12032018 - Banks hiding fraud cases from regulators — NDIC

Nine banks battle decline 

in interest income 

INSIDE 

FG raises excise duty on 

alcoholic drinks, tobacco 

Banker commits suicide as 

husband brings lover home 

14 

6 

VOL. 26: NO. 63503 MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

Banks hiding fraud cases 

from regulators — NDIC 

•Says banks lose N2.3bn to fraudsters in 2017 

•Adds electronic fraud accounts for N1.5bn of the loss 

ACCIDENT IN LAGOS 

SEE STORY ON 

PAGE 8 

Scene of an accident at Lekki toll gate, near Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos and rescue operation by LASEMA team, yesterday. 

AS PRESIDENT VISITS BENUE TODAY: What 

we want from Buhari, by Benue elders 5 

350 Niger Delta 

ex-militants to 

earn salaries 

soon —FG 

12 

TRCN warns 

13 sates 

owing 

teachers 

salaries 

COLUMNISTS OWEI 33 OCHEREOME 34 SOBOWALE 30 HENRY BOYO 31 

11 

Herdsmen: Buhari 

told us to stop 

encroachment on 

cattle routes 

— FAYOSE 

11 

Mr & Mrs

2 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 — 3


Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

HONOUR: From left: Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State; Group Managing Director, Access 

Bank Plc, Dr Herbert Wigwe; Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and the Emir of Gombe, HRH Abubakar 

Shehu-Abubakar, during the conferment of Honorary Doctorate degree of Business (Honoris Causa) on Wigwe by 

Gombe State University, weekend. 

AS President visits Benue today: What 

we want from Buhari, by Benue elders 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi & Peter 

Duru 

M AKURDI—As 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

visits Benue State today, 

stakeholders in the state 

have called on the 

President to take 

decisive action to end 

killings by herdsmen in 

the state. 

The presidential visit is 

coming about 10 weeks 

after the new year day 

massacre of farmers in 

Logo and Guma local 

government areas of the 

state and a week after 

the Omusu killings in 

Okpokwu Local 

Government Area of the 

state. 

A statement in 

Makurdi by Governor 

Samuel Ortom, through 

his Special Adviser on 

Media and ICT, Tahav 

Agerzua, said: “During 

the visit, the President 

shall pay a courtesy call 

on the Chairman of the 

Benue State Council of 

Chiefs, Tor Tiv IV, 

Professor James Ayatse. 

“In the course of the 

visit, the President will 

also hold a meeting with 

major stakeholders at the 

Benue Peoples House. 

President Buhari shall 

also visit one of the eight 

displaced persons’ 

camps in the state.” 

On what they expect 

from the President, 

Chairman of the ethnic 

leaders of the state and 

President General of 

Mdzough U Tiv, Chief 

Edward Ujege told 

Vanguard that the 

people of the state 

expect a decisive 

statement and action 

from the President to end 

the killings in the state. 

Chief Ujege said: 

“What we expect is for 

him to accept the anti 

open grazing law of 

Benue State and also 

direct the Inspector 

General of Police, IGP, to 

implement it so that we 

have peace in Benue 

State. 

“We also want them to 

stop the unnecessary 

attacks on Governor 

Ortom, especially the 

IGP and the government 

apparatus because it is 

not a good sign at all. 

“And he (the President) 

should stop the killings 

in Benue because as 

President of the country, 

it is within his powers to 

do so.” 

On his part, Team 

Leader of the Global 

Amnesty Watch 

Foundation, Terrence 

Kuanum said an end to 

the killings in Benue 

should be paramount to 

the President. 

Kuanum said: “We 

expect him to listen to the 

voice of reason and act as 

a leader, taking decisive 

actions to arrest the 

leadership of Miyetti 

Allah kautal Hore, who 

were allegedly fingered 

in the killings in Benue 

having threatened to 

resist the Open Grazing 

Prohibition Law of the 

state which came into 

effect on November 1. 

“He should without 

delay, declare that group 

a terrorist organisation; 

it is only that declaration 

that can bring the 

killings to an end. 

“So long as the leaders 

of the Miyetti Allah 

group are free, these 

killings will continue 

because they are the 

sponsors of the 

mercenaries and if the 

security personnel keep 

arresting mercenaries 

and leaving the 

sponsors, more 

mercenaries will be 

hired to kill innocent 

people. So, the 

President needs to offer 

leadership and be 

decisive so that these 

Continues on Page 44 

Police order for nationwide mop up of illegal arms (1) 

By Bose Adelaja, 

Bartholomew Madukwe & 

Frederick Okopie 

Iwill not say that the 

Police are not on the 

right track. However, 

telling vigilante organisations 

to submit their 

weapons while herdsmen 

carry weapons 

around is unacceptable. 

Herdsmen should be disarmed 

also because it is 

very unsafe to disarm 

those protecting our 

communities without disarming 

herdsmen. I 

expect Civil Society Organisations 

to urge the 

Police to do a more 

holistic work in that 

regard. 

*Japheth Omene, 

Graduate 

A 

situation where 

those who are supposed 

to bear arms are 

denied the right while 

cultists and herdsmen 

use arms freely is unhealthy. 

Cultism is another 

form of insecurity 

that needs to be tackled. 

But the government is 

chasing shadows. 

Mrs. Abubakar Salimol, 

Businesswoman 

We need good lead 

ership to wage 

war against illegal importation 

of arms. If the 

source of entry into the 

country is blocked, it will 

go a long way in solving 

the problem. I appeal to 

our leaders to take the 

bull by its horns and 

fight illegal importation 

of arms and leave a 

great legacy for our children. 

The proliferation 

of arms should be tackled 

alongside corruption. 

*Mrs. Olayiwola Olabisi, 

Midwife 

If I may ask you, what 

is the cost of AK47? Is 

it affordable to the masses? 

The ordinary man 

cannot afford to own a 

gun. I believe a cartel is 

responsible for the proliferation 

of arms in the 

country because they 

benefit from the sale of 

the guns. The Police 

should identify how the 

weapons come into the 

country and act on it. 

Making efforts to curtail 

the proliferation of arms 

is proactive in order to 

save the country from 

being wiped out. 

*Demola Tunde, 

Businessman 

The Police should 

beam its searchlight 

on anyone suspected of 

importing arms into the 

country and street urchins, 

who know where 

to easily buy guns. Anyone 

found to be in possession 

of arms illegally 

should be prosecuted 

and jailed when found 

guilty. 

It is unfortunate that 

criminals have amassed 

considerable power and 

the security agencies 

appear helpless. 

*Raji Raheem, 

Broadcaster 

The law is for every 

body but it appears 

that what the Police is doing 

would only favour 

some unscrupulous elements 

in the society. The 

influx of weapons promotes 

crime and the Police 

should recommend a 

tight control on firearms. 

We know that guns cannot 

be owned without a 

license in Nigeria. Therefore, 

the government 

should collect the weapons 

in the hands of criminals 

and even politicians. 

At the end of the exercise, 

the weapons collected 

should be destroyed. 

*Kazeem Shittu, 

Engineer

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

2 robbers 

killed in 

Ughelli, 3 

assault rifles 

recovered 

By Perez Brisibe 

U GHELLI— 

POLICEMEN 

drafted from the Ughelli 

‘A’ Division, yesterday, 

killed two members of a 

four-man robbery/kidnap 

gang terrorising Ughelli 

and its environs for the 

past couple of weeks. 

Two other members of 

the gang were reported to 

have escaped with bullet 

wounds following a fierce 

gun battle with a patrol 

team at the scene of the 

incident. 

Efforts to speak with 

Delta State Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP 

Andrew Aniamaka, were 

fruitless at press time. But 

a senior Police officer from 

Ughelli Area Command 

confirmed the incident 

when contacted. 

The Police source, who 

spoke on condition of 

anonymity, disclosed that 

three assault rifles, 

English-made revolver 

pistol, a pump action rifle, 

a locally-made gun and 

the Toyota Camry car used 

the robbers were 

recovered from the 

hoodlums. 

Giving details of how 

the incident occurred, the 

security source said: “We 

got information that a 

gang of robbers were 

operating at Aroh Road 

area of Ughelli. 

“A patrol team was 

immediately drafted to 

the scene, only for the 

gunmen to open fire on 

them, which was 

countered by the patrol 

team, leading to a gun 

battle. 

“At the end of the duel, 

two of the gunmen were 

killed, while two others 

fled into the bush with 

bullet wounds. 

“We believe that with the 

gravity of wounds, their 

corpses will be eventually 

recovered in the bush.” 

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

Banker commits suicide as her hus 

By Perez Brisibe The banker, aged 32, and and a bottle of soft drink was morgue of a private mortuary. 

mother of two, was founded dead 

U 

found by her lifeless body, The source said: “We believe she 

GHELLI—A female at her Iwhrekpokpor Road which was discovered in the returned home from work on that 

banker (names withheld) residence in Ughelli. 

house.” 

fateful day and ingested the 

attached to one of the new Sources in the area said her Confirming the incident, a mixture, but investigations into 

generation banks (name 

his 

husband had brought home senior Police officer attached to the matter are still ongoing.” 

withheld) along Market Road, mistress to stay with them. the Ughelli ‘B’ Division Police 

Ughelli, Delta State, reportedly According to a neighbour, who Station, Agbarha-Otor, Angry cow 

committed suicide over her 

husband’s infidelity. 

“an empty can of an insecticide 

spoke on condition of anonymity, 

since been deposited at the 

explained that her corpse has Also in Ughelli, there was 

pandemonium at Ughelli Main 

Mother of 4 burns maid with pressing iron, hot water 

•She beats my children—Suspect 

By Evelyn Usman & 

Esther Onyegbula 

LAGOS State Police 

Command has arrested a 

mother of four, who allegedly 

burnt her 10-year-old maid with 

a hot pressing iron in Ikeja, on 

the allegation that the maid was 

maltreating her children in her 

absence. 

The maid also has burns she 

claimed to have sustained from 

hot water allegedly poured on 

her by her boss. 

The victim was reportedly 

brought to Lagos two months 

ago, from her indigent 

widowed mother in Umuoju 

Ngwu area of Abia State. 

She alleged that life became 

a living hell as her boss, who 

she referred to as mummy, 

battered her at the slightest 

provocation. 

Vanguard was informed that 

neighbours told the suspect, 

Nkeiruka Ngwu, a petty trader 

that her children usually cry 

whenever she was away. 

While trying to force the truth 

out of the girl, Ngwu was 

alleged to have placed a hot 

pressing iron on her hands and 

legs last Wednesday. Not done, 

she was alleged to have poured 

hot water on her. 

The following day, she was 

said to have taken her children 

to school in the company of the 

injured maid, where some 

inquisitive mothers advised her 

to take the maid to hospital. 

The suspicious mothers were 

said to have reported the 

matter to the Lagos State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Imohimi Edgal, on Friday, after 

the injured girl was sighted 

bringing her boss’ children to 

the private school (name 

withheld) with her injuries 

unattended to. 

The command’s spokesman, 

Plateau: Death toll rises to 16—Police 

THE death toll from the attacks 

on communities in Plateau 

State has risen to 16, the Police have 

said, but residents claimed 25 

people have been killed. 

Residents blamed herdsmen for 

the attack on communities in 

Bokkos Local Government Area, 

including on the days President 

Muhammadu Buhari visited the 

state. 

Yesterday, the state’s Police 

Command confirmed the arrest of 

a herdsman with a military AK-47 

rifle. 

Terna Tyopev, the Command’s 

spokesman, who confirmed the 

arrest yesterday in Jos, gave the 

rifle’s number as HC2614. 

He said the herdsman, 

Muhammadu Bimini, was 

arrested by mobile police officers 

on March 8, at Daffo. 

Tyopev said the suspect had 

been transferred from Bokkos to 

the state Criminal Investigation 

Department, CID, in Jos and was 

already being interrogated. 

The Police spokesman said 16 

people had been confirmed killed 

The suspect (above) and the maid's injuries (right). 

Chike Oti, who confirmed the arrest, said: “As the 

suspect was about to drive off after dropping her 

children, she was confronted by women, who nearly 

beat her. 

“They were calmed by some teachers who heard 

their voices. The women told the suspect to take the 

girl to a hospital or else they would petition Lagos 

State Commissioner of Police.” 

“In spite of their warning to report her to the 

authorities, Mrs Ngwu came to the school on Friday, 

March 9, accompanied by the victim, whose injuries 

were manifestly untreated. 

“The women made good their promise to call the 

attention of the Commissioner of Police Lagos State to 

the matter. 

“Edgal immediately ordered her arrest and directed 

the Gender Section of the Command to take the childvictim 

to Police hospital for proper treatment, ensure 

that the girl is fed very well until the Social Welfare 

Department of the Lagos State Government come for 

the girl.” 

During interrogation, the suspect said: “She usually 

beats my children in my absence. Any time I am out, 

my neighbours said the children would cry all 

through.” 

in the multiple attacks on several 

villages between Wednesday, 

March 7, and Friday, March 9. 

He said the Command had 

deployed more personnel to 

restore peace to the troubled 

areas, and advised the people 

to remain calm and avoid 

taking laws into their hands. 

Meanwhile, community 

leaders, who briefed journalists 

in Jos yesterday, said 25 

people were killed in the 

attacks, while many others 

were still missing. 

•...25 people died—Residents 

Represented by Mamot 

Adams and Macham Makut, 

the community said the 

bodies of those killed were 

recovered and given mass 

burials on Friday and 

Saturday. 

The community leaders 

blamed the attacks on 

herdsmen and listed villages 

attacked to include 

Nghakudung, Shilim, Morok, 

Mandung, Faram, Filla and 

Hotom. 

Also attacked were Dai, 

Kungul, Hurum, Dahua, Malul, 

Warrem, Josho and Ganda. 

They said more than 5,000 

people had been displaced, 

adding that some of them were 

in camps run by Churches. 

They called on security 

agencies to intervene toward 

halting the attacks to restore 

permanent peace to the 

communities. 

“We want government to take 

urgent steps to end the attacks 

because our youths are already 

agitated,” one of the elders added.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018—7 


band brings lover home 

•Cow runs wild in Ughelli, injures many 

Market, Saturday morning, as a 

cow being led to the slaughter slab 

got loose from its handlers, 

injuring scores of persons in the 

area. 

A group of herdsmen were 

leading the cow from a cowshed 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Region Editor 

IN a move seen as bizarre and 

unbecoming of a public 

agency, authorities of the Kano 

International Airport have 

imposed fees on public toilets 

and bathrooms at the airport. 

Vanguard also observed that 

the Kano International Airport 

has slammed categories of fees 

on its parking lot, in addition 

to toll fees collected at the 

gate. 

Vanguard observed that the 

fee-attracting toilets and 

bathrooms are located at the car 

park of the airport. 

Vanguard correspondent, 

who disguised as a passenger 

in search of a toilet, was shown 

a range of fees to choose from 

and pay before being allowed 

into the dingy toilets and 

bathrooms, with leaking pipes 

and toilet bowls overflowing 

with faeces. 

In each of the poorlymaintained 

toilets, which are 

buried on the floor to make it 

impossible for anyone to sit on, 

large flies welcome visitors 

with uncomfortable noise, as 

they latch freely on the users’ 

bottoms. 

Foul odour oozing from the 

toilets is also highly repulsive, 

but some travellers, who have 

no choice, have to patronise 

them with serious discomfort. 

The serious deficiencies 

notwithstanding, a tall dark 

man, simply called Baba, 

stands at the entrance of the 

toilet to collect the prescribed 

fees before allowing users into 

them. 

Fees 

According to the fees pasted 

at the entrance of the toilet, the 

use of the facility for urination 

attracts a fee of N20; a visitor 

has to pay N50 for defecation 

and N100 for bathing. 

The most worrisome aspect of 

the payment is that the user 

must come with the exact 

denomination to pay for the 

particular service they require, 

as the ‘manager’ always claims 

to have ‘no change’ to give for 

any amount outside the 

prescribed fees. 

A top official of the Kano 

State Government, who 

wanted to use the toilet on 

Friday, was turned back on 

account of lack of ‘change,’ 

until he opted to donate the 

balance to the managers. 

“We never knew that this type 

at Awhinawhin area to an abbatoir 

at Oghenevweta Street, when the 

cow went berserk, running into 

passers-by. 

Recounting his ordeal, a 

commercial motorcycle operator, 

popularly known as Okada, said 

he narrowly missed being 

gored by the angered beast. 

The Okada rider, Davies Ejor, 

told Vanguard: “It attempted to 

use its horns on me. 

“I was lucky to have narrowly 

missed being gored. But I 

Travellers pay to use Kano Airport toilets, bathrooms 

of abomination was going on in 

this airport,” the angry 

government official complained 

to Vanguard and even drew his 

attention to the man 

collecting the illegal fees. 

An attempt to speak with 

officials of Federal Airport 

Kerosene explosions 

injure nine in Cross River 

By Emmanuel Unah 

CALABAR—NINE persons, 

including a 10-year-old boy 

are lying critically ill at the General 

Hospital, Calabar, the Cross River 

State capital, with severe burns 

from series of kerosene explosions 

in parts the state capital. 

Six of the victims are at the female 

ward, two at the male ward while 

one is at the Emergency Unit of the 

University of Calabar Teaching 

Hospital, UCTH. 

The burns, according to the 

victims, occurred while they were 

trying to refill their lamps and 

cooking stoves. 

Emane, wife of Michael Eze, 

who lives at 8 Miles, narrated to 

Vanguard that she bought the 

kerosene from a filling station and 

had been using it until yesterday 

morning at about 5a.m., when her 

husband tried to put on the lamp 

in the sitting room, which resulted 

in the explosion. 

According to her, “I used the 

kerosene last in February to cook 

beans, but at about 5a.m. on Sunday 

last week, the kerosene in our lamp 

ran out and my husband refilled it 

with kerosene. 

“When he tried to light it again, 

an explosion occurred and he was 

caught in the fire that resulted from 

One of the victims in hospital. 

the explosion.” 

Another victim, a middleaged 

lady nursing severe burns 

all over her body, who gave her 

name as Precious, said her 

lantern was about to go off at 

night and while trying to refill 

it, there was a sudden explosion 

that covered her in flames. 

Her words: “I tried to put out 

the fire, but the more I tried the 

sustained injuries.” 

However, the situation was 

brought under control when the 

angry beast was brought to its 

knees by its handlers, who were 

able to restrain it at the end of 

Ojokor Street. 

How much you pay (above) to use the 

convenience (left). PHOTOS: Soni Daniel. 

Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, 

at the airport proved 

abortive, as none of them 

wanted to talk to Vanguard. 

more the fire increased. 

So, I shouted and people 

came in and dragged me out of 

the house. I would have burnt 

to ashes.” 

She said the kerosene was 

bought from a shop along the 

street she lives in Calabar South 

and that there have been other 

cases of explosion in the 

neighbourhood. 

Rose, another victim with 

severe burns on her face, breast 

and belly, said she was trying 

to refill her stove while boiling 

water for the children to bath 

with before going to school, 

when the stove exploded. 

She said but for the 

intervention of neighbours, she 

would have been burnt to 

ashes. 

The elderly lady brought in 

from Akamkpa was still 

unconscious when Vanguard 

visited. 

Mr. Donatus Ugbe, Director 

of the Cross River Fire Service, 

said the explosions were caused 

by adulterated kerosene. 

He said: “A litre of fuel in the 

black market sells for N200, 

while kerosene sells for N250. 

So it is easy for people to mix 

the kerosene with fuel, which 

becomes highly combustible.” 

4 dead, 16 

injured in 

Lekki auto 

crash 

By Bose Adelaja 

FOUR 

persons 

reportedly died, 

while 16 others sustained 

severe injuries, yesterday, 

on Lekki/Epe 

Expressway, Lagos, in an 

accident involving a 

Lexus SUV and a 

commercial bus. 

The incident was said to 

have occurred at about 

6.30a.m. at First Gate 

inward Oriental Hotel, 

when the Lexus GX470, 

with number plates KJA- 

615DF, which was driving 

against the traffic, 

allegedly ran into the 

stationary commercial 

bus, with number plate, 

KRE-302XA, immediately 

leaving four people dead, 

while 16 others were 

injured and hospitalised. 

It was learned that the 

bus was just cleared by 

the ticketing officers at the 

toll gate before the fatal 

incident. 

The casualties were said 

to be three male adults 

and a female adult, while 

the injured were four 

female adults and 12 male 

adults, including the car 

driver. 

The incident, which 

disrupted traffic in the 

area was managed by 

traffic officials including 

Lagos State Emergency 

Management Agency, 

LASEMA, Response 

Team; Lagos State 

Ambulance Services, 

LASAMBUS; Rapid 

Response Squad, RRS; 

the Police; State 

Environmental 

Monitoring Unit, 

SEHMU, and other 

responders. 

Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, 

General Manager of 

LASEMA, said the 

vehicles were taken off the 

road with the aid of the 

agency’s light tow truck 

and subsequently handed 

over to LCC officials, who 

moved them to Maroko 

Police Station. 

Tiamiyu advised 

motorists to drive with 

caution, abstain from 

drinking alcohol and 

ensure road worthiness of 

vehicles, to avoid 

unnecessary loss of lives 

He, however, said that 

this particular incident 

will be investigated by 

security operatives while 

the State Government will 

also ensures prosecution 

of the culprit to serve as a 

deterrent to other 

motorists.

8—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief & 

Babajide Komolafe 

A BUJA—DEPOSIT 

Money Banks in the 

country are hiding cases of 

fraud from industry 

regulators, Nigeria Deposit 

Insurance Corporations, 

NDIC, revealed this in a 

statement, yesterday. 

Head, Communications 

and Public Affairs, NDIC, Mr. 


Banks hiding fraud cases from 

2017. 

regulators —NDIC 

Mohammed Ibrahim, 

disclosed this in a statement, 

saying: “The NDIC is to 

investigate some banks for 

the inadequate rendition of 

returns to the corporation 

on instances of fraud, 

forgeries and cases 

involving members of their 

staff who were either 

dismissed or had their 

appointments terminated 

on grounds of fraudulent 

activities. 

"Sections 35 and 36 of the 

NDIC Act No. 16 of 2006 

(as amended) requires all 

Deposit Money Banks, 

DMBs, to submit monthly 

information/returns on 

fraud and forgeries to the 

Corporation. 

“The NDIC made the 

decision in the light of the 

most recent report from its 

Off-Site Supervision of the 

DMBs, which revealed the 

number of fraud cases 

attributed to internal abuse 

by staff of banks increased 

from 231 in 2016, to 320 in 

2017, or 38.53 percent 

above the figure reported 

for the previous year. 

"The report relied on a 

total of 286 responses 

received from 26 banks 

during the period. There 

were 22 NIL monthly 

responses from the banks 

as at year ended December 

31, 2017. 

“The 286 responses 

received from banks in 2017 

cited 26,182 cases of fraud 

and forgeries which is 56.30 

percent higher compared to 

16,751 cases reported in 

2016. 

"Similarly, the amount 

involved in the fraudulent 

activities documented 

increased by N3.33 billion 

from the N8.68 billion 

reported in 2016 to N12.01 

billion in 2017 or 38 per 

cent. However, the 

expected/actual loss 

slightly-decreased by 

N24.42 million or 1.03 

percent from N2.39 billion 

in 2016 to N 2.37 billion in 

2017." 

Meanwhile, the NDIC has 

said banks lost N2.37 billion 

to fraud and forgeries in 

2017, while they sacked 320 

staff for their involvement. 

It said electronic frauds, 

including online/Internet and 

ATM/card related frauds, 

accounted for 92 percent or 

N1.5 billion of the losses 

suffered by the banks. 

It said incidences of fraud 

and forgeries rose by 56.3 per 

cent to 26,182 cases in 2017 

from 16,751 cases in 2016, 

while the amount involved 

increased by 38 per cent to 

N12 billion from N8.68 billion 

in 2016 

The corporation also 

disclosed that the number of 

banks’ staff sacked for 

HONOURED: From left, Dr. Mustapha Alimi, Medical Director, 

National Orthopaedic Hospital; Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar, 

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB; Justice Habeeb 

Abiru, Guest of Honour; Dr. Muiz Banire, Convener and his wife, 

Jemilat, during Muslims in National Development, MIND, special 

felicitation and prayer session in honour of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, 

Dr. Mustapha Alimi and Shayk Sulaiman Abou Nolla, Chief Imam 

of Lagos, in Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

Alleged $195m scam: Reps c’ttee 

report recommends cancellation of 

security contract 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—HOUSE of 

Representatives 

Committee on Public 

Petitions, after concluding its 

investigative hearing on 

alleged $195 million contract 

scam awarded to an Israeli 

firm in its report has 

recommended an outright 

cancellation of the contract as 

it would lead to a capital flight 

of over $200 million. 

The report, which was laid 

before the House last 

Tuesday, also demanded that 

Nigerian Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, should 

stop funding the contract 

immediately as it was not 

appropriated for. 

A reliable source privy to 

this development 

toldVanguard that “even the 

offshore company, an Israeli 

firm, HLSI Security, is not an 

Israeli firm as it was 

registered in Seyechilles and 

has its headquarters in 

Cyprus. 

The source explained that 

“the Nigerian agent’s 

company does not have any 

traceable record with the 

Corporate Affairs 

Commission, CAC. We had 

involvement in fraud and 

forgeries increased by 38.53 

per cent to 320 in 2017 from 

231 in 2016. 

Ibrahim stated: “Internet/ 

online-banking and ATM/ 

card-related fraud-types 

reported constituted 24,266 or 

92.68 percent of all the 

reported cases, resulting in 

N1.51 billion or 63.66 percent 

of losses in the industry in 

•Insists contract'll lead to 

capital flight of over $200m 

written to CAC and for more 

than three weeks no 

response till date, meaning 

that the company is faceless.“ 

The lawmakers 

recommended that Messrs 

Shoreface consortium 

proposal, widely consulted 

and studied by Executive 

and National Assembly 

should be encouraged as it 

puts no financial stress nor 

security threats on Nigeria. 

It will be reecalled that the 

Minister of Transportation, 

Mr Chibuike Amaechi; 

Director-General of 

NIMASA, Dakuku 

Peterside, and top Navy 

echelon had appeared 

before the committee on 

January 30. 

After the hearing, the 

committee gave the minister 

a 72-hour ultimatum to 

supply all the documents 

concerning the contract. 

Until the report was laid 

last Tuesday, no document 

was submitted for further 

investigation. 

Expressing concern over 

the documents, Chairman of 

Committee on Public 

Petitions, Uzoma Nkem- 

Abonta, had stated during 

the last hearing: “We have 

been demanding these 

"The report also 

documented other 

miscellaneous crimes such as 

fraudulent transfers/ 

withdrawals, cash 

suppression, unauthorised 

credits, fraudulent conversion 

of cheques, diversion of 

customer deposits, diversion 

of bank charges, presentation 

of forged or stolen-cheques 

among others." 

documents and we have 

received no responses. This 

is about the 8th hearing on 

this issue. 

“If the contractual 

documents and agreements 

cannot be produced within 

the next 72 hours, we will be 

forced to close this matter 

and make our 

recommendations to the 

House.” 

You’re fanning embers of 

disunity in APC, Audu/ 

Faleke’s group tells Gov 

Bello 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

THE 

Audu/Faleke 

Political Organistion in 

Kogi State, yesterday, 

warned that the actions of 

Governor Yahaya Bello 

were capable of thwarting 

the reconciliation efforts of 

the Ahmed Tinubu-led 

presidential committee, 

alleging that the governor 

was fanning the embers of 

disunity within the state 

chapter of All Progressives 

Congress, APC. 

The campaign 

organisation in a statement 

by Senator Alex Kadiri, in 

Abuja, while charging the 

Tinubu committee to 

urgently focus on ending 

the differences among APC 

political gladiators in Kogi 

State, however, accused the 

state government of 

persisting in planting seeds 

of disunity in the party. 

Recently, the group said 

the governor was funding 

a parallel state party 

executive, an act it 

described 

as 

unconstitutional and 

capable of undermining 

the good intentions of the 

reconciliation committee set 

up by President 

Muhammadu Buhari. 

Kadiri stated that the 

Kaduna DPR seals petrol 

stations in Zaria, others 

By Ben Agande 

KADUNA —Kaduna 

State office of 

Department of Petroleum 

Resources, DPR, weekend, 

sealed seven petrol stations 

in Zaria and its environs for 

selling fuel above the 

government approved 

price of N145 per litre. 

The DPR also warned 

that it may also revoke the 

licences of some petroleum 

stations that were in the 

habit of creating artificial 

scarcity in order to create 

anxiety in the minds of the 

public. 

In a statement in 

Kaduna, Public Relations 

Officer of the DPR in the 

state, Rabiu Bello, said 

other petrol stations that 

were found to have violated 

extant rules were fined 

while others had their 

licences suspended for 

three months. 

He said: “In response to 

information received from 

patriotic Nigerians 

regarding sales of Premium 

Motor Spirit, PMS, above 

the government approved 

pump price of N145/litre in 

Zaria town and some 

remote locations around 

Zaria, the Department of 

Petroleum Resources 

deployed on surveillance 

exercise around those 

areas." 

group’s enthusiasm as 

belonging to the APC is 

“dampened by the 

assumption by most 

Nigerians that the issue in 

Kogi APC is merely 

between Governor Bello 

and Senator Dino Melaye. 

“We the stakeholders/ 

elders and the state 

executive of the party does 

not believe in the way and 

manner the matters of 

governance and political 

activities are being 

conducted in Kogi State by 

Governor Bello, all of which 

are divisive and 

destructive.” 

He warned that the 

activities of the Kogi State 

Government constitute a 

threat to the cohesive 

survival of the APC, adding 

that such acts of 

belligerence and 

insubordination against this 

all-important presidential 

assignment from any 

quarters must be nipped in 

the bud. 

While commending 

Buhari in appointing 

Tinubu to head of the APC 

national reconciliation 

committee, the group said 

it saw the development as 

not only a step in the right 

direction, but a life saving 

measure at a time when 

the party is deeply 

enmeshed in crisis all over 

the country. 

SDP pledges to restructure 

Nigeria 

By Dirisu 

Yakubu 

A BUJA—SOCIAL 

Democratic Party, SDP, 

has pledged to work 

tirelessly in the realisation of 

a restructured and functional 

federalism for the nation 

even as it chided All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, for lacking the political 

maturity to govern the nation 

democratically. 

The party stated this at its 

maiden National 

Communications Strategy 

meeting in Abuja, 

describing itself as the only 

ideologically-driven political 

party in the country. 

Briefing newsmen at the 

end of the meeting, 

spokesperson of the party, 

Adakole Ijogi said the SDP 

will put to an end all forms 

of corruption, noting that the 

government of President 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

brought nothing but untold 

pain and hardship on 

Nigerians. 

Ijogi said: “We have 

observed that the gross lack 

of capacity in managing the 

economy and the political 

immaturity in governance by 

the APC-led Federal 

Government has brought 

untold hardship, increased 

sectarian violence and 

polarised the nation into 

ethnic and religious camps. 

In fact, the last three years 

have been tales of 

disillusionment, despair and 

disenchantment. 

“The meeting 

unanimously resolved to be 

issue based in all its media 

and communications 

engagements, in its bid to 

firmly re-positioned the SDP, 

which is the only ideology 

driven political party in 

Nigeria."

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018—9 


Killing of 1,351: We've arrested 

many suspects nationwide —Police 

•Stop fire brigade approach, Ohanaeze tells govt 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi, Dennis 

Agbo & Peter 

Okutu 

ABUJA—SOME of those 

who took part in the 

killing of no fewer than 1,351 

Nigerians across the country, 

since the beginning of this 

year, have been arrested, the 

Police have said. 

Reacting to Vanguard’s 

exclusive report, yesterday, 

which showed from recorded 

cases that 10 weeks into 2018, 

the country lost 1,351 to 

violent deaths via Boko 

Haram insurgency, 

herdsmen/farmers clashes, 

kidnappings, ritual killings 

and auto accidents among 

others, the Force 

Headquarters said the Police 

have arrested hundreds of 

suspects in Zamfara, 

Adamawa, Taraba, Benue 

and Kaduna states. 

The Police said more 

suspects were still being 

arrested following directive of 

Inspector-General of Police, 

IGP, Ibrahim Idris. Apart from 

their arrests, many of these 

suspects are already facing 

prosecution while others will 

be taken to court as soon as 

investigations into the roles 

they played are concluded. 

Assistant Commissioner of 

Police, ACP, Jimoh Moshood, 

Force Public Relations 

Officer, FPRO, who made the 

disclosure to Vanguard, 

expressed concern about the 

number of deaths as captured 

by Vanguard report, saying 

he did not understand the 

criteria used in arriving at the 

figures. 

Moshood, however, stated 

that in response to violent 

situations that arose 

anywhere in the country, the 

police responded swiftly with 

the deployments of additional 

men and equipment, noting 

that in Benue, Zamfara, 

Adamawa and Taraba states, 

for instance, the IGP directed 

and ensured the 

deployments of squadrons of 

units to contain the situations. 

But for the Police 

intervention, the violence 

would have spread to other 

parts of the country, adding 

that in most of these places, 

calm and normalcy have 

been restored by the police. 

He cited the large number 

of suspects who are facing 

prosecution in Kaduna, 

Zamfara, and Benue states as 

evidence that the directives 

of the IGP that anyone 

arrested in connection with 

the violent killings be 

prosecuted, were being 

carried out. 

Stop fire brigade 

approach to 

killings, Ohanaeze 

tells FG 

Menawhile, Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo has urged the 

Federal Government to stop 

what it described as fire 

brigade approach to 

persistent and rampant 

killings across the country. 

Noting that the number of 

actual deaths from violent 

killings was more than 1,351, 

National Publicity Secretary of 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr 

Uchenna Achi, said Nigeria 

had been perfumed with lies 

and deceit. 

He said: “That over 1,000 

Nigerians have been killed by 

Boko Haram, herdsmen and 

others is a mere 

understatement. There is no 

proper or accurate record 

anywhere in Nigeria and I 

stand to be constructively 

controverted. Apart from that 

Nigeria is currently perfumed 

with deceits and lies." 

GALA NIGHT: From left, Teija Vallandinbham of UNICEF; 

Chairman, Blaugrana International Group, Leslie Oghomienor; 

Country Representative, Nigeria, UNICEF, Mr Mohamed Fall and 

Chief of Field Office Partnership, UNICEF, Manuel Rosini, during 

a Gala Night of Legends for Children in Abuja 

Ekweremadu denies calling for 

military coup 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—DEPUTY 

Senate President, Dr 

Ike Ekweremadu, 

weekend, distanced himself 

from an alleged statement 

making the rounds that he 

called for a military coup 

in the country. 

Ekweremadu made the 

clarification at a dinner held 

in his honour in Yenagoa, 

Bayelsa State and other 

parliamentarians from 

African countries by 

Governor Seriake Dickson 

of the state. 

He maintained that his 

comments on the floor of the 

Senate were misconstrued, 

insisting that he will never 

make derogatory 

statements against the 

Nigerian military, which 

according to him, 

remained one of the best 

fighting forces in the 

continent. 

Ekweremadu said: 

“Before I close, let me just 

tell you one unfortunate 

incident that happened last 

week. We had one of our 

colleagues from Kogi who 

was hosting a constituency 

briefing and empowerment 

programme. He alleged 

that the government 

sponsored thugs to come 

and chase away people and 

disrupt the programme and 

distroy equipment he 

bought for his people. 

"We condemned such acts, 

especially where in a 

particular case, the property 

of a parliamentarian was 

destroyed. We condemned 

a case whereby 

parliamentarians were 

stopped from holding 

meetings and where a 

parliamentarian was 

stopped from coming to a 

state where he was 

governor for eight years. 

“We warned that it was 

this kind of reckless abuse 

of power and impunity that 

scuttled our democracy 

earlier, especially in the first 

republic and I cautioned 

that politicians should not 

take things for granted. Of 

course, some people took it 

out of context and said I was 

calling for a military coup. 

I never called for a military 

coup. I never said the 

military was planning any 

coup." 

Nigeria’s External 

Reserves hit $46bn 

By Babajide 

Komolafe 

NIGERIA’S External 

Reserves now stand at 

$46 billion as at the close of 

business on March 9, 2018. 

Figures obtained from 

the Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, weekend, 

indicate that the reserves 

grew by about $3.2 billion 

between February and 

March 2018. The reserves 

at the beginning of 2018 

stood at $39.3 billion, then 

rose to $42.8 billion in 

February before hitting the 

new high of $46 billion. 

Confirming the figures, 

CBN Acting Director, 

C o r p o r a t e 

Communications 

Department, Mr Isaac 

Okorafor, attributed the 

continued accretion to the 

country’s reserves to the 

bank’s effort at vigorously 

discouraging unnecessary 

importation and reducing 

the nation’s import Bill; 

inflow from oil and non-oil 

exports, as well as the huge 

inflows through the 

investors and exporters 

window of the foreign 

exchange market, which he 

said had attracted over $33 

billion since April 2017, 

when it was created. 

At the close of 

commodities trading on 

March 9, 2018, Brent 

Crude, sold at $65.49 a 

barrel up by 2.54 percent. 

Nothing new about N13.5m 

monthly entitlement for 

senators —Senate 

By Emmanuel 

Aziken 

THE Senate has 

d i s m i s s e d 

insinuations of mutterings 

in the Senate over the 

revelation by Senator 

Shehu Sani that N13.5 

million was used in 

maintaining a senator per 

month. 

This came as Femi 

Falana, SAN, human 

rights lawyer, said Senator 

Sani’s revelation has 

proved that Nigerian 

legislators are the highest 

paid in the world. 

Falana said Sani’s 

disclosure validates a 

statement made to that 

effect by Itse Sagay, 

chairman, Presidential 

Advisory Committee 

Against corruption, 

PACAC. 

He commended the 

senator representing 

Kaduna Central for 

“blowing the whistle on a 

matter of crucial national 

importance.” 

Reacting on its part, the 

Senate said there was 

nothing new in the 

disclosure and that senators 

were not up in arms against 

Sani over the disclosure. 

Senate spokesman, 

Senator Aliyu Abdullahi, 

said it was nothing new as, 

according to him, the same 

information had been in 

various line items and 

expenditure heads of the 

budget of the National 

Assembly, which has been 

made public. 

Falana wants 

RMAFC to take 

action on the 

matter 

Falana, however, called 

on the presidency to ensure 

that the Revenue 

Mobilisation, Allocation and 

Fiscal Commission, 

RMAFC, takes action on 

the matter. 

“For the first time since 

May 1999, the Senator 

disclosed the jumbo 

emoluments of the members 

of the upper chamber of the 

National Assembly. 

According to the Senator, 

the running cost of each 

Senator is N13.1 million in 

addition to a consolidated 

salary of N750,000 per 

month,” he said in a 

FG hails Mo, 

Chimamanda, 

Omotola, 

calls them 

great 

ambassadors 

THE 

Federal 

Government has 

congratulated Mo Abudu, 

Chimamanda Adichie and 

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, 

over the honours recently 

bestowed on them on the 

global stage, calling them 

great ambassadors of 

Nigeria. 

In a statement in Abuja, 

yesterday, Minister of 

Information and Culture, 

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said 

the three honorees are iconic 

women in the creative 

industry who have brought 

great honour not only to 

themselves, their families 

and their industry, but also 

to the country. 

He described as well 

deserved the listing of Mo 

Abudu, Chief Executive 

Officer, CEO, of EbonyLife 

TV, and Nollywood star, 

Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde 

among the top 50 women 

"who are doing extraordinary 

things on the worldwide 

stage" by Variety magazine, 

a weekly American 

entertainment magazine.

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

Suspend Cameroon over 

alleged torture of 47 political 

activists, others — SERAP 

By Abdulwahab 

Abdulah 

L AGOS—SOCIO- 

ECONOMIC Rights 

and Accountability Project, 

SERAP, has called on the 

African Union, AU, 

Chairperson and President 

of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, 

to suspend the rights of 

membership of Cameroon 

from the AU to end alleged 

torture and ill-treatment of 

47 political activists forcibly 

returned to Cameroon by 

the Nigerian authorities. 

In a statement, yesterday, 

by its Deputy Director, 

Timothy Adewale, SERAP 

stated that the suspension 

would force the Cameroon 

government to stop what it 

termed, “enforced 

disappearances, politically 

motivated trials, and gross 

and systematic violations of 

We’ll resist any undemocratic 

take-over of govt in Nigeria, 

Labour warns 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young 

L 

A G O S — 

ORGANIZED 

labour, yesterday, warned 

that irrespective of several 

challenges facing the 

country, it would resist any 

illegal and undemocratic 

takeover of government in 

Nigeria, saying it was 

disturbed by some subtle 

insinuations from some 

quarters that the military 

would venture into the 

politics of the country. 

Speaking through the 

Association of Senior Civil 

Servants of Nigeria, 

ASCSN, labour cautioned 

those mooting the idea to 

desist from throwing 

Nigeria into anarchy. 

ASCSN ‘s position came 

on the heels of reports 

credited to the Deputy 

Senate President, Ike 

Ekwueremadu, during a 

debate on the floor of the 

Senate, in respect of the 

political killings in parts of 

the country, where he 

allegedly stated: “who says 

that the army cannot take 

over in Nigeria. It is 

possible.” 

In a statement issued in 

Lagos, ASCSN President, 


citizens’ human rights in 

the country.” 

In a three-point 

demand, SERAP urged 

the AU Constitutive Act, 

to hold an Ordinary 

Session of the Assembly of 

the AU to suspend the 

government of Cameroon 

from the organization if 

within a specific time frame 

it does not release the 47 

political activists, end 

politically motivated trials 

of opposition leaders and 

civil society activists. 

Beside, it called for 

full accountability for the 

perpetrators of human 

rights abuses, including 

prosecutions of all 

persons responsible, in 

accordance with 

international due process 

standards, as well as 

appropriate remedies for 

victims of abuses. 

Comrade Bobboi Bala 

Kaigama, and the 

Secretary-General, 

Comrade Alade Bashir 

Lawal, contended that any 

takeover of government by 

military again would take 

the country 50 years 

backward. 

The statement said: “It is 

common knowledge that 

since the military toppled 

the democratically elected 

government of Sir Tafawa 

Balewa in 1966, suspended 

the 1963 Federal 

Constitution and imposed a 

unitary system of 

government, the country’s 

growth has been stunted. 

We are also aware that all 

democracies in the world 

including that of the United 

States of America, Canada, 

Europe, etc, are not perfect 

but are still evolving and 

being improved upon.'' 

“The shortcomings being 

experienced in building 

democratic institutions in 

Nigeria were not peculiar 

and that with time, some of 

the flaws would be rectified. 

“Thus, under no 

circumstances should 

individuals, no matter how 

highly placed, should begin 

to hint of military takeover 

of government in Nigeria.'' 

Don't sign CFTA, Labour, ex-NACCIMMA 

boss, others beg Buhari 

•Say it'll destroy Nigerian economy, worsen employment crisis 

By Victor Ahiuma- 

Young & Babatunde 

Jimoh 

ORGANISED Labour, 

weekend, pleaded 

with President 

Muhammadu Buhari not to 

sign the African 

Continental Free Trade 

Agreement CFTA, slated 

for signing on March 21 in 

Kigali, Rwanda , warning 

that it would destroy the 

nation’s economy. 

Speaking through the 

Nigeria Labour Congress, 

NLC, Labour expressed 

surprise that at a time 

nations, including the 

United States of America, 

USA, were resorting to 

protectionism in defence of 

their local businesses and 

protection of jobs, “agents 

of neo-colonialism and 

imperialism had the 

audacity to want to fling 

open Nigeria’s doors, 

windows and roof tops. 

In a statement by NLC 

President, Ayuba Wabba, 

Labour said: “There is a 

renewed, extremely 

dangerous and radioactive 

neo-liberal policy initiative 

being driven by the 

Ministry of Trade and 

Investment , that seeks to 

open our seaports, airports 

and other businesses to 

unbridled foreign 

interference, never before 

witnessed in the history of 

the country. This policy 

initiative, for instance, will 

make it possible for a 

foreign airline to directly do 

local scheduled flights 

without employing 

Nigerians. Owing to the 

sensitivity of this policy or 

its possible fall-outs on our 

economy, those driving it 

were directed to consult the 

Nigerian local business 

community and organised 

labour. 

“However, we at the 

organised labour were not 

consulted. Information 

reaching us suggests that 

the relevant business 

community has not been 

consulted. The drivers of 

this policy initiative, without 

consulting the relevant 

stake holders for possible 

impact assessment, have 

perfected a document 

which President 

Muhammadu Buhari will 

sign at Kigali on March 

21, 2018. We at the NLC are 

shocked by the sheer 

impunity or blatant lack of 

consultation in the process 

that has led to this.” 

RETIREMENT SERVICE: From left: Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, Commissioner 

for Establishments, Training and Pensions; Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba, outgoing 

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; her husband, Dr. Kola Ibirogba and Hon. 

Adedayo Famaknwa, Chairman, House Committee on Establishments Training, 

Pensions and Public Service, during the Last Day in Office ceremony in honour of 

retiring Mrs. Clara Ibirogba, retirement thanksgiving service and her 60th birthday 

celebration at Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Lagos. Photo by Bunmi Azeez. 

Canadian warships arrive 

Nigeria first time in 108 yrs 

•Pledges to strengthen bilateral ties with 

Nigerian Navy 

By Evelyn Usman 

LAGOS—FOR the first 

time in the 108 years 

existence of the Royal 

Canadian Navy, two of its 

warships: HMCS 

Summerside and HMCS 

kingston, visited Nigeria 

weekend, with a view to 

establishing a relationship 

that will enhance the 

Nigerian Navy’s efficiency 

in the Gulf of Guinea. 

The warships, HMCS 

Kingston and HMCS 

Summerside, which are 

first class coastal defence 

vessels of the Royal 

Canadian Navy, have 

served in the Canadian 

Forces since 1996 and 1999 

respectively. They have 75 

crew members led by the 

Commander, Royal 

Canadian Navy , Vice Adm. 

Ron Llyod. 

Speaking during a visit to 

the Flag Officer, 

Commanding Western 

Naval Command , FOC, 

Rear Admiral Sylvanus 

Abbah, Llyod stated that 

the visit would provide an 

opportunity for the two 

navies to synergise. 

He further stated that 

during the one -week stay 

in Nigeria, the warships 

would participate in 

Obagame Express, a 

maritime exercise 

conducted by the United 

States of America Forces, 

that is designed to 

enhance cooperation 

among participating 

nations, in order to improve 

maritime safety and security 

in the Gulf of Guinea. 

Llod said: “This visit is 

aimed at fostering the 

existing bilateral 

relationships and to boost 

capacity of military 

personnel in Nigeria. We 

are looking into supporting 

our excellency (High 

Commissioner) with respect 

to Canadian relationship in 

Nigeria and we are proud 

to have two Canadian 

ships: HMCS Summer Side 

and HMCS Kingston that 

will operate in the exercise.” 

Also in his remark, the 

Canadian High 

Commissioner to Nigeria, 

Mr Christopher 

Thornley reinstated his 

country’s commitment to 

work with the Nigerian 

Navy as part of the bilateral 

relationship. 

He said: “ “Our bilateral 

relationship is going on and 

this is a step in the right 

direction to see military 

cooperation as part of 

multilateral exercise 

Operation Obagame .” 

Corroborating NLC, an 

international trade expert 

and former Director General 

of Nigeria Association of 

Chambers of Commerce 

Industries Mines and 

Agriculture, NACCIMMA, 

Dr John Isemede, said 

Nigeria would not gain 

from the agreement if 

signed. 

Isemede said: “There is 

a need to review trade 

agreements and policies at 

this time because most of 

the developed countries we 

see today grew by closing 

down their borders for a 

while." 

Similarly, a leading 

Consultant and trainer in 

small business 

development, Mr. Henry 

Agbebire, said: “Although 

the the focus of the CFTA 

agreement is to increase 

Africa’s industrial and trade 

capacity, however, nearly 

85% of the goods traded in 

Africa come from outside the 

continent as against the 

15% produced locally, 

which has led to an annual 

food import bill of over $35 

billion.'' 

Land Use 

Charge’ll 

lessen burden 

— CPA 

THE Centre for Public 

Accountability, CPA, has 

thrown its weight behind 

the Lagos State over its 

Land Use Charge saying it 

will lessen burden on the 

less privileged. 

In a statement by its 

Executive Director, Olufemi 

Lawson, the CPA faulted 

critics of the Land Use 

Charge 

The group stated that “ the 

fact speaks for itself that the 

aim of the law is to ensure 

that properties are property 

and progressively valued 

with a lesser burden on the 

less privileged. It should be 

added that the value of 

properties also varies from 

one location to the other.” 

The statement reads in 

part: “CPA notes that it has 

become a norm in our 

country that most 

privileged individuals in 

our country only want to 

benefit maximally from the 

society without giving 

anything back as a 

birthright. 

"We call on Lagosians to 

join hands at ensuring that 

even when there is en-even 

development in various 

areas of the State, that there 

is also a combined 

development whereby 

those areas that are more 

socio-economically 

advanced give a helping 

hand to bring up areas that 

are still crawling. This is 

the main social kernel of 

this land use charge; it is 

a tip of social redistribution 

of growth and 

social equity to all. The 

super-rich should stop 

crying wolf and pay up.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 — 11 


OBSEQUIES FOR LATE MADAM MENSAH: From left; Kobla Mensah, Ifua 

Mensah; Freddie Mensah; Christianah Mensah; Josephine Mensah and Esther 

Mensah, sons and daughters in Laws during the requiem mass for the peaceful repose 

of the soul of Late Mama Ellen Bibiana Mensah (who died aged 95 years) at St Leo's 

Catholic Church, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos on Friday. Photos by Lamidi Bamidele. 

HERDSMEN: Buhari told us to stop 

encroachment on cattle routes — FAYOSE 

•We won’t dignify gov with a response — Presidency 

•As Gani Adams urges OPC members to be vigilant 

By Dapo Akinrefon, 

with Agency Reports 

A DO-EKITI— 

GOVERNOR 

Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti 

State has said that President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

directed governors to ensure 

people do not block “cattle 

routes” in their states. 

This was as the Aare 

Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, 

Dr Gani Adams has called 

on members of the Oodua 

Peoples Congress, OPC, to 

be vigilant and watchful 

against the illegal activities 

of the herdsmen, who 

attack and kill innocent 

people across the country. 

Fayose, while quoting the 

president, said: “People are 

building houses to block 

cattle routes.” 

However, when contacted 

on the matter, the Senior 

Special Assistant on Media 

and Publicity to the 

President, Mallam Garba 

Shehu said the Presidency 

will not dignify the Ekiti 

governor with a response. 

Fayose, who was 

TRCN warns 13 states owing teachers 

salaries 

By Ola Ajayi 

I BADAN—THE 

Teachers Registration 

Council, TRCN, has 

threatened to take decisive 

action against the 13 debtor 

governors owing their 

teachers backlog of salaries 

and other allowances 

despite the bailouts they 

had received from the 

Federal Government. 

The Chief Executive and 

Registrar, TRCN, Prof 

Segun Ajiboye said while 

speaking with newsmen in 

Ibadan on welfare 

packages the council had 

I'm ready to dislodge PDP from 

Ekiti — OJUDU 

By Abdulwahab 

Abdulah 

A SPECIAL DO-EKITI— 

Adviser 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhari on Political Matters, 

Senator Babafemi Ojudu 

has said he is ready to lead 

the battle to dislodge the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, led by Governor 

Ayodele Fayose from Ekiti 

State. 

He made the disclosure, 

weekend, while declaring 

to contest for the 

governorship ticket of the 

platform of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

Ojudu said he has 

consulted adequately 

before taking the decision 

to contest for the race. 

According to Senator 

Ojudu, every stakeholder, 

within and outside the 

state, are desirous “and 

yearning for a positively 

different life and are ready 

to do whatever it takes to 

re-launch our party to 

liberate Ekiti.” 

Urging stakeholders to 

support all efforts in rooting 

out the PDP led 

administration in Ekiti 

State, Ojudu said “From 

our interactions, we are in 

agreement that without 

good governance, we 

cannot liberate our people, 

we cannot provide jobs for 

our ever-increasing 

unemployed population." 

speaking during a 

programme on Ekiti State 

Television, EKTV, said 

Buhari made the comments 

during the Federal 

Executive Council meeting 

“last week.” 

Fayose said the president 

has not done enough to 

tackle the continuous 

clashes between farmers 

and herdsmen in the 

country, adding that “If I 

were to be president of 

Nigeria, I will not act the 

way President Buhari is 

behaving (regarding the 

for the teachers. 

Ajiboye said: “It is 

surprising that after three 

tranches of bailouts by the 

federal government to states 

across the country, no fewer 

than 13 states still owe their 

teachers. 

“You can’t get the best from 

these teachers when you 

continue to owe them 

salaries and allowances. 

Our conclusion on the 

states owing teachers will 

be made known soon.” 

While hinting that the 

sum of N100million has 

been set aside for teachers’ 

welfare in the 2018 budget, 

he said teachers must be 

appreciated for their 

contributions to the growth 

of Nigeria and for their 

worth. 

On competency tests 

being organised by 

governors for teachers in 

their states, Ajiboye 

maintained that Nigerian 

teachers are not afraid of 

competency tests but 

what the Nigerian Union of 

Teachers, NUT, is saying is 

that it will participate in 

tests organised by the 

TRCN which is the 

regulatory body 

empowered to do so. 

From right; Hewland Mensah; Estella Mensah; Ajua Mensah, 

grandchildren and other members of the family at the church service. 

crisis).” 

He said similar incidents 

have happened in countries 

like Ghana and “they took 

decisive decision.” 

He said: “The president 

must be courageous 

enough to end these 

mindless killings. He is the 

president and has what it 

takes. If I am the president, 

I will take appropriate steps 

and stand it down. A 

criminal is a criminal, 

whether Hausa man or 

Yoruba man. If you commit 

crime, you go in for it. 

“I remember when we 

were in a meeting last 

week; the president was 

saying that people are 

blocking cattle routes. Have 

you heard that before? How 

can the president say 

people are blocking cattle 

routes? There is no cattle 

route in Ekiti in the 21st 

century. 

“The president of Nigeria 

was saying governors 

should go and make sure 

they don’t block cattle 

routes. He said people are 

building houses to block 

cattle routes. I was 

laughing; I didn’t know 

what to say in council. I just 

left.” 

Be vigilant, Gani Adams 

charges OPC 

Relatedly, the Aare 

Onakakanfo of Yorubaland 

has warned herdsmen not 

to take undue advantage of 

the accommodating nature 

of the Yoruba race. 

Speaking at 2018 edition 

of the Leadership Training 

Retreat in Ibadan, Oyo 

state, he said leadership is 

about service to humanity. 

Restating his commitment 

to defend the interests of the 

Yoruba race, he said: ”The 

Yoruba by nature are very 

accommodating, we are 

brave and courageous, 

however, we will not allow 

the indiscriminate killings of 

our people, we will resist 

any attempt by the 

herdsmen to spill innocent 

blood in the southwest.” 

I remain an Oba, Olukere replies 

Ekiti monarchs 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI — THE 

Olukere of Ikere- 

Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu 

Obasoyin, yesterday, 

dismissed the claim 

credited to the Ekiti State 

Council of Obas, that he 

should not be addressed as 

an Oba, insisting that he 

remains a traditional ruler 

in Ekiti State. 

Obasoyin said the 

Council acted prejudicial 

and unnecessary hasty by 

issuing a statement that he 

should not be addressed or 

recognised as a traditional 

ruler when a panel set up 

by the body on his status 

was yet to release its report. 

Speaking with newsmen 

at his palace on Sunday, 

Olukere said the Council 

acted beyond their powers 

by issuing such statement, 

saying was made an Oba 

by his community and 

derives his sovereignty 

from them and not from the 

Council of Obas. 

The Ekiti Council of 

Traditional Rulers, through 

its chairman, the Oloye of 

Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole 

Ademolaju issued a 

statement last Thursday 

insisting that the Olukere 

should not be addressed as 

a monarch since he was yet 

to be recognized as such by 

the state government. 

But Obasoyin described 

the latest drama playing out 

as “the hand of Esau and 

the voice of Jacob”, just as 

he advised Obas in the 

state not to allow 

themselves to be used by 

politicians. 

His words: “I was not the 

person that made Olukere 

an Oba; before I was born, 

Olukere had been known 

as an Oba in the whole of 

Yoruba land even though 

he had not gotten letter of 

recognition from the 

government." 

Akeredolu accuses health 

workers of sharp practices 

By Dayo johnson 

A 

K U R E — 

GOVERNOR 

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo 

State has accused some 

health workers at the state 

Primary Healthcare 

Development Board of 

sharp practices as the 

measles vaccination across 

the state kicked off. 

Akeredolu said this at the 

flag off of 2018 Measles 

Vaccination Campaign at 

Idanre area of the state. 

He, however, said “I have 

set up a panel of inquiry to 

fish out some elements in 

the Primary Health Care 

Development Board 

engaging in sharp 

practices. Those that refuse 

to dispense drugs given to 

them and other means of 

corruption will not be 

spared. 

“The money, from our 

partners, must be spent 

accordingly and those 

caught culpable will be 

exposed. No amount of 

protests will stop us to 

dismiss them when 

caught.” 

Besides, he said: “I don’t 

know whether some of you 

are selling the drugs. You 

will now report that you 

recorded a thousand births 

so that you know they have 

to bring in money for a 

thousand births and at the 

end of the day you have less 

than hundred.” 

The governor charged the 

board workers to be honest 

and transparent, even as he 

urged them to do more. 

Earlier, Dr Wahab 

Adegbenro, Commissioner 

for Health, said that 

measles had killed 800,000 

children in the world.



350 Niger Delta ex-militants to receive 

salary soon—FG 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

ABUJA—OVER 350 

former Niger Delta 

militants that embraced the 

amnesty programme of the 

Federal Government and 

employed after their 

training will start receiving 

salaries immediately the 

2018 appropriation is 

passed, Special Adviser 

to President Muhammadu 

Buhari and Coordinator of 

the Presidential Amnesty 

Programme, Paul Boroh, 

has said. 

Boro also said some of the 

former militants sent for 

training abroad but refused 

to graduate will be on their 

own as the government will 

not continue to take 

responsibility for their 

training when they have 

refused to graduate. 

The Special Adviser, 

while speaking with State 

House correspondents, 

weekend, in Abuja, said the 

amnesty programme had 

achieved about 96 percent 

success. 

Responding to the 

question that some of the 

ex-militants sent for studies 

overseas were abandoned, 

he said: “I will never allow 

any of my children 

schooling outside this 

country under the 

government to suffer. As we 

speak, 96 per cent of those 

on off-shore scholarship 

have graduated and 

returned home. I have not 

more than 100 of them left 

in the entire globe where 

they have been schooling 

in the US, UK, Asian 

countries and South Africa. 

They have graduated and 

have come home." 

The ones that refused to 

graduate and are trying to 

make life unbearable for 

themselves, it is their own 

cup of tea. The federal 

government is not 

responsible for them 

anymore. 

On what government is 

doing for those that have 

graduated, he said “This is 

a very great challenge that 

we are all facing as a 

nation. The Federal 

Government ensured that 

about 350 of them were 

employed in the various 

ministries in the country. 

We are only waiting for 

appropriation so that once 

they report to their various 

ministries they will start 

earning their salaries.” 

BIRHDAY: Founder of FCMB Group Plc, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun 

and his wife, Olori Abimbola Balogun, during the celebration of Otunba 

Balogun’s 84th birthday anniversary on March 9, 2018 in Lagos. With 

them (from left) are their children, Mr. Bolaji Balogun, Chairman of 

Lafarge Africa Plc; Mr. Jide Balogun, Chairman of Primrose Properties 

Development Company; Mr. Gboyega Balogun, Managing Director of 

CSL Stockbrokers Limited; and Mr. Ladi Balogun, Group Chief 

Executive, FCMB Group Plc. 

2019: Delta APC won’t repeat 

2015 mistake—Emerhor 

Perez Brisibe 

U GHELLI—ALL 

Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

governorship candidate, 

Delta State in 2015, 

Olorogun O’tega Emerhor 

has vowed that the party 

will not repeat the mistakes 

that led to its defeat in the 

state in 2015. 

Emerhor spoke in his 

country home, Evwreni, 

Delta State when he played 

host to Professor Patrick 

Utomi. 

Utomi, a 2019 

governorship aspirant was 

in Emerhor’s residence as 

part of his consultations 

ahead of the forthcoming 

governorship primaries 

during which he lamented 

the poverty situation in the 

state. 

Ruling himself out of the 

2019 contest, Emerhor said: 

“As an individual, I have 

decided along with other 

committed APC leaders 

who really want change in 

Delta State that we will not 

do things the same way 

again this time because the 

opposition in Delta has not 

had this type of opportunity 

that is available to us today. 

“You will recall that in 

2015, I ran for the 

governorship of Delta 

State, and still have the 

capacity to do that now. But 

I took a decision not to run 

because the environment 

supports a different formula 

and that formula excludes 

me, and that is why I am 

not out there consulting like 

others. We are not going to 

contest the governorship 

election as an individual 

(contest), and I am ready 

to be in the middle to get 

us to Government House, 

Asaba.” 

Ogbemudia's children want Edo, Delta to 

uphold dad's legacies 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

B ENIN-CITY— 

FAMILY of the late 

two time former governor of 

old Bendel State, Dr 

Samuel Ogbemudia, 

weekend advised Delta 

and Edo state governments 

to ensure that the laudable 

legacies of Dr Ogbemudia 

in the old Midwest do not 

die. 

Late Samuel Ogbemudia 

was born on September 17, 

1932, served as an officer 

in the Nigerian Army and 

was the military 

Former NIMASA DG faults 

report of his conviction by court 

L AGOS—FORMER 

Director-General of the 

Nigerian Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, 

Temisan Raymond 

Omatseye, has faulted 

online media report that he 

has been convicted by a 

court, describing the report 

as stale news. According to 

him, he has been 

discharged and acquitted 

by Justice Yargata B. 

Nimpar, of the Court of 

Appeal . 

Omatseye in a statement 

through George 

Umunnakwe, his Head of 

Media Team, said: “We 

wish to state categorically 

that the news is old and 

stale. Barrister Omatseye, 

a respected maritime 

lawyer and one-time 

President of African Shipowners 

Association, ASA, 

was discharged and 

Iwerre College old students donate 

N.7m chairs,tables to school 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

W ARRI—KOKO, 

headquarters of 

Warri North Local 

Government Area was 

agog weekend when 

Iwerre College Old 

Students Association, 

ICOSA, donated chairs 

and tables valued at about 

N700,000 to students of the 

school. 

An elated Principal of 

the school, Mrs. Iyabo 

Enukpere, in her address 

said seats were part of the 

major challenges in the 

school, noting that at a time 

students were sitting on 

bare floor, a situation that 

forced her to reach out to 

several companies and 

organizations for support. 

She said: “We appreciate 

what you have done for us. 

I admitted students into 

SS1 at a time there were 

no seats. I went to Total and 

several other companies 

administrator of the defunct 

Mid-West State between 

1967 and 1975. 

Ogbemudia also served 

as a civilian governor in the 

old Bendel State in 1983. 

His tenure was cut short 

by the December 1983 

military coup. 

He died on March 9, 

2017, aged 84 years. 

Speaking at the one year 

remembrance service of the 

elder statesman, first son of 

the family, Mr Sam 

Ogbemudia Jr, who 

commended both the Edo 

and Delta state 

governments for giving the 

acquitted by Justice Yargata 

B. Nimpar, of the Court of 

Appeal, who set aside the 

May 20th, 2016, judgment 

of the embattled Justice Rita 

OfiliAjugomobia of the 

High Court, Lagos State 

division. 

According to Justice 

Nimpar in the widely 

published story, the trial 

court did not properly 

evaluate the evidence. The 

long and short of it is that, 

the appeal succeeds. The 

prosecution should not ride 

roughshod over the 

Constitution. The judiciary 

will do the war on 

corruption more harm by 

declaring someone a 

criminal, where no offence 

has been committed. I find 

merit in the appeal. The 

lower court’sjudgment is 

hereby set aside and the 

appellant is hereby 

discharged and acquitted.” 

the Judge said. 

around to beg for seats. To 

crown it all, you have given 

us another seats, we are 

grateful. We will always ask 

for more. Government is 

doing its best. We will want 

you to support the effort of 

government to sustain the 

glory of the school. We don’t 

have enough teaching staff. 

Until government closes 

this gap, arrangement can 

be made for teachers to 

assist the school.” 

Interim National 

President of ICOSA, Mr 

Eyinsan Esiegbuya, 

during the presentation 

assured that the old 

students would continue to 

support the growth of the 

school, appealing to old 

students yet to identify with 

the body to come forward. 

He said the school turned 

out its first graduate in 

1973/74, noting that as old 

students they were 

impressed with the sanitary 

condition of the school 

when they came in for the 

donation. 

father a state burial last 

year, said the two states 

were so dear to his father 

and urged the state 

governments to ensure that 

they progress better than 

other states in the country. 

“The family will 

continue to celebrate the 

legacies of our father. I 

appreciate Edo and Delta 

states, which formed the old 

Bendel State for their 

commitment to keeping the 

legacies of our father. I urge 

them to continue and 

ensure that Edo and Delta 

states are made the best in 

terms of infrastructural 

development in Nigeria¨ 

he said.



RECEPTION: Mr & Mrs Emmanuel Okoro (3rd right), Chief Iduh Amadhe (right), Chief 

Steve Eruotor (2nd right), Chief Johnson Erijo (left), Olorogun John Oguma(2nd left), and 

Chief Tim Owhefere during the reception ceremony after a thanksgiving service of former 

at God's Kingdom Society, Ofagbe, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday. 

Wike, Abe bicker over Buhari's 

planned visit to Rivers 

•Wike should be grateful Buhari is coming — Abe 

•No security challenges to attract his visit—Wike 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT— 

AS bickering continues 

over the planned visit by 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to Rivers State, 

Senator Magnus Abe has 

implored Governor 

Nyesom Wike and all 

dissenting voices to be 

grateful to the President, 

instead of casting 

aspersions over the 

anticipated visit. 

Abe, a Senator 

representing Rivers South 

East, expressed the 

sentiment, yesterday, even 

as Governor Wike 

maintained that the key 

reason of security informing 

the said visit was misplaced. 

Abe said: “Rivers State 

has been in the news for the 

wrong reasons of recent. 

The governor should have 

been the happiest person 

to hear that the President 

is coming to see those 

people who lost loved ones 

and empathize with them. 

"It would be an 

opportunity for the 

governor to find a way to 

work with the President to 

ensure that we have better 

security but because of the 

undertone of violence in 

Rivers State, I think that is 

why he finds the visit 

uncomfortable at this time” 

No security 

challenges to 

attract his visit 

—Wike 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Wike, in his disposition to 

the said presidential visit 

maintained that the move 

is misplaced although with 

a ray of hope that it could 

afford the President the 

opportunity to make a 

turnaround on perceived 

Federal Government and 

APC neglect of Rivers. 

Wike said: “They say the 

President is coming to our 

state. I have not been told 

the President is coming and 

why he is coming. He has 

the right to go to any state. 

Maybe the President is 

coming to improve the 

fortunes of the APC that is 

dead in Rivers State. 

"Apart from Jesus Christ, 

we don’t know of anyone 

who raised a dead thing. 

APC is a dead party in 

Rivers State. No matter how 

you fast and pray, it will 

never wake up. 

“Let nobody bother 

himself or herself that the 

President is coming for 

security reasons. We don’t 

have security challenges in 

the state. We have never 

had herdsmen killings or 

crisis in the state, except 

when some criminals tried 

Only PDP can rescue Nigeria from total 

collapse —Secondus 

•I was on sabbatical leave —Ibori 

By Festus Ahon, 

Perez Brisibe & 

Ochuko Akopha 

UGHELLI — 

NATIONAL chairman 

of Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, 

weekend, said only PDP has 

what it takes to rescue Nigeria 

from total collapse in 2019, 

adding that All Progressives 

Congress, APC, can no 

longer rely on propaganda to 

win elections. 

Speaking at Ovwor, Ughelli 

South Local Government 

Area of Delta State during an 

interdenominational 

thanksgiving service/grand 

reception organised by J. U. 

Oguma Foundation in 

honour of former governor of 

Delta State, Chief James 

Ibori, Secondus challenged 

the APC to tell Nigerians 

what it had achieved since it 

took over governance. 

He said APC had borrowed 

N11 trillion in three years as 

against the N6 trillion 

borrowed by the PDP in 16 

to disrupt the peace and 

they were checked. We 

resolved that challenge.” 

He said there was no 

state in the nation where 

kidnappers and armed 

robbers were not operating, 

adding that if President 

Buhari was visiting 

because of kidnappers and 

armed robbers, he should 

visit all the 36 states. 

State of Rivers 

devt 

Both political figures also 

differed on the state of 

development of the state 

with each crediting his 

respective party to have 

delivered more dividends 

of democracy to the 

people. 

years. 

Also speaking at the event, 

Anglican Bishop of Ughelli 

Diocese, Rt. Rev. Cyril 

Odutemu, raised the alarm 

that “Nigeria is sick and in 

need of a true leader. The 

current government is not a 

solution to our problem. The 

solution to the problem of 

Nigeria is with God. 

In his address, chairman of 

the foundation, Olorogun 

John Oguma said: “When 

Ibori was around, Urhobo 

had three representatives in 

the Federal Executive 

Council and he was away for 

eight years after which 

Urhobo never had a voice in 

the council.” 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 

while speaking as special 

guest at the occasion, 

described Ibori as a good 

leader who built a solid 

foundation for the 

development of the state. 

I was on sabbatical 

—Ibori 

Wike claimed that for 

close to three years, Rivers 

State had not benefitted 

from the APC-led federal 

government. 

He lamented that the 

Ogoni clean-up had 

remained in the realm of 

rhetoric, Bodo-Bonny Road 

about to be abandoned and 

East-West Road, the Port 

Harcourt International 

Airport and other federal 

projects left unattended to. 

Abe on his part said: “The 

APC government has done 

more for Rivers State than 

the PDP government. The 

Bodo-Bonny road is ongoing. 

Work has started and 

the East-West road is also 

on-going. The president is 

committed to the Ogoni 

clean-up and he is working. 

This is the take-off point." 

The trust fund account is 

being opened and you 

have to finish all this 

process before you can 

accelerate." 

In his remarks, Ibori 

described his jail term as a 

sabbatical leave saying: “It 

has been a year since I 

returned from my sabbatical 

leave. I thank God and the 

entire Urhobo class for their 

support. In the days ahead, 

my actions will express my 

gratitude to you all.” 

Former Governor 

Emmanuel Uduaghan, while 

advising Nigerians to be wary 

of rumour-mongering, said: 

“Ibori has a very forgiving 

heart. I'm here as a blood 

brother and I want to thank 

everyone that has come here 

today and those that went to 

see him in London.” 

Speaking further, Secondus 

said: “Ibori is a factor in 

Nigeria who has great 

following in Delta and across 

the country. Ibori believes in 

the welfare of the people and 

believes that the young shall 

grow and that the women 

must take their rightful place. 

“APC has plunged Nigeria 

into insecurity, hunger and 

crisis. In PDP controlled 

states, all our governors have 

fulfilled their promises to the 

people.” 

Delta NHP director tasks 

contractors on deadline 

By Victor 

Ahiuma-Young 

S OUTH-SOUTH 

Zonal Director of 

National Housing 

Programme, Mr. Daminabo 

Oko-Jaja has tasked 

contractors handling the 

housing project in Delta 

State to step up their efforts 

towards meeting the 

December target date of 

completion. 

Oko-Jaja gave the charge 

at Issele-Asagba while 

inspecting progress of work 

on the project. 

He disclosed that the 

Federal Government was 

desirous of commissioning 

the project at the end of the 

year, saying it was 

designed to address the 

nation’s housing deficit and 

provide decent, affordable 

and quality residential 

accommodation for 

Nigerians as well as create 

employment opportunities 

for the army of the 

unemployed in Delta State. 

Oko-Jaja, therefore, 

urged the contractors to 

abide by the contractual 

terms and deliver to 

specification and date of 

completion, adding that any 

encumbrances to the 

project completion should 

be avoided at all cost. 

The Team Leader, Godwin 

Otobo, who conducted the 

zonal coordinator 

inspection team round the 

project site said the first 

phase of the project 

comprised of 68 units of 23 

blocks of flat, made up of 

28 units of two-bedroom 

semi bungalows, 16 units 

of three-bedroom semi 

detached bungalows and 

one block of three-storey 

condominium –four blocks 

of 24 mixed units. 

235 disengaged workers: 

Court begins substantive 

hearing May 10 

S UBSTANTIVE 

hearing in the case 

involving 235 disengaged 

workers versus Chevron 

Nigeria Limited and its 

contracting firms, JOCECO 

Nigeria Limited, Pat 

Onosen Nigeria 

Enterprises, Sanco Calaya 

JV Nigeria Limited and 

Hensteel Engr. & 

Construction Services 

Limited, has been 

adjourned till May 10, 

2018. 

This was sequel to a 

ruling of the trial judge, 

National Industrial Court 

sitting in Awka, Anambra 

State, Justice J.I. Targema, 

after considering motions 

on whether or not the court 

has jurisdiction to hear the 

case. 

According to Justice J. I. 

Targema, the court was of 

the view that written 

addresses filed by the 

defendants “did not 

address the issue of the 

nature of employment of the 

claimants, whether it is that 

of contract of service or 

contract for service.” 

The court held that the 

nature of the employment 

of the claimants will only be 

resolved after hearing 

evidence from the parties. 

Meanwhile, the motion of 

the second defendant (Pat 

Onosen, who was absent) 

asking for extension of time 

to file his statement of 

defence is still pending. 

S-South CAN chair laments 

IGP’s order on arms 

By Onozure 

Dania 

CHAIRMAN 

of 

Christian Association 

of Nigeria, CAN, South- 

South zone, and Presiding 

Archbishop of Christ 

Missionaries Crusaders 

Church International Inc 

Worldwide, Archbishop 

God-Dowell Oyibo 

Avwomakpa, has said a 

listening government like 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s government 

should not be made to do 

things that will work 

against the peace and 

protection of lives and 

property in Nigeria 

He said the order of the 

Inspector-General of Police 

that all persons bearing 

arms across the country 

should submit them 

amounts to leaving 

Nigerians, who have been 

given license to own arms, 

at the mercy of people who 

go about attacking innocent 

persons with reckless 

abandon. 

He noted that in many 

rural communities, wild 

animals attack people and 

the people depend on their 

guns to protect the 

communities. 

Avwomakpa in a 

statement by Mr Ovie 

Edomi, Special Adviser on 

Media, noted that the 

United Nations prescribed 

“one policeman to 500 

persons as the international 

standard but in Nigeria, it 

is one policeman to one 

million persons.” 

He questioned the 

rationale behind the order 

for the withdrawal of arms 

from persons who 

ordinarily have 

government approval for 

them to acquire such arms.


Buhari, Atiku mourn as 

Ex-Adamawa gov, Michika 

passes on in Yola 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru & Umar 

Yusuf 

A 

B U J A — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

commiserated with the 

government and people of 

Adamawa State on the 

passing on of their first 

civilian governor, Alhaji 

Abubakar Michika on 

Saturday. 

This was as former Vice 

President and chieftain of 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar has expressed his 

condolences over the death 

of Michika. 

In a statement by the 

Atiku Media Office in 

Abuja, yesterday, the 

Wazirin Adamawa saluted 

the courage exhibited by the 

deceased while in office, 

adding the late Michika had 

the honour of pioneering 

Adamawa State into its 

democratic journey in 1992 

as it’s first civilian governor 

under the then governing 

National Republican 

Convention, NRC, in the 

state. 

Michika died on Saturday 

at the Federal Medical 

Centre in Yola after a 

protracted illness. 

Bury all elections issues and 

embrace peace — AL-MAKURA 

•Laments ex-gov Doma's death 

By David Odama 

L AFIA—GOVERNOR 

Tanko Al-Makura of 

Nasarawa State has 

admonished politicians to 

put behind them electoral 

issues, unpleasant 

experiences during 

elections as a way for 

peaceful co-existence in the 

country. 

Speaking yesterday at the 

burial ceremony of the late 

former governor of the state, 

Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, 

Al-Makura stated that the 

inability of the political 

class to forget and forgive 

their opponents was largely 

responsible for the political 

instability, hate speeches 

and other issues 

Former Adamawa APC gov 

aspirant decamps to SDP 

By Umar Yusuf 

YOLA—THE ruling 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, in 

Adamawa State has 

recorded a major set back 

as a former governorship 

aspirant of the party in the 

2014 general election, 

Chief Emmanuel Bello has 

dumped the party. 

Bello, a former member of 

House representatives from 

Hong/Gombi Federal 

constituency had also 

declared his bid for 


Michika governed 

Adamawa State from 

January 1992 to November 

1993 under the umbrella of 

the National Republican 

Convention, NRC. 

Buhari, in his condolence 

message by his Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Publicity, Femi Adesina, 

yesterday, commiserated 

with the family, friends and 

professional colleagues of 

the ''astute administrator, 

political strategist and 

community developer, who 

worked variously with 

reputable international 

organisations before 

bringing his experience and 

skills to contribute to the 

development of Nigeria.'' 

He commended 

Michika’s strong sense of 

patriotism and commitment 

to national development 

which he said prompted 

him to alter his career path 

from the private sector, and 

take up public office by 

contesting the governorship 

elections in 1992. 

Michika was born in 

Michika Local Government 

Area of Adamawa State, 

where he had his primary 

school and then moved to 

Yola Middle School now 

General Murtala College 

for his Secondary education 

and a university where he 

studied Arabic Studies. 

threatening the nation’s 

peace. 

Describing the death of 

Akwe-Doma, his 

predecessor as a personal 

loss, Al-Makura also 

described Doma as a 

‘galvanizer’ of self reliance 

and an advocate of peaceful 

coexistence and religious 

tolerance. 

According to the 

governor, the loss of Akwe- 

Doma was a personal one 

given their close 

relationship, adding that 

''the second civilian 

governor of the state 

worked tirelessly for four 

years to galvanize the 

people towards self 

reliance, progress and 

peaceful coexistence.” 

governorship race in 

Adamawa State next year. 

Bello made the 

declaration in Yola while 

defecting to the Social 

Democratic, SDP, alongside 

his large supporters from 

across all the local 

government areas of the 

state. 

According to him, the 

ideals of his former party 

have been bastdized by 

some dominant forces 

characterized by lack of 

internal democracy in 

the party. 

FG raises excise duty on alcoholic 

drinks, tobacco 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief 

A BUJA—THE 

F e d e r a l 

Government has raised 

excise duty on alcoholic 

beverages and tobacco, 

with effect from June 4, 

2018. 

There is, however, no 

increase in excise duty of 

other locally excisable 

products. 

Minister of Finance, 

Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, 

who announced this, in 

Abuja, yesterday, stated 

that the new excise duty 

rates were spread over a 

three-year period from 

2018 to 2020 to moderate 

the impact on prices of 

the affected products. 

Under the newly 

approved excise duty 

rates for tobacco, in 

addition to the 20 per 

cent ad-valorem rate, 

each stick of cigarette will 

attract a N1 (N20 per 

pack of 20 sticks) in 

2018, N2 specific rate 

per stick (N40 per pack 

of 20 sticks) in 2019 and 

N2.90k specific rate per 

stick (N58 per pack of 20 

sticks) in 2020. 

The new specific excise 

duty rates for alcoholic 

beverages cut across 

Beer and Stout, Wines 

and Spirits for the three 

years (2018 to 2020.) 

Under the new regime, 

Beer and Stout will 

attract N0.30k per 

centiliter (Cl) in 2018 

and N0.35k per Cl each 

in 2019 and 2020. 

Wines will attract 

N1.25k per Cl in 2018 

and N1.50k per Cl each 

in 2019 and 2020, while 

N1.50k per Cl was 

approved for Spirits in 

2018, N1.75k per Cl in 

2019 and N2.00k per Cl 

in 2020. 

The minister disclosed 


regimes followed allinclusive 

stakeholder 

engagements by the 

Tariff Technical 

Committee of the 

Federal Ministry of 

Finance with key 

industry stakeholders. 

According to her, the 

upward review of the 

excise duty rates for 

alcoholic beverages and 

tobacco will achieve 

dual benefits of raising 

the government 

revenues, as well as, 

reducing the health 

hazards associated with 

tobacco-related diseases 

and alcohol abuse. 

She said, “The Tariff 

Technical Committee, 

TCC, recommended the 

slight adjustment in the 

excise duty charges after 

cautious considerations 

of the Government’s 

Fiscal Policy Measures 

for 2018 and the reports 

of the World Bank and 

the International 

Monetary Fund 

Technical Assistance 

Mission on Nigeria’s 

Fiscal Policy. 

“The effect of the excise 

duty rates adjustment on 

trade and investment was 

also assessed by the 

Federal Ministry of Trade 

and Investment and it 

adopted 

the 

recommendations of the 

TTC. 

“Furthermore, peer 

country comparisons 

were also carried out 

showing Nigeria as 

being behind the curve 

in the review of excise 

duty rates on alcoholic 

beverages and tobacco.” 

Following the 

President’s approval, 

Adeosun disclosed that 

the new excise duty rate 

on tobacco was now a 

combination of the 

existing ad-valorem base 

rate and specific rate 

while the ad-valorem 

rate was replaced with a 

specific rate for alcoholic 

beverages. 

She added, “For 

Alcoholic Beverages, the 

current ad-valorem rate 

will be replaced with 

specific rates and spread 

over three years to 

moderate the impact on 

prices. This will curb the 

discretion in the Unit Cost 

Analysis, UCA, for 

determining the advalorem 

rate and prevent 

revenue leakages. 

“For Tobacco, the 

government will 

maintain the current advalorem 

rate of 20 per 

cent and introduce 

additional specific rates 

with the implementation 

to be spread over a 

three-year period to also 

reasonably reduce the 

impact on prices.” 

The Minister 

explained that Nigeria’s 

cumulative specific 

excise duty rate for 

tobacco was 23.2 per 

cent of the price of the 

most sold brands, as 

against 38.14 per cent in 

Algeria, 36.52 per cent in 

South Africa and 30 per 

cent in Gambia. 

Adeosun explained 


regimes were in line 

with the Economic 

Community of West 

African States, 

ECOWAS, directive on 

the harmonisation of 

member-states’ legislations 

on excise duties. 

AFC WINS AWARD: From left; Marc Mandaba, Managing Director, Themis 

Energy; Taiwo Adeniji, Senior Director, Investments, Africa Finance 

Corporation, AFC; Tas Anvaripour, CEO, Neo Themis; Oliver Andrews, Chief 

Investment Officer, AFC; Samson Vese, Associate Vice President, AFC during 

a ceremony in London recently, where AFC won the 2017 Infrastructure 

Journal Global Awards Africa Power Deal of the Year. 

FORGERY: Court okays suit seeking 

Senator Uba's arrest 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—A Federal 

High Court sitting 

in Abuja has okayed a suit 

seeking for an order of 

mandamus to compel the 

Inspector General of 

Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, 

to arrest and commence 

criminal proceedings in 

respect of charges 

involving Senator Andy 

Uba. 

Trial judge, Justice Binta 

Nyako directed that the 

suit marked ABJ/CS/175/ 

2018, should be served on 

the Attorney General of 

Federation and Minister 

of Justice, Mr. Abubakar 

Malami, SAN. 

The court which granted 

an ex-parte application that 

was filed by a group 

under the aegis of Anti- 

Corruption And Integrity 

Forum, adjourned till 

March 26 for both the IGP 

and the AGF to appear 

and give reasons Uba who 

is representing Anambra 

South Senatorial District, 

should not be prosecuted 

for forgery as requested 

by the applicants. 

Justice Nyako, in the 

court order signed by the 

Registrar, Mr. Yahaya 

Shuaibu, said: “That leave 

is granted to the applicant 

to apply for the issuance 

of an order of mandamus 

compelling the 1st 

respondent to arrest, 

investigate and 

commence criminal 

proceedings in respect of 

forgery charges involving 

Nnamdi Uba a.k.a Andy 

Uba upon which a letter was 

written to the 1st respondent 

dated February 12, 2018, 

urging him to exercise his 

powers under section 4 of 

the Police Act and Other 

relevant laws. 

“That leave is granted 

to the applicant to apply 

for the issuance of an 

order of mandamus 

compelling the 2nd 

respondent to arrest, 

investigate and commence 

criminal proceedings in 

respect of forgery charges 

involving Andy Uba, upon 

which a letter was written 

to the 2nd Respondent 

dated February 12, 2018 

urging him to exercise his 

constitutional powers 

under section 174(1) of the 

1999 Constitution of the 

Federal Republic of 

Nigeria (as amended).''





Arms mop-up: FG paving way for more 

attacks by herdsmen—MASSOB 

•Disarmament to create soft targets for killer-herdsmen—Intersociety 

N 

N 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

E W I — 

MOVEMENT 

for the Actualisation of the 

Sovereign State of Biafra, 

MASSOB, has alleged that 

the directive by the 

Inspector-General of Police 

to all vigilante groups and 

local hunters to surrender 

their arms is a plan by the 

Federal Government to 

pave way for the 

marauding herdsmen to 

unleash more attacks and 

mayhem on the people of 

Middle Belt and Southern 

regions of Nigeria, which 

will lead to eventual take 

over of the regions by 

Northern Nigeria. 

MASSOB in a statement 

by its National Director of 

Information, Comrade 

Edeson Samuel, therefore, 

called on the people of the 

South and Middle Belt to 

be security conscious in 

order not to be caught 

napping. 

MASSOB said: 

“Disarming of the local 

security agents is to make 

way for the maruading 

herdsmen to attack without 

resistance, the Southern 

and Middle Belt parts of 

Nigeria. If the South and 

Middle Belt are disarmed, 

then herdsmen will operate 

with their AK47 without 

resistance from any 

community they attacked. 

“MASSOB wishes to 

remind our people that 

similar things happened in 

1911 when Turkey 

disarmed its citizens, from 

1915 to 1917 which gave 

way to the murdering of 

about 10 million 

Armenians. 

“Since the security 

machinery of Nigeria is in 

the hand of President 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

his kinsmen, we must not 

sleep with our two eyes 

closed. 

"MASSOB is therefore 

calling on all the youths 

from South West, South 

South and Middle Belt to 

rise and defend their 

regions from these bloody 

marauding intruders 

known as herdsmen. 

“MASSOB and all the 

genuine pro Biafra 

agitators will always defend 

our fatherland from these 

terrorist herdsmen and 

Boko Haram Islamic 

fundamentalists." 

FG disarming the 

innocent and arming 

violent Nigerians 

In its statement yesterday, 

the International Society for 

Civil Liberties and rule of 

Law, otherwise known as 

Intersociety described the 

directive as disarming 

innocent Nigerians and 

arming the violent 

Nigerians. 

Intersociety in a 

statement by its chairman 

Board of Trustees, Mr 

Emeka Umeagbalasi 

condemned the directive, 

particularly in the face of 

insurgency and herdsmen 

terrorising South-East, 

South-South, North- 

Central and parts of North- 

West regions of the country. 

It said: "This directive by 

the Inspector-General of 

Police is ill-timed and totally 

unacceptable in the face of 

the attack of Southern 

Kaduna and other areas 

with dominant Christian 

population. The IGP’s 

directive is not only 

incoherent, illogical, 

unprofessional and biased. 

It is also tantamount to 

issuance of license to 

untamed and untouchable 

violent groups like terror 

herdsmen to intensify their 

killing of innocent and 

defenseless Nigerians. 

“It also falls short of global 

and regional best practices 

in gun control, internal 

policing and securitization. 

The IGP’s directive is 

further seen as a direct 

usurpation of the 

constitutional duties of the 

state governors as chief 

security officers of their 

states and impeachment of 

the rights of various 

communities and their 

communal heads to 

community security or 

community policing and 

self defense. 

“It amounts, too, to 

disarming the innocent and 

arming the violent. This is 

in spite of estimated 350 

defenseless Nigerians 

hacked to death in the 

months of December 2017 

and January 2018 by the 

duo of terror herdsmen and 

Boko Haram insurgents, 

particularly in the North 

East and North-Central 

parts of Nigeria.” 

AWARD: From left—Hon. Chike John Okafor, Chairman House 

Committee on Healthcare Services, receiving the most dedicated 

Committee Chairman Award from Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji 

Adamu Abdulkadir Dibal, during the House of Representative Press 

Corps Maiden Annual Dinner/Award of Excellence in Abuja, weekend. 

BIM alleges harassment, incessant 

arrest of members 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI—BIAFRA 

Independent 

Movement, BIM, weekend 

alleged harassment and 

arrest of its members 

including the seizure of its 

items at a military 

checkpoint in Uturu, Abia 

State. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Abakaliki, the leader of the 

group in Ebonyi State, Mr. 

John Nwifuru who stressed 

that the group would no 

longer tolerate 

intimidation of its members 

by security agents in the 

country, wondered why a 

peaceful organisation not 

known for carrying arms 

and ammunition should be 

made to undergo such 

dehumanising conditions. 

He called on the 

Nigerian Army to release 

their belongings including 

eight security uniforms, 

N250, 000 cash, a 

motorcycle, among others, 

alleging that those 

perpetrating such 

dastardly act were Boko 

Haram members who had 

over the years infiltrated 

into the Nigerian Army to 

cause mayhem against 

Ndigbo. 

According to him, “We 

are not happy with the 

arrest of our members by the 

Nigerian Army on 27th 

February, 2018 in Uturu at 

Army checkpoints. The 

army arrested some of our 

security going to take over 

from other security working 

at Biafra headquarters at 

Owerri." 

Stop taxing schools, Obi tells govts 

FORMER Governor of 

Anambra State, Mr. 

Peter Obi has called on 

federal, state and local 

governments to stop all 

forms of taxations and levies 

on voluntary agencies and 

privately-owned primary 

and secondary schools 

across the country that 

render services for the 

common good. Obi made 

this call during his visit to 

Christ the King College, 

CKC, Ijebu Ode. 

Obi who noted that 

education was a foundation 

and most critical 

comportment of 

development in any society, 

called on government at all 

levels to pursue progress 

and development anchored 

on education since, 

according to him, the level 

of growth among nations 

are directly proportional to 

their investment in 

education. He said that one 

of the major problems 

facing Nigeria was the low 

level of educational 

penetration in some of her 

states. 

2019: Okorocha's brother-inlaw 

joins guber race 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

OWERRI—IMO 2019 

gubernatorial election 

yesterday got another 

twist, as the husband to 

Okorocha's sister and 

Commissioner for 

Happiness and Purpose 

Fulfilment, Mr. Chuks 

Ololo, has reportedly 

declared interest for 

governorship position. 

Vanguard exclusively 

obtained in Owerri, that 

Ololo had sent his advance 

party to consult with some 

Imo stakeholders soliciting 

for their endorsements. 

Meanwhile, the son-inlaw 

to Okorocha, Mr. Uche 

Nwosu said that Imo State 

needed people who have 

the best ideas to put food 

on their table. 

This was even as a group 

which goes with the name 

Imo Professionals in United 

States of America ,USA, led 

by their National Coordinator, 

Mr. Sampson 

Duru, has endorsed Imo 

Deputy Governor, Eze 

Madumere to contest for the 

governorship position in 

2019. 

Ololo’s team is said to be 

working assiduously 

through his wife, Ogechi 

Ololo who is a younger 

sister to Governor Rochas 

Okorocha, as well as the 


Happiness and Purpose 

Fulfillment in the state. 

However, Okorocha’s 

son-in-law, Mr. Uche 

Nwosu, said the love 

shown to him by Imo 

people inspired him to run 

as governor. 

His words: “Being a son 

in-law to the governor is 

an added advantage 

because I have acquired 

knowledge. The Owelle I 

know cannot impose 

somebody on people. 

Naturally, it will come and 

the people will choose who 

they want to govern them." 

S-East govs to construct 

430km road round zone 

By Dennis Agbo 

E 

N U G U — 

GOVERNORS of 

South East have 

announced plans to 

construct 430 kilometers 

ring road to run round the 

five states in the zone. 

The governors said the 

aim is to promote economic 

development in the region 

and for ease of 

transportation. 

They also said they have 

keyed into the gas pipeline 

network designed to 

connect the zone with gas 

supply. 

In one of the decisions it 

took at its forum of the 

governors’ meeting in 

Enugu, yesterday, the 

south east executives 

advised consultants to the 

gas project to follow up on 

details of implementation, 

especially as it relates to 

right of way on the 

pipeline. 

Chairman of the group 

Enugu to rehabilitate 233 bus 

stop shelters, road hand rails 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

ENUGU—Enugu State 

Government has 

approved the immediate 

rehabilitation of 233 bus 

stop shelters and road 

hand rails in Enugu 

metropolis, starting from 

the dual carriageway along 

82 Division, Nigerian 

Army, Enugu to Akwata 

Pedestrian Bridge by 

Ogbete Main Market. 

Addressing newsmen 

after the meeting of the 

State Executive Council, 

the Commissioner for 

Enugu Capital Territory 

Development Authority, 

Barr. Chidi Aroh stated that 

the state government also 

approved the construction 

and governor of Ebonyi 

state, Chief Dave Umahi 

who read the communique 

of the meeting, 

commended the former 

Minister for Power, Prof. 

Barth Nnaji on his Aba 

independent power plant 

and asked him to liaise with 

the forum’s secretariat for 

further implementation 

with the presidency. 

Umahi said the forum 

also resolved to wade into 

brewing crises among 

states chairmen of 

traditional rulers in the 

zone and invited them to 

the governors’ next 

meeting for amicable 

settlement. 

The governors expressed 

appreciation to the people 

of the zone on the way they 

worked together to give the 

late former Vice President, 

Dr. Alex Ekwueme a 

befitting burial and 

enjoined them to continue 

in the good spirit. 

of new bus stop shelters 

in all the newly 

constructed roads in the 

state capital and the 

relocation of five “critical” 

bus stops that usually 

cause obstruction of 

traffic, such as the one 

located at the popular 

Agric Bank junction, 

Independence Layout, 

Enugu. 

The commissioner 

disclosed that the council 

directed that the relocation 

exercise be carried out 

within five days, while the 

rehabilitation should be 

completed in six weeks “in 

line with government 

determination to always 

deliver on its promises to 

the people as quickly as it 

should be.”


ONE of the gruesome highlights of 

2017 was the exposé on the 

outrageous return of the longabolished 

trans-Saharan slave trade 

occasioned by nefarious activities of 

human traffickers. Over the past 10 

years, thousands of migrants, 

especially Africans, Asians and 

people fleeing the Middle East wars 

and violence, perished in the 

Mediterranean Sea while luckier ones 

found themselves in Europe in 

dehumanising occupations and 

conditions. 

In 2017 alone, about 160,000 

migrants successfully crossed into 

Europe but nearly 3,000 drowned in 

the Mediterranean, according to the 

International Organisation for 

Migration, IOM. The most pathetic 

case was the death of 26 Nigerian girls 

aged between 16 and 20, whose bodies 

were hurriedly buried by the Italian 

authorities without proper 

identification. 

The height of it all was the discovery 

that thousands of sub-Saharan 

Declare full-scale war on human traffickers 

Africans, especially Nigerians, were 

held in slave camps in Libya where 

they were sold for US$400 (less than 

N150,000) per head. The dust raised 

by this story finally roused the 

Federal Government to begin the 

serial evacuations of stranded 

Nigerians from Libya. Since this story 

broke, there has been a noticeable 

increase in the efforts of government 

to tackle the illicit trafficking of 

persons. 

The Benin Zonal Command of the 

National Agency for the Prohibition 

of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, 

has reported the arrest of 75 suspects, 

rescue of 500 victims and 

rehabilitation of about 3,000 rescued 

victims. While we commend these 

modest efforts, we reiterate the need 

for a total war against human 

trafficking and slavery by the Federal 

Government. 

We should see human trafficking 

and slavery as a slap on the collective 

dignity of the Federal Government, 

the state governments and all 

Nigerian citizens. With this, the 

prestige of Nigeria is in tatters, and 

at its nadir in the comity of nations. 

How can Nigeria stand proud 

before other countries when 

situations within its borders have 

deteriorated to the level of its citizens 

being so cheaply bought and sold in 

war-torn Libya? The war to end slavery 

and human trafficking must be a 

comprehensive plan of action. In 

addition to hunting down and 

prosecuting agents of human 

trafficking in its epicentres, there 

must be massive advocacy to 

demonise the fad of parents and 

family members encouraging young 

men and women to head to Europe. 

The traditional rulers, political 

leaders, religious organisations, the 

media and government organs have 

a role in this massive reorientation 

effort. Good governance is a key 

factor to keep Nigerians usefully 

employed at home. The Federal 

Government must burnish its 

diplomatic machinery and engage 

European destination countries to join 

efforts with it in crippling the 

trafficking networks. Apart from 

arresting and prosecuting them, their 

assets and ill-gotten wealth should be 

traced, frozen and sold and proceeds 

put in the victim rehabilitation fund. 

We must render human trafficking 

totally unprofitable. 

By Umunna Oputa 

FOR the sake of the false history Owelle 

Rochas Okorocha orchestrated in Imo 

State, permit this writer to use the literary 

license of the portmanteau word “Fistory” for 

False History. Many may have forgotten, but 

Okorocha was elected to Government House 

Owerri with the mandate of the All 

Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. A master 

of false pretenses, Okorocha presented the face 

of a progressive before members of APGA and 

deceptively gained their mandate and by the 

victory of his party, APGA, in that 

gubernatorial election, became the elected 

governor of Imo State. Shortly thereafter, 

Okorocha like a tail intent on wagging the 

dog, began the Fistory in Imo State by 

unilaterally taking the mandate of APGA in 

the state to instigate an alliance with the 

merger partners of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, without consultation, 

reference or consensus agreement by the 

political party that nominated him for election, 

its members or party executive. 

Conscious that an individual member 

cannot unilaterally merge a party with others 

as indicated in section 84 (5) and 97 of the 

Electoral Act which implies that APGA should 

have ceased to exist if it was a party to the 

APC merger and aware that the highest court 

in Nigeria, the Supreme Court, had previously 

decided in the famous case between Governor 

Amaechi vs Omehia, that the gubernatorial 

mandate belongs to a party and not the 

individual, APGA, as a party instituted a suit, 

praying the Court for an order directing the 

Deputy Governor of Imo State or Speaker of 

Imo State House of Assembly or any officer 

next in line to the position of the governor of 

Imo, who is a member of APGA, to be swornin 

as the governor of Imo State. If our courts 

were consistent in enacting justice, that order 

would have orchestrated history in Imo State, 

but alas, our courts do not always deliver 

justice, and that was how Imo witnessed 

democratic “fistory” instead of democratic 

history. 

Fistory in Imo State, true to the nature of 

Okorocha, began with the promise to develop 

Imo State and improve the welfare of its 

denizens, which underpins the ideological 

formation of APGA under Chief Odumegwu 

Ojukwu, but instead of increased welfare, 

leadership was delivered with deception by 

Okorocha. 

A fistory cruelly emerged from the ordeal of 

Pensioners in Imo State. By January 2017, the 

state owed pensioners several arrears of their 

due earnings. In frustration at the gross lack 

of empathy, the state Chairman of Pensioners, 

Chief Gideon Ezeji led pensioners to block 

Okigwe road as well as the entrance to 

Government House Owerri. In response, 

Okorocha devised several plots to pressure 

the pensioners to forfeit between 50 and 60 

per cent of their entitlements of arrears up to 

December 2016. 

The traditional institution and local 

governments will also look back on the 

Okorocha years with an agonising tale about 

his duplicitous “Fistory.” Okorocha introduced 

a Balkanisation/Bantustan policy of breaking 

OPINION 

Imo 2019 on my mind 

To compile the false 

history of the Okorocha 

years will be a chronicle 

of pain, disappointments, 

and missed opportunities 

traditional institutions at will, creating all 

manner of traditional stools out of political 

expediency rather than from autochthonous 

consideration of communities of interest. For 

fear of facing the verdict of the people, he 

repeatedly failed to conduct local government 

elections, thereby breaching the Nigerian 

constitution and risking the sequestration of 

federal funding of affected LGAs. The funds 

that did come through , were used with state 

diktat, wherein the local governments were 

run like mere vassals of the Okorocha regime. 

To exemplify this fact, the governor directed 

from Owerri that about 12,000 local 

government workers be suspended for 

spurious claims he made against them, 

directing the punitive verification of workers 

at LGA levels, just imagine that the Federal 

Government decides to order a verification of 

state government staff, so much for local 

government autonomy under the Fistroy of 

Okorocha. 

Tragically, the constitutionally enabled 

autonomy of the judiciary was not spared the 

Fistory of the Okorocha years. At the height of 

the onslaught on the state judiciary, the 

Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Owerri Branch 

was compelled to sue the governor. The suit 

number NICN/OW/58/2017 filed against 

Governor Okorocha prayed the court, among 

other things, for “A declaration that the practice 

whereby the respondents withhold or refuse 

to pay the sitting Judges of Imo State High 

Court and Judges of the Customary Court of 

Appeal that portion of their remuneration 

released to the respondents from the 

Consolidated Revenue Fund is a breach of 

Oath of Office of the 1st respondent as the 

Governor of Imo State who swore to preserve, 

protect and not to mutilate it.” Furthermore, 

Okorocha’s Fistory was at its nadir when he 

purported to sack the Chief Justice of the State 

without recommendations from the National 

Judicial Council, an act that alarmed even his 

friends as much as they confirmed the fears of 

his foes that nothing was beneath him in his 

fraudulent historical crusade. 

To compile the false history of the Okorocha 

years will be a chronicle of pain, 

disappointments, and missed opportunities, 

for a state which was prepared for him for 

effective economic take-off, a state with one 

of the nation’s highest standards in human 

resource capacities, if only he had not deviated 

from the progressive pathway that the Imo 

people mandated through a progressive 

vision. But the people of Imo State can now 

breathe a sigh of relief as the search for a third 

political force gains national currency, and a 

new way different from the rot of the past gains 

momentum. Imolites can now look to the end 

of the Okorocha years as opinion leaders are 

lending their weight of credible support to “a 

light of progress in the horizon”, a young and 

vibrant hopeful, untainted by the rot of the 

political establishment in Imo State but honed 

by accomplishments in different fields. 

History beckons an end to Fistory as a great 

son of Imo State is giving very positive impulse 

to the urgings of well-meaning Imolites to 

bring the “Light of progress” to the 

governance of Imo to demonstrate the true 

meaning of development which he has 

enacted in other spheres. At last as the elders 

and people of influence in Imo State have 

successfully thrown their weight and 

experience behind him to take up the 

challenge to restore the mandate and hope 

that was usurped and betrayed by the Fistory 

that Okorocha enacted like a larcenous malady 

that ails Imo State still. 

•Dr. Oputa, a political scientist, wrote from 

Owerri, Imo State.

N453bn inflow to stabilise cost of funds in interbank 

•Turnover in I&E window falls by 50% 

•Analysts project lower inflation rate for February 

By Babajide Komolafe 

THE interbank money market will, 

this week, receive liquidity boost 

of N453 billion hence expectation of 

stability in cost of funds. 

Last week, cost of funds succumbed 

to liquidity pressure occasioned by 

aggressive liquidity mop up by the 

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) via 

sales of secondary market (Open Market 

Operations, OMO) treasury bills 

(TBs). 

The apex bank held OMO sales 


through out the week, except for 

Wednesday, which resulted to N307.7 

billion outflow from the interbank 

money market. The impact of the outflow 

was moderated by inflow of 

N152.9 billion on Thursday from matured 

TBs. Hence, average short term 

cost of funds rose slightly by 110 basis 

points (bpts) when compared to the 

level in the previous week. 

According to data from Financial 

Dealers Market Quote (FMDQ), interest 

rate on Collateralised lending 

(Open Buy Back, OBB) rose by 130 

bpts to 9.8 percent from 8.5 percent 

the previous week. Similarly, interest 

rate on Overnight lending rose by 83 


MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

9 banks battle decline in interest income 

*As yields on govt securities fall by 330bpts 

* Analysts disagree on impact 

* Banks respond to the threat 

By Adaeze Okechukwu 

NINE banks are battling with 

the risk of N300 billion 

decline in their interest 

income in the 2018 financial year, due 

to declining yield on government 

securities. 

The banks are Stanbic IBTC, Fidelity 

Bank, Guaranty Trust, Access Bank, 

Zenith, UBA, FBN Holdings (FBNH), 

Diamond Bank and FCMB. 

Following the decision of the federal 

government to restructure its debt 

portfolio, by replacing domestic loan 

with foreign loan, the Central Bank of 

Nigeria (CBN) commenced a gradual 

reduction in yields on treasury bills. 

Financial Vanguard analysis revealed 

that yield on 182 days treasury bills 

(TBs) for example declined from 17 

percent in January 2017 to 13.65 

percent January this year, 

representing decline of 330 basis 

points (bpts). 

With this trend expected to continue 

this year, this will translate to sharp 

decline in interest income for banks, 

while the banks frantically adjust their 

treasury positions as well as re-pricing 

their instruments. 

On the average the nine banks have 

14.6 percent of their interest bearing 

assets in government securities. 

Stanbic IBTC has the highest 

concentration of government securities 

as percentage of total interest bearing 

assets. The bank has 36.6 percent of 

its interest bearing assets in 

government securities, followed by 

GTB with 18.3 percent, FBN Holdings 

with 16.7 percent, UBA with 14.5 

percent, and Zenith Bank with 14.4 

percent. 

Diamond Bank has the lowest 

concentration of 5.8 percent followed 

by FCMB with 6.3 percent, Access 

Bank with 8.4 percent and Fidelity 

Bank with 10.6 percent. 

While analysts were of the view that 

this exposes the banks to risk of 

decline in net interest income as yields 

on government securities continue to 

trend downwards, the banks however 

pointed to other factors that will help 

mitigate the risk to their interest 

income. 

While analysts were of the view that 

this exposes the banks to risk of 

decline in net interest income as yields 

on government securities continue to 

trend downwards, the banks however 

pointed to other factors that will help 

moderate the impact on their interest 

income. 

Impacts 

Clement Adewuyi, an analyst with 

CadinalStone Partners, a Lagos based 

investment house, said that the nine 

banks will suffer decline in interest 

income ranging from 7.8 percent to 

29.6 percent of their interest income 

in the 2018 operating year. 

In a report titled: “Declining interest 

rate to weigh heavily on bank’s 

interest revenue”, he projected that 

Stanbic IBTC would suffer the largest 

decline of 29.6 percent in interest 

income, followed by Fidelity Bank with 

27.1 percent and GTB with 22.5 

percent. Others are Access Bank with 

19.7 percent projected decline, Zenith 

Bank with 14.8 percent, Diamond 

Bank with 13.7 percent, UBA with 10.5 

percent, FBNH with 9.8 percent and 

FCMB with 7.8 percent. 

Based on the nine months unaudited 

results of the banks for the period 

ending September 2017, the above 

portfolios imply decline in interest 

income of N27 billion for Stanbic 

IBTC, N30 billion for Fidelity Bank, 

N55.8 billion for GTB, N48 billion for 

Access Bank and N54 billion for 

Zenith Bank. This also implies decline 

of interest income of N18 for Diamond 

Bank, N15 billion for UBA, N35 billion 

for FBNH and N7.5 billion for FCMB. 

‘The above results to a N300.3 billion 

decline in the interest income of the 

nine banks which stood at N1.87 

trillion for the nine months ended 

September 30th2017. 

Adewuyi further projected that the 

nine banks, on the average, will suffer 

15 percent decline in net interest 

income, translating to N176 billion 

decline in the net interest income of 

the nine banks, which stood at N1.76 

trillion, as at September 2017.’’ 

Continues on page 20 

AMCON advocates special 

market to enhance asset 

valuation, disposal 

PAGE.22 

Operators bullish on equities 

outlook as investors gain 

N105bn 

Nigerians should 

demand for claims from 

insurers — Leadway 

PAGE 24 PAGE 27


FINANCIAL VANGUARD 

Banks brace up to report N500bn decline in interest income 

Cover 

Continues from page 19 

Further speaking to 

Financial Vanguard, Adewuyi 

said: “We expect the lower 

interest income regime to 

impact interest income, 

interest expense, trading 

income and derivative gains. 

Overall, we see net interest 

income (NII) across our 

coverage banks moderating by 

15 percent. We think the 

degree of impact that will be 

felt in 2018 will be highly 

correlated with the duration of 

individual banks treasury 

security portfolio, the 

sensitivity of their asset yield 

to interest rate as well as the 

willingness and ability to 

grow the loan book. 

‘‘In addition, we also 

believe the positive economic 

outlook makes case for better 

asset quality as well as lower 

impairment provisions in 

2018. 

‘‘Thus, we expect some of 

the impact of the expected 

lower interest income on 

profitability to be moderated 

by lower impairment charges 

as well as provision writebacks.” 

Adewuyi’s projection is 

supported by Fitch Ratings, 

which warned that Nigerian 

banks will struggle to sustain 

the same level of profitability 

in 2018 due to reduction in 

government borrowing 

through treasury bills and 

declining yields. “We expect 

falling T-Bill yields and lower 

issuance to put pressure on 

Nigerian banks’ profitability 

in 2018”, the global rating 

agency said in January. 

Head, Investment Research, 

Afrinvest Limited, Mr Robert 

Omotunde, however disagree 

with Adewuyi’s position, 

saying the impact of declining 

yield on banks’ interest 

income will not be significant. 

He stated: “While interest 

income is moderating, interest 

expense will moderate as 

well. We have projected the 

net interest margin (NIM) for 

tier-1 banks in 2018 to stand 

at 6.5 percent. Resultantly, the 

impact of the 4-5 percent 

decline in the interest rate on 

treasury securities will only 

reduce NIM by 20-50 basis 

points, leaving NIM at a 

minimum of 6 percent. 

‘‘This is not to say that the 

moderating yield 

environment will have no 

impact, the impact will 

however not be significant. 

‘‘Also, for banks with 

operations in Nigeria as well 

as in other African countries, 

the impact of the moderating 

yield on their consolidated 

net- interest income margin 

will not be enormous. Banks 

typically keep most of their 

assets as loans. Examining 

the banks’ 9 months financial 

statement, the bank with the 

highest portion of its interest 

bearing assets invested in 

treasury securities is Stanbic 

IBTC. 

“In addition, so far, we have 

not seen that much response 

in interest rates on loans. The 

declining yield on treasury 

investments may not 

necessarily even reduce 

interest income, because, 

banks will rationally deploy 

their remaining assets to 

other investment 

opportunities. The banks’ 

prime lending rate is about 18 

percent and prime lending 

accounts for 70-80 percent of 

interest yielding assets. The 

critical factor here is the 

banks’ ability to identify good 

credit.” 

Supporting Omotunde’s 

position, Mr Olalekan 

Olabode, Head, Research 

Division, Vetiva Capital 

Management Limited, said 

the impact will be marginal. 

Speaking to Financial 

Vanguard, he stated: “I do not 

think that declining interest 

rate is a big issue for banks. 

As interest rate moderates, 

the cost of their debt and 

deposits also reduces which 

in turn reduces interest 

expense. We believe banks 

need to de-risk their credit 

portfolio and focus loan 

growth on diversified and less 

risky sectors. 

“Also, the economy needs to 

be de-risked. Banks have a 

problem extending credit 

because of the risk of default. 

The BVN, credit bureau, and 

collateral registry initiatives 

are a few steps in the right 

direction to support credit. 

“Yes, the lower interest rate 

on treasury securities will 

impact banks’ interest income 

given that over 25 percent of 

assets of banks within our 

coverage is invested in 

treasury securities. 

“That said, whilst the banks 

suffer from the impact of lower 

interest rate on interest 

income, we expect them to 

benefit on the non-interest 

income. As interest rate 

reduces, the value of their 

fixed income securities 

increase. This therefore leads 

to mark-to-market gains and 

supports earnings. Hence, the 

impact is marginal.” 

“We expect 

falling T-Bill 

yields and lower 

issuance to put 

pressure on 

Nigerian banks’ 

profitability in 

2018” 

Banks’ Reactions 

In its response to Financial 

Vanguard, GTB maintained 

that the decline in interest rate 

was generally anticipated and 

that the bank plans to grow 

its loan book in order to 

mitigate the impact. 

“The bank has a healthy 

portfolio of quality loans in 

excess of our fixed income 

security holdings. With the 

pickup in economic activities, 

the bank projects a fair growth 

in its loan portfolio, which 

should mitigate the decline in 

fixed income yields. 

‘‘In addition, we anticipate 

a growth in credit related and 

transaction-based income 

emanating from increased 

business activities and growth 

in market share. 

‘‘The bank expects to sustain 

its performance in 2018, in 

spite of the anticipated 

decline in fixed income 

yields.” 

Also, commenting, Access 

Bank said: “Our asset 

portfolio is varied taking into 

consideration a wide array of 

investment classes such that 

concentration, price, credit 

and interest rate risks are 

mitigated and managed via 

portfolio limits as well as risk 

limits for tenor mismatches. 

“We acknowledge the 

downward trend in yield on 

government securities but this 

will not result in a sharp 

decline in the bank’s net interest 

income as any reduction 

in interest income derived 

from reduced yields on 

government securities will 

be offset in cost savings from 

reduction in interest expense 

incurred on tenured deposits. 

“This is due to the fact that 

the rate on government 

securities forms a benchmark 

rate for fixed deposits across 

banking and other Financial 

Institution segments of the 

market. 

‘‘Given the average duration 

of the bank’s fixed deposit 

portfolio which is much lower 

than the tenors of these 

government instruments 

which typically are for 91, 182 

and 364 days, the interest 

margins are set to derive from 

the uplift in downward repricing 

on deposits as the 

liabilities re-price earlier than 

the assets. 

‘‘ Furthermore, the bank’s 

government securities 

portfolio forms only about 8 

percent of our total assets. A 

further breakdown of these 

securities shows that our 

government securities 

portfolio is made up of 

medium to long tenured bond 

instruments as well as short 

tenured treasury bill 

securities. Majority of the 

long tenured bonds are 

exempt from the effects of the 

any reduction as the fixed 

coupon rate would apply on 

the held to maturity portions 

of these investments.” 

Commenting, UBA stated: 

“We are well prepared for this 

lower yield environment and 

have strong compensating 

income for the lower yield on 

treasury assets. First, we are 

seeing stronger volume 

growth across our business 

lines, including treasury 

business. The continuous 

improvement 

in 

macroeconomic environment 

coupled with our steady 

market share gain in deposit 

is giving us the benefit of 

higher volumes on treasury 

assets and the overall balance 

sheet. This should be very 

positive for earnings. 

“In addition, our transaction 

banking income lines 

will sustain the strong 

growth we have seen over 

the past two years, as we 

continue to leverage enhanced 

customer service and 

technology-led innovative 

offerings to dominate the 

market and create new opportunities 

and revenues 

lines for the Group. 

“Our expectation of stronger 

loan growth also presents 

upsides to our earnings 

growth in the year, which is 

even a higher interest 

earnings asset class that 

should more than compensate 

us for the lower yield on 

treasury bills and bonds. 

“All of these compensatory 

earnings drivers discussed 

earlier are in Nigeria. We 

have a well-diversified 

business, with operations in 

18 other African countries. 

This unique geographic 

diversification reduces our 

Group’s vulnerability to the 

volatilities in one market, as 

the different markets where 

we operate in Africa are 

largely uncorrelated. 

“More so, there has been 

strong growth trajectory of our 

African operations (ex- 

Nigeria), which now 

contributes over a third of 

earnings and represents a 

third of our Group’s balance 

sheet. This is one of the factors 

that stand UBA Group out 

from the pack and it is one of 

the benefits of our proactive 

diversification across 

carefully selected markets in 

Africa, where we see strong 

growth levers and opportunity 

to positively impact the 

African continent in a way 

that maximizes long term 

return on investment to our 

shareholders.’’ 

On its part, Fidelity Bank 

said: “We have only 9 percent 

of our total assets in treasury 

securities which are relatively 

low compared to other banks. 

Nonetheless we will definitely 

pickup lending this year. 

‘‘Our strategic focus has 

always been on niche 

corporate banking sectors, the 

SMEs, and importantly retail 

banking driven by electronic 

banking services and 

products. 

‘‘Our retail strategy has 

delivered impressive results 

as Fidelity was rated the 4th 

Best Retail Bank in the 

Premier KPMG Annual 

Survey even as we were one 

of the 2 banks in Nigeria that 

pioneered the adoption of 

USSD banking. Our digital 

banking strategy has seen 

over 50 percent of customers 

using debit cards and 30 

percent using our mobile/ 

internet banking. 

‘‘Savings deposits have 

grown significantly by 97 

percent to N163.8 billion as at 

30 Sep 2017, from N83.3bn as 

at 31 December 2013. This is 

on the strength of the retail 

banking strategy as low cost 

deposits continued to account 

for over 70 percent of total 

customer deposits.”



Continues from page 19 

N453bn inflow to stabilise cost of funds in interbank 

bpts to 10 percent from 

9.17 percent the previous 

week. 

per dollar the previous eration of 0.24 percent. tored in February 2018 17.50 percent from 

This week, the market week, translating to 22 “We expect month-onmonth 

inflation to in- 

leading to 0.80 percent ary 2017. FSDH Re- 

increased marginally, 224.77 points in Febru- 

will enjoy inflow of kobo depreciation for 

N453.5 billion from maturing 

TBs, comprising The naira, however, (12.82 percent Non-Alcoholic Index. is a potential increase in 

the naira. 

crease to 1.01 percent increase in our Food and search notes that there 

N269.1 billion worth of remained stable at N362 annualized). During the The Food and Non-Alcoholic 

Index increased by food items because of the 

local prices of imported 

maturing OMO bills and per dollar in the parallel 

market during the moderating factors were 

month, certain price 

N191.4 billion worth of 

maturing primary market 

bills. While the CBN CBN sustained its clude: 

week. Meanwhile, the noticeable. These in- 

is expected to sell N191 weekly intervention in “A decline in most global 

commodity food 

billion worth of primary the foreign exchange 

market bills this week, market by selling $210 prices such as sugar and 

analysts project cost of million via the interbank rice and to a limited extent, 

the stability of the 

funds to remain stable, foreign exchange market. 

exchange rate within the 

barring upsurge in 

OMO bills issuance by 

N362/$-N363/$ band. 

the CBN in pursuit of its Analysts project lower Ample forex supply and 

liquidity mop up operationsary 

continue to taper im- 

inflation rate for Febru- 

exchange rate stability 

“In the coming week, Ahead of the release of ported inflation. 

despite an OMO maturity 

of N261.9 billion, we ruary this week by the ity in the system as the 

the inflation data for Feb- 

“Reduced naira liquid- 

expect rates to remain at National Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS), analysts at tion of banks dropped by 

average opening posi- 

similar levels as the 

CBN continues its OMO Financial Derivatives 38.63 percent to N173.78 

auctions to mop up excess 

liquidity.”, proited 

and FSDH Mer- 

Marginal expansion in 

Company (FDC) Lim- 

billion long in February. 

jected analysts at Lagos chant Bank have projected 

further decline in dent in an increase in 

production levels - evi- 

based Afrinvest Limited. 

the inflation rate for the FBN PMI to 54.7 from 

Turnover in I&E month. 

54.6 in Jan’18. This reflects 

a soft inventory 

fall by 50% 

The inflation rate 

On the foreign exchange 

scene, the vol- 

359bpts from a peak of ers in February. 

dropped consistently by build-up by manufacturume 

of dollars traded 18.72 percent in January “Improved power supply 

from 3,690MW/hr in 

(turnover) in the Investors 

and Exporters (I&E) January this year. January to 3,937MW/hr. 

2017 to 15.3 percent in 

window fell by 50 percent 

last week while the jected the inflation rate price propelling factor 

Analysts at FDC pro- 

However, there was one 

naira depreciated by 22 to fall to 14.75 percent in which had a limited impact 

on inflation. This 

kobo. Financial Vanguard 

analysis of daily analysts projected infla- 

was the lingering fuel 

February while FSDH 

trading results in the tion rate of 14.31 percent scarcity in the country.” 

window showed that for the month. 

On their part, FSDH 

turnover dropped to Explaining the basis analysts stated: “The 

$659 million last week for their projections, expected decrease in the 

from $1.33 billion the FDC analysts stated: inflation rate is largely 

previous week. Year-todate, 

foreign investors sharp fall in year-on- 

effect of previous year. 

ZQWe are forecasting a attributable to the base 

and exporters have year headline inflation to In addition, we note the 

traded $11.26 billion in 14.75 percent for February 

2018, after a steep food prices, as well as 

decrease in some major 

the window. 

The sharp decline in decline from Januaryôu the slowdown in the 

turnover prompted decline 

in the fortunes of cent. Apart from being categories of non-food 

inflation of 15.13 per- 

price movement in some 

the naira in the window, the 13th consecutive items in the Consumer 

as the indicative exchange 

rate closed the tion, the rate of decline ket. 

monthly drop in infla- 

Price Index (CPI) bas- 

week higher at N360.32 has increased from the “The prices of most of 

per dollar from N360.1 previous monthôu decel- 

the food items we moni- 

NIGERIA’S REAL GDP GROWTH RATE 

M 

YK 

C 

M 

Y 

K 

faster than expected increase 

in international 

food prices. This may 

have negative impact on 

inflation rate going forward.”



AMCON advocates special market to enhance 

asset valuation, disposal 

By Babajide Komolafe 

ASSET Management 

Corporation of Nigeria 

(AMCON) has called for the 

creation of ‘AMCON Market,’ 

to enable it dispose several 

billions of naira worth of assets 

that are tied down in its books 

due to inappropriate 

valuation, strange market 

forces among other vices. 

The Corporation in a 

statement said that the 

‘AMCON Market’ would 

involve key players in 

valuation, insurance, legal 

among other strategic 

stakeholders. 

“AMCON has a stockpile of 

assets, which it is finding 

difficult to dispose in the 

regular open market. The 

assets cut across critical 

sectors of the economy such 

as real estate, energy, 

transportation and aviation, 

maritime, agriculture and 

manufacturing just to mention 

a few.” 

Dr. Eberechukwu Uneze, an 

Executive Director, AMCON 

made the call while declaring 

open a one-day sensitization 

forum for AMCON’s Valuers 

& Receiver Managers in 

Lagos. The conference is part 

of AMCON’s renewed 

strategy to continually engage 

different professionals whose 

practice directly impact on its 

recovery activities. The 

conference is themed 

“Valuation of AMCON assets: 

The Imperatives of 

Competence, diligence and 

commitment.” 

Uneze, who represented the 

Managing Director/Chief 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE FSDH Merchant 

Bank Limited has called 

for strategic policy making 

tools that would improve 

economic growth and quell 

investors concerns relating 

to rising uncertainties about 

the country’s fiscal policies, 

micro policy and external 

environment. 

The bank also projected that 

the country may end up with a 

single digit inflation rate in the 

first half of 2018 (H1, 2018) if 

there is no adjustment to PMS 

(petrol) price, electricity tariffs, 

and possibility of capital flight 

as a result monetary policy 

normalisation in the advanced 

countries and if the current 

rising crisis in food producing 

states in the country is 

immediately tackled. 

The bank disclosed this during 

a media presentation of of ts 

monthly research report titled: 

Executive Officer of AMCON, 

Mr. Ahmed Kuru, said the 

creation of the proposed 

AMCON market would help 

address a lot of irregularities 

that affect the outcome of 

valuation in the country. He 

said, “We are using this 

opportunity to appeal to the 

conscience of valuers to the 

realities and the negative 

implication of wrong valuation 

to the recovery effort of 

AMCON. When you carry out 

this assignment as valuers 

especially when it relates to 

AMCON assets, please make 

use of the appropriate 

methodology. When you are 

appointed as valuers for 

AMCON please don’t just 

look at it as a business; kindly 

consider it as a national 

assignment because we owe it 

a duty to Nigerians to recover 

these debts as quickly as 

possible because AMCON is 

not here in perpetuity. Your 

contribution would help 

strengthen the hands of 

AMCON to enable the 

corporation realise its 

mandate.” 

The AMCON boss said the 

call had become necessary 

because of the feedback the 

corporation gets from key 

stakeholders. He said there 

were allegations of 

unprofessional behaviour by 

some valuers who 

unnecessarily overvalue some 

assets, which in turn makes it 

impossible for AMCON to 

dispose such assets. He said 

again, “The feedback we get 

from some of our key 

stakeholders is not palatable. 

Some of them have come to us 

with the allegation that some 

obligors go to the extent of 

trying to influence the decision 

of some valuers. That is very 

wrong. Such sharp practice 

would not help our recovery 

mandate. It is also not good 

because the money AMCON is 

recovering belongs to Nigeria. 

That is why we are calling for 

the creation of an AMCON 

market because the implication 

of the outcome of your 

valuation has very huge impact 

on our mandate.” 

TeamApt partners Open Banking 

Nigeria, approves standard for 

digital banking 

TEAMAPT, a leading 

financial technology firm, 

has announced its collaboration 

with Open Banking Nigeria, a 

not-for-profit founded by 

banking and financial 

technology industry veterans to 

introduce open non-partisan 

Application Programming 

Interfaces (APIs) into its 

L-R: Mr Babayo Adamu, Member, National Organising Committee, 2018 Africa Forum; Shina Atilola, 

Group Head, Strategy and New Business, Sterling Bank Plc; Mazi Jetson Nwankwo, Managing Director, 

Nigerails Ltd; Temi Dalley, Chief Human Resources Officer, Sterling Bank Plc and Acting National Executive 

Director, Mr. Paul Ndibe, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), during a working 

visit to Sterling Bank Plc by the Institute..Friday 

FSDH advocates policy tools to address rising uncertainties 

•List conditions for attainment of single digit inflation 

“Growth prospects with rising 

uncertainties” held in Lagos. 

Speaking at presentation, 

Head Research and Strategy 

FSDH Merchant Bank, Mr. 

Ayodele Akinwunmi said, 

“People take decisions based 

on favourable expectations. If 

confidence is not in the 

economy, investors won’t take 

decisions. 

The federal government 

need to resolve internal 

political crises, speak to the 

public and let us have 

Monetary Policy Committee 

(MPC) meeting. If they 

reduce the Cash Reserve Ratio 

(CRR) a bit, inject more funds 

into the system, then more 

funds will go into the real 

sector to fund the economy. 

“However, between last 

month and now, we have 

begun to see lots of rising 

uncertainties from investors 

within the country on the fiscal 

policies, micro policy and also 

the external environment. This 

is March. By the Central 

Bank’s MPC calendar, we 

should be planning to have the 

second MPC meeting in 

March. As it seems to be, that 

committee is not well 

constituted. We do not know 

what is going on in that place. 

Investors are wondering, ‘How 

can you run the economy 

without the MPC of the CBN 

meeting?’ We need both the 

physical policy and the 

monetary policy to move the 

economy forward.” 

system, for enhanced service 

offerings, sustainable model for 

underserved markets, revenue 

growth, and customer 

satisfaction. 

This announcement was 

made by TeamApt in a bid to 

consolidate its promise to 

deliver feature-rich Omnichannel 

digital banking 

experience with a smooth 

customer experience for its 

clients who serve retail, 

corporate, small business and 

youth customer segments of the 

market. 

In a statement, TeamApt 

Chief Executive Officer,Tosin 

Eniolorunda, said that “As we 

adopt the Open Banking 

Nigeria standards, we would 

be upgrading our Moneytor 

digital banking and payment 

infrastructure solutions for more 

secure, reliable and scalable 

payments that power digital 

banking and businesses with 

world-class support. 

“At TeamApt, we are 

convinced that Open Banking 

will significantly turn around 

the rapidly growing digital 

payments system in Nigeria 

and accelerate the digital 

transformation of players in the 

banking and financial 

technology sectors.” 

Speaking on the partnership, 

Adedeji Olowe, spokesperson 

of Open Banking Nigeria, 

added that, “Through the 

adoption of Open Banking 

Nigeria API standards, 

TeamApt solutions will 

turbocharge banks with 

innovations and also provide 

customers with greater 

financial transparency options 

for account holders ranging 

from open data to private 

data.” 

Heritage Bank introduces Octopus, advanced intelligent digital platform 

Heritage Bank Plc, Nigeria’s 

most innovative banking service 

provider has taken a bold 

step to revolutionalise the 

banking sector with the introduction 

of an advanced intelligent 

digital experience 

known as Octopus. 

The solution which is fullfledged 

digital bank, has 

been described by financial 

technology experts as a gamechanging 

innovation that is 

poised to connect all your 

bank accounts with your Debit 

Card details or account holder 

information. 

Octopus by Heritage Bank 

represents an omni-channel 

multi-platform experience 

squarely targeted at the customers 

of tomorrow; young, 

smart, professional, tech savvy 

pioneers of the new digital 

economy. Bank agnostic, 

Octopus will provide all customers 

of any Nigerian Bank 

the opportunity to access a 

platform that consolidates and 

connects all their Bank accounts 

delivering convenience 

and ease of access on 

an innovative platform and 

digital community 

It is designed to deliver 

omni-channel user experience 

across multiple devices; 

where most of customer’s daily 

city activities (banking, cinemas, 

stock markets, social interactions, 

churches, universities, 

meetings, restaurants, 

utility [e.g. DSTV, PHCN], 

fans clubs, associations and 

any other communities) have 

been digitized and consolidated. 

It serves as a single window 

into several players of the 

same industry and it is embedded 

in the same social 

media platforms where people 

are such as Facebook and 

Telegram.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018— 23



Operators bullish on equities outlook as 

investors gain N105bn 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

STOCKBROKERS in the 

nation’s capital market 

and other investment analysts 

have said that the market will 

sustain its positive momentum 

this week riding on the back 

of more earning reports 

expected to be released by 

listed firms. 

The equities market closed 

in the positive territory last 

week with investors gaining 

N105 billion as the market 

capitalisation rose toN15.508 

trillion from N15.403 trillion in 

the previous week. Similarly, 

the All Share Index, ASI, 

advanced by 0.68 percent to 

43,167.86 basis points from 

42,876.23 points following 

reaction to corporate results 

released within the week. 

According to analysts at 

Cordros Capital, an investment 

banking firm, the outlook for 

the week remained positive as 

investors’ sentiment remained 

buoyed by optimism around 

positive macroeconomic 

fundamentals and expected 

positive quarter four, Q4 2017 

corporate releases. 

Corroborating, Mr. Chinyere 

Anyanwu, Managing Director/ 

CEO, Dependable Securities, 

said that having enjoyed a 

week of favourable investors’ 

disposition, the market would 

remain upbeat “as more 

companies results are expected 

to be released this week.” 

He said: “Expectation is 

upbeat by us, reason being that 

we are in the season of result, 

even though some of the very 

good results that already came 

out did not give the exact 

impact we expected. 

“Some of the results we saw 

that we expected would boost 

the market did not give the 

required impact. We observed 

also that some of the stocks had 

moved up before the 

declaration of the results. 

People took position in 

anticipation of good results 

having seen the first, second 

and third quarter results. What 

you cannot speculate is what a 

particular company will pay as 

dividend, but the results are 

already known. So, next week, 

we expect that more companies 

will release their results and 

that will drive the market up.” 

Also, Mr. Dolapo Ashiru, 

CEO, Mega Capital Financial 

Services, said that the market 

is expected to go up because 

of corporate actions. “Today, we 

saw the result of NASCON 

Allied Industries Plc and it was 

okay. The company declared a 

dividend of N1.50. So, by next 

week, we expect more results 

Shareholders take position on 

Consolidated Hallmark as share 

price gains 48% 

By Peter Egwuatu 

SHAREHOLDERS seem to 

be taking position in 

Consolidated Hallmark 

Insurance Plc as the share price 

of the company went up by 40 

percent in nine days trading on 

the Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE. 

The company, which share 

price, fell below 0.50 kobo per 

share when the NSE removed 

price cap rose to 0.37 kobo per 

share at the end of trading on 

Thursday, March 8, from 

0.25kobo per share it closed on 

Monday, February 26, 2018. 

The recent removal of the price 

cap by the NSE had led to fall 

in the share price of some 

stocks, especially in the 

Insurance industry as some 

shareholders began dumping 

their shares for fear of losing 

value. 

Reacting to this development, 

Managing Director, 

Consolidated Hallmark 

Insurance, Mr. Eddie Efekoha 

said: “The removal of price cap 

affected mostly the insurance 

companies because of the low 

penetration of insurance 

services in the country. But, for 

our company, the shareholders 

have started taking position. 

The reason is not far-fetched. 

The company has demonstrated 

consistent ability to deliver 

returns to its shareholders over 

the years, and an analysis of its 

financials shows strong positive 

fundamentals. 

“Majority of the shareholders 

of company have, therefore, 

continued to hold on tightly to 

their stocks, not willing to sell, 

while others are beginning to 

take positions now that the cap 

has been lifted, thereby 

providing more liquidity for the 

stocks.” 

He further expressed 

confidence that discerning 

investors would rather scramble 

to take position on the stock, at 

a bargain price now rather than 

sell their valuable stock that has 

consistently made returns for 

them via growth in assets and 

dividend payments over the 

years. 

He said the intrinsic book 

value of the stock is presently 

over 70kobo, and with its 

current liquidity levels in the 

market, more market players 

are now gearing up to take 

position while expecting an 

upside in price especially 

against the backdrop of the 

expected 2017 year end 

financials. 

to come out but it is the banks’ 

results that will really drive the 

market, especially the tier one 

banks. 

Like Anyanwu, Ashiru said 

that the results so far released 

did not have much impact 

because most investors had 

already taken position well 

ahead of the release of those 

By Peter Egwuatu 

SHAREHOLDERS of 

Vitafoam Nigeria Plc have 

admonished its Board of 

Directors to commence the 

recapitalisation of the company 

to enhance operations that will 

result to higher profitability. 

The shareholders also 

demanded the sale of some 

subsidiaries that are not 

contributing enough to 

boosting profitability of the 

Group. 

The leaders of various 

shareholders associations, 

which include Sir Sunny 

Nwosu, Boniface Okezie, 

Timothy Adesiyan, Alhaji 

Gbadebo Adetokunbo and 

many others, who spoke at the 

company’s Annual General 

Meeting, AGM, in Lagos, 

commended the company’s 

foresight in diversification into 

pre-fabricated buildings and 

leather products that could be 

exported to earn foreign 

exchange and canvassed for 

floating of Rights Issue to 

generate revenue internally in 

addition to prudent 

results. 

Meanwhile, a breakdown of 

the last week’s transactions 

showed that among sectors, the 

oil and gas sector recorded the 

highest gain, rising by 5.58 

percent, followed by the 

consumer goods and industrial 

goods sectors, which rose by 

1.70 percent apiece on the back 

Shareholders seek recapitalisation 

of Vitafoam 

management of the N2.1 billion 

loan from the Bank of Industry 

(BOI). The shareholders 

commended the company’s 

board and management on its 

long tradition of stability and 

regularity of dividends despite 

the tough operating 

environment. 

Addressing shareholders at 

the meeting, the 

Chairman,Vitafoam Nigeria 

Plc, Dr. Bamidele Makanjuola, 

announced plans by the 

company to increase its 

shareholder value with 

expected strong earnings from 

the subsidiaries. 

Besides, he assured 

shareholders that the board 

and management shall look 

into the popular demand for 

floating Rights Issue to 

strengthen its working capital. 

Makanjuola explained that a 

strategic review of the 

company’s business units to 

ascertain continued alignment 

with broader transformation 

objectives was undertaken to 

position it for accelerated 

profitability. 

According to him, the 

of gains in Unilever Nigeria 

Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc and 

First Aluminium Nigeria Plc. 

However, the banking and 

insurance sectors fell by 0.25 

percent and 1.76 percent 

respectively. 

At the end of the week, 

investors bought 3.079 billion 

shares worth N39.990 billion in 

23,086 deals compared to 2.170 

billion shares valued at 

N39.087 billion that exchanged 

hands last week in 24,657 

deals. 

company had completed its 

expansion project and has 

begun to consolidate for 

optimal performance as 

reflected in the current status 

of some subsidiaries. 

“Vitapur Nigeria Limited has 

become a source of hope and 

inspiration. It has posted profit 

for the second year running. 

Our moulded foam products, 

Vitavisco Nigeria Limited has 

continued to operate profitably. 

It is growing slowly but 

steadily. Vitafoam Nigeria 

Limited has maintained its 

profit-making streak, although 

this was attenuated during the 

year by the adverse economic 

conditions in the country” 

Makanjuola said. 

He assured the shareholders 

that company would revamp 

Vono Furniture Products, 

Vitagreen Nigeria Limited 

while strategic decision would 

be taken on Vitafoam Sierra 

Leone Limited and Vitafoam 

Ghana Limited respectively in 

view of the negative impacts of 

foreign exchange on their 

operations.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018—25



By Emeka Anaeto, 

Business Editor 

Investors’ 

adverse 

sentiment in the stock of 

Nestle Nigeria Plc, the most 

expensive in the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE, 

seemed to have bottomed out, 

if the significant up-turn last 

weekend is anything to go by. 

But this was against 

analysts’ negative projections, 

despite a seemingly 

impressive full year 2017 

financial results, FY‘17. 

The share price which had 

trended at high point of 

N1400 previous week nosedived 

to N1,375 following the 

results announcement, but 

did a quick recovery to N1,381 

by close of trade last Friday. 

However, the seeming 

recovery is a far cry from this 

year’s high point of 

N1,555.99, indicating that the 

stock was still one of the most 

unfavourable amongst the 

blue chips this year so far, 

losing -11.2 percent to 

Investors Forum 

Nestle’s stock limps between depreciation and recovery 

...As analysts recommend ‘Hold’ to investors 

date.Nestle’s shares 

appreciated by 92 percent in 

2017. 

But going by the mixedfortune 

in the overall 

performance scorecard in the 

FY’17 as well as foreign 

investor sentiment that had 

worked for the stock for a long 

time, it is expected that further 

recovery in the share price 

would happen this week, 

having suffered enough 

punishment for the downsides 

in the scorecards. 

The Financials 

Nestle had reported a 34.2 

percent year-on-year (YoY) 

rise in turnover to N244.2 

billion. After tax earnings 

increased impressively by 

325.5 percent YoY to N33.7 

billion. 

On a quarterly basis, 

revenues grew by 12.4 percent 

YoY to N58.9 billion (Q4’16- 

N52.4 billion) with the food 

segment remaining the 

mainstay of total revenues. 

Notwithstanding, the 

company recorded a 

slowdown in growth on a QoQ 

basis (declined 7% compared 

to the N63.3 billion reported 

in Q3’17). This is significant 

given that Q4 has historically 

been the firm’s strongest 

quarter. However, with a 

topline of N58.9 billion, Q4 

was the firm’s weakest 

quarter in 2017. 

Cost pressures on gross 

margin remain high, inching 

higher by 220 bases points 

Quarterly after tax 

earnings improved 

significantly by 44.4 

percent YoY and 67 

percent QoQ to N10.7 

billion. However, this 

was also supported by a 

much lower effective 

tax rate applied (Q4’17- 

13.0%; Q4’16- 53.8%; 

Q3’17- 36.0%). 

(bps) YoY and 100bps QoQ 

respectively to 57.6%. 

Consequently, gross margin 

moderated by 220bps YoY and 

100bps QoQ to 42.4 percent in 

Q4’17 (Q4’16- 44.6%; Q3’17- 

43.4%). 

Operating expenses did not 

moderate either, worsening 

the impact on Earnings Before 

Interest and Tax, EBIT, margin 

which slipped 310bps YoY and 

440bps QoQ to 21.4 percent, 

the lowest in five quarters. 

Net finance expenses for the 

quarter under review declined 

96 percent QoQ to N263 

million largely due to the 

improvement in Nigeria’s FX 

situation following the 

introduction of the I&E 

window in April 2017. 

Consequently, overall, foreign 

exchange losses came in 31.3 

percent lower than the 

previous year (FY’17- N11.2 

billion; FY’16- N16.3 billion). 

Interest expenses also 

declined 13.9% during the 

year to N3.9 billion. 

Quarterly after tax earnings 

improved significantly by 44.4 

percent YoY and 67 percent 

QoQ to N10.7 billion. 

However, this was also 

supported by a much lower 

effective tax rate applied 

(Q4’17- 13.0%; Q4’16- 53.8%; 

Q3’17- 36.0%). 

Nestle’s results indicated 

that it has continued to 

leverage on its staple products 

in the food and beverage 

categories as its food segment 

posted a YoY revenue growth 

of 36% while the beverage 

segment grew by 31% YoY. 

The remarkable topline 

performance of N244.1billion 

in FY’17 from N181.9billion in 

FY’16 was largely driven by 

the food segment which 

accounts for 61 percent of 

revenue and higher product 

pricing. But cost of sales grew 

in line with revenue to 

N143.3billion in FY’17 from 

N106.6billion in FY’16 and 

supported gross profit margin 

which remained flat at 41 

percent. 

Nestle recorded significant 

gains in operating efficiency 

as operating profit increased 

markedly by 46 percent to 

N55.7billion in FY’17 from 

N38.2billion in FY’16. 

Operating margins expanded 

by 23 percent in FY’17 from 21 

percent in FY’16. 

Net finance cost had 

declined markedly by 47 

percent to N8.9billion in FY’18 

from N16.7billion in FY’17, 

due largely to a significant 

decline in interest expense 

and foreign exchange loss on 

foreign denominated loans 

which reduced from 

N16.3billion in FY’16 to 

N11.2billion in FY’17 given 

the relative stability in FX 

during the period. 

Export revenue increased by 

nearly a billion from N1.9 

billion in 2016 to N3 billion 

in 2017. Revenue from Ghana 

more than doubled from N974 

million in 2016 to N2.6 billion 

in 2017. Revenue from 

Nigeria also doubled from 

N62 million in 2016 to N132 

million in 2017. 

Revenue from other 

segments, however, fell from 

N274 million in 2016 to N244 

million in 2017. 

Nestle declared a final 

dividend of N27.5 per share, 

which in addition to the 

interim dividend of N15.0 

per Nestle had earlier paid 

an interim dividend of N15 

per share (comprising N13 

from pioneer profits and N2 

from its retained earnings). 

These amount to a total 

dividend of N42.5 per share, 

a massive 175 percent jump 

from N10.0 dividend per 

share total dividend in FY: 

2016. This comes to a 

payout ratio of 99.8%, one of 

the boldest in the NSE so far. 

Analysts Recommendations 

In their review of the Nestle 

stock last week, investment 

analysts at WSTC Financial 

Services Limited stated: “We 

believe growth in volume will 

be constrained by higher 

competition from import 

substitutes given the 

improvement in FX liquidity 

and we do not expect any 

significant price increase. 

“Thus, we believe growth in 

revenue will moderate 

significantly to 7.0 percent in 

FY’18. We have a fair value 

estimate of N1,197.14 for the 

stock. At the current market 

price of N1,380.0, Nestle is 

trading at a 15% premium to 

our fair value estimate. 

“We have made appropriate 

adjustments to our valuation 

and we revise our 

recommendation on the stock 

to a ‘HOLD’ at the current 

market price of N1,380.0.” 

But some other analysts as 

at Monday last week, had 

noted that since the stock was 

then trading N1,400 it carries 

an earnings yield of 3.03 

percent and earnings per 

share of N42.55. It also has a 

dividend yield of 3.03 

percent. 

This means the stock was 

trading at 30 times earnings, 

making it overpriced. Nestle, 

traditionally trades at a 

premium, due to its blue-chip 

nature, and being a favourite 

of foreign investors. The stock 

also has a thin float since 

66.18 percent of the 792 

million shares in issue are 

held by Nestle S.A. 

Switzerland. 

Some observers believe that 

while earnings per share and 

dividend per share are 

relatively high, the high share 

price makes the stock 

unattractive at its current 

price. 

C 

M 

YK


•From left; Mr. Wilson Ideva, former CEO of Premium Pension Limited receiving a gift from The &NBSP; Board 

Chairman, Arc. Yunusa Yakubu at a sent forth event for some former management staff. 

Nigerians should demand for claims from 

insurers — Leadway 

Stories by 

Rosemary Onuoha 

Executive Director of 

Leadway Assurance 

Company Limited, Ms. 

Adetola Adegbayi, has urged 

insured Nigerians to always 

demand for claims from their 

insurers whenever an insured 

risk occurs. Adegbayi stated 

this during a media training 

organised by Leadway 

Assurance for insurance 

correspondents in Lagos. 

Adegbayi said that most 

Nigerians that buy insurance 

policies are ignorant on when 

and how to make claims, 

adding that, instead of going 

to their insurers to make 

claims, they rather bear the 

financial burden themselves. 

According to her some overambitious 

operators cash in 

on this loophole to rate-cut 

policies with the assumption 

that the insured will not 

demand for claims if the risk 

occurs. 

In the event of claims, she 

said, these overzealous 

underwriters do default, since 

the premium charged does not 

reflect the actual value of the 

products. Adegbayi stressed 

that rate-cutting can be fought 

by Nigerians, if they begin to 

request for claims on their 

insurance policies, stating 

that when this happens, 

underwriters would sit up and 

charge the normal rates that 

can sustain them when claims 

arise. 

Explaining that an 

insurance company would be 

sanctioned if it defaults in 

claims obligations, she 

charged Nigerians to report 

defaulting underwriting firms 

to regulatory authorities, 

promising necessary steps 

would be taken to pay claims 

to the aggrieved insured. 

Explaining the benefits of 

Hospital Cash Insurance Plan, 

one of the microinsurance 

products of Leadway, she said 

that in the event of 

hospitalisation due to illness 

for more than two days, the 

insured is entitled to daily 

benefits payable up to a 

maximum of 20 days during 

the policy period. 

In the event of 

hospitalisation arising from 

accidental injury for 

consecutive period of more 

than two days, she said, daily 

benefits is payable up to a 

maximum of 15 days during 

the policy period. 

Head, Retail Business, 

T 

he National 

I n s u r a n c e 

C o m m i s s i o n 

(NAICOM) has taken 

over the management of 

UNIC Insurance Plc, one 

of the ailing firms, and 

set up a 4-man interim 

board to pilot the affairs 

of the company for the 

next six months. 

According to NAICOM, 

Chief Samuel Ordu, has 

been appointed as 

Chairman of the 

underwriting firm. Ordu, 

was NAICOM’s former 

Director of Finance & 

Accounts. 

The interim Managing 

Director/Chief Executive 

Officer is, Theophilus 

Eke, while other members 

Leadway Assurance, Mr. 

Tunji Amokade, said the 

future of insurance industry 

lies in the retail market, 

noting that, the commercial 

market is saturated. 

Speaking on ‘Micro 

Insurance Business in 

Nigeria’ he said that despite 

NAICOM takes over management 

of Unic Insurance 


the huge population the 

country is blessed with, low 

insurance penetration is still 

a major issue. 

“The problem of penetration 

is because we are cash-based 

economy unlike other 

countries that are creditbased,” 

he said. 

FG appoints NAICOM board 

T 

he Federal Government 

has appointed Chief 

Emmanuel Jideoffor Nwosu 

as the Chairman of the 

Governing Board of the 

National Insurance 

Commission (NAICOM). 

This was disclosed last 

Thursday in Abuja! By the 

Minister of Finance Kemi 

are Ifeyinwa Ann Momah 

and Nicholas Shaiyen. 

NAICOM noted that the 

interim board has an 

initial period of six 

months to do a forensic 

on the financial position 

and as well the corporate 

governance failures 

observed in the course of 

reviewing the financial 

statement of the 

company. 

The firm’s shareholders’ 

funds as at 2016, stood at 

N587.67 million, which 

was far below the 

statutory N2 billion for 

life insurers. Its total 

assets was N4.17 billion 

while gross premium was 

N38.769 million. 

Adeosun, during the 

inauguration of the boards 

of some government 

agencies. 

Others inaugurated as 

members of the board 

include: Prof. Musa 

Balarabe from the North 

West, Awwal Hamza from 

the North East; Otunba A. 

Akinniranye from the South 

West; Commissioner for 

Insurance, Mohammed 

Kari; Deputy Commissioner 

Technical, Sunday Thomas 

and Deputy Commissioner, 

Finance and Admin., 

George Oneknena. 

Also on the board are: 

representatives of the 

Federal Ministry of 

Finance; Ministry of Trade 

and Investment; Central 

Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) and 

Chartered Insurance 

Institute of Nigeria,(CIIN), 

The Governing Board is 

the highest decision making 

body of the regulator of 

insurance industry, which 

has the mandate of setting 

standards for the conduct of 

insurance business in 

Nigeria, protects 

policyholders and ensures 

adequate protection of 

strategic government assets 

and properties. 

NAICOM 

charges 

brokers to 

desist from 

unprofessional 

practices 

By Cynthia Alo 

National Insurance, 

Commission, 

NAICOM, has appealed 

to insurance brokers to 

desist from engaging in 

unprofessional practices 

because they hinder 

growth of the sector. 


Insurance, Mohammed 

Kari stated this at the 

‘Members’ Evening’ of 

insurance brokers hosted 

by NEM Insurance in 

Lagos recently. 

Kari charged erring 

brokers to desist from 

illegal practices as they 

hinder greater things 

from happening in the 

industry. 

According to him, illegal 

practices in the industry 

should have been a thing 

of the past by now while a 

major focus should be on 

how to evolve the 

industry. 

He stated: “We are 

trying to get to a time 

where no penalties will be 

charged at all. We must 

get to that promise land 

where penalties will be a 

thing of the past.” 

Kari noted that for the 

good of the industry, 

every broker should abide 

by the laid down rules 

and regulations so that 

focus would be on how to 

elevate the industry 

rather than pursue 

operators on account of 

illegal practices. 

Speaking at the event, 

Director, Supervision, 

NAICOM, Mr Barineka 

Thompson, said that the 

Commission is strict with 

supervision because so 

many things are going 

wrong. 

He said, “If someone is 

going to destroy the 

insurance industry, it 

might as well be us. There 

is need to supervise this 

sector because it is the 

reason we are in 

business. The purpose of 

supervision is to ensure 

that insurance institutions 

comply with relevant laws 

of the business. 

According to him, illegal 

practices dent the image 

of the Commission, 

government and the 

industry at large adding, 

“The Commission is 

evolving very fast and 

therefore would strive to 

find ways to tackle every 

challenge it is faced 

with.”



N305bn target for VAIDS is do-able – FIRS Chairman 

As the deadline for the tax amnesty period 

under the Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration 

Scheme (VAIDS), draws near, Chairman 

of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, 

Mr. Tunde Fowler, in this interview, gives 

more perspective to the scheme. Excerpts 

By Emeka Anaeto and 

Prince Okafor 

You set a target of March, 

2018 for the window of pardon 

for VAIDS. After that 

what next 

What follows! We will follow 

the laws that deals with tax administration 

and companies 

that are not compliant we will 

investigate them, prosecute 

them and we take all actions 

in line with the law which includes 

the stoppage of activities 

and if need be sell off assets. 

Is there possibility of extending 

deadline. 

The decision on extension 

does not lie with me, it was a 

decision whereby all tiers of 

government were involved. I 

don’t have the capacity to 

change the approval, the only 

person that can change it for 

whatever reason, is the President, 

and the Vice President 

who is in-charge of the economy 

through the Minister of 

Finance. 

Are you focusing on the 

big income earners or all 

Every Nigerian is included. 

It is not for only the rich and 

wealthy, tax is for everyone. 

Task is based on profit and income, 

what we look at when 

we check both individuals and 

corporate books is the level of 

compliance. The law that is 

applicable to the wealthy also 

bounds everyone. The 

amount is not the problem but 

the compliance level. 

What is the target amount 

we are looking at. What has 

come in so far. 

The target amount we are 

looking at is USD1 billion 

which is equivalent of about 

N305 billion, and this includes 

both corporates and individuals. 

What has come in so far 

from corporates is about N20 

billion. What people will say 

is that it seems small, but what 

we got from the experience of 

other countries is that most 

people naturally wait for the 

last moment. 

We have received a lot of 

proposals, but in terms of payment 

they have not paid yet. 

Second week or mid-March 

will give us a better view of 

what we are looking at. N305 

billion is do-able. 

There is this belief that 

those with connection will escape 

or be exempted. 

My approval came from the 

present Senate and the Minister, 

and they have assured 

FIRS of full support. We are 

not going to give any preference 

to anyone, we have the 

backing of the President and 

Minister of Finance and none 

of them has mentioned we 

take political consideration 

into account, we promised to 

do our job and there is no sacred 

cow. 

Is it true FIRS has compiled 

list of Nigerians who have 

assets abroad for this purpose 

Before VAIDS started, we 

did a profiling of all the tax 

payers on different categories 

under PAYE (Pay As You Earn), 

we found out that only 943 individuals 

pay N10-million and 

above in tax in the whole of 

Nigeria, and all were from 

Lagos but two from Ogun 

State. That tells me that there 

is no billionaire or multi-millionaire 

in all other states of 

the federation. 

But when we look at the assets, 

average houses in the 

high net-worth neighbourhood 

you find out that they are 

worth over N500 million and 

the vehicles on the road, it 

shows something is wrong. We 

carried out an exercise on corporate 

organisations across 

the federation, we found out 

that over 2000 are owned by 

corporate organisations that 

have not paid one kobo in tax. 

What the law says is that if a 

company don’t file tax returns 

we can look at the estimated 

turnover and we assume a 

profit of 20% and we charge 

you at 30% percent. We found 

out that there are houses in 

cooperate names worth over 

N2 trillion that have not paid 

any tax. We have sent out assessment 

and we are about to 

get approval from court to 

seize those houses and sell 

them for the tax amount. 

We concluded Lagos, we 

have nearly concluding Kaduna. 

By the time we conclude 

across the federation, there 

will be more revelation of tax 

defaulters in the country running 

into trillions. 

This also go to individuals, 

high net-worth indiduals paying 

small tax. The whole idea 

is to make sure we all put our 

hands to make Nigeria work. 

I was at a United Nations 

meeting, and experts came up 

with a formula warning that if 

a country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is 

below 15% it is unlikely that 

they can expect economic development 

in that country or 

any infrastructure. In 2016 

Nigeria was about 6 percent. 

In 2017 Nigerian was able to 

cross N4 trillion tax revenue 

for the first time in history. Also 

Babatunde 

Fowler 

state revenue agencies 

crossed N1 trillion. That tells 

us that the IGR revenue is in 

the excess of N6 

trillion.Hopefully by the 

March we can have the new 

percentage of tax-to-GDP. 

But we believe that for government 

at all level to be able 

to perform they must be able 

to generate at least 20 percent 

of their revenue from tax for 

the government to function 

effectively and Nigerians begin 

feeling the impact of government, 

you have a good 

road, good healthcare and improve 

life of expectancy. Nigerians 

has no business being 

under 15% tax-to-GDP. 

What kind of support do 

you have from State Governments 

We have a very good support. 

In 2016 we signed an 

MoU to exchange information 

with all the states internal revenue 

services, all tax companies 

that were register by the 

state were given to us and we 

did as well. 

Through that MoU states 

were able to discover companies 

that pay to us that do not 

pay to them, and over 200,000 

companies were discovered 

that pay to the states revenue 

collection service but not to the 

federal government. We were 

able to expand our tax database 

and we also agreed with 

the states to do a joint audit 

with the states. This will help 

us do a national audit and 

then we will now tell each of 

the states what a company 

with branches across the federation 

are owing. But most 

state governments are not taking 

that offer. They want to deal 

individually, meaning that a 

lot of the states are not ready 

to declare fully. We still believe 

strongly this will save us 

money and make us more efficient. 

Both the states and 

FIRS are working closely, 

hopefully we can achieve 100 

percent soon. 

Beyond the shores of Nigeria 

are there organizations 

you are working with. 

We have signed several 

agreements with OECD to exchange 

information, meaning 

they can ask us for information 

on cooperate entities that 

transact with us, and we can 

likewise. And a number of 

countries have given us information 

on companies in Nigeria 

and individuals who 

own houses in their country. 

For those who hide their 

money away from the banks, 

the ‘unexplained wealth order’ 

used in Britain to tax individuals 

based on their property 

is being used, meaning that if 

a foreigner owns a house and 

cannot substantiate how he got 

that, the source of income, the 

property will be taken away, 

The target amount 

we are looking at is 

USD1 billion which 

is equivalent of 

about N305 billion, 

and this includes 

both corporates and 

individuals. What 

has come in so far 

from corporates is 

about N20 billion. 

Some countries have taken 

up that step already. This 

means many individuals have 

realized that many countries 

are now becoming careful who 

comes into the country, and we 

hope do more. 

How do you ensure corporate 

organizations remit 

their tax 

We are addressing that to 

ensure every corporate organization 

tax their workers and 

remit accordingly. We are 

working closely with the state 

governments on that. Every 

individual must have a tax 

clearance. We are consolidating 

a database, that will ensure 

everyone get to know 

their tax payment records. 

Workers should ask payers for 

it and ensure they get it. If in 

cases the employers don’t we 

come for them, request for tax 

certificate from their employers. 

Some organisations deduct 

tax from workers and they 

don’t remit it, others from VAT 

but they don’t. So we are working 

with consultants to design 

VAT forms, certificate that will 

display in every business, that 

it can be easy to know if a 

business pays tax. 

What is the incentive to tax 

payers 

Taxation is a matter of conscience. 

First, tax helps our 

country better, it helps create 

a better society, we are ready 

to make sure everybody pays. 

Tax is a duty for everyone, and 

that is one sure way to help 

Nigeria grow economically. If 

everybody pay tax, there will 

be a big push. 

Any company that works for 

government must have a tax 

clearance certificate. If a company 

is discovered to have 

defaulted in tax will be deducted 

and payment will be 

withheld.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018—29



“ The economist, like anyone else must concern himself with the ultimate 

aims of man.” Alfred Marshall, 1842-1924. 

Alfred Marshall, the father of classical economics and the person who pointed 

out the principles of comparative advantage taught us what any professional 

economist must understand as his main contribution to society at large. Given the 

scarcity of resources, even in temporarily affluent nations like the USA, Qatar 

and Saudi Arabia, no nation has 

all the resources to do all that it 

needs to do, now and in the 

future. If crude oil reverts to its 

pre-1973 prices of $3 per barrel 

for ten years, even Qatar and 

Saudi will be in deep trouble. 

In the long run, nobody can 

guarantee that it will not. 

That brings us to the issues 

concerning the 2018 Budget, 

the Economic Recovery Growth 

Programme, ERPG; the 

prospects for 2018 and the latest 

report from the National Bureau 

of Statistics, NBS, which had 

become more professional 

under Dr Yemi Kale and the 

supervising Minister of 

National Planning, Senator Udo 

Udoma. The NBS rendered the 

overall Gross Domestic Product 

growth for 2017 in the final week 

of last month and despite the 

fact that the economy recorded 

the fastest growth for the fourth 

quarter in 2017 – 1.92 per cent 

— for more than three and a half 

years, the annual growth rate 

which was a mere 0.82 per cent 

wiped the smiles off the faces 

of those in government who 

would ordinarily have been 

shouting at the top of their 

voices. 

The truth, which even the most 

ardent dissemblers in 

government cannot deny, is that 

an economy growing at less 

than one per cent with its 

population jumping at three per 


Umuchinemere MfB grants 

N300mn agric loan to farmers 

By Providence Emmanuel 

Umuchinemere 

Procredit 

Microfinance 

Bank, UPMFB, has granted 

about N300 million credit 

facilities to micro, small and 

medium scale farmers in 

Enugu State to enhance 

agricultural output. 

Head, Credit Department, 

Mr. Charles Udeani, said that 

about 1000 farmers have 

benefitted from the initiative 

which shows a demonstration 

of the bank's commitment to 

encourage and promote 

agriculture in the country. 

A breakdown of the figure 

shows that 693 male farmers 

benefited about N200 million 

from the N300 million while 

the remaining N100 million 

went to 312 female farmers, 

all within eight of the 17 local 

government areas in the state, 

including Enugu East, 

Enugu North, Enugu South, 

Ezeagu, Nkanu East, Nkanu 

West, Oji River and Udi Local 

Government. 

Also, the bank disbursed 

about N986.9 million to 

4,338 active poor persons in 

2017, comprising N407,6 

million approved for 2,618 

male beneficiaries and 

Poorer now richer in the long run 

cent increases poverty on the 

aggregate – particularly when 

inflation which is still raging at 

over 15 per cent is taken into 

account. The cumulative result 

is even more depressing. With 

recession in 2016 and -1.56 

GDP growth that year, it means 

that in the first two fiscal years 

of the Buhari administration, the 

economy has receded into 

negative territory. 

“Insanity is defined as doing 

the same thing over again and 

expecting a different result.” 

Chinese philosophy 

With Nigerians now poorer at 

the start of 2018 than in 2015, 

the first question is: what can 

be expected in 2018? The 

dispiriting answer is: more 

poverty. The reasons are not 

hard to discover. Despite the 

brave efforts of the Minister of 

Budget and National Planning 

to get the budget to the National 

Assembly in early November of 

last year, the document has 

landed in familiar territory 

despite an All Progressives 

Congress, APC, majority in both 

houses of the National 

Assembly. NASS. Last week, the 

Senate Appropriations 

Committee threatened to pass 

the 2018 appropriation bill 

without inputs from the 

N579.3 million granted to 

1,720 females who are into 

various types of micro and 

small business enterprises. 

Udeani said that the bank's 

total disbursement of N987 

million in 2017 exceeded that 

of 2016 which stood at N920.1 

million. 

He attributed the 

improvement in disbursement 

to the bank's increased 

MICRO-FINANCE 

activities in December 2017, 

against what was tenable in 

the past. 

He decried the widespread 

uncertainty in the economy, 

saying: "It still affects 

business generally and 

lending in particular. Having 

seen the Federal 

Government's Agricultural 

Credit Guarantee Scheme 

Fund (ACGSF) and the 

Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) Anchor Borrowers' 

Programme (ABP) as a 

veritable instrument for 

massive job creation with lots 

of chain values, UPMfB 

keyed into the two agricultural 

progammes as a vehicle to 

achieving her poverty 

eradication purpose because 

the programmes are in line 

with the bank's anti poverty 

mission through micro 

financing, which is part of the 

economic evangelization 

teachings of the Church," he 

Manufacturing expo attracts 3,000 foreign, local participants 

By Providence Emmanuel 

Over 3000 international and 

local equipment 

manufacturers from Germany, 

Turkey, Indonesia, Italy and 

China including membercompanies 

from multinationals, 

large, Small and Medium 

Industries, SMIs, have 

confirmed participation for the 

2018 edition of the Nigeria 

Manufacturing Equipment, 

NME, Expo. 

The expo is scheduled to hold 

on this week in Lagos with the 

theme: "Enhancing Nigeria's 

M a n u f a c t u r i n g 

Competitiveness in the Global 

Space" and co-hosted by the 

Nigeria Manufacturing 

Association of Nigeria, MAN, 

and Clarion Event West Africa, 

CEWA, Limited. 

Speaking at a media briefing, 

President of MAN, Dr. Frank 

Ministries, Departments and 

Agencies, MDAs, of the FG 

because many of them have 

failed to change their behaviour 

with respect to annual budgets. 

Even the Ministry which 

plagiarized the slogan “Change 

starts with me” is not an 

exception. Its own officials have 

also failed to cooperate with the 

NASS to get the budget passed 

as soon as possible. Those who 

are not economists might not 

realize the damage done to the 

economy when the federal 

budget is delayed. 

Unfortunately, time and space 

will not permit a full discussion 

of the economic consequences 

of delayed budgets. But, the 

fastest growing economies in 

the world in general and Africa 

“Insanity is defined 

as doing the same 

thing over again and 

expecting a different 

result.” 

Jacobs, said that the expo 

which features manufacturing 

Partnership for African 

Development, mPAD, is a threeday 

International Exhibition 

and Conference which is one of 

the association's responses to 

government's commitment 

towards industrialization and its 

quest to diversify the economy. 

mPAD provides a veritable 

platform for SMEs to learn 

hands-on processes on how to 

boost their output, reduce cost, 

drive quality improvement, 

manufacture for new market 

and secure funding for growth. 

Jacobs stated: "There will be 

on display at the expo, latest 

manufacturing equipment, 

machine tools, technologies, 

spare parts and raw materials. 

This year's edition would be colocated 

with the Nigeria Raw 

Materials, NIRAM, expo which 

is an International Raw 

in particular are those where the 

annual budget is passed 

annually like clock-work. The 

politicians in those countries, 

like Kenya, know that their first 

and most important duty is to 

keep the economy moving. 

Without it, chaos will overtake 

everybody and even politics will 

be difficult to practice. Nigerian 

politicians, despite the 

changing cast of actors in Abuja, 

have uniformly failed to grasp 

this simple fact. 

“Fish rots from the head”. 

Three elected officials have 

always been responsible for this 

rot in our budget making 

process. The first is the 

President. Every president, 

since Obasanjo in 1999, had 

dumped the budget proposal on 

the NASS; and then turned his 

back to attend to “more 

important things”. Usually, it is 

the second term (or in the case 

of Obasanjo the third term). The 

Senate President and the 

Speaker, if they are on good 

terms, also have their own reelection 

campaign to manage 

and they are constantly busy 

working to avoid being 

impeached by their colleagues. 

Given three distracted leaders 

of the country, the budget 

invariably languishes in the 

Material and Ingredients Trade 

Fair. 

"The infusion of the NIRAM 

expo into the NME expo would 

afford several companies and 

countries which have registered 

as exhibitors and visitors, a rare 

opportunity of exposure to the 

entire manufacturing value 

chain, which will include 

machinery, equipment, 

financial support, professional 

consultancy and raw materials." 

However, the 3rd Annual 

mPAD and the NME is an 

international B-2-B exhibition 

and conference that brings 

together local manufacturers 

with international suppliers and 

their local distributors to help 

the Nigerian manufacturing 

industry re-tool and modernize. 

On the other hand, Director 

General, Raw Materials 

Research and Development 

Council, RMRDC, Dr. Hussaini 

NASS because the members of 

the two chambers follow the 

examples of their leaders. 

Buhari has also followed the 

bad examples of his 

predecessors. While he 

continues to bore Nigerians 

with his complaints about the rot 

he inherited, he has failed to 

understand that he had also 

imbibed the poor attitude of his 

immediate past predecessor. He 

should have been more 

involved in the budget process. 

He should have instructed 

every Minister or Departmental 

Head that attending NASS 

briefings was the most 

important task before them 

before and immediately after 

presenting the 2018 budget 

proposal to the NASS. In fact, 

Buhari should have gone 

further. He should have 

threatened to fire any MDA 

Chief Executive who is reported 

by the NASS for not attending 

briefings. Then, he would have 

exonerated himself and his 

administration. The Senate 

President and Speaker also 

should have taken strong 

positions. As it is, Nigeria’s 

topmost elected officials are 

dragging the economy down. 

They get richer; while 

Nigerians get poorer. By this 

time 2019 we will certainly be 

poorer than we are now because 

GDP growth for 2018 cannot 

possibly reach 3 per cent. 

To be continued… 

Ibrahim, said that the primary 

objective of NIRAM Expo is to 

create a platform where 

stakeholders in the raw 

materials value chain could 

come together to synergize, 

showcase and trade in available 

resources and raw materials 

with the users of same, which is 

mainly the manufacturing 

sector. 

Ibrahim who was represented 

by Director, Investment and 

Consultancy, RMRDC, Dr. 

Zainab Hammanga, stated: 

"Indeed, the NIRAM Expo 2018 

promises to be the biggest and 

best going by increasing 

interests by the state 

governments to participate 

through showcasing the 

available raw materials within 

their respective states as well as 

the enthusiasm by the organised 

private sector producing 

secondary raw materials."


(08052201997) 

Why higher crude oil prices won’t save Nigeria’s economy 

Nigeria’s income from 

crude oil export has 

lately been boosted, fortuitously, 

by the unexpected rise 

in crude oil prices, beyond 

the 2017 budget benchmark of 

$44.5/barrel. This favourable 

outcome which is evidently 

buoyed by OPEC’s strategic 

supply management, should 

ordinarily be a blessing to our 

economy. Indeed, such optimism 

on oil price may also be 

sustained by the International 

Energy Agency’s January 

2018 Oil Market Report, 

which projects oil price to remain 

between $60-$70/barrel 

this year. 

The question, however, is 

whether the present over 50% 

rise in crude price and export 

dollar earnings will also 

trickle down to increase consumer 

demand and trigger an 

expansion in Manufacturing 

and Agro-allied Industries. 

Furthermore, will such expansion 

lead to the creation 

of more jobs and less poverty? 

These issues are examined, 

hereafter, in an interrogative 

format to encourage a simultaneous 

personal appraisal, 

by the reader. Please read on: 

Why are you pessimistic 

about the positive impact of 

crude prices rising above 

50% of the 2018 budget projection 

of $45/barrel? After 

all, such a huge wind-fall 

should provide much needed 

revenue to fund the budget 

and possibly also, stop us 

from more debts, with recklessly 

high rates of interest 

for government’s risk free 

loans? 

It’s not the first time that 

crude prices have significantly 

exceeded budget 

benchmark; evidently, even 

when crude prices exceeded 

$100/barrel with steady output 

between 2011-2013, the substantially 

increased export 

revenue, did not trickle down 

and job opportunities remained 

scarce, besides, the 

social misery index of our people 

stayed relatively flat. 

Consequently, if $100-$140/ 

barrel crude price did not reflect 

any laudable impact in 

promoting inclusive growth, it 

would be foolhardy, therefore, 

to expect any major transformation, 

when crude prices 

hover, relatively humbly, between 

$60-$70/barrel. Experience, 

they say, is a good 

teacher! 

Shouldn’t the increased revenue 

from higher crude 

prices reduce the N2.5Tn 

deficit projected in the 2018 

budget and also reduce the 

need to borrow? 

You are seriously mistaken 

to expect such level of responsibility 

from the Lawmakers or 

Federal Executive. Infact, it 

has become a tradition, for 

annual budgets to be deliberately 

predicated on very conservative 

crude oil price 

benchmarks, even when credible 

projections, like the IEA 

January report, for example, 

predict more robust prices. 

Ultimately, the lower budget 

benchmarks willfully adopted, 

will invariably induce increased 

government borrowing 

to fund projected deficits 

in the annual appropriation 

plan. 

Sadly, however, instead of 

applying the additional revenue 

from higher oil prices to 

reduce budget deficit and the 

need to borrow, the political 

class, will have none of that. 

Over the years, the projected 

deficit, deliberately predicated 

on lower crude prices, 


By Ediri Ejoh 

THE Standard Organisa 

tion of Nigeria, SON, has 

emphasized the need for Nigeria 

to generate her own data 

on Benzene level in soft drinks, 

in a bid to arrive at the safe maximum 

level of benzoic acid or 

opt for alternative preservatives. 

This came as they called for 

the approval of its five drafted 

standards set out for the consumption 

of these products. 

These assertions was contained 

in a welcome address by 

the Director General, SON, Mr. 

Osita Aboloma to the Technical 

Committee meeting on water, 

alcoholic and non-alcoholic 

drinks held in Abuja. 

Represented by the Technical 

Assistant to the DG, Dr. Barth 

were still financed with high 

interest loans, while the “excess 

revenue” consolidated 

from higher than oil price 

benchmark is usually, temporarily 

consolidated into an 

account, which is unknown to 

our Constitution. Ultimately, 

State Governors will conspire 

with the Federal Executive, 

without recourse to the Legislature, 

to also spend additional 

earnings from the “Excess 

Crude Account”, even 

after loans have been obtained 

to fund the appropriated actual 

deficit for that year! Thus, 

the present excess revenue 

from crude prices ranging 

between $60-$70/barrel will 

also be similarly frittered 

away as in the past. 

Even if it is true that government 

loans are obtained 

at high interest rates, even 

when unencumbered excess 

foreign exchange is available, 

you cannot however, 

deny that the increased 

spending from both the loans 

obtained and higher oil revenue, 

will trickle down to 

stimulate consumer demand, 

reduce poverty and social 

stress with lower prices for 

more goods and services. 

Well, I don’t need to deny 

anything, I don’t know in 

which economy you live in, 

but in the Nigeria economy, 

the tradition of incurring and 

spending both the loans and 

the excess revenue has never 

reduced prices of goods and 

services, to make life more 

affordable. Furthermore, food 

prices have consistently risen 

by over 10% for several years, 

despite humongous billions 

of dollars and Naira spent 

annually, by government. It is 

self-evident therefore, that the 

common man will not enjoy 

any significant benefit, if government 

remains loyal, to the 

traditional process of consuming 

loans projected in each 

year’s budget as well as any 

excess revenue from higher 

crude prices and output. 

Nonetheless, if funds consolidated 

by government 

from both loans and higher 

crude prices are spent in the 

same year, why does such 

huge spending not trickle 

down to spur consumer demand 

or even reduce the cost 

of living? 

Well, the problem lies with 

the process adopted for infusing 

government’s dollar revenue, 

into the economy. Indeed, 

so long as the Central 

Bank persists in deliberately 

substituting Naira allocations 

for dollar denominated revenue, 

the economy will continue 

to be awash with surplus 

Naira, which will compel and 

sustain inflation rates well 

above 10% to reduce the purchasing 

power of all income 

earners, and deepen poverty, 

nationwide. Undeniably, however, 

low consumer prices (i.e. 

lower inflation rates 1-3%) are 

certainly the surest way to alleviate 

mass poverty and social 

stress. 

Furthermore, the procedure 

by which CBN unilaterally 

determines Naira exchange 

rate through market auctions 

of dollar rations, is invariably, 

monopolistic and transforms 

CBN to a glorified Bureau de 

Change which has, unexpectedly, 

also become a defender 

of the dollar instead of Naira. 

This self-serving monetary 

management is actually responsible 

for weaker Naira 

exchange rates, which also 

ceaselessly drive inflation 

and fuel prices. 

SON harps on reviews on soft drink standards 

…says energy, ginger drinks inclusive 

Ugwu, Aboloma posited that 

standards development and 

review are targeted among others 

at ensuring the health and 

safety of Consumers, as guide 

to manufacturers and Importers, 

as well as to promote fair 

trade practices. 

He, however, called for the 

approval and consideration of 

the five draft standards by the 

committee, stressing that they 

involve products that are consumed 

widely and frequently 

by the generality of people 

across all age and economic 

strata. 

The draft Standards includes: 

“Standard for Soft Drinks (for 

review), Standard for Energy 

Drinks, Standard for Ginger 

Drinks, Standard for Sparkling 

Fruit Drinks, Standard for Fruit 

Squashes, Concentrate and 

Fruit Cordial Concentrates. 

He added that energy drink 

was one of the most highly consumed 

non-alcoholic drinks by 

between 30-50 percent of 

youths and adolescents 

(NCBI-Paediatrics: 2011), 

“however, in recent times, adverse 

health effects are being 

attributed to the rate of consumption 

of the drinks due to 

the caffeine and sugar contents 

in them. 

This according to the SON 

DG underscores reason for the 

elaboration of the standard for 

energy drinks. 

Aboloma charged the technical 

committee members to exercise 

great diligence in carrying 

out their task towards 

achieving the objective of setting 

standards that will adequately 

prescribe good quality 

and food safety requirements 

in line with international best 

practices. 

“I implore you all to participate 

actively and freely express 

your concerns at every stage of 

the deliberations”. 

In his own remarks, Chairman 

of the Technical Committee, 

Professor Jide Alo represented 

by Prof. Segun Ayejuyo, 

acknowledged the valuable 

contributions of the members 

through informed comments to 

the secretariat on the circulated 

drafts of the five standards 

under consideration and called 

for robust interactions that will 

ensure consensus, while having 

the safety and health of 

Have you ever wondered 

why the Naira exchange rate; 

hardly appreciated, even 

when foreign reserves were 

exceptionally bountiful 

around $60bn in 2008? Instructively, 

with the current 

mode of substitution of Naira 

allocations for dollar revenue, 

the more dollars we earn, the 

bigger will be Naira balances 

created as substitute, and the 

greater, therefore, would be 

the threat of inflation, and ultimately 

the higher also, will 

be the cost of borrowing, as it 

is clearly irrational and 

unbusinesslike for any person 

to lend out funds below the 

prevailing rate of inflation. 

From your preceding argument, 

what is the major impact 

on the economy if the 

Naira exchange rate remains 

relatively, static, even when 

crude price and revenue double 

in value? 

Infact this development is 

the real cause of increasing 

subsidy payments and the 

seeming inability to 

deregulate petrol pricing. The 

Naira rate has no business 

remaining weak or static, if in 

addition to higher dollar earnings; 

Nigeria also for example, 

posted a positive trade 

balance of about N4tn in 2017, 

as reported by National Bureau 

of Statistics last week. 

Ultimately, if this contradiction 

subsists, and petrol price 

remains regulated, our 

ECOWAS neighbours will become 

major beneficiaries of 

Nigeria’s heavily subsidized 

petrol price and we may end 

up devoting over 50% of annual 

budgets to petrol subsidy 

alone, if crude oil price further 

spikes!! 

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE 

NIGERIA!! 

ECONOMY 

Consumers at heart. 

He expressed the determination 

of the members to bring 

their vast and varied knowledge 

and wealth of experiences 

to bear on the deliberations 

and expressed the appreciation 

of the committee to the SON 

management for providing adequate 

secretarial support. 

Participants in the technical 

committee meeting include 

representatives of Federal Ministry 

of Health, NAFDAC, Federal 

Institute of Industrial Research, 

Oshodi (Fthe IIRO), 

Association of Food, Beverages 

and Tobacco Employers (AF- 

BTE), Nigeria Institute of Food 

Science and Technology 

(NIFST), Institute of Public 

Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN) and 

the Consumer Protection Council 

(CPC) as well as major manufacturers 

of alcoholic and nonalcoholic 

beverages in Nigeria.


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

PISCES: THE moon fluctuates early in the morning. 

And if care is not taken you would promise more than 

you can actually deliver to the resentment of others. Yet, 

you’ll win. 

ARIES: BEHIND-the-scene-activities are sources of 

avoidable trouble especially before mid-morning period 

when influence of the moon’s fluctuation will last. Avoid 

inordinate ambition. 

TAURUS: IT’S important you don’t allow your thought 

for and/or about the future derail your plans for the 

present so that success will not elude you. Romantic 

attractions along your career/business lines may become 

stronger sooner than you think. 

GEMINI: EARLY morning blues will affect many people 

around you meaning that not everybody-morning period 

especially along your career/business lines. 

CANCER: MAKE sure you perfectly understand what 

you are doing within your working arena before midmorning 

period or else costly mistakes would be made. 

Be tolerant. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART —ELLA RANDLE 

“Time is about the need to control. Let go of control and 

embrace what happens.”- Eve Best 

Is stress building up in you? Is it lowering the quality of your 

life a bit? You may want to try this exercise, pause in your 

busy day for a moment to notice how you feel. Is there a part 

of your mind that’s feeling the same kind of tension? The 

problem is, we are holding on to ideals, our attachment to 

these ideals is causing our struggles. Our reluctance to 

accept the way things are in the moment. Let go and 

surrender. -Ella Randle- 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

The wise 

create 

proverbs for 

fools to learn, 

not to repeat. 

~ African 

proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

LEO: TOMORROW is your day. Therefore you are 

advised to leave some important decisions and/or action 

till tomorrow when the heaven will smile at you. Your 

love life is favoured. 

VIRGO: TOMORROW will prove more challenging. 

Thus, if there are things you should do now, you better 

don’t contemplate procrastination as you are likely to 

be stretched full lenght tomorrow. Watch with you tell 

others early in the morning. 

LIBRA: AS the moon fluctuates early in the morning 

some people may promise more than they can actually 

deliver. And if you take them for granted, you would be 

disappointed. 

SCORPIO: CERTAINLY some people will get on your 

nerves yet you must not over-react at least because of 

the immediate future. Truly thus is the wrong time to 

gamble with love. 

SAGITTARIUS: THE Moon fluctuates as it moves out 

of your star . That is why you will need to guard against 

confusion likely to be caused by others. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

CAPRICORN: THE Moon makes an ingress into your 

star sign INFLUECES YOU TO BE COME 

AGGRESSIVE which is capable of bringing unnecessary 

argument and avoidable confusion. To before warned is 

to be fore armed. 

AQUARIUS: EARLY morning blues will affect many 

people today (yourself inclusive) but luckily for you, 

things will go according to your plans. And you will 

need to be more careful with money. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

What are my changes? 

Dear Joshua, 

Kindly analyse my star and tell me about myself 

especially my luck. I want to know about my love life, 

social life and how to become successful in life. I have 

seen people who are close to me became big success without 

much struggle from them. Would my own be like them 

too? 

Jinadu. Ibadan 

Dear Jinadu, 

You are different to those you said came by success: in 

your own case you will need to work hard and earn success. 

It is important you watch and take practical precaution 

about inability to hold on to your gains for long. Some 

times unexpected assistance use to come your way at 11th 

hour. Your being friendly with the influential personalities 

especially WOMEN will help your finance greatly 

speculative (and) venture is not the best for you. Your 

magnetic personality makes it difficult for members of 

your opposite sex to the betterment of your love life. 

Luckily for you, you know how not to allow your rugged/ 

rigid personality to harm your love life; you are a sweet 

lover, although can be argumentative some times. Love 

happiness indicated for you. If you can analyse both your 

environment and social situation, you will have more to 

gain from social activities more than it’s attendant 

pressure. 

You will need to drop unnecessary rebellious approach 

when dealing with your social life; although what looks 

like radical approach can earn you a few number of friends 

who may not be in position to assist you. 

Many people love your gentle approach and will be 

willing to assist you especially the more influential 

personalities. Once again women can be helpful here. If 

you expect easy success, you would be frustrated because 

Saturn-the planet of delay, frustration but greater reward 

after much struggles, was with the sun (basic-self-hood) 

when you were born. Thus it will not allow easy success. 

And at the same time will not deny you whatever you 

deserve. 

The same Saturn will reward you with RECOGNITION 

WOMEN, children and younger people can enhance your 

prospects. Colours RED, WHITE and pink are good for 

you. Sleeping North/South axes with your head to the North 

is good for you. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa

All the way to the gallows 

CONSCIOUS of the fact that 

I am before 183 million 

politically astute, brilliant and 

ever vibrant and consciously 

aware Nigerians, I rise to support 

the Senate Bill that all those 

engaged in hate speech which 

leads to any loss of life, should be 

sent to the gallows. That anybody 

who through speech, gesture, body 

language, play, display or writing, 

incites violence against any 

Nigerian based on ethnicity, 

religious or regional origins, 

gender or disability, should have a 

date with the hangman. 

I am a bit disappointed in the 

Senate Spokesman, Senator Aliyu 

Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger) who 

sponsored the Bill which has 

already scaled Second Reading. 

He has no business trying to justify 

his great Bill or assuring that 

nobody will be victimised if it 

becomes law; the Senator should 

know that hate speech is like 

beauty and ‘beauty is in the eye of 

the beholder.” 

Besides, he is a living survivor 

of hate speech when on November 

3, 2017,he escaped death by the 

whiskers. Reports said he had 

innocently called an APC 

leadership meeting in his 

Senatorial District to explain why 

By Sufuyan Ojeifo 

IN 2015, serial presidential contestant, 

Muhammadu Buhari, emerged victorious 

through the instrumentality of enclave politics 

to which the north adroitly resorted in the face 

of plans by Goodluck Jonathan to ensconce 

himself in power for another four years. Had 

Jonathan succeeded, the north, barring any 

unforeseen circumstances, would have been 

out of presidential power for 10 unbroken 

years following the demise of President Umaru 

Yar'Adua. 

That cold fact apparently nudged the north 

to throw everything into the mix of 2015 

presidential power politics. Many key northern 

elements in the People's Democratic Party, PDP, 

deployed political brinkmanship, dismantled 

loyalty that characteristically underpins 

leadership-followership construction, betrayed 

trust and deceived Jonathan in the utilisation 

of campaign and election funds in order to 

ensure the defeat of a sitting president, for the 

first time, in the annals of Nigeria’s presidential 

election. 

Obviously, the absence of an alternative to 

Buhari in the north had left the northern 

collective with a fait accompli in the Dauraborn 

general. If there had been a northern 

alternative on the PDP platform, as it happened 

in 2007 when Yar’Adua beat Buhari silly in 

that year’s presidential election by 24 million 

to six million votes, there could have been a 

repeat of the 2007 election debacle for Buhari. 

But the PDP goaded itself into an egregious 

strategic blunder when it could not rein in 

Jonathan to show fidelity to the gentleman’s 

agreement he allegedly reached with some 

leaders of the party that, having completed 

the unexpired term of the late President 

Yar’Adua in 2011 and another four years in 

office up until 2015, he would not afterward 

seek re-election in 2015. 

Jonathan locked down the presidential ticket 

of the party and set up a two-horse race with 

Buhari, whose candidature had been 

he had stayed away from them for 

two years, failed to attract or 

provide development projects and 

been unable to provide assistance 

to members of his constituency. 

His listeners resorted to hate 

speech, and even as he fled, chased 

and smashed his car and other 

vehicles in his convoy. If his Bill 

were already law and since there 

was no loss of lives, he would have 

been able to jail them or get them 

fined N10 million each. 

Distinguished Senator Sabi’s 

argument that: “our present law 

says if you do anything that result 

in the death of another person and 

it is proven beyond reasonable 

doubt that you caused the death of 

that person, the penalty is death 

by hanging” is unnecessary. People 

may counter, that if our laws 

already take care of hate speech, 

why his Bill? 

I know why my media 

constituency is up in arms; the Bill 

implies that any media that 

publishes hate speech, will be as 

guilty as those who do it. 

Journalists do not want to be fined, 

jailed or hanged for reporting a 

story that may later be termed ‘hate 

speech’. 

There are people who argue that 

if the law does not provide death 

sentence for those who loot our 

treasury, then there is no basis for 

such punishment for those engaged 

in hate speech. I think such people 

do not understand the power of the 

spoken or written word; it is not 

for nothing that people say ‘the 

pen is mightier than the sword.’ If 

for instance, the Senate engages 

in looting, it will only make us 

poorer, but if the Senate is accused 

of budget padding, such hate 

speech may incite the public to 

violence. 

If we have such a law, those 

Indigenous People of Biafra 

activists who say Nigeria is a zoo 

would simply have been marched 

2019: PMB is beatable 

appropriated by the north in the bid to reclaim 

presidential power. Had PDP leaders, 

including Olusegun Obasanjo at the time, 

succeeded in propping up a trump card in Sule 

Lamido, who was rounding off his second term 

in office as Jigawa governor, as the 

presidential candidate, the story could, today, 

have been different. 

Jonathan’s aspiration ran contrary to the 

plan by the northern hegemony to clinch power 

in 2015. That was PDP’s faux pas. The lesson 

to draw from this is simple: if, as a result of 

wrong political calculations and strategic 

untidiness, Jonathan lost election as an 

incumbent, it means that Buhari, as an 

incumbent, can also lose election if his political 

and electoral strategies are dissimilar to the 

There was a miniature 

electoral battle that took place 

recently in Katsina, the home 

state of Buhari, which 

outcome, I strongly believe, 

has implications for the 

president’s re-election in 2019 

pragmatic approaches that can ensure victory, 

especially in a strangulating political economy 

that Nigeria has become under his leadership. 

Is Buhari in a pole position to win re-election 

in 2019? It is difficult to impassively answer in 

the affirmative. The scenario will 

understandably be different. Since the APC and 

the PDP have resolved to field northern 

presidential candidates, there is no doubt that 

anything can happen. If Buhari contests, there 

are good chances that he can be defeated. If 

that happens, it would be a tragic personal 

loss and not something for which to unsettle 

Nigeria since power would still have, in any 

case, remained in the north. 

Apart from the scenario that I have painted 

above, it would interest you to know that there 

He has no business 

trying to justify his 

great Bill or 

assuring that 

nobody will be 

victimised if it 

becomes law; the 

Senator should 

know that hate 

speech is like beauty 

and ‘beauty is in the 

eye of the beholder' 

to the gallows once it is established 

that their utterances led to a loss 

of life. Surely, we cannot tolerate a 

man like Nnamdi Kanu who 

corrupted a name like Okorocha 

to OkoroHausa; such hate speech 

which is intended to incite, would 

have seen him in jail or the world 

beyond. 

Also, opponents of the Bill are not 

looking at the gains it portends for 

the country. For example, many 

Nigerians spew a lot of hate 

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 --33 

speeches. You can imagine the 

mass employment that the need for 

thousands of hangmen will create. 

Also, mass hanging can put our 

population in check. 

I am afraid the bill will be 

retroactive, otherwise, I would 

have written profiles of people like 

Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, a proselyte of 

the ruling APC from the opposition 

People's Democratic Party, PDP, 

who on serious national issues, 

somersaults in public while adding 

antics like making the sign of the 

cross. 

In our national life, we have had 

great hate speeches. There was the 

one by nationalist, Mallam Habib 

Raji Abdallah, a civil servant who 

when dragged to court by our 

colonial masters for sedition, told 

the colonial court: “This 

iniquitous British Government is 

determined to keep us as slaves 

forever and the only way out, as I 

see it and as I know it, is for every 

one of us to declare himself free 

and independent and be resolved 

to stand by that declaration and 

damn the consequences. I have 

nothing against the person of 

George VI of England. But I hate 

the crown of Britain with all my 

heart because to me and my 

country men, it is a symbol of 

oppression, a symbol of 

persecution, and in short, a 

material manifestation of 

iniquity…I hate the Union Jack 

because, save Britain, wherever it 

goes, far from uniting, it creates a 

division. It feeds and flourishes on 

confusion and dissension. We 

must, therefore have no more 

place for it in our hearts-this ugly 

representation of that satanic 

institution, imperialism.” 

There were the frequent hate 

speeches against politicians in 

coup broadcasts. One that always 

rings in my head is the maiden one 

when Major Kaduna Nzogwu told 

was a miniature electoral battle that took 

place recently in Katsina, the home state of 

Buhari, which outcome, I strongly believe, has 

implications for the president’s re-election in 

2019; that is, if he seeks re-election. The APC 

and the PDP did battle in the by-election for 

Mashi-Dutsi Federal Constituency seat in the 

House of Representatives. 

What is interesting about the by-election was 

the amount of effort, resources and 

intimidation that the ruling APC in the state 

allegedly invested in it and still struggled to 

secure controversial victory. With the state 

government’s machinery, supported by the 

Aviation minister, Hadi Srika, one would have 

thought the APC would have put the PDP to 

rout. 

But, alas, the APC posted controversial 

figures that presented PDP as a very 

formidable opposition in Katsina. After the 

forward and backward movements to the 

tribunal and the conduct of a supplementary 

rerun in some 15 polling units cancelled by 

the tribunal for some irregularities, the APC 

candidate, Mansur Ali Mashi, cumulatively 

scored 30,719 “controversial” votes while the 

PDP candidate, Nazifi Ayuba, scored 22,610 

votes. 

The lesson to draw from the small corner of 

Katsina State within the context of a 

nationwide presidential election involving 

Buhari is that if the president and his foot 

soldiers could face this kind of stubborn 

opposition in his Katsina home state, one can 

imagine the dimensions of opposition the 

president may have to contend with in other 

parts of the northern states where he would be 

locked in vote-seeking battle with other 

formidable northern candidates, not to talk of 

the southern states. Hello, are you with me? 

Candidate Buhari is beatable. 

In the southern part of the country, the 

narratives from there cannot sustain the kind 

of popular sentiments that ensured Buhari’s 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Nigerians: “Our enemies are the 

political profiteers, the swindlers, 

the men in high and low places that 

seek bribes and demand 10 per 

cent; those that seek to keep the 

country divided permanently so 

that they can remain in office as 

Ministers or VIPs at least, the 

tribalists, the nepotists, those that 

make the country look big for 

nothing before international 

circles, those that have corrupted 

our society and put the Nigerian 

political calendar back by their 

words and deeds.” 

The trophy for Hate Speech in 

contemporary times should go to 

Senator Shehu Sani who in 

reacting to his purported 

suspension from the APC by 

Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai 

of Kaduna State, said: “Mr. 

Governor, my suspension will not 

increase your physical height nor 

give you the flesh or muscle of a 

macho … (El-Rufai) is a dubious 

progressive and a bogus 

representation of change. If El- 

Rufai represents change, then 

Mobutu, Batista, Kamuzu Banda 

represent change. El-Rufai is a 

bug, a lice and a parasite to the 

PMB (President Muhammadu 

Buhari) administration... El-Rufai 

is a foul air to any serious concept 

of change. El-Rufai remains the 

excrement of the toilets of the PDP 

Wadata House and no broom or 

deodorant of change can give him 

a new identity.” 

With some Nigerians claiming 

that a snake swallowed N36 

million public funds and monkeys 

ate a missing N70 million 

belonging to the APC Senators 

forum, we need to include a section 

on hate speech against animals in 

the Sabi Bill. 

If when the PDP was the ruling 

party, it had been smart enough to 

enact such a law, the APC would 

not have come to power. 

victory over Jonathan, for instance, in the 

South-West in 2015. The South-West has 

become tentative. The leadership of Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu that galvanised the zone’s support 

for Buhari has been put under intense pressure. 

Tinubu’s sense of longing and belonging has 

arguably been assaulted and diminished. 

Back to the Katsina experience: it bears 

historical nexus with a promise during the 

electioneering for PDP’s leadership positions 

at its December 9, 2017 national convention. 

Senator Umaru Tsauri, a prominent son of 

Katsina State, who emerged as the national 

secretary, had boasted that the PDP would 

ensure the defeat of Buhari in the state in 2019. 

I had shrugged off his swank as mere 

sloganeering that cannot happen. My belief 

had always been that Buhari and his party, at 

least in Katsina, would always record landslide 

over other political parties. 

The Tsauri-led oppositional tsunami, which 

is thriving on the power of articulation and 

enlightenment of the people to reject the status 

quo that has mindlessly impoverished them 

and increased the hunger and anguish in the 

land, is a classic example of the series of 

internal contradictions to APC’s bludgeoning 

mantra of change that has unraveled as a 

historic scam, portraying the Buhari 

administration as incompetent and jejune in 

the overall appreciation of its episodic failures. 

Those who delusionally think that it would 

be difficult to defeat Buhari in the 2019 

presidential election in the event he decides to 

throw his hat in the ring should, therefore, 

perish the thought. PMB is, in fact, beatable 

in a free and fair election, notwithstanding 

his power of incumbency. The prognosis may 

appear sacrilegious to them, but therein is the 

possibility of a silent revolution that a vast 

majority of Nigerians can bring about through 

their power of choice. 

Continues Online @www.vanguardngr.com 

•Mr. Ojeifo, editor-in-chief of The 

CongressWatch magazine, wrote from Abuja. 

C 

M 

YK


IDON'T mind the fact that President 

Muhammadu Buhari chose to attend 

the 61st anniversary of Ghana’s 

independence. We share more in common 

with Ghana than any other African country, 

perhaps because of our common 

Anglophone heritage. But it goes beyond this. 

Our relationship with Ghana is such that 

you would think we shared borders, which 

is far from the truth. 

Just a few pointers to buttress the point: 

Nigeria and Ghana have shared 

inspirations and aspirations. Dr. James 

Kwegyir Aggrey, a Ghana-born missionary 

and educationist broke the norm and got 

educated in America instead of Britain. He 

picked up the Pan-Africanist bug (which saw 

all Black people in the world as Africans 

and Africa as one entity) which had flowered 

among the intellectuals of the African 

Diaspora from the Caribbean, Latin 

America and the United States. He later 

came back to Africa, including Nigeria, 

where Nnamdi Azikiwe caught the bug and 

decided to pursue his education in America. 

Azikiwe also became a Pan-Africanist. When 

he returned to Nigeria, he went to Ghana to 

hone his journalism trade and later came 

back to Nigeria to start his famous 

newspaper chain. 

Azikiwe was chiefly credited to have 

inspired Kwame Nkrumah, though British 

educated, to transform into a radical Pan- 

Africanist. Ghana and Nigeria competed for 

which would be the first to win independence 

from Britain. Southern Nigerian leaders, 

especially Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi 

Awolowo, would have grabbed freedom 

from colonial rule in 1956, but Northern 

leaders like Ahmadu Bello and Abubakar 

Tafawa Balewa felt they were not ready for 

freedom. Because of that, Ghana won her 

independence ahead of Nigeria in 1957 and 

thus became a reference point in the 

continent. 

On 15th January 1966, Nigeria beat 

Ghana for the wrong reasons. Our military 

boys led by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu 

seized power from the Balewa government. 

Ghana followed suit on 28th February 1966 

when General Joseph Ankrah dethroned 

President Kwame Nkrumah. Just like 

Nigeria, Ghana also experienced coups and 

counter-coups as well as transitions to civil 

rule. However, it was Flight Lieutenant John 

Jerry Rawlings who finally took a decisive 

step to stop the rot in Ghana. When he shoved 

aside the elected government of Hilla 

Limann government on 31st December 

1981, he rounded up all surviving former 

heads of state and executed them. He ran a 

benevolent military dictatorship and 

By John Idumange 

IT was A.T. Pierson who averred that “to a true child of God, 

the invisible bond that unites all believers to Christ is far 

more tender, and lasting, and precious; and, as we come to 

recognise and realise that we are all dwelling in one sphere of 

life in Him, we learn to look on every believer as our brother, in 

a sense that is infinitely higher than all human relationships. 

This is the one and only way to bring disciples permanently 

together…” 

All the good books around the world assert unequivocally 

that there is a tiny demarcation between the physical world 

and the spirit world. So many religions are agreed that we can 

approach God through prayer, reverence and worship. Like 

King Solomon who built the Temple in Jerusalem, not only has 

Governor Seriake Dickson built a befitting place of worship, 

he has re-dedicated Bayelsa State to God. 

Ecumenism is a religious movement that seeks to unite all 

Christians and bring the various denominations together in 

mutual cooperation. The ecumenical vision consists of the 

search for the visible unity of the Church and the "whole inhabited 

earth" (Matthew 24:14) as the concern of all Christians. This 

found expression in the book of Ephesians 4:3 that says 

Christians should be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit 

in the bond of peace." John 17:21 notes Christ's desire "that they 

may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you." So, 

biblically, it is a compelling need for Christians to pursue unity 

and jettison their doctrinal differences and embrace unity with 

one another. 

Since Governor Dickson assumed office, he has left no one 

in doubt that God is the foundation of the Restoration 

Administration. The Restoration administration started off with 

a Praise Night on every last Sunday of the month. Being a lover 

of God, no day passes without a prayer session conducted at 

Buhari’s ridiculous Ghana outing 

transformed into a civilian president in 

1992. He went on to win elections twice 

before he gave up the stage leaving a 

sanitised country behind. 

Since then, Ghana has moved on. She no 

longer shares many of our warts and 

carbuncles. In terms of the economy, 

democratic tradition, effective governance, 

The incompetence of 

Buhari’s aides was on 

grand display in Ghana; it 

is against the spirit of 

diplomacy and sound 

judgement to go and tell a 

country celebrating its 

independence that its 

people are corrupt and 

you can help, more so 

when the world only 

recently said you lack the 

credibility to do so 

decency of political leadership and 

dividends of democracy, Nigeria can only 

learn from Ghana. The main difference 

between Ghana and Nigeria since Rawlings 

exorcised Ghana of its demons is that Ghana 

has learned from its experiences and is 

making steady progress on all fronts. In 

almost every metric of human development, 

Ghana is ahead. Nigeria never learns. We 

repeat our mistakes. We run around our 

vicious circle. 

There is no comparison between the social 

fabrics of both countries. Ghanaians are 

generally better educated than us. They 

speak better English, yet, they are very much 

at home with their local languages. What 

Rawlings, an ethnic Minority Ewe, did in 

OPINION 

Ghana proved disastrous when it was tried 

in January 1966 in Nigeria. Ours led to a 

widespread genocide and 30-month civil 

war. Rawlings ruled Ghana for 18 straight 

years as a military dictator and elected 

president. Today, not a single charge of 

corrupt self-enrichment or nepotism lies 

against his name. On the other hand, all 

surviving former Nigerian leaders, apart 

from our own General Yakubu Gowon and 

Alhaji Shehu Shagari, are multibillionaires. 

Buhari has taken Nigeria back to 1804 

whereby the Fulani jihads that established 

the Sokoto Caliphate is now being reenacted 

in the Middle Belt and Southern 

states of Nigeria by specially protected 

armed Fulani militias masquerading as 

herdsmen. Farming communities are being 

attacked, their farms destroyed, people 

killed, women raped and some of the 

communities occupied by these gunmen 

and their cows. Some Fulani professors are 

even making territorial claims. We all saw 

how the matter was swiftly settled in Ghana 

when these evil imperialists reared their ugly 

heads there. That is the difference between 

us, a rapidly-failing state, and Ghana, a 

country on a steady progressive trajectory. 

It was to this country that our President 

went to be with his colleague, President Nana 

Akufo-Ado. Akufo-Ado has every reason to 

feel a sense of comradeship with Buhari. 

Both of them share a history of stubbornly 

seeking the office of president of their 

countries and refusing to give up hope until 

victory finally came their ways. Both are in 

their 70s, at least officially. Akufo-Ado has 

come to Nigeria several times, and each time 

he was here, he had nice words for us. He 

never reminded us of our worsening endemic 

corruption and perennial fuel scarcity due 

to our inability to refine our oil. The chances 

were that while he was with our president in 

Aso Villa, NEPA took the lights several times 

and generators had to be switched on. He 

efforts was the building of the first-of-its kind ecumenical centre, 

at Igbogene in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. In 1 

Chronicles 22: 10, God said: “He shall build 

a House for My Name, and he shall be my 

son and I will be his father; and I will 

establish the throne of his kingdom over 

Israel forever.” 

Let it be remembered that at creation, 

Bayelsa State was dedicated to God and given 

a baptismal name called the Glory of all 

Lands. When the Restoration Administration 

came on board, Bayelsa State was fondly 

called the “Jerusalem of the Ijaw Nation.” It 

is against this background that Bayelsa State 

has established an eternal pact with God. 

This is a pact of peace, divine protection and the blossoming of 

God's grace upon the state. 

The mundane symbolism of the ecumenical centre is that it 

provides a platform for all Churches, irrespective of 

denomination, to carry out religious activities such as 

conventions, congregational worships and Christian retreats. 

Apart from the aesthetic beauty of the edifice, it also encourages 

religious studies and unity of the Church. Its spiritual symbolism 

lies in the fact that in the centre, all Ijaws are yoked together in 

one bundle of life. The ecumenical centre serves as a centre of 

did not offer to teach to help us how to refine 

our oil or fix our power problems. There is a 

way you offer to help somebody with his 

problem and it becomes an insult. 

That was exactly what President Buhari’s 

offer to help Ghana fight corruption turned 

out to be interpreted as by Ghanaians. It is 

totally impolitic to go to another country 

and tell them that they are corrupt, even if 

they are. Buhari is possibly the only president 

who travels the world preaching how 

corrupt his country is. Nigeria is dirty but 

Buhari is clean. Buhari’s government which 

has continued to be wracked by allegations 

of corruption and protection of close aides, 

friends, relations and kinsmen accused of 

corruption, is dirty but the President is clean. 

Transparency International, TI, recently 

indicated that corruption has worsened 

under Buhari. From 138th in 2015, Nigeria 

crashed to 148th after two years of Buhari’s 

anti-corruption crusade! Under Buhari, 

Nigeria fell in nine other areas such as 

International Press Freedom Index, World 

Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index, African 

Investment Attractiveness Index, Global 

Retail Development Index, World Economic 

Forum Networked Readiness Index, Global 

Competitiveness Index, World Internal 

Security and Police Index, Electricity Supply 

Index, among others. We only made a few 

positive steps in Doing Business. 

It is ridiculous for the president of such a 

country to go to a rapidly improving country 

and offer to “help” in fighting their 

corruption. Ghana scored 81 out of 180 

countries surveyed, while placed 148th in 

the TI’s CPI. Ghana’s rating was actually a 

10-point drop from its 70 standing in 2016. 

Since Buhari has anti-graft war as a priority, 

he should have actually asked President 

Akufo-Ado to come and teach us how to fight 

corruption. It is not normal for a student at 

the back of the class to teach his classmate 

who is far ahead. 

Expectedly, Ghanaians refused to take it 

lying down. They told Buhari to go home 

and deal with the snakes and monkeys that 

swallow money in Nigeria first. Buhari 

would have avoided that embarrassment by 

restricting himself to the usual nice things 

you say about a country when you go 

visiting. The incompetence of Buhari’s aides 

was on grand display in Ghana. It is against 

the spirit of diplomacy and sound judgement 

to go and tell a country celebrating its 

independence that its people are corrupt and 

you can help, more so when the world only 

recently said you lack the credibility to do 

so. 

Our President gave Ghanaians the 

justification to ridicule him – and us! 

Ecumenical Centre: Dickson’s signature of spiritual rebirth 

the seat of power. Because of the love of the things of God, 

several appointments were given to religious people to 

strengthen the worship of God. 

The Governor built a worship place in his home town – the 

palace of Melchizedek. He has supported religious activities 

of every description, donating to churches, promoting church 

programmes and endeavours. The crowning glory of these 

The 

Ecumenical 

Centre, 

bridging as 

it were, the 

doctrinal 

gap 

between 

churches 

unity in the Ijaw nation. Like Emperor Constantine of the glorious 

Roman Empire who popularized monotheism, the ecumenical 

Centre is Governor Dickson’s eternal signature for spiritual 

rebirth. 

According to Charles Hodge, “the Church is everywhere 

represented as one. It is one body, one family, one fold, one 

kingdom. It is one body pervaded by one Spirit. We are all 

baptised into one Spirit so as to become, says the apostle, one 

body.” 

The ecumenical centre, which could seat about 15,000 

persons, epitomizes a renewed spiritual consciousness in 

Bayelsa State, bridging as it were, the doctrinal gap between 

churches. It demonstrates our unity in the body of Christ and 

increases the redemptive value of Jesus Christ. More 

importantly, the ecumenical Centre was built in recognition of 

the fact that it reinforces our belief in the oneness of Christianity 

irrespective of denominations, doctrines or creed. 

This gesture is a crystallization of what is written in Ezekiel 

20: 15 where the land of Canaan was referred to as the “Glory 

of all Lands.” Governor Dickson has reiterated that Bayelsa is 

the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation, and from 1999, the first civilian 

administration called Bayelsa “the glory of all lands.” 

By all standards, Governor Dickson is indeed a God-fearing 

leader, who has reaffirmed our faith in God. True, God is too 

big to dwell in a house made by man because of his 

omnipresence, but this centre, which Hon. Dickson has built to 

honour God, shall stand as an everlasting testimony to the fact 

that the hearts of kings and rulers are in the hands of God. It is 

our fervent prayer that God Almighty honours the builder of 

this edifice. 

•Mr. Idumange, a student of Comparative Religion, 

wrote from Akenfa, Yenogoa, Bayelsa State. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018— 35

36— VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

08070524223 

I broke e Guinness 

book of record for 

love e of books 

- Bayode 

• Olubayode Treasures Olawunmi and Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode 

Bayode, who recently broke the Guinness 

Book of Records for Longest Marathon Read 

Aloud contest spoke to OSA AMADI, Arts 

Editor and Chris Onuoha at the Eko Hotels 

and Suites, Lagos, where he was lodged to 

recuperate from the ordeal he passed through 

achieving the feat. 

WHAT would you say gave you the back 

ground, the ability and made you prepared 

to become so proficient in reading to attempt this 

contest? 

My drive was determination. And determination 

comes when there is a vision. Why did I do what I 

did? It is for the love of books and education because 

I am a street boy. I discuss a lot with my 

friends and we do have arguments about social issues 

that affect us. They would say people are making 

money these days through sports, entertainment 

and illegal means such as Yahoo-Yahoo. I tell them 

that education is still the best platform for stardom 

and making of money. Often, the argument would 

heat up to the point where they would be threatening 

to beat me up. I told myself that one day, I must 

do something about it. 

Now, you can see that pop musicians dominate 

our TV screens flaunting their cars, partying, wining 

and dining while the youths root for them. They 

believe they can make a lot of money through yahoo- 

yahoo. Most of them no longer care about education. 

Of course, they can make it those ways 

but music is only one platform among others. The 

entertainment industry employs only a few people 

but education remains the best platform for professional 

careers. 

Having looked at all these, I promised myself I 

must do something just for the love of education 

and reading. For instance, the Western world 

couldn’t have gotten where they are today if not for 

education and research works. For Africa to get 

there, we need to take education serious. These are 

the thoughts that inspired me to decide I must be a 

voice to change that negative perception among our 

youths. One of my visions now is to go round Africa 

to talk to young ones and sensitise them about education 

and cultivate their interests in reading books 

so that in the nearest future, Africa will boast of 

icons in all walks of life. 

How old are you? 

I will be 40 years old by September this year. 

At what point did you start having this thought 

about doing something that will rekindle our people’s 

interest in education and reading? 

I have always been a reader. I started reading 

when I was in Primary Three. But reading books, 

aside my normal school books, started in 1999 when 

I picked a book titled How to win friends and influence 

people by Dale Carnegie. That book opened 

my mind. There’s a lot in books. That book taught 

me how to make friends and make them feel comfortable; 

how not to be domineering 

and how to make people feel 

important. Based on what I learnt 

from that book, I told myself I 

must continue to read. Since that 

day, I have never regretted reading 

any book. Every book has information 

and knowledge that can 

transform your life. One paragraph 

of a book can change your 

life. The Bible says study to show 

thyself approved. It is not referring 

only to the Bible, but to all 

types of books that inspire knowledge 

and wisdom. Through books, 

Daniel discovered that the children 

of Israel were to spend 70 

years in exile. After 74 years, 

Daniel opened the scroll and saw 

and read. If God does not approve 

reading, why did he not show 

Daniel such revelation through 

dreams? 

Daniel said he understood by 

books. God himself takes reading 

very important. We need to read. 

People say there is no shortcut to 

success but I say there is – by 

reading books. Through reading 

of books, you can learn in few 

days something that should have 

taken you about 20 years to learn through other 

means. When I wanted to study accounting, I did 

not go asking questions about how to go about it, 

rather, I picked up books and discovered what I 

needed to do. 

Reading aloud is different from reading silently. 

How did you build up the power to read aloud? 

When I set out to do this, I went through the Guinness 

world record and checked the category. By His 

grace, I am the only graduate in my family. There 

was no one in my family I can say I took inspiration 

from. We are five children in my family. The next 

person that would have been a graduate was my 

late sister. 

The GTBank 

team became 

emotional and 

afraid I might collapse 

and give up 

the ghost; at 

some point, they 

wanted to stop me 

when they noticed 

that my 

health was failing 

but I told them I 

will continue and 

finish 

Was that not some kind of motivation for you – 

the fact that no one in your family was a graduate 

before you? 

Yes, the determination to be first fruit; the vision 

to be an icon that people can look up to, like children 

coming after me saying I want to be like Bayode. 

Tell us the process that got you to this place 

I applied through the Guinness 

World Record category. When I 

looked through the list, I discovered 

that the one I fancied was the 

Longest Marathon Read Aloud. 

That was around May last year. It 

took about 12 to 20 weeks. When 

they approved the application to 

attempt, the next step was how to 

prepare for the task. I applied 

online. I tried to contact the former 

record holder but I couldn’t 

because the contact was not 

available anywhere. I wanted to 

ask the record holder how to go 

about it, what it entails and the 

challenges therein, so that I could 

prepare my mind before embarking 

on the project. But there was 

no advice from any one, no one to 

help me or counsel me on the challenge 

I was going to face. Eventually 

Guinness approved my application 

and I became a bit confused 

psychologically. However, I 

summoned up courage to do it. 

Did you start by practising reading 

books aloud? 

Yes, I read for three to four hours 

during rehearsals. I stopped the 

work I was doing at that time to afford me more 

time to practice. Then I started reading for longer 

time. I also read aloud in my room. Later, I approached 

one of my sponsors, GTBank. Other sponsors 

were Lagos State Government and Multipro 

Company. 

What form of support or sponsorship did you 

need at that time? 

When I got the approval, I started going around 

looking for sponsors because the contest must be in 

a public place where people can come and be witnesses. 

That means I have to hire the place and 

Continues on page 37

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 —37 

08070524223 

I broke Guinness book of record — Bayode 

Continued from page 36 

pay for all the logistics. This is 

all for Guinness World Record 

to recognise and be sure that 

the reading actually took place. 

There are guidelines because 

I have to submit evidence to 

them. Many companies I went 

to for sponsorship did not show 

interest. At a point, I was demoralised 

and discouraged. If 

this was sports or music, they 

would have jumped at it, I said 

to myself. But this is about education, 

about reading books, 

and no one was interested. If it 

was a perverse reality show 

like BB Naija that corrupts the 

minds of young people, they 

would see the business prospect 

in it. But I kept pushing 

until I got a meeting appointment 

with Multipro Company 

which first listened to me. They 

offered to help me on humanitarian 

grounds. They gave me 

food items and cash to encourage 

me. 

Multipro was the first to come 

to my aid. After that, I kept 

pushing for more support until 

God led me to GTBank. One 

day as I was going to Oyingbo 

from Yaba, I passed through 

Herbert Macaulay Way and 

noticed the You Read Library 

facility at Yaba Central Library 

along the road. I quickly 

jumped down, entered the 

place and discovered that it is 

a suitable place to conduct such 

a contest. Quickly, I enquired 

about the facility to know if I 

could use it. When I spoke to 

the Librarian, I was directed to 

write to the Lagos State Government 

for approval and also 

to GTBank, the managers of the 

You Read facility. I wrote to 

them and waited for some time 

before they responded. For the 

GTBank, they were hesitant at 

first, asking if I could do it and 

I said “yes.” 

Deen Sanwoola, the lawmaker 

representing Ikorodu in the 

Lagos State House of Assembly 

also became interested in 

the project because he is someone 

who has been encouraging 

youth empowerment programmes 

and initiatives like 

this. He was happy and encouraged 

me to use his facility 

for a trial run which I did for 

96 hours for four days. I could 

have done 120 hours then out 

of enthusiasm. Then I said to 

myself: why break the record 

before the contest actually begins? 

I stuck to the Guinness 

World Record guidelines and 

as well streamed it life for GT- 

Bank to watch and believe that 

it is possible. When they became 

convinced, they now 

called to fix a date for the proper 

contest. Thereafter, February 

was chosen which eventually 

coincided with the World Book 

Week. I never knew it will be 

this loud. My aim was just to 

read and prove it to myself that 

I could read and have been dying 

to read books. I only set out 

to make a difference. Lagos 

State at last, keyed into the vision 

and encouraged me by 

providing ambulance, health 

facilities and other things, 

while GTBank supported with 

other needs. I became amazed 

at such a support and that 

alone encouraged me more to 

work harder. When I was reading, 

students from various 

There is need 

for financial 

reward attached 

to this, to avoid 

young people 

saying: and so 

what? He broke 

the world reading 

record, how 

much money 

did he make 

from it? 

schools in Lagos came in to 

be witnesses and that encouraged 

me the more. My 

initial intention was not to 

break the record. 

What was the reading 

session like? 

During my trial reading before 

the contest, I read for 96 

hours for four days, I had a 

sour tongue. My teeth cut 

my tongue and for one week 

I could not talk normally. For 

the real contest, I was afraid 

of that same painful experience 

but because I have committed 

a lot of people, organisations 

and my conscience, 

I told myself not to give up. 

For the love of books, I was 

willing to sacrifice anything. 

On the fourth day of the 

reading session, fatigue set 

in. I was hallucinating. My 

tongue ruptured and I almost 

gave up. The GTBank 

team became emotional and 

afraid I might collapse and 

give up the ghost. At some 

point, they wanted to stop me 

when they noticed that my 

health was failing but I told 

them I must continue and 

finish. After the fourth day, 

I received new strength and 

felt like I had never suffered 

anything. I became more 

determined to cross the finishing 

line. I was supposed 

to do 120 hours but I eventually 

did 122 hours at the 

end. The former record was 

113 hours broken by a man 

from Nepal and I set out to 

do 120 to surpass him but 

ended up doing 122 hours. 

All the evidence will be sent 

to Guinness World Record 

for approval. Independent 

witnesses from University of 

Lagos and Yaba College of 

Technology were present to 

record the proceedings without 

my knowledge. All these 

showed the authenticity of 

the entire process. I read 

over 13 books comprising 

books written by Nigerian 

and foreign authors. The 

number of books read does 

not really matter. What counts 

is reading aloud non-stop for 

a long period of time. Right 

now, Eko Library has taken 

over the books I read as relics 

for the archives. 

Did you have the freedom to 

choose the books you read? 

Yes I did. I chose all the 

genres. I could have even chosen 

to read the Bible if I had 

wished. 

Was there any representative 

from Guinness World Record? 

No! That is why there were 

independent witnesses from 

Unilag and YabaTech. One of 

the guidelines was I must foot 

the bills and show them evidence 

that I did it before they 

will publish it in their coveted 

book of records. Secondly, 

since the entire cost should 

come from me, I did not deem 

it wise to invite them to Nigeria 

because of the huge cost. 

Could you talk more on the 

difference between reading 

aloud and reading silently? 

Reading aloud and reading 

silently are different ball 

games. When you are reading 

silently, you are reading with 

your mind and eyes alone, but 

when you are reading aloud, 

you are engaged with your 

mouth moving up and down, 

your tongue, your cheek, your 

muscles, your brain, your eyes 

and the entire body. There was 

a time I was reading and my 

vision became blurred. I was 

looking at the book the whole 

day but was not reading. 

Did your interest in books 

and your love for reading prepare 

you for this contest? 

I love reading books, trust 

me. I can tell you the story of 

all the books I have read from 

•CSP Dolapo Badmus 

By Chris Onuoha 

In an effort to correct the impression that 

the job of the police is all about chasing 

offenders, Zone 2 Command, Lagos has passionately 

devised means of bridging the gap 

between the police and youths. 

The command under the auspices of the 

youth-loving Chief Superintendent of Police, 

Dolapo Badmus, will on March 20 stage an 

all celebrity-packed free show tagged Security 

Concert, at Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University 

of Lagos starting from 8:00a.m. 

In attendance will be top entertainment celebrities 

who in recent times, have been involved 

in police-friendly activities. The celebrities 

include Dr. Sid, Korede Bello, 

A to Z. One of the books I 

read, by Norman Vincent, 

had a lot of encouragement 

in it. I chose that book specifically 

because of the information 

in it. While reading 

it, the book spoke to me and 

motivated me to move on because 

of the inspiring words 

written in it. 

Could you share with us 

some of the titles of the 

books you read? 

Norman Vincent, Miles 

Munro, T.D. Jakes, Napoleon 

and some inspirational 

books that have encouraging 

messages. I read a lot of autobiographies. 

I believe 

reading about people and 

their lives helps teach you 

how they made it to where 

they are now. I love realities, 

I love fictions too. Toni Kan’s 

book was among the books I 

read. 

Among all, who would 

you say is your best author? 

Norman Vincent Peale. 

Is there any financial 

reward attached to the 

contest? 

No. there is no financial reward 

but I am expecting 

some endorsement from 

discerning organisations 

who value the effort and 

what I did. Besides, my joy 

is breaking the record and I 

will be fulfilled to see young 

people aspiring to be like 

Bayode. I would also like financial 

support from government 

so that the vision 

will be actualised. There is 

need for financial reward 

attached to this, to avoid 

young people saying: and 

so what? He broke the world 

reading record, how much 

money did he make from it? 

Wizkid can sing for 5 minutes 

and make N5 million, and 

Mikel can be bought with millions 

of dollars. We must halt 

such destructive mindsets 

because it is anti-education 

and dangerous to the survival 

of human civilisation. The 

way to change such prevailing 

mindset is to empower 

people like us financially. I 

would like to travel across Africa, 

preaching the gospel of 

sound education and sound 

reading culture. Education 

pays and I want to be that role 

model. I want to show that 

education icons are more 

valuable to society than entertainment 

or sports icons. I 

also want to change the 

mindsets of the young people 

who believe that taking a 

shortcut through music or illegal 

means is better than 

earning a living through 

reading of books. I want be a 

voice and embark on a sensitizing 

campaign that will 

re-orientate the minds of our 

youths. It is a huge project 

but I believe it can be 

achieved through adequate 

support from philanthropists, 

private and corporate bodies 

that value such vision. 

More so, every youth must 

know that every worthwhile 

career chosen in life is best 

when founded on education. 

You won’t really go far in any 

career – music, sports, comedy 

or anything else – without 

education. You can make all 

the money you will ever need, 

without education it amounts 

to little or nothing. 

Top Stars partner Zone 2 Police Command 

on music concert 

Sound Sultan, Ruggedybaba, and Small Doctor. 

Others are Nollywood stars - Funke Akindele, 

Odunomo Adekola, Omoni Oboli, 

etc. 

Notable personalities scheduled to grace 

the occasion are the legal attaché to the United 

States Consulate, Rolland Avediciian; Cofounder, 

Red Media Group, Debola Williams; 

current reigning queen, Miss Intercontinental 

Africa, Queen Chizoba Ejike; Cyber 

Security Expert & Red Hat Examiner, 

Dayo Adesanya; and the Royal Father of the 

day, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi. 

Highlights of topical issues billed for discussion 

are social vices such as cultism, internet 

fraud, drug dealings and related offences. 

Speaking to Vanguard Arts & Reviews, 

Dolapo Badmus revealed her passion for 

youths. “I am passionate about the youths, 

not only because they are the future of our 

country but because I am also one. There 

can’t be any national development without 

capacity development of the youth. I don’t 

want to see any youth behind bars simply 

because they lack mentorship. I, Dolapo 

Badmus, a Chief Superintendent of Police 

will burn my energy to mentor the younger 

ones rather than running after them trying 

to get them arrested,” Dolapo said. 

“Our youths must be free from social vices. 

It’s a campaign against cultism, internet 

fraud and drug dealings by youths. Together 

we can create a crime-free society. It’s a 

security concert tagged The youth, a tool for 

national security,” she said.

38—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

Identity crises inflicted by ethnicism 

Restructuring is all the 

rage in the Nigerian political 

space. Prominent 

Nigerian politicians always 

mouth the ideals of “One Nigeria” 

but they happen to be the 

greatest apostles of clannishness, 

nepotism, prebendalism 

and all the sundry ‘isms’ that 

divide the people. Being a socalled 

indigene trumps being a 

bona-fide Nigerian citizen in 

many parts of the country. It is 

indeed a daring venture by the 

irrepressible novelist, Lola 

Akande that she presciently 

puts Nigeria’s fault-lines on the 

front burner in her novel, Where 

Are You From? From the first 

sentence – “Optimism was my 

friend” – Lola Akande presents 

a plucky protagonist, Anjola 

Adeniyi, who dares to engage 

her beloved country Nigeria in 

all multiform dimensions. 

A sprightly graduate of English 

from the University of Ilorin 

in her native Kwara State, 

Anjola Adeniyi embarks on an 

eventful National Youth Service 

Corps (NYSC) programme in 

Anambra State. The challenges 

of the Nigerian ethnic mix of 

Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are 

sucked into the demanding 

whirlpool of survival in a dire 

landscape. 

Starting from her place of 

birth, the identity question 

rankles given the history of 

Ilorin, and indeed, Kwara, 

in the 19th Century when 

Afonja “liaised with the 

Fulanis, who were Jihadists 

led by Alimi, to help him 

fight Oyo in revenge for his 

technical expulsion from 

the Oyo dynasty… After 

killing the Afonja, the Jihadists 

fully established the 

first administration in Ilorin 

in 1837 and began to 

overrun, one by one, all the 

towns and villages in 

Kwara.” It is thus incumbent 

on the young one to ask the 

father: “What about us, Father? 

What and who are we? 

Fulani? Yoruba? What?” 

The identity issue cuts 

across the Nigerian terrain. 

People must perforce 

change their bona-fides to 

fit into the needs of divergent 

moments. For instance, 

Anjola’s boyfriend 

and eventual husband, Ifeanyi, 

Ify for short, and his 

entire family, originally 

from the Igbo state of Anambra 

but born and bred in 

Jos, Plateau, “had to hide 

their links with Anambra to 

be approved. They were 

educated to believe that 

they had to renounce their 

father’s native name and 

state of origin and acquire 

Plateau State Citizenship 

certificates before they 

could advance their interests. 

They had also had to 

discard their Igbo names – 

at least officially – and 

adopt Plateau-sounding 

English or Biblical names.” 

She thus becomes Mrs. 

Anjola Jeremiah upon her 

marriage. 

In the hunt for a job in 

Kaduna, Anjola is made to 

undergo the problematic 

process of going to the Kaduna 

High Court to swear 

to an affidavit of Change of 

Name, thus becoming Angela 

Adnoyi of Zango Kataf 

in Kaduna instead of Angela 

Adeniyi of Kwara! 

She discovers that she even 

needs to go further by 

claiming to become a Muslim 

with hijab to be fully 

accepted, whence her 

adoption of the name Hajia 

Zainab Abubakar! Of 

course the move goes awry 

as her tribal marks easily 

give her away. She confesses 

to coming from Kwara 

State and it is put to her 

face thusly: “You are obviously 

Yoruba by descent.” 

She is compassionately not 

arrested and prosecuted for 

forgery but gets this advice: 

“Go o Ibadan. I have 

it on good authority that 

Oduduwa International is 

on recruitment drive and 

will hold a selection interview 

in December.” Getting 

to Ibadan to vie for the job 

she gets this ouster: “This 

is Oduduwa International. 

This interview is for applicants 

from the western region, 

not for northerners.” 

She is dismissed as an 

alien, only for the outraged 

Anjola to cry out: “You 

called me an alien in my 

country?” 

Anjola can only wallow in 

lament: “I can’t find a job, 

father. Nobody seems to 

know where to place Kwara 

in the comity of states in 

Nigeria; and it tears my 

heart to think that I’m lost 

in a country of my birth, 

I’m a complete stranger in 

my own country.”The novel, 

Where Are You From? by 

Lola Akande spans the period 

of July 1985 to September 

1998. Divided into 

five sections, the first four 

sections are narrated in the 

first person point-of-view 

by Anjola while Part Five 

is rendered in the omniscient 

view. 

ART NEWS 

Nigerianart.net plans follow-up exhibition 

• From left to right: Joe Essien, John Ogbeta and Bide Umeh 

Nigerianart.net has discovered an array of amazing and 

talented artists. It has now revealed their work to its 

audience via the fast rising platform: Nigerianart.net. 

The platform is one of the largest and fastest growing art 

galleries in Nigeria. It seeks to bring together a selection of 

prolific art physically displayed during exhibitions. 

The 17th and 18th of February, 2018 saw Nigerianart.net host 

its maiden exhibition titled FUSION ‘Wine meets Art’, 

organised in collaboration with La’Cour Hotels. The exhibition 

celebrated artists like Gbolahon Omidiran and sculptors like 

the late Bisi Fakeye alongside others, showcasing a range of 

their artwork on the scenic grounds of the hotel. The two-day 

event exhibited a total of ninety-three pieces, from paintings 

to woodcarvings and metal work, attracting art enthusiasts, 

historians, critics and practicing artists. The artists whose pieces 

were on display were at hand to interact with guests and guide 

them to understand the work and also answer relevant 

questions. 

Rukky Ray-Okpu, Head of Public Relations, Nigerianart.net, 

said the exhibition was a success, and that it showed the appetite 

that exists for Nigerian art. He assured art lovers that there 

will be more of similar events lined up over the course of the 

year. 

The positive turnout at the first exhibition has encouraged 

Nigerianart.net to organise a follow-up exhibition planned to 

hold by end of March 2018. An on-line marketing campaign 

will be launched on Nigerianart.net’s social media-platforms 

highlighting confirmed exhibition dates. 

Paul Kadiri, manager of Nigerianart.net’s, also expressed his 

pleasure with the reception received from the Nigerian art 

sphere so far, saying his team is fully committed to sourcing 

for and curating Nigerian art pieces by local and 

internationally-based Nigerian artists, with a view to exhibiting 

or selling them via the Nigerianart.net platform. “There are 

many revered Nigerian artists who are masters and there are 

many hidden talents. The goal is to propel all calibers of artists 

across board, showcasing wonderfully drawn and crafted art 

works to the world,” said Kadiri. 

Em’kal Eyongakpa wins Henrike Grohs Art Award 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

Em’kal Eyongakpa, an in 

ter media artist who ap 

proaches the experienced, 

the unknown, as well as 

collective histories through a ritual 

use of repetition and transformation, 

has been awarded 

the 2018 Henrike Grohs Art 

Award. 

Em’kal Eyongakpa, born 1981 

in Mamfe, Cameroon, is the first 

recipient of the Henrike Grohs 

Art Award, conceived by the Goethe-Institut 

and the Grohs family. 

He will be awarded with a 

20.000€ cash prize on 13 March 

2018 in Abidjan. 

“The jury unanimously awards 

the inaugural Henrike Grohs Art 

Award to Em’kal Eyongakpa for 

his poetic, subtle and subjective 

approach. His work expresses 

universal concerns for humanity. 

The multidisciplinary stance 

of his practice that includes 

knowledge derived from science, 

ethnobotany, magical realism, 

experimentation and uto- 

pia, aptly responds to the 

core values of the Henrike 

Grohs Art Award”, said the 

jury members Koyo Kouoh 

(Artistic Director, RAW Material 

Company, Dakar), 

Laurence Bonvin (artist and 

representative of the Grohs 

family, Berlin), Raphael 

Chikukwa (Chief Curator, 

National Gallery of Zimbabwe, 

Harare) and Simon 

Njami (Curator, Paris). 

His recent ideas increasingly 

draw from indigenous 

knowledge systems and 

aesthetics, ethnobotany, 

applied mycology as well 

as technology in his explorations 

of the personal and 

the universal. Eyongakpa is 

also known for self-organised 

community research 

projects and autonomous 

art hubs like KHaL!SHRINE 

in Yaoundé (2007-2012) 

and the recently launched 

sound art and music platform 

[fúkúyú. He holds degrees 

in Plant biology and 

Ecology from the University 

of Yaoundé and was a resident 

at the Rijksakademie in 

Amsterdam. Eyongakpa’s 

work has recently been exhibited 

at the Jakarta Biennale 

(2017), the 13th Sharjah Biennial 

(2017), La Biennale de 

Montreal (2016), the 32nd 

Bienal de São Paulo (2016), 

the 9th and 10th Bamako Encounters 

(2011, 2015), the 

10th Biennale de l’art africain 

contemporain, Dak’art (2012) 

and at several international art 

spaces and museums around 

the world. 

Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, 

President of the Goethe-Institut 

said that “We have not only 

lost a highly esteemed and 

beloved colleague in Henrike 

Grohs but also a person who 

carried hope into the world 

with her beliefs and actions. 

Therefore, it is of particular 

importance to link the memory 

of Henrike Grohs to a viewpoint 

that reflects her work 

and desires. This has come to 

fruition in the prize, as it promotes 

the cause of Henrike 

Grohs: To support African creative 

artists and make a contribution 

towards international 

dialogue. I would like to 

congratulate the first prize 

winner, Em’kal Eyongakpa 

with whom, after an intensive 

selection process, the judges 

have made an excellent 

choice.” 

The Henrike Grohs Art 

Award is a biennial prize dedicated 

to artists who are living 

and working in Africa and 

practicing in the field of visual 

arts. It recognises the lifetime 

achievements of the 

former Head of the Goethe- 

Institut in Abidjan, Henrike 

Grohs, who was killed on 13 

March 2016 in a terrorist attack 

in Grand-Bassam, Côte 

d’Ivoire. 

*Em’kal Eyongakpa

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018--39 

Unrestricted access to medicines, bane of drug misuse, 

abuse — ACPN 

By Chioma Obinna 

U NRESTRICTED 

access to medicines 

through the open drug and 

inadequate regulatory 

enforcement markets have 

remained the root cause of 

rampant drug misuse and 

abuse in the society, 

community pharmacists 

have said. 

The pharmacists also 

noted that the incessant 

postponement by Federal 

Government of the closure 

of open drug market 

places and full 

implementation of the 

National Drug Distribution 

Guidelines, NDDG, will 

further aggravate the 

situation. 

Chairman of the 

Association of Community 

Pharmacists of Nigeria, 

Lagos State branch, ACPN, 

Pharm. Abiola Paul-Ozieh 

urged the Federal 

Government to keep to the 

December 2018 deadline 

for closing all open drug 

markets. 

Speaking during the 2018 

Annual General Meeting 

of the Association during 

which the Campaign 

against Drug Abuse in 

Lagos communities was 

relaunched, Paul-Ozieh 

charged stakeholders to 

take collective action to 

make the deadline 

realisable. 

“As long as we have the 

open drug market places, 

as long as people walk into 

anywhere, hawk drugs, 

we will always have issues 

with drug abuse. You can 

imagine how many times 

closure of open drug 

market has been 

postponed; now we are 

saying by December it will 

be totally out. We are 

praying it will happen. It 

is left for stakeholders to 

see how we can get rid of 

uncoordinated system of 

drug distribution and 

install a sane distribution 

system where people can 

get drugs that are 

documented and can even 

be traced to the last user of 

the medicines.” 

Re-launching war 

against drug abuse with 

banners that would be 

placed in all community 

pharmacies across the 

state, she stated: “Through 

the banners, we will warn 

the entire community that 

drug abuse kills. We want 

our youths to come out of 

drug abuse. Those that 

need help, we will link them 

to facilities where they will 

undergo rehabilitation 

procedures and that way, 

*Cross section of Executive members of Community Pharmacists during the launch 

of its Drug Abuse Banner Campaign in Lagos recently. 

they will be reintegrated 

back to the society. All 

hands need to be on deck.” 

Paul-Ozieh said her team 

had put pharmacists on the 

right path as regards 

pharmaceutical care to help 

patients identify drug 

therapy issues. 

“Pharmacists are now 

exposed to current trends 

to render more care to the 

patients and ultimately 

improve the health 

After the 

resurgence of 

Wild Polio 

Virus in 

2016, Nigeria 

launched an 

aggressive 

outbreak 

response 

action plan 

outcome of the patients.” 

She urged the Federal 

Government to reconstitute 

the Board of the 

Pharmacists Council, 

lamenting that 2018 will 

mark the third year without 

a substantive Board. 

Also speaking, 

Chairman, Board of 

Trustees, ACPN Lagos, 

Pharm. Deji Osinoke, 

raised the alarm that drug 

abuse has reached chaotic 

dimension in the country. 

He regretted that the 

body, for many years, has 

been warning the 

government about the 

problem, blaming the 

situation on what he 

described as ‘chaotic drug 

distribution. 

“You can see that 

everybody handles drug in 

Nigeria and drugs are 

special items and not like 

any other article. If you are 

not trained, you will not 

know its efficacy. Your own 

motive will just be to make 

profits. It is not good for the 

rest of the population. This 

drug abuse is very rampant 

now like codeine and 

tramadol. 

“People buy codeine 

syrup and take the whole 

bottle. Now, these drugs 

are being distributed in 

parties. This is not good 

because codeine itself is 

very potent. 

“It can damage the liver. 

This is a mitotic poison 

when taken in excess but 

people don’t know about 

that but they feel they are 

in trade. 

He charged law 

GGR: More cases of unsafe abortion imminent in Nigeria 

Continued from 

last week Tuesday 

GIVING a graphic 

picture of the 

economic burden of 

unsafe abortion in 

Nigeria, Oji related 

findings of a study 

showing the cost of treating 

life-threatening 

complications due to unsafe 

abortion was six times 

higher than the cost of all 

attempts to end the 

pregnancy. 

“Women spent on 

average N12,586 in all 

attempts to end the 

pregnancy while the 

average cost of treating the 

severe unsafe abortion 

complications was 

N74,407. 

“Boyfriends(six out of 11), 

and to a lesser extent, family 

members, were most 

commonly responsible for 

paying the cost of the 

abortion procedure. About 

half of the women did not 

know who bore the cost of 

treatment.” 

Legal 

restrictions 

Findings by Good Health 

Weekly show that induced 

abortion is illegal in Nigeria 

except when performed to 

save a woman’s life, yet 

pregnancy terminations 

are quite common, and 

because most are 

performed clandestinely or 

by unskilled providers, 

many are unsafe. 

Despite legal restrictions, 

unsafe abortion is already 

a major contributor to the 

country’s high levels of 

maternal death, ill health 

and disability. 

According to the 

Guttmacher Institute, 

unsafe abortion is 

dangerous and costly, and 

places serious burden on 

the nation’s health system 

as well as on the health and 

well-being of women and 

their families. 

In the view of the Country 

Director, Ipas Nigeria, 

Barrister Hauwa Shekarau, 

the expanded gag rule is a 

harmful US policy that 

would slow and even 

reverse efforts and progress 

of governments around the 

world toward ensuring 

every woman can exercise 

her right to her own body. 

Shekarau asserted that 

lack of access to 

contraception and safe 

abortion is a major public 

health crisis for women in 

the world’s poorest 

countries. She said legally 

restricting reproductive 

health services such as 

abortion, do not affect the 

number of abortions that 

happen. 

“Legal restrictions on 

abortion make abortion 

unsafe, especially for poor 

women. Where abortion is 

legal and safe services are 

available, deaths and 

disabilities from abortion 

are greatly reduced. 

Currently, there are 

millions of women who 

want to avoid pregnancy 

but lack access to modern 

contraception. Women are 

at risk of unsafe abortion 

because they lack access to 

safe, high-quality abortion 

care,” she argued. 

Presenting an update on 

maternal health and 

abortion in Nigeria, 

Shekarau recalled that the 

first national study to 

examine the incidence of 

abortion in Nigeria, 

conducted by the 

Guttmacher Institute 

estimated that in 1996, 

about 610,000 abortions, or 

25 per 1,000 women aged 

15–44, occurred. 

Another study by the 

Institute in 2012 conducted 

in collaboration with the 

University of Ibadan and 

released November 2015, 

found that an estimated 1.25 

million induced abortions 

were performed in the 

country with an annual 

abortion rate of 33 per 1,000 

women aged 15–49. The 

abortion ratio was 19 

abortions per 100 live 

births, according to the 

study. 

Guttmacher also found 

that in 2005, Post Abortion 

Care, PAC, in Nigerian 

hospitals cost $132 per 

patient, of which $95 was 

paid by families. 

In her contribution, Dr 

Abiola Akinyode-Afolabi, 

Executive Director, Women 

Advocates Research and 

Documentation Center, 

WARDC, Lagos, stated 

that: “Under the new gag 

rule, organisations well 

suited to provide 

comprehensive 

reproductive health care 

services, including abortion 

in countries where it is 

legal, will lose their 

funding or be frozen out of 

seeking US aid.” 

Akinyode-Afolabi warned 

that cuts in family planning 

funding mean higher rates 

of unintended pregnancy 

and abortion. 

“By reducing funding to 

such providers in underserved 

areas, the global 

gag rule will decrease 

women’s ability to access 

pregnancy-related care, 

family planning, and 

enforcement agents and 

drug regulators in Nigeria 

to sit up and ensure that 

only trained people are 

handling drugs. 

“In Lagos for instance, 

registered pharmacies are 

not up to 70 but 

unregistered premises are 

over 2000. These premises 

are not being controlled and 

directed. This is not healthy 

for the country. 

According to the Public 

Relations Officer, Pharm. 

Obigaeri Ikwu: “Drug 

abuse is a serious menace 

in the society. Pharmacists 

in the community should be 

the first port of call and the 

banner we are launching is 

to create awareness using 

the community pharmacist 

as first port of call.” 

He said many people 

don’t even know they are 

abusing drugs. Most 

drugs being abused in 

Nigeria today include 

Codeine, an opioid 

analgesic also used in the 

management of pain and 

diarrhoea. 

Other opioid analgesics 

which are also sometimes 

abused include morphine, 

pentazocine (fortwin), 

tramadol and pethidine. 

Also, they tend to cause 

respiratory depression in 

large doses. 

services for HIV/AIDS and 

other sexually transmissible 

infections.” 

She explained that the 

gag rule also undermines 

the international consensus 

on reproductive rights by 

compromising access to 

reproductive health-care 

services—including legal 

and safe abortion. 

Observers urged that the 

Federal Government needs 

to invest more in family 

planning services and 

contraceptive supplies. 

Family planning experts 

say most abortions result 

from unintended 

pregnancy, and in order to 

protect the most vulnerable 

women – the poor and 

underprivileged - levels of 

both unintended 

pregnancy and unsafe 

abortion need to be reduced 

through expanded family 

planning programming as 

well as sexuality and family 

life education. “Without 

contraceptives, there are no 

programmes. And without 

contraceptives, the 

Sustainable Development 

Goals (SDGs) and ambition 

of Universal Health 

Coverage will not be 

achieved as women and 

girls are denied access to 

the means to prevent 

unwanted pregnancy,”

40 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

Cc: 

GM/EiC, Editor, Admin Manager 

OLAWALE 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Olawale 

Afeez, now wish to be 

known and addressed 

as Moshood Afeez 

Olawale. All former 

documents remain 

valid. General public 

please take note. 

MEKE 


addressed as Meke 

Isaac Omoh, now wish 

to be known and 

addressed as Isaac 

Omoh Agbomheke. All 

former documents 

remain valid. General 

public please take note. 

FIMBA 


addressed as Abuh 

John Fimba, now wish 


addressed as Abuh 

Ojodomo Finbarr. All 




OSUJI 


addressed as Osuji 

Chiamaka Felixta, now 

wish to be known and 

addressed as Nnadi 

Chiamaka Felixta. All 




ERHABOR 


addressed as Tina 

Osaiyekemwen 

Erhabor, now wish to be 


as Tina Osaiyekemwen 

Batubo. All former 

documents remain valid. 

General public please 

take note. 

ABUGU 


addressed as Miss 

Abugu Patricia 

Ukamaka, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Eze 

Patricia Ukamaka. All 




OTTI 

This is to confirm that 

the names, Obioha Gift 

Ndidiamaka, Otti Gift 

Ndidiamaka and 

Onyemaechi Gift 

Ndidiamaka refer to 

one and the same 

person, but now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as 

Onyemaechi Gift 

Ndidiamaka. All former 



take note. 

OJOGHO 



Ojogho Grace 

Onowojo, now wish to 

be known and 

addressed as Mrs. 

Ahmed Falilat Grace. 

All former documents 



KEVIN 


addressed as Ogbonna 

Chidozie Kevin, now 


addressed as Ogbonna 

Chidi Kelvin. All 




OGHENECHUKO 



M i l l i c e n t 

Oghenechuko, now 



Millicent Afonughe. All 




OBIORA 


addressed as Bridget 

Chigozia Obiora, now 


addressed as Bridget 

Chigozia Ogbonna. All 




GOLAH 


addressed as Gubare 

Golah-Dick, now wish 


addressed as Gubare 

Ray Golah-Ebue. All 




OGOKE 


addressed as Ogoke 

Nneka Juliana, now 


addressed as Ekearu 

Nneka Juliana. All 




ANAELE 



Juliet Chinasa Anaele, 

now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

Juliet Chinasa 

Akporotu. All former 




OLUMIDE 


addressed as Olumide 

Segun Ebenezer, now 


addressed as Doherty 

Segun Ebenezer. All 




KIKIRI 



Kikiri Gladys, now wish 



Ofioguma Gladys. All 




OMASE 


addressed as Omase 

Jolomi Loveth, now 


addressed as Buwa 

Loveth Jolomi. All 




NWOKEDI 

This is to confirm that 

the name Miss 

Ubhimhinye Gloria 

Nkeonye and Miss 

Nwokedi Gloria 

Nkeonye refer to one 

and the same person, 



Gloria Nkeonye Stanley. 




ARIT 


addressed as Francis 

Arit, now wish to be 


as Akinlosoto Arit 

Francis. All former 


valid, general public 


COURAGE 


addressed as Courage 

Kelvin wish to be 


as Ogbomon Courage 

Kelvin. All former 




AGBEDE 



Funlayefa Agbede, 



Funlayefa Agbede 

Gbaregolo. All former 


valid. First bank and 

general public please 

take note. 

MICHAEL 


addressed as Miss Praise 

Ngozi Michael, now wish 


addressed as Mrs. Praise 

Bourdillion Biriabebe. All 

former documents remain 

valid. Anambra state 

ministry of education, 

Enugu, West African 

examination council 

(WAEC), Port Harcourt 

and general public please 

take note. 

GLORIA 



Ugheoke Josephine 

Gloria, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Oziwo 

Ugheoke Josephine. 




AKUKWE 



Dorothy Akuoma 

Akukwe, now wish to 

be known and 


Dorothy Akuoma 

Soribe. All former 




YOUNG 



Ibiye Young-Itiye now 



Ibiye Eneyi Simeni. All 



public please take 

note. 

OGEDENGBE 



Ogedengbe Tina 

Maryjane, now wish to 

be known and 


Ohihoin Tina 

Maryjane. All former 




OBIOMA 



Obioma Oghale 

Blessing, now wish to 

be known and 


Amatokwu Oghale 

Blessing. All former 




EZIKE 



Adaobi Rosemary 

Ezike, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Adaobi Felix. 




AGBASIONWE 



Oluchukwu Vivian 

Agbasionwe, now wish 



Oluchukwu Vivian 

Okolie. All former 




OKONKW 

ONKWO 



Okonkwo Chigabolum 

Judith, now wish to be 


as Mrs. Ossai 

Chigabolum Judith. All 




EDET 


addressed as Dr. (Miss) 

Bassey Okon Edet, now wish 

to be known and addressed 

as Dr. (Mrs.) Bassey Etim 

Nakanda. All former 

documents remain valid. The 

Medical and Dental Council 

of Nigeria (MDCN), 

University of Calabar 

Teaching Hospital (UCTH), 

West African College of 

Surgeons, National 

Postgraduate Medical 

College of Nigeria and the 

general public please take 

note. 

JOHN 


addressed as Ata- 

Ekong John Anthony, 


and addressed as Ata- 

Ekong Michael 

Anthony. All former 




OMOIKE 



Ofure Omoiho Omoike, 



Ofure Omoiho Omoike 

Akhator. All former 




IDIAGBOR MOHAMMED STANLEY 


addressed as Idiagbor 

Sarah, now wish to be 


as Kennedy Serena 

Ogorchukwu. All 





addressed as Osumah 

Mohammed, now wish 


addressed as Osumah 

Mentor Omoaleleghie. 





addressed as Etugbo 

Stanley Arube, now 


addressed as Etugbo 

Goodluck Arube. All 



public please take note.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 — 41 

CHANGE OF NAME 

UROWAYINO 



Urowayino Susan 

Gbubemi, now wish to 

be known and 


Agbeyegbe Susan 

Gbubemi. All former 




WORTHY 

This is to confirm that the 

names Oghenerume 

Oghenebrume Worthy 

and Oghenerume 

Oghenebrume Enoubong 

refer to one and the same 

person, but now wish to 

be known and addressed 

as Oghenerume 

Oghenebrume 

Worthy Enoubong. All 

former documents remain 



MONYE 


addressed as Okafor 

Monye Acholonu, now 


addressed as Nonye 

Cole. All former 




Welders, fitters union 

inaugurate exco in Delta 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—THE Nigerian 

Welders and Fitters Union, 

NIWELFU, Delta State chapter 

have been inaugurated with 

Comrade Ambrose Evughaye as 

its Pioneer State Chairman. 

Other members of the executive, 

which was inaugurated by 

the union's National Secretary, 

Derak Sokari include ; Fidelis 

Umukoro, Vice Chairman; Augustine 

Oghiator, PRO; 

Tinbowei Ebis Amos, Treasurer; 

Lucky Omonigho, Financial 

Secretary; Benedict Atiyota; and 

Johnway Oviricha Provost. 

Speaking at the event which 

was graced by the National 

President of the union, Chief 

:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews 

Joseph Awala Inone and Nigeria 

Labour Congress, 

Chairman, Delta State, Comr. 

Jonathan Jemirieyigbe, the 

State Governor, Senator 

Ifeanyi Okowa, congratulated 

the union and assured 

them of requisite recognition 

by the state. 

Okowa who was represented 

by his Senior Special 

Assistant on Labour and 

SERVICOM, Comr. Mike 

Okeme, said the state government 

will allocate land to 

them and also facilitate the 

construction of their proposed 

Ultra Modern Welding 

and Fabrication Training Institute 

to boost employment 

in the state. 

VISIT: Hon Simon Lalong, Governor of Plateau State, (left) receiving 

Senator Ibrahim Mantu, former Deputy Senate President and member, 

Board of Trustees, PDP , during a courtesy visit to the governor at the 

Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, yesterday. 

MARI 

I, formerly known 

and addressed as 

Doris Mari, now 

wish to be known 

and addressed as 

Doris Kogi. All 


remain valid. 

General public 


ELOHOR 


called as Oboagariemu 

Elohor and Akpobome 

Eloho now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Akpobome Eloho Surely. 


remain valid. Delta State 

Poly, Ozoro, CBN, 

NECO, Keystone bank, 

Heritage bank, Eco bank, 

Zenith bank, Head and 

members of Akpobome 

family of Ofuoma, Ughelli 

North L.G.A of Delta State 

and the general public to 

take note. 

NWABUDU 



Adaobi Jennifer 

Nwabudu, now wish to 

be known and 


Adaobi Jennifer 

Molokwu. All 

documents bearing 

former names remain 

valid. NYSC and the 

general public should 


THIS 

SPACE 

IS 

FOR 

SALE

42--- VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

•Dickson 

APC can regain some integrity 

through restructuring — Dickson 

BAYELSA State Governor, Hon Henry Seriake Dickson in this exclusive 

interview speaks on his efforts in leading the reconciliation efforts in 

the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the proposals on restructuring 

and how the states can positively anticipate a national consensus 

towards restructuring. Excerpts: 

By Samuel Oyadongha 

that had never had a two-term 

governor to the end. You can imagine 

that all that has happened is different 

from what the experience is around 

us. 

In the entire South-South, there is 

no state that has had the volatility, 

from the assembly, governorship, 

deputy governorship, and party 

leadership. 

My focus and emphasis are on 

consensus building, on listening to all 

the other side even when we disagree. 

That is actually when you listen more 

in my view and creating an 

atmosphere for even people you 

disagree with to vent their views. 

For me, all of that has helped me to 

stabilise the volatile Bayelsa political 

environment in the last six years in 

spite of the challenges, both internally 

and externally. 

I have been able to bring about 

stability in such a way that this state 

right now by every term of assessment 

is one of the safest states in the 

country and even in the region despite 

the fact that Bayelsa is historically the 

epicentre of all the challenges in the 

Niger Delta. 

The challenges of reconciliation, I 

think is a challenge that every political 

leader should step up to. And like what 

I read in the papers, even the ruling 

issues, at a point in time, political 

leaders must step out of their cocoon, 

comfort zones and play their role as 

expected of them as national agents 

of reconciliation. 

For example, when the APC came up 

with their committee on restructuring, 

I was taken aback quite frankly 

because it was coming from an 

unexpected quarter, with the 

personalities in the region where the 

challenges and opposition to 

restructuring have been coming from. 

So I felt we had to step out of our 

party line to commend and appreciate 

their courage, their commitment. But 

at the same time reminding them of 

their duty to be sincere and honest and 

to be committed to it and make 

restructuring possible before the next 

general election. 

I have issued a statement also on the 

comment of the Vice President on state 

police. For example, I believe at a 

level, certain things are right in 

themselves, and our focus shouldn’t 

be to score cheap political points but 

to promote whatever that is in the 

national interest. So that is what we 

have been doing. 

How prepared is your state and 

party prepared for restructuring, state 

police for instance? Do you have a 

blueprint in place that can be readily 

implemented to handle this if we 

achieve the consensus on this in our 

effort to boost internal security in the 

country? 

First of all, the issues raised by the 

restructuring debate are very 

fundamental to the existence of our 

country and that is why we will 

continue to push for it. I have spoken 

more on this than most governors I 

know of because I believe that the 

present structure of the country cannot 

deliver a stable and prosperous 

Nigeria in the long term. Clearly, if 

you are talking about true federalism, 

restructuring whichever way you put 

it, you will have to deal with the issue 

of the capacity of the federating units 

to ensure their own security and 

stability. 

So that brings you to the issue of state 

police and this why I agree completely 

with the recommendation on the point 

arising from the 2014 conference and 

also as recently adopted by the APC 

committee and reaffirmed by no less a 

person than the Vice President of the 

country. I agree completely with him. 

But you see this is why I have always 

made a call for an enlarged multiparty 

committee to sit down to work out the 

fine details. For example, concerning 

the police, you need to discuss the 

relationship of the state police force with 

that of the centrally controlled police 

force clearly. 

Where we are is such that Nigeria is 

too large with the population and with 

the diversity of the country that we cannot 

have an effective central police from 

Abuja manned by an IGP no matter how 

hard-working, no matter how wellintentioned 

that person may be. The 

resources and the complexities needed 

to achieve effective policing cannot be 

done in the context of a centrally 

controlled police force as we have here. 

So we will have to decentralise. 

is a great honour to be considered, and party at the federal level has set up a 

WHAT is driving you in your I want to thank party leaders from reconciliation committee chaired by no 

quest to effect reconciliation across the country who reposed so less a person of its political leader 

within the PDP? 

much confidence, trust in my ability Asiwaju himself. I congratulate 

First of all, I am grateful to the to be firm, and ability to handle Asiwaju for being considered fit and 

national leadership of my party, PDP challenges in the various states. proper, and I think he has the 

that has found me fit and proper to I am grateful to all of them for that. experience and network to be able to 

head a committee as pivotal, critical Currently, the reconciliation efforts are do that. 

as reconciliation. 

going on well. We were able to douse So reconciliation is ongoing, 

And on record so far, the only party the immediate aftermath of the last essentially in the end as I say always, 

leader who has been appointed four convention. 

it is the duty and responsibility of 

times by four different chairmen, four We are still on it engaging people. every political leader to engender 

different leaders of the party right What has humbled me in a way is consensus building and to be a tool of 

from the time of Bamanga Tukur, that each of these leaders and various reconciliation not just within our 

including people who had some aggrieved persons when my political parties but also at the national 

differences with me on the way committee interacted with them level. 

forward like the immediate past reposed confidence in me and the And that’s why if you have been 

leadership. 

committee. 

following my comments on national 

You remember the proposals I made They believe that we can address 

about an out of court settlement rather their challenges fairly and accurately 

The APC has taken what 

than allowing the court to decide the to the best of our knowledge. I think 

fate of our party. That for me was an that is the essence of politics. Politics I considered a first 

indication of some leadership failure is about resolving conflict in human important step. I don’t 

on the part of those polarising the society. 

think it should be 

party and of course you have seen what We cannot solve all the problems in 

has happened since then till now. human society, but it is up to political minimised at all but 

The Supreme Court judgment has leaders in all parties and climes to people who questioned 

come well, but it has not really solved build and engender consensus as 

the leadership problems because, in much as possible because society is 

their sincerity are very 

the end, it is up to the party leadership complex. Leading society needs well entitled to do so 

to decide without any problem and complex skills and my focus in politics because now, there is 

build consensus. 

actually is consensus building, and it 

Even the immediate past chairman, has also helped to build peace and huge trust deficit that the 

Senator Ahmed Makarfi appointed me stability in a rather volatile political APC led Federal 

to chair the post-convention environment like my state. 

Government is suffering 

reconciliation committee making it the The state has recorded the highest 

fourth time I was so appointed. So, it number of political casualties. A state from 


How do we work out the regulatory 

framework to govern this process? 

It is something that I think individual 

states should do; it is something that

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 — 43 

APC can regain some 

integrity through 

restructuring — Dickson 

Continued from Page 42 

we need to have a group 

of stakeholders to sit 

down and look at other 

modalities and then 

work at it. 

I don’t think it is as 

difficult as when it 

comes to the issue of 

setting up a police force 

within a state because 

already the realities on 

ground are such that the 

police in every state is 

virtually maintained or 

run by state governors 

and every state I know 

of have their form of 

policing in one form or 

the other. 

In some states, they 

have Neighbourhood 

Watch that is a police 

force. In some of the 

states, they even put on 

uniform, which is as 

close as you can get to 

state police. 

So there is no difficulty 

in setting up a police 

system, but there are 

issues to work out in 

terms of the standard, 

ethical values, training 

and collaboration among 

the various state police 

forces among 

themselves and their 

relationship with the 

central police. 

I believe we still need 

side by side state police 

forces; we still need a 

centrally controlled 

police force but not a 

police force that will do 

day to day policing. But 

we still need a federal 

intervention system. 

Like the FBI? 

Yes, of course, a strong 

system that can 

intervene in case things 

happened in states that 

go beyond the capacity 

of the state police force 

to handle. 

So we need to work out 

these nuances which is 

why I have always made 

a call for a multiparty 

committee, an expanded 

committee to examine 

each of these items and 

then also see how we can 

all sponsor bills 

enunciating these ideas 

before the National 

Assembly because it is one 

thing to come out with a 

beautiful paper and it is 

another to thing to reduce 

it to appropriate bills and 

to forward same and 

ensure their passage in the 

National Assembly. 

The APC has taken what 

I considered a first 

important step. I don’t 

think it should be 

minimised at all but people 

who questioned their 

•Dickson 

sincerity are very well 

entitled to do so because 

now there is huge trust 

deficit that the APC led 

Federal Government is 

suffering from what is 

caused by them. 

So they need to earn the 

public trust again from this 

issue. I don’t think we 

should dismiss it out 

rightly. We should 

welcome it and then urge 

them to set up that 

multiparty committee that 

will give all of us the 

opportunity to fine-tune 

some of these critical 

issues and jointly drive it 

together under the 

leadership of the 

president. 

But what I am not sure 

is whether the president 

himself is willing to lead 

that change, whether he 

is willing and 

understands the issue to 

be able to build, to lead to 

a national consensus. 

The moves made so far 

are welcomed. I don’t 

think any state will find it 

difficult setting up state 

police because they 

already exist under one 

name or form. 

We support the police 

force in our state and in 

most states you have 

something that is already 

doing some kind of aspect 

of policing. At the 

community level in the 

state, we have it. 

In most states you have 

the Neighbourhood Watch 

and so on. It will fight 

What I am not 

sure is whether 

the president 

himself is 

willing to lead 

that change, 

whether he is 

willing and 

understands the 

issue to be able 

to build, to lead 

to a national 

consensus 

insecurity, and quite 

frankly it will also help to 

mop up a number of young 

people who will be 

engaged at the community 

level, local government 

level and across states to 

provide them security. But 

we need to work out the 

details. 

As you look towards the 

end of your term do you 

do you still intend to 

remain in politics after 

your tenure? 

Well, I have no such 

desire for now. I haven’t 

even thought of it. My 

intention all along had 

been to be a professor of 

law and may be a senior 

advocate, and those 

dreams are still clearly set 

before my eyes. I am 

actually an accidental 

politician. Sometimes I feel 

sad that at personal level, 

I have not been able to 

achieve those personal 

targets that I set for myself. 

So one likely destination 

that I have is the classroom. 

Not much may be seen or 

heard about me,, but 

things can change. For me 

now I will like to go back 

to school. I like to teach, I 

like to write, I like to give 

lectures, I like to talk 

about leadership, I will 

like to be involved in 

still contributing but I 

don’t have to be a 

political leader to 

contest an election. 

That’s what I have 

clearly in mind, but as 

you, know man 

proposes, God disposes. 

That is why I give every 

bit of my time to this job; 

it is every important to 

me. I am my worst critic. 

I like to examine 

everything that I have 

done and that is why a 

lot of people find my 

style discomforting 

particularly people of 

the old school who have 

been part of the old way 

of doing things. I want 

every fund to go to 

projects. 

China clears way for President to rule 

for life 

CHINA’s largely cer 

emonial parliament 

on Sunday overwhelmingly 

endorsed a controversial 

change to the 

country’s constitution, 

paving the way for President 

Xi Jinping to stay 

in power indefinitely. 

Inside Beijing’s Great 

Hall of the People, nearly 

3,000 delegates to the 

National People’s Congress 

(NPC) cast their 

ballots on a series of proposed 

amendments — 

including removing the 

restriction that had limited 

the presidency to two 

consecutive five-year 

terms. 

Out of 2,964 ballots, just 

two delegates voted 

against the move and 

three abstained, suggesting 

minimal opposition 

to Xi’s push to rule 

for life. The amendments’ 

passage required two 

thirds of the vote, which 

was a largely symbolic 

exercise. 

The ruling Communist 

Party announced the 

proposals on February 

25 and, amid a backlash 

in some quarters, 

has justified the change 

as a necessity to align the 

presidency with Xi’s two 

other, more powerful, 

posts — heads of the party 

and the military that 

have no term limits. The 

64-year-old Xi, already 

hailed as the most powerful 

Chinese leader 

since Mao Zedong, last 

week gave a ringing endorsement 

to the proposed 

constitutional 

changes, calling them a 

reflection of the “common 

will of the party and the 

people.” 

But some critics say the 

move is not only against 

the public interest but also 

makes Xi politically vulnerable 

in the long run. 

“He just dug a huge 

hole for himself,” said Li 

Datong, a former editor of 

the state-run China Youth 

Trump to propose arming school 

staff, raising gun purchase age 

U 

.S. President Don 

ald Trump will propose 

arming school staff 

and raising the minimum 

age to 21 to purchase certain 

firearms in a school 

safety proposal by the administration, 

a White 

House spokesman said in 

broadcast comments. 

Trump is also likely to 

back a bipartisan Senate 

bill that Republican Senator 

John Cornyn and 

Democratic Senator Chris 

Murphy introduced to 

improve federal compliance 

with criminal background 

checks, White 

House spokesman Raj 

Shah said on Sunday on 

Born in Imo, the 55- 

year-old judge, also added 

that he was looking 

forward to working together 

with all the judges, 

all the officials and the 

staff of the Court in a spirit 

of collegiality. 

“I also look forward to 

collaborating with the 

Assembly of States Parties, 

civil society and the international 

community at 

large, acting together to 

strengthen and reinforce 

the Rome Statute system, 

the 20th anniversary of 

the adoption of which we 

celebrate this year. 

THE U.S. Secretary 

of State, Mr Rex 

Tillerson, will arrive in 

Abuja today for his first 

official visit to Nigeria. 

A Press Advisory from 

the U.S. Embassy said 

Tillerson would hold talks 

with President Muham 

madu Buhari on Tuesday. 

“When he arrives, 

Tillerson will become the 

highest ranking official in 

the Trump administration 

to visit Nigeria. 

“The Secretary is expected 

to hold a press 

conference at the Presidential 

Villa on Tuesday 

by 11.45 a.m 

“Tillerson is expected to 

be joined in the press 

availability by Minister of 

Foreign Affairs Geoffrey 

Daily newspaper and one 

of the few voices of open 

opposition. 

“The top leader’s term 

limits are the biggest common 

denominator shared 

by all political forces in 

China,” he said. “Its removal 

could trigger political 

infighting — that’s 

why this move is dangerous.” 

However, when asked 

about a potential power 

struggle, Shen Chunyao, 

a senior NPC official, dismissed 

such concerns. 

“I don’t think this issue 

exists,” he said at a postvote 

press conference. 

ABC’s “This Week.” 

A mass shooting in Parkland, 

Florida last month 

has renewed a U.S. debate 

over gun control. Student 

survivors of the shooting 

have mobilized to call for 

stricter gun control laws 

after the deaths of 17 people 

at Marjory Stoneman 

Douglas High School. A 

former student is accused 

of using an assault-style 

rifle to carry out the massacre. 

During his presidential 

campaign, Trump 

touted his support for gun 

rights and was endorsed 

by the National Rifle Association, 

the powerful 

gun lobby group. 

Nigeria’s Eboe-Osuji elected ICC President 

THE International 

Criminal Court 

(ICC) has elected Nigeria’s 

Chile Eboe-Osuji as 

the President of the international 

court in Netherlands. 

Eboe-Osuji graduated 

with a Law Degree 

(LL.B) from the University 

of Calabar in 1985, 

before studying for a master 

of laws (LL.M) at the 

McGill University in 

Canada. 

In a correspondence 

received by TheCable, the 

court said “the judges of 

the International Criminal 

Court (ICC), sitting in 

a plenary session, elected 

Judge Chile Eboe- 

Osuji (Nigeria) as President 

of the Court for a 

three-year term with immediate 

effect”. 

The court also elected 

Robert Fremr of Czech 

Republic as the first 

vice-president and 

Marc Perrin de Brichambaut 

of France as the 

second vice-president. 

“I am deeply honoured 

to have been elected by 

my peers as President of 

the International Criminal 

Court. As I take up my 

duties, I feel encouraged 

that I am able to rely on 

the wide experience of 

the two Vice-Presidents, 

Judge Robert Fremr and 

Judge Marc Perrin de 

Brichambaut, both of 

whom I have closely 

worked with previously,” 

Eboe-Osuji said. 

*Eboe-Osuji 

US Secretary of State, 

Tillerson, visits Nigeria today 

Onyeama,” the Embassy 

stated. 

Tillerson has been on a 

week-long tour of Africa. 

He has visited the Horn 

of Africa just days after he 

announced a new 533 

million dollars aid package 

for Africa out of which 

128 million dollars was 

earmarked for Nigeria 

and countries of the Lake 

Chad region. 

WhenTillerson meets 

Buhari, both men are expected 

to discuss counter 

terrorism efforts and humanitarian 

issues in Nigeria’s 

Northeast and the 

Lake Chad basin. 

He is also expected to 

discuss how to advance 

peace and security. NAN


AS PRESIDENT VISITS BENUE TODAY: What 

we want from Buhari, by Benue elders 

Continues from Page 5 

killings will end just like 

what he did with 

Indigenous Peoples of 

Biafra, IPOB.” 

On his part, Chairman 

of the Nigeria Union of 

Journalists, Benue State 

Council, Mr. Chris 

Atsaka, said: “Our 

expectation is nothing 

short of an end to the 

invasion of Benue 

communities by 

herdsmen who obviously 

have killed scores of 

people, displaced many 

from their ancestral 

homes and have also 

taken over such 

communities. 

“Even with the ongoing 

Exercise Ayem A’ 

Kpatuma nothing seems 

to be going on to end the 

invasion. 

“What the Benue 

people are asking for is 

an outright stop to what 

is going on at the 

moment and for the Open 

Grazing Prohibition Law 

of the state to be 

supported, enforced and 

implemented in totality 

because it was validly 

passed into law after 

going through laid down 

processes. 

“So, Mr. President 

should 

be 

magnaniimous enough 

to act as an elder 

statesman to stop the 

carnage going on in the 

state. 

“Above all, there is no 

federal presence in 

Benue State, especially 

all the federal roads in 

Benue are bad, so he 

should give Benue state 

what it deserves for 

supporting him in 2015.” 

On his part, the 

President General of 

Omi Ny’Igede, Chief 

Ode Enyi, said the 

people of the state 

expect a pronouncement 

from the President that 

will put a stop to the 

killings in the state. 

“We expect that he will 

throw his weight behind 

the Benue grazing law 

and direct security 

operatives to fully 

enforce the law. 

“The President should 

as a matter of urgency, 

do something about the 

state of roads in Benue 

State because there are 

no good federal roads in 

the state as if we have 

been abandoned by the 

Federal Government.” 

On his part, Anthony 

Adah said: “I expect that 

the President will visit all 

the burial sites of all slain 

Benue people from 

Agatu to Guma/Logo and 

Okpokwu LGAs, so that 

he will understand the 

pains of the Benue 

people and call this 

people to order." 

Also speaking, 

Emmanuel Ganki, a 

public commentator and 

youths activist, said: “We 

expect basically three 

things; first, the 

President should 

formally condole with the 

people of the state for the 

heinous murders. 

“Secondly, we expect 

him to state the position 

of the Benue people 

especially the Tiv tribe in 

his All Progressives 

Congress, APC-led 

government in Nigeria. 

Thirdly, we also expect 

him to arrest the 

continued killings in 

parts of the country 

because it posses grave 

danger to our 

democracy.” 

Army orders Field 

Commanders to 

stop the carnage 

or face Court 

Martial 

Meanwhile, following 

the continued wanton 

killings as a result of 

herdsmen/farmers 

clashes and other 

violent attacks 

particularly in 

Adamawa, Taraba and 

Benue states, the 

Nigerian Army has 

ordered its field 

commanders to spare no 

efforts in bringing 

perpetrators to book. 

Towards ensuring that 

this directive was carried 

out, the Army 

headquarters said: “We 

have warned our 

commanders on the 

ground to take decisive 

actions or face court 

martial.” 

The Army in a statement 

by Brigadier General 

Texas Chukwu, Director 

of Army Public Relations 

said: “The attention of 

the Nigerian Army has 

been drawn to the 

continued disturbing, 

senseless killings and 

wanton destruction of 

properties in Adamawa, 

Benue and Taraba states. 

“In view of this, we 

strongly warn the 

perpetrators of these 

crimes to desist 

forthwith. 

“The Nigerian army in 

conjunction with sister 

services and other 

security agencies are 

working assiduously to 

identify and arrest all 

those involved 

regardless of their 

disposition in the society 

including government 

functionaries. 

“We will like to 

unequivocally reiterate 

that the Army 

Headquarters warns the 

arsonists and the killers 

to stop or face decisive 

action by troops. 

“Our Rules of 

Engagement, ROE, is 

clear on arson and 

murder; therefore, no 

such criminal acts would 

be allowed in any of the 

aforementioned states. 

“The public is please 

reminded that when 

troops are called out for 

internal security 

operations, they are not 

to joke or persuade 

anyone. 

“We have warned our 

commanders on ground 

to take decisive actions 

or face court martial.”


46 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

Friendlies: 

More 

headaches 

for Rohr, as 

Ebuehi joins 

injury list 

Super Eagles coach 

Gernot Rohr will 

be left frustrated 

over the fitness of two 

players he has called up 

for the pre-World Cup 

friendlies against Poland 

(March 23) and Serbia 

(March 27). 

Tyronne Ebuehi was 

substituted in his team’s 

2-0 loss to Umar Sadiq’s 

NAC Breda in the Dutch 

Eredivisie on Saturday 

evening and discovered 

that the right back picked 

up an injury. 

Prior to Saturday’s 

match against NAC, 

Ebuehi had started and 

completed each of the last 

12 games played by ADO 

Den Haag in the Dutch 

top-flight. 

Dutch regional 

broadcaster Omroep West 

has suggested that the 

defender left the field with 

groin complaints and 

nothing is known yet 

about the seriousness of 

the injury. 

The 22-year-old 

performed well 

defensively before he was 

substituted, making three 

tackles and one clearance 

and had a passing 

accuracy of 87.5 percent. 

Torino midfielder Joel 

Obi missed his side’s 3-0 

loss to Roma in the Serie 

A on Friday due to a 

suspected muscular 

problem. 

The Nigerian Football 

Federation have 

Wrestling: 

Nigeria’s 

John 

Emmanuel is 

ranked number one in the 

70kg freestyle, according to 

the United World Wrestling 

(UWW). Emmanuel, a two 

time Africa champion, 

retained his title at the 

African Championships 

held in Port Harcourt, 

Rivers State, Nigeria. 

Emmanuel is closely 

followed by Uzbekistan’s 

We've won back our fans' 

support — Wenger 

Wrestling: Arsenal manager 

Arsene Wenger 

Emmanuel 

said his team had to "get 

the fans back on our side 

again" after ending their 

now first league world's 

win since 

beating Everton 5-1 on 3 

No. February. 1 

"We had a disappointing 

period and our supporters 

suffered like we suffered," 

said Wenger. 

"But our job is to 

perform and to 

stick together in 

difficult 

moments, 

and to 

•Wenger 

•Ebuehi 

get the fans back on our 

side again." 

Watford, beaten for only 

the second time in six 

matches, saw Troy 

Deeney's penalty saved by 

Petr Cech, who registered 

the 200th Premier League 

clean sheet of his career to 

become the first keeper to 

reach that mark. 

The win leaves the 

Gunners sixth, 10 points 

behind fourth-placed 

Tottenham who are in the 

final Champions League 

spot. 

However, Arsenal 

could still qualify for 

next season's 

Champions League if 

they win the Europa 

League, and that 

competition affected 

Arsene Wenger's team 

selection on Sunday. 

With Arsenal holding a 

2-0 lead against AC 

Milan and playing the 

second leg of their last- 

16 tie at home on 

Thursday, Wenger 

took a risk by 

making six changes. 

informed the 28 invited 

players to report at 

Radisson Hotel Wroclaw 

latest Monday 19th 

March, 2018 as training 

will commence same day, 

meaning Obi and Ebuehi 

have less than nine days 

to fully recover from their 

injuries or they will pull 

out of the squad. 

As the countdown 

begins for 

Nigeria’s clash later this 

month in what is the first of 

the six pre-World Cup 

friendly matches lined out 

for the Super Eagles, 

former goalkeeper, Peter 

Rufai wishes that the Polish 

Emmanuel jumps to No. 1 

Ikhtiyor Navruzov with 24 

Points, while Amr Reda 

Ramadan Hussen of Egypt 

is in third position with 22 

Points. 

In the absence of Guinea- 

Bissau’s Augusto Medina, 

All Africa Games Gold 

medalist, Melvin Bibo in the 

86kg, narrowly missed out 

of the number one spot by a 

point, garnering 23 points 

despite winning the Africa 

title in the 86kg as Hassan 

Aliazam Yazdanicharati of 

Iran had 24 Points to be the 

World number one. 

In third position is 

Mongolia’s Uitumen 

Orgodol with 22 Points 

while Hein Jakobus Janse 

Van Rensburg of South 

Africa with 21 Points. 

In the 79kg, Nigeria’s 

Tertiary institutions in the 

country have 

embraced the forthcoming 

Higher Institution Football 

League billed to start in July. 

A total of 30 matches will 

be played in the competition 

billed to take place between 

July 28 and October 27, 2018 

in eight zones and for the 

period of 14 weeks. 

The Nigeria University 

Games Association in 

conjunction with Pace Sports 

Entertainment Limited is 

staging the football 

competition for universities 

registered with NUGA. 

Both parties signed a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding last month in 

Lagos to kick-start the 

competition tagged Higher 

Institu 

•Rufai 

Agiomor Ekerekeme broke 

into the World stage after 

winning his first African 

title at the continental 

championships held in Port 

Harcourt. The feat earned 

him a place at the World 

Ranking as he’s currently 

placed third with 20 points. 

Uzbekistan’s Rashid 

Kurbanov and Ezzetollah 

Akabarizarinkolaei of Iran 

are first and second 

respectively. 

Team Nigeria male 

wrestling captain, Amas 

Daniel occupied 5th in the 

65kg weight category 

behind Kazakhstan’s 

Daulet Niyazbekov, Daichi 

Takatani of Japan, Temurjon 

Usmonohunov of 

Uzbekistan and Bajrang 

Bajrang of India. 

Ter 

ertiar 

tiary y institutions embrace ace HIFL 

tion Football League 

(HIFL) 

The Technical Partner of the 

Project and chief Executive 

officer of Green White Green 

outfit, Alhaji Shuaibu Gara- 

Gombe, at the weekend said 

the encouragement and 

responses received from 

higher institutions across the 

country have been 

overwhelming. 

“We are very excited that 

the schools have embraced 

the project and we are 

already putting up logistics 

to further tidy up things as 

we draw closer. 

“The response from the 

schools is a big signal on the 

project which we also hop 

the private sector will 

embrace to boost all the 

operations.” 

World Cup: 

Lewandowski'll bring 

out the best in Eagles 

— Rufai 

side will feature their iconic 

striker, Robert 

Lewandowski. 

Lewandowski is a striker 

of Bundesliga side, Bayern 

Munich and is also the 

captain of the Poland 

national team. 

Rufai, Nigeria’s first 

goalkeeper at the World 

Cup and one with a 

long tenure guiding 

Nigeria’s goal area 

said that the World 

Cup-bound Super 

Eagles need such 

highly rated 

opposing players 

to tune up for 

possible 

difficult 

challenges 

i n 

June. 

H e 

remarked that 

Lewandowski’s skills 

and work rate will help 

strengthen the 

experimental Nigerian 

goalkeepers’ confidence. 

“Coach Gernot Rohr's 23 

man list is good enough to 

challenge any opponent. I 

am only concerned about 

the goalkeeping 

department of the game. 

“It is glaring the Polish 

are blessed with fantastic 

strikers and top among 

them is Robert 

Lewandowski who knows 

how and when to face the 

goalkeepers. 

“I wish he features 

against the Super Eagles 

because I see his presence 

as fostering the kind of 

challenges Nigeria’s 

defence will face at Russia 

2018 and also capable of 

bringing out the best in our 

goalkeepers. 

“During my days. I faced 

great challenges stopping 

the likes of Spanish 

legend, Raul 

Gonzales, Roberto 

Baggio of Italy, 

Hristo Stoichkov 

of Bulgaria and 

host of others. 

Table tennis: Nobody can for 

orce 

ce 

me to quit — Oshonaike 

Former African table 

tennis champion, 

Funke Oshonaike has 

vowed to carry on playing 

and has set her eyes on 

qualifying for her seventh 

Olympic Games 

scheduled to hold in 

Tokyo, Japan in 2020 

despite discouraging 

words from some 

Nigerians. 

Posting on her facebook 

wall, Oshonaike, who lost 

out in the quarter final of 

the 2018 ITTF Africa Top 

16 Cup in Nairobi, Kenya 

last week said she would 

never quit playing because 

of criticisms from some 

quarters. 

“I ain’t giving up on my 

dreams because of some 

no life, no dream people. 

TOKYO 2020, HERE I 

COME,” she wrote, 

adding, “I was born in the 

70s and I know one thing 

for sure that people born 

in 70s don’t give up on 

things easily. 

So to some of you 

discouraging me, you’re 

just encouraging me 

indirectly because I’ve 

gone through a lot in my 

life that has made me 

stronger than you. Live your 

life and allow others do the 

same,” she appealed to her 

detractors. 

•Oshonaike


Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2018 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’SOLUTION 

ACROSS 

1 Royal residences (7) 

5 Bonkers (5) 

8 Striped quadruped (5) 

9 Very many (7) 

10 Trucks (7) 

11 Kills (5) 

12 Ancient (3-3) 

14 Drawing stick (6) 

18 Lukewarm (5) 

20 Executioner (7) 

22 Delicate (7) 

23 Custom (5) 

24 Church council (5) 

25 Assuage (7) 

DOWN 

1 Kneecap (7) 

2 German pistol (5) 

3 Warm and friendly (7) 

4 Game played in a court (6) 

5 Heads of the Roman 

Catholic Church (5) 

6 Curative treatment (7) 

7 Americans (5) 

13 Make Intelligible (7) 

15 French car (7) 

16 Convert (7) 

17 Drinker’s toast (6) 

18 Petty quarrels (5) 

19 Desiccated (5) 

21 Breakfast, lunch, etc (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no 

number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or 

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

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

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

12032018 - Banks hiding fraud cases from regulators — NDIC

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?