerable
groups?
Let everybody work for peace;
let us understand that something
has gone wrong; we need to stop
shifting blames. Let us identify
where the problem lies and solve
it. And to the insurgents, we must
appeal to them to lay down their
arms because killing and
destruction of properties is not the
ideal thing; they must join us in
the path of peace. They are our
brothers and sisters. I also appeal
to people who might have been
hurt in the course of this
insurgency to forgive, let us put
behind what has happened and let
us forge ahead. Without
forgiveness, we can never
progress. When we talk about
peace, we are not talking about
religion. In Islam they say
‘Asallamalaikum’. In Christianity
we say ‘Peace be unto you’. What
does that suggest to us? And in
Judaism they say ‘Shalom’ which
is peace; so peace is a concept of
life and not something which is
limited to religion. Even as a
Muslim, if you say
‘Assalamalaikum’, it is not only to
your fellow Muslims; it is to
anybody you see around you that
such person should have peace,
meaning you are praying for that
person to have peace and you want
him to exist. So in these religions,
peace is very important, and,
honesty, I must tell you that I was
really impressed when I came to
Borno and I saw Muslims and
Christians going to the same
filling stations, recreation centres,
markets; we use the same
highways, we eat food in the same
restaurants, we use the same
hotels, banks, we do almost
everything together. And so, how
can you wake up and tell me that
Borno is not peaceful? This state
was a peaceful state until 2009 or
thereabouts when the issue of
Boko Haram came up; so let us
identify that something has gone
wrong and let us address the
problem irrespective of religion,
ethnic or political inclination.
When you go into history, the first
three places of worship that were
burnt were churches. And the last
three places that were burnt were
mosques. This insurgency crisis
affected both Muslims and
Christians. It is something that has
come to disorganize us, and we
should understand that and try to
resolve it collectively.
You must have been watching
at a distance the Boko Haram
scenario as it unfolded in the
past. Now that you are in Borno,
how do you describe the efforts
of government to contain it and
care for Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs)?
Let us put politics aside and
analyze things as they were. When
I came on board, I discovered that
Governor Kashim Shettima and
the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji
Abubakar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi,
were doing their best. Regrettably,
when you are outside Borno, you
will think the state is a no-go-area,
but when I came here, I discovered
that shops and business places
remained open from 6am to 10pm
every day. I really want to
commend the efforts
of the governor
because I have
always seen that
street lights are on
from 6pm to 6am
daily, keeping
everywhere bright to
the extent that, even if
you drive in the night in
Maiduguri metropolis
and Jere Local
Government Area, you will
not bother to put on your
headlights as everywhere is
bright, and that is part of
the security, because, if
something is happening,
you will see. But they must find
some new ways to calm the
situation absolutely with
assistance from our gallant troops
and other security agencies. This
is because, as I speak, there are
still bombings and soft target
attacks on the outskirts of
Maiduguri metropolis whereas
Gwoza and Bama, Abadam Local
Government Areas still experience
soft target attacks. Therefore
government and our security
If government
has the
resources, it
should assist in
rebuilding the
places of
worship that
were destroyed
forces should do the needful to
ensure that all our villages and
communities are safe for IDPs to
return.
Are you aware that the state
government has started
rebuilding the communities
destroyed by insurgents for IDPs
to return home?
I am quite aware that not only
individuals’ houses, but churches
also were built and rebuilt; so also
mosques that were destroyed
during the peak of the crisis. So it
is a good thing to help the people
recover their lives, and that is what
democracy is all about.
But, ordinarily, government is
not supposed to be involved in the
building of churches and
mosques?
Government is supposed to be
involved directly. Churches and
mosques are public buildings.
School is a public building,
church or mosque also is a public
building; and, if government has
the resources, it should assist in
rebuilding the places of worship
that were destroyed. It is the right
thing to do because the people
don’t have the resources as their
economy has been destroyed, their
homes have been destroyed and
they don’t have anywhere to live
and worship; so you cannot say
that the places of worship that
have been destroyed should not be
rebuilt by a responsible
government.
What is your take on the issue
of herdsmen and farmers clashes
in some parts of the country?
When you talk about herdsmen,
let us define what herdsmen
means in the Nigerian context. Do
you know if these people are
actually herdsmen or they are
something else? Herdsmen in the
early Nigerian context were
Fulani people that carried sticks
and followed their cows and
controlled them. But in this case,
when you see the so-called
herdsman carrying AK47 rifles
and you call them
herdsmen…………., is it because
you see them herding cows that
you qualify them to be herdsmen?
Well, you may be right to call them
herdsmen when you see them with
cows around, but what will you
call them when you see them
carrying AK47? I am not saying
that those people killing farmers
across the country were herdsmen
or not, but let us define them in
the Nigerian context.
So are you trying to say the
issue of herdsmen has no
religious connotation?
When some people talk about
herdsmen and relate it to religion,
it is very unfortunate. I don’t think
the issue of herdsmen has
anything to do with religion or
politics. Because I know that
herdsmen that existed before
could even go to other herdsmen,
take their cows and add to their
own and take them away, and
remember, all of them were in the
same religion. So we cannot
typically say it is a religious issue.
Although, some people will
interpret it to mean something
else, we should look critically into
what is happening nowadays. We
have different people with
different motives. But I strongly
condemn whatever has to do with
killings. The Church does not
condone killings whether of
herdsmen or farmers because it is
barbaric, evil, it is sin. It is written
in the Bible clearly in EXODUS
20: ‘Thou Shall Not Kill’.
What is your advice to
government on these killings?
Government at all levels should
live up to its responsibility of
protecting lives and property. Let
government wake up from its
slumber and ensure that farmers
are adequately protected from
herdsmen attacks and vice versa.
Government must stop this
madness.
What is your take on the
government’s decision to
establish cattle colonies?
We have been living with
herdsmen in peace before; let us
go back to the traditional way of
living. And let us be realistic, we
need the cattle. Farmers eat meat
while herdsmen also eat food. So
it is a matter of understanding. So
let us go back to the old tradition,
where you see people farming
while herdsmen were busy grazing
their animals in the same
environment without chaos.
Coming back to Borno State,
how do you describe the
relationship between
government and the Christian
community?
It is cordial. We don’t have any
problem with the governor.
Honestly, since I came on board,
I have been looking for an
opportunity to meet with the
governor and commend his
foresight and doggedness. We as
a Church and people have not seen
anything in the governor
discriminatory.
You said you want to meet with
the governor. What do you tell
him?
I want to help the governor
particularly in the area of peace.
I am an Ambassador of Peace and
I have the duty to preach and
advocate for peace. I also want to
continue to talk to the Muslim
and Christian communities on the
need to live in peace. My position
as a bishop is an institution that
has influence on the society. Very
soon you will see people coming
into the Bishop’s Court; Muslims
and Christians come here and we
talk, so we can help the governor
and government to promote peace
and religious harmony.
Government can also help us in
terms of keeping to its promises.
You know it is one thing for the
bishop to tell the people that the
governor will do this for you, and
when the governor does not do it,
it becomes something else. And
government has to also to be fair
to the people, not just Muslims
and Christians, by giving
everybody the opportunity to
practice his/her religion without
hindrance. The issue of saying that
people should not go to the
mosque or church because of
insecurity should not arise,
because the people are always
praying for peace and government
to succeed. So my appeal to
government is to always provide
security for people, be it in the
mosque or in the church or any
other place of worship.
C
M
Y
K

Life
SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 27
PRESIDENT’S FAMILY STILL IN SHOCK OVER DEATHS
How grandma died two weeks after
returning from medical trip abroad
— Buhari's family member
By Bashir Bello, Katsina
The family of President Muhammadu
Buhari is bereaved after they lost two
of their senior members.
Hajiya Ai’sha Alhaji Mamman, wife of the
President’s elder brother, Alhaji Mamman,
was the first to die, followed by Hajiya Halima
Dauda, Buhari’s niece and younger sister of
Malam Mamman Daura.
Halima was also the mother of the
President’s Personal Assistant, Mohammed
Sabi’u Tunde.
Sympathizers have continued to throng
Daura, the hometown of the President, to
condole with the family.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba
Kyari, led the Federal Government delegation
on a condolence visit.
In the delegation were the Minister of State,
Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika; three Senior
Special Assistants to the President, Sarki
Abba, Ya’u Darazo and Garba Shehu; and
the Director-General of the National
Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Abubakar.
Also in the delegation were the State Chief
of Protocol, Amb. Lawal Kazaure, the
Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal Arabi,
Alhaji Isma’ila Isa and Sayyu Dantata.
Governors Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina
State), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi State)
and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano State) as well
as a former Military Governor of Kaduna
State, retired Brig.-Gen. Jafaru Isa, the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris,
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and some
traditional leaders from neighboring Niger
Republic came calling at different times.
Receiving the visitors on behalf of the
family, Malam Mamman thanked God
for the lives of the deceased and the
guests for sharing the moment of grief
with them.
Meanwhile, fond memories of time
spent and love shared together would
continue to linger in the minds of relatives
who lived closely with Hajiya Halima Dauda
and Hajiya Aisha Alhaji Mamman.
Members of the family who spoke to
Sunday Vanguard said they received the
news of the death of the deceased persons
with shock, saying it has created a vacuum
in the family that will be difficult to fill.
‘Nobody in house’
Murtala Shehu, a grandson of Hajiya
Aisha Mamman, said, “We received the
news of the demise of both women with
shock though one of them (Hajiya Aisha
Mamman) was elderly. She had been sick
for almost seven years. She was a nice
grandma and related with everyone with
love and understanding. “She tried to keep
the bond of the family. She would visit family
members wherever they were. Whenever
she didn’t see anyone of us, she would
come looking or ask after us.
“She would crack jokes, laugh with us,
pamper us in a way I cannot forget. We
will miss her.
“Her death has created a vacuum that
cannot be filled. If you take a look at the
President’s family, there were 14 siblings;
only two of them, President Buhari and
his elder sister, Hajiya Rakiya, are left.
•Hajiya Halima Dauda
Members of the family
who spoke to Sunday
Vanguard said they
received the news of the
death of the deceased
persons with shock,
saying it has created a
vacuum in the family
that will be difficult to fill
•Murtala
Shehu
•Hajiya Aisha
Mamman
“She was the only one among the
elders left in the house but, today, she
is no more. When you go to the house
before, you will meet grandma but with
her death, you will find nobody in the
house. All her children are grown up
and married.
“Talking about Halima Dauda, she
was the wife to the late Dirbin Daura.
She was also known as Mama
Madam. She was a teacher, she
taught us in primary school. She
became ill and was taken from one
place to another for treatment before
she died in London”.
Religious women
Another member of the family,
Adnan Nahabu, prayed Allah to
grant the souls of the deceased
persons Jannat Firdausi.
“Their lives were very beneficial to
others. Aisha happened to be our inlaw.
Her husband was the eldest brother
•Adnan
Nahabu
of President Buhari, followed by two
women between him and President
Buhari. They were of the same father and
mother. She was nice and always helped
people.
“Halima was our niece. People benefited
from her benevolence and she was a
mobilizer.
“They were both very religious women,”
Nahabu said.
Another family member, Salisu Harp,
said Ai’sha had eight children, five females
and three males.
“She had been sick for some time. She
was flown abroad and returned only two
weeks ago after which taken to the Federal
Medical Centre, FMC, in the state where
she died.
“Her husband was Buhari’s elder
brother; he brought up the President”.
In a related development, Buhari was
in Daura for several days last month. The
visit is believed to be in connection with
the deaths of the women.
C
M
Y
K

PAGE 28—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
God is about to settle you
Congratulations, you
have seen the end of
the first two months
of the year. Glory be to God!
. I’m sure you know that God
made you see the month of
March for a purpose . If you
believe this, get ready to
march into your
breakthrough.
Brethren, two months have
gone and God has given you
cause to be grateful. Perhaps
all your desires have not been
met, be assured that you will
soon march over all
challenges in the name of
Jesus.
I am convinced that God is
about to settle you.
When we have challenges or
needs, we are worried.
Therefore, the mind is not
settled. No matter how you
pretend, your mind will shift
to that issue once in a while.
For instance , you just got a
wedding invitation from a
colleague in the office. This
lady or man met you in that
office as single and by the
time he/ she gave you a
wedding card, you are still
single.
Or have you been invited
to a naming ceremony by a
relation but you have been
waiting on the Lord for more
than five years.
Perhaps in your office, new
postings or letters of
promotion have been
released and you are not on
the list because you have
refused to compromise your
Christian values.
Brethren, any of these
situations can cause one to be
worried. You might pretend
not to be worried but you
know you are pretending. So,
when you get home and you
are about to sleep, you reflect
on these things and you begin
to ask God, why am I the way
I am? Sometimes, these
thoughts lead to tears and you
sleep off with your pillow
soaked with tears.
Consciously or
unconsciously at some point
we all find ourselves in a
situation where the words of
Psalm 22 vs. 1 & 2 come to
our minds . “ My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken
me? Why art thou so far from
helping me, and from the
words of my roaring?”.
It’s human that we feel this
way but when you remember
that the one who created you
has not forgotten you, then you
cheer up.
Whenever you find yourself
thinking like this, its okay to
pray as simple prayer “ O Lord
remember me. I put my trust
in you, let me never be put to
shame”.
You will find that once you
have said this prayer, your
mind will be at rest and you
can sleep peacefully . If you
are connected with the Holy
Spirit, you are likely to hear
his soothing words or indeed
a promise of the
manifestation of your
miracle.
When God settles you, your
challenges will be over. Your
mouth will be filled with
laughter. You will sing new
songs so much that your
neighbours will begin to see
a different you.
What do you think will
happen to a young graduate
who has been jobless for over
five years but suddenly
secures a job with a multi
national company.
Or a woman who has been
married for over 10 years and
has been the subject of
ridicule by in-laws,
neighbours etc. but just
returned with a pregnancy
positive result. Of course, she
will sing new songs.
Brethren, in the name of
Jesus, this month of March,
you will sing new songs.
Why am I so sure ? I know
that Jesus is always available
to comfort those with a heavy
heart.
My assurance that God will
settle you is found in Psalm
40 verse 2 “ He brought me
up also out of an horrible pit,
out the miry clay, and set my
feet upon a rock, and
established my goings”.
When you are established, you
are settled . Isn’t it?.
Read up Psalm 40 vs. 1-4.
Verse 3 tells us what will
happen to you when he has
settled you. It states “ And he
When God settles you,
your challenges will be
over. Your mouth will
be filled with laughter.
You will sing new songs
so much that your
neighbours will begin
to see a different you
hath put a new song in my
mouth, even praise unto our
God: many shall see it , and
fear , and shall trust in the
Lord”.
We are assured that the
miracle will be visible . Many
not a few shall see it and fear
the Lord . Why because, they
will say, “ Only God can do
this”. In the name of Jesus,
that is the kind of miracle that
God will give you and I.
They will not only see it,
unbelievers will begin to trust
your God. Many will be led
to join you to worship the
Lord.
God is a comforter. He will
comfort you if you submit to
him. You need to trust him
fully and he will comfort you.
Second Corinthians 1 vs. 3
reveals God the comforter to
us . “ Blessed be God, even the
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies,
and the God of all comfort”.
Note : “ God of all comfort”.
When he comforts you, you
are settled. Your mind will be
at rest and you will enjoy the
peace of the Lord.
God of all comfort implies
that there is no issue that God
cannot resolve. Has someone
taken away something that
belongs to you? Was there a
gang up against you that
resulted in a loss? The solution
is not to curse or fight anyone.
Simply had over the case to
God and he will comfort you.
The one is comforted by
God is free from pain or
anxiety. His comfort brings
in joy to replace sorrow.
Psalm 60 vs. 1&2 tells us
how God will comfort and the
consequence of his comfort.
Our emphasis though is in
verse 2 “ For, behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth,
and gross darkness the
people: but the LORD shall
arise upon thee, and his glory
shall be seen upon thee”.
By the grace, of God, this
new month of March, the
glory of the Lord will be seen
in your life.
I’ll share with you the
testimony of a young man
who graduated in one of the
universities in the southwest.
He narrowly missed his
second-class upper by a few
points. Some of his mates who
made it, were engaged in some
ungodly activities that gave
them the grade.
The young man came
home dejected because he
knew he was not likely to
secure a bank job , which he
wanted so badly.
He was in this mood when I
saw him one morning. Of
course, I knew his thoughts
because he had shared it with
me . I then told him , to hold
on to God and that he should
take his mind off a bank job .
I told him that there are better
jobs that could give him more
time to pursue his career.
God answered his prayer
and he got a job with an
agency in Lagos state. Within
two years that he secured this
job, he received series of letter
of commendation and
promotion. He also had the
time to pursue his career.
As I speak today, he has
moved to the federal arm of
that agency with an enhanced
pay and promotion.
Meanwhile, some of those
who engaged in ungodly
activities to secure higher
grades in the universities are
yet to be employed. Those of
them, who are employed are
not as comfortable as this
young man who held on to
God. If he had done what
others did, he probably would
not have secured a bank job
and if he got one, he wouldn’t
have had enough time to
advance in his chosen career.
Brethren, the God of
comfort is always available.
He is ever ready to give you
rest from all your troubles.
Relax, your testimony is
around the corner in Jesus
name.
Social Media Manic
It is the 21st Century
keeping up with the new
trends for those of us over the
age of 40 is both fun and
exciting but at the same time
daunting and challenging.
For some less is more in this
social media space, they
would rather not learn
something new instead
remain in their comfort zone.
For others more
adventurous, it is a case of one
day at a time, slowly and
steadily we are joining the
Facebook, Twitter, Linked In
and Instagram race.
When you think about it this
social media space can be
quite intrusive if it is all about
you. I remember my brother
saying “I don’t want the whole
knowing about me and my
life.”
Yes, Facebook and
Instagram friends it is all
about you and your life but to
the extent of information you
desire to share. There are
times when you have
accomplished a goal mark in
your life that indeed you
would like others to know
about. It becomes dangerous
when you share photos and
information that can be
damaging to your character
and personality. While on
Facebook you are gathering
“Likes” and adding others to
be a friend, it is all about
connecting with today’s social
media. Joining the Twitter
race is more demanding you
will to be more engaged with
conversations to keep up. The
more interesting you are the
greater the chances that
people will “follow” you and
keep the twitter char rolling.
The average corporate
individual has seen the need
to join Linked In, I guess for
professional reasons to let
others know they exist, at the
same time build their
personal profile and
credibility in the world of
professionalism. Have you
ever considered “posting” an
article on linked In?
The wave I am still getting my
head around; I am an
advocate of knowledge is
power but again one step at a
time. Just the other day my
daughter says “Mum you
need to become more active
on Instagram and Snapchat”.
“OK What’s that all about?” I
say. Instagram to me is very
similar to Facebook, all about
“liking” pictures and
“following” other people in a
bid to increase followership
numbers. It has become a race
as it draws so much attention
away from other important
things if you allow it to.
Finally the Snap Chat craze
I have decided to leave to the
younger generation as it is real
time at its best. I pumped into
it by chance as yet again I was
comfortably getting on with
life when my daughter start
video recording me and then
plays it back for me to view to
my shock and surprise. We
were walking in the cold she
again films me shivering and
then creates a snap chat all
for fun and laughter. The buzz
and excitement was when she
decided to video record her
dad without him realizing as
he was topping up the car with
engine oil and then plays it
back for him to watch. All this
is pretty new to us but we
cannot rule out that it is
trending big time.
“Where are you in all of
this?”
As an individual or
organization it is time to latch
onto the band wagon and not
be left behind, it is the trend of
Liking, Following, Posting &
Sharing. These are the new
commercialtools to take
yourbusiness forward. It is no
wonder many companies
have joined the new
generation of social media
players after all everything
now is at the speed of touch
and go.
The Gains of Social Media
for your Business:
Just in case you are still
wondering where you are in
all of this I decided to give you
some positive tips on the uses
of this new found social media
trend.
i. Perfect Branding Tool
It is one thing to join the
band wagon of social media
players but it is another to
understand the real reason
why you are using the
platform. Once you have
taken the bold step to join
know the message you want
you followers to receive.
Social media is a very useful
branding tool. Recognize that
your brand is key so your
identity remains intact.
Everything you communicate
is consistent with your brand
and relevant to your business.
Develop a slogan that
represents your organization.
ii. Remain Current
Being a part of the new
trend will help you reach out
to others in a more current
way. Consumer preferences
are changing constantly as
new ways of appealing to the
audience are changing. As
you remain current you begin
to engage your audience at
the same time attract new
potential customers.
iii. Great Advertising &
Marketing Reach Out
This is the new found
marketing strategy that
many are tapping into with
great enthusiasm. With the
right post you can reach out
to thousands of people all at
one go
In the same light you can
take advantage of free
advertising and marketing as
others help you retweet, share
and repost on your behalf.
Money is being constantly on
advert space in social media
all by virtue of the numbers
that can be reached from a
paperless source of
marketing. You cannot afford
to be left out.
iv. New Information /
Customer Loyalty
Without going too far you
can share new trends in your
industry using this platform.
By asking questions and
conducting surveys you will be
able to establish first hand
responses from your
customers. They are free to
share their views and opinions
giving you access to research
and consumer tastes at a
faster pace. Keeping your
followers engaged is the
perfect way to maintain
brand and customer loyalty.
v. Hiring
Today organizations as well
as individuals do not sit and
wait for candidates to come
in the physical before
accessing their suitability for
the role. Information is quite
free for all to a large extent.
Social Media helps in the
process of headhunting and
recruiting the right hire by
pruning down the selection
process and saving time. It is
the responsibility of everyone
to be mindful of what they
post, like, follow and share not
to send any mixed messages
about who they are.
I hope you find theses
pointer useful.
Goodluck!
We are set to take over Delta in
2019 — Ojougboh
Acheiftain of the All
Progressives
Congress. APC, in
Delta State, Dr. Cairo
Ojougboh has said that the
party is being repositioned to
defeat the Peoples Democratic
Party,PDP-led government of
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in
the 2019 general elections.
Ojougboh, who insisted that
the APC caucus in Delta north
has carefully studied the
administration of Okowa and
has passed a vote of no
confidence on him, hence he
encouraged the people of
Delta State to use their voters'
card to remove his
government in 2019.
Ojougboh, who was one of
the Delta north APC caucus
that supported the re-election
of President Muhammadu
Buhari, insisted that the game
is set and that they ready to
take over Delta from the PDP
so that Deltans could enjoy the
dividends of democracy
which God has naturally
bestowed on the people of the
state.
According to him: “APC
caucus in Delta north noted
very seriously that the PDP
government in Delta has
failed woefully and therefore
2019, the people should be
encouraged to vote out the
government so that APC can
take over power and
reposition the state so that the
people of Delta state will
benefit from the dividend of
democracy.
A
group under the
auspices of Isoko
Political Exodus, IPE, has
energed with a vision to
reform politics, check
impunity and ensure fair play
and responsive government
The group which has over
10, 000 members has
inaugurated its national
executives, with a mandate to
vote out deceitful political
office holders irrespective of
their political parties, just as
it conferred on Comrade
Ovuozourie Macaulay, the
group’s Grand Patron.
The ceremony which took
place at Isoko Central School,
2019: Isoko inaugurates group to vote
out deceitful politicians
Oleh, had the chairman of the
ceremony, Hon. M.O.C. Eto,
former secretary to the state
government, Comrade
Ovuozourie Macaulay, Engr.
Goodluck Idele, Hon.
Dickson Fineboy Ebegbare,
IPE National Co-ordinator,
Hon. Okiemute Esien, Engr.
Daniel Omoyibo, Alex Omu,
and many others in
attendance.
Speaking through its
National Co-ordinator, Hon.
Ebegbare, IPE warned all
deceitful Isoko elected and
appointed public office
holders to change their ways
or be voted out from office in
2019”.
He noted that IPE has put
in place a special committee
to intensify campaign for the
use of PVCs as means of
choosing their representatives
and also check electoral
violence in Isoko nation by
reporting plans of violent
youths and their sponsors for
prosecution.
C
M
Y
K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 29
BY FESTUS AHON
CHIEF SOLOMON
ARENYEKA is the
Executive Chairman of
Rural Development Agency, RDA, in
Delta State. He was Chief of Staff to
former Governor Emmanuel
Uduaghan in his first term.
Arenyeka, who is the ‘Eson’ of Warri
Kingdom, also served as Chairman
of Warri North Local Government
Area. In this interview, Arenyeka
speaks on the activities of the
agency and other issues of interest.
Tell us the core mandate of your
agency.
Delta State Rural Development
Agency was established via a bill
passed by the state House of
Assembly in 2000 during the first
term of Chief James Ibori as
governor. The mandate is similar to
that of the former Directorate of
Rural Infrastructure known as
(DIFRI) during the military era. The
core mandate is to provide full
development in the areas of
provision electricity, opening up of
earth roads, and clearing of water
ways in the rural areas of the state.
Recently the state government
signed Memoranda of
Understanding with some power
and energy companies to deliver on
the promises of Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa. When the projects fully
commence, we will come in
wherever our assistance is needed.
Don’t forget that some of those
MOUs were signed on the basis of
Public Private Partnership.
Vandalisation of transformers and
other power infrastructure has been
recurrent challenge in the efforts to
supply electricity across the nation.
What is RDA doing to curb this
menace?
I recently met with the state
House of Assembly Committee on
Power and Energy and the Benin
Electricity Distribution Company
(BEDC). The meeting was initiated
by the Honourable Commissioner
for Energy, the state House of
Assembly Committee on Power and
Energy and I, to sit with the BEDC
to iron out some of these issues
connected to power supply. I want
to use this opportunity to appeal to
the BEDC to be alive to its
DELTA RDA CHIEF:
DISCOs force
people to pay for
transformers
installed by govt
responsibility on the issue of
electricity distribution. While
agreeing that the provision of
electricity has been
commercialized, I think we should
ensure that the commercialization
is done with a human face. Last
week, I went round the state to
inspect the facilities that have been
provided by RDA. I visited Affor,
Obetim, Ute-opku, Koko, Ubeji,
Gbokodo, Graigbene, Tuomor,
Oghara, Bitugbo, Onicha-
Olona, Ughelli, Uweru and
Agbo. I think BEDC while
carrying out its
commercialization effort should
also provide transformers for the
people they are collecting
money from for power supply. I
discovered that most of the
transformers in the communities
were supplied by government.
And when we supply
transformers, BEDC still want to
collect connection fee from the
people. I am speaking based on
what I saw on the field. If they
are not supplying transformers
and the RDA is playing this role,
I think there should be a synergy
between BEDC and RDA to
make sure that the transformers
are connected. Because if the
regulations for installing
transformers are very stringent,
most of the things we are doing
may not be beneficial to the
people. For example, in
Ubitugbo, transformers were
supplied for the past two years but
•ARENYEKA
BEDC cannot hook them to the grid
if they don’t pay their bills. And the
story is the same in most of the
communities. Most of these
communities are agrarian. They are
not commercially viable were
everything should be based on
commercialization.
BEDC should introduce packages
where in their own profit making
mechanisms efforts are made to
take care of the interest of these
rural areas. I want to take DSTV
as an example. I remember
when it came, people were
paying as high as N15, 000 for
premium package but, along the
line, they came with Gotv which
allows people to pay as low as
N1, 400. BEDC as a business
venture can design a low cost
package for people in rural
areas. When we put these
transformers in some of these
communities, we are told that
because of the high bills they
cannot be connected which is not
too good. It means that whatever
we are creating there will be
white elephant projects to the
communities. I want to appeal to
BEDC to go about their
commercialization with a
human face.
They should take care of
highly commercial areas where
they recoup their money and
also take care of agrarian areas
where do could be seen too to be
rendering services in one way or
the other.
Going by your statements,
government purchases
transformers while BEDC
installs and commercializes. Is
there any form of partnership
between RDA and government?
We install but, in switching to the
national grid, BEDC takes money;
meanwhile, they are using the
transformers and making money
from them. The question is, what is
government doing to check this
exploitation? These are some of the
issues addressed in the meeting
between the House Committee on
Energy and the BEDC. I only hope
that reason will prevail.
How has RDA keyed into Delta
State government SMART
Agenda?
The agenda wants prosperity for
Deltans. What is prosperity? It
means happiness, service delivery
and that is evident in what we are
doing. In all the places visited by
RDA, we were showered with
accolades by the people thanking
the governor for doing an excellent
job. For example, if you have
electricity supply in rural areas,
micro businesses will thrive. Skill
acquisition programmes are mostly
for rural dwellers. If there is no
electricity, most of the programmes
will be in vain.
How many communities have
you connected so far and how
much has been committed to
electrification projects under your
watch?
Since we came in
two years ago,
government has been
running on a tight
budget. The crash in
oil price has affected
government revenue.
The RDA used to run
a budget of over N1
billion. In the last two
years, our budget has
been slightly over
N400 million. And we
have committed the
over N400 million
and covered close to
32 communities.
Some have been
completed while
some are awaiting
switch on. Like I said
earlier, I was on tour
last week to inspect
some of these
infrastructures and I
am happy that most
of the transformers
are in good working
condition while some
of them are awaiting
switch on. We also
had issues with BEDC
We install
but, in
switching to
the national
grid, BEDC
takes money;
meanwhile,
they are
using the
transformers
and making
money from
them
which saw us sitting in a round table
to iron them out. However, there are
some transformers which crashed
due to overloading and we have
reported the incidents.
There is a case of a transformer
which was stolen in Ubeji, but was
recovered by security operatives. We
are looking at reinstalling it. So far,
we have forty something
transformers, some are working,
some are awaiting switch on
while others are awaiting
installation.
What is your assessment of
the Okowa administration in
the last three years?
Within the resources available
to the state, Governor Okowa
has done very well. One thing I
observe is that people do not
want to come to the realization
that government in Nigeria and
in Delta State in particular is not
what it used to be. When I served
as chief of staff, for a year, our
allocations every month from
the federation account was
between N19 billion and N29
billion depending on when
money from the Excess Crude
Account is shared and so on. But,
at the inception of this
government, allocation was as
low as N3 billion monthly and
there was little the man could
do. Don’t forget that this state is
peculiar in the sense that the 25
local government headquarters
are urban centers. If you go to
some states, you see concentration
in only the state capital and once
you see photographs of the state
capital, you think the whole state
has been taken care of. So, in view
of the conglomerates of our ethnic
groups, the state government must
satisfy each of the senatorial
districts. And if you look at the three
senatorial districts, apart from the
Central, which is almost
homogenous, it is a different ball
game in the other senatorial
districts. The governor has really
tried. My tour has given me better
insight into what he is doing. There
are massive roads constructions
taking place all over the state; from
Sapele to Ubeji in Warri to NPA
bypass, from Umunede to Uteokpu,
every day at the State Executive
Council (SEC) meeting briefings,
we see new approvals. Things are
improving. There is a marked
improvement from what we used to
get.
What can you say are the chances
of Governor Okowa in the 2019
general elections?
No other candidate holds a better
chance than Okowa. I worked with
him when he was
Secretary to the State
Government as Chief of
Staff. Okowa is a silent
achiever. He doesn’t
like propaganda. He
always wants his work
to speak for him. I will
want to use this
opportunity to advice
the opposition in the
state that the field is very
wide, hence they should
deviate from
unnecessary criticisms.
The opposition can be
useful in different ways.
Before, they used to say
Okowa is not doing
anything. Now they say
Okowa is not doing
mega projects. But in
some climes, major
projects have become
white elephants.
Instead of doing a
mega project in a small
community, even
distribution of
sustainable projects is
good..
We have seen that one
of the ways of winning the hearts of
people is road construction. Now,
anybody can cover a sizable part of
the state with a good car in three
hours unlike what we used to see.
On road construction, Okowa has
done well and the song of the
opposition is gradually dying down.
Apart from ethnic coloration given
to it, Okowa is loved by all and his
chances of winning the 2019 general
election are very high.
What is your advice to Deltans?
Deltans should be patient. The
opposition should not tell lies for the
sake of opposition. Look very well.
And be positive like I mentioned
earlier. If you go to the state
secretariat, you will see that work
is going on day and night. Some
people were saying government
cannot pay salaries yet they are
spending such amount on
constructing a secretariat. They
forget the huge amount the
government is spending on rent
every month. Okowa will deliver
dividends of democracy in full
measure. There is going to be
prosperity across board as the state
records improvement in its
allocation.

PAGE 30— SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
EDITED BY OSA
AMADI
osaamadi@yahoo.com
08070524223
Tutu breaks African record in
global art mart, amasses
£1.208m
…Ooni of Ife, Grillo, Onobrakpeya, Oshinowo, others react
•Yusuf Grillio’s Evangelist: Cymbal,
triangle and tambourine
By Chris Onuoha
In a live video and audio si
mulcast monitored in La
gos at Wheatbaker hotels
and held at Bonhams salesroom
in London at 17 hours GMT,
Bonhams Africa Now auction
sales of Modern and Contemporary
African Arts made huge
impression in the global art
space with array of works from
African masters in their own
rights.
With a sizeable number of bidders,
diplomats, artists and enthusiasts
that filled both Lagos
and London salesrooms, there
was excitement and mixed feelings
as to what the outcome of
the bidding would be. And with
the much hyped buzz of Tutu’s
painting estimated at £200,000–
£300,000, there was optimism
based on the previous performance
of Enwonwu’s Spirit of
Ogolo that sold for £235,000 at
Bonhams auction.
Giles Peppiatt, Director, Bonhams
African Art, functioning as
the auctioneer, started the bidding
with Ben Enwonwu’s pastel
and watercolor painting titled
Fulani girl. With much speculation
on the most featured works
only Enwonwu’s paintings
turned the table around. Yusuf
Grillio’s Evangelist: Cymbal, triangle
and tambourine sold for
£56,750 falling under £50 –
70,000 estimated. El-Anatsui’s
work, Ancestor’s Conference
also made it to £47,500 while
Cheri Samba’s Le Democratie
generated £27,000. Ablade Glover,
a Ghanaian famous painter
also hyped the sales. Others
made slight impression in the
bidding making the wholes sale
worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Professor Benedict
Chukwukadidia Enwonwu
broke a new record in African
contemporary art auctioning
selling a whooping £1,208,750
from £200,000–£300,000 estimate,
while his other works,
Negritude and Female form
made it to £100,000 and
•Ben Enwonwu’s Female form
£110,000 respectively. This
feat, according to some
school of thought, shows
that Africa has come of age
as an emerging market in
the global art mart.
Ooni of Ife, His Imperial
Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan
Ogunwusi, while reacting
to the good news said,
“I am very happy with the
outcome of the sales, although
it was expected. It
is a great new development
coming from Africa. The
House of Oduduwa has
played a pivotal role in
keeping and bringing African
heritage to limelight. I
am happy and believe that
this is the beginning of
more good things coming
from Africa.
As prominent an artist as
Yusuf Grillo, whose work
performed better in last year
October 2017 auction in
London, his works dipped
in this February 2018 sales.
His works barely rose above
its estimates. When asked
whether he is satisfied with
the sales, he told Vanguard
Arts & Reviews that, “I am
a studio artist and not an
art dealer. More so, the auction
did not happen in my
gallery to determine the
biding criteria.”
Bruce Onobrakpeya who
commented on factors that
determine values of artworks
said, “Certainly, artworks
appreciate very much
after the death of artists. In
the case Ben Enwonwu, he
has virtually enjoyed the
benefits, patronage and
appreciation after his
death. The nature of art is
that sometimes, the art that
appreciates very high in
value at a particular time
can also come down in value
during and after the
death of the artist. The
works of Rembrandt as an
example sold heavily in his
life time and went down after
some years. In most time,
if the artist is very famous
•Ben Enwonwu’s ‘Tutu’
sold for £1,208,750
and doing very good works,
whichever one that comes out
can always appreciate in value
particularly after the
death. But personally, the value
of artworks can go down
in the future.”
For Ben Enwonwu’s painting
that made landmark sales,
it is a good thing for us as artists
in Africa. There’s a lot of
hope for all of us. You will
notice that before, some of our
artworks appreciate more in
Nigeria than abroad. But now
this one has really come up
high; it is a good development
for the Nigerian contemporary
art. That is to say the Nigerian
contemporary art has
value in Africa and across the
globe.”
The work of Kolade Oshinowo,
who is still in the mood of
his 70th birthday celebration,
was also auctioned. He sees
the success of Tutu and other
African artworks in this February
auction “is a new development
for the African art. It
has put African contemporary
art where it should be. It has
raised the bar and it is welldeserved
because contemporary
African art has come to
be reckoned with in the world.
But my worry is that I hope it
will not be what I may call ‘A
one day wonder’. I hope the
trend continues. For me personally,
Tutu is not the best
work that Uncle Ben painted
but then, there are mysteries
to this work. Just like Monalisa,
it is not the best from Leonardo
Da Vinci, but as it
stands, Monalisa has been
surpassed by the recent auction
that almost fetched half a
billion dollars. In auction
sales, you can’t predict.
Sometimes it doesn’t give you
a realistic situation because a
lot goes into auctions when
you have two competing buyers
who want to outdo themselves
resulting in soaring
price. But then, like I said, it
is a welcome development
because the benchmark is
high for African art now.”
Similarly, renowned painter,
printmaker and Dean, School
of Art, Design and Printing,
Yaba College of technology,
Dr. Kunle Adeyemi says that
African art is actually an
emerging market: “It will still
be much better because what
we are seeing is just the preliminary.
What happened in
this Bonhams sales has portrayed
that there’s a lot of art
that has to do with Africans,
and more importantly, that can
compete favourably with the
global space. Our future is so
bright particularly in the art
industry. People from here
will believe and begin to invest
in African art.
“When a market is buoyant
but not discovered, the discovery
will come gradually. We
may not be able to say the
market is saturated, whether
it is in Europe, America, UK,
Asia or any other place, but
right now, there’s a discovery
of art market in Africa and
that’s the most important
thing that has happened to
African art and appreciation.
I want you to know that even
the impressionist – Picasso,
Michelangelo and others discovered
so much aesthetic
materials in African art that
was incorporated in their art
and that changed the global
art space. For this one, I am
not surprised because we have
all it takes to emerge as the
art of the day for the future.
“The Tutu we are talking
about today is very symbolic.
It is actually a work of an artist
that goes to tell you that
art goes beyond ethnic chauvinism,
nepotism, corruption
and all that. Ben Enwonwu,
for instance, is an Eastern
Igbo. He came to Ife and
worked on the portrait of Tutu,
a Yoruba who is a royal princess.
At that, you can see the
connectivity of art with the
human angle. What it means
is that visual art is something
that unites and takes away
some of these vices that we
bind ourselves with. A good
artist, irrespective of who he
is or where he comes from –
whether he is your friend,
enemy or rival – is a good artist.
Art in the global space
does not respect war. It tells
people that there’s beauty in
life, human race and space
and that there has to be unity
all over the world. Some of
these things are stories telling
us that as Africans, we can
reform our society through
art.”
WORLD BOOK DAY: Guinness world record for
longest read aloud marathon broken
World Book Day was cele
brated in Nigeria with
an attempt by Olubayode
Tresures Olawunmi who took a giant
step reading about 17 books to
break the Guinness World Record
for the Longest Marathon Read
Aloud contest.
The contest is a GTBank You
Read Initiative held at the Herbert
Macaulay Library, Yaba, Lagos
with Olubayode reading books
from Nigerian Authors, undertaking
the Guinness World Record
longest read aloud marathon attempt.
It also coincided with the
celebration of World Book Day
witnessed by students from various
schools in the environ. The
attempt was proudly supported by
the GTBank YouREAD Initiative, a
Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) project which the Bank
launched in 2017 to rekindle the
interest in reading.
Olubayode started the read
aloud challenge on Monday February
26, 2018 at exactly 1:30pm
Nigerian time with selected books
that included Toni Kan’s The Carnivorous
City, Sarah Ladipo Manyika’s
Independence, Leye
Adenle’s Easy Motion Tourist,
Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday
amongst many others.
•Olubayode Tresures Olawunmi during the read aloud
session.
According to Abisoye Balogun, project coordinator GT-
Banks YouRead project, “What this event is basically about
is promoting African literature and the reading culture in
Nigeria noticing that there’s decline in reading culture
among the populace. It is a brave one for one individual
to sit and read for 120 hours surpassing the current record
of 113 hours done in 2008 by Deepak Sharma Bajaan from
India who held the world record in book reading a total of
17 books in 113 hours and 15 minuites. It is a significant
time as the world marks world book day.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 31
Big Brother house of sex or immorality?
BBNaija 2018:
My boyfriend allows me to flaunt
my bum on Instagram – Pat Ugwu
ne of the biggest headaches of an actress is keeping a romantic relationship
Oas most men believe their lives are always in the open and thus susceptible
to promiscuity. In fact many of them have confessed losing the love of their lives
as a result of their craft.
While some have accepted their fate and kept true to their calling at the
expense of having a man to call their own, a few have succumbed to the
pressure from their lovers and have waved the profession goodbye to
have a man to return home to every night.
However, for Nollywood actress, Pat Ugwu, it is a different story.
The actress who enjoys flaunting her nicely-rounded bum on
Instagram confessed to Potpourri that her boyfriend encourages
her to take her assets public, which she has been doing with
robust aplomb.
“My boyfriend doesn’t complain about my sensual
pictures and videos on Instagram at all. He knows I am
doing what pleases me and he
loves me for it. In fact, he’s the
one that pushes me to go ahead
with it. He knows it is all about
entertainment. I am an
entertainer. He’s also an
entertainer and he knows it is all about
entertainment, she purred when asked if
the man in her life doesn’t complain about
her raunchy pictures and videos.
“He’s not scared of competition from anyone either. He knows my love is for him. We
trust each other. Hey, because I flaunt my bum and twerk a lot on Instagram doesn’t
mean I am up for grabs, moneybags or no moneybags, I am not for sale. I have a man
in my life and I am okay with that", she added when asked if her boyfriend wasn’t scared
of her being snatched by some randy moneybags.
Pat Ugwu, who goes by the name Pat Pat Ugwu on Instagram has loads of pictures
and videos that have her twerking her God-given gift in several locations; namely;
in the pool, by the pool side or just any location that gives the pictures luscious
prominence.
•Regina Amaechi
•Teddy A & Bam
Bam kissing
•Pat Ugwu
BY ROTIMI AGBANA & ADETUTU ADESOJI
The third edition of Big Brother Naija reality show
themed ‘double wahala’ has over the weeks been
under intense criticism as viewers have
continued to question the essence of the reality
show.
The show which is supposed to discover talents while
entertaining viewers at the same time has become a
shadow of itself as all it seems to portray is
immorality and other
socially unacceptable
vices.
The housemates see no
big deal in indulging in
sexual activities live on TV.
The question most
viewers have been asking
is, “Have they forgotten
that the show is being
broadcast live on air?”
However, while some of the
housemates are bold to
admit to having sex, others are
in denial.
Miracle and Nina started making out
in the first week of getting into the house
and the pair shamelessly display it like it’s a
norm.
Lolu and Anto have been accused of being
sexually active with each other. The accusation came
from their fellow housemate, Miracle, who claimed that
some of the condoms provided by big brother were missing
because some housemates other than him and Nina were
having sex and he specifically mentioned Anto and Lolu.
However, it is now certain that the duo are having sex
which is actually not a surprise as Anto once told evicted
housemate, Kbrule, that she is a grown woman and she
has slept with quite a number of men.
During the week, Anto boldly told Lolu to have sex with
her. In her words, “I want you to have sex with me, Lolu, I
love having sex.” In fact, the duo are not ashamed of
having sex on live TV as they now display condoms on the
headrest of their bed, a move that has since attracted
mixed reactions from fellow housemates and viewers.
The latest couple to be caught in the sex scandal is Teddy
A and Bambam. The duo were recently caught on
camera having sex in the bathroom during their
shower time. This latest development has
attracted even more negative criticisms than
that of Nina and Miracle, Anto and Lolu,
Cee-C and Tobi or Alex and Leo.
Alex and Leo have been very discreet
about their romance ever since it begun
but they seem to have become bolder
about it now. Alex who recently cried
uncontrollably when Leo left her to chat
with Miracle while she was engrossed
kissing him, allowed Leo to openly finger
her ‘woman’s’ while she moaned with
pleasure.
As the weeks go by, the reality show
continue to take interesting twists and
turns but also continue to put the
promotion of sex and immorality at the
forefront and majority of its viewers
continue to condemn it.
I see no randy director or producer
in Nollywood – Regina Amaechi
Up and coming Nollywood actress, Regina Amaechi, barely in her twenties, has been in the
industry for ten years and has had to go through the ranks and file to be standing among those
who could raise their heads when actors are counted in Nollywood.
According to the Amaigbo Umuduruoha girl, in Nwangele local government of Imo State,
in all her ten years she has never encountered any director or producer who has asked her for
sex in exchange for a movie role.
“I know many young actresses complain about sexual harassment in the industry, but the
honest truth is that I have never encountered such. When I hear of such complaints, my thinking is
that, it can’t be true.”
“The Nollywood I know since 2008 when I first appeared in my debut movie by OJ Productions
where I played the role of Ini Edo’s sister is not like that. Maybe, I have been very lucky because every
director and producer I have worked with were nice to me. They were like big uncles. I never even saw a
trace of such barbarity” she told Potpourri in a recent chat.
Regina, who has featured in many movies like ‘ My Sister’s Blood’, ‘The Last War’, The Mafians, Blessed Child,
Perfect Machine, explains why they call her ‘Little Genevieve’.
“I have many role models in the industry. I love Auntie Joke Silva, Mercy Johnson, Rita Dominic and my Genevieve
Nnaji. In fact, it was Auntie Genevieve Nnaji that inspired me to go into acting. Right now, my biggest challenge as an
actress is combining acting with schooling. It has not been easy. Sometimes I do get jobs during my exams period but
have to forfeit them for the exams. I can’t wait to finish school and focus on acting,” she said.
C
M
YK

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
Sex is not
everything in a
woman’s life
I want to prove
to the world
actresses are
not promiscuous
– Precious Ikegwuonu
– Kisa Gbekle
Sexy Ghanaian actress, who rose to fame after
her exploits in the ‘Miser’ TV Series and ‘Accra
Runs’ sent the social media into a meltdown
when she released some sensual pictures to
celebrate her birthday recently. The pictures were
so hot, even her fellow actors were in awe.
“I wasn’t going to post those pictures,” she
opened up to Potpourri in a chat. “Those pictures
were actually taken for my photographer’s
portfolio. I wasn’t meant to post them but they
were already trending and I had no option
but to post. I must confess the reactions were
confounding. All my colleagues were
shocked and most advised me not to post
such again and I have really taken their
advice,” she said.
Kisa, who had her formal training at
Ghollywood Academy of Arts on
scholarship from Regional Theatre says
she’s very different from the image her
birthday pictures projected. Talking
about sex and relationship, she said she
can live with a man that is not good enough
in bed, adding she’s not crazy about sex.
“What I can’t stand in a man is irresponsibility, being
unpresentable and bad odour. Some men smell really bad.
Not everyone can deal with a man that smells bad. I believe
so much in love. Even if the man is not good in bed, and I
love him, I will still stay with him. If you know how to do it
better than your man you can teach him. Sex is not
everything in a woman’s life. Love is the most important
thing” she added.
•Kisa
Gbekle
•Precious
Ikegwuonu
Current beauty ambassador for
Umudim Nnewi, Anambra State and
Nollywood actress, Precious
Chidinma Ikegwuonu is a 17-year old
girl with a big mission in life. The
undergraduate of Federal Polytechnic,
Oko, is set to correct the widely held notion
that Nollywood actresses are promiscuous.
In a chat with Potpourri, the youth culture
ambassador highlighted her mission in
Nollywood and what she stands for.
“I want to remove that impression
some individuals have that, all the
actresses in Nollywood are ‘Runs
Girls’. I want to live a life people
will emulate. I want to be unique.
What am I saying? I am unique
already but I want to make it
official, so that the world will see
that. I want the younger ones to
look up to me as their role model,”
she quipped.
Having featured in films like ‘The
missing Pants’, ‘Lost in the Jungle,’ ,The
Wicked King’, ‘The City Girls’,
‘Dangerous Romance,’ ‘The Students
Birthday Party’ and having represented her
community, Umudim, Nnewi, in the Miss
Nnewi Pageant, she has been enjoying a sort
of star status among her peers on campus
and elsewhere.
“Some people want to get close to me, and
take photographs with me, even before I got
admission. Even some people I am not on
talking terms with, would come to my house
to greet or just hang around with me.
Sometimes, strange people would call and
say they want to go into acting, that, I should
link them up. Popularity has its advantages
and some disadvantages, but I have been
enjoying my new status,” she said.
Precious has no regret in being an actress.
She revealed that, it was what she had always
wanted and she could only revel in the joy it
has brought her.
Yinka Quadri
inspired me to
become an actor
—Bankole Sunday
Prince Lawman
returns with new
single ‘Baby Girl’
•Sunday
Bankole
BY ROTIMI AGBANA
Bankole Sunday, Nollywood actor and
CEO, 100% Bar
and Lounge, may not be a household
name in the movie
making craft but with fourteen self
produced movies to
his credit, he can boast of being a force to
reckon with in the
Nigerian movie industry.
In an exclusive chat, the
accountant turned
actor, movie producer cum
lounge CEO, told
Potpourri how veteran actor, Yinka
Quadri inspired him to
become an actor
and movie maker.
“I enjoyed watching Yinka Quadri as a child and he
inspired me a lot, I became so curious as I grew older
and wanted to see how the magic is being done. I
begin to develop serious interest out of curiosity
and that was how I eventually joined the industry”,
he said.
He told Potpourri what the movie making
experience has been like so far since he joined
in 2014.
He said “It has not been as easy as I imagined.
It’s very difficult to be accepted and they’ll rather
criticize you or find faults and excuses why you don’t
fit in. But the zeal, interest and passion I have for acting
keeps me going. I’ve featured in a lot of movies but
personally I’ve produced 14 movies.”
Speaking on how he has managed to focus on his
craft amid female distractions, he said;
“I’m happily married, so I keep my head up and face
what I’m there for. I don’t entertain unnecessary
familiarity. I’m used to seeing a lot of beautiful girls
because of my bar. I’ve learnt how to handle them from
distracting myself a long time ago.”
He added that he hardly makes money from acting or
movie production but his bar and Lounge makes him smile
to the bank.
“No, I make more money as the CEO of my lounge. Piracy
has spoiled the market for movie makers, I’m just doing it
because of the passion I have for acting.”
BY ROTIMI AGBANA
G erman-based
Nigerian born
artiste, Anuforo
Cyracus Chinonso,
better known as Prince
Lawman, takes the
Nigerian music
space by storm with
his new musical
collaboration with
popular singing
duo, Bracket.
The talented Imo
State born and bred
singer who has
carved a niche for
himself using his
indigenous
language and
English to create
music has released
his second single
titled ‘Baby Girl’,
which is currently
enjoying massive
airplay.
Prince Lawman is
optimistic that with
his talent and God’s
grace, he will climb the
musical ladder to the
top in no time.
“My fans should
expect greater tunes and
also expect more local
and international
collaborations”, he said.
•Prince
Lawman
C
M
Y
K

Governor Obaseki and
the virtue of simplicity
The basic difference
between a
Governor in a
service organization like
Rotary International and a
Governor in a typical
Nigerian State is that
whereas a Rotary
Governor seeks office with
a commitment to serve
humanity, a Nigerian
Governor on the other hand
gets into office to be served.
This seems to explain why
the election of a Rotary
Governor engenders no
acrimony while in the case
of a governorship election;
some people have to die for
a particular contestant to
win and for his opponent to
lose. So, while the Rotary
Governor has no one to
compensate for his election,
there is usually a large
retinue of supporters who
would make governance
virtually impossible if they
are not well compensated by
the State Governor
presumably installed by
them. Interestingly, such
supporters are not bothered
about how far the Governor
is able to develop the state
and improve the living
conditions of the people;
Nigeria and the curse
of Sisyphus (6)
The main issue that has
not received adequate
attention from Nigerians is
the necessity to compel Gen.
Babangida and all those who
sabotaged his government’s
transition programme after
an incredible quantum of
human resources and billions
of naira had been expended
on it to give an account of their
grave injustice against
millions of Nigerian who
despite inconveniences and
challenges voted in the June
12, 1993 presidential
election. That this has not
been done by successive
administrations prove
beyond any scintilla of doubt
that there are sacred cows in
Nigeria that can do whatever
they please without any
accountability, which implies
that the country is still very far
from what a genuine civil
society ought to be. In an
earlier essay, I had discussed
the main reasons why Gen.
Babangida annulled the June
12 election according to late
Prof. Omo Omoruyi, as
reported by the maverick
writer Chinweizu in his little
book, Caliphate Colonialism:
The Taproot of the Trouble with
Nigeria; namely, to placate
northern caliphate
colonialists who vehemently
opposed the possibility of a
southern President they
cannot control and pay back
the existential debt he owed
to Gen. Sani Abacha.
Therefore, the best description
of Babangida’s regime is: a
monumental waste.
Chief Ernest Shonekan’s
tenure as interim President
was so brief and episodic that
what appears to matter is
what supporters are able to
gain even if by corrupt
methods. If so, why should
we not pity a Governor?
This was the question
which first occurred to me
last week Friday when
aboard a flight to Benin
from Abuja, Edo State
Governor, Godwin Obaseki
suddenly appeared on
board. To start with, I was
shocked that he was neither
the last to board nor were
other passengers kept on
board for long to await His
Excellency’s arrival as in the
old order. Second, he didn’t
occupy any of the first four
front seats and there were
no uniform men around
him purporting to be in
charge of his security
which in essence was in the
hands of the pilot. I was
seeing him for the first time
since he became Governor
in 2016 almost making me
doubt if it was him or a
look alike. I became
assured after he greeted me
as well as compliments
paid to him by the
airhostess at the point of
take off. I observed he did
not as in the past; opt for a
PhD,Department of
Philosophy,
University of Lagos
08116759758
opuruiche2000@yahoo.com
one can justifiably describe it
as a caricature. Karl Maier
correctly notes that Abacha,
being head of the joint chiefs
of staff and defense minister,
was the true power in the
interim government.
Consequently, it was not
surprising that within three
months, Shonekan was
forced out of office and
Abacha assumed leadership
of the Provisional Ruling
Council. Abacha applied the
Machiavellian strategy of his
predecessors by initially
courting the support of some
prominent civilians, most of
whom were dismissed within
a short period. Interestingly,
at the initial stage Ken Saro-
Wiwa and several prodemocracy
campaigners in
Lagos misguidedly supported
Abacha’s removal of
Shonekan, an action that
ultimately proved fatal for
Saro-Wiwa because he was
hanged by the regime
alongside eight other Ogoni
activists. It must be admitted
that the Abacha years in power
were not five long years of
unbroken negativity and
darkness. For instance, he
stabilised the official
exchange rate at twenty-two
naira per dollar, although the
unofficial rate was around
eighty naira for one dollar. He
increased fuel price only once
while in office. The 1995
constitutional conference he
set up in 1995 recommended
division of the country
politically into sixgeopolitical
zones and
thirteen percent derivation for
oil-producing states, two
important economic and
chartered aircraft which
could drain state resources.
He also left the airport on
arrival in Benin without
any grandstanding; I was
impressed.
Obaseki should put
his tenure in proper
perspective by
occasionally reading
newspapers or
listening to radio and
watching television
by himself to learn at
first hand, the pulse
of the nation.
Otherwise, he would
never get to hear
what a so- called
critical article
contained
Being on a one-day visit
to attend a family function,
I had no opportunity to
take a look at the impact
of his simplicity on
governance but one of my
cousins who is a strong
APC stalwart answered a
few of my questions which
political frameworks still in
use till date. Most Nigerians
have forgotten that the
National Hospital, originally
named National Hospital for
Women and Children, was
upgraded to its present status
by Abacha’s government.
These and other modest
a c h i e v e m e n t s
notwithstanding, there is no
doubt that Abacha headed one
of the most brutal
dictatorships in Nigerian
history. He used the
instruments of state to
crackdown on the media,
civil rights groups, prodemocracy
campaigners and
trade unions. Dependence on
importation of refined
petroleum products worsened
between 1993 and 1998, such
that at some point very low
grade foul-smelling fuel was
imported, which damaged
car engines and generators.
Abacha cloned Buhari’s WAI
campaign by launching an
ineffectual anti-corruption
programme called War
Against Indiscipline and
Corruption (WAIC). Not
surprisingly, as subsequent
revelations have shown,
Abacha’s regime was a
larcenous dictatorship, never
mind Muhammadu Buhari’s
misleading and patently false
claim that the late dictator did
not steal any money. With the
benefit of hindsight almost
twenty years afterwards, one
can confidently affirm that
under Abacha, Nigeria took
three steps forward and ten
backwards.
The controversial (some say
providential) deaths of Gen.
Abacha and Chief M.K.O.
Abiola paved the way for Gen.
Abdulsalami Abubakar to
become head of state.
Abubakar’s greatest
achievement was handing
over power to an elected
government in 1999 through
a programmed election
intended to produce retired
Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as
head of state. But as chief of
army staff to Abacha, he held
the third most powerful
position in Abacha’s
easily filled some gaps.
Asked how Obaseki was
fairing, my cousin said he was
doing fairly well but that they
who fought to install him
were hungry because they
were yet to be settled. To make
matters worse, my cousin
continued, the man has
banned party men from
Government House
insisting that all party
matters should be resolved
at the party secretariat. I
was thrilled to hear this
because one of our greatest
problems in Nigeria has
been our inability to draw a
line between electioneering
and governance. In other
civilized societies, as soon
as the winner of an election
is inaugurated, he becomes
a statesman whose interest
would centre on the
progress of society rather
than the narrow and
partisan interests of
members of his political
party. In Nigeria, there is the
inexplicable trend whereby
a hitherto ‘ordinary’ party
member sponsored by a
party to contest an election
suddenly takes over not
only the running of the
office to which he was
elected but also the party
he never led before his
election.
Obaseki’s posture of
allowing Caesar to hold-on
to what belongs to him
would no doubt make him
look rather simplistic but
that is a virtue with
innumerable gains. First,
it makes it easy for him to
focus on his mandate
rather than being dragged
into the politicisation of
government and, therefore, is
partly culpable for the
brutality of that government.
Maier reports that during the
brief tenure of Gen.
Abubakar, Nigeria’s foreign
reserves decreased by not less
than three billion dollars in
less than six months, a
testament to the fact that for
our military rulers their
major preoccupation in
government was to enrich
themselves, their families and
cronies.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
became the first military
leader to return as civilian
Nigeria got her best
rating in the
corruption
perception index of
Transparency
International (TI)
during Jonathan’s
presidency
President in May, 29, 1999.
As a former military dictator,
he had cognate experience
relevant to the challenges of
his office, and given that
background, his supporters
projected him as the leader
Nigerians have been waiting
for to transform the country.
Obasanjo deserves credit for
important achievements in
the economy, infrastructural
development and debt relief.
He set up the Economic and
Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and the
Independent Corrupt
Practices Commission
(ICPC). When Obasanjo was
President, several highly
placed Nigerians, notably
Tafa Balogun (former
Inspector General of Police)
and Sunday Afolabi
SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 33
governance. By so doing, the
boundaries of his functions
are clearly delineated
making it easy for the
implementation of projects
to be itemized, organized
and coordinated. Otherwise,
he could be overwhelmed
with managing such
ungovernable elements as
party thugs and gangsters.
Besides, without party
pressures, managing public
policy would enable him to
fully partake in policy
formulation rather than
being made to execute
defective policies which he
could have detected and
ensured were redressed at
inception.
More importantly, he
would have time for
personal assessments of
issues. There was the story
of a governor who handed
over a letter from his son to
his personal assistant (PA)
to treat. A few days later, he
wanted to know the details
in his son’s letter and the PA
told him the son had many
grievances. The governor
directed the PA to tell his
son to put the grievances in
writing which was promptly
communicated as follows.
“His Excellency has
directed that you should
kindly document your
grievances! On receiving
the letter, the Governor’s
son collapsed thinking his
father had gone mad not
knowing that his own letter
was a document and that it
appropriately contained not
grievances but requests!! A
man who gives himself the
opportunity to be himself
cannot fall victim to that type
(Minister of Interior) among
others were prosecuted for
corruption. Aside from debt
relief, late Prof. Dora Akunyili
brought a lot of prestige to the
Obasanjo administration
through her impressive
exploits as director-general of
the National Agency for Food
and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC).
Nevertheless, Obasanjo’s
presidency was marred by
several needless conflicts with
members of the National
Assembly, corrupt and sloppy
execution of federal
government projects
particularly in the power
sector, and the infamous third
term agenda. When Alhaji
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was
elected president in 2007, it
was clear to keen observers of
events in Nigeria that he had
huge problems that must be
tackled with wisdom, sincerity
of purpose, and strong
political will.
Now, although plagued by
ill-health while in office as
President, Yar’Adua
introduced the concept of
“servant-leader” in Nigeria’s
political lexicon, announced
a seven-point agenda of socioeconomic
cum political
engineering, and managed to
achieve some encouraging
results. He was the first
Nigerian leader to publish
details of his assets and
liabilities before assuming
office as stipulated by the
1999 constitution. He
appointed two members of an
opposition party as ministers
and initiated the amnesty
programme which brought
relative calm to the restive
Niger Delta region. He also
reversed the fraudulent sale of
some national assets carried
out under the privatisation
programme of his
predecessor, Obasanjo, and
paid the local government
funds of Lagos state withheld
by the latter for political
reasons. Important projects
such as the dredging of River
Niger, construction of the
Abuja metro line, Abuja-
Kaduna and Abuja-Kano rail
of scenario. Consequently,
Obaseki should put his tenure
in proper perspective by
occasionally reading
newspapers or listening to
radio and watching television
by himself to learn at first
hand, the pulse of the nation.
Otherwise, he would never get
to hear what a so- called
critical article contained. He
would only be told by his aides
not to mind the writer who
according to them is an
unrepentant critic.
About two years ago, I wrote
an article admonishing
Governor Udom Emmanuel
of Akwa Ibom State not to
inherit wasteful spending
concerning uncommon
Christmas carols when
salaries of doctors in the state
were in arrears. Rejoinders
which were organized to
condemn me merely argued
that I had earlier praised the
former governor. My
response was that a man who
is commended for doing well
today should be ready to lose
the commendation when he
stops doing well. That is the
beauty of being a columnist,
the ability to change an
opinion if what informed
previous position changes. In
other words, I commend
Governor Obaseki for what I
saw and heard last week
about him but if any of them
turns out not to be a true
reflection of his average
disposition, I reserve the
right to reverse myself.
Meanwhile, I wish the
Governor success while
asking him to consummate
the best virtue of simplicity
which is listening more
than talking.
lines were initiated by
Yar’Adua’s government.
Unfortunately, in spite of the
general impression that the
late President was a decent
urbane gentleman relatively
uncontaminated by the virus
of malignant corruption, his
lacklustre attitude to fighting
corruption at the highest level
negatively affected the
country. Perhaps, Yar’Adua
underestimated the negative
impact the stresses of the office
of President would have on his
fragile health which
undoubtedly jeopardised his
ability to discharge the
functions of that office. When
he died on May 5, 2010, the
baton of leadership was
handed to the Vice President,
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Jonathan was the first
Nigerian leader to rise from
the position of deputy
governor and governor of a
state, through the vice
presidency to become the
President. On assumption of
office, he promised to continue
with the seven-point agenda
of his immediate predecessor.
Pursuant to that pledge, in
August 2, 2010, he launched
the roadmap for power sector
reforms aimed at achieving
stable electricity nationwide.
A year later, he introduced the
Youth Enterprise with
Innovation in Nigeria
(YOUWIN) to harness the
creative energies of young
people between the ages of
eighteen and thirty-five years
so that they can establish their
own businesses. Goodluck
Jonathan also continued the
infrastructural projects and
amnesty programme he
inherited from Yar’Adua,
converted the seven-point
agenda into the
transformation agenda, and
introduced some important
reforms in the public, banking
and agricultural sectors to
curb corruption. Nigeria got
her best rating in the
corruption perception index of
Transparency International
(TI) during Jonathan’s
presidency.
To be continued

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
UNDP laments killing of 100 in Borno
attacks, gives 300 houses to returnees
By Victoria Ojeme
The UN Development
Programme (UNDP) Country
Director, Samuel Bwalya, says the
agency would, this month, deliver
houses, a school and a health centre to
Ngwom, Borno State after the havoc
wreaked on the settlement by
insurgents.
Bwalya said Ngwom, an agrarian
community in Mafa Local
Government Area, fell victim to violent
attacks by Boko Haram in 2014
He said that the UNDP had
completed and would deliver 292
permanent houses out of the 300
proposed for the community, a primary
school and a clinic.
According to him, the agency had
also completed 288 market stalls, a 20-
storey shopping centre and two water
boreholes which would be delivered to
the community.
He said the UNDP piloted a
comprehensive community
stabilisation programme in Ngwom.
“Our intervention was aimed at four
inter-related areas of livelihoods,
security, basic services, and emerging
local governance”, the UNDP chief
said.
“Using Ngwom as pilot community
for the programme, we have built 292
permanent houses out of proposed
300, one health clinic, 288 market
stalls, a primary school, 20-storey
shopping centre, and two water
boreholes”.
In September 2014, he said, the
settlement fell victim to violent attacks
by Boko Haram. The insurgents
attacked the small settlement twice
between 2014 and 2016 leaving
behind unimaginable destruction of
Inside Huawei ‘Smart City’
By Akoma Chinweoke
Huawei, a leading global
information and
communications technology (ICT)
solutions provider, has received the
Groupe Speciale Mobile Association,
GSMA’s “Best Mobile Innovation for
Smart Cities”, The company bagged
the award at the opening of MWC2018
in Barcelona, Spain.
Speaking at the event, Edward Fan,
Vice President of Marketing, Carrier
Business Group, Huawei, who received
the award, commended the company
for its innovative contribution as the
first to apply NB-IoT technology to a
dozen smart city projects.
“-NBIoT technologies are now
mature with a rapidly growing
ecosystem and evident business value.
Its economic and social benefit is
appreciated by more and more people.
There were 39 commercial networks,
500 thousand base stations and 100
million connections for NB-Io in 2017.
By year-end 2018, we expect to see100
commercial networks, 1.2 million base
stations and 150 million connections,”
Fan added. “NB-IoT based smart-city
solutions promise more efficient
municipal management, better public
services and smoother industrial
By Yinka Ajayi
The West African Institute for
Financial and Economic
Management, WAIFEM, has
trained policy analysts from the Central
Banks of Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia
and Sierra Leone on new econometric
software and their applications in analysis
and decision making, in order to enhance
economic growth.
The Director, Administration and
Finance of WAIFEM, Mr. Euraklyn
Williams made this known while giving a
keynote address, at the programme,
saying that at regulatory level, the use of
econometric techniques allow for
understanding and forecasting of the
behaviour of economic systems.
“Econometric methods constitute
integral part of decision making process.
They aid policy makers in identifying
upgrades. And People will enjoy a safer,
more convenient, and better life that
will bring us closer to the goal of a
‘well-governed, pleasant and
prosperous’ smart city.”
He noted that smart city initiatives
were gaining momentum globally
adding that by working with partners
and industry verticals, Huawei has
Union Bank of Nigeria, UBN,
has announced its
attainment of the Payment Card
Industry Data Security Standard (PCI
DSS) version 3.2 recertification and
the International Organisation for
Standardisation ISO/IEC
27001:2013 certification.
The bank was awarded by Panacea
Infosec, Qualified Security Assessor
(QSA) in conjunction with their local
partner- Digital Encode, having
successfully met the security
requirements needed to achieve the
PCI DSS version 3.2 certification.
The PCI DSS is an international
data security standard which all
organisations must adhere to in order
CELLCORE unveils IT solutions
for lotto players
By Yinka Ajayi
In a bid to celebrate its 10th year
anniversary with sports
enthusiast , CELLCORE Nigeria, has
unveiled Artificial intelligence (AI)
solution for lottery companies in
Nigeria.
Speaking in Lagos, Mike
Nwaogu, the Chief Executive Officer
of Cellcore said: “The introduction
of Lottobot to the Nigerian gaming
industry is timely and presents a
wealth of opportunities for
businesses and transform the user
WAIFEM trains policy analysts in
W/African sub-region
optimal policies in predicting the
evolution of economic systems, given
changes in current policies. Economic
research and analysis involve handling
large data sets, which consist of thousands
of cases and variables. Therefore,
analysing these data to provide for
explanation requires wide knowledge of
econometric techniques”, William said.
“The course was designed to upscale
the skills and competences of policy
analysts for improved performance and
understanding of various
relationships as they affect the
performance and workings of the
economy. The course will cover key
areas in econometric software and
their applications, which are
relevant in economic analysis. The
course will also focus on Microsoft
word, Excel, E-view, Stata and
SPSS”.
engaged in enabling about 50 smart
cities use cases across 40 industries:
including water and gas metering,
street parking, lighting, shared
bicycles, smoke detection, fire
hydrant monitoring, man-hole
cover monitoring, environment
monitoring, trash bin
management, and postbox
management.
“In smart city Yingtan, in
UBN receives PCI DSS recertification,
ISO 27001 certification
experience. With the chatbot,
anyone can play lotto games
directly via their Facebook
Messenger, get updates on results
and prize winnings credited directly
to their Messenger Lottobot account.”
Meanwhile, Nwaogu reiterated
that the bot is programmed to
address questions and challenges
players may have while
interfacing with the ease of play,
as Its built to accept the Universal
token PINs which can be used to
play lotto games on the platform
of select lotto game service
providers across Nigeria.
Bwalya addressing participants at the UNDP
entrepreneurship training programme for IDPs in
the North-East
lives and property.
“It is estimated that about 100
people were killed during these attacks
and the community was destroyed,”he
said.
“Many public buildings, including
the only primary school that served the
community, the only healthcare clinic,
market stalls, motor park (bus station)
and public toilets with equipment were
significantly destroyed.
“The once-vibrant and prosperous
community was reduced to a waste
land and people forced to relocate to
nearby areas in search of safety, security
to accept payment cards, and to
handle or transmit cardholder data.
This standard ensures secure
processing of card payments and the
reduction of card fraud.
The information security
management system ISO/IEC
27001:2013 is an internationally
recognised standard which specifies
the requirements for the
establishment of an effective
information management security
system. These certifications enable the
bank offer its customers improved data
security against card fraud, identity
theft, insider threats, cybercrime,
hacking and other security exposures.
Commenting on the attainment,
Executive Director and Head of
Service and Technology at Union
Bank, NathUde, said: “The bank’s
compliance with international best
practices, certified by an independent
third-party audit, confirms our ability
to build, implement and maintain
best security practices. We assure our
customers of our commitment to
maintaining the highest standards of
information security as we continue
to provide them with simpler, smarter
services.”
Okere Urhobo families warn impostors over properties
The Olodi,Oki and Ighog
badu families of Okere
Urhobo Kingdom, Warri,
Warri South Local Government Area
have warned against alleged fraudulent
practices on their properties by
some unauthorized family
members who are familiar with the
area.
The warning was contained in a
statement issued and signed by the
chairman of the management committee,
Hon. Gabriel Eyekpimi, secretary,
Mr Mike Okumagba and internal
auditor, Mr Temi Nikegbetse at
and livelihoods”.
According to him, UNDP is meeting
urgent early recovery needs while
addressing the underlying causes of the
crisis. Prolonged development deficit
in the region exposed millions to
different kinds of vulnerabilities.
“UNDP is working towards
ensuring that necessary early
recovery needs are met through
vocational skills training, livelihood
support, rehabilitation of public
infrastructure, these efforts are
providing catalytic ingredients for
communities to thrive again”.
China’s Jiangxi Province, we find
that once dimly litcity streets are
now brighter at night, major fires
in public places are more often
prevented and even water
distribution loss has been reduced.
Meanwhile, all delivered projects
have shown measurable results. As
illustrated in the use cases Huawei
prepared for MWC2018, telecom
operators are witnessing revenue
growth of three to 10 times over
their previous connection only
business. This is very powerful
proof of Huawei’s vision of
“Beyond Connectivity, IoT as a
Service.” He said.
Chi speaks on
indegenous origin
of chapman
Chi Limited, manufacturers of
Chapman Happy Hour, says the
drink has built affinity with
consumers through distinct
refreshment Nigerian style
The company said consumers now
consider the drink an indispensable
feature, turning their every moment
into special occasions
The Marketing Director of Chi
Limited, Probal Bhattacharya,
Chapman Happy Hour is an
indigenous drink guaranteed to
provide Nigerians with ultimate
refreshment they would love.
“Chapman Happy Hour by
Chivitais unique in its own way in that
it truly speaks to the Nigerian way of
refreshment with its indigenous taste
and fruity blend, which connects with
our distinctstyle of celebration and
culture. We believe consumers can take
pride in Chapman Happy Hour by
Chivita and what it offers,” he added.
their secretariat in Warri.
In the statement, it was alleged that
the said persons duped unwary members
of the public in many ways with
impunity, including the sales or resales
of land and that victims will eventually
lose their monies . The statement
also alleged that the said persons process
fake documents of ownership of
land and consent fees” Some of these
dissidents were successfully prosecuted
in the past by the police, but in spite
of these the practice is still rampant in
the layout in recent times”
The statement therefore appealed to
Delta College of
Education warns
new students
against cultism
College of Education,
Warri, Delta State, yesterday,
matriculated 511 students with a
charge to them to shun vices.
The Provost, Prof (Mrs) Mary
Olire Edema, advised the new
students to be diligent in their
studies.
Edema warned them against
cultism, examination malpractice
which, according to her, could derail
the achievement of their goals in life.
“You must to take charge of any
circumstance you find yourselves in
and use it to your full advantage
because this institution is a citadel
for learning”, she said.
The Provost acknowledged the
giant strides of the Okowa
administration in education
especially in the payment of bursary
and grant to the college.
She also commended the state
Commissioner for Higher
Education, Engr. Jude Sinebe, and
the school Governing Council
Chairman, Prof. Samuel Aghalino,
for their efforts to ensure that tertiary
institutions in Delta came at par with
their counterparts across the country.
400,000 entries
received for GMA
Reality TV Show
holding in Nigeria
By GDestiny Eseaga
ospel Music Africa, GMA,
Organiser of the Gospel
Music Africa Reality TV Show has
disclosed that over 400,000 entries
from 25 African countries had been
received for auditioning which will
kick off in Abuja on April 19, Owerri,
April 24 and Lagos, April 30, 2018,
respectively.
The Gospel Music Reality TV
Competition is aimed at inspiring and
nurturing, young talented gospel singers
in the spirit of true praise and worship.
The organiser noted that participants
for the maiden edition are from
Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, South Africa,
Kenya, Liberia, Cameroun, Uganda,
Lesotho, Niger, Gambia, Togo,
Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Congo,
Malawi and Zambia.
In a statement issued recently, The
Executive Producer of Gospel Music
Africa, Matthew Obono said, ‘’The time
has come for Gospel Musicians to
make spiritual impact, reap financial
dividends from their talents and occupy
the highest echelons of stardom in
Africa without feeling the need to
succumb to secular music for their meal
tickets.” Obono explained that Cross
River State will host the grand finale as
only 30 contestants’ will battle to be the
King or Queen of Gospel Music in
Africa together with a cash prize of
$20,000, a brand new car and an
international recording deals.
Isoko o is a key beneficiar
iciary y of Okow
owa’s progr
ogrammes — Fred Oghenesivbe
Executive Assistant to the Governor
of Delta State on
Communications, Dr Fred
Oghenesivbe, says Gov Ifeanyi Okowa
maintains healthy relationship with the
Isoko Development Union (IDU). The
aide, in a statement, said it is not true
that the Okowa administration, in its
2018 budget, short-changed the Isoko,
saying the budget was designed to meet
the pressing needs of all communities
across the three senatorial districts in
the state. Oghenesivbe posited that
Isoko is an integral part of Delta South
comprising Itsekiri, Isoko and Ijaw,
adding that the 2018 budget, “which is
an improvement on 2017 budget”,
captured the senatorial zone in terms of
capital projects, human capital
development and socio-economic
projections of government.
“The good people of Isoko are fully
aware that the state government and
the governor holds Isoko Nation in high
esteem, same for other nations that
constitutes Delta State. It is therefore
laughable for few politicians in Isoko
to want to promote disaffection,
unwarranted acrimony and politics of
bitterness for no just cause.
“It is also a well known fact that Gov
Okowa and this administration
maintains healthy relationship with the
leadership of Isoko Development Union
which is the apex body of Isoko Nation.
The IDU has a channel of
communication with government, a
process that is solid and subsisting
making it very easy for government to
factor the needs of Isoko into action plan
through its elected representatives in the
State House of Assembly.”
the general public and the law enforcement
agencies, especially the police to
join the management committee in
fighting and preventing fraud in
Okumagba Layout as it maintained
that the only body authorized to sell or
resell land, transfer land or act on such
related matters is the Board of Trustees
(BOT) of the Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu
families through the management
committee.” It is our concern that
members of the public are not duped
by these unscrupulous and fraudulent
members of our families and stranger
elements,” the statement added
C
M
Y
K

Three Elephants Of Biafra
Enyi o, Enyi o…
Enyi o, Enyi o o…
Enyi Biafra Alaa la –
Enyi Biafra Alaa la –
Chetakwanu Odogwu
Achuzia –
Odogwu Achuzia bu Enyi
Biafra –
Chetakwanu Mike Okwechime
–
Okwechime bu Enyi Biafra
–
Chetakwanu Ukwu I.
Ukwu –
Ukwu I. Ukwu bu Enyi Biafra
Enyi Biafra alaa la –
Enyi Biafra alaa la…
T
hree great elephants
of the Igbo world who
fought fiercely in defence
of their homeland, and
the dignity of their humanity
died, each within days of the
other, just like a great relay.
And what a great race they
ran. In a Nigeria increasingly
without authentic heroes,
the lives of these three men
reflect the meaning of true
heroism, and point for this
generation, the remarkable
quotient of action, and conduct
that marked the lives of
the best of passing generation,
which can be an example
for the rest of us. Each of
these men deserves a full, sustained,
and longer tribute, but
the convergence of their death
makes for a unique reflection.
It is equally symbolic in
a powerful way, for these warriors,
held together, and determined
in very unique
ways, the fate of a people, at a
crucial time. Thus their passing
feels symbolic and
weighty; like a march-out parade;
a lowering of the flag.
rexmarinus@hotmail.com
This hiss in the mouth of time
that signals the end of an era.
HANIBAL:
I salute the man they called
“Hannibal.” Joe Achuzia
earned his pips in battle, and
like a true war General – the
Igbo call them “Ochi Agha”
– he stood tall to the end of
his days, unbent by defeat.
Like the legendary
Carthaginian General from
whom he took his inspiration,
Joe Achuzia fought wide and
deep; he got stymied in the
mud; but he led his men fearlessly;
wherever the battle
was hottest, Achuzia was to
be found. Born in 1928, of the
Ahaba (Asaba) by the Cablepoint,
the great Niger was the
source of his being. As boys
they swam in it; crossed the
river frequently to the great
market town at Onitsha;
went to the legendary St Joseph’s
Catholic school, and
from there to Kings College,
Lagos in 1942. Among the
boys he met at the prestigious
Kings was a redoubtable boy,
Emeka Ojukwu, who came to
Kings in 1943 at age 10; the
youngest boy for years to be
admitted to Kings, but who
had a fierce mind of his own,
just like “Hannibal” Achuzia.
They were among the boys
who in the anti-colonial ferment
instigated by the great
Nationalist leader Dr. Nnamdi
Azikiwe, staged the first
schoolboys resistance to colonialism
in 1944, resulting
in what basically became the
first move towards creating
an anti-colonial, pan-Nigerian
nationalist front. They
were youngster inspired by
the great political idealism of
Britain’s EU Exit Is No
Easy Picking
Last Week Friday, the
United Kingdom’s
Prime Minister
Theresa May took to the podium
to address the concerns
of British citizens on how the
negotiations of exit from the
European Union are unfolding.
On this day we saw a
woman who wants the world
to believe she is confident and
clear-headed enough to lead
the country to a profitable
post-EU exit Britain.
To be fair, she was a completely
different May unlike
the “train wreck” that we saw
some months back at the
Conservative Party conference
in Manchester. This time
around she was more emphatic
and practically showing
off as one who knows her
onions. To the relief of all in
the hall, no one showed up to
hand her a “P45”, and there
were no "missteps”.
You could see the fighter in
May struggling to come out,
as she addressed the various
concerns of the citizens. There
was no disputing the fact that
Diaspora Matters, with
Morak Babajide-Alabi
http://www.babajidealabi.com
May had chosen this occasion
to let the public know that
she has finally found the voice
she lost in Manchester and a
platform to fight back and attempt
to take control. It was
not hard to see her confidence
in a week that was supposed
to be very hard for her. She
was riding the cloud knowing
that she had made it to
Friday and another opportunity
to lay her plans down to
the public.
It was not a particularly
good week for residents in the
UK too. The “Beast from the
East” touched down last
week Wednesday, bringing in
its wake, snows and icy conditions,
which caused travel
chaos, power cuts, deaths and
school closures from Scotland
to England, Northern
Ireland to Wales. It is recorded
last week’s weather in the
country was the worst snowstorm
in fifty years. It was so
bad that members of the
armed forces had to be called
in as hospitals and police
were struggling to cope.
that era. Ojukwu stood trial
as a minor; his millionaire
father after that ordeal sent
away to boarding school in
Epsom. Achuzia finished
from Kings, and went on to
the UK to study Engineering,
and the rest of the years were
a mystery, as he clearly received
special Forces combat
training and was recruited
into the Operational Field
Services of what might have
been the early stages of a shadowy
Nigeria’s postcolonial
National Intelligence apparatus
to conduct international
espionage. That early part
of Achuzia’s life remains a
mystery. But he did establish
himself in Port-Harcourt, and
by the 1960s was running his
own nascent Engineering
Company. The war began,
and like most Igbo, Achuzia
sided with Biafra. The massacre
of civilians in his hometown,
Asaba, by the Federal
Army led by Murtala Muhammad
must have fueled
his sense of outrage and conviction.
He fought like a lion,
and his fearlessness earned
him the nickname, “Air-Raid
Achuzia,” and his military exploits,
the name “Hannibal.”
Achuzia’s name struck fear in
the hearts of fighting men, as
well as inspired many a heroic
action. There is the legend
that he would, in the
midst of a fierce battle, wave
away bullets saying, “not for
me, not for my boys” – and he
would sooner shoot a slack
soldier on the legs, just to
make an example of such a
slacker. War was serious business,
and it was also death.
Achuzia was perhaps after
General Ojukwu, the most
famous Biafran war commander.
He stood to the end
in defence of the Igbo even
after the war, acting at various
times as Secretary-General
of Ohaneze, and was a
consistent campaigner for
justice for the entire Igbo. A
true son of the Igbo, Joe “Hannibal”
Achuzia deserves his
rest among the immortals of
the land. When the fullest account
of the Biafra war is finally
written, it would show
As the “Beast” was touching
down in the UK, the European
Commission officials
also published the draft
“Withdrawal Agreement”
between the EU and the UK,
thereby adding more woes to
the PM's miseries. Despite the
minus zero weather, May was
visibly hot under the collar.
This was because there were
a few points in the draft agreement
that do not sit well with
May is still not clear on
what Britain wants from
post-EU, but there is
no doubt there are
difficult days ahead for
the UK. She might have
survived this speech;
there are many
explanations she
would have to brace up
for in the future
various sections of the public
Ṫhe most topical issue in
the draft was the common
market. This is of great concern
and turning out to be a
hard nut to crack in this exit
negotiations. While the Irish
are concerned that a total divorce
from the EU will bring
back the hard borders as in
the past, the hard-core Brexiters
are pushing that the UK
that Achuzia ended that war
under conditions for which
the likes of Tim Onwuatuegwu
had to be sacrificed. War
was death, and Achuzia understood
it fully.
In a Nigeria
increasingly without
authentic heroes, the
lives of these three
men reflect the
meaning of true
heroism, and point for
this generation
MIKE NDUKA OK-
WECHIME:
Colonel Mike Okwechime
was Obasanjo’s commanding
officer in the Army Engineers.
He was the first Nigerian
to command that group,
long before it became the full
Corp of Engineers, and established
some of its foundational
principles. Every professional
military Engineer
knows that had the crisis of
1966 not happened, and Okwechime
still at command,
the Nigerian Army Engineers
would have been a world
class arm of the service. He
was a professional to the core,
and a formidable soldier. Educated
at the Government
College, Ughelli of the class
of 1948, he and Arthur Unegbe,
Yakubu Gowon, Alex
Madiebo, and Patrick Anwunah
were in the same class
at Sandhurst in 1954. Among
them should have been John
Pepper Clark, in his class at
Ughelli, who came to the selection
board at Enugu in that
cadre, but could not make
selection, possibly because of
his height. But they were all
to make their marks. Okwechime
was leading a Nigerian
delegation to the Commonwealth
games when the
July 29 coup that killed Ironsi
happened, and he did not
return to Lagos. He was
among the Midwest officers
leave the single market. Leaving
the European single market
will invariably bring back
immigration and border
controls with the Irish.
There is no doubt that the
PM and her people are not
highly regarded as being capable
of negotiating a good
EU exit deal for the country.
Opinion polls suggest that
citizens think the government
is not doing enough to protect
their interests. This is understandable,
as May’s government
has been shifting
goal posts and conceding on
certain issues in regards to the
exit. Of recent, one of the topics
that her government regarded
as “red lines” was
craftily “sidestepped” when it
said: “EU citizens and their
family members will be able
to move to the UK during the
implementation period on
the same basis as they do today”.
It is probably the unpredictability
of May’s government
that angered two of her predecessors,
Tony Blair and Sir
John Major, to come out
against her. You wouldn’t
think these two have anything
in common other than they
were at one time or the other
occupants of 10 Downing
Street. This as far as the comparison
will go. Blair is a leading
figure in the Labour party
while Major was in power
as a Conservative Party Prime
Minister.
You would expect them to
have polarised ideas, but in
recent times they have found
a common denominator as
they share thoughts on two
particular issues – BREXIT
SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 35
who returned to Benin to form
the Midwest Army – the
Fourth Area Command of the
Nigerian Army under Colonel
Conrad Nwawo with its
Headquarters in Benin. As it
happened, the Midwest
Command was the buffer between
the Federal Army and
the Biafran forces. In the
events leading to war, the
Midwest under Colonel Ejoor
took a position of neutrality.
But it was clearly an untenable
situation, with the federal
troops already established at
Idah, and primed to through
the Midwest from Agenebode
through Agbor towards the
East. To deflate the pressure
on its northern borders, and
re-take initiative, the Biafrans
planned and executed a lightening
move through the Midwest,
in what is now known
as the Midwest campaign, led
by General Banjo, clearly with
the support of the mainly Igbo
officers of the Midwest Area
command. That campaign
with a planned beachhead got
stymied in Ore for all kinds
of reasons not within the current
purview of this tribute.
The Biafrans were dislodged
from the Midwest, an in the
melee of the entry of the Federal
Army, Igbo officers,
among the most senior like
Okwechime fell back to Biafra,
where they fought to the
very end of the war, Okwechime
becoming the Adjutant-General
of the Biafran
Army. Years later of course,
after the silence of the guns,
he became more known as
the Chairman of the Nigerian
Football Association, and
the National Sports Commission,
and remained active in
the affairs of the Anioma-
Igbo.
UKWU I. UKWU
Poet, Economist, and social
theorist, Professor Ukwu was
a scholar, and perhaps the finest
theorist of the ancient Igbo
market systems. He spent
much of his academic life at
the University of Nigeria, at
the Enugu Campus, where for
many years he was Director
of its famous Center for Development
Studies, and
and May’s leadership. It is no
secret that, given the opportunity,
these two wish the referendum
vote of June 23,
2016 be reversed. They have
several times raised the idea
of a second referendum in the
hope that the electorates will
think “rightly” and vote to
stay in the union.
Blair in Brussels last week
declared that Prime Minister
May was incapable of getting
the best for UK. He said
“Some in Britain believe that
therefore Europe will bend in
its negotiating stance and allow
Britain largely unfettered
access to Europe’s single
market without the necessity
of abiding by Europe’s rules.
This won’t happen because
quite simply it can’t.”
It was not May’s plan either,
as she said on Friday that
“If we want good access to
each other’s markets, it has
to be on fair terms. As with
any trade agreement, we
must accept the need for binding
commitments – for example,
we may choose to commit
some areas of our regulations
like state aid and competition
to remain in step with
the EU’s.”
For once, May admitted
what the EU bureaucrats
have been saying since 2016
that Britain cannot eat its
cake and still have it. We all
know this, but May seized
another opportunity to remind
us what the conditions
of negotiations are. It is obvious
that some shifting here
and there have to be made to
arrive at solutions that may
not particularly be beneficial
for all the parties concerned.
We all know as this is why it is
where he made significant
contributions in the formulation
of development ideas that
remain relevant to this day.
But long before that, Ukwu,
who was educated at the Aggrey
Memorial Grammar
School in Arochukwu and
the University College
Ibadan, where he studied
Geography, and where he was
first published as a poet in the
poetry magazine, Horn, later
earned his PhD at Cambridge,
and taught in the department
of Geography, University
of Ibadan until 1966,
when the crisis began. He was
active in Biafra, and late in
1968, was appointed by General
Ojukwu as Director of the
Biafran Organization of
Freedom Fighters, BOFF, the
Guerilla arm of the Biafran
resistance, charged with
training and commencing
the guerrilla phase of the war,
should the formal military
options fail. The war was
however resolved on a “No
victor, No Vanquished” principle,
and one of the most strategic
actions by Ukpabi Asika
in 1970 was to bring into
his government, the active
forces involved in the Biafran
resistance, like Dr. Ukwu
I.Ukwu, who became the
Commissioner for Education
in East Central state, until the
end of that regime in 1975.
He returned to academic life
thereafter. Married to Comfort,
one of the first graduates
of the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka’s History department,
and former Director of
the National Museum in
Enugu, the Ukwus were a redoubtable
cultural presence
in the old Eastern capital. It
is a remarkable lack of foresight
that the organizers of the
Ahiajioku Lectures did not
invite Professor Ukwu
I.Ukwu to give that lecture,
or that the Nigerian National
Order of Merit put its own
claim of merit to question by
not honoring a man like
Ukwu I. Ukwu, who was formidable,
and one of the most
distinguished contributors to
Nigerian and African social
thought in the late modern
era. I salute his spirit.
called negotiations.
It was clear that May’s
speech was to debunk views
that her government is being
run by few people. As she set
out the five steps towards future
economic partnership
between her country and the
EU, she seized the opportunity
to make a pledge “to the
people that I serve: I know
you’re working around the
clock, I know you’re doing
your best, and I know that
sometimes life can be a struggle.
The government I lead
will be driven not by the interests
of the privileged few,
but by yours.”
This is assuring, as Sir Major
had earlier in the week
raised concerns over the hard
path the government was toeing.
He had said: “For the
moment, our self-imposed
“red lines” have boxed the
Government into a corner.
They are so tilted to the ultra
Brexit opinion, even the Cabinet
cannot agree on them –
and a majority in both Houses
of Parliament oppose
them. If maintained in full, it
will be impossible to reach a
favourable trade outcome.”
May is still not clear on
what Britain wants from post-
EU, but there is no doubt
there are difficult days ahead
for the UK. She might have
survived this speech; there are
many explanations she would
have to brace up for in the
future. Soon, she might be
singing another tune apart
from “you cannot eat your
cake and have it” when British
people demand a detailed
future plan.

PAGE 36, SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
kaleidoscope
•A well kitted
local miner
demonstrating his
skills after the
training
Members of the team after the training session
Aftermath of lead poison that
killed 400 children: FG seeks
safer mining environment
By Yinka Oyebode
The Federal Government’s Safer
Mining Project, aimed at enlightening
artisanal and small scale miners on
health, safety and environmental issues
associated with hazardous mining, berthed
in gold mining fields around Ilesha, Osun
State recently, leading to the training and
equipping of hundreds of artisanal and small
scale miners in the area, reports……..
The Safer Mining Project, which was spearheaded
by the Federal Ministry of Mines and
Steel Development, commenced in Osun
State last week with a sensitization and
advocacy movement reaching out to
communities such as Owu Epe, Ibodi, Igun,
Igbadae, Ijana Wasere, Iyemogun, Epe Akire,
in Ilesa area of the state, where remarkable
gold mining activities are taking place.
Government believes it is imperative that
all stakeholders within the gold mining value
chain are made aware of the health
implications and importance of keeping a
clean and safe environment for the benefit of
the artisanal and small scale miners and most
importantly, the host community. For the
purpose of gathering first-hand information
from the community, the Ministry organised
several town hall meetings which were
attended by traditional rulers and chiefs,
management/team of small scale artisanal
miners association, women and adolescent
groups, students, health workers as well as
officials of the local mining inspectorate
office.
The town hall meetings gave deeper insights
into the activities of local miners as well as
co-existential issues associated with gold
mining in Ilesa and its environs. Participants
at the town hall meetings were also given
health talks on safer mining practices
including; wearing protective gear,
importance of registering with the Federal
Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and
most importantly, the role of the Ministry in
ensuring the environment is safe and free of
environmental hazards.
An interactive training workshop was held
to educate and expose small scale artisanal
miners on the need to practise safer
mining techniques. The workshop was
primarily aimed at stimulating
awareness using case studies through
the education of participants on the
effects and detection of heavy metals
(Cyanide and heavy metals), practical
demonstration of safer mining
practices and benefits of registering,
formalizing and zoning in compliance
with government directives.
Practical demonstrations of how to
correctly use personal protective kits
were also undertaken at the various
mining sites visited to buttress the
importance of safety gear in relation to
gold mining. Several Personal
Protective Equipment were presented to
participants alongside certificates of
participation. Also, community
extension service officers were
nominated to establish an early
feedback system between the communities
and the ministry.
From Ibodi to Epe, Iyere to Igun, the story
was the same; huge presence of hardworking
Nigerian youths struggling to earn their living
in the most hazardous manners. Through local
techniques, with little or no regard for their
safety and degradation of the environment,
they ply their trade with enthusiasm, most
times in oblivion of the associated health
challenges and the hazards being caused to
the environment.
The three -day tour and training provided a
veritable platform for the various stakeholders
to ventilate their feelings and fears. It was
indeed a case of different stroke for different
folks at the town hall meetings and the training
sessions that followed as leaders of various
communities and groups spoke on how the
activities of local miners have impacted
negatively on farming, hunting and other
activities in their communities. The miners
also painted very gory pictures of how many
have been injured or died as a result of their
hazardous manner of mining.
None of these complaints was strange to
officials of the Ministry, who in designing the
Safer Mining Project, had sought to achieve
three things: protect individuals, protect the
environment as well as encourage local
miners to practise safer mining. As noted by a
former President of the Artisanal Miners
Welfare Association, Chief Friday Israel
Mmecha, the decision of the ministry to
intervene at this crucial time would further
enhance the potentials of the sub sector.
At the Town Hall meeting held at Ibodi, the
Federal Government team took community
leaders and other stakeholders through the
importance of the project to the economy,
environment and individuals who are
working in different communities for
mining activities. Speaking on behalf of the
team, a safety professional, Dr. Adebola
Odunsi, charged the small-scale miners to
ensure that the environment is well
protected, while also urging them to report
activities of illegal miners in their
neighborhood.
Odunsi identified two types of
mining to include the one that
is harmful and another that is
harmless. He pointed out that
mining is harmful if it
endangers the lives of miners or
dilapidates the environment,
adding that harmless mining
leads to safety of miners,
sustainability of the
environment and generation of
revenue to economy. He had
earlier told a group of
journalists that the project was
informed by the increasing rate
of heavy lead and mercury
poisoning associated with gold
mining, especially in Zamfara
State, which had led to the
death of about 400 children.
Even though government had
intervened promptly to control
He had earlier told a
group of journalists that
the project was informed
by the increasing rate of
heavy lead and mercury
poisoning associated
with gold mining,
especially in Zamfara
State, which had led to
the death of about 400
children
the situation and had given adequate
treatment to people affected, Odunsi stated
that the ministry thought of something
preventive and struck a deal with Michael
H. Limited to design the Safe Mining
Project, to sensitise and raise the level of
awareness among local miners.
Odunsi said “Federal Government is
aware that small-scale gold miners are
exposed to occupational and
environmental hazards at work.
Government is also aware of the negative
impact of some of their activities on the
hosting communities, hence the need to
educate the miners on the modern
techniques. For instance, Mercury is
commonly used for gold mining to remove
the gold from the hub and this can be
harmful if necessary steps are not taken,”
he said.
A former President of Nigerian Society of
Mining Engineers, Mr. Olusegun Oladipo,
said the project was long overdue. He
pointed out that over the years; stakeholders
in the mining sector have impressed it on
successive administration on the need for
training and retraining of local miners to
avoid accident and environmental
degradation.
On basic precaution that must be taken
during gold mining activities, the expert
said it is necessary for miners to always
make sure that work clothes are cleaned
very well. He also urged miners to always
bath thoroughly and change into clean
clothing before leaving the job site. This,
according to him is to prevent a situation
where particles from the mining sites were
not taken home.
Oladipo also advised the miners to always
make sure that soiled clothing are stored in
containers and must be washed after use as
•Some local miners before the training
well as avoiding keeping work and street
clothing in the same locker. The expert
further warned the miners from keeping
their food in any place where it can be
contaminated with mercury.
Beyond the stakeholders’ forum and
training, another interesting part of the
three-day tour was the visit to various gold
reserves where the team led a
demonstrative exercise to acquaint the local
miners with modern techniques. For
instance, in Ibodi, miners on site were
assembled and given practical tips on how
to carry out their jobs in the safest manner.
Addressing the miners at the reserves,
Odunsi stated emphatically that the Federal
Government was determined to end
hazardous practices in the bid to boost safer
mining, which would help the miners, the
communities and the nation’s economy. He
advised them against digging without
wearing protective clothing, adding that
they must stop the use of chemicals such as
mercury and cyanide in their mining
activities in order not to expose themselves
to grave health issues and pollution of the
rivers.
The medical expert said poor mining
activities could lead to serious health
conditions such as infertility, severe cough,
itching, and can also damage internal organs
like the kidneys and the liver. “So you must do
everything to protect yourself and to protect
the environment”.
The highpoint of the event was the
presentation of gifts, gadgets and certificates
to participants. Aside certificates, miners and
their supervisors were given protective items
like; helmet, steel toe-boot, rain boots and
hand gloves. Other items are; nose mask,
reflective jacket and overall.
Meanwhile, for effective monitoring and
supervision, three people, including a
traditional ruler, Chief Sunday Ogunsiji, the
regent of Epe Ijesha ; the patron of the
Artisanal Miners Welfare Association, Chief
Friday Israel Mmecha and one of the oldest
miners in the state, Abubakar Aliyu, were
presented with brand new motorcycles.
Chief Ogunsiji, who spoke on behalf of others
applauded the initiative and pointed out that
the intervention would go a long way in
redefining the sector.
Ogunsiji called on the Minister of Mines
and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi,
to impress it on government on the need to
further open up the communities and the
gold reserves to drive the economy.
Engr Patrck Ojeka, Director ASM in the
Ministry said similar training would soon
be replicated in other gold bearing areas,
where safe mining is not being practiced.
Specifically he said the next round of
training would be extension services. This, he
said involves training of registered ASM on
mining methods- all process and health safety
in each of the 6 geo political zones of the
country.

By Sam Eyoboka
SENATOR representing
Kaduna Central, Senator
Shehu Sani has lament-ed
the death of Catholic Bishop of
Kafanchan, His Grace Bishop
Joseph Danlami Bagobiri who
recently joined the saints
triuphant at the age of 61.
In a condolence message, the
senator said the fallen cleric
“symbolised the conscience of
his people and his generation.
He was a man of the poor and
DR. FRANCIS
AKIN-JOHN
Church Growth Consultant, 6/8,
Mukadaq Close, Off Palace Way,
Iyana-Odo, B/Stop, Isheri-LASU Road,
Lagos.
08023000714. akingrow@yahoo.com
WHAT is the meaning of help? Help can be
viewed from several perspectives. For
instance help could be viewed when a
person is lifted up from falling down or to deliver
a person that is about to be killed or to take care
of those that are sick or to see a broken home
and mend it or to show the way to a person that
is about to fall into a pit or gutter.
Three things are joined together and become
one that is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Similarly help, love and endurance are one. If we
have love and do not know how to render help,
then there is no love. What we know as love is
helping somebody out of problem. Help does not
end in a place, If you help me another person
could help you too. If you help someone your child
could be helped in another place or town. Help is
love and we can help the work of God. God owns
His work and He can help Himself. But He allows
us to help His work.
There are lots of things that God can do but He
wouldn’t do them. You would know for sure that
He can do it but He would not do it. If God should
raise help for somebody, we then help some
people to help those that God had already helped.
For example good cars are made overseas and
brought to this country. The manufacturers are
not required to maintain them. There are trained
sam.eyoboka@gmail.com
08023145567 (sms only)
Senator Shehu Sani mourns Bagobiri
NIGERIAN Baptist
Theological Seminary,
Ogbomoso, will on
March 9 at it’s multi-purpose
hall hold its inaugural lecture on
the topic “Human being, being
human: Theological Anthropology
in the African Context”
to be delivered by Prof. Ezekiel
Nihinlola, the president of the
seminary.
A statement by the seminary
said the lecture is part of
activities lined up to commemorate
the seminary’s 120
years of existence. The institu-
THIS whole thing is quite
simple to understand, yet
it is also complex in a
sense, because there are many
parallels and levels involved. I
will try to touch some of these
things.
Numbers ARE important in a
sense because each number
stands for a human being with
an eternal soul that Jesus died
to save. From THAT viewpoint,
yes, numbers are important.
But numbers should never be
taken to reflect God’s approval
or validity of our call. Numbers
are not the Litmus Test of a man
of God, but Faithfulness is!
The Bible says in John 3:27 “A
man can receive nothing, except
it be given him from heaven”.
the oppressed. He was a man
never shy, never timid on matters
of truth and justice.“
Continuing, the humna rights
activist said Bagobiri “lived with
dignity and departed with
honour. His life was an example
and an inspiration for modesty,
responsibility and self-respect.
He defended the downtrodden
and the marginalized. He was
the people’s bishop.”
According to him, “Bishop
Bagobiri’s letter to the Catholic
Bishop’s Conference of Nigeria
Baptist seminary holds inaugural lecture
We can only receive that which
God chooses to bestow upon
us. This would mean that instead
of striving for the worldly
standards of numbers and success
in ministry, we should strive
towards Faithfulness, and to
grow in Faith and walk in His
Presence. At the same time we
should study the Word of God,
diligent to be ever-learning and
improving ourselves and skills
in ministry, spending time in
prayer, doing everything we can
to improve ourselves. Even if
God sends us to minister in a
small place to a small number
of people, we should give ourselves
to being the best that
we can.
II Timothy 2:15 says “Be diligent
to present yourself approved
Help people so that God can help you
By Pastor Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola
•Daramola
auto engineering personnel in
the country that take care of
car maintenance.
Similarly God created a lot of
things in the world and sent
some people to be helping His
works. The question is who
have you helped or are you
helping? What help have you
rendered for God before or for
the children of God or house
of God? Proverbs 3:27 says:
“Do not withhold good from
those to whom it is due, when
it is in the power of your hand
to do so…” Do not withdraw
your hands of doing good from
shortly before his death was a
proof of courage in a situation
where many stooges would
have kept quiet in the face of
injustice because they want to
be in the good books of a
superior authority. Generations
will remember you with pride;
they will equally learn a lot from
you. My Lord Bishop, adieu.”
The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan
in Kaduna State recently
announced the sudden death of
the diocesan bishop, Most Rev.
Bagobiri.
tion will also be hosting the
15th edition of International
Theological Education Conference
between March 6 and
8 with the theme “The Development
of Theological Education
in Africa: History, Challenges
and Prospects”. Participants
are expected from
Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun and
other countries around the
world.
During the celebration, Prof
Nihinlola, winner of 2018 scholar
learner of the year in recognition
of his outstanding scholarship,
exemplary faithfulness
and leadership in theological
education excellent performance
of a leader in the world,
will be conferred with the
honour by Scholar Leaders
from the US.
Other activities slated for the
anniversary include the
dedication of a new academic
complex, anniversary lecture,
book presentation, fund raising,
community hymn singing and an
appreciation service scheduled
for May 3-5, 2018.
Marks of a healthy church (2)
to God, a worker who doesn’t
need to be ashamed, correctly
teaching the word of truth”.
Just because God sends us to
a small place, does not mean
that we should be mediocre, or
serve with mediocrity. The calling
of God, even in a small place,
is a High Calling.
But will we ever go on to lead a
bigger church if we are faithful
in serving in a small church?
Maybe “Yes”, and maybe “No”!
It all depends upon what the Father
has chosen for us. We
should however never look at
serving in a small place as a
“stepping-stone” towards being
“promoted” to a bigger place,
just because we believe that we
are “destined for bigger things”.
We should not “use” the people
in that small church to build our
ministries, using them to move
ourselves on to something bigger.
On the contrary, our attitude
should be “Lord if this is the
biggest place where I shall ever
serve, let me be Faithful in serving
these people with all my
heart”. If you serve with this attitude,
God will surely Bless you!
SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018 PAGE 37
A statement by Rev. Fr.
Emmanuel Uchechukwu Okolo,
the Chancellor, Kafanchan Diocese
announced “with great
shock but with total submission
to the will of God, the passing
to glory of her Shepherd,
Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Danlami
Bagobiri which took place in the
early hours of Tuesday, February
27, 2018.”
The national secretary of the
Pentecostal Fellowship of
Nigeria, PFN, Apostle Emmanuel
Kure, a fellow crusader for the
rights of the oppressed in
Southern Kaduna, confirming
the development, said the man
had died as a result complications
associated with kidney
related ailment.
“The dogged fighter for rights
of the oppressed has fallen.
You’ll recall that on many occasions
we had to collaborate in
the battle to restore the dignity
of the oppressed people of
Southern Kaduna,” Kure tearfully
told our reporter.
We recall that it was the
Kanfachan bishop recently
broke ranks with his colleagues
calling for an end to the Ahiara-
Mbaise crisis.
Christopher Alam
those that are yours.
Who are yours? It is the person sitting
beside you and those you see with your
eyes, they are your own. It is not the
person you have not seen. These are
the works of God He wants you to
amend. Sometime ago I mentioned that
the help we render is for ourselves. There
is nobody that has not received help
one way or the other from somebody.
Help is useful for everybody. Help
someone so that others could help you.
The world is a place where people
require services from each other to
satisfy people desires and wants.
Therefore help my child over there so
that I could help your child here. The
Bible says whatever you sow is what you
would reap Matthew 7:18. A good tree
would bear good fruits and a bad tree
would bear bad fruits. So a person
cannot sow maize and reap beans.
So there is no goodness you do to
another person’s child that your child
would not reap. If you forcefully do good
your child would forcefully receive
goodness. Learn now how to do good
to others. God is always happy with the
person that does good to others. There
In a statement personally
signed by him, Most Rev Joseph
Bagobiri, said: “The crisis that
ensued with the appointment
of Bishop Peter Okpalaeke as
the second bishop of the diocese
of Ahiara to succeed late
Bishop Victor Chikwe has
lingered on now for about five
years.
“This could have been avoided
or resolved if CBCN had
been courageous enough to follow
truth and justice, by listening
to the aggrieved party and
presenting their case positively
or in an empathetic manner as
a united force to Rome.”
“When we were one year into
this crisis, to be precise, at the
second plenary assemble that
took place at Otukpo, it was
advised that insisting on the
option of COMMANDING
OBEDIENCE from the Mbaise
faithful of Ahiara Diocese as
against seeking to constructively
engage them in
dialogue with a view to striking
some fair and reasonable
compromises as was the case
with Warri Diocese, will not
solve this problem,” he had
said and incurred the wrath of
the Catholic Bishops Conference
of Nigeria, CBCN, who
gave him an ultimatum to
withdraw the statement.
The Banana peels of
every Gospel Minister
The devil is aware that every
gospel minister possesses
great threat to his kingdom. He
has therefore devised a plan to
“smite the shepherd and the
sheep will scatter” strategy.
And over the years and centuries,
he has succeeded too
much with this strategy, using
five modus operandi;
1. Gold - he uses the pursuance
of money to finish many church
leaders. Once your attitude to
money is wrong in life and
ministry, you are a sucker for
the devil
2. Girls - he uses the opposite
sex to ruin the testimony of
many ministers. Lots of ministers
today have fallen prey to
this strategy of the devil. They
have become immoral, lustful,
rapists, gay and sexually corrupt,
thereby losing their anointing
and God.
3. Glory - pride, ego, boasting
and self worth is another strategy
the devil uses to finish
many ministers.
4. Gimmicks - lies, sinful methods,
tricky and ungodly means.
Too many ministers have resorted
to demonic gimmicks to
run their ministry today.
5. Gluttony - too much eating,
talking, sleeping and over indulgence
has destroyed many
ministers of the gospel. The
devil has used lack of discipline
to finish many once powerful
and anointed ministers of the
gospel.
If the devil can come to our
Lord Jesus to tempt Him (John
14:30), he will also come to you
to tempt you with these fivefold
strategies.
But as Jesus overcame, may
you receive grace to overcome
too in Jesus mighty, mighty
name. Shalom.
E-Mail: akingrow@yahoo.com
*International Church Growth
Ministry holds two major
conferences a year, one in
second week of every February
and the other in every first week
in September.”
are different goodness e.g. helping
someone to make his or her family
stand firm or assist a sick person to
get healed.
These are better than giving out money
to people. Imagine a politician gave out
N50,000 to area boys in a community.
The money led to the death of two
people and torching of two houses.
Preferably the politician could have
created job opportunities for the youth.
Brethren, who are you helping? Any
person that fails to help the work of
Jesus, would not get happiness from
Jesus.
He gathered his disciples to be
preaching and proclaiming His work. The
help Jesus needed from Christians is
to move from one hamlet to the other
to preach the gospel. There are some
countries that have the largest
population in the world but Christianity
is not well established there. China and
India account for about 30% of world
population. Matthew 28:18 says: “And
Jesus came and spoke to them saying
all authority has been given to me in
heaven and on earth.”
*For further enquiries call:
08023020108, 08058110288.
w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m /
pastoroloruntimilehin.

PAGE 38— SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
Identifying marks of born again believers (7)
By Pastor William F. Kumuyi
IJOHN 5:4-5 "For whatsoever
is born of God overcometh
the world: and this is the
victory that overcometh the
world, even our faith. Who is he
that overcometh the world, but
he that believeth that Jesus is
the Son of God?"
I John 2:13-14 "I write unto you,
fathers, because ye have known
him that is from the beginning. I
write unto you, young men, because
ye have overcome the
wicked one. I write unto you,
little children, because ye have
known the Father... I have
written unto you, young men,
because ye are strong, and the
word of God abideth in you,
and ye have overcome the
wicked one."
The grace of God will make you
strong. Your faith in Christ will
make you strong. Strong people
do not try to avoid difficulty.
If you are strong and difficulties
tug on you, you should bask in
the excitement that it is meant
to make you stronger. As it is
in the physical, likewise in the
spiritual. A child of God should
not bemoan his troubles in a
corner, but rather meet it with
a fearless determined push,
REVEREND FATHER
John Damian
ADIZIE, OCD
Director of Int'l Youth Empowerment
& Rehabilitation Centre (IYERC)
Tel: 08076635886
Email:
johndamianocd@yahoo.co.uk
because greater is he that is in
you than he that is in the world;
temptations and trials of your
faith will always be there in the
world to confront you. But if
you are born again and Christ
lives in the inside of you, I
charge you to go out there and
win the victory. You will be
victorious in Jesus name.
Your child returned home from
school unannounced. As the
inquisitive parent that you are,
you had to ask if he was on
vacation. His response was in
the negative. So, you inquired
again. This time his answer was
"Daddy, you know that I got this
all important salvation before I
was admitted in the university.
And you know how delicate it
is. When I got to the campus I
was surprised to see the way
the other undergraduates were
living their lives and the kind of
things they were doing. Even the
lecturers have their way of
saying some troubling things.
Due to the importance of this
salvation, I felt the best thing
to do was to run back home
and hide in our house so that I
do not lose my salvation.
If you are out there with such a
mentality, I want to put the
Press for progress @
International Women’s Day
MARCH 8 is a special
day for all women.
International Women’s
Day, which was first
celebrated in 1911, is a day
when we celebrate the social,
economic, cultural, political
and even religious role
and achievements of women
all over the world. It is
also a day to reflect on the
progressive role of women
in the society. Issues such
as gender equality, Women
Liberation and widow empowerment
are highlighted
on such days. The theme of
2018 International Women’s
Day is ’Press for Progress.’
We shall reflect briefly on
some of the areas where
women have contributed to
progress in our socie-ty.
Progress through Procreation:
The greatest
progress in every society
is in the area of procreation.
Without procreation
a society will be stagnant.
Procreation is the propagation
of more human beings
into the society. It is
indeed the foundation of
every other progress in
society, because human
beings are the agents of
progress. Incidentally, women
are the agents of
procreation. They are the
ones that give birth to all
the human beings in the
world, including you.
Women are the first
teachers we encoun-ter in
•Kumuyi
screw now so that you will go
back out there; and when they
are talking their rubbish, while
they are at it, stand up to them
with a new found courage and
say to them, 'eh listen to me
everybody. I want to tell you
something. It is a story that you
have never heard, which will
change your life for the better.
I used to be afraid until I met
this wonderful person. After
that awesome encounter, my
life turned around completely.
At that moment, they will be all
ears wanting to listen for more.
That person is Jesus Christ. I
repented of my sin and got born
again. Now I am a child of God.
Some of them will begin to
chant, "Pastor!" "Pastor!" Seize
that opportunity to let them
know that you are the Pastor
of the class. I tell you that they
Frustration of the power of darkness
By Pastor Okokon Ating
THE material, financial,
economic and
societal status of the
marriage. There is a
popular adage which says,
“Experience is the best
teacher”. When I got married,
I saw very strange things
happening in my marital
life. The doors of many
things became locked up
against me and my newly
wedded wife. The first experience
I had was the door
of finances which was closed.
I struggled for a decade
to make sure that I have
finances to maintain our
newly found home, all to no
avail.
Because the door of finances
was closed, all other
doors could not be easy to
open. Economically, I became
handicapped. We went
through series and several
areas of work just to make
life easy. Things were still
tough with us. One day, we
*Pastor Okokon Ating
resorted to prayers. We
embarked on several days
of prayers and fasting,
seeking to know why life
suddenly became unbearable.
We discovered that
from the day we got married,
the same people, who
at the beginning objected
to our being together,
carried us to voodoo
meeting to pass a resolution
that, since we married
against their wish, the
only thing that can separate
us is to make us wretched
in life.
This was to be done by
cutting from us the source
of income which could
life: Educ-ation
is the ess-ence
of prog-ress.
W i t h o u t
education there
will be little or
no progress.
Women play a
vital role in
education. They
are the teachers
of teachers.
Almost all the
teachers in the world
passed through mothers,
who are the first teachers
every child encounters in
life. After the informal
training most mothers are
ready to sell their cloths
to ensure that their children
get the best of education,
which is the essence
of progress.
Women are managers in
their various homes: To
manage the home is not
as easy as one may think.
Home management has
to do with daily feeding of
family members, the general
upkeep of the home,
such as daily cleaning of
the compound, water supply,
firewood or gas as
the case may be, school
run, laundry and so on
and so forth. Most of
these activities are per-
have assisted us in our
early marriage. Indeed, we
got involved in several
trades like farming and
civil service work, yet it
was as if we were putting
them into a hole or basket.
Sometimes in our marital
life, we noticed there will
be a voice silently telling
us: “if it were to be in the
village we would have divorced
each other before
now.”
It was then that our eyes
became open to see and
know what was going on
around us which stirred us
up to pray to deliver ourselves
and the marriage
from the hands of the
wicked people. Couples
who are not prayerfully
oriented would at this
point in time begin to fight
themselves and nick-name
each other as a witch or a
wizard, Ogbanje who destroys
finance and wealth
of the family. Marriage is
fectly executed by women.
Without women the
homes will not experience
progress. A healthy family
is one that is headed by
a men but managed by
women.
Women are Agents of
Change: Former US Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton, narrates her
encounter with women as
agents of change: “I’ve
met with women from
every walk of life, and learned
that women everywhere
have much more in
common than what separates
us: aspirations for
good jobs, healthy families,
strong communities,
the drive to be entrepreneurs
and builders,
agents of change, drivers
of progress, makers of
peace.”
Change cannot take place
without women. Numerically,
their voting power
is more than that of men.
Women can easily mobilize
themselves to effect
any form of change. If the
world must change for
better then it must carry
women along.
Women are Agents of
Harmony: The Holy
Father, Pope Francis,
will not bother you with those
classroom temptations any
more and the Lord will give you
the victory in Jesus name.
Daniel did not run back home
from Babylon, but he made up
his mind to overcome and he
sure did get the victory. The
other three Hebrew friends of
his did not back down to
intimidation owing to idol
worship. Peter and John did not
cower to pressure from
religious leaders, but made up
there mind to obey the word
of the LORD. And you will obey
the word of the LORD in Jesus
name.
I believe you still remember how
Paul the apostle handled the
dark powers of occultism when
Elymas the sorcerer tried to
dissuade the deputy of the
country from the faith. He did
not cringe thinking that this man
will destroy me. My brother,
nobody will destroy you. Â - No
weapon that is formed against
you shall prosper; and every
tongue that rises up against
you in judgment you will
condemn - But as a man of
authority who had the final say,
he proclaimed blindness upon
the enemy of righteousness.Â
describes women as the
agents of harmony.
According to him, “Without
women there will be no
harmony in the world. It is
the woman, and not the
man, who brings that harmony
which makes the world
a beautiful place.” Harmony,
according to the Holy Father,
beautifies the world. A
harmonious world is indeed
a beautiful world. This harmony
cannot be established
without women. Women
are therefore the agents of
peace and harmony.
Women are Drivers of Progress:
Most of the progress
we have recorded in our
world today whether at the
rural areas and even at the
urban cities, were initiated
by women. That is why Ban
Ki-moon describes women
as major agents for progress
in climate change and
development goals. On
development, he said, “we
need to think of women
who change their communities.
Consider Bangladesh,
where the success of
microfinance has transformed
the lives of its peo-ple,
mainly through the
empowerment of its rural
women.
In affirmation, the UN
The same power that was upon
Paul the apostle is coming upon
your life. You will not run away
from any enemy of righteousness,
but you will stand and
conquer them in Jesus name.
John 16:33 "These things I have
spoken unto you, that in me ye
might have peace. In the world
ye shall have tribulation: but be
of good cheer; I have overcome
the world."
Because Jesus overcame, you
will overcome. The world will not
outgun you. Their trials and
temptations will not overcome
you. You will be on the side of
victory because you live on the
faith of the Son of God and that
faith in Jesus the Son of God is
an overcoming faith.
Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified
with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of
the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me."
Because you live by the faith of
the Son of God you are a
conqueror. You are a victor
today. The power of God will
follow you. All the things that
threatened you in time past, I
can see them giving way,
because, right now, you are the
overcomer.
Human Rights Chief, Navi
Pillay, also declares: “When
we are free to claim
our rights—we are extremely
powerful drivers of
progress; and this is just
as true of a woman in a
fishing village as it is of
the Director of a multinational
agency.” If this is
the case, women are therefore
the drivers of progress.
Women are indispensable
Helpmates: The Christian
Bible presents women
as helpmates to
men. After creation the
Lord God declares: “It is
not good that the man
should be alone; I will make
him a helper.” The role
women is not just restricted
to the kitchen as
President Buhari declared.
Women are helpers in
all ramifications. Without
women there will be no
progress. Any institution
that ignores the helping
role of women is bound
to crash.
As we celebrate all the
women who have
contributed to progress
in our society, we wish
our womenfolk happy
International Women Day
celebration!
a divine institution and couples
need to pray oft-en.
Many husbands at this
time do divorce their
wives without any delay.
They will accuse the women
of being the architect
of their misfortune. This
is the kind of challenge
that breeds frustration
caused by Satan through
his agents in order to
destroy marriages.
It may not be easy for a
couple to identify the
above facts except they
carefully consent to pray
for solution. Sometimes
some couples may attribute
the frustration to
both parents as being the
cause of their challenges,
I will therefore, encourage
every married couple to:
1. Keep afresh their first
love for each other, once
such challenge arises.
Keep watch through the
the word of God
2. Resolve to give themselves
to prayers without
ceasing
3. Consult a man of God
who can assist them diagnose
what and where the
challenge comes from
4. Maintain their integrity
in the Lord God, knowing
too well that He will bring
to an end all satanic challenges
in their marital
lives.
5. Press on and encourage
themselves by positively
confessing always
that it shall be well.
Economically, the road
to acquiring material
wealth was blocked. Our
status was too poor
among people. Then people
saw us as the most
wretched human beings,
today, we are victors. We
are more than conquerors
through God who loves
us. Do not quit but stand
strong and you will win as
we won. The kingdom of
darkness knows too well
that once the source of
your financial empowerment
is cut off, the marriage
flavor will be deteriorating.
Material wealth
and finance help the family
to plan for future growth
and the prosperity of the
generation coming ahead.
When there is money, the
family should invest in the
education of the children
which is one of the ways
to empower as many generations
as possible. With
money in the family, couples
can quickly empower
themselves with mobility.
Indeed, the basic needs
of life hang on the financial
strength of a family.
Therefore, couples who
want to survive and make
great exploit, should endeavor
to quickly know why
Satan strikes against them
being a united family.
*For enquiries contact:
Apostolic Church, 3,
Tree Power Avenue,
Itire, Lag-os. Or call:
Pastor Okokon Ating
on:
0 8 0 5 4 1 2 1 3 5 5 ,
08179072635
Pastorating@gmail.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018 PAGE 39
Most Christian idol-wor
shipers are offended
when referred to as
idol-worshipers. We know it is
forbidden to worship idols but
nevertheless worship idols while
convincing ourselves that we
do not. But God cannot be
mocked. An idol is that thing
that steals our hearts from
God.
Worship of man-made
goods
In our conceit, the work of
our hands have become our
objects of worship. We are so
impressed with the things
man has made, we spend several
hours every day in their
devotion and adoration. A
colleague of my wife’s once
boasted that: “I cannot live
without my cell-phone!” Little
did she realise that the cellphone
has become a god to
her because whatever we believe
we cannot live without
automatically becomes our
god.
Thus, if you are at a prayermeeting
and someone’s cellphone
rings; don’t be surprised
if the person immediately
dashes out to answer the
call. Definitely, that means the
person at the other end of the
line must be more important
than God.
God says: “My son, give me
your heart.” (Proverbs 23:26).
The psalmist says: “As the
deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you,
O God. My soul thirsts for
God, for the living God. When
can I go and meet with God?”
(Psalm 42:1-2).
But today, our souls pants for
the television so we can watch
Premier League football or
Zee-world. We pant for the
internet so we can spend
hours on Facebook and Instagram.
We pant for video
games so we can spend hours
on the latest version of Super
Mario and Street Fighter. We
yearn to acquire Jeeps and
deluxe cars.
Mariolatry: worship of
Mary
Over a billion Catholics all
over the world worship Mary,
the mother of Jesus. This
worship has no scriptural
foundation whatsoever and is
idol worship pure and simple.
Catholics pray to Mary, making
her an intermediary between
God and man, even
though the scriptures say different:
“There is one God and
one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ
Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5).
All sorts of highly dubious
traditions of men have been
built around the veneration of
Mary, based upon fictitious
extra-biblical foundations.
One of these, the doctrine of
the immaculate conception,
states that when Mary was conceived
in her mother’s womb, the
Holy Spirit came and exchanged
her blood with one
completely sinless. This means,
like Jesus, Mary is presumed to
have lived a sinless life.
It is also claimed that Mary
did not die but is “assumed” to
have ascended bodily to heaven.
In effect, Mary worshipers: “exchange
the truth of God for a lie,
and worship and serve created
things rather than the Creator.”
(Romans 1:25).
Beyond giving birth to Jesus,
The prayer answering God (II)
EVERY prayer that has been
made with a repentant and
broken heart both in the
Bible and present day assuredly
received attention from the
Lord and if you key into such
prayers the Lord will answer you
today. This is because one of
the effects of believing on the
Lord Jesus is that we have the
assurance that our prayers will
be answered when we pray
alright, that is in accordance
with His will. The will of God is
the rule, not only of things to
be done by us, but also of
those things which we crave of
God to do for us. And those
things must not conflict with His
will. When we pray for anything
in obedience to God’s will, and
with submission to His will, we
know that we have the petitions
that we ask of Him.
II Chronicles 7:13-15 says: “If I
shut up Heaven that there be
no rain, or if I command the
locusts to devour the land, or
if I send pestilence among my
people; If my people, which are
called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek
my face, and turn from their
Christians are idol worshippers (II1)
wicked ways; then will I hear
from Heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land”.
No evil comes upon individuals
or nations without the
permission and control of God;
and He is able and ready, when
they are duly humbled, to remove
it and manifest to-wards
them new tokens of His favour.
God has promised to answer
the prayers of His people at any
time it is made, either in times
of disease, sickness, famine,
pestilence, or perhaps war.
God is long suffering, and of
tender mercy and ever ready to
receive a backsliding soul when
he returns to Him. But the
person must amend all his
doings, and have a contrite
spirit, for the Lord doesn’t deny
mercy for the broken hearted
and those with contrite spirit,
for these are essential characteristics
of true repentance that
gives impetus to answers of
prayers.
Judges 6:1-4 says, “And the
children of Israel did evil in the
sight of the LORD: and the
LORD delivered them into the
hand of Midian seven years.
Whatever you
fear threatens an
idol god in your
life. If you are
afraid of poverty,
wealth is your
god
there is no prophecy concerning
Mary or the veneration or worship
of Mary. Mary was an ordinary
woman. She has no power
to intercede for us or to connect
us to God. She cannot heal
or hear our prayers. She is not a
Mediatrix, Co-redemptrix,
Cause of Our Salvation, Most
Holy Mother of God, Our Immaculate
Lady, Queen of Heaven
and other highfalutin titles
conferred on her by men.
God says: “Do not add to what
I command you and do not subtract
from it, but keep the commands
of the Lord your God that
I give you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2).
I repeat, nowhere in the scriptures
is there any hint of instruction
that we should venerate or
worship Mary.
Therefore, the question Jesus
posed to some Pharisees and
teachers of the law should now
be directed at today’s Mary worshippers:
"Why do you transgress
the commandment of God because
of your tradition?” (Matthew
15:3). Singing hymns to
Mary, praying to her, kissing her
picture, parading her image
through the streets and bowing
And the hand of Midian prevailed
against Israel: and because
of the Midianites the
children of Israel made them the
dens which are in the mountains,
and caves, and strong
holds. And so it was, when Israel
had sown, that the Midianites
came up, and the Amalekites,
and the children of the east,
even they came up against
them; And they encamped
against them, and destroyed
the increase of the earth, till
thou come unto Gaza, and left
no sustenance for Israel,
neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass”.
God had promised to
increase Israel as the sand on
the sea shore but their sin
hampered this promise and
This prophetic
prayer seasoned
with faith was
not given to excite
them to resist
diminished them, and then their
enemies who were inferior to
them, overpowered and prevailed
against them. But the
moment they realized their
error and humbly cried unto the
Lord, He answered and sent
them a deliverer. In their condition
they remembered that
they have God whom they have
offended and when the Lord
saw the brokenness and humility
of their hearts, their penitence
He sent them a deliverer
in the person of Gideon to free
down before her statue is nothing
but idol worship.
Worship of the rich and the
powerful
When we give too much regard
to the rich and the powerful, they
become objects of worship. We
bow down before them, hang on
their every word and even give
them names exclusively applicable
to God. When we do this, we
forget that God is a jealous God
who does not share his glory with
mere mortals.
This is what led to the premature
death of Herod: “On a set
day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel,
sat on his throne and gave
an oration to them. And the people
kept shouting, ‘The voice of
a god and not of a man!’ Then
immediately an angel of the
Lord struck him, because he did
not give glory to God. And he was
eaten by worms and died.” (Acts
12:21-23).
When we worship men instead
of God, we are unable to see the
glory of God. This is presumably
what happened to Isaiah
who says: “In the year that King
Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated
on a throne, high and exalted,
and the train of his robe filled
the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1). It
would appear that Uzziah was a
mountain blocking Isaiah from
seeing the Lord Jesus. He was
only able to do so after King Uzziah
died.
Having learnt his lesson, Isaiah
counsels God-seekers in the
scriptures: “Make straight in the
desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted and
every mountain and hill brought
low; the crooked places shall be
made straight and the rough
places smooth; (then) the glory
of the Lord shall be revealed.”
(Isaiah 40:3-5).
For the glory of God to be revealed
in the lives of those who
worship the Lord in spirit and in
truth, only the Lord must be exalted:
“The eyes of the arrogant
man will be humbled and the
pride of men brought low; the
Lord alone will be exalted in that
day. (Isaiah 2:11).
Worship of fears
What do you fear? God is “the
Fear of Isaac.” (Genesis 31:42).
He must be our one and only fear.
Whatever you fear is your god.
Whatever you fear threatens an
idol god in your life. If you are
afraid of poverty, wealth is your
god. If you are afraid of death,
life is your god. If you are afraid
of being unmarried, marriage is
your god.
“The Lord spoke to me with his
strong hand upon me, warning
me not to follow the way of this
people. He said: ‘Do not call conspiracy
everything that these
people call conspiracy; do not
fear what they fear, and do not
dread it. The Lord Almighty is
the one you are to regard as holy,
he is the one you are to fear, he is
the one you are to dread.’” (Isaiah
8:11-13).
Fears often end up as self-fulfilling
prophecies. Thus Job lamented:
“The thing I greatly
feared has come upon me, and
what I dreaded has happened to
me.” (Job 3:25). The spirit of
fear is a spirit of bondage. (Romans
8:15). But the Spirit of God
is the spirit of liberty. (2 Corinthians
3:17).
Therefore, we are counseled to:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known to
God; and the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7).
them from their bondage. No
matter the ugliness of your
situation or how long you have
been in that situation, I want
you to believe that if only you
will humble and cry unto the
Lord God, He will answer your
prayers in Jesus name.
God is a prayer answering
God, whenever a real child or
the people of God pray the
Lord will answer and if it tarries
He will surely answer.
During Moses encounter with
Pharaoh the Lord spoke or did
according to the words of
Moses to show that He answers
prayers. Many who prayed in the
Bible days received answers to
their prayers. And God is still
in the business of answering
prayers.
Exodus 14:12-15 says, “Is not
this the word that we did tell
thee in Egypt, saying, Let us
alone, that we may serve the
Egyptians? For it had been
better for us to serve the
Egyptians, than that we should
die in the wilderness. And
Moses said unto the people,
Fear ye not, stand still, and see
the salvation of the LORD, which
he will shew to you to day: for
the Egyptians whom ye have
seen to day, ye shall see them
again no more for ever. The
LORD shall fight for you, and
ye shall hold your peace. And
the LORD said unto Moses,
Wherefore criest thou unto me?
speak unto the children of
Israel, that they go forward:”.
This prophetic prayer seasoned
with faith was not given
to excite them to resist, for
they were unarmed and their
minds were deplorably degraded.
‘Ye shall see them again no
more’ this was a strong faithful
prayer. God showed Moses
what he would do, he believed,
and therefore spoke in the
encouraging manner related
above. As you pray today, the
Lord will give you direction,
deliver, heal and take over your
battles and answer your prayers.
Acts 16:25-26 says, “And at
midnight Paul and Silas prayed,
and sang praises unto God: and
the prisoners heard them. And
suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were
shaken: and immediately all the
doors were opened, and every
one’s bands were loosed”.
No matter your condition, the
same God that answered
Moses and the apostles of old
is still alive to answer your prayers.
In the case of Paul above,
never before had such sounds
at midnight been heard from
that inner dungeon? Paul and
Silas were bound, fettered and
tortured but when they prayed
and praised God, He heard and
answered them, for there was
a great earthquake. In any
situation, we may cry unto God
He will answer us. No place, no
time is amiss for prayer. No
trouble, however grievous,
should hinder us from prayer.
Prayer is all about getting
answers to them and you know
that there are places where
many have gone to pray
without answers but I assure
you that at the end of this
message when you pray my
Lord will answer you in Jesus
name.

PAGE 40 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
‘Man committed suicide after Buhari rejected
Peace Corps Bill’
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
A
presidential aspir
ant of the National
Conscience Party, NCP,
Dr Thomas Wilson
lkubese, has urged President
Muhammadu Buhari
to revisit the Peace
Corps Nigeria (PCN) Bill
after he claimed that a
man committed suicide
on the grounds of the
President’s refusal to assent
to the bill as passed
by the National Assembly.
“If however President
Buhari fails to so do, I
urge members of the National
Assembly to recall
the bill, muster twothirds
of the membership
and pass it into law”,
Ikubese said in Akure.
“The hope of these
youths and their many
dependents was dashed
when President Buhari
withheld assent to the bill
on Tuesday, February 27,
2018, citing security and
financial concerns”, he
said. “A country that fails
to engage its youths productively
is a nation sitting
on a keg of gunpowder.
“Taking about 150,000
youths off the unemployment
market and engaging
them productively to
the benefit of society is a
venture that this administration
should be proud
to champion, having
promised to create jobs”.
According to him, a
member of the Peace
Corps, one Mr Gambo
Timothy Dogo, in Nappe,
Dukku Local Govt Area of
Gombe State, reportedly
committed suicide after
being disappointed that
the President had turned
down the PCN Establishment
Bill. “Nigeria has a
population of about 186
million people and a police
population of about
370, 000”, he said.
“Of the 370, 000, 80%
is assigned to private citizens,
politicians, businessmen
and private enterprises,
leaving only
20% for core police duties
of peace and security.
“With the current Nigerian
situation of 74,000
police officers to a population
of 186 million people,
we run on a ratio of
1:2,514. This means that
instead of a police officer
to a population of 400
people, we have one police
officer to 2,514 citizens,
leaving us six
times under-policed”.
On the President’s fear
of additional financial
burden, lkubese said,
“The funds needed to
run the PCN do not have
to come from the purse
of the Federal Government.
“Persons who require
the services of
these officers will pay
specified sums to a designated
account from
which their salaries will
be drawn monthly, thus
taking the financial burden
off govt”.
Origho, retired NAPIMS chief, @ 60: Yes, I love women!
IT was triple celebrations
for Mr. Peter
Oghenovo Origho, a retired
management staff of
National Petroleum Investment
Management
Services, NAPIMS, a subsidiary
of Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation,
NNPC, as family members
held a programme to mark
the retirement, birthday and
30th marriage anniversary
in his honour on February
24 at the Alliance Insurance
Plc Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos.
Origho, visibly overwhelmed
by the show of love,
said: “Today, I feel great that
my family is celebrating my
birthday and retirement.
This is what everyone prays
for and, luckily, God has
granted me the grace to witness
this day.
“I grew up as a child, went
through service and then retired
honourably after 35
years and now I am aging
gracefully. It is something I
should thank God for and
the secret is just that I am
charting the will of God.”
The highlight of the day’s
event was when his wife, Phi-
na, came up with surprises
to mark their 30 years of
marriage. This, she did in a
very romantic manner with
artistic stage lighting, which
came along with a dreamy
stage dance with her husband
of 30 years. She also
unloaded a surprise birthday
cake for their marriage
anniversary apart from the
gigantic cake that was already
placed on podium for
her husband’s birthday/retirement
party.
Origho’s lovely children
were not left out as they presented
him a with life size
art work with a motif of a
man surrounded by women.
The retired NAPIMS
chief, however, humorously
explained that it does not
mean he was surrounded by
women in the negative
sense. “Yes, I love women. I
don’t have a choice because
I have four girls and, the last,
a boy. I have just one boy, so
that is why they said I am
surrounded by women and I
have been enjoying the
women folk,” he stated.
Speaking further, he said,
“Again when you talk about
gender sensitivity, you
By Emmanuel Okogba
RESIDENTS of Itele/
Awori community in
Ogun State have appealed to
the state governor, Senator
Ibikunle Amosun, to remember
their community as he
distributes the dividends of democracy
to the people of the
state.
This was made known at the
monthly meeting of all the
Community Development
Associations (CDAs) in the
area held recently. Speaking
on some of the challenges facing
the community, the Community
Development Committee
(CDC) chairman of
Itele/Awori Area Development
Committee, Prince Olatunji
would appreciate the fact
that you need a man that
loves women, but it might
not be on negative perspective.”
Origho is currently a coowner
of the franchise
called PLAMJ Hotels and
Catering Services and the
CEO of Rukena Energy
Servicing Company.
His daughter, Mabel Origho,
described his father as a
man of numerous words
who constantly dispenses
pearls of wisdom whenever
he has the opportunity.
Don’t forget
us, Ogun
community
begs Amosun
Abdulrazaq Onolapo said absence
of road remained the
major problem of the community
among others.
He noted that electricity
used to be a major problem in
the area until residents pooled
resources together and tackled
it. “We used to have electricity
problem, until 2014,
when we fixed it through communal
efforts. As at 2015, we
have spent about N700 million
to bring electricity to the
entire community. Every individual
CDA embarked on the
electricity project, including
the purchase of transformers,
poles, cables and everything.
We were connected to the national
grid in September
2014, and until then we did
not have light in the community,”
he said.
On what the community
needs, he said: “Our major
priority now is road. We also
need additional transformers,
but most importantly, we need
roads. You can see that all the
CDAs are involved in gutter
construction. We excavate
sand from the gutter and use
them to fill the road; so that
they could be passable".
20 matched couples benefit from Infinix Mobility Findurbae campaign
I
nfinix Mobility has
treated twenty matched
couples to a romantic
dinner and movie date as part
of the company’s Valentine’s
campaign ‘Findurbae’.
It would be recalled that
Infinix Mobility received
thousands of entries from the
campaign which began last
month to help fans and
customers find their ideal
partner with the matchmaking
theme for
Valentine’s.
After 3 weeks of running the
Valentine’s campaign, Infinix
had selected 48 finalists which
were sent in from Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and also its
fans community Xclub.
In a transparent and fair
manner, Infinix match-made
the finalists into 24 couples
from different parts of the
country, including Lagos,
Ibadan, Port Harcourt and
Abuja.
The finalists from Lagos
were Khadija Cole, Maureen
Ogochukwu, Oluwaseun
Oyeyiola, Lovette Nye,
October Stephen, Doreen
Precious, Enyi Ovwe, Onose
Rison, Alfred Edi, Adedeji
Oluwatosin, Nnamdi Esoma,
Ebere Adina and Ugochukwu
Chikezie.
The 10 couples from Lagos
were treated to a classy
romantic Valentine’s Dinner
date at Protea Hotel, Isaac
John, Ikeja, and Lagos.
The couples went on their
first date and were treated to
a full course meal served at
the prestigious hotel’s
restaurant.
The ladies were also given
roses to complement their
outfits and they all went home
excited with goodie bags
courtesy of Infinix Mobility.
The technology giant also
treated the 10 other finalists
from 3 other cities to a Movie
date, catching a romantic
movie at the cinema with their
ideal partners from the
campaign.
Heart of the matter,
with Chioma Gabriel
email: anyagafu@yahoo.com
Telephone: 08052201257
All Animals Are Not
Equal
My kids last
Thursday went
on excursion to
Lekki Conservation Centre
and came back very
excited. In fact, they
couldn't wait for me to
settle down after work to
share their experience. In
their innocence, they didn't
know when they passed a
key information that
typified what has been
going on in Nigeria. A
pupil from another school
which also came on
excursion , a white girl was
eating biscuit and a
monkey in the
conservation centre
begged to be given. When
the girl was not
forthcoming with sharing
her biscuit with the
monkey, the animal
wanted to take it by force
and the duo began to drag
the biscuit. Unknown to
the girl, another monkey
hanging on a tree was
watching. At a stage,
having noticed how stingy
the white girl was, the
monkey on a tree jumped
on the girl, collected the
biscuit forcefully and
jumped back on the tree.
The girl fainted.
After narrating their
story, they burst into
laughter and said the guide
told them monkeys eat
everything a human eats.
But I was thinking about
other things.
Do you think that Animal
Farm , an allegorical
novella by George Orwell
had Nigeria in mind ? We
have heard all manner of
stories about animals
dealing with us as a people.
Nigerians were told that a
snake and a monkey stole
huge sums of money
belonging to the people
and many took it with a
pinch of salt. They didn't
know that monkeys can eat
anything humans can eat,
even snakes. They can
spend naira and dollars
too just like the rest of us.
Nigerians have been
lamenting the rate at
which animals are
gradually creeping into
national conversation with
regards to funds.
When the story broke that
some persons “spiritually”
stole public funds kept in
JAMB office through a
mysterious snake that
always crawled into the
office to swallow the
money from the vault,
Nigerians doubted it. How
come?
But just in case this story
was true, a good senator,
Shehu Sani, representing
Kaduna central took a
snake charmer to JAMB
office to see the possibility
of getting the snake to
vomit the money but that
was not to be.
Shortly after the snake
incident, the same Senator
Sani revealed that N70
million belonging to
northern senators was
carted away by monkeys at
Senator Adamu farm in
Nasarawa State.
Nigerians have been
expressing mixed reactions
We simply don't
understand how
‘animals’ are being
used by
unscrupulous
persons as a ploy to
cover up their evil
deeds as corruption
seems to be taking
bolder steps in the
country
to the news of animals
stealing money in the
country, Nigerians don't
believe in anything
anymore. They don't even
know what to believe.
We simply don't
understand how ‘animals’
are being used by
unscrupulous persons as a
ploy to cover up their evil
deeds as corruption seems
to be taking bolder steps in
the country.
Nigeria is gradually
turning into the Animal
Kingdom. One day, the
tortoise will come out of
nowhere and cunningly
collect the money from the
monkey and the snake and
then turn all the other
animals against each
other.
For those of us who don't
believe these tales by the
moonlight, let us at least
enjoy the steady source of
comic relief and fountain
of ridicule coming from
the animal kingdom.
What do Nigerian
politicians take us for? Do
they think we are that
gullible?
From the time president
Buhari went on medical
tourism, animals have
been dealing with Nigeria.
It was the same Senator
Sani who posted on social
media during Buhari's
absence that jackals and
hyenas were tramping on
the weaker animals, in the
absence of the lion, in the
belief that the lion would
not come back. He said
that it was the prayer of the
weaker animals that the
lion should come back
soon.
And the president's wife,
Aisha Buhari had
responded metaphorically
to the posting saying: “God
has answered the prayers
of the weaker animals. The
hyenas and the jackals will
soon be sent out of the
kingdom. We strongly
believe in the prayers and
support of the weaker
animals.”
And the lion returned.
First, it was a rat in the
'lion's den' that him out of
his den, making him to
operate from the house.
Currently, Nigerians are
battling with the issue of
cattle
sacking
communities and herders
killing off the farmers.
Now, where pupils ought to
be in school, cattle have
taken over the classrooms,
the universities,
government houses and the
highways.
What is going on in
Nigeria? Are we really
serious? Or don't we
appreciate the depth of the
damage animals is causing
us?
When will Nigeria be
done with animal
business? When will that
lunacy come to an end?
When will animals cease to
be blamed for all the woes
of Nigeria?
What are the cause of
animal madness and
addiction to money?
Nigerians have made
enough fun of these
incidents. We should get
serious and tell ourselves
the human truth.
We seem to be in the era
of animals greater than
man.
Mais les Nigérians
peuvent-ils jamais vivre à
l'abri de la tyrannie de
leurs maîtres des animaux?
(But can Nigerians ever
live free from the tyranny
of their animal masters?)

SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 41
By AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215
onikoyi68@gmail.com
Lagos-Kano Economic Summit holds in Lagos
The Lagos-Kano Economic and Investment Summit held at the Jubilee Chalet, Epe, Lagos, on
Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Stakeholders as well as prominent captains of industry from the
two States and beyond graced the event. Photos by Bunmi Azeez
PTI holds long service
award
The management of Petroleum Training Institute,
Effurun, Delta State, rolled out drums to honour
some of its members of staff who have put in appreciable
number of years of meritorious service.
The Principal /Chief Executive of the Institute, Prof
Sunny Iyuke, while commending the members of
staff who have served the Institute for 15, 25, 30,
and 35 years reiterated the aims and objectives of
the Institute, affirming that achieving them would
not have been possible without the invaluable contribution
of the staff being honoured at the Long
Service Award Ceremony.
Speaking further, he recognized the presence of
several friendly companies who graced the occasion,
some of whom are; Warri Refining and Petrochemical
Company (WRPC),Chevron Nigeria Limite
d, Cyberspace, St. Augustine Oil and Gas,
amongst others.
•Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (2nd left);
Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode
(2nd right); his Kebbi and Kano States
counterparts, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (right) and
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (left)
•Malam Muhammad Sanusi-II, Emir of Kano (left)
and Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos.
•A cross section of Lagos White Cap Chiefs
Nigeria Labour Congress Award
•From left: Alh. Aliko Dangote, President,
Dangote Group; Mr. Tunji Bello, Secretary to Lagos
State Government and Dr. Shamsuddeen
Usman,former Minister of National Planning and
Chairman, Kano Economic Summit.
Miss Iwere Paegent
Miss Iwere Paegent organized by Prince
Young Emiko and his team on the 16th of
December 2017 along side the coronation
anniversary of the Olu of Warri... to showcase
the culture and empower young
maidens.
•Assistant Director/Head Public Affairs, Mr. Brown
A. Ukanefimoni (m), with wife, Paradise, receiving
30 years Award from the former Registrar, Mrs.
Angela S. Ewere.
•NLC Award: Cuba Ambassador to Nigeria ,Carlos
Trejo Sosa and President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba
Wabba presenting Nigeria Labour Congress Award to
former Vanguard Labour Editor, Funmi Komolafe-
Jolaosho in recognition of her contribution to Nigeria
Labour Congress during the 40th Anniversary of NLC
in Abuja. Photos by Gbemiga Olamikan.
•Chief Clement Akpeto Malegbemi, (The Udefi of
Warri Kingdom Alias Obaloye) presenting the award,
Chief Alex Omaghomi (The Imaran of Warri) Alias
Omayoye
•Prof. Sunny E. Iyuke, Principal & Chief Executive
(4th left); former Registrar, Mrs. A.S. Ewere (4th
right); Dr. C.K. Oghene, Director, OTC (2nd left);
Mrs. H.T.S. Momoh, Coordinator Consult (3rd left)
and others cutting the cake during the award
ceremony held recently at PTI, Effurun, Delta State.
•NLC Award: International Labour Officer, ILO Country
Officer of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr.
David Kwabla Dorkenoo presenting post hums award of
Late Tunji Oyeleru, Deputy Vanguard Photo Editor to Senior
Vanguard Photojournalist, Mr. Gbemiga Olamikan in
recognition of his contribution to Nigeria Labour Congress
during 40th Anniversary of NLC in Abuja
•Miss Roli (past Miss Iwere) Princess (Mrs) Misan
Emiko, Miss Omagbemi Orighomisan Jessica (Miss
Iwere)
•At the 10th Coronation Anniversary of Ovie of
Uvwie Kingdom: (R – L) Principal & CEO, PTI,
Effurun, Prof. Sunny E. Iyuke; Hon. Minister of
State Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel
IbeKachikwu; HRH, Queen P. Sideso, JP Nene
R’Uvwie; HRM, Dr. Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe1, (JP)
OON, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom; His Excellency,
Governor IfeanyiOkowa, Governor, Delta State;
andChairman, Uvwie Local Government
Council, Hon. Ramson T. Onoyake.

PAGE 42 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, MARCH 4, 2018
Wedding Fatiha of Idris Abiola Ajimobi and Fatima Umar Ganduje
Drama as ‘cheap bride price’ surprises Oyo o governor
By AbdulSalam Muhammad
The marriage between the Fulani and the
Yoruba in Kano, yesterday, threw up a
drama involving Governor Isiaka Abiola
Ajimobi of Oyo State, father of the groom, and
his in-law, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
of Kano State, over the amount set as bride
price.
Ganduje, who was overwhelmed by the turn
out of dignitaries from within and outside
Nigeria, had asked his in-law to pay N50,000
as bride price.
Ajimobi, who was taken aback by the token,
glorified God while still in shock.
He retorted: “Laa’ilaha Ilalahu (there is no God
except Allah), na so marriage cheap for this
side? Abeg add one more (bride) for Idris (his
son)”.
Ajimobi’s statement elicited laughter from
those in attendance as the Emir of Kano,
Malam Muhammad Sanusi, who consummated
the marriage in line with Islamic principles,
flagged off the occasion.
The marriage was witnessed by President
Muhammadu Buhari, 14 state governors and
Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu among others.
The governors include Akinwumi Ambode of
Lagos State; Rochas Okorocha of Imo ; Yahaya
Bello, Kogi; Abdul Aziz Yari, Zamfara, and
Simon Lalung of Plateau..
Others were Kaduna State governor, Nasir El
Rufai; Rauf Aregbesola of Osun; Mohammed
Abubakar, Bauchi; Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun;
Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa; Abubakar
Bagudu,Kebbi, and Kashim Shettima, Borno.
President Muhammadu Buhari; bride’s father and governor of Kano State, Abdullahi
Umar Ganduje; Emir of Kano, H.H. Muhammadu Sanusi II; groom’s father and
governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State;
Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State; with the groom, Idris
Ajimobi (middle)
R-L; President Buhari, Governor Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State and Senate
President Bukola Saraki
President Buhari receives a bouquet of flower during his arrival at the airport,
while Governor Ganduje looks on.
A crowd of well-wishers welcomes President Buhari to Kano as his motorcade
heads for the venue of the wedding, yesterday
L-R: Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State; APC Vice Chairman, South West,
Chief Pius Akinyelure; father of the groom & Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi;
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; father of the bride and Governor
Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State; and Lagos State Commissioner for information
and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan
President Buhari with Governor Ajimobi, Governor Ganduje, Senate President
Saraki, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Abubakar
Yari of Zamfara State

Viewpoint
By Shadrach I. Tanimola
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Recreating Las Vegas in Lagos
I
am perhaps getting a bit too
old to remain plugged into pop
culture. Except in a few instances, today’s
music does not interest me. I
am, however, not that set in my ways
to say today’s music is all garbage.
Even while growing up and in the
era ceaselessly advertised as representing
chaste tastes, I heard music
(lyrics, more like), that went against
the grain, heavily so. Tastes do not
stay the same eternally. We have no
option, but to accept that. It is exactly
why I am moved to challenge the
view that Big Brother Naija (BBN for
short) is show without benefits.
Looked at carefully enough, it offers
benefits, which we fail to see, most
likely, because we already harbor
prefabricated notions that blind us
to modern realities.
It verges on the spectacularly hyperbolic
to claim that a show so feverishly
followed by millions has no
single benefit. If we could calm down
a bit, we would see that there are economic,
psychological and social benefits.
The economic benefits, it has to
be stated, are not enjoyed exclusively
BBNaija: The Unseen Side
by the creators of the show or sponsors,
but also by the housemates and
others involved in the production.
Not many Nigerian would sniff
at an opportunity to walk away with
N25million and a brand new SUV,
which BBN is offering to the eventual
winner. Not many. Similarly,
not many are going to pass up a
chance to have whatever skills they
have advertised to a continent-wide
audience and establish business
contacts they otherwise would not
have had without the exposure that
the show provides. BBN housemates
have been known to become
very popular within a very short period
of time and kick on from there,
notably in showbiz.
Nobody familiar with the showbiz
scene in the country could claim
not to know who Uti Nwachukwu
is. Post-BBN, he has built a successful
career as an actor and television
personality. Could this have happened
without BBN? Of course, it
could have. Did BBN provide a
launch pad? You bet. Bisola Aiyeola,
first runner-up on BBN 2, has
also enjoyed boost in her acting career
since participating in the sec-
SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 43
ond edition of the show, starring in
movies and television shows such
as Glimpse, Ovy’s Voice, Picture Perfect,
Skinny Girl In Transit Season
4 and Life of A Nigerian Couple
Season 2. Soma, the first evictee
from BBN 2, made his acting debut
on the hit television show, Jenifa’s
Diary.
What BBN has done, essentially,
is to show us that ordinary people
can become celebrities and big stars
in their own right, status they probably
would have had difficulty attaining
without the exposure the
show offers by bringing their talents
and personality to a wider audience,
which appreciates them.
Another factor ignored in our
blind rage is the show’s capacity to
address social issues. Bisola Aiyeola
(sorry to mention her again) attended
the 72nd United Nations
General Assembly in New York as
an Ambassador of One Campaign
Initiative, which advocates improvement
of access to and quality
of education for girls in Nigeria,
especially in the Northern states. She
was chosen on account of her presentation
on BBN, which highlighted
impediments to girl-child education
in the country. Since her participation
in BBN, she has appeared
in a number of television commercials
and by any definition, she is a
celebrity.
We remain obdurate in our view
that BBN has no value without asking
why it is feverishly followed and
provokes discussions on end. We ignore
the fact that people have varied
tastes and some may prefer reality
shows to other TV programmes.
Many of us have the habit
of listening to news. Similarly, there
are people who love to kill their time
by watching other things. Can we
let them enjoy such full freedom?
Young people seem to derive great
enjoyment from watching BBN because
they find it easier to relate to
than the “turgid” stuff others want. I
follow football passionately, but I
have friends who do not. They probably
think that my passion for the
game is a wasteful expense of time.
However, they have been civil
enough to keep their opinions to
themselves. I have also not bothered
to ask why they do not like the gameeach
person to his own. Many people
find BBN and other reality shows
a relief from the protracted serials,
which depict struggles of people.
We must understand that many viewers
prefer to have fun, not crying or
being upset by watching serials. For
such category, BBN is a blessing.
I doubt if there is still a huge audience
for protest music like we used
to have. Protest music and other art
forms have their place. But many of
today’s people would rather not invest
their time in such. They want
lyrics talking about partying, generally
having a good time and taking
their minds off the sufficiently
punishing demands of daily existence.
They are entitled to such, just
as those who cannot have enough of
Bob Marley and Peter Tosh are.
I understand the complaint that
there are things some people find
distasteful. Even then, are we forced
to watch? No. Do kids have to
watch? No. We can block the channel
showing BBN if we do not want
to watch or we do not want our children
to watch. Yes. Can we say the
internet has no benefit because it
provides access to the good, the bad
and downright grotesque? We all
know the answer to that.
*Tanimola, an artist, writes from
Ibadan.
Preserving the Civil Service as Engine Room of Government Policies
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By Tajudeen Kareem
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
The winning strategy
THE Nigerian Civil Service re
mains the strong engine room
of government, regardless of contrary
views to this time tested belief.
It is indeed the repository of institutional
knowledge and policy continuity;
both critical ingredients for
sustainable development, especially
in a country aspiring for greatness
as Nigeria.
To avoid any vacuum in the
smooth running of government, the
Presidency appoints permanent secretaries
from the corps of eligible
directors who customarily go
through a rigorous screening exercise
including written tests and interviews.
This procedure is predicated
on a new policy contained in the
resolution of the National Council
on Establishment which makes it
mandatory for Federal Permanent
Secretaries to prove their mettle.
The process has in-built mechanism
designed to inspire healthy
competition in the civil service and
promote competence and suitability.
The selection process is expected
to put ‘analogue’ civil servants on
their toes, knowing that there is reward
for service and skills, as opposed
to the era where progression
was merely judged by seniority in
service.
It is now an open secret that the
Title: The Politics of Last Resort
Pagination: 310 Pages
Publisher: Samepage Learning,
Nov. 2017
ISBN: 978-978-963-161-2
Genre: Political Science / General
Author: Chuba Keshi, PhD
Reviewer: Charles Ike-Okoh
Nigerian politics is a paradox
of sorts. While it has been explained
in its different dimensions
using a myriad of theories both the
orthodox and the so-called radical,
it can safely be said to have defied
all known theories. Many
governments, legislators and other
elected office holders are failing, yet
they are being returned in droves,
save for a few exceptions. Equally
somehow, there seems to be a
decreasing capacity for subsequent
governments to effectively handle
affairs of state, yet such inept leaders
keep making it to seats of
government. In the same token, nine
to ten-figure state and national
budgets still disappear without
trace, it seems, yet the war on
corruption has hardly found any
prisoners. Further, there seems to be
no questions asked even in the
damning pillaging of the commonwealth
as well as the debasing of the
collective esteem of the citizenry.
office of the Head of Service, Mrs.
Winifred Oyo-Ita actually resisted
immense pressure to manipulate the
last elevation of directors; a process
widely acclaimed as transparent
and rigorous. Months after the selection
of 21 new permanent secretaries,
lobbyists are unrelenting in
their nepotistic disposition, classifying
one office as more juicy than
the other, as if some seats are reserved
for a particular section of the
country.
Discerning Nigerians are not unaware
of some ill-motivated, wellorchestrated
criticisms of the HOS.
Now their grouse is the posting of a
‘fresh’ hand to occupy the seat of Permanent
Secretary, General Service
in the office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation. But
their argument fails to hold water
because there is nothing like ‘junior’
or ‘senior’ permanent secretary
in the Federal Civil Service.
In fact a permanent secretary is
rated by the quality of his training,
sense of duty and service record—
all indicated by the responsibilities
handled at the lower rung of the civil
service ladder.
Among the recently appointed
permanent secretaries is Olusegun
Adekunle from Oyo State who is a
case study of the right man not only
for the job but equal to the task.
The Politics of Last Resort explains
that the rather wanton disregard for
the sanctity of the collective wealth
of Nigeria is a sort of “war” on the
Nigerian state. In fact, the author
defines “war” as the politics of last
resort and delineates the phenomenon
of war in Nigeria in different
ramifications. The first is the untold
plundering of the commonwealth
in what the author sees as a conspiracy
of sorts between those entrusted
with leadership and the led. The latter,
suggests the author, are guilty
by way of not holding the thieving
leaders accountable for their actions.
The second rung of “war” is
the unhealthy rivalry of uncommon
acrimonious proportions among
the different ethnic groups in Nigeria
who by colonial design, dominate
or are found in the different geopolitical
zones that make up Nigeria.
The third is the outright shooting
conflicts that have manifested
in terms of intergroup skirmishes
tagged ethnic, religious or intercommunity
conflicts.
Written in the best of journalistic
prose, the 310-page book is divided
into five sections of twelve chapters.
Section I is introductory. In Chapter
1 the reader is introduced to the
entity Nigeria in terms of its precolonial
culture landscape. Essentially
we are exposed in no small
measure to what was an otherwise
seamless trajectory of civilizations
among the different ethnic groups
and tribes that were to eventually
Coming from a robust multi-disciplinary
background in Law, Public
Administration, Intellectual
Property Rights Management,
Project Management, Multi-lateral
Trade Negotiations and Humanities,
Adekunle, a career civil servant
with over three decades of experience
in the Federal Civil Service,
brings his skills and professionalism
to bear on public service delivery.
This is not far-fetched for someone
who has served in many strategic
ministries namely agriculture,
aviation, finance, petroleum and
industry, trade & investment. He has
similarly served on the boards of the
Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission
and the Petroleum Equalization
(Management) Fund.
Adekunle was at various times
part of the desk team at the Federal
Ministry of Finance that managed
World Bank Assisted Social Sector
and Reform Projects including the
Health System Development Project
II, HIV/AIDS Program Development,
Malaria Control Booster
Project, Community Based Poverty
Reduction Project and Economic
Reforms and Governance Project.
Similarly, he played a key role in
managing Nigeria’s relationship
with the OPEC-FUND for International
Development, International
Finance Cooperation and the Islamic
Development Bank.
The new PS, GSO has also invested
a significant part of his career
life in the Intellectual Property Management
and Strategy Sector as
Director, Planning, Research and
Statistics at the Nigerian Copyrights
Commission where he initiated a
number of reforms to review the statute
and initiation of processes for
the development of IP Policy and
Strategy for Nigeria.
Adekunle’s skills are not localized,
representing Nigeria on major
Standing Committees of the World
Intellectual Property Organization,
WIPO, including the Committee on
Copyright and Related Rights;
Committee on Development and Intellectual
Property; and the Committee
on Program and Budget.
Confirming his skills and proficiency
in Intellectual Property
Rights Management, Adekunle was
assigned to wear the proverbial two
caps as Director, Commercial Law
Department and as Registrar, Trademarks,
Patent and Designs in the
Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade
and Investment in 2015.
During his tenure he supervised the
inauguration of WIPO-Assisted digitization
of Nigeria’s Trademarks
database for the Registry and led the
delegation of Nigeria to the 2015
WIPO Assemblies and the Patent Cooperation
Treaty.
In October 2015, Adekunle was
deployed to the Ministry of Petroleum
Resources as Director; Planning,
Research and Statistics and
later appointed National Representative
on the OPEC Economic Commission
Board in January, 2016. He
was elected the Alternate Chairman
for the 127th session of the OPEC-
ECB. A man of immense experience
and value, Adekunle is the Alternate
National Representative on the
Committee of Experts of the African
Petroleum Producers Organization
(APPO) where he is leading reforms
to transform APPO into a vital
regional energy development
organ.
In addition, the seasoned lawyer
and public administrator played
major roles in the development of
the revised National Civil Aviation
Policy (NCAP 2013); the National
Petroleum Policy (NGP 2017), the
National Gas Policy (NGP 2017);
the Petroleum Sector Fiscal Policy,
Gas Flare Commercialization Policy
and the Policy for exiting the Joint
Venture Cash Call Conundrum.
With his indisputable record of
meritorious service in public sector,
Adekunle is no doubt an asset to the
Buhari Administration as the PS,
GSO- the hub of the ever-busy office
of the SGF.
*Kareem is a public policy
analyst based in Abuja.
The Politics of Last Resort
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BOOK REVIEW:
federate into the Republic of Nigeria.
These civilizations progressed
until colonialism intervened from
1900. Very importantly, the author
holds colonialism responsible for
the myriad of distortions in the creation
and cultivation of the entity
Nigeria. The book also suggests that
the emergent political and civic
populations were complicit due to
the way both classes responded to
the event of colonialism.
Chapter 2 describes the key constructs
of discourse as indicated in
the title’s rider. These are “conflicts”
and “rent seeking”. Chapter 3
goes into an in-depth analysis of
the theoretical foundations of the
entire discourse of the book. It
identifies a set of three conspiratorial
ideologies that played out
dialectically in the making of Nigeria.
These, states the book, include
the Ideology of the Dual
Mandate; the Ideology of Divide
and Conquer and the Ideology of
Legitimation. The first two were exclusively
propagated by the colonial
masters to both justify their enterprise,
as well as demean the African
into submitting to the “messianic
role” of colonialism. This was
also professed by the “colonial ideology
of legitimation”. These colonial
ideologies were challenged
by the African anti-colonial ideology
of legitimation that ultimately
professed equality with the colonial
officials, and gave nationalist Nigerians
the logical grounds to challenge
colonialism. It also provided
the impetus for the Nigerian political
class to simply replace the colonial
masters upon attainment of selfrule
in 1960.
Section II covers Chapters 4, 5 and
6. The three chapters demonstrate
the conspiratorial roles of the emergent
political class and the civic
populace even though both were on
the receiving end of the colonialism
project. Chapter 4 deals with the
retrogressive cultivation of the power
class, while Chapter 5 deals with
the tacit cooperation of the civic
populace in the colonial order that
oppressed them. Chapter 6 discusses
the role of the other estates of the
realm that were in collaboration
with the emergent political class in
the macabre colonial concert. Essentially,
the entire section chronicles
the myriad of measures taken
by the colonial masters through
their colonial ideologies to debase
the African, while at the same time
create deep social distance between
one, mostly ethnic, group and another,
and in-between groups.
Section III which orphans Chapter
7 gives historical accounts of the
Continues on Page 44

PAGE 44 — SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
Viewpoint
How the Lagos DNA milestone can change Nigeria
By Adewale Adeoye
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Blueprint for Life
COMING to Lagos for the
first time from my remote
village, one incidence shattered
my psychology. It was in 1981. I
lived with an uncle on Adetayo
Osho Street, Akoka. One late
evening, I heard a chorus from
men and women who marched
through the street. A naked woman
was put at the stake. The riotous
crowd heckled and jeered at her.
Every few seconds, she would be
clubbed to the appalling cheers of
the riotous mob.
It was the most graphic illustration
of inhumanity I had ever encountered.
The beautiful, middleaged
woman had been mobbed at
a street party. They stripped her
naked. Eventually, the crowd did
the unthinkable. She was thrown
into a dingy canal shortly before
the Adetayo-Fola Agoro junction.
Each time I drive through till date,
I flinch. The second day, homicide
detectives came for the floated
corpse. They asked questions. But
no arrests were made for want of
evidence. I later learnt her offense
was that she ‘confessed’ she was a
witch. But this was after she had
gulped several bottles of gin on
By Comrade Issa Aremu
VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF
Reminiscences as labour
marks anniversary
Institution building is today
globally acknowledged as the
hallmark of nation building. But
often the focus is on the state institutions.
The Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) is a non-state institution
that has come of age in defense
of the interests of its working
and retired members in line with
the objectives of its constitution.
Barack Obama, the 44th President
of United States of America, admonished
Africans during his historic
visit to Ghana in 2009 to
build “strong institutions” in place
of strong men. If Obama was conversant
with the history of labour
movement in Africa including that
of the NLC, he would have known
that African workers despite the
enormous challenges of organizing
have been building strong organizations
with strong working
men and women.
It is remarkable NLC celebrates
at 40 with a number of
activities and manifestations that
include thanksgivings and public
lectures. Unarguably, NLC remains
the biggest labour centre in
Nigeria and indeed in Africa with
over seven million organized
from 52 affiliate industrial unions.
As the biggest independent trade
free union movement in Africa it
is rivaled by the Congress of South
African Trade Unions (COSATU)
in terms of independence and selfassertion.
The two biggest labour
centers in Africa maintain robust
bilateral engagement on organizing,
collective bargaining and international
solidarity campaigns.
The NLC, acts national and global.
It is an activist affiliate of
the Accra-based organization of
Africa Trade Union (OATUU) and
Geneva -based global union, the
International Trade Union Confederation
(ITUC), representing
over 200 million workers in 156
countries and national territories
with other 311 affiliate union’s
world wide. It is also active member
of International Labour Organization
(ILO). Organizational
birthdays are occasions to celebrate
the past achievements and
set the agenda for the future. What
then are the achievements of NLC
four decades after? Anniversary
celebrations obviously raise the
question of institutional memory.
The NLC at 40 is the “third NLC”
The DNA analysis
is complex but
provides simple
solutions to intricate
hurdles
in history. Capitalists, employers
and owners of means of production
do concentrate power and
form transnational organizations
to maximize profits.
Conversely workers and their
unions saw the need to form inclusive
national and international
organizations aimed at maximizing
labour’s welfare and curtail
exploitation by capital. Under
British colonialism, the first
generation of unionists not only
formed trade/house unions but
also tirelessly worked to form central
national labour organizations
that could confront colonial
capital with its exploitation and
oppressions. The iconic visionary
labour leaders and drivers of this
historic organizing effort included
Labour Leader Number One
Michael Imoudu, H.P. Adebola,
Wahab Goodluck, S.U. Bassey,
J.O. James, N.F. Pepple, A.I. Okwese,
E.A.O Odeyemi, J.U. Akpan,
R.A. Ramos, Okon Esshiett and
Vincent Igwe Jack. The first Nigeria
Labour Congress first was
formed in 1950. The inaugural
conference of the second NLC was
on December 18, 1975 at the Banquet
Hall of the Lagos City Council
hall, on the ashes of the then
existing four labour centers,
namely United Labour Congress
(ULC), Nigeria Trade Union Congress
(NTUC), Nigeria Workers’
Council (NWC) and Labour Unity
Front (LUF). The second NLC
was inspired by the great oration
delivered by the late Okon Esshiett,
who was then Director of Trade
Union Institute (TUI), at the burial
of the late Chief J.A. Oduleye
at Apena Cemetery in Lagos in
1975. The speech is also known
as the Apena Declaration in labour
cycle. The efforts at new NLC
were successful until the then Federal
Commissioner for Labour in
the Administration of General
Murtala Mohammed, Major
General Henry Adefope, announced
the new Federal military
Government’s Labour Policy of
“limited Government Intervention
and Guided Democracy in
Trade Union matters”. This led to
the wholesale restructuring of the
then existing hundreds of house
unions into national industrial
union. In 1978, despite military
intervention, NLC re-emerged as
a product of the independent efforts
of comrades to forge a com-
rock. Her killers were never found
though a DNA analysis would
have fished out the murderers.
There is a salient but significant
event in Lagos. It should change
the landscape of Nigeria for good.
The government of the state announced
the setting up of Nigeria’s
first DNA laboratory. It is a
shame that a country of 170 million
people, with all the national
wealth, has no functional DNA
lab. For public information, DNA
carries all of the information for
physical characteristics, which
are essentially determined by proteins.
Experts say in DNA, each
protein is encoded by a gene (a
specific sequence of DNA nucleotides
that specify how a single
protein is to be made). To me, it
was a remarkable if not revolutionary
intervention in many areas
of livelihood in a city of no
fewer than 18 million people. This
LAB , if put in excellent use, will
change the social and scientific
content of Nigeria. It will transform
crime detection, help fight
corruption, resolve paternity issues,
assist local drug companies
and research institutions to identify
causes of diseases and proffer
solutions. It will safe capital flight
and public health. This lab can
actually put an end to the Fulani
herdsmen menace because it will
make it easy to identify perpetrators
of heinous crimes.
As a crime correspondent with
The Guardian, I recollect how my
various crime stories and investigations
met brick walls due to
absence of functional DNA labs.
At that time, in the early 90s, I
had on my desk chilling cases of
murders that were never resolved.
Apart from the cases of Tunde
Oladepo, a journalist, school contemporary,
a colleague, Chinedu
Offoaro, also of The Guardian,
who disappeared while on an assignment
in the Eastern part of
the country, a certain Prince who
was Private Secretary to the then
Managing Director, Mr Andy Akporogu,
who also disappeared,
the 90s marked the era of heart
rendering killings, either through
state sponsored nastiness or
deaths from the bourgeoning, often
violent drug wars. At that time,
there were only two forensic laboratories
in Nigeria, one in Port
Harcourt and the other in Lagos.
The two were desolate and abandoned.
As a former Head of Investigation
Desk at The Punch, my team
confronted series of crimes that
were bungled simply because the
police and the secret service had
to rely on time wasting manual
techniques that often led to wrong
convictions in the courts. At
present crime detection capacity
in Nigeria is zero. This continue
to embolden criminals. At present,
All these years, with her huge budget,
the police and military have
no DNA lab. Too bad.
How does the DNA affect the
livelihood of Nigerians? Deoxyribonucleic
acid is ‘the universal
blueprint for life on Earth’.DNA
determines the content and form
of creation, what people look like
and how their bodies function. The
Lagos initiative will transform the
justice system, aid speedy crime
detection and sustainable development.
Today in Nigeria, crime
continues to be upbeat. The major
trends in crime include but not
limited to terrorism, kidnapping,
abductions-not necessarily for
ransom- armed robbery, domestic
violence, murder, rape and hate
killings.
NLC: Reflections on 40 years of struggle
In the years to
come, NLC can only
qualitatively improve
on it’s democratic
heritage
mon front in advancing workers’
interests. This year is, therefore,
also a year of celebration of all
the unions in both private and
public sectors affiliated to the restructured
NLC in 1978.
With documented struggles
spanning four decades, the NLC
has truly “come of age” as a pan -
African (and indeed global)
strong institution. The presidents
of NLC to date are comrades
Hassan Sunmonu (1979-1984),
Ali Chiroma (1984-1988), Paschal
Bafyau (1988-1994), Adams Oshiomhole
(1999-2007), and Omar
Abdul Waheed. (2007-2015) and
Ayuba Wabba . Undoubtedly, every
serious labour leader brings
to bear his determination, knowledge
and courage to improve
members’ working and living
conditions. With negotiated four
national minimum wages since
1981, NLC has commendably
provided minimum pay standard
for workers. However with the
neo-liberal policies of Naira devaluation
and deregulation it is
clear that Nigerian workers then
on N125 (about $200 in 1981!) in
real terms were better than workers
on N18, 000 (less than $50) in
2018! The NLC in the years to
come must contend with macro
economic instability in Nigeria’s
foot loose crony capitalism. It is
Economicide, (an economic
equivalent of political genocide!)
to systematically deny workers adequate
pay. NLC at 40 must quickly
conclude its negotiations on the
new minimum wage. There
should the an anniversary new
minimum wage! NLC should demand
for ease of living and working
as much as organized businesses
demand for ease of doing
business. With 11 delegates’ conferences
of NLC in 40 years, notwithstanding
the challenges that
The Politics of Last Resort
Continued from Page 43
character and content of resistance
movements against the colonial and
the post-colonial orders in Nigeria.
Essentially, it identifies the struggles
as those purposed to advance the
survival of the groups not as Nigerians
but as different ethnic domains.
Such a pattern of anti-colonial and
post-colonial struggles only added
to the deep social chasms in-between
ethnic groups in Nigeria. Section
IV is made up of Chapters 8, 9
and 10. The chapters discuss the new
dimensions group conflicts took beginning
from the severest of such
conflicts namely the Nigerian civil
war, as well as the ethnic crises that
followed the war, the latter which
became severer. It also showed how
some of such ethnic and class struggles
took the form of “religious conflicts”.
Section V covers Chapters 11 and
12. The section crystalizes what had
to become of the Nigerian State in
terms of its actual constituent structure.
Drawing from the systematic
chronicling of political developments
since 1900, the book demonstrates
why and how Nigeria ended
up with the unitarist federalism
which it currently practices. This is
contained in Chapter 11. Chapter
12 attempts to chart the way forward.
It recommends that due to the way
Nigeria was created and cultivated,
it has been difficult, in fact impossible
for there to exist a common set of
values and indeed a national spirit
among Nigerians. It argues that
what the country has are different
group, centrifugal loyalties which
have been entrenched since 1900
and which have been the main cause
of multilateral distrust among Nigerians.
The book thus concludes
that the only Nigeria that will work
is that where power is returned to
the regions under collectively agreed
terms within a single Nigerian State.
What is outstanding about the
book is that it gives a novel insight
into the dynamics of the basic philosophies
by which the Nigerian
state emerged and was cultivated
The lab can help nurture forensic
investigation of high tech cyber-crimes
and checkmate corruption.
The absence of DNA also offers
a perfect alibi for criminals
to escape justice in the absence of
scientifically proven charges. In
crime scenes for instance, DNA,
which is peculiar to every individual,
could be found in items like
masks, cap, gloves, clothing,
tools, guns, sexual kits, fingernail,
cigarette butts, coffee or tea cups,
eyeglasses, hairbrush, toothpick
or a wire as tiny as the hair strand.
The relevance of DNA in medical
science is inestimable. DNA
helps to identify genes that spur
diseases. It will help drug manufacturers
to propel new discoveries
in dealing with intricate medical
challenges through the study
of genes.
The DNA analysis is complex
but provides simple solutions to
intricate hurdles. With the DNA
lab, Lagos and Nigeria should be
able to solve the hydra-headed
problems of crime, tackle corruption
in high places, resolve paternity
issues and more importantly,
help put an end to many tropical
diseases which solution Nigeria
continues to look up to the West.
The Lagos Governor Akinwunmi
Ambode deserves a huge hug.
With the Lab, it is hoped that the
36 states of the federation and the
Federal government will explore
the treasure to the brim.
*Adeoye is the Executive Director, Journalists
ofr Democratic Rights (JODER).
trailed the last one in 2015, it is
self-evident that the NLC exhibits
democratic traditions and
experiences.If we add regular organs’
meetings such as that Central
Working committees, National
Executive councils’ meetings in
the past 40 years, NLC passes
democratic test in quantitative
terms.
In the years to come, NLC can
only qualitatively improve on it’s
democratic heritage. Comrades
must avoid the pitfalls of exclusion
which often undermine unity
and cohesion. Anniversary period
is also a good time of organizational
self- criticisms and reflections.
In the years to come, all
unionists must be united and stop
divisive leadership tussles. If
unionists operate separately precarious
work will defeat them collectively
through non-payments of
salaries of some civil servants, devaluation
of the Naira, retrenchment
and wholesome unfair labour
practices by many employers
in the private sector. The anniversary
offers a platform for a
critical and constructive engagement
among comrades for a better,
repositioned NLC. Forward
Ever! Backward Never!
*Aremu is a member of the
Central Working Committee
(CWC) of the NLC
over time. The identification of the
three conspiratorial ideologies and
the manner of discourse of their dialectical
dynamics is novel. It opens
the reader’s eyes more clearly to the
monumental damage of colonialism
and the need for a deliberate
redress of such damage. These
make The Politics of Last Resort a
must read for all students and practitioners
of politics in Nigeria. However
it is unclear from the book how
the regions to which it recommends
power will be organized in other to
contain the damage of mistrust,
even among ethnic groups within
these regions. But then the rider to
the title: “a foundational account
on conflicts and rent seeking in Nigeria”
clearly shows that the work
is exploratory and descriptive rather
that prescriptive.
It thus opens up a good gap for
further research towards a more
concise and detailed prescription of
the way forward for Nigeria.
*Charles Ike-Okoh, Publisher of The Government
& Business Journal, was the pioneer
editor, BusinessDay on Sunday.

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 45
Nigeria risks IAAF ban as AFN 'misappropriates'
$150,000 grant
By Ben Efe
WORLD athletics
ruling body,
IAAF is considering
ways to sanction its local
affiliate, the Athletics
Federation of Nigeria,
AFN, after Nigerian
sports officials failed to
account for a $150,000
grants by the IAAF.
The amount was said to
have been paid by the
IAAF as part of its
$15,000 annual grants to
member federations for
the year 2017, but the AFN
erroneously received
$150,000. And later on the
IAAF accountants discovered
the error and subsequently
asked AFN to refund
the excess payment.
However, as they say in
local parlance, the money
had already entered
“voice mail.”
It was gathered that
upon receiving the
amount, the AFN secretary-general,
confused
about the amount contacted
his superiors at the
sports ministry and from
then on, the money developed
wings.
Several calls and text
messages were placed to
the secretary-general
Ameachi Akau to explain
the development, but
there was no response
from his end. However, a
member of the AFN and a
senior athlete confirmed
the development.
“It is true…but I think
the AFN secretary-general
and the sports ministry
officials are in the
best position to explain
to Nigerians,” said
Gabriel Okon.
It was gathered that as
a measure to recover the
money, the IAAF has
withheld all further payments
to the AFN, while
considering other options
to retrieve the excess
payment.
“This is the reason we
haven’t been paid our
winnings at the 2017
World Championships,”
said a member of the Nigerian
4x400m quarter.
“We have also not received
our winnings at
the Bahamas World relays.
Right now I hate
to be a Nigerian athlete
and I don’t think anyone
should blame the
kids running to other
countries,” said the athlete.
REFUGEES? No . Nigerian athletes seeking better conditions.
Eagle House wins Ladybird School inter-house sports competition
EAGLE House has
emerged the overall
winners of the 31st Ladybird
Nursery and Primary
School Inter-House Sports
competition held last Tuesday
at the University of Lagos
playground, Akoka Lagos.
Eagle house placed first after
winning a total of 10 gold,
7 silver and 6 bronze medals
while Penguin house came
second with 8 gold, 9 silver
and 5 bronze medals. The
third place position went to
Robin house with 6 gold, 7
silver and 5 bronze medals
Adekuoroye, two others to star at “Beat the
Streets” tournament in USA
By Solomon Nwoke
WORLD
Silver
medalist,
Odunayo Adekuoroye
(57kg weight class),
Ifeoma Nwoye (55kg)
and Bisola Makanjuola
(59kg) are expected to
represent Nigeria Wrestling
Federation (NWF)
at the Beat the Streets
tournament in New York
on the invitation of the
United States Wrestling
Federation.
The one-day event
which is scheduled to be
staged near the heart of
New York City will hold
on May 17, 2018. The
wrestlers who will be
drawn from the three
weight categories, 55kg,
57kg and 59kg, will be
Eagle House, winners of the Ladybirds School
31st Inter-House Sports celebrate with their overall
trophy.
accompanied by a coach
and a team leader, with
their flight tickets, accommodation
and other
logistics, to be catered for
by the organizers of the
event.
“This is a great opportunity
for your strong
federation to showcase
good will event with the
United States while at
the same time promoting
the sport of wrestling,”
an invitation letter sent
to the NWF, read.
“As our sport moves forward,
it is still very important
that the wrestling
world powers continue
to unite and show
growth to the International
Olympic Committee
and this event is the
perfect opportunity to
help support wrestling
on both a grassroots and
international level.”
Adekuoroye celebrating a victory
The organizers also assured
the Nigeria contingent
of a pleasant and an
unforgettable stay in
New York during the
event.
The winner of the March
Past with a glorious display
of discipline and concentration
was Penguin
House, while Canary
house, with a fantastic and
artistic display of costumes
and acrobatics, was crowned
overall winner of the carnival.
Addressing the children
prior to the competition, the
Proprietress of the school,
Chief Mrs. Maria Amahaotu
urged them to imbibe the
spirit of sportsmanship and
fair play.
“The event speaks for the
commitment that all of us in
the school hold for sports competition.
I encourage you to
also make the most of this
wonderful opportunity to
showcase best athletic talents
and spirit of comradeship. As
they say, sound bodies possess
sound minds and I am
happy and proud of what my
students have achieved both
in studies and in sports.”
Rugby federation AGM ratifies
constitution
By Jacob Ajom
THE Nigeria Rugby
Football Federation
took a giant step to getting
readmitted by the International
Rugby Union when
the newly constituted board
led by Kelechi Mbagwu ratified
its new constitution.
At an extra-ordinary Annual
General Meeting, attended
by delegates from the
various state chapters, and
representative of the Nigeria
Olympic Committee,
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Development, and an
EXCO member of the continental
governing body, Rugby
Afrique, the federation
endorsed the constitution
and set out a programme of
action for the 2018 season.
Speaking after the meeting,
President of the NRFF, Kelechi
Mbagwu said, “I feel relieved
at this stage because
if we had failed, we would
have been back to square
one. A country that is not internationally
recognised is
not going to live up to its full
potential.”
He praised members of the
board for their show of solidarity
and said the board was
now set for business.
“As for what we are set to
do now, the local league has
to be properly funded. At the
moment we have 20 teams,
next year we look forward to
an increase in that number
and so on.,” pointing out that
some corporate bodies like
Fidelity Bank and Vodacom
have indicated interest in
funding Nigerian Rugby.
On his part, Khaled Babbou
who represented Rugby
Afrique said he was happy
with what he saw. Said
he, “This is what we have
been waiting for. Rugby is set
to open a new chapter in
Nigeria and we will be happy
to welcome the country
back to the international fold.
He, however, informed that
he would have to submit a
report to the continental body
and believes the outcome
would be positive. “And it is
not going to be long,”he assured.

PAGE 46, SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
Moses
Moses urges Chelsea players to be
hungry at City
AS Chelsea head to
Manchester City
today, Victor Moses has
urged his Chelsea teammates
to stay hungry for
victory and deny high
flying Pep Guardiola’s
side the three points.
It has been a frustrating
week for the Blues
as they gave up leads
against both Barcelona
and Manchester United.
“It’s going to be an interesting
game, I’m expecting
it to be tight.
City are flying at the
moment, but we have
players who can win us
games too. You never
know what is going to
happen. We need to stay
hungry. We get a lot of
chances in games so we
have got to try and convert
them.
“At the moment we are
just concentrating on
Warri/Effurun Peace Marathon:
Plateau runners raise the bar
Warri boy
Balogun wants
club future
decided before
World Cup
SUPER Eagles de
fender, Leon Balogun
is keen to see his
future with German
Bundesliga club Mainz
decided before heading
to the 2018 World Cup in
Russia.
Balogun together with
William Troost-Ekong
has been outstanding in
the Super Eagles defence,
but the player is
more concerned about his
next club. The towering
player has been linked
with German sides such
as Hannover 96, Werder
Bremen, Fortuna Düsseldorf
and SV Darmstadt 98
‘’I want to have clarity
in any case first. I’m going
to be 30 years old in
summer,” Balongun told
T Online.
ATHLETES from Pla
teau State yesterday
dominated the Warri/Effurun
Peace Marathon,
which was concluded at
the Warri Township Stadium.
The 10km race was
flagged off by Alaowei
Broderick Bozimo, former
minister for Police Affairs,
at the old Airport Road in
Effurun. And it did not
take long before Adamu
Shehu and Deborah Pam
proved to be contenders
for the top prizes.
In the male category,
Shehu finished effortlessly
to win the N300, 000 at
stake. He was chased
down by Emmanuel
Gwon Gyan and Gideon
Goyet for second and
third places respectively.
In the female race, Deborah
Pam and Faustina
Ogah slugged it out.
Ogah, who is also a walk
race athlete led till about
a kilometre to go, before
she was overawed by
Pam. Elizabeth Nuhu
came in third.
“It was an interesting
race. It was my first time
of participating and I am
happy winning it,” said
Pam who also won the
Access Bank Lagos City
Marathon local athletes in
February.
Speaking on the race,
former Delta State director
of sports and coach,
Seigha Porbeni commended
the athletes for a
job well done, adding that
in the next edition the
national elite athletes will
go 21km. In the special
sports race, Murtala Isah
representing Warri came
first in the male category,
Ogelege Sefiu and Akanni
Jelli from Lagos finished
second and third
respectively. The female
version was won by Lagos
athletes, Itiru Okoro,
Abimbola Balogun and
Adefola Nofisat.
ourselves. We have
worked hard in training
and we want to do the
best we can and go out
there and prove people
wrong.”
“Finishing in the top
four is crucial. We’re a
team that almost always
finishes in the top four.
We don’t want to finish
fifth or sixth. We believe
in the players we have
got. We have got enough
quality collectively and
individually to do the
business.
Rohr’s visit spurs Ahmed Musa
UNSETTLED Super
Eagles attacker,
Ahmed Musa has revealed
his gratitude as
coach Gernot Rohr
stopped over in Russia to
see how the player was
faring.
Rohr influenced Musa’s
return to CSKA Moscow
Winter Olympians... Nigeria’s Bobsled team members are still savouring their
historic appearance at the 2018 Winter Olympics as they were hosted in Lagos recently
by Southern Sun in Ikoyi, Lagos. From left Akuoma Omeoga, Ubong Nseobot,
Sales and Marketing Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi; Seun Adigun, Mark Loxley,
General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Ngozi Onwumere and Simidele Adeagbo,
Skeleton Athlete.
after the Super Eagles
winger failed to nail down
a place at Leicester City.
“Words cannot express
the gratitude I am feeling
for what you did. I appreciate
your generosity,”
Musa wrote on his Instagram
along with some
photos of he and Rohr.
“What did I ever do to
From left: Musa, Rohr and CSKA Moscow Official
De Boer rates Ebuehi high
FORMER Barcelona
and Dutch player,
Frank De Boer has
tipped Super Eagles
new comer, Tyronne
Ebuehi to go far in the
game.
Ebuehi whose place in
the Super Eagles line up
to the 2018 World Cup is
shaky had an impressive
outing in ADO Den
Haag’s goalless draw
against Ajax Amsterdam
last weekend. Ebuehi who
is Benfica bound showed
his defensive prowess as
he locked down one of the
most promising talents in
the world, Justin Kluivert.
‘’He played in a big stadium,
against Ajax, that
everyone was watching
him. He knew that all the
attention was focused on
him and survived in a
very complicated situation,’’
Ronald de Boer
Nkwocha,
Oshoala
made China
choice easy
—Ebi
By Ben Efe
SUPER Falcons de
fender, Onome Ebi
has disclosed that her recent
move to China’s
Henan Huishang women
team was influenced
by team-mates Perpetual
Nkwocha and Asisat
Oshoala.
Ebi, after winning the
2016 African Women
Nations Cup in Cameroon
has been clubless,
until signing a one year
contract with the Chinese
outfit popped up.
“I feel so very grateful
and fulfilled. I have always
loved to play in
China ever since my senior
and now coach,
Perpetual Nkowacha
played there.
deserve you? You are
amazing! A great teacher
inspires and you have inspired
me to excel in the
game of football.
“I stumbled and failed
but you taught me to never
give up and keep on
trying. I just want to say
thank you for the visit.”
told O Jogo.
‘’It shows his character.
It can be a good contract
for Benfica, good
value and an added value.’’
Onome Ebi

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018, PAGE 47
Praying… Neymar out for three months
Let’s win EPL title race, De Bruyne tells
City teammates
KEVIN De Bruyne
wants Manchester
City to win the Premier
League title as soon as
possible so they can focus
on the Champions
League.
City are 16 points clear
at the top of the table with
10 games to go starting
with Chelsea’s visit to the
Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Five more wins will ensure
Pep Guardiola’s team
De Bruyne.... wants City's victory
Neymar undergoes successful surgery
THE
Brazilian
s o c c e r
confederation disclosed
yesterday that their
national team pivot,
Neymar successfully
under went surgery on
his injured right foot,
The 26-year-old Paris
Saint-Germain and
Brazil forward was
injured February 25 in a
French league game
against Marseille.
Neymar was signed by
PSG for a world record
222 million euros ($260
million) from Barcelona
last year. The operation
was to repair a cracked
fifth metatarsal in his
right foot.
Confederation
spokesman Vinicius
Rodrigues said the
are champions. They are
also 4-0 up going into the
second leg of their Champions
League last-16 tie
against Basel on Wednesday.
“We want to be champions,
we are trying to
achieve that,” De Bruyne
said. “If it is possible in
the next five games that
would be nice because
then we can concentrate
on the Champions
League.
“If we can win against
surgery took place
Saturday at the Mater
Dei Hospital in the
southeastern city of Belo
Horizonte.
Chelsea it would be a
beautiful week for us.”
Pep Guardiola says
Manchester City want the
satisfaction of being
crowned the best team in
England
“It’s very hard. It’s not
only physically tough, it’s
mentally tough. Sometimes
when you win a lot
of games you let the standards
drop a little bit but
I didn’t get the feeling all
season. We need to maintain
that for another two
months.”
Earlier this week,
Brazil’s national team
doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar,
said Neymar’s absence
could last up to three
months.
The World Cup starts on
June 14 in Russia. Brazil
is scheduled to play its
first match against
Switzerland on June 17.
NFF guaranteed $8m World Cup windfall
*To earn $12m if Eagles get to Rd 2
FIFA have revealed
the prize money to
be handed to federations
participating at the
Russia 2018 World Cup
and, like other
participants, the Nigeria
Football Federation are
guaranteed $8 million for
the group stages.
The prize is the least
that a participating
federation would earn as
the amount for going
further in the
competition rises.
While $8 million was
the same amount
received by countries
that only lasted in the
group phase of the 2014
World Cup in Brazil,
there is a significant
increase starting from
the knock-out phase.
The Super Eagles
under the late Stephen
Keshi fetched the then
Aminu Maigari-led
NFF $9 million for
getting to the round of
16 at the 2014 edition in
Brazil but fell 2-0 to
France. However,
should they achieve the
same feat in the
summer, they would be
making $12 million, $3
million more.
As opposed to $14
million handed to
quarter-finalists in
2014, teams unable to
progress past the lasteight
would receive $16
million.
Defending champions
Germany made for the
German Football
Association $35 million
while second-placed
Argentina were handed
$25 million,
Netherlands and hosts
Brazil $22 million and
$20 million for finishing
third and fourth
respectively.
In Russia, the winning
federation would get $38
million, while the
runners-up, third and
fourth teams would get
$28 million, $24 million
and $22 million
respectively for their
governing bodies.
Gernot Rohr’s side have
been pitted with Croatia,
Iceland and Argentina in
Group D. And they get
their campaign underway
with a tie against the Fiery
Ones at the Kaliningrad
Stadium on July 16.
Chinese Super League: Mikel shows class
in season’s opener
FORMER Chelsea
star John Obi Mikel
put in an impressive
defensive performance
as Tianjin Teda were
held to a 1-1 draw by
Hebei CFFC in their
Chinese Super League
opener on Saturday,
March 3.
The Super Eagles
captain was involved in
the build up to the
opening goal scored by
Over 40 teams set for 2018 Olagunju
Memorial Soccer tourney
YOUTHS from some
cities like Abeokuta,
Ibadan and Osogbo as
well as the 16 local government
areas of Kwara
state are gearing up for
the 2018 edition of the
annual Olagunju Memorial
Soccer competition
scheduled for later in the
year.
Sponsor of the competition
and founder of Linen
Christi Television, Prince
Soji Olagunju who disclosed
this at the weekend
said social recreation like
•Prince Olagunju
sporting activities can
help the youths integrate,
develop their talents and
follow their dreams,
thereby staying away
from social ills.
According to Olagunju,
“when you build the
youth, you are building
the community in particular
and the nation at
large”.
The competition which
has held for 11 unbroken
years with its products
playing for Kwara United
and some other league
clubs in the country, has
also grown in size from 16
teams that participated
last year to over 40 expected
in this year’s edition.
Hui Jiakang when he
stole the ball in midfield
and put a pass through
to Johnathan.
Mikel made a gamehigh
four tackles, along
with teammate Yang Fan
and Hebei CFFC number
21 Jiang Zhipeng.
In other key defensive
categories, the versatile
Mikel in action for Tianjin Teda
midfielder made one
interception and two
clearances.
He did not have a good
passing accuracy
though, with a success
rate of 61.4 percent, and
did not win or concede
any fouls over the course
of the ninety minutes he
spent on the Tianjin
Tuanbo Soccer Stadium
turf. Tianjin Teda saw
their lead evaporate with
four minutes left on the
clock when Zhang
Chengdong equalized.
They will return to
action next Sunday when
they take on Henan
Jianye at the Zhengzhou
Hanghai Stadium
(Zhengzhou).

SUNDAY Vanguard, MARCH 4, 2018
ACROSS
1 Space
4 Angels’ illuminants
9 Total
12 Past
13 Vote into office
14 Gorilla
15 Moon, for instance
17 Youngster
18 CDs’ forerunners
19 Winter weasel
21 Easter egg container
24 Golf props
25 “ The —Daba Honey-Moon”
26 Water barrier
28 Vaults
31 On pension(Abbr.)
33 In medias
35 Tragic
36 Speaks unclearly
38 Guy’s counterpart
40 Away from WSW
41 Regretted
43 Maestro, e.g.
45 Wisconsin, the—State
47 Slight amount
48 Genetic messenger
49 Duke Ellington
54 Whatever number
55 “Excavating for - “
56 Trouble
57 More (So)
58 Subsided
59 Ram’s mate
DOWN
1 Petrol
2 Khan title
3 Cauldron
4 Lent a hand
5 Outstanding athlete
6 Islander’s neckwear
7 Group of eight
8 Cordwood measures
9 Content
10 “Once – a time …?”
11 Apportion (out)
16 Wapiti
20 Anthropologist Margaret
21 Behind – (in jail)
22 First victim
23 Halves of weekends
27 “Little Women” woman
29 Sea eagle
30 Prognosticator
32 Pharmaceutical
34 Cracker type
37 Teeter-totter
39 Tilted
42 Pulitzer Prize category
See solution on page 5
44 Find o-Across
45 “Dracula” author Stoker
46 Actress Paquin
50 Can material
51 Have bills
52 Depressed
53 Shelter wire
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