20102018 - Peter Obi: PDP has responded to yearnings of Ndigbo — Nwodo

2—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018—3


SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 — 5 

PDP: Trouble looms as pressure mounts 

on Ekweremadu to quit 

•Those who worked against Atiku are now calling the shots against those who supported him 

•This is a civil war that could cost PDP not only the 2019 election but also consume it 

•South east PDP governors not against Obi but worried about emerging 2023 signals 

By our Reporters 

TROUBLE is looming 

large in the People 

Democratic Party (PDP) as 

some political forces within 

the party are mounting 

pressure on the Deputy 

Senate President, Ike 

Ekweremadu, to quit the 

party over perceived 

mistreatment of the Senator 

These, competent sources 

say this was not 

unconnected with his “total 

sidelining in the affairs of 

the party immediately after 

the Port Harcourt 

Convention where Alhaji 

Atiku Abubakar was elected 

the presidential candidate of 

the PDP in the 2019 election. 

Competent source and a 

ranking member of the 

National Assembly said: 

“The issue is not even the 

mishandling of the 

processes leading to the 

emergence of former 

Governor of Anambra State, 

Peter Obi, as the running 

mate to PDP’s presidential 

candidate, in which the 

South East leaders were 

totally sidelined. The issue 

is a deliberate attempt to 

sideline the Senator in the 

emerging scheme of things 

within the party. 

“There is a clear grand 

conspiracy against Senator 

Ekweremadu and it is just 

unfair. I am not talking 

about him not been 

nominated as vice 

presidential candidate. In 

any case, he has shown 

more interest in 

restructuring and other key 

South East interests than in 

vice presidential ticket. In 

the discussions leading up 

to our consideration of the 

aspirants and eventual 

decision to give a block vote 

to Atiku, he always said that 

the South East should go for 

the substance than for sheer 

title. 

“To show that the 

sidelining of Ekweremadu 

was deliberate, none of the 

key actors have even 

reached out to him. The 

announcement was made 

on Friday, but Obi only 

started moving round on 

Sunday, in the evening. 

And I did not see him move 

with the National Chairman 

or National Secretary. It 

would have been ideal for 

Obi, Prince Uche Secondus 

and some other senior party 

leaders to have flown into 

Enugu that Saturday to 

meet with South East 

leaders. 

“Assuming Atku heard 

that there was a 

subterranean effort to 

substitute him, wouldn’t he 

have since rushed home or 

even canceled his trip out 

of Nigeria that Saturday to 

address the matter? And 

was it too much for him or 

Uche Secondus to pick a 

phone to call Ekweremadu, 

especially given the role he 

has played in calming the 

angry South East party 

leaders?” 

Ekweremadu snubbed 

in the composition of 

PCC 

It has also been alleged 

that Ekweremadu knew 

nothing about the 

composition of Presidential 

Campaign Council (PCC) 

of the party. 

Our source said it was part 

of the grand schemes by 

some powerful interests to 

humiliate and sink 

Ekweremadu politically. 

Recall that the PDP had 

earlier this week 

announced the PCC with 

Senate President, Dr. 

Bukola Saraki as the 

Director-General; Governor 

of Sokoto State, Aminu 

Tambuwal, as North West 

Coordinator; Governor of 

Gombe State, Ibrahim 

Dankwambo as North-East 

Coordinator; and Governor 

of Benue State, Samuel 

Ortom as North-Central 

Coordinator 

Former Governor of Ekiti 

state, Ayo Fayose and 

Governor of Ebonyi State, 

David Umahi were named 

as the Coordinators for 

South-west and South East, 

respectively, while the 

Governor of Akwa Ibom 

State, Emmanuel Udom, 

was appointed Chairman of 

Fund Raising Committee, 

and a former presidential 

aspirant, Alhaji Taminu 

Turaki, heads the Legal 

Committee. 

Ekweremadu’s name 

was however 

conspicuously 

missing. 

“It is not only about 

whether his name is there 

or not. I can also 

authoritatively inform you 

that Ekweremadu heard the 

news of the membership of 

the PCC in the media like 

other non-PDP members. 

“I can confirm to you that 

nobody mentioned 

anything about the PCC to 

him, let alone include him 

or ask him to nominate 

anybody or seek his 

suggestions even out of 

respect. I confronted a senior 

party leader just 

yesterday, who told me that 

the PCC is a large body 

and more names would be 

announced. And I told him 

that he was talking 

nonsense. 

“So, it is not just an 

accident and neither did it 

come to some of us here at 

the National Assembly as a 

surprise. Our party has been 

hijacked and there is a 

grand design, a gargantuan 

conspiracy to bury 

Ekweremadu politically 

and it started unfolding 

right from immediately after 

the Port Harcourt convention 

because a certain governor 

from the South South who 

worked for Governor 

Tambuwal wasn’t happy the 

way South East voted and 

he is holding the South East 

party leaders responsible for 

greatly contributing to 

Atiku’s victory. 

“Don’t forget that in 

announcing the PCC, Our 

National Chairman, Prince 

Uche Secondus said it was 

‘after‘due consultation with 

party stakeholders under his 

leadership’. 

“When they announced 

the VP candidate, they said 

they consulted fare and 

wide, yet no party leader 

from Ekweremadu’s South 

East, including himself as 

both a senior national party 

leader from the zone was 

consulted. In order words, 

Ekweremadu is no longer 

a party stakeholder? 

“How could you discuss 

or constitute a presidential 

campaign council and the 

same man, who stood like 

the Rock of Gibraltar for the 

party when many 

abandoned it and it seemed 

the world had come to an 

end for it only read it in the 

papers like others? 

“Even though we have 

always known 

Ekweremadu as a man of 

principle, he has never 

changed party since 1998, 

we were surprised he could 

defy the persecutions and 

political pressures piled on 

him to stay firm to defend 

the PDP. He showed 

leadership. He rallied us to 

shepherded the PDP during 

the trying period. 

Ekweremadu was 

slammed with phantom 

charge of forgery of Senate 

Standing Rule. Police 

invaded his guest house 

sometime in 2017 or so. In 

fact, before that, there was 

an assassination attempt on 

him in 2015 or thereabout. 

The EFCC has been 

harassing him. The same 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (right) welcoming the Vice 

Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, 

when the latter paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Enugu, 

yesterday. 

with all sorts of Federal 

Government Panels. 

Imagine, it got to such 

ridiculous extent that the 

Special Presidential 

Investigation Panel even 

asked him to declare his 

assets to it even when he 

had fulfilled the 

constitutional provision for 

public officers to declare their 

assets with the Code of 

Conduct Bureau every four 

years. He was asked to start 

filling new asset declaration 

forms contrary to the 

constitution. EFCC and 

police have laid siege to his 

house. Hoodlums invaded 

senate chamber and ran 

away with the mace while 

he was presiding sometime 

this year. Just too many 

harassments, intimidations, 

and media trial suffered 

because of this same party. 

“All these happened to 

force him to dump PDP 

because they knew without 

that seat occupied by 

Ekweremadu and him 

utilizing it well to hold the 

opposition together, PDP 

would have been dealt a fatal 

blow. 

“So, we feel very 

embittered that it is those, 

who abandoned the party 

and who worked against 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s 

emergence as the party’s 

presidential candidate that 

are now dictating the 

tunes. Impunity and 

injustice cost the PDP the 

2015 elections and I can tell 

you that it is clear now that 

the same impunity and 

injustice followed the PDP 

home from very successful 

Port Harcourt convention. 

“And they are doing all 

these because 

Ekweremadu is not the 

radical type. But, as far as I 

am concerned, there is a 

limit to every rubbish. With 

these untrustworthy 

people, Ekweremadu needs 

no political enemies and he 

should be man enough to 

weigh his political options 

and his future with the PDP. 

“But, mark my words, 

this gang-up against a man, 

who has sacrificed so much 

for our party will be the last 

straw that will break the 

caramel’s back. It will result 

in intra-party ‘civil war’ that 

could cost the PDP not only 

the 2019 election, but also 

consume it finally. 

“We see no reason he 

should rethink his political 

future with the PDP. This is 

the least he has to do now 

as a pragmatic politician 

because he has been told in 

unmistakable terms by fifth 

columnists working against 

Atiku’s presidential victory 

that he does not matter and 

has no future with the PDP 

even if Atiku wins. 

“But, for some of us, the 

truth is that if a snake comes 

into your home, you have 

two choices: fight off the 

snake or run away. For me, 

I will not only fight the 

snake, but I will also, in the 

instance of the humiliation 

and hanky panky treatment 

the PDP is meting out to our 

leader, burn down the entire 

house so that everybody can 

begin to shop for a new 

home”, the source added. 

Sout East PDP 

governors, leaders 

not against Obi 

Meanwhile, contrary to 

news making the rounds, 

it has emerged that the 

South East PDP leaders are 

not against Obi’s 

nomination, but were 

concerned about the 

process and the future of 

the South East. 

“We saw news flying up 

and down, saying that our 

presidential candidate, 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has 

picked a running mate from 

the zone. We were shocked 

because we were not 

consulted. While we were 

meeting, Atiku sent 

message that he travelled 

out of the country for a short 

period. He promised to 

come down and meet with 

South East leaders”, 

Governor of Ebonyi State 

and Chairman of South 

East Governors Forum, 

Dave Umahi told newsmen 

after the Enugu meeting 

was called off. 

Also speaking with the 

press, the National Vice 

Chairman of the PDP 

(South East), Deacon Austin 

Umahi, said: “Our leaders in 

the South East, the 

governors, the National 

Assembly Members came 

together to appreciate the 

Party for the recognition of 

South East and keeping to 

their promise to give the 

Vice Presidential slot to 

South East.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 

It’ll take decades to reverse environmental 

problem in Niger Delta — Buhari 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

PRESIDENT Mu 

hammadu Buhari 

has said that the environmental 

problems in the 

Niger Delta region that 

have affected livelihood 

of the people will linger 

for long before it could be 

reversed. 

But the President has 

also said that his administration 

has started 

something to tackle the 

environmental problems 

in the area beginning 

with the clean-up of Ogoni 

environmental pollution. 

President Buhari stated 

this when he received 

members of the Institute 

of Chartered Accountants 

of Nigeria ICAN, at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja 

on Friday. 

He charged the Accountants 

to use their 

knowledge to prioritize 

environmental sustainability 

in their operations 

According to him, “In 

the Niger-Delta region, 

man-made environmental 

problems have adversely 

impacted the livelihoods 

of the inhabitants. Farmers 

and fishermen in particular 

have seen their 

means of livelihood destroyed. 

“Our assessments have 

shown it will take decades 

to reverse this damage. 

But we have made a start. 

With or without international 

cooperation, we are 

starting to clean up our 

degraded areas, beginning 

with Ogoni.” 

President Buhari called 

for more focus on issues 

affecting environment 

and its sustainability in 

business practice in the 

wake of changing global 

environment 

He noted that knowledge 

of environmental 

and sustainability business 

practices was critical, 

adding “You have a responsibility 

to ensure 

that your clients, in both 

the public and private 

sector, prioritize environmental 

sustainability in 

their operations.” 

In another development, 

President Buhari 

on Friday said his administration 

will work harder 

to improve on the gains 

recorded in securing in 

the country from the onslaughts 

of terrorists and 

criminals, and ensuring 

that Nigerians enjoyed a 

better livelihood by stabilising 

the economy. 

The President, stated 

this when he received 

Tijjaniyya Shura Council 

at the Presidential Villa. 

The President assured 

that government would 

continue to review its interventions 

and projections 

on security and the 

economy, with the hope 

of bringing peace and 

improved economy to all. 

Residents cry out as soldiers allegedly kill mother 

of 5 in Plateau 

By Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

RESIDENTS of villag 

es in the Du District in 

Jos South local government 

area have raised concern 

over continuous harassment 

in the villages, despite security 

personnel’s assurances 

that they would not engage 

in any act of provocation or 

intimidation of the residents. 

Brigadier-General Umar 

Mohammed who is the Garrison 

Commander, 3rd Armoured 

Division, Maxwell 

Khobe Cantonment and 

Commander, Search and 

Rescue Operations for the 

missing Major-General Idris 

Alkali (rtd), had asked the 

people who had deserted 

their homes for fear of molestation 

and arrest not to 

entertain any fears, assuring 

that “We are professional 

army. We have our rules of 

President Muhammadu Buhari right with the Institute of Chartered 

Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) President Alhaji Razak Jaiyeola (left) with 

other Members of the Institute during an audience at the State House Abuja. 

Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. 

engagement and we also follow 

international best practices.” 

The situation however, 

portrays the opposite as 

residents cried out on Friday 

on the heels of the killing of a 

35-year-old woman, Sarah 

Nyam, a mother of five who 

was shot dead in Fwapwa, Doi 

Village of the district allegedly 

by men of the Nigerian 

Army. 

Doi is a neighbouring village 

to Dura village of the Du 

district where the missing 

Army General Alkali’s car was 

discovered in a mining pond 

some weeks ago. 

The Army, through the 

Spokesman of the 3rd Armoured 

Division, Maxwell 

Khobe Cantonment, Rukuba, 

Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya 

denied knowledge of the incident 

as he told Saturday Vanguard, 

“The Army left that 

place about two weeks ago, I 

have not received any report 

of any killing, I will advise you 

to ask the Police, they may 

know about the incident.” 

The Media Officer of the 

Operation Save Haven, Major 

Umar Adam’s phone was 

not through at the time of the 

report and the Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP Mathias 

Tyopev promised to get 

back once he had information 

about the incident. 

But the Divisional Police 

Officer, DPO in charge of 

Bukuru, Jos South Local Government 

of the state had visited 

the scene of the recent 

incident and had taken reports. 

However, husband to the 

deceased, Edward Nyam, 

said his wife was shot dead 

on Thursday night at about 

7:35pm and he alleged that 

the military who had visited 

the village shot his wife. 

According to him, “My wife 

had relocated with the children 

on Monday from 

Lapamdet village to Doi as 

result of harassment of the 

military on the daily basis, but 

just yesterday (Thursday) 

around 7:35pm she was shot 

dead.” 

Pointing at the corpse, he 

added, “You can see the gun 

shot on her body and the wall 

of the house, we have five 

children and I am left alone 

with the children. We didn’t 

know what we did to deserve 

this. Since the discovery of 

the missing army General’s 

car in Dura Du, we in Doi 

cannot sleep and we don’t 

know our own crime.” 

Village Head of Doi, Da 

Michael Gyang, while 

speaking on the incident, said 

the community is being humiliated 

by the military without 

any crime stressing, 

“Three days ago, about 3am, 

soldiers came to the village 

here in Doi to block all the 

roads linking Doi with other 

hamlets here, they stopped 

people from accessing their 

homes, they burgled every 

shop here, eating our chicken 

and goat, ransacking our 

homes. 

Agric Society confers highest honour on ACETA Provost 

IN recognition of his 

immense contribution 

towards professionalism in 

the agricultural sector in 

Nigeria, the National Executive 

Council of the Agricultural 

Society of Nigeria 

has nominated the Provost, 

College of Education 

(Technical), 

Arochukwu(ACETA) Dr. 

Phillip Nto for its highest 

honour of Fellow of the Society. 

Prior to his appointment 

as Provost, Dr. Nto 

was the immediate past 

Commissioner for Finance 

and Economic 

planning Abia State. 

under the administration 

of Chief Theodore 

Orji, a World Bank Consultant 

and at various 

times senior lecturer, department 

of agricultural 

economics at various institutions 

of higher learning 

including the famous 

Michael Okpara University 

of Agriculture, 

Umudike. 

The award will be conferred 

on him among other 

prominent members of 

the society at a colourful 

ceremony during the 

52nd Annual Conference 

of the Society scheduled 

to hold on October 23rd 

2018 at the University of 

Abuja main Campus, 

Gwagwalada, Abuja. 

Ex-Nigeria Airways workers 

verification: Two retirees slump, die 

on queue 

By Lawani Mikairu 

TWO retirees have slumped and died while on 

queue at the Lagos venue of the ongoing verification 

and data capturing exercise of the ex-workers of 

the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways at the Sky 

Catering Services, Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, 

Lagos, yesterday. 

According to an eyewitness, who refused to be named, 

the deceased were elderly persons who came to the 

centre on wheelchairs and actually had medical issues 

but had to be physically present to undergo the exercise. 

Their bodies were immediately taken away from 

the centre by an ambulance to an unknown destination. 

Meanwhile, the exercise was stalled yesterday due to 

inadequate verification forms from officials of the Ministry 

of Finance, Presidential Initiative on Continuous 

Audit, PICA, department. 

As early as 10 am yesterday, the verification forms 

had been exhausted and those already on the queue 

for screening could not get the forms and were not told 

when it would be made available. About 3, 000 retirees 

were slated for verification at the Lagos centre by the 

officials of PICA. As at time of writing this report, only 

400 had been verified and gone through the data capturing. 

Some of the retirees expressed their frustration at the 

slow pace of the exercise. One of the affected ex-workers, 

Captain Julius Orimoloye, the first black pilot in 

Africa who is now 87, decried the sordid arrangement. 

Orimoloye said: “It has been very terrible, worse than 

before. We were here last in 2008 and the exercise was 

much better than this, but have we made progress? The 

answer is no. There are lots that should have been done, 

but things are now worse. 

2019: Herdsmen vow to 

remove Ortom 

...stop playing God — Ortom 

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

THE Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM, an um 

brella organization of herdsmen has vowed to mobilize 

its members across the country to unseat Governor Samuel 

Ortom in the coming 2019 general election. 

The group maintained that its members would rally support 

for any governorship candidate who would ensure their 

safety and protect their business interest in the state. 

In a statement signed by the National President of 

FUNAM, Alhaji Salisu Ahmadu and Secretary, Umar 

Shehu, the group accused the Governor of conniving 

with personnel of ‘Operation Whirl Stroke’ to chase 

them out of Benue. 

The statement read in part, “We are aware that Governor 

Ortom is not only in support of the inhuman 

treatment and callous attacks on our members, but he 

is the major source of financial and logistical supports 

to the soldiers who are out to eliminate us from the 

state. 

“Our helpless members have lost thousands of cows 

in the last ten months that the ‘Operation Whirl Stroke’ 

came into effect in Benue State. 

“The sad reality is that the Governor, after failing to 

use the Anti-Open Grazing Law to prevent us from 

carrying out our lawful business in his state, has now 

found an ally in the Nigerian Military who should be 

neutral at all times. 

“We also want to make it clear that we shall mobilize 

our members across the country and embark on an 

indefinite strike, stopping the sell of beef and other 

diary products if the harassment in Benue is not 

stopped immediately. 

“We also urge our members in Benue State to ensure 

that they participate in the electoral process by voting to 

reject Governor Ortom in the forthcoming election. 

“Our members need to stay in the Benue Valley and 

ply their trade, hence the need to support whoever 

promises to accept us as the good neighbours that we 

are. 

But in a swift reaction, Governor Ortom through his 

Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase described the allegation 

as spurious, shocking and unfortunate. 

Ortom maintained that the Benue grazing law was a 

product of the people of the state which was enacted 

to ensure lasting peace between herders and farmers 

and should be respected by everyone residing in the 

state. “So, it is unfortunate that the group could come 

out with such allegation. This is because the Governor, 

as chief security officer of the state, had not gone 

beyond his constitutional mandate. His job is to support 

security agencies to provide safety for the people 

and their property. 

“Therefore, he has supported ‘Operations Whirl 

Stroke’ and other security agencies to provide security, 

it is unfortunate that people would sit somewhere 

and claim harassment by government.

Ooni of Ife takes Evangelist as new wife 

By Dayo Johnson, 

Akure 

THE Ooni of lfe, Oba 

Adeyeye Ogunwusi 

has taken a new wife, a renowned 

Evangelist in Ondo 

state, Naomi Oluwaseyi. 

Olori Naomi, aged 25 who 

hails from Ondo city, in Ondo 

state was wedded to the Oba 

on Thursday in ljapo area in 

Azure, the state capital. 

Saturday Vanguard learnt 

that the ceremony was discretely 

conducted by both 

families with a sizeable number 

of each family members 

in attendance. 

The new lfe queen was 

born in Akure, Ondo state 

capital to the family of Mr. 

Kehinde and Pastor Funmilayo 

Grace Oluwaseyi. 

She attended Omotola 

Nursery and Primary school 

for her elementary education 

before proceeding to Akure 

Academy for her secondary 

education. 

Report has it that she later 

went to the Ondo state 

owned University, Adekunle 

Ajasin University, 

Akungba Akoko to study 

Social studies, but left the 

school for her evangelism 

work at the age of 18. 

Family sources said that 

the new Olori, is the third 

born of the family and had 

shown her penchant for 

evangelism from her tender 

age 

Olori Ogunwusi started 

public ministry at the age 

of 18 and became a full time 

evangelist in October 2011. 

The new Olori who is 

fondly called Prophetess/ 

Evang. Naomi Oluwaseyi 

by her admirers in the state 

is the Founder/President of 

HERALDS, an interdenominational 

ministry based in 

Akure. 

She was quoted to have 

said in her recent interview 

that “my deepest passion is 

to Herald the true gospel 

of the kingdom and raise 

dynamic Heralds who will 

live as Kings and Priests on 

earth with heaven as their 

final place of rest.” 

The source said that the 

new Olori had to drop out 

of school to pursue her gospel 

and evangelism work 

and had been winning 

souls for the kingdom of 

God. 

“She had to drop out of 

school to pursue the gospel 

and evangelism where 

she has been gaining souls 

for the kingdom of God. 

“Her Journey into full 

time ministry began in 2011 

The new Olori Naomi Ogunwusi being led to the palace in Ile-lfe, Osun 

State 

at the age of 18 and she had 

done several crusades both 

in villages and in the cities 

after she yielded to God’s 

call to serve this mandate 

full time in 2011 

“That same year, her 

mum, who is notable Pastor 

Funmilayo Grace Oluwaseyi, 

left her private 

Nurses, midwives threaten to withdraw 

services in North-east over B/H attacks 

•Wear black armbands for three days to mourn slain colleagues 

•Boko Haram ‘ll soon be history, Says Buhari 

By Luminous Jannamike 

& Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

NURSES and midwives 

in Nigeria on Friday 

threatened to withdraw their 

services from the North eastern 

parts of the country over 

the recurrent attacks on health 

workers in the region by Boko 

Haram terrorists. 

They issued the threat at a 

press briefing in Abuja under 

the auspices of the National 

Association of Nigerian Nurses 

and Midwives, NANNM. 

A midwife, Saifura Khorsa, 

and another health worker, 

Hauwa Liman, were abducted 

and killed recently by the 

Al-Barnawi controlled Islamic 

State of West Africa Province 

(ISWAP), a breakaway faction 

of Boko Haram. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

leadership of NANNM, the 

association’s President, 

Comrade Abdulrafiu Adeniji, 

said it was sad and unacceptable 

that the insurgents 

could make nurses 

and midwives in the country 

to be sacrificed in the line 

of their duty. 

He alleged that the Federal 

Government was han- 

Edufirst.Ng set to raise standard of education 

in Nigeria 

By Naomi Uzor 

Education 

First 

Nigeria (Edufirst.Ng), 

yesterday said all is set to embark 

on a campaign themed 

“Raising the Standard of 

Education in Nigeria”, a 

campaign which aligns with 

the United Nations 

Sustainable Development 

Goal 4, to ensure inclusive 

and equitable quality 

education and promote 

lifelong learning for all. 

In a parley with pressmen, 

the Project Director, Mr. 

Moses Imayi, said 

Edufirst.Ng is targeted at 

enhancing the capacity of 

the Nigerian child in 

engaging with relevant 

aspects of digital learning 

and bridging the barriers of 

learning by bringing 

together all key stakeholders 

in the education landscape 

for a common goal. 

According to him, the key 

aims of the campaign are to 

reinforce the need for quality 

education for all and making 

quality education a priority 

to both public and private 

participants. 

practice to give her the 

moral and the spiritual support 

needed for this great 

commission, an act that is 

very rare among African 

parents. 

“Her family is totally committed 

and deeply passionate 

for this mandate. Together, 

they are the Heralds 

Family.” 

He disclosed that the 

mother of the new queen 

who hailed from Ikere Ekiti 

is a strong supporter of the 

ministry and a co- founder 

of the ministry while her father 

live a quiet life in his 

Ijapo Housing Estate in 

Akure. 

dling the security of health 

workers in the North east 

region with kids glove and 

warned that if the government 

failed to rise to the occasion 

and tackle the delicate 

security situation in the 

region, the association would 

not hesitate to withdraw its 

members from there. 

“If we watch what (security 

measures) the government is 

putting in place and have any 

cause to believe they are unsatisfactory, 

we would have no 

option but to withdraw nurses 

and midwives from the region,” 

he said. 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari has assured that the 

brutal activities of the Boko 

Haram sect would soon become 

history. 

The President assured on 

this Thursday night when he 

hosted members of the Kannywood 

entertainment industry 

to a dinner at the Presidential 

Villa, Abuja. 

The President who spoke in 

Hausa language at the meeting 

said that the Federal Government 

would not allow any 

group hiding under religion 

to unleash terror on innocent 

citizens. 

According to him, “It’s totally 

wrong for any believer in 

God to kill innocent people either 

in the Mosque, Church 

or the market place. 

“You can’t be shouting Allahu 

Akbar (Allah is Great), 

Allahu Akbar, and be killing 

innocent citizens and destroying 

properties all in the name 

of God. 

“It is either you don’t know 

what you are saying or you 

don’t even believe in the existence 

of God Almighty. God 

has nothing to do with injustice. 

“So, now we are confronting 

them and by the grace of 

God we will destroy them.” 

Meantime, Adeniji called 

on members of the association 

to wear black armbands for 

three days beginning from Saturday 

to Monday as a mark 

of mourning their slain colleagues 

He also urged those in the 

Northeast to be mindful of the 

security alert in the region by 

making their services available 

only when they were 

guaranteed of the security of 

the lives. 

He appealed to President 

Muhammadu Buhari, his administration, 

and the international 

community to do everything 

possible to rescue another 

worker from captivity. 

“We appeal to the Federal 

Government to provide special 

protection to the nurses 

and midwives and other professionals 

in the health sector 

as they have become victims 

of crossfire. 

“We call for prayer and fasting 

to ensure the safe return 

of all our members who are 

presently in the horrible situation 

of captivity and especially 

for Alice Loksha." 


UNILORIN produces bulletproof gadgets, 

103 bag first class division 

By Demola Akinyemi 

AHEAD of last year’s 

performance, which was 89, one-hundred and three 

(103) students of the University of Ilorin, will be honoured 

with the first class during the forthcoming 34th convocation 

ceremony of the institution. 

Also, the university unveiled its feat in the invention of 

bullet-proof gadgets. 

Vice Chancellor of the university, Sulyman Abdulkareem 

who made the disclosure yesterday at a press conference 

to herald the 34th convocation ceremony of the 

institution said the invention has been tested and accepted 

by the Nigerian Army. 

Professor Abdulkareem who said that due to the sensitive 

nature of the security gadget the university would 

not be able to mass produce the device. However, he 

expressed delight that with the invention the university 

was already improving its impacts on the world 

and, particularly, its immediate environment. 

According to him,”We have been able to sign a MoU 

with the Nigerian Army on the invention and development 

of polymer composite for strategic and protective 

defence. In concrete terms, we have invented 

a bullet-proof gadget, which has been tested and accepted 

by the Nigerian Army. 

“With this, we are already improving our impact on 

the world and on our immediate society and this is a 

gratifying achievement that will ultimately propel the 

University to the Zenith of global recognition and reputation 

we desire. “ 

IYC faction warns another over 

threat to shut down DESOPADEC 

By Emma Amaize 

THE faction of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western zone, 

led by Eric Kpemi, yesterday, warned the Mr. Frank 

Akiefa-led faction to stop using the name of the council to 

threaten the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development 

Commission, DESOPADEC. 

The collection in a statement by the secretary, Doubra 

Okotete, counteracting the recent threat by the parallel 

IYC in the zone, during the week, to lock up DESOPA- 

DEC, over alleged marginalization of Ijaw contractors, 

said the council should not be dragged into contractors’ 

transactions with the commission. 

The group, which claims to be the original IYC leadership 

in the zone, said: “The attention of the leadership 

of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western zone, has been drawn 

to a purported and unguided statement credited to one 

Mr Frank Akiefa over a threat “to mobilize and lead a 

mass protest to shut down the DESOPADEC gate to stop 

operations due to unpaid contractors money.’ 

“First, the IYC leadership in western zone distances 

itself from such unguided and unscrupulous statement 

aimed at dragging and denting the image of our most 

respected body, We unequivocally condemn and state that 

the said statement did not emanate from the IYC, Western 

zone, therefore, should be disregarded and seen as 

one of those sponsored and weak threats aimed at addressing 

stomach infrastructure.” 

N1.3b: EFCC charges Fayose, 

coy for money laundering 

*To be arraigned next week 

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor 

AFTER detaining the former Ekiti State Governor, Ay 

odele Fayose, for four days, the Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, yesterday slammed him with 

money laundering charges, preparing the grounds to take 

him to court. 

Although the details of the charges of money laundering, 

breach of public trust and corruption were not made public 

as at press time, Saturday Vanguard understood that the 

former governor would be formally arraigned early next 

week. 

Also charged with Fayose is a company known as Spotless 

Nigeria Limited, which the commission claimed was 

used as a front for perpetrating economic crimes by the 

suspect. 

A source in EFCC told Saturday Vanguard that Fayose 

signed and collected the charges for himself and his company. 

“Yes, he has been served with the charges for himself 

and his firm known as Spotless,” an operative of the commission 

confirmed to our reporter last night but declined to 

give the details of the charges. 

Asked to confirm the exact date and court where Fayose 

and his company would be arraigned, the source simply 

said ‘very soon’ after the weekend. 

The EFCC, which started following Fayose’s financial 

transactions more than two years ago, accused him of receiving 

N1.3 billion from the Office of the former National 

Security Adviser, Col, Sambo Dasuki and laundering the 

cash on choice property in Lagos and Abuja and receiving 

kickbacks from contractors.


Peter Obi: PDP has responded to yearnings of 

Ndigbo — Nwodo 

*My VP candidacy about Ndigbo, Nigerians, not me— Obi 

*Says S-East govs were not against him 

*Peter Obi, an iconic son of Igboland - Gov. Ugwuanyi 

By Dennis Agbo 

P RESIDENT-General 

of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, 

Chief Nnia Nwodo has expressed 

delight at the 

choice of former Governor 

Peter Obi of Anambra State 

as the Vice Presidential 

Candidate of the Peoples 

Democratic Party in the 2019 

elections even as Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu 

State described Peter Obi 

as an iconic son of Igboland 

who has distinguished himself 

creditably in private and 

public dealings. 

Both Governor Ugwuanyi 

and Nwodo spoke when Mr 

Peter Obi visited them separately. 

Governor Ugwuanyi, described 

the PDP Vice Presidential 

Candidate as a formidable 

and trusted party 

man, noting that Enugu is 

a PDP state and appreciated 

the people of the state 

for the massive support they 

gave the party in 2015 

Earlier in his speech, Mr. 

Obi told the governor that 

he was at the Government 

House to consult him and 

seek the usual support of 

the state, stressing that his 

candidacy was not about 

him “as Peter Obi” but the 

people of the Igbo nation 

and Nigerians at large. 

While applauding Gov. 

Ugwuanyi for his giant development 

strides in Enugu 

State, Obi pointed out 

that the success of his nomination 

depends on the 

leaders of the South East 

geo-political zone, pledging 

to bring meaningful development 

to the zone such as 

the Enugu – Onitsha expressway, 

when elected 

into office. 

His words: “So for me this 

nomination is about our own 

area. We can’t continue to 

say we are not getting this 

or that or that we are marginalized. 

These are some 

of the opportunities to readdress 

whatever inadequacies 

we had complained 

about”. 

On the initial misconception 

that the South East governors 

were not in support 

of his nomination, Obi said 

“As leaders they can from 

time to time disagree with 

a process of a communication. 

They have never said 

they don’t want Peter Obi, 

they only said they wished 

they were consulted and 

that issue is being addressed 

which is just the 

same thing I am doing 

now.” He also said he can 

not be vice president of Nigeria 

for four years and people 

will still be complaining 

of bad state of the roads, 

particularly in the South 

East. 

“I have served as governor, 

so people know a bit of 

my record. I need your sup- 

Ken Amadi, MD and Founder, ABD Energy Solutions Ltd, Chevron Oronite Exclusive 

Distributors in Nigeria (left) receiving the award for the best Lube Additive and 

Formulations Distributor year 2018 from Dr Stanley Ohenhen, Chairman, Board of 

Global Alliance on the occasion marking the World Standards Day 2018 recently. 

port and that of all of you. I 

assure that it is all about us 

and Nigerians, not about 

Peter Obi”. 

The Vice Presidential candidate 

later visited the 

President-General of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo, Chief Nnia 

Nwodo, who said that “as 

a party, the PDP has responded 

to our yearnings 

and aspirations by reacting 

to our feeling of marginalization 

at the top echelon 

of our leadership of our 

great country by nominating 

you to vie for the position 

of the Vice President 

of Nigeria”. 

The President General 

disclosed that the Apex Igbo 

body will “very soon convene 

a meeting of the highest 

organ of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo Ime Obi when all 

the political parties are to 

bring out their candidates 

and we will take a decision 

on what direction Igbos will 

take in the next election”. 

He extolled the leadership 

qualities of Obi saying 

“Your public conduct as 

Governor exemplifies you 

as a Man of outstanding 

humility. Your incorruptibility 

in government speaks 

volumes of the yearnings of 

our youths that government 

must not be used as instrument 

of self aggrandizement 

but as an instrument 

of development for people. 

“Your outspokenness on 

matters of public policy and 

your criticism of those who 

do not do it well shows that 

you have no skeleton in your 

cupboard. Five years after 

being Governor and you 

have not been invited by 

anybody to investigate you 

for ill gotten wealth. Your 

progress when you were a 

private businessman leading 

up to being one of the 

instruments of the founding 

one of the leading commercial 

banks in Nigeria which 

bank has never fallen under 

or been identified for 

behavior that is inconsistent 

with the law, they all show 

that you have eminent qualities.” 

APC moves to decimate Saraki in Kwara 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

INDICATIONS have 

emerged that the 

Senate President, Dr 

Bukola Saraki may have 

sponsored several candidates 

in the just concluded 

primary elections of 

the All Progressives Congress 

APC in Kwara 

state. 

The party was said to 

have uncovered the action 

of the senate president 

after the primaries 

had been concluded, a 

move that made its national 

leadership to immediately 

put in place 

measures to identify and 

weed out those considered 

protégés of Dr Saraki. 

While two aspirants, 

Abdulfatai Yahaya and 

Mohammed Dele Belgore 

voluntarily withdrew 

from the governorship 

race, the National 

Working Committee 

NWC of the party had on 

the recommendations of 

the governorship screening 

panel screened eight 

aspirants to participate 

in the polls. 

Those cleared were 

Yakubu Gobir, Hakeem 

Lawal, Ishaq Modibbo 

Kawu, Lukman Mustapha, 

Prof. Oba Abdul 

Raheem, Alhaji Tajudeen, 

Abdullahi Shuaibu 

Yaman and Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazak. 

In the lead up to the 

exercise, the NWC had 

dissolved the Hon. Ishola 

Balogun-Fulani led 

state working committee 

who were seen as aligned 

to Dr Saraki. 

However, when the 

governorship primary 

election was later conducted, 

the results were 

not announced by the 

panel which conducted 

it. The NWC of the party 

had to meet, deliberate 

on it and then announced 

a winner. Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq 

emerged the winner. 

“When Saraki left the 

APC, we dissolved the 

state executives and we 

did our best to flush out 

the remnants of Saraki in 

the party but we later discovered 

that he even 

bought forms for some of 

the aspirants in the APC 

both for legislative and 

governorship seats. He 

actually sponsored some 

of them”, a top party official 

told Saturday Vanguard. 

According to him, the 

party had to meet with 

the Minister of Information, 

Lai Mohammed 

with a view to ascertaining 

the true identities of 

some of the aspirants 

whose contributions to 

the party in the past were 

not pronounced but who 

suddenly picked interest 

in the race. 

On how the party intends 

to upstage Saraki 

in Kwara politics, the 

source said most of the 

governorship aspirants 

have made firm commitment 

to work in concert 

with the Information minister 

to strengthen the 

party at the grass roots. 

Women group urges political 

leaders to emulate Ugwuanyi 

I 

By Chinedu Adonu 

N T E R N A T I O N A L 

women group, ‘Women 4 Women’ has congratulated 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for re nominating 

his female deputy, Mrs. Cecelia Ezilo as his running mate 

for the second time in the 2019, governorship elections. 

In a statement jointly signed by the President of the group, 

Enugu chapter, Mrs. Chieso Aninwagwa and Secretary, 

Amaka Okonkwo, the group enjoined other political office 

holders to emulate the good example of Ugwuanyi by giving 

women their rightful position in the governance of the states 

and nominating as many women as possible in elective 

positions in the 2019 general elections. 

The women restated their support for Ugwuanyi’s second 

term bid pointing out that with membership which cut across 

all registered political parties in Nigeria they will mobilize all 

women of voting age in the state to support the governor’s 

aspiration. 

The women group dismissed a certain press release by a 

group claiming to be, Arise Women Conference which 

reportedly threatened a protest vote should the deputy 

governor be renominated as running mate in the 2019 guber 

election. “Their threats are null and void, of no effect and the 

allegations baseless, unfounded, lies from the pit of hell and 

a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the deputy 

governor in order to bring her party and the state government 

to ridicule for personal interest. 

Air Peace seals aircraft 

spares deal with Embraer 

By Lawani Mikairu 

AIR Peace Airline has signed a multi-year aircraft spare 

parts deal with plane maker, Embraer. The deal was 

unveiled at the ongoing MRO Europe 2018 summit in 

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Air Peace currently has the biggest 

fleet of Embraer 145 jets on the West Coast of Africa. 

The deal, the airline said in a statement, would cover 

more than 250 components for the six Embraer 145 jets it 

recently added to its fast-growing fleet in line with its drive 

to connect unserved and underserved domestic and regional 

routes under its subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper. 

Speaking about the deal, Air Peace Chief Operating Officer, 

Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide described the deal as a 

guarantee of “efficiency and competitive results.” 

She said:“The Pool and EPEP+ Programmes are natural 

fit and the best options as they offer sensible, cost effective 

and practical parts solution to our business, guaranteeing 

efficiency and competitive results. We recognise very good 

performance of Embraer’s services and support.” 

The deal, she said, would make spares readily available 

for the airline’s maintenance needs, drastically cut down 

the time spent on maintenance and increase the number 

of serviceable aircraft available to operate the airline’s flight 

schedules. 

Responding , Embraer Vice President, Customer Relationship 

Management (CRM), Commercial Aviation, Mr. 

John Linn said: “We are humbled to have Air Peace as our 

customer in Africa, further reinforcing Embraer’s commitment 

to customers in the region with TechCare portfolio of 

solutions. Embraer’s Pool Program leverages increased competitiveness 

providing repairable solutions through reduced 

lead times and costs.” This deal is part of the airline’s 

demonstration of the premium it places on safety 

and maintenance of its fleet. 

Alleged N2.1bn fraud: I’ve no 

case to answer, Dokpesi insists 

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

CHAIRMAN 

emeritus 

of DAAR Communi-cations Plc, High Chief Raymond 

Dokpesi, on Friday, insisted that he has no case to answer 

regarding the allegation that he received N2.1billion from the 

office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, prior to the 2015 

presidential election 

The media mogul who is facing money laundering charge 

before the Federal High Court in Abuja, maintained that he did 

not at any time, illegally received funds from the detained former 

National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd. 

He argued that Dasuki was in a better position to give 

explanations if funds were unlawfully disbursed from the ONSA 

account. Dokpesi, who addressed the trial court through his 

lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, sought to be discharged and 

acquitted of the seven-count money laundering charge the 

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred 

against him and his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, 

owners of African Independent Television, AIT and Raypower 

FM.He prayed the court to uphold the no-case-submission he 

entered with respect to the charge. 

Specifically, Dokpesi, contended that the anti-graft agency 

failed to establish a prima-facie case that would warrant the 

court to compel him to enter his defence to the charge against 

him.

Strike: We can’t be intimidated by FG’s 

‘No work, no pay’ threat— COEASU 

*It shows insensitivity of govt 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

COLLEGE of Educa 

tion lecturers have said 

that they are not intimidated 

by the Federal Government 

threat of ‘no work, no pay’ 

policy that is contained in the 

draft White Paper. 

The lecturers said that for 

the government to come up 

with such threat to cow them 

was an indication of insensitivity 

and irresponsibility on 

their part. 

A statement by the National 

President, Colleges of Education 

Academic Staff Union, 

COEASU, Nuhu Ogirima in 

Abuja, Friday, stated that the 

Federal Government’s disposition 

had only confirmed 

the perception that the current 

Federal Government did 

not care for the less privileged, 

whose children constitute 

over 90 percent of 

Colleges of Education students 

population. 

The statement read: “The 

Federal Government, rather 

than own up to her failure to 

deliver good governance, by 

addressing our issues and, 

indeed, those of the larger 

populace, has threatened no 

work no pay. 

“This grandstanding is a 

mark of not only insensitivity 

but also irresponsibility towards 

the law abiding labour 

force of our dear country. 

“Recall that we have been 

receiving fractional/mutilated 

salaries for years in all Federal 

Colleges of Education, 

especially because of the 

non-inclusion of PAA. 

“Where salaries are paid, 

it is the cooperative societies 

membership subscriptions 

and Unions’ dues that are 

being used to service/augment 

government allocation 

for salaries. 

“So, if we didn’t threaten 

government with ‘no pay no 

work’, why would government 

threaten us with ‘no 

work no pay’? Is it because 

we’re now requesting government 

to pay us full salary? 

“Conversely, FG disposition 

has only vindicated our 

perception that the current 

Federal Government does 

not care for the less privileged, 

whose children constitute 

over 90% of Colleges 

of Education students population. 

“Else, how would FG 

justify its refusal to implement 

2014 Needs Assessment 

report on the 70 public 

COEs, which review it called 

for again in 2017, when it began 

the implementation of 

same report for another tertiary 

education institution, to 

which the children and 

wards of the elites subscribe, 

in 2015? 

“What justification has FG 

to refuse the full implementation 

of CONTISS 15 by 

denying the lower cadre of 

COEs, much more so when 

the same FG did for a sister 

sub-sector both of whom a 


presidential approval was 

given in 2009? “As we conclude 

the first phase of the 

national strike, we urge you 

all to be not distracted by the 

intimidation and threat of no 

work no pay. The threat 

should rather strengthen our 

resolve that enough is 

enough of exploitative work. 

It’s no pay no work! 

“Recall that there has not 

been any commensurate adjustment 

in salary since the 

pump price of fuel was unadjusted 

astronomically. 

We’ve never been more impoverished 

than now, it has 

been exploitation galore for 

this administration, I dare 

say." 

DELTA 2019: No squabble 

between us, say Ogboru, 

Omo-Agege 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, 

South-South 

ALL Progressives Con 

gress, APC, Governorship 

Candidate in Delta State 

for the 2019 gubernatorial 

elections, Chief Great Ogboru 

and Senator Ovie Omo- 

Agege representing Delta 

Central senatorial district in 

Nnamdi Kanu is in Israel — IPOB 

•Says he worshipped in Jerusalem yesterday 

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu, 

Nnewi 

THE Indigenous People 

of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday 

disclosed that it’s leader, 

Nnamdi Kanu whose 

whereabouts had been 

unknown worshipped on 

Friday at the Wailing Wall 

in the Holy City of David in 

Jerusalem. 

IPOB in a statement by its 

Media and Publicity Secretary, 

Comrade Emma 

Powerful said that Nnamdi 

Kanu was in Jerusalem 

where he held prayers at the 

Wailing Wall. The group 

stated that the information 

was also on his Facebook. 

IPOB called on their 

followers to remain resolute, 

adding that the prayer of its 

leader at the Wailing Wall in 

the Holy City of David in 

Jerusalem would usher a 

new beginning of another 

phase of struggle for their 

for independence. 

“Fellow Biafrans, friends 

of Biafra, enemies of Biafra, 

men and women of goodwill 

and of good conscience 

across the world; we wish 

to reliably inform you that 

the Supreme Leader of the 

Indigenous People of Biafra, 

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu prayed 

today at the Wailing Wall in 

the Holy City of David in 

Jerusalem Live and its on 

Facebook today been 19th 

October 2018. 

“Biafrans be resolute, this 

is the beginning of struggle 

for Biafra independence. We 

thank God Almighty God 

(Chukwu Okike Abiama) for 

his protection and safety. 

•IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at prayer ground in Israel 

the National Assembly, yesterday, 

said there was no feud 

between them contrary to insinuation 

that they were at each 

other’s throat. 

In the past few days, speculation 

has been rife in the state 

that both leaders were at daggers 

drawn over the choice of 

candidates for the 2019 general 

elections. 

Senator Omo-Agege was 

purported to have unilaterally 

installed some candidates and 

Ogboru reportedly got furious, 

warning that the senator was 

biting more than he could chew 

in the party. 

However, Chief Ogboru, aka 

People’s General, who spoke 

with Saturday Vanguard on 

phone, debunked the allegation, 

categorically saying: There 

is no misunderstanding between 

me and Senator Omo- 

Agege, people are just overemphasizing 

certain things, 

which are not true.” He said: 

“There was no issue, there was 

never an issue and there is no 

issue at all. People are just raising 

and emphasizing on some 

issues, which they believe or 

think will divide us, but we are 

strong and invincible, it is not 

true, do not listen to them.” He 

said that he, Omo-Agege and 

other leaders of the party were 

working amicably to ensure 

that APC took over the state from 

the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, in 2019.” 

On his part, Senator Omo- 

Agege told Saturday Vanguard: 

“There is no truth in the 

allegation that Ogboru and 

are having issues and I do not 

have any quarrel or differences 

with Ogboru, who is our 

c a n d i d a t e . ” 

“ It is true that we had primaries 

and of course, as you would 

imagine, there are different interests 

by several candidates, 

some lost out and some won, 

and it is only natural within a 

political family for those who lost 

out to be unhappy." “But no, I 

did not seek to impose anybody, 

I have no interest in 

imposing anybody, my only 

interest is to have candidates 

who can win elections and 

those candidates went 

through a process and they 

emerged. The job we have at 

hand is to assuage those who 

could not make it,” he added. 

FG sets December 2018 

deadline for MDAs to 

comply with FOI Act 

By Michael Eboh & Tochukwu Maxwell 

THE Federal Government has set a December 

2018 deadline for all ministries, departments and 

agencies, MDA, of government to publish information 

as required by the Freedom of Information, FOI, 

Act. 

In a presentation made available to Vanguard, yesterday, 

Special Adviser to the President on Justice 

Reform and National Coordinator of Open Government 

Partnership, OGP, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku–Nwagwu, 

said the Federal Ministry of Justice would be issuing 

a circular to the MDAs in that regard. 

In the presentation made at the Lunchtime seminar 

on Open Government Partnership, OGP, organised by 

the Bureau for Public Service Reforms, BPSR and the 

Public and Private Development Centre, PPDC, 

Ibekaku–Nwagwu further stated that the circular would 

also mandate the MDAs to publish all responses to 

recurrent FOI request on their functional website. 

She declared that was in respect with the principles 

of the OGP, while she added that in Nigeria’s implementation 

of the National Action Plan, a memo was 

initiated to institutionalise the OGP into Government 

operations. 

“Government has approved a the creation of Open 

Government Partnership Principles Implementation 

Units in all MDAs to be domiciled in the Department 

of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement 

while the names of Heads of the Units will be forwarded 

to the OGP Secretariat,” she noted. 

Ibekaku–Nwagwu disclosed that open government 

proposes a new model of state reform and modernization 

of public administration to improve the value to 

the public of the delivery of public services in an equal 

and reciprocal manner.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 

BETWEEN ALAAFIN 

ADENIRAN ADEYEMI II 

AND ALAAFIN LAMIDI 

•Adeniran’s 200 wives, his emergence and fall 

•How the wives took turns to be with him while in exile 

•Lamidi foretold his future and at 80 he’s still living it 

By Femi Kehinde 

Destiny has an uncanning hand in 

the conduct and affairs of men. 

In Yoruba pantheon, it could 

be likened to “ori”, literally 

meaning- head, that is, a 

person’s spiritual intuition. It is often 

personified as an orisha in its own rights. 

It foretells the human essence and 

consciousness. Whatever one becomes or 

whatever happens in one’s life, according to 

Yoruba myth, is as destined by his “ori.” 

Man’s unalterable destiny, is usually a 

navigated journey of an unseen hand. In the 

course of that journey, the navigator charts 

the course and directs the route and such is 

the life and times of Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi 

and his biological son- Alaafin Lamidi 

Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi. 

As an interface, between the reigns of 

Adeniran Adeyemi, and Lamidi Adeyemi was 

a reigning mornach- Alaafin Bello 

Gbadegesin Ladigbolu, who succeeded 

Adeniran Adeyemi in 1955 and whom Lamidi 

Adeyemi also succeeded, on the 19th of 

November, 1970. 

Destiny certainly leads 

to human destination 

Among Oba Adeniran’s children, Lamidi 

Adeyemi was his favourite. He had seen at 

Lamidi’s birth, on the 15 th of October, 1938, 

the lacerations on his left breast and the spots 

on his legs, at the same spots on Lamidi 

Olayiwola, as tell tale signs of future royalty. 

This royal observation, endeared Lamidi’s 

mother- Olori Ibironke of Epo Gingin, 

Compound, Oke Afin, Oyo, to Adeniran 

Adeyemi. Unfortunately, Olori Ibironke died 

at an early age, when Lamidi was still an 

infant. 

In parentheses, Oba Titus Martins Adesoji 

Tadenianwo Aderemi, was born on the 15 th 

of November, 1889, every inch a king, to the 

family of Osundeyi Gbadebo and Adekunmbi 

Itiola, his 19th and last wife and a native of 

Ipetumodu. On the day of Adesoji’s birth, his 

father, Prince Gbadegbo Osundeyi had just 

arrived from a war expedition and as a gifted 

seer, Prince Osundeyi carried the baby into 

his laps, gazed intently into his face and was 

happy at what he saw. 

He instructed 

Adekunbi, to 

search for red 

beads, which they 

presented to this 

special baby-, 

pronouncing him 

an Ooni, a future 

Ooni, who is 

however an 

ancestor Ooni, who 

had come back 

through their family. 

Prince Osundeyi 

named this unusual 

baby, Tadeniawo Ayinla 

Aderemi, who took his 

first footsteps at seven 

months (7) and started 

walking. As a restless spirit, 

everything about Aderemi, was 

quick and fast. 

Alaafin Siyanbola Ladigbolu I, was 

Alaafin of Oyo between 1911 to 1945 and 

was succeeded in 1945 by Adeniran Adeyemi. 

Shinyanbola Ladigbolu, was a very powerful 

monarch and he was a strong ally of the British 

Resident- Captain W.A Ross. In 1945, Adeniran 

Adeyemi succeeded him as Alaafin of Oyo 

and was on the throne till 1955, when he was 

sent on exile by the Western Region 

Government. 

The way to 

royalty 

In preparation for royalty, the young Lamidi 

had a brief training in Quranic knowledge in 

Iseyin and also lived under the tutelage of Pa 

Olatoregun- An Anglican school teacher and 

The Egba women’s 

refusal to pay abnormal 

tax, combined with 

enormous protests, 

organised under the 

guise of picnics and 

festivals, was a guise to 

beat the security of the 

British colonizers, who 

teamed up with the 

local lackeys, to subdue 

the women 

headmaster of St. Andrews Primary School, 

Oyo, and disciplinarian, all in an effort for 

young Lamidi, to learn the rope of traditional 

kingship, statesmanship and dignifying 

royalty. Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in the quest of 

this preparation for royalty, was at an early 

age, sent to Abeokuta to live with Oba Adedapo 

Ademola and had some part of his early 

education in Ake Palace Elementary School 

and he is today still fluent in Egba dialect. 

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, at a later date 

in his adolescence, also lived with a Lagos 

Aristocrat, his father’s friend- Sir (Dr)Kofo 

Abayomi and his wife, Lady Oyinkan 

Abayomi. He also attended St. Gregory’s 

College, Lagos- a Catholic School. 

The young Lamidi Adeyemi, was living with 

Oba Samuel Oladapo Ademola II, the Alake 

of Egba Land in the Ake palace, between 1947 

and 1948, when the Egba Women’s Union, 

led by Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, 

protested against payment of taxes without 

representation. 

Mrs. Ransome Kuti, who had earlier in 1943, 

organised the Abeokuta “great weep” was 

becoming a big thorn in the flesh of Oba 

Oladapo II. It was regarded as a “hell of a 

time”. In the streets, the market places, before 

the Alake’s palace, thousands of Abeokuta 

women, went about shedding tears. The Alake 

and the authorities could do nothing to stop 

it, and gave way to the women’s demands. 

Fela’s mother leads protest , 

King abdicates throne 

Mrs Ransome Kuti picked up the gauntlet 

again in 1948, when the Alake sanctioned, 

the taxing of Abeokuta women. 

The Egba women’s union, was a well 

organized and disciplined organization. The 

Egba women’s refusal to pay abnormal tax, 

combined with enormous protests, organised 

under the guise of picnics and festivals, was a 

guise to beat the security of the British 

colonizers, who teamed up with the local 

lackeys, to subdue the women. At one protest, 

the “Oro” stick, was brought out- a symbolic 

artefact of the secretive male cult of the 

Ogbonis, supposedly imbibed with great 

powers and the women were instructed to go 

home, before evil spirits overcame them. When 

the women shrank back in fear, Funmilayo 

Rasome Kuti grabbed the stick, waved it 

around, that the women now had the power, 

before taking it with her, displaying it 

prominently in her home. This action gave 

her, a reputation of fearlessness and courage, 

which led 20, 000 women to follow her to the 

home of Alake of Egba Land (Alake Ademola). 

As the women protested outside the King’s 

Palace, they sang in Yoruba- 

“Alake, for a long time, you have used your 

penis as mark of authority, that you are our 

husband, today we shall reverse the order and 

use our vagina, to play the role of husband.” 

With this unified action and song, they chased 

him out of the Palace, condemning him to 

exile on the threat of castration and this 

resulted in the king’s abdication and his exile 

to Osogbo. 

Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was a 

teacher, a political campaigner, women’s 

rights activists and traditional aristocrat, who 

was described by the West African Pilot 

Newspaper, as the “Lioness of Lisabi.” She 

was the first woman to ride a car. She was also 

the mother of Afro beat legend, Fela 

Anikulapo Kuti. Her amiable consort in this 

crusade was Eniola Soyinka, Her sister in law 

and mother of the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole 

Soyinka. 

It is interesting to note, that Oba Oladapo 

Ademola II, was accompanied to exile by 

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, who was then 

living with him and who saw this interesting 

drama. He still speaks impeccable Egba 

dialect. 

As a result of the Macpherson constitution 

of 1952, which now gave immense powers to 

political elites, as against traditional 

institutions, the powers of the traditional 

monarchs, as regards the political control of 

their domains ceased. Chief Bode Thomas, 

now became the first chairman of the Oyo 

Divisional council in 1953, while the Alaafin

of Oyo became a mere member. 

Bode Thomas 

barks to death 

On his first appearance in council, after 

being appointed as chairman, all the council 

members stood up for him in deference, to 

welcome him, except Oba Adeniran Adeyemi 

II, who for cultural reasons, could not show 

deference to anyone in public. Bode Thomas 

rudely shouted at the king, for having the 

temerity and audacity to disrespect him. 

“why were you sitting when I walked in, you 

don’t know how to show respect” 

At that time, Bode Thomas was 35 years old 

and Oba Adeniran Adeyemi, was in his 80s. 

The Alaafin felt very insulted and nonplussed; 

•Alaafin of Oyo 

he said- “se emi lon gbomo baun” (is it me you 

are barking at like that?). Oba Adeniran 

Adeyemi II, for emphasis, was father of the 

incumbent Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola 

Adeyemi III. 

The confrontation happened on November 

22 nd , 1953. Bode got home and started 

barking! He barked and barked like a dog all 

night until he died in the early morning of 

November 23 rd 1953. He cut short his 

promising career. 

Before Alaafin’s deposition, about the 

middle of 1955, the Western Regional 

Government, set up the Floyd Commission of 

enquiry, to look into the causes of persistent 

unrest in Oyo Land. A few months after the 

Floyd commission, had concluded its 

enquiries and submitted its findings, then the 

Luckily, these items 

were assured by the 

royal exchange 

assurance. Lamidi 

Adeyemi was asked 

by his employer, as a 

loss adjuster, to visit 

the palace and 

recommend 

appropriate 

payments, to cater 

for the loss 

bomb shell fell. 

At the tottering age of 84, Adeniran Adeyemi 

was told by the regional government, to pack 

his kit and take a walk from the palace and 

that was a journey into the unknown, that 

ended with his demise on the 14 th of February, 

1960. 

From Iwo-Oke, to Ilesha and then to 

Egerton lane in Lagos, the ex Alaafin- Alhaji 

Adeniran Adeyemi, certainly saw the other side 

of life after palace. Alhaji N.B Soule, a rich 

Dahomian, now known as (Republic of Benin), 

who came to Lagos in 1929, offered Adeniran 

the needed succour and encouragement at this 

trying period. 

He offered him and his entourage bed and 

lodgings in the name of Allah and in 

allegiance to the NCNC. The NCNC as a party 

whom the Alaafin loved, fought for his 

reinstatement, with various petitions to the 

colonial secretary and parliamentary warfare 

on the floor of the Western House of Assembly. 

Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi once 

rhapsodised- “I was sent away by Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group government, 

because of my unflinching support for the cause 

of the NCNC … I am not angry with Chief 

Awolowo, in fact I am not angry with any one 

person or group of persons or organisations, I 

am only angry with destiny, in that it has chosen 

to push me out of my palace and stool, to face 

the uncertainities of life at my old age. The 

£210 from the regional government was cut 

off.” 

How 200 wives took their 

turns with the ex Alaafin 

In exile in Lagos, at the No. 31 Egerton Lane, 

thousands of men and women flocked the 

residence, to pay their respect and obeisance, 

to the 88 year old ex monarch, and in retrospect 

and appreciation, he once said- 

“these people are very kind and their daily 

respect to me reminds me of my palace at Oyo. 

And there were many people in that palace 

during my time. I had over 200 wives and many 

children and of course, I was receiving a stipend 

of £210 every month from the regional 

government. This, together with the gifts many 

of my subjects were making me, was enough to 

support my household. What you see here, 

though the best of the worst, is not like homehome 

is still the best.” 

The ex Alaafin, always had about 30 odd 

wives at a time in Lagos. These 30 from the 

pool of 200 wives, would come at one time 

and spend all the time they could afford 

with their ex-royal husband and go back to 

Oyo- making place for another 30, who 

would come and take over from them, until 

the number was rounded up and began to 

rotate again”. 

But to Alhaji Adeniran Adeyemi, it was 

not all merry. He lost his crowned prince, 

Aremo Adeyemi, in a ghastly motor 

accident, on his way to Ilesha to visit him. 

Certainly, the mishmash of the life of 

Egerton lane, could not be compared with 

the royal revelry, elegance and candour of 

the Oyo Royal Palace. 

Sometime in early 1960, Lamidi 

Olayiwola Adeyemi, secured admission to 

study law in the United Kingdom. He got a 

loan through Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, his 

father’s friend, from the African 

Continental Bank, (ACB) Yaba Lagos and 

was to proceed to the United Kingdom, 

when unfortunately, his father, Alhaji 

Adeniran Adeyemi, died, 48 hours to the 

London trip on the 14 th of February, 1960, 

at the age of 88 years. 

This death, truncated his career training 

in Law in the United Kingdom. He later 

became an insurance executive with the 

Royal Exchange Assurance Limited, 

Marina Lagos, where he rose steadily. 

In the course of his career in the insurance 

industry, an incident happened, at the Iga 

Idunganran Palace of Oba Adeyinka Oyekan 

II. Oyekan was installed the Oba of Lagos in 

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018—11 

1965. 

Meeting Oba 

of Lagos 

Some bulglars invaded the Iga Idunganran 

palace and carted away, various items,like air 

conditioners and all sorts. Luckily, these items 

were assured by the royal exchange assurance. 

Lamidi Adeyemi was asked by his employer, 

as a loss adjuster, to visit the palace and 

recommend appropriate payments, to cater 

for the loss. As a prince of Oyo, Lamidi 

Adeyemi introduced himself to the Lagos 

Monarch, and that as a future Alaafin, he was 

only in the Palace to extend traditional 

courtesies and not to ask questions about the 

incident. He nevertheless recommended 

handsome payments to the monarch; and that 

was quickly settled by the Royal Exchange 

Assurance. In an attempt to repair the leaked 

roof of a rented apartment in Lagos, he 

discovered some iron metals needed by the 

Railway Corporation, at the roof top of the 

apartment. The Railway Corporation, bought 

from him all the iron metals and was even 

asking for more. At an impressionable age, 

he was able to buy his first house in Lagos, 

with the proceeds from this “manna” from 

heaven, that eventually prepared him for the 

throne, after the death of Alaafin Ladigbolu, 

who succeeded his father and whom he also 

succeeded as Alaafin. Alaafin Gbadegesin 

Ladigbolu also made SLA Akintola, the Aare 

Ona Kankanfo of Yoruba Land. He has also, 

on the throne installed two Aare Ona 

Kakanfos- M.K.O. Abiola and Ganiyu 

Adams. 

The stool of the Alaafin became vacant in 

1968, following the exit of Oba Bello 

Gbadegesin Ladigbolu, who joined his 

ancestors, after 12 years on the throne. He 

hailed from the Agunloye ruling house and 

thus, it was the turn of Adeyemi Alowolodo 

Ruling house, to produce the next Alaafin. As 

an aftermath of Adeniran’s exile, Lamidi’s 

ascension to the throne was almost a near 

miss. 

Lamidi Adeyemi contested with 10 other 

princes for the coveted throne of the Alaafin, 

in a keen competition, that started in 1968 

and did not end until November 18, 1970, 

when he was officially pronounced the Alaafin 

of Oyo by the Western Region Government of 

Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, at the age 

of about 32 years. He was crowned on the 

14th January, 1971, when he started the 

epochal journey of an Alaafin, to greatness 

and stardom. 

Before his ascension to the throne, he had 

married two wives- Alhaja Olori Habibat 

Adeyemi (Iya Dodo) and Alhaja Olori 

Rahamat Adeyemi (Iya Ile Koto) 

He is now blessed with other wives and 

children. He was Alaafin at 32, and still 

Alaafin at 80, and has beaten the records of 

his fore bears- Alaafin Adeyemi Alowodu I, 

who reigned between 1876 and 1905 and his 

father, Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi II, who 

reigned between 1945 and 1955 and as 

Alaafin Adeyemi III, he has now reigned for 

47 years and still reigning as His Imperial 

Majesty- a quintessential monarch, not only 

with wit, but with candour, panache and deep 

sense of wisdom. 

Oyo Empire had once existed for an 

uninterrupted period of 600 years and at the 

apogee of its powers, the empire’s suzerainty, 

extended to Togo, Dahomey (now Republic of 

Benin) and Ghana. Parakoyi was its 

ambassador along the coastal region of 

Dohomey, whilst Timi Agbele was its inland 

commander in Ede. Alimi manned the 

northern military post in Ilorin. 

Alaafin at 80, remains a boxing enthusiast 

and pugilist, who trains regularly at the Liberty 

stadium Ibadan- a 25,000 sitter capacity 

stadium and first in Africa, which was 

patterned after Wembley Stadium in London. 

The stadium hosted the first world boxing title 

fight in Africa, when Nigeria’s Dick Tiger, 

defeated Gene Fulmer, to win the World 

Middle Weight title in 1962. 

Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III, 

has in about 50 years bestrode the Yoruba 

Nation and the traditional institution of the 

Alaafin as a Colossus. He had gleefully 

predicted in 1968 in a newspaper article- 

“I shall be great” and furthermore- 

“I shall be the next alaafin”. 

He was elected a week thereafter, by the Oyo 

Mesi, who did the selection exercise three 

times and he still emerged on the three 

occasions as Alaafin elect. 

During this period, Dr. Victor Omololu 

Olunloyo, was the Commissioner for Local 

Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the 

government of the Western Region. He assisted 

immensely in ensuring fair play, justice and 

equity, that eventually led to the coronation of 

Lamidi Adeyemi, as the Alaafin of Oyo on the 

14 th of January, 1971. Victor Olunloyo was 

encouraged by the support and endorsement 

of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi. That 

epochal journey that started in November 

1970, still continues, and thus, to the 

improvement and well being of the Yoruba 

nation and mankind. 

Kaabiyesi Iku Baba Yeye! 

•Hon (Barr) Femi Kehinde 

Former Member, House 

of Representatives 

National Assembly Abuja, representing 

Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal 

Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003) 

& Principal Partner 

Femi Kehinde & Co (Solicitors) 

84, Iwo Road, Ibadan

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, , 2018 

By George Adimike 

The birth of a child heralds the 

advent of an event of epochal 

significance, for it announces and 

revalidates humanity’s continuity and 

perpetuity. Human life is acknowledged 

to be replete with mysteries. One of such 

mysteries is the invitation to live an 

authentic existence while identifying with 

the life of the larger community. At 

moments of commemorating one’s 

birthday, there is a clarion call for a 

detailed evaluation of the immensity and 

profundity of God’s grace. It is a time for 

reckoning and giving account of 

stewardship of life, which happens in two 

phases; at the introspective level and at 

the communicative level in order to 

determine how much the life of the 

individual has advanced or diminished the 

lives of others, since man is inexorably 

relational and interdependent. To assess 

one’s life is simply to underscore the 

function of grace, which makes selfemptying 

for the good of others possible. 

Grace is at the foundation of any 

authentic and impactful existence. “What 

do you have that you did not receive?” (1 

Cor. 4:7). Meaningful existence is about 

active receptivity and adequate 

stewardship of the gifts so received. The 

difference lies in the mode of reception – 

the gap between grace and effort. Grace 

abounds but do not always correspond 

with the expected success. Success is, 

therefore, the interplay of grace and grit, 

the determinative effort bound to success. 

The focus on the telos empowers grace 

for maximum impact. When the marriage 

of grace and grit is perfectly 

consummated, it ordinarily elicits 

gratitude. In any true successful person, 

evident are the 3Gs – grace, grit and 

gratitude. As the Most Reverend Valerian 

M. Okeke, the Archbishop of Onitsha, 

clocks 65years, one reflects that he 

possesses the requisite features of the truly 

great: grace, grit and, his life unfolds as 

stanzas of hymn of gratitude. 

When grace encounters grit, gratitude 

tells the story. Gratitude ends in ellipses. 

It goes on and leads to eternity. The life of 

the Archbishop has been manifest as a 

doxological participation in the life of 

God. His life unfolds as an oblative 

thanksgiving to God who is Father, Son 

and Holy Spirit. It unfolds in its profundity 

and simplicity as stanzas of the hymn of 

gratitude. Recognizing that Reason 

becomes Love in a great condescension 

for the life of the world (cf. John 6:51) in a 

radical solidarity with us, he lives his 

ministry as a response of the invitation to 

Christians to participate in 

the oblative self-giving, so 

that the world will have life 

in abundance (cf. John 

10:10). 

The life of the Archbishop 

these 65 years and in his 15 

years as the incumbent 

Archbishop of Onitsha 

reveals the overarching 

power of grace. He is in the 

grip of grace so much so that 

whatever he touches catches 

grace. Grace characterizes 

his life, love de-fines his 

mission and gratitude 

translates his life. Verily, his 

life translates as an absolute 

benediction. The elements 

are perfectly aligned in him 

and his presence exudes a 

welcome. Simply, the 

Archbishop is a transcript of 

grace. 

His dozen-plus-three-year 

episcopacy manifests an 

ingenious display of 

giftedness and the 

doggedness necessary for its 

execution – a mélange of 

grace and grit. He has a 

grace-touch and turns clay 

into gold thus bequeathing 

the Church and the society 

with array of achievements 

to anchor further 

development. Truly, 

ingenuity flows in his blood. 

Pastoral entrepreneurship is 

configured in his DNA. 

Relative to these distinctions 

TRANSCRIPT OF GRACE: 

A tribute to Archbishop 

Valerian Okeke @ 65 

and transformations, one easily affirms 

that the Archbishop is a dynamic 

homepage in pastoral leadership, 

evangelization and human capital 

development. His wand is in the depth of 

his vision, stretch of his accomplishment 

and above all, in his love for God and 

humanity. He deploys such a great faith 

in his administration with a belief that 

poverty is relative. It 

means, therefore, 

that everyone is 

engraced, gifted with 

something even 

when such a person 

has so many lacks 

and inadequacies. 

Hence, poverty is not 

a de-fini-tion, but a 

description. The 

Archbishop employs 

a methodic trust. 

When grace 

encounters 

grit, gratitude 

tells the 

s t o r y , 

gratitude 

ends in 

ellipses; it 

goes on and 

Practically, the 

Archbishop works 

day and night, 

spending himself 

and being spent for 

that singleness of 

purpose. His life is 

characterized by 

sharing values, 

transmitting faith 

and giving life. The 

result is springtime 

of evangelization in 

the Archdiocese of 

Onitsha and 

environs. Love of 

God urges all the 

efforts and serves as 

the logic and 

hermeneutic for 

understanding the 

progress so far 

working that the 

kingdom of this 

world becomes the 

kingdom of God and 

of His Christ so that 

the reign of God will 

be manifest in our history, which 

reconciles time and being. 

Archbishop Okeke’s engraced pastoral 

leadership can be evaluated from his 

teachings and actions. His key teachings 

hereunder highlighted give deeper insight 

on the effect of his wholehearted 

cooperation with the grace. The 

Archbishop’s pastoral letters are well 

articulated as to produce a harmonious 

and melodious symphony. “That they 

may have life” sets the agenda of his 

ministry with the great disposition that 

“The Measure of love” is properly 

understood and appreciated “If only you 

have faith”. “You and the Common Good” 

is formed primarily where premium is 

attached to “The Family and human life” 

and at the same time the family is the 

school where the youth receive right 

education as “Our Greatest Legacy”. “The 

Splendour of Prayer” is experienced and 

lived in”Gratitude/Giving thanks” for the 

wonder of our beings created with end in 

view. Hence, “The dignity of human 

Labour” is one of the most appropriate 

ways of a “Living Hope”, which is at the 

heart of the “Christian Education and 

National Development”. It is the same 

active hope and living faith that can help 

Christians live out “Democracy and 

Christian Values” without conflict and 

confusion. “Blessed are the Merciful” 

and “Blessed are the Peacemakers” are 

the latest access into the deep well of 

spiritual and intellectual nourishment for 

proper Christian beatitude as the 

Archbishop shares with the flock. He 

entrusts the Church to the maternal care 

of Virgin Mary, thus he reminded the flock 

of a precious treasure, “Mary Our 

Mother”. 

The Archbishop’s filial trust in the grace 

of God never makes him presumptuous. 

In fact, he exercises grace in his efforts. 

For him, grace and effort are contiguous 

or rather one could say, that he holds grace 

to be continuous of nature so that it can 

be said to perfect nature. Still, he 

understands that something discontinues; 

both are neither to be confused nor the 

distinction be deleted. He has not left any 

person in doubt that charity is the 

grundnorm for the flourish of the reign of 

God. And that gratitude leads to worship; 

it leads to doxologia which is at the core 

of man’s turn towards God. It is a mission 

to live in thanksgiving to God for his grace. 

This remains the criterion for his 

pasturing of the over 1.8 million faithful 

in the Archdiocese distributed into 183 

parishes and served by over 500 priests. 

He inherited 70 parishes and in 15 years 

he created 113 new parishes! In addition, 

he opened up many avenues for pastoral 

outreach, including providing schools to 

the riverine communities. He awards 

scholarships to enable indigent persons 

realize their potentials, established the 

Holy Family Youth Village for the spiritual 

formational and social wellbeing of over 

one thousand students of the Nnamdi 

Azikiwe University, Awka and 

Chukwuemeka Ojukwu University 

Teaching Hospital, Awka. He carries out 

emergency relief interventions through 

the Archdiocesan Caritas Services and the 

JDPC Apostolate. 

And pushing this laudable programme 

of human capital development further, it 

may be interesting to note that Monsignor 

Val is only a heartbeat away from 

establishing a full-blown university, the 

Shanahan University, Onitsha. He has 

trained so many priests in different 

disciplines both within Nigeria and in 

Europe and America. Currently, he is 

training 18 priests and 7 seminarians in 

Rome, 2 in Ireland, 4 in Philippines, 5 in 

Poland not including those studying in the 

USA and at home. The world 

championship victory by Regina Pacis 

Secondary School is another chapter that 

evinces the giant strides of the Archbishop 

in the education sector. The miracle of 

academic excellence of St Joseph’s 

Special Science/Seminary School, Awka 

Etiti also deserves a mention. The story is 

the same for many primary and secondary 

schools within the Archdiocese. 

In the socio-economic and 

humanitarian domain, Archbishop 

Okeke, ever with a sympathetic concern 

for humanity has totally rehabilitated and 

transformed the existing hospitals 

especially Holy Rosary Hospital, Onitsha, 

Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, Fatima 

Hospital, Awka Etiti etc and built a few 

new ones to serve the health needs of 

peoples of all faiths. He established 

different ventures for the economic 

empowerment of the faithful and for self 

reliance of the Archdiocese without 

excluding the evangelizing value: 

Sapientia Radio/TV, Oluchukwu Oil and 

Gas Ltd and total transformation of 

Oluchukwu Microfinance Bank. The list 

is not exhaustive. 

The spiritual achievements of the Most 

Rev Valerian Okeke are sterling, 

stupendous and surpassing. In these 

dozen-plus-three years, he established 

over 112 new parishes to bring 

evangelization to the grassroots and 

within reasonable distance to his flock. 

To give a touch of modernity, excellence 

and convenience, he has embarked on a 

vigorous rehabilitation, reconstruction, 

renovation and completion of the 

following institutions: All Hallows 

Seminary, Onitsha, Bishop Shanahan 

Complex; the old church at the Basilica; 

St Catherine’s Chaplaincy, Nsugbe, St 

Marta House, Bethany House, the 

Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity 

Complex, et al. And for the spiritual 

formation of his priests and lay people, he 

has established robust outreach 

programmes, corporate retreats for 

priests, reinvigorated the spiritual retreats 

and recollections. He convoked two 

diocesan Synods. Obviously, he outpaces 

his chroniclers in his material and 

spiritual endeavours. It is strikingly 

perplexing to many how, in him, grit and 

grace integrate and manifest as gratitude. 

Born on Tuesday, 20 th October 1953, 

as Archbishop Valerian Maduka Okeke 

celebrates his birthday today, I pray that 

God continues to direct his steps and grant 

him many more fruitful years. Happy 

birthday Your Grace! 

*Fr George Adimike writes from Rome 

illuminatugo@gmail.com









SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 6, 2018—19 2018—21 

Edited By AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215 

onikoyi68@gmail.com 

What lured you into acting? 

By EKAETE BASSEY 

Ihave always had passion for it but I didn’t take it 

seriously when I first started. I hardly take things 

seriously, but fortunately one of my friends came hard 

on me and insisted I should give it a shot since I have all 

it takes to be a success in the craft. Even when I told some 

of my friends who were already in the trade, they simply 

laughed at me because they never saw me as an 

unserious type. 

How did you get your first script and what was the 

experience like? 

It wasn’t so hard, it was my friend’s production. My 

character was a funny one because it entails playing 

the role of a university student trying to seduce her 

lecturer to have sex with her, so as to get good results. 

I played the role very well and people around find 

it hard to believe it was my first time acting .. 

When exactly did you start and how many 

movies have done to date? 

I have acted before in the past 2009/10 but then 

itâ• s just for fun was playing around never 

serious , my acting job started fully this year, 

took it as a career this year May and have been 

in like 30-35 movies already ... 

You have been in 30-35 movies in a year; how 

possible is that? 

Ever since I started I have been moving from 

one location to the other. No rest at all. It is as if 

I have been trying to catch up on the time I lost 

when I wasn’t serious about it. I have not slept 

much since I started and I can’t remember how 

many times I slept at home. 

How many lead roles have you taken and 

have you produced a film of your own? 

I have not played any lead role yet 

but I’m seriously working on my 

own production already. I just 

unveiled my own clothing line 

called Kiitan Visuals. Watch out, it 

is going to be something refreshin, 

a break from the norm. 

In the Yoruba industry, everyone 

seems to have been trained by a 

master or belongs to a group, 

what about you? 

I don’t belong to group , I 

belong to everyone, but I have 

people I appreciate, respect 

and can never take for 

granted. These are people 

who have high hopes for me, 

advise me and tell me to 

focus and know what I really 

want for myself. People like 

Barrister Femi Adebayo is 

my father in the industry; 

including directors like 

Okiki Afolayan, Tolu Elijah 

and many others. I respect 

everyone that has 

impacted in my life one 

way or the other .. 

Why I will 

pick money 

over sex in a 

relationship 

—Bukola Olaoluwakiitan 

U 

pcoming Yoruba actress, Bukola 

Olaoluwakiitan may very well be chasing 

a rare record in Nollywood after having 

featured in 30-35 films in the first year of her 

acting career. Beautiful, determined and 

talented, the business management graduate of 

University of South Africa and Osun State 

Polytechnic is fired up to do battle with the 

best in the trade. Here, she talks about her 

career, love, sex and much more. 

•Bukola 

Olaoluwakiitan 

How do you manage 

competition and 

jealousy in the 

industry? 

I’m not in a 

competition with 

anyone, I do me and 

I focus on how to 

better myself. I don’t 

try to be like 

anyone. Even 

when such 

matters arise,the 

best thing to do is 

to ignore it and 

be you. Of course such have come 

my way, if no one is jealous of you it 

means you not doing well enough, 

greatness comes with jealousy. 

So, you have never had an issue 

with a fellow actor? 

Disagreements are bound to 

happen among people who have 

common interest but that should not 

lead to bitterness. I have grown up 

enough in the industry to know 

when to fight and when to walk 

away. When I realise there’s jealousy 

in the air, I manage it with maturity. 

Right now I don’t have any beef with 

anyone. I’m cool with everyone. 

As a beautiful woman, how do 

All of the above 

are important 

but money 

comes first, no 

lies because 

without money 

to maintain love 

it can become 

sour, everyone 

likes good 

things. 

•Bukola 

Olaoluwakiitan 

you handle male advances? 

It’s a matter of yes or no, no one 

can force anything on me. I 

appreciate people who come to me. 

It is something some women desire 

and never see . Even if I can’t date 

you, I would rather take you as a 

friend instead of ignoring you or 

being rude. I’m not rude and I don’t 

look down on guys who come to me. 

What about the persistent ones 

who want to go out with you at all 

cost? 

No one can force me to do what I 

don’t want to do. If I feel you are 

getting desperate, I will simply 

block you off. There’s no need being 

rude. 

Why is it that there so many baby 

mamas in the Yoruba sector? 

Baby mamas are everywhere, 

ours is only obvious because we 

are in the limelight. Moreover, as 

an actor it takes the grace of God 

and understanding to keep a 

home because we are always at 

locations. It is only an 

understanding man that can 

stand the nature of our job. 

Leaving your husband and children 

alone at home for weeks while 

staying in the hotel is something 

most men cannot bear. 

Have you ever dated an actor? 

None at all 

Why? 

I am more focused on my career 

right now ,I don’t want to be 

distracted . 

So, you don’t need a man in your 

life right now? 

I need a man no doubt but I don’t 

want to put that in my head right 

now and forget other things. I am a 

lover girl I love like a fool when I 

am in love. When I am in love I 

always want to please my man, even 

to the point of displeasing myself. 

If I want to take a decision I always 

ask my man first, which always 

affect me in the end when we break 

up. 

What’s more important to you in 

a relationship; love, sex or money? 

All of the above are important but 

money comes first, no lies because 

without money to maintain love it 

can become sour, everyone likes 

good things. 

What about sex? 

Sex is also important but when 

there’s no money the body won’t 

even be moved to do anything. 

When there’s no money you can’t be 

horny for sex because you are 

thinking of different things.

22—SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 20, 2018 

By ADETUTU ADESOJI 

08157255559(SMS ONLY) 

I can't wait to 

experience sex 

— Halima Abubakar 

Nollywod actress, Halima Abubakar has revealed that she is a virgin, to the disbelief 

of many. According to the alluring screen diva, she is anticipating sexual 

experience but not until she signs the dotted lines. 

Halima made this surprise revelation on her Instagram page as she also advocated for 

special love towards virgins like herself. “Cant wait to experience sex when I get married, 

we virgins, need special love too #protectyourvibe #positivevibes,” she wrote. 

Meanwhile, fans have since turned the 33-year-old actress’ comment section into a debate 

where some agreed while others rejected her post. 

•Davido 

Davido reveals 

side hustle 

P 

op sensation, Davido has revealed that he is not only into the 

business of music as he recently disclosed his other side hustle 

which is Motorsports. 

The ‘Assurance’ crooner took to his Instagram page to reveal 

his new business venture which involves sporting events with 

the use of motorised vehicles, whether for racing or nonracing 

competitions. In the post, the singer 

posed with a sporting car and 

wrote, “We are not into music only 

we do Motorsports now so 

follow @chillingmotorsports 

for update 30BG lifestyle.” 

Bobrisky 

says he’s a 

second wife 

C 

•Halima 

Abubakar 

ross dresser, Bobrisky has 

once again thrown his 

followers into a dilemma 

concerning his gender as he 

recently revealed on social media 

that he is a second wife. 

Although, the controversial 

socialite’s supposed husband is 

unknown, he revealed in his post, 

the length to which a man with more 

than one wife will go to maintain 

peace in his life. The male barbie 

also educated his fans who are also 

second wives on how to manage 

their position. 

“Second wife like us na house for 

Lekki Dey rush us because the man 

don’t want trouble, he has to buy 

you your own house. Are u a second 

wife like me ? U better use slay to 

kill the man,” he posted. 

•Bobrisky 

•Roman 

goddess 

Gleeful Roman Goddess 

shows off N1.5M bank 

alerts received from 

unknown man 

S 

ocial media sensation, Roman Goddess 

has taken to social media to flaunt money 

gifts showered on her by someone she simply 

identified as ‘Your daddy’. The voluptuous 

model received an alert of approximately 1 

million and five hundred thousand naira from 

the unknown person. The CEO of Roman Liquors 

and Wines showed off her fortune on Instastory 

where she posted a picture of two alert 

notifications with captions that read “Your daddy 

sent 1m to me” and “Your daddy again sent me 

this,” showing off an additional five hundred 

thousand naira bank alert. 

•Moet 

Abebe 

Why I got 11th tattoo 

—Moet Abebe 

R 

adio goddess, Moet Abebe has over time declared 

her love for tattoos as she always shows off her 

inks. The Soundcity radio and television host recently 

got her 11 th tattoo which she showed off on social 

media as well. 

Meanwhile, the media girl revealed that her new 

tattoo was inspired by her obsession with the spiritual 

symbolism of the lotus flower. 

“Tatt no.11, here is the back story. Well, for quite some 

time I have been obsessed with all the spiritual 

symbolism of “The Lotus Flower”. It is a flower that 

experiences immaculate conception every day. Now I 

have often viewed myself as being similar to a lotus 

flower as it has a life cycle unlike any other. With its 

roots based in mud, it submerges every night into murky 

river water, and undeterred by its dirty environment, it 

miraculously re-blooms the next 

morning without residue on its 

petals,” she wrote. 

“I know it’s easier said than done; 

but I have refused to be limited by 

my “yesterday” . I’m resilient and 

like the lotus flower, I will not be 

defined by my past or my current 

situation,” she added. 

•Alex 

O 

Alex bags 

endorsement 

deal 

ne time Big Brother Naija 

housemate, Alexandra Asogwa 

is counting her blessings as she 

recently inked an endorsement 

deal with real estate company, 

Jenesis Colony. The third runner 

up of the widely acclaimed reality 

show took to Instagram to make 

the big announcement. Alex 

posted a picture of herself and a 

Jenesis Colony representative as 

she signed the papers. 

According to her post, The 

Jenesis Colony team settled for 

Alex because of her love for 

positively motivating youths and 

promoting the need for a better life 

and standard of living. The reality star 

also revealed earlier in the week that 

she is a multiple landowner at 22.

Ooni 

of Ife's 

new 

bride 

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adey 

eye Ogunwusi, has found 

love again. The monarch 

took to social media to share the 

good news. He made the announcement 

Thursday night on 

his Instagram handle, expressing 

his love for the new bride. 

The Ooni wrote: “I waited upon 

the Almighty the King of kings, he 

eventually did it in the midst of 

many trials. Shilekunola, Moronke, 

Naomi; the greatest arsenal 

you can apply on this highly revered 

throne with many rules and 

regulations in the midst of undiluted 

tradition, heritage and culture 

Mwanga 

Africa 

launches 

“Happiness” 

Ahead of its grand launch 

in November, Glitter 

Girl Innovations has announced 

its endearing range 

of scented candles and diffusers, 

under its flagship store, 

Mwanga Africa. Beyond this 

collection, Mwanga 

Africa provides bespoke professional 

advice on most suited 

blend of fragrances to satisfy 

each mood and boasts of a 

responsive and user-friendly 

website for online purchases. 

Sharing the inspiration behind 

her brand, Omoyeni Disu, CEO/ 

Founder, Glitter Girl Innovations 

said, ‘Life throws you different 

curve balls, you just need to realize 

that there’s always MWAN- 

GA at the end of the tunnel. I'm 

Penultimate Friday, Lagos 

Continental Hotel (formerly 

Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos) 

hosted guests to a special evening 

with Grindin Records frontline 

act, Tito Da Fire. The networking 

dinner event is the maiden edition 

of the Naija Nite 'Meet Media' 

series to celebrate and support 

music acts in the country. 

It was a night filled with the best 

of night life, live music and hospitality 

as guests got to experience 

the One Kiss crooner perform live 

his greatest hits and love songs 

that have cemented many hearts 

together. Tito Da Fire delivered 

an electrifying performance that 

left guests on their feet throughout 

the show and grooving all 

through the night. Celebrities in- 

is the “Fear Of God In You”, which is 

the beginning of your wisdom on this 

throne of Oduduwa. You are welcome 

home my beautiful and adorable 

queen. #OoniOfIfe #Otisese” 

It was gathered that the new 

queen is the founder/president of 

En-Heralds, a prophetic mandate 

and an interdenominational ministry 

based in Akure. The 25-yearold 

Ondo born Prophetess whose 

bride price was reportedly paid 

Thursday was said to have started 

public ministry at the age of eighteen 

before she ventured into full 

time ministry in October 19, 2011. 

She will be the Ooni’s third bride 

launching "HAPPINESS", this is 

something that not only makes me 

happy but will make the world 

happy, one scent at a time. That's 

what MWANGA is, "making you 

happy one scent at a time."’ 

Operating from Lekki, 

Nigeria, Mwanga Africa will 

be made available via the 

brand’s website. 

Balmoral 

Group announces 

Int'l 

Drinks Festival 

2018 

This November, the sec 

ond edition of the annual 

and highly anticipated 

International Drinks Festival 

will hold in Lagos, Nigeria. 

Organized by Balmoral 

Group, a 360 events 

solutions company, the 2018 

edition of the International 

Drinks Festival will serve as 

a platform to bring together 

major stakeholders in the 

drinks industry in Nigeria 

and other parts of Africa. 

Riding on the success of 

the 2017 edition which had 

over 18,000 attendees from 

Lagos Continental Hotel hosts Tito Da Fire 

cluding Sound Sultan and Ruggedman 

were in attendance as they 

cheered him on. 

“When I was coming up, I had to 

study a lot of people such as Ruggedman 

and SoundSultan. Also, 

when you talk about the dedication, 

I think everybody should learn 

something from Olamide, Davido 

and every musician who is releasing 

hits back to back. When I started 

recording my album, I was in the 

studio for like a month and couldn't 

do anything social”. Tito said. 

According to the management of 

the Lagos Continental Hotel, Naija 

Nite will be a weekly hangout 

and networking circle for media 

professionals, music artistes, music 

entrepreneurs, record labels and 

after his second marriage 

with Queen Wuraola 

crashed in 2017. 


On Bertha 

'Amuga's 

Hope' 

Amuga’s Hope founda 

tion recently took the 

city of Abuja by storm. 

This year’s Amuga’s Hope 

awareness campaign lead 

by the founder, super 

model and philanthropist 

Bertha Amuga at Durumi 

was centred on a walk 

against teenage pregnancy, 

molestation, child 

abuse and rape. The campaign 

was focused on the 

importance of early sex 

education in order to prevent 

teenage pregnancies, 

as well as create peace between 

teenage mothers 

and the society. 

Speaking at the event, 

Bertha Amuaga said “We 

across different components 

of the drinks value-chain, 

the 2018 edition promises 

to raise the bar a notch 

higher. Holding from 

Thursday, 29th November 

to the 2nd of December, 

2018 at the prestigious Federal 

Palace Hotel nestled in 

the heart of Victoria Island, 

over 200 brands are expected 

to double the foot-fall 

from last year’s maiden 

edition. 

Ezekiel Adamu, CEO of 

the Balmoral Group says 

this year’s event comes 

Talking about few 

women who live in a 

man's world, Adebiyi Taiwo 

comes to mind. She has conquered 

her world, as her endearing 

personality and aura 

catches the fancy of her 

admirers.“Blessed with humane 

affection and meekness, 

the graduate of Banking 

and Finance from Ekiti 

State University, never 

ceases to surprise her detractors 

with astronomic 

success.“Due to her love for 

tourism and African culture, 

the Public relations and advert 

expert,on Sunday, 14th 

of October, gathered top Lagos 

socialites, celebrities, 

media enthusiasts and 

scholars to the launch of her 

new publication, De' Spotlight 

Africa Magazine. The 

event held at the Ikeja 

Pearlsworth Hotel, 

Alausa.“Guests were 

treated to sumptuous meals 

laced with assorted drinks. 

The radiant host dressed in 

a well-tailored blue gown 

appreciated all present and 

promised to keep doing everything 

within her capacity 

to promote African tourism, 

entertainment and culture. 

Guests spotted at the event 

include Charles Inojie, Mr 

Gbenga Ogunsakin, Dr. 

Jide Johnson, Artquake 

among others. 

can support this young 

mothers who got pregnant 

outside wedlock by providing 

education and empowerment 

to them. We call on 

well-meaning individuals to 

support this young mothers 

of the future generation, so 

as to prevent them and the 

children from resorting to 

crime and social vices.” 

with an exciting line-up of 

both business and consumer 

focused activities designed 

to make it a truly 

memorable festival. The 

four-day extravaganza will 

be an interesting platform 

for mixologists, professionals 

in the hospitality industry, 

nightlife and entertainment 

connoisseurs. Other 

highlights of the 2018 International 

Drinks Festival 

include World Flair Bartending 

Champions Show, 

Masterclasses, Wine Tasting 

session and much more. 

Adebiyi Taiwo in gleeful mood 

music artistes in Nigeria. The 

event was designed to create 

an atmosphere of exciting 

interactions and activities. 

•Tito Da Fire


ROTIMI AGBANA 

07054964685 

Email: rotimiagbana@gmail.com 

CONTROVERSY: 

Mr. Eazi finally speaks on 

promoting Ghanaian sound 

on Nigerian soil 

WHEN Ghana-based Nigerian ‘Banku’ 

music singer, Oluwatosin Oluwole 

Ajibade, better known as Mr. 

Eazi once argued that Ghanaian 

music has a strong influence on 

Nigerian sounds, he was heavily 

criticized for supporting, 

promoting the sound of another 

country instead of his. 

In a chat with Showtime, the ‘Leg 

Over’ crooner whose music career has 

a strong Ghanaian influence cleared 

the air on the controversial issue which 

nearly ruined his music career even 

before it began here in Nigeria. 

“Sometimes, some things that come as 

blessing are also a curse. I’m blessed with 

the fact that I started out in Ghana. And of 

course my immediate people in Nigeria also 

accepted me. But the curse there now is that I 

have two homes. I have a first home which is my 

country of origin, Nigeria and I have a second home 

which is my country of upbringing, Ghana. As we 

grow in the industry and mature, we will know how 

to handle such issues. Fame is crazy so you have to 

be careful. I support Nigeria and I’m grateful to 

Ghana for my upbringing. I schooled there, stayed 

seven years there. I got my Bachelor’s Degree, 

Master’s Degree and first business in Ghana.” 

Clearing the air on his recent social media post 

which had a strong political undertone, he said; 

“Sometimes you feel like the things in your 

country don’t concern you because you are hardly 

around. Someone like me I’m hardly in Nigeria 

because I’m always doing shows outside Nigeria. 

But there is always a strong reminder. There are 

two things that remind me of Nigeria. One is 

*Dakolo 

The secret of my 

immigration because whenever you want to 

travel, there is always that ‘stop and check’ 

because you are a Nigerian. Two, when I 

visit my mom in Ogun State, I drive myself 

and I see the roads and I’m like ‘What’s going 

on?’ I can’t escape Nigeria. I can only try to 

do my little part to see how I can cause some 

change and that doesn’t mean I have to run 

for office. No immediate plans at all.” 

marriage — Timi Dakolo 

•Mr. Eazi 

Unlike many celebrity marriages unable to stand 

the test of time, Nigerian soul music singer, Timi 

Dakolo has been happily married to his heartthrob, 

Bukola Dakolo, since 2010 with three lovely 

children, though with a few differences they have 

been able to resolve amicably without having to go 

their separate ways. 

In a chat with Showtime, the Idol West Africa 

2007 winner revealed the secret behind his 

successful marriage. 

“Communication is the life line. Make your 

partner your gossip mate. Sometimes it’s not love 

that keeps the marriage, its friendship. We just 

know ourselves and that’s how we have been able 

to come this far”, he said. 

He added that despite their 

differences, his wife has surprised 

him a couple of times which is one of 

the things that sustains a marriage. 

“Apart from fixing me, because I’m not 

a very organized person, she has fixed a 

vacation for us but I contributed half of the 

money though. And where she fixed the 

vacation for was my favorite place, Cape 

Town, I really love the environment, the 

landscape, the scenery”, he said. 

Speaking on if he would also guide his 

children to take after him in the musicmaking 

craft like Kaffy, Sound Sultan, 2Baba, 

Peter of P’Square, and others, he affirmed 

that he would not force any of his children to 

do music. 

“My children will do what they want to do. 

My son likes to play ball so I had to register 

him in a football club. My last child is the 

strangest of all. She will tell you ‘Daddy you 

can’t wear this dress outside.’ 

Two times AMVCA winner, 

rapper, actor and comedian, 

Folarin Falana, aka FalzThe 

BadGuy, has finally revealed what 

his white beards mean to him. 

The 27-year-old Lawyer turned 

musician told Showtime in a chat 

that he is very comfortable having 

white beards at a very young age 

because to him the beards are a 

symbol of wisdom. “I’m very 

comfortable with my white beards 

because it’s a symbol of wisdom”, 

he said. 

Speaking about being the only 

Nigerian artiste cum actor to have 

won the coveted AMVCA plaque 

twice, he explained how passionate 

he is about both music-making craft 

and acting. 

“I’m passionate about filmmaking 

as I am about music. So I’m 

constantly working to put more 

The saddest day of my 

life — 2Baba 

CONTRARY to popular 

belief that the day he 

was shot and almost 

killed by unknown gunmen was 

the saddest day of his entire life, 

popular afro-pop singer, 

Innocent Idibia, a.k.a ‘2Baba’, 

who is currently gearing up for 

the sixth edition of his 

Buckwylde and Breathless 

Concert, tagged ‘The Power of 

One’ has revealed in a chat 

with Showtime that the saddest 

*2Baba 

What my white beards mean to me — Falz 

effort in that regard. It is also 

the work of the Almighty God. 

It’s not my power or might. It’s 

the blessing of the Almighty. 

I’m going to keep doing stuff 

on both ends. Next year I’m 

planning on putting out my 

own feature film as well”, he 

said. He went further to correct 

the impression that he is 

biting more than he can chew 

by combining music, acting 

and comedy. 

“I have been able to chew 

and swallow music, acting and 

comedy. So far, everything that 

I have been biting so nothing 

has fallen out of my mouth. If 

anything falls out of my mouth 

then maybe I will stop biting 

it. But for now am biting, 

chewing and swallowing very 

well.” 

day of his life was the day his 

father died. “The saddest day of 

my life so far was when I lost my 

dad”, he said sadly. 

Speaking on what to expect at 

his forthcoming concert which 

would be headlined by him, Falz, 

Phyno, Richard Mofe Damijo and 

many other surprise performers, 

he said; 

“For me it’s going to be about 

entertainment and music. This 

year we have one message that 

we want to hammer on, which is 

the ‘Power of One’. But it’s still 

going to be about music, fun and 

real talks on serious matters.” 

Finally, he spoke on what has 

driven his passion for 

continuously engaging in 

activities promoting good 

governance and better living 

conditions for the masses. 

“My drive these past years is 

basically the passion to advocate 

what is right because a lot of 

things are not right in this 

country. It’s just very simple, I 

want to see things happen right, 

I want to see my benefit from the 

government; I want to see people 

proud to say that they are 

Nigerians. I want to travel out of 

Nigeria and feel the need to rush 

back because my country is a 

more conducive place to live in. 

I want to travel abroad and 

confidently brag about Nigeria 

because the economy, 

governance and ambience 

compete with that of other 

countries around the world.” 

Seun Kuti slaps, bullies security guard at Afrikan Shrine 

Disaster was quickly averted on 

Wednesday night, the third day of 

Felabration 2018, at the VIP/Artiste 

lounge of the New Afrikan Shrine, 

when Seun Kuti lost his temper over 

a staff of the Shrine who disrespected 

him. 

Seun who arrived at the Shrine in 

the company of a few associates was 

all shades of good mood but lost his 

cool when a security guard who later 

told Showtime that he didn’t recognize 

Seun, attempted to walk him out 

because the lounge was strictly for 

VIPs and artistes. 

Obviously shocked that a security 

•Falz 

guard at the Shrine would treat him 

like a regular person, Seun angrily 

slapped and bullied the helpless security 

guard who was quick to apologize 

for his mistake. 

When Showtime asked why he treated 

Seun the way he did, the security 

guard whose facial expression reeked 

of regret and pain from the slap Seun 

gave him, said; 

“Honestly I did not know that it was 

Seun Kuti because I do not recognize 

him. I was only trying to do my job by 

asking blocking him from entering. I 

didn’t mean to disrespect him or cause 

a scene out of my actions."



By AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215 

onikoyi68@gmail.com 

Events marking Felabration 2018 

as ‘33’ Export joins party 

The No1 friendship beer “33” Export 

has made its presence felt as one of 

the champions that drove the vehicle 

of this year’s Felabration. The brand 

joined millions of Nigerians to celebrate 

the music legacies of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti 

at Felabration 2018. 

Felabration, now in its 20th year, was 

initiated by Yeni Kuti, Fela’s first child 

and her brother Femi, as a platform to 

celebrate their father’s legacy. This 

annual music festival runs for a week and 

attracts guests from around the world 

who are entertained with a rich display 

of the Nigerian culture, music and 

discussions on topical issues affecting 

society 

The brand 

created a 

relaxed 

environment 

for friends 

coming to 

celebrate 

Fela 

through 

engaging 

games 

•Yeni Kuti 

Afrobics competition 

winner at Felabration 

The founder and band leader of 

the famous Shuga Band, 

Akinloye Tofowomo popularly 

known as Akin Shuga has made it 

known that the 20 years anniversary 

and celebration of the band to be held 

at Eko Hotels and Suites on Sunday, 

October 21st will remain an 

unforgettable musical experience to 

everyone who attends. 

According to him, the concert will 

be an opportunity for fans and lovers 

of the Shuga Band to celebrate the 

band’s journey while the band serves 

them musical dish like never before. 

“This is not to brag but the only 

adjective that qualifies what anyone 

at the Shuga Coated Concert will 

experience is Unforgettable. We have 

been rehearsing dutifully. If these 

rehearsals are anything to go by, 

everyone who attends Shuga Coated 

Concert will not be able to forget it in 

a hurry. We call on all our friends and 

lovers in the last two decades to join 

such as Jenga, Connect Four, Beer Pong and 

so on, so they could share great moments 

from the celebration with friends. Nigerians 

cherish friendship ties and “33” Export aims 

to create an opportunity to meet its 

consumers where their interests 

lie. 

Some of the events that took 

place over the course of the 

7 day fanfare, include the 

Fela artwork competition, a 

school debate, afrobics 

dance competition, a 

symposium and a music 

concert 

Artistes that have 

performed or yet to 

perform at this year’s 

Felabration include; 

•Ifu Ennada 

Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, 

2baba, Davido, 

Newen Band, 

Wande Coal, 

Simi, 

Runtown, Timaya, Lee John of Imagination, Adekunle 

Gold, Lorraine Lionheart, Niniola, Black Magic, Falz, 

Shina Peters, Ajebutter 22, BOJ, Dremo, Peruzzi, 

Mayorkun, DJ E-Cool, Idowest, Teni, LAX, 

Kiddominant, Amayo leader of Antibalas Group, 

Small Doctor, Tomi Thomas, Daddy Showkey, Poboy, 

Mr Real, Oritse Femi, Reekado Banks, Eedris 

Abdulkarim, Aramide, Godwin 

Strings, Awanjo, Dammy 

Krane, Jaywon, Terry Apala, 

Zlatan, Malaika, Qdot, 

Chinko Ekun, Doray, Spyro, 

Pepenazi, Minjin, Street 

Billionaire, Ryan, ED Izycs, Ms Chief, Siti and the band 

from Tanzania, Togo All Stars, Rex Suru and many 

others. 

Shuga Coated concert will 

be unforgettable – Akin Shuga 

us at this premium 

concert”, Akiin Shuga 

said. 

While responding to 

rumours that the show 

has sold out already and 

there are no more tickets 

available, he said “The 

truth is that we were sold 

out but had to create more 

tables and spaces when the 

calls kept coming. Many 

important personalities have 

bought tables. We have 

celebrities who are fans of the 

brand and have signified their 

interest in the show. As a matter of 

fact, we are giving out event managers 

more work to be done right now as we are 

now catering for more than we initially 

planned for. But that is a good thing for us 

and we are excited that we have so many loyal 

friends and fans. We cannot wait to give them 

an experience of a lifetime at the Shuga Coated 

concert”, he concluded. 

BBNaija ladies celebrate 

Nigerian women heroes 

through 618Bees competition 

•Bisola 

Some of the most popular female 

contestants of Big Brother Nigeria 

(BBN) took to their Instagram accounts 

over the weekend to celebrate outstanding 

Nigerian women. 

Bisola, Khloe, Ifuennada, Princess, 

Bammy and Alex took turns on Friday and 

Saturday, to join the 618 Bees competition, 

encouraging young female entrepreneurs 

to celebrate female Nigerian heroes. 

Bisola on her Instagram post said; “Just 

tell us who your Naija woman hero she 

is, by posting a picture of her using the 

#naijawomanhero tag and stand a 

chance of having your business 

registered FREE!!!” 

Over 400 young women from across 

the country have participated in the 

competition, hoping for a chance to 

register their businesses for free and 

get investment. 

Faced by alarming 

unemployment and 

underemployment, in an 

environment where costs 

of living are high and 

there are few social 

infrastructures to cushion 

the effects of growing poverty, 

millions of young Nigerians 

are turning to informal 

businesses to make ends meet. 

On Instagram, where the 

618Bees campaign has gone 

viral, hordes of young women 

are generating income through 

make up, styling, fashion, 

modelling, catering, and 

other services. 

618Bees co-founder, Efe 

Ugboro says her life dream 

is to help female 

entrepreneurs succeed; by 

bringing as many of them 

as she can into the formal 

sector, helping them 

structure their businesses, 

in order to attract 

investments, and become 

sustainable. 

According to Efe, 

“618Bees.com was set up to 

be the quickest way to get 

a company started in 

Nigeria. The company is 

launching with a focus on 

Nigeria for now, but plans 

to open up to other African 

cities where aspiring 

entrepreneurs are facing 

similar challenges.” 

Most of the Big Brother 

Naija ladies involved in 

the contest are interestingly 

self-made entrepreneurial 

women; Bisola, who came 

into limelight last year, is 

an actress, while Tboss 

makes a living as a model.



By BENJAMIN NJOKU 

FELA: How his 

mother changed 

his music 

...From Highlife to Jazz and to Afro-beat 

• His transformation, ideology and message 

• Manager, Producer, sons, others eulogise him 

• Listen to his music for solutions to Nigeria’s problems, 

Femi Falana tells 2019 Presidential candidates 

•Fela 

By BENAJMIN NJOKU 

FEW musicians in history 

are known to have 

influenced the world, and 

one of them was Fela 

Anikulapo Kuti. 

As the creator of the acclaimed 

Afro-beat music, Fela was not just a 

musician, but also ‘ a global 

phenomenon’ who used his music 

to preach against corruption, bad 

leadership, dictatorship at risk of his life. 

While he lived, the Afro-beat king 

gave voice to millions of fans within 

and outside the shores of Nigeria. This, 

however, explains why the social media 

was agog few days ago, precisely on 

Tuesday, October 15, after fans took to 

their different platforms to celebrate the 

Afro-beat king’s posthumous 

80thbirthday, which incidentally 

coincides with the ongoing 

Felabration. 

Tagged “Fela @80: Overtaking 

Overtake”, this year’s Felabration 

which rounds off tomorrow at the New 

Afrika Shrine, Ikeja, is significant as it 

has become a global event. The weeklong 

event is not just about the 

parading of pop stars and having them 

entertain their fans, but more to that, 

it’s also about reflecting on what Fela 

stood for, while he lived, his message, 

music and aspirations. Felabration 

today is waxing stronger and bigger 

with series of activities that have 

continued to attract tourists from 

across the globe at every edition even 

as fans and admirers celebrate the late 

legend with excessive veneration. This 

year’s celebration is no exception. Day 

three of this year’s edition, saw pop star 

Timaya blowing fans away with 

melodious tunes. Timaya thrilled fans 

at the Afrika shrine on Wednesday, 

October 17. Timaya who is known for 

his magical stage performances was 

able to hold the audience spellbound 

with some of his hit songs. He was not 

the only artiste that thrilled fun seekers 

at the event. Also, Made Kuti, Simi 

and Dammy Krane were among those 

who got the fans dancing throughout 

the night. Just like Timaya and Made 

Kuti, the patriarch of the Kuti dynasty, 

Femi Kuti was also on hand to thrill 

the fans who couldn’t wait for his 

electrifying performance with his band, 

‘The Positive Force Band.’ 

Like Bob Marley, it would be an 

outright error to pretend the actual 

Fela’s life story was filled with an allpervading 

sense of happiness, easygoing, 

or carefree. Indeed, while he 

lived, Fela fearlessly criticized Nigeria’s 

government and the religious elite over 

corruption, poverty, exploitation and 

social maladies. His struggle made him 

an icon of the black power movement. 

His songs repeatedly landed him in 

trouble with the powers that be. There 

were arrests, imprisonment, and the 

burning down of his Kalakuta 

Republic by soldiers. Throughout it all, 

he never stopped believing and 

delivering his message even at the risk 

of his life. And that’s why the world still 

celebrates Fela till date. 

“It wasn’t just his music that made 

Fela famous but his views as well. He 

preached for democracy over 

dictatorship and his music gave a voice 

to millions in Nigeria who were 

powerless in politics,” his son Femi Kuti 

once said. 

“He was truthful, he stood his 

ground, he never compromised, even 

at the risk of his life, and I think that’s 

really what people admired.” . 

He added, “He never for one 

second thought of 

compromising or dropping his 

ideas. I saw him many times 

stand in front of the soldiers and 

say ‘shoot me, kill me’ and we all 

feared for his life many times.” 

However, 21 years after his death, 

on August 2, 1997, Fela’s legacy 

continued to live on, in his songs. Yet, 

his heritage is also carried on by the 

people who he touched with his 

music like popular Americanbased 

Afro-beat singer, Sistah 

Iminah. 

Iminah described 

Fela’s dedication to 

the total 

liberation of 

the black 

race as ‘ a 

t r u e 

inspiration.’ 

Celebrating 

Fela’s 

8 0 t h 

•Fela 

birthday on Instagram, she wrote, “ 

Few people can withstand the 

persecution he and the entire Kalakuta 

republic endured. It’s amazing truly, 

when you understand how this man 

fought on every level, his family fought 

on every level, his mother was even 

killed, entire empire burned down, he 

was beaten, tortured, jailed, slandered 

by the Nigerian government (on behalf 

of colonialism) yet his spirit has risen 

supreme. You can’t think of Nigeria 

without thinking of Fela. You can’t 

think of Africa without thinking 

of Fela. The more I’ve 

listened to his 

music, 

studied 

his life, 

felt his 

spirit 

a n d 

b e e n 

blessed to 

connect 

with his 

family and 

comrades I’ve 

been able to 

inner-stand this 

underground 

spiritual game. 

Music is the 

weapon of the 

future.” The 

Afro-diva, 

also urged 

musicians 

all over the 

world to 

use their 

voice, 

power, 

energy 

a n d 

influence 

for the 

holistic 

liberation of 

their our 

people. 

Fela’s songs 

such as ‘Zombie’, 

‘International Thief Thief’ 

(ITT), ‘Upside Down’, ‘Coffin 

for Head of State’ and 

‘Observation is no Crime’ were 

direct attack on the Nigerian 

government as well s other


corrupt officials back in the time. 

Westsydelifestyle wrote, “The king 

lives on! Afro-beat lives forever! Your 

prophecies about Africa taking over the 

world shall continue to manifest! We 

shall contribute a great deal to this. We 

grew listening to You and got our style 

influenced by your originality. We are 

proud to remind you that your legacy 

lives on and the streets are still safe, 

we pledge to keep guarding it.” 

For Remi Adekoya, former Political 

Editor of the Warsaw Business Journal, 

Fela’s “lyrics were scathing 

denunciations of Nigeria’s socioeconomic 

reality. He focused on 

corruption, abuse of power, mental 

emancipation from colonialism and 

the need for Nigerians to stand up for 

their rights. 

“His major weapon of criticism was 

his music, which he christened ‘Afro 

beat’. A firm believer in socialism and 

Pan-Africanism, Fela was a passionate 

supporter of human rights, and many 

of his songs- which were also known 

as ‘yabis’- were sarcastic, dark and full 

of verbal abuse. In most cases, his 

songs were direct attacks on Nigeria’s 

military government in the 70’s.” 

In 1977, following the government’s 

attack on his home, Kalakuta Republic, 

Fela released “Sorrows, Tears and 

Blood.” In the lyrics noted Adekoya, 

“Everybody run, run, run/everybody 

scatter, scatter/Some people lost some 

bread/Some people just die … Them 

leave sorrow, tears, and blood/them 

regular trademark”, his words were 

indicting and blunt, affirming the 

army’s reign of tyranny and terror.” 

Fela did not only criticise the political 

setting in Nigeria, he also faulted the 

educational system of the country. 

Speaking in a recorded interview 

replayed during the week on Channels 

Television programme: ‘The Chat,’ 

anchored by veteran broadcaster, 

Mani Onumonu, Fela advocated the 

natural education in Africa. According 

to him, “ Our children need education. 

They need natural education. If there’s 

any country in Africa that wants to 

promote education, it’s must be natural 

and there must an avenue for the 

understanding of natural education. 

It’s not that kind of education that I 

must be like my father.” Fela displayed 

a high level intolerance against all 

forms of oppression and through his 

music gave Africans reasons to be 

proud of their culture. However, in 

many other ways, Fela took his social 

activism further than the microphone, 

portraying his radicalism on other 

platforms apart from the stage. 

Talking about his relationship with 

his children, Fela said “When I born 

my pikin, I no wetin I born. Femi is 

now playing at the Shrine and 

everybody is enjoying his music. And 

he’s pulling the crowd, and that’s good 

for him. I don’t have time to teach 

anybody music. I am a spiritualist. I 

helped him in education and he didn’t 

want to go to school again, all well and 

good. I asked him to join my band. 

Today, look at what that boy has done 

to himself, not because he’s my son. 

He didn’t go to school. I gave him a 

simple advice, know your country, 

know your continent, know the history 

of your people and know why your 

people are like this. And move on...” 

Meanwhile, appreciating the 

relevance of Fela’s message in today’s 

Nigeria, human rights activist, Mr Femi 

Falana SAN, has urged Nigerian 

presidential candidates seeking office 

in 2019, to listen to the late legendary 

musician’s music,in order to get 

solutions to the nation’s problems. 

Speaking at the 2018 Felabration 

tagged “Fela @80: Overtaking 

Overtake”, at the Fela debates titled: 

“African Leadership in the Millennium” 

in Lagos, the renowned lawyer said 

that the late Afro-beat king had 

foreseen Nigeria’s problems and that 

most of Nigeria’s problems and 

challenges already have proffered 

solutions to them in Fela’s music. “I 

want most of these presidential 

aspirants to listen to Fela’s music very 

well. That’s where they can find 

solutions to most of our problems. Our 

country is rich as Fela sang in his music, 

but our people are still hungry and 

poor; you must understand our society 

before you can lead us,” Falana said. 

Indeed, between his distinctive 

message, his unforgettable songs, and 

his commitment towards liberating his 

people from the stronghold of military 

dictatorship then, Fela would forever 

be memorialized as a proponent of 

democracy, an advocate for truth and 

justice. It was on this premises that he 

launched his political party- 

Movement of People,MOP, in 1979, 

with over 100,000 people reportedly 

present at Tinubu Square to show 

their support and loyalty for the ‘black 

president’. According to Fela then, he 

created MOP in order to clean the 

society like a mop. He put himself up 

as the presidential candidate for about 

10 years, though his campaigns were 

repeatedly blocked by the army. 21 

years after his death, Fela lives on. His 

music, art, life, and legacy are 

celebrated every year at a week-long 

event tagged ‘Felabration’. 

TESTIMONIES: 

Fela left Nigeria as a 

highlife musician, 

returned as jazz musician 

—Benson Idonjie, 

former manager 

Fela’s friend and former 

manager, Benson Idonije, 

veteran broadcaster and 

author of ‘ Dis Fela Sef: The Legend’ 

is the most credible chronicler of 

Fela’s sexual escapades and 

tempestuous career as a musician 

and man of the world. Idonije was with 

Fela from the beginning till the end of 

his career as a musician, politician and 

human rights activist. Fela’s great 

•Alice 

Duke 

musical creativity endeared him to 

Idonije while Benson’s love of jazz 

music as a producer in Radio Nigeria 

cemented their relationship. 

As Fela’s confidant, Idonije became 

the power behind Fela’s creativity. And 

Fela’s respect and trust for an elder 

brother gave Idonije access to every 

facet of Fela’s life. In this interview with 

veteran broadcaster, Mani Onumonu, 

on Channels Television, 83-year-old 

Idonije recounts the thrilling story of 

his relationship with Fela, revealing 

how the Afro-beat king left the shores 

of the country as a Highlife musician 

but returned home rich in jazz music. 

How we met 

I met Fela in 1963. I had known him 

by reputation through his mother two 

years before 1963. In 1961, the mother 

came to the broadcasting house with 

two singles he recorded with the 

London tradition of the Koola Lobitos. 

I collected these singles and was 

playing and enjoying them. They were 

jazz influenced. 

He returned to the country in 1963, 

when I was presenting programme 

called ‘Jazz Club’ every Thursday night 

with Radio Nigeria. He had listened to 

my programme for about two months 

and on that fateful night, he wanted 

to find out the man behind the 

microphone. He met me and 

introduced himself as Fela Ransome 

Kuti. He told me that he liked my 

programme and he stormed the 

broadcasting house with a white label 

album of his jazz music. We knew that 

he was playing highlife in London and 

toward the end of his stay there, he 

began to play jazz. 

But before he left for London, he was 

playing piano with Victo Olaiya among 

others. So, he left the country as a 

highlife musician but by the time he 

was returning home, he transformed 

into a jazz musician. He formed the 

Fela and the Highlife Breakers, which 

metamorphosed into the Koola Lobitos. 

So, introducing him into the 

programme, I played a few tracks from 

the album he brought and he told me 

how the songs were recorded. By the 

time, he left the broadcasting house, 

he was pleased with himself because 

he was surprised that there was 

somebody who knew so much about 

jazz music. That was how we met and 

became friends. Thereafter we formed 

a jazz group called Fela Ransome Kuti 

Quintet. 

His mother’s advice 

I was the manager of Jazz Quintet. 

But in 1965, the Nigerian version of 

the Koola Lobitos was born. Fela’s 

mother had just visited Lagos, and she 

left a day after for Abeokuta. He invited 

us to Abeokuta, and when we got 

there, she welcomed us and said to Fela 

that this music you are playing,I am 

enjoying it, but it wouldn’t sell because 

it’s not commercial. She told him to go 

back to the music he was playing back 

in London, which is highlife. We 

listened to her with rapt attention and 

on reflection, Fela said he could infuse 

highlife with traditional elements and 

still play jazz. That was how the Jazz 

Quintet transformed into Koola 

Lobitos in Nigeria in 1965. However, 

to reconstitute the Koller Lobitos, I 

went in search of new musicians at the 

Western Hotel in Mushin, where 

Adeolu Akinsoya and Tonie Allen were 

playing . Also, Obi Okojie was with the 

band. I got them to join the new band. 

Allen was playing drums, while Obi 

Okojie and Akinsoya were playing 

bass guitar and Konga respectively. 

N 

Also, there was Isaac Olashuba who 

was a saxophonist. He just returned 

from Abidjan and wanted to join 

Ejekota in Ibadan. He hailed from 

Ondo State and he had to drive straight 

to Ondo to get him to join the band . 

Creator of Afro-beat music 

Fela was the creator of his own brand 

of music. Afro-beat is African beat. If 

you play highlife with a fusion of any 

sound you can call it anything. But 

the creator of the brand of music that 

was influencing this generation of 

musicians was Fela Anikulapo Kuti. 

Afro-beat is an infusion of highlife, 

African music and jazz. Although not 

technically jazz, it also incorporates 

many elements of jazz including swing, 

syncopation and improvisation. 

How Afro-beat genre was born by 

Odion Iruje, Fela’s producer 

Sharing his own experience, on the 

Mani Onumonu programme, Fela’s 

producer then, Odion Iruje narrated 

how the Afro-beat genre was created. 

His words, “ While Fela was in London, 

he released some songs. When he 

returned to Nigeria, he was looking for 

a record company. When he came up 

with Afro-beat he wanted to record it 

with a multinational company. So, 

when I told the then Managing 

Like Bob 

Marley, it would 

be an outright 

error to 

pretend the 

actual Fela’s 

life story was 

filled with an 

all-pervading 

sense of 

happiness, 

easy-going, or 

carefree 

‘Words cannot express my joy’ 

Director of ‘ My Quest’ he said, he 

didn’t want Fela’s problem. But while 

we were strolling towards the 

backyard, we saw Fela at the gate. At 

that point, I said to him, this is the third 

time Fela would be here, let us listen 

to him. The album he wanted to 

release then was ‘ Jeun Koku’ and I 

happened to be the producer of the 

song. That was how Afro-beat was 

born. 

Fela was not interested in what his 

children were doing —Senu Kuti 

Also, speaking on the same 

programme, Fela’s son, Senu Kuti 

shared his memorable experience with 

Fela, recalling however, how he started 

singing under the tutelage of his father. 

Between Fela and his children 

While I was growing up, Fela was at 

his mixed-point. He was always at 

home. He never stepped out expect 

when he was going to the Shrine. And 

each time he hit the Shrine at middle 

of the night, I was always there with 

him. 

Encouraging his children to go to 

school 

I wouldn’t say that my father didn’t 

want to train his children. But he never 

cared about our education 

(academics), even when he was ready 

to take it up as his responsibility. If you 

wanted to go to school, he would pay 

your school fees, send you to school. 

But he was not interested in what you 

were doing. And as an adult today, I 

agree with him because the education 

system in African is indoctrination and 

not education. 

What Afro-beat means to me 

I hate to hear the young artistes say 

that they are the new Afro-beat stars, 

which means that Fela’s Afro-beat is 

now old. I see that as insulting. My 

own heritage is old and theirs is the 

new Afro-beat? Afro-beat is ever 

lasting. 

How I began to sing 

I joined Fela on stage and told him I 

wanted to sing. He asked me if I could 

sing well, and I replied in the 

affirmative. He said I should sing and I 

started singing his favourite song, “ 

Sorrow, Tears and Blood.” He said it’s 

okay, when you get to Lagos, you start 

rehearsing with my band. 

Leaving Egypt 80 band 

For the fact that Fela was no more, 

was no reason for that musical 

institution to be shut down. We were 

all young then and the mistakes have 

been made. All that is not only just 

behind me, but also the entire family. 

Behold Miss Baip 2018! 

ewly crowned Most Beautiful Girl at Beauty of Africa International Pageant,BAIP, 2018, Miss 

Alice Duke has dedicated her victory to God, saying ‘Words cannot express my joy.’ 

Duke beat other 36 contestants to emerge winner after a keen contest which held at Muson Centre, 

Lagos, last Friday. 

Commenting on her victory, newly crowned Duke said: “Words cannot express my joy. I want to thanks 

all those who supported me especially my mum for all the love and encouragement. And I also want to 

thank God for this victory!” 

It was indeed a night of fun and excitement as the judges obviously overwhelmed had challenges 

picking the eventual winners at the vent which was anchored by popular OAP, Nancy Isime. 

Speaking on the success of the event, organiser of BAIP, Mr. Daniel Opuene said that once more, his 

platform has delivered yet again on a world class show: “The Beauty of Africa International Pageant 

(BAIP) is an International beauty Pageant that holds yearly in Nigeria. The pageant main advocacy is 

allowing participants to use their charm and elegance to unite Nigeria.” 

Meanwhile, the new Queen went home with a car gift, cash prize and a annual salary including 

wardrobe allowance along with a corporate endorsement deal. She will represent Nigeria at The Miss 

Tourism International World Finals 2019. Miss Bayelsa, Orunmwense Daniella who emerged first 

runners-up goes home with an annual salary, wardrobe allowance, corporate endorsement and will 

represent Nigeria at Miss the Miss Supranatural world Finals in 2019 in Poland.

30—SATURDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 20, 2018



Book presentation, inauguration of Gov Fayemi 

As part of the 

activities 

marking the 

inauguration of 

Governor Fayemi of 

Ekiti State, a lecture, 

b o o k 

presentation and 

photo exhibition took 

place at AB Events 

Centre, Adebayo, Ado 

E k i t i , 

Ekiti State. 

While Prof. Niyi 

Osundare delivered the 

lecture, Otunba Niyi 

Adebayo, a former 

governor of the State, 

presented the book, 

titled”Staying The 

Course (Amanda 2018) 

“. Many personalities 

graced the occasion. 

Photos by Abayomi 

Adeshida 

L-R:Book presenter, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Ekiti-State Dep. Gov, Otunba 

Adebisi Egbeyemi; former APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun; 

Ekiti State Gov, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi; quest lecturer, 

Prof. Niyi Osundare and former Ekiti State Dep. Gov, Prof. Modupe 

Adelabu displaying copies of the book. 

Primate, Oke Igbala - 

Ayo laid to rest 

FUNERAL service for the final burial of Holy 

Mother Josephine Ayodeji Nuga JPIL, Dig, Primate 

and Founder, Oke Igbala-Ayo, Spiritual Church of 

Christ (C&S) OIASCC took place recently in Isolo, 

Lagos. 

L-R: Mr Femi Nuga, Mr Oluwagbemileke Oniyide, 

Mr Oludare Oniyide, Mr Dayo Oniyide and Mr 

Shittu Adegboyega. 

APC Senatorial Candidate, Prince Dayo Adeyeye 

(l) discussing with Legal Luminary, Chief Afe 

Babalola. 

Book presenter, Otunba Niyi Adebayo displaying 

copies of the book, "Staying The Course (Amanda 

2018) 

L-R: Pst. Segun Olugbule, Snr. Apostle Femi 

Akinnubi, Rev. Apost Modupe Ogunjobi and Most 

Snr. Host. Olukayode Omitoogun. 

Former Bishop of Akure, Bishop Micahel Ipinloye 

introducing his Spouse, Mrs. Ipinloye (l) to the 

former VC, University of Ado Ekiti, Prof. Olatunji 

Orubuloye (r) 

The guest lecturer, Prof. Niyi Osundare (l) discussing 

with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo 

State. 

Delta, Kogi 

States 

unite in 

marriage 

L-R: Mama J. Thomas, Snr. Mother in Isreal, 

Akpata, Mother in Church Alo, Mother in Church 

R. Bada, Gen. Rev. Apostle Mother Dupe Soyebo 

and Rev. Apostle Prophetess Ronke Fashina 

(Arole). 

The happy couple flanked by their proud parents 

Kogi and Delta 

States united 

recently for the 

wedding of their 

children, Happiness 

Collins Okobia and 

Daniel Damisa Okeji 

which was witnessed 

by family, friends and 

well wishers at Navy 

Town, Lagos. 

L-R: Mrs Shola Oniyide,Mrs Kemi Oluwasanya,Mrs 

Seyi Animashaun,Mrs Folake Nuga and Mrs Yinka 

Nuga.


•Dr Nnezi Uduma Olugu 

As a working academic also 

writing books, how have you 

been coping? 

In a way it was easy because it 

was part of what I was teaching 

and what I have learnt over the 

years so typically I knew what to 

write but to find the actual time 

and to organize it into a book; 

and then secondly I was doing 

too many things at the same 

time so I had to prioritize to be 

able to finish the various things. 

I had to finish my PhD. Also 

the second thing that influenced 

the book’s completion had to do 

with the illustration. For many 

years I couldn’t get to the 

publishers because I wasn’t 

satisfied with the illustrations I 

had. I had different people do 

the illustrations for me but I 

didn’t believe any of them was 

as good as they needed to be so 

that was a problem until I found 

the right one. 

So would you say that you are a 

perfectionist? 

(laughs) When I was younger, 

certainly. Nothing would go by 

me without being perfect but I 

think life has softened that edge. 

I still like doing things properly 

but I am not as much a 

perfectionist as when I was 

younger; it was black or white 

but life is not like that. 

What is your recently published 

book all about? 

Idyllic Landscapes is a historical 

chronicle of landscapes. 

Because landscape architecture 

is not so popular I had to make it 

interesting not just for landscape 

architects or architects but in 

general anybody who wants to 

have an idea of what landscapes 

is all about. Unless you know 

where you are coming from you 

cannot know where you are 

going so it’s a bit of landscape 

architecture and a bit of an 

introduction to what landscape 

is in a breezy fashion. Anybody 

can pick it up and just flick 

through and also that was why it 

was important to have the 

illustrations as interesting as 

they come so even looking at 

the pictures themselves you get 

an idea of what landscape is all 

about? 

What is the importance of this 

because some would argue 

about the relevance of it… At 

the launch of the book you had 

an interesting mix of people 

who were able to really bring 

out its value. Do you think it will 

resonate just as well with the 

public? 

As with everything in life you 

have a niche. You cannot reach 

everybody but the journey of a 

thousand miles begins with a 

step. Even to reach everybody 

you have to start by reaching 

few people. First I am an 

architect. I still meet people who 

know I am an architect and tell 

me the story of how they built 

their houses with masons. This 

person did not at any point 

think: “if I want to build a house, 

why don’t I go and meet an 

architect?” That makes me think 

that if something that is as basic 

as architecture has not 

influenced our people that 

much it’s really going to be 

quite an ardous task getting 

them to plant trees and 

recognize what value you have 

by having a pleasant 

environment. 

Can you tell us about some of 

the idyllic landscapes featured 

in your book? 

I can talk about Le Notre 

Gardens. People who travel to 

Paris go to all these big castles 

that have gardens that go on 

and on for miles. Another thing 

the book does is to talk about the 

philosophical content that 

informs the landscape. There is 

the story of a French king who 

was almost like an emperor. 

Because he had done so well 

and there was 

peace and he 

had so much 

wealth and his 

people had 

conquered 

many lands, he 

had a lot of 

money at hand. 

At some point in 

time one of his 

finance 

ministers in 

charge of the 

treasury of 

France at that 

time built a house and invited 

the king to come to the opening 

and when the king saw how 

grand the house was and the 

garden was quite enormous, 

going on for miles and miles; 

how opulent it was- it became 

obvious that the man could not 

have done it on the salary and 

the story goes that he took over 

the house and imprisoned the 

guy. That is one of the gardens 

that people go to see. After that 

he then commissioned Andre Le 

Notre who was a gardener at 

that time and gave him a 

much bigger space. It was 

very lush landscaping. 

Are there other stories that 

are closer home? 

Of course there are. The 

Benin Moat which a lot of 

people do not know much 

about. It shows just how 

interesting it is and how 

Nigeria and Africa were not 

left behind at all; just that our 

history was not chronicled; 

rather it had been oral 

tradition so they didn’t do 

much recording of that so as 

with oral tradition when 

things go bad we forget 

them. The Benin Empire was 

one of the oldest and most 

financially developed places 

in West Africa and they 

needed some kind of 

protection so the moats were 

Landscaping is 

more than just 

beautiful 

ambience 

— Dr Nnezi Uduma Olugu 

Dr Nnezi Uduma-Olugu first came into limelight when she bagged 

a First Class Honours degree from the prestigious University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka. She followed this up by being the best in her 

class in the Masters Degree graduating class of 1989 (in the same 

University), and a gold medal award in Landscape Architecture during 

her studies for a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from a 

Canadian University (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg) where she 

went as a Commonwealth Scholar. Upon her return to Nigeria, she has 

continued to work with both ends of the architectural spectrum as an 

architect and landscape architect. 

She set up her own firm Designedscapes Ltd in 1997. Arising from the 

need to set up a Master of Landscape Architecture programme (the first 

of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa), Dr Nnezi joined the CAA-accredited 

Department of Architecture, University of Lagos Akoka where she, 

along with her colleagues, was at the forefront of establishing the 

acclaimed MLA programme domiciled in the department. She currently 

serves as the Programme Coordinator for the MLA programme. 

A chartered architect and landscape architect, Dr Nnezi Uduma-Olugu is 

a member of NIA and has served as the Vice President of Society of 

Landscape Architecture of Nigeria (SLAN).She is also a member of the 

American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) as well as AARCHES 

(Association of Architectural Educators). She is widely published and 

was among the notable female architects highlighted in the book 

Nigerian Women of impact: In Architecture . 

A role model to many, Dr Nnezi Uduma-Olugu completed her doctoral 

thesis in landscape and tourism in the University of Lagos, Akoka. Dr 

Nnezi Uduma-Olugu is happily married to Mr Uduma-Olugu and has 

two children; Grace and Josh. 

Perhaps the most striking things about Nnezi Uduma Olugu are her 

easy manner and softness of speech. Behind all of that is a woman of 

depth and intellect who brings her various talents and ideas to bear in 

many various ways, including the books she has authored. The don 

shares some of these ideas with WW, subsequent to the launch of her 

latest book. 

a defensive mechanism which 

was constructed at that time at 

the instance of the monarch of 

that time Oba Oguola who was 

very powerful and historians 

have looked at how the moats 

have very massive constructionthe 

second largest man-made 

structure as at that time and 

comprised a very complex 

network of ramparts and moats; 

very high, the water was used to 

clean the mountain around it 

which formed quite an extensive 

Nothing would go 

by me without 

being perfect but I 

think life has 

softened that edge. 

I still like doing 

things properly but 

I am not as much a 

perfectionist as 

when I was 

younger. 

walls around it. It’s really 

incredible when you look at 

how the thing was done. In fact 

one of the Europeans that came 

at the time marveled at the 

phenomenon- the way the 

construction predated the 

discovery of the technology. 

Apart from an interest in 

Landscape I also love tourism 

so I’m hoping that at some point 

I will be able to join the two 

interests together because 

somebody can come from 

anywhere and want to just go 

and see and when he gets there 

will be able to have something 

to take away as a result of 

visiting there. 

When governor Fashola was 

trying to plant flowers and the 

rest, a lot of people criticized 

him. 

In fact strictly speaking I don’t 

know if any other governor has 

done for landscape what 

Fashola did. Yes there are many 

needs that we have and most 

people are not having enough 

to eat so why is he planting 

flowers? But it goes beyond 

planting trees and flowers. The 

crux of the matter is that we are 

our environment and the more 

sustainably we treat the 

resources we have, the more we 

are able to leave behind what 

Continues on page 35


By Josephine 

Agbonkhese 

Multi-instrumentalist, 

composer and 

pioneer of the 

Afrobeat music genre, late Fela 

Anikulapo-Kuti, may have died 

21 years ago, but like the 

northern star, he continues to 

shine even more and live more 

influentially in the minds of 

Nigerians, Africans and even 

the world. 

Endless enigma 

His songs’ lyrics, politics and 

many brushes with the 

authorities as he stood against 

oppression, continues to inspire 

many as they, till date, 

continually infuse his quotes in 

everyday speech. Born Olufela 

Olusegun Oludotun Ransome- 

Kuti on October 15 some 80 

years ago, but popularly known 

as Fela, the self-proclaimed 

Abami Eda of Africa 

(mysterious or weird creature in 

Yoruba) who remains the 

continent’s most unapologetic, 

fearless political activist ever, 

stays true to that title even in 

death. Not even Felabration, a 

week-long activity held each 

year in his memory, usually 

starting on his birth date 

(October 15), has succeeded in 

totally demystifying the legend. 

Fela, his women 

As Felabration 2018 kickedoff 

last Monday with the theme 

‘Overtaking, Overtake…’, 

coinciding with the 80th posthumous 

celebration of the life 

of Fela, one aspect of his life 

that many still find quite 

intriguing, is his women—the 

Kalakuta Republic Queens. 

Even his oldest son, Femi Kuti, 

still confesses he cannot 

explain why his father needed 

to marry 27 women in one day 

like he suddenly did in 1978. 

Although his mother, Chief 

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was 

a die-hard feminist activist in 

the anti-colonial movement 

and his father, Reverend Israel 

Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, was 

an Anglican minister and 

school principal as well the first 

president of the Nigeria Union 

of Teachers, Fela was however 

not known to be a feminist who 

believes in gender equity. 

However, the respect and love 

between himself and the 

Queens of his famous Kalakuta 

Republic were they all 

communally lived and 

performed, were so perfectly 

mutual that he was willing to 

marry them all to save them 

from society’s perception of 

them and earn them some 

Fela with two of his wives 

FELAFela 

and his many 

WOMEN 

respect. This was years after his 

first and only legally-married 

wife whom he met and married 

while living in London, Remi 

Taylor-Kuti (died 2002); mother 

of Yeni, Femi and late Sola, had 

left him. 

The forgotten Queens of 

Kalakuta Republic 

Married in a single 

ceremony on 20th 

February, 1978; a year after 

Kalakuta Republic was set 

ablaze and his mother thrown 

down a window, these 

Queens were backup singers 

and dancers who had left their 

homes and families as 

underage girls, on their own 

accord, to live with the musical 

legend. Despite the public’s 

perception of them as harlots, 

marijuana smokers and even 

ostracisation by most of them 

by their families, they can in 

fact be regarded as the very 

soul of Fela’s music. They were 

his backbone physically (as he 

was said to always have at least 

12 of them beside while 

seated), emotionally (as they 

stood solidly behind him 

through thick and thin 

including in all his arrests and 

even beatings by soldiers) and 

also mentally(as they gave 

soothed and gave him 

stability). 

Their fashion 

After Fela, 

they were the 

main attraction. 

The women 

took Kalakuta 

ten steps 

higher; in fact, 

the Afrobeat 

scene did not 

become the 

artistic trend it 

is today until 

t h e i r 

emergence. 

They were the 

provocateurs of 

their time, 

s t o r m e d 

Kalakuta as 

teenagers and 

even freely 

smoldered 

marijuana 

without minding who was 

watching. 

For their facial makeup, these 

women used efun (white 

organic paint) and osun (red 

paint culled from tree sap). 

With these, they creatively 

made artistic patterns and dots 

on their faces. They set the 

trend and standard for 

adornment in music culture 

and danced sensually in 

African traditional attires and 

beads, making Fela’s music 

more alluring with their hips. 

They were the face and spirit 

of Afrobeat, and thus became 

major targets to those who 

wanted to silence Fela. 

Hardly talked about 

Though not so much is today 

heard of most of these women 

who stood with Fela throughout 

his life and who have also 

decried not being part of the 

annual Felabration held in 

memory of the legend, Bolanle 

Austen-Peters of Terra Kulture, 

had in December 2017, 

resurrected them in a stage 

play titled Fela and the 

Kalakuta Queens, which she 

produced; drawing out some of 

these women to limelight again 

after decades. 

One of those drawn out 

recently was Laide Anikulapo- 

Kuti, nee Babayale. Relieving 

her experiences as a Queen at 

the Kalatuta Republic and wife 

to Fela, Laide,who emphasized 

that Fela did not die of HIV/ 

AIDs as reported after his 

death, said: “I met Fela while I 

was in secondary school. My 

house was opposite the Shrine 

at Surulere Night Club. That 

was how I met him and became 

his dancer. I started with him 

as a girlfriend before he 

eventually married me in 1978. 

I am a music lover and 

naturally fell in love with Fela. 

It was the 

music that 

attracted 

me to 

him.” 

F e l a 

married 

us to 

make us 

proud- 

Laide 

On her 

parents’ 

reaction to 

her choice 

of Fela as 

a man, 

L a i d e 

s a i d , 

“They did 

not take it 

lightly at 

all. I was 

taken out 

of Fela’s 

house more than 10 times but I 

always went back.” 

Laide who recounted Fela’s 

mass wedding to herself and 26 

others including the following: 

Fehintola Kayode (Seun’s 

mum), Damiregba (Naijite, 

Motun’s mum), Kevwe 

Oghomienor (Kewe), Folake 

Oladeinde (Alake), Folake 

Oladejo, Ronke Edason, 

For their facial 

makeup, these 

women used efun 

(white organic 

paint) and osun 

(red paint culled 

from tree sap). With 

these, they 

creatively made 

artistic patterns 

and dots on their 

faces 

Laide, Emaruagheru 

Osawe, Ihase, Shade 

Shodeinde, Suru Eriomola, 

Tejumade Adebiyi, Omolola 

Osaeti, Tokunbo Akran, Ronke 

(another one), Adejonwo, 

Lamiley, Funmilayo, Adunni, 

Remilekun, Kikelomo, Lara 

and Bose, said the decision to 

marry them all was borne out of 

Fela’s love and respect for them. 

“Fela loved us and was not 

Fela with some of 

his 27 wives 

happy with the way people were 

treating his women. He married 

us because he wanted to make 

us proud; he did not want us to 

be disgraced. They used to call 

us prostitutes and Ashewo, Igbo 

(Indian hemp) smokers and this 

made us very unhappy. He 

knew how we had fought with 

him and suffered for him. We left 

everything, sacrificed 

everything just to be with him. 

We never abandoned him to 

suffer alone; anywhere they 

were taking him to, we went 

with him. By marrying us, he 

gave us honour and showed us 

appreciation. He wanted us to 

be respected as responsible and 

hard working women. We still 

continued our dancing/singing 

work for him and received our 

income every Monday,” said 

Laide who also revealed she was 

very close to Fela and was the 

one who nursed his mother until 

her death. 

I am not ashamed to be one 

of Fela’s girls- Omolara 

Another, Omolara, who 

recounted lessons learned from 

her life with Fela, said: “I 

learned a lot; especially how to 

be honest and hard working. I 

am not ashamed to be one of 

Fela’s girls. I worked for him, I 

am not a prostitute and my 

family never rejected me. 

Whenever I went home, they 

welcomed me. Even my mother 

knew I was staying in Fela’s 

house and it was not a big deal. 

Fela was grossly 

misunderstood.” 

Omolara whose testimony 

affirmed the loyalty of Fela’s 

women toward him, said: “After 

the attack on Kalakuta Republic 

in 1977 in which soldiers came 

for us with their clubs, petrol, 

whips and matches, I was 

hospitalised for two weeks. 

Later, they charged us to court, 

but the judge discharged us 

because we had no case to 

answer. They beat the hell out 

of me. It was a very bad 

experience which I will never 

forget but that did not stop us 

standing behind Fela. The 

soldiers beat and even raped 

some of us. I was stabbed in a 

very delicate part of my body.” 

Contrary to claims that herself 

and the other 26 wives were 

divorced by Fela eight years 

after the mass wedding 

ceremony conducted by 12 Ifa 

priests however, Omolara 

swore that Fela never divorced 

any of them even until his 

death in 1997. 

While Abami Eda 

continues to reign even in 

death, it won’t be out of place 

for the dozens of women who 

contributed heavily to his life 

and career, to also be 

remembered.


The Oracle of Ota and his 

questionable endorsement 

THE Southwestern town of 

Ota is famous primarily for 

two things: farming and 

witchcraft. For its Yoruba 

neighbours, the witchcraft is the 

most fabled and the wickedness 

of the Ota witch is the 

benchmark by which other 

witches are measured. 

This is probably the reason 

that such inexplicable 

supernatural powers are 

attributed to perhaps the most 

famous landlord of the rusty 

town; and he is commonly 

referred to as ‘the Oracle of Ota’. 

Olusegun Obasanjo’s Abeokuta 

home and office have in recent 

times become the shrine at 

which this international oracle 

is worshipped by subscribers, 

and his various homes have 

become, for some reason, a 

Mecca of sorts to thousands of 

visitors seeking various favours, 

mostly financial and political. 

Thousands of his visitors 

come and go unnoticed to the 

outside world. Many do not 

even get to see him, and a few 

are only interested in using his 

Many have 

criticized 

Obasanjo’s 

perceived 

endorsement of 

Atiku and the last 

three Nigerian 

presidents to boot, 

as being an 

‘endorsement of 

failures’. 

presidential library and the 

facilities it offers. More than a 

decade after he left public 

office, Obasanjo has continued 

to be relevant and has defied 

demystification in political as 

well as social circles, though it 

remains unclear how this 

largely unpopular figure 

manages to wield such 

influence 

People have said that you 

ignore Obasanjo at your peril; 

and it appears his erstwhile vice 

president Atiku Abubakar has 

taken this to heart. If he has not, 

his handlers clearly have and 

so far, they have generated far 

more publicity at home and 

abroad than they would have if 

they had spent a billion naira. 

The choice of Obi has been 

hailed as a master stroke in 

more or less the same way the 

choice of Osinbajo was hailed 

as a masterstroke in 2015. As a 

governor of Anambra state who 

emerged in very interesting 

circumstances , his people still 

hail him as ‘Okute’- Stone, in 

the local language. According 

to his people of Anambra both 

at home and in the diaspora, 

there is no better man or woman 

of South Eastern extraction that 

can be the cement by which a 

strong and enduring 

foundation can be built for the 

Atiku Abubakar 2019 

presidential campaign. 

The great Christian that he 

is, Obasanjo has wasted no time 

in touting his religion as he has 

often done in the past when it 

is convenient. The Afenifere 

factor had been thrown in for 

good measure and as far as 

happy endings go, the Atiku/ 

Obasanjo reconciliation is as 

glorious as any. 

For all its inherent flaws, the 

beauty of democracy is that it is 

self correcting. When practiced 

correctly, a mass of people 

retain the right to install a 

public office holder in one 

instance and summarily 

remove him or her from the 

same office for any reason 

whatsoever- by the ballot. 

What if Obasanjo is not an 

oracle? What if the man behind 

the masquerade is simply 

another vulnerable human 

whose veins bleed when 

punctured? Maybe he is just 

overrated and a merely nasty 

big brother who cannot wait for 

his younger ones to fall into the 

same pitfalls as he had 

If his endorsement of Atiku 

Abubakar were not such a 

wishy washy one, Obasanjo 

would have cast aspersion onto 

his own personality as being 

of shaky integrity or at best, one 

with poor judgment. Many 

have criticized Obasanjo’s 

perceived endorsement of 

Atiku and the last three 

Nigerian presidents to boot, as 

being an ‘endorsement of 

failures’. But did Obasanjo 

really endorse Atiku? 

The political god who tore his 

party card in 2014 and said he 

was resigning from active 

politics was apparently still 

holding on to old grievances 

which clearly would always 

translate to issues with anyone 

these grievances are directed 

at. Atiku had found himself in 

this unfortunate position for 

very many years, and they have 

been very troubling years in the 

political wilderness in which he 

had been accused of very many 

unprintable things, including 

by Obasanjo himself. 

And as far as endorsements 

go, this must be the most half 

hearted, most ambiguous one 

ever made. Far from gentrifying 

Atiku, its greatest merit was in 

taking a stab at Mohammadu 

Buhari who, though very 

unpopular on the international 

political scene where Obasanjo 

remains more than a superstar, 

has remained virtually ‘above 

board’, and therefore so far 

untouchable. 

This 

reconciliation charade, far from 

strengthening the Oracle’s 

deity, has merely reenacted the 

famous but almost forgotten 

political sagacity of Atiku 

Abubakar. 

The problem with Nigerians 

is that we are so busy playing 

politics with the politicians that 

we have lost the ability to look 

out for our own interests. 

Playing politics with the 

politicians means we fail to look 

out for the very criteria we ought 

to 

Ṅigeria is an extremely 

complex country to run, and if 

anyone knows this, it is 

Obasanjo himself. A man of 

extensive international 

contacts, his criteria might be 

somewhat at variance with 

those of the citizens of Nigeria 

while looking for a president. 

We know this because 

Nigeria’s recent political 

history has taught us. 

Boring as that is, the political 

figure Nigeria needs to back for 

the 2019 presidency should be 

one that is clean, intelligent, 

detribalized, and with a clear 

understanding of Nigeria. 

Landscaping is more than just beautiful 

ambience— Dr Nnezi Uduma Olugu 

Continues from page 33 

our children and our 

grandchildren can also enjoy. 

The kind of benefits we get from 

landscape are not often 

tangible, more like ephemeral. If 

you walk down the street that 

has shaded trees, you feel very 

good, you forget your worries, 

the sun is not hitting you 

directly; if there’s a high 

temperature you don’t know 

about it. You have good thoughts 

as you go. When they started I 

always found reason to go down 

Ikorodu Road which usually is 

full of traffic but just seeing the 

ambience created by the trees 

really did a lot. When it comes to 

landscape, it’s beyond the 

beauty. It clears the air and 

beyond that anybody who 

traveled out of Lagos before that 

time, coming back is unable to 

recognize different parts of 

Lagos because sometimes when 

they take pictures, even in the 

Nollywood films, they would 

pretend to be abroad. Things are 

changing. 

At the time he started there was 

lot of friction but people are 

enjoying it even though they are 

not willing to come out. People 

are a lot more aware and even in 

a beautiful environment you are 

at peace. When you are in a 

house filled with greens, the cost 

of your electricity, air 

conditioning goes down but if 

you don’t have greens you will 

have headache, you will not be 

able to understand what you are 

doing. The sooner we 

understand and begin to 

appreciate landscape, the much 

better. Meanwhile appreciate 

landscape by the things you are 

able to learn from it: ecology, 

psychology, sociology, 

engineering, architecture, 

landscape. It’s very very 

extensive. 

How do you suggest town and 

gown marry? 

It’s really the way to go but for 

me- I am teaching what I am 

doing. It’s just that there is a lot 

of government- I don’t want to 

say corruption- but the people 

I’ve been able to work for, private 

individuals and corporate 

bodies are able to see the 

difference and the students we 

have trained. Politics is a bit dirty 

for me but if there are ways that 

one can be involved, why not? 

Slowly but surely town and 

gown needs to happen and it’s 

actually happening in a lot of 

ways. I do a lot of work with 

banks but it’s not yet at the level 

it should be. 

•Dr Nnezi Uduma Olugu 

Ambode promises best women 

conference yet 

…plans free transportation, live broadcast, other resources 

By Olasukanmi Akoni 

The wife of Lagos State governor and 

chairman of the Committee of Wives of 

Lagos State Officials, COWLSO, Bolanle 

Ambode, has given assurance that the 

18th national women’s conference of the 

committee, will be better than the previous 

editions. 

She spoke in her office at Lagos House, 

Alausa, Ikeja, while giving some insight 

into the level of preparation for the threeday 

conference, holding from Tuesday 

23rd to Thursday, 25th October, at Eko 

Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. 

Mrs. Ambode noted that the conference 

theme ‘Strengthening Our Collective 

Impact’, would focus on the advantages 

derivable when women act together, as 

against when they act individually. 

According to her, ‘This theme focuses on 

the advantages derivable from our collective 

impact, compared to when we act alone. If 

you take a closer look at our society, women 

are strong willed. It is very obvious that 

God created and endowed us with skills, 

innate abilities and a hidden strength that 

no one can explain’. 

‘When we come together and collaborate, 

whether in government establishments, 

privately owned businesses, NGOs or 

wherever we find ourselves, we tend to 

achieve significant lasting social change 

that will be beneficial to all. We have unique 

powers of being able to look at problems 

and come up with solutions that would 

transform lives and make the world a better 

place’. 

Speaking further, the chairman of 

COWLSO stated that the conference would 

be declared open by Governor Rochas 

Okorocha of Imo State and declared closed 

by Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of 

Kebbi, adding that major highlights would 

come up as usual, including the fun-filled 

gala nite on day two of the conference, where 

lots of mouth watering prizes would be won. 

She disclosed that free transportation had 

been provided from the conference venue 

to Yaba, Ketu, Oshodi, Mile 12, Ojo, Agege, 

Ojodu-Berger, Iyana-Ipaja, Ikorodu and 

Lekki-Ajah, for the convenience of 

participants, on day two which is the gala 

nite. 

Shedding some light on the resource side 

of the conference, she listed topics for 

discussion to include: ‘Vulnerable but not 

Defenceless; ‘Hazards of Teenage 

Pregnancy’and ‘Life of Purpose – 

Navigating Aspects of Life Successfully’, to 

be examined by seasoned facilitators like Dr. 

Veronica Ayo Iwayemi, Folashade Adetiba 

and Omotola Rotimi among others. 

She added that one of the major highlights 

of the three-day conference, is the 

inspirational woman of the year award, often 

given to a woman of impact, generally 

acknowledged in the society, and certificates 

of appreciation would also be given to 

individuals and organizations for their longstanding 

partnership and support for 

COWLSO. 

In addition to a live-streaming of the 

conference according to her, non-participants 

could follow the programme on online. 

The national women’s conference is 

organized once every year by COWLSO.

36—SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 

IT took a lot of effort for 

me to dorn my glad 

rags recently and attend 

the engagement ceremony 

of a colleague’s daughter. 

We’d been quite friendly in 

the finance company I 

worked with for some 

years, but had lost close 

contact when she left for 

greener pastures. We run 

into each other from time to time at 

social gatherings and it was at one 

of these gatherings that she 

discreetly passed the invitation 

card to the wedding to me. It seems 

to be the fashionable thing to do 

these days—the post office services 

are so erratic there is no guarantee 

that whatever you post will arrive 

at its destination, and in good time 

too. Courier services too seem to 

be costing the earth and if you’re 

sure to dispatch some of your bulky 

invitation cards at a few parties 

before the d-day, you might easily 

dispose of a large percentage. 

The thing is, I find it a bit 

impersonal to be handed an 

invitation at parties. What if I 

hadn’t turned up, would my 

colleague still send me a card? She 

doesn’t even know where I 

currently live. But I’d liked her once 

and she’d followed up the invitation 

with a few calls. That was why I 

happened to be sitting at a table 

with a couple of past colleagues 

when, who should turn up on our 

table but Joan, my friend from hell? 

No wonder I had this reluctance to 

attend. She squealed with glee 

when she saw me; “How nice to see 

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 

Friends who would try all 

tricks to poach your man! 

Life could be fun after the kids finally leave! 

Do you feel lost and lonely now that your children have flown the 

nest? Are you strangely missing the piles of dirty washing and the 

blaring of music—or are you too busy turning a grotty bedroom into 

a cosy study, where you can relax in the afternoon with refreshments 

and a magazine! Or are you thinking of letting part of the house for 

some easy cash? New research has revealed that in order to cope 

with the empty-nest syndrome, many parents are giving their homes 

a make over soon after their youngsters move out. Almost 30 per 

cent start renovating within two months of their children leaving, 

according to a survey carried out by Zurich Insurance, a third 

redecorate their child’s old room, while the same number go further 

and transform it into a study or holiday room. Some even revamp 

the whole house. 

So what makes people quick to reach for their paint-brushes once 

their kids go off to university or set up home with friends or a partner? 

More than half of those who took part in the survey said they wanted 

to reflect the change in family life. Experts agree that after years of 

children drawing on the walls and leaving dirty plates under beds, 

many parents are happy to have the chance to make their homes 

their own again. 

“Children may well bully their parents into letting them redecorate 

their own rooms and even other parts of the house,” says Phillip 

Hodson, a counselling psychotherapist. “So parents lose part of their 

own identities. They have to wait a long time to get their house 

back. Then they can make it smarter. Renovating can help parents 

rediscover their identities. 

Once a child’s bedroom is yours again, it’s natural to want to mark 

your territory. 

There’s an itch to get in there and sort it all out. It’s like moving 

into a new house. Even if it’s been beautifully decorated, you still 

want to change things to make it yours. However, in some cases, 

there may be another reason why parents get the urge to decorate. 

You may be trying to fill time because you’re missing the children. 

But what if your son or daughter wants to move back in? Will they 

be happy to sleep in the couch because their room is now for worship? 

“Children are likely to feel disappointed when the house is not 

their childhood home any more,” says Hodson; “they might feel a 

bit hurt and pushed out and think that you couldn’t wait to be rid of 

them. Does that mean you should restrain yourself from covering 

the black walls in your son’s bedroom with brighter paint? Not really. 

As parents, you have to get on with your own lives.” 

you after all these months! My 

goodness, you look smashing.” 

Now what? I thought, my 

guard instantly up. Joan is 

always trouble with a big T. 

The last time I’d seen her was 

when she ruined a wellplanned 

weekend away with 

a couple of friends by feigning 

the loss of a necklace she 

claimed was pure gold. When 

she realized the host wasn’t 

exactly eager to offer the cash 

equivalent of the missing 

‘gold,’ the item mysteriously 

appeared! So what’s up? She 

wanted to know. I wished she 

would disappear to where, she 

came from. My slight 

indifference was lost on her as 

she plunked herself on the 

chair next to me, chatting a mile to a minute. “I need to see 

you,” she said, suddenly becoming serious, “I toyed with the 

idea of coming to the office but thank goodness I ran into you 

here. “This was definitely the crunch, I said silently. “A group of 

us are getting together to set up a construction outfit,” she started. 

She’s certainly full of surprises. I arched my brow and she 

continued, “I’m only a sort of power broker. I help them find 

investors and they pay me a commission.” I heaved a sign of 

relief. I’m scarcely the type to proposition to invest in a 

construction company! “What this company does,” she went on 

excitedly, “is build several 

categories of houses to be sold 

to members of the public. Shall 

I drop by your office to show 

you the prototype of the 

buildings?” 

I said nothing, I was seething 

inside. Who was she to tell me 

what my contacts should do 

with their money? On and on 

she went.... In the end, I 

reluctantly asked her to drop 

the prototype in my office. She 

did better and came clutching 

the pamphlet as if it was a 

crown jewel. As I flipped 

through its glossy pages, she 

gushed. “Have you told him 

yet?” she asked, referring to 

Mike, a very good friend she 

implored me to contact. I said 

no. I needed to have my facts 

before I talked to him. Only she 

had a better idea. “Why don’t 

When she realized 

the host wasn’t 

exactly eager to 

offer the cash 

equivalent of the 

missing ‘gold,’ the 

item mysteriously 

appeared 

you arrange for me to meet 

him so I could explain 

everything to him? I could 

bring one of the directors 

as well. Better still, why 

don’t you give me his 

phone number so I could 

talk to him myself and fix 

an appointment?” How far 

should you push your luck? 

I told her handing Mike’s 

phone number to her was 

out of the question. We then 

agreed on a Saturday for 

her to come to the house to 

talk to Mike after I must 

have briefed him. Of 

course, I had no intention 

of doing anything about 

her hare-brain scheme. But 

came she did. 

About an hour later, and 

a few drinks down her 

throat, she wondered if I 

should call Mike as he was 

running late. I told her it 

was a no-no to call him at 

home even on his mobile. 

That he usually called me 

if he needed anything. I 

feigned annoyance that he 

hadn’t even called, if only 

to cancel this appointment 

he fixed himself. I told her 

not to worry, I would get 

him on the phone at work 

first thing on Monday and 

let her know what would 

happen next. “Why don’t I 

call him myself and make 

an appointment to see him 

in the office?” she offered. 

Nice try. I told her not to 

worry I would get back to 

her. She had the common 

sense not to pester me 

again after the brush-off I 

gave her. 

Barely days after that, a 

fairly close friend came into 

my office. I was genuinely 

glad to see her and as we 

exchanged gossips... she 

told me she’d recently 

been thrown out of her flat. 

“That’s why it’s not a good 

idea to let from a woman,” 

she hissed. “You don’t know 

how long her legs would be. 

Because I owed my 

landlady some rents, she 

took me to court and before 

I knew it, bailiffs were 

hauling my things out of 

the flat in full glare of the 

neighbours.” 

Didn’t she get any court 

summons? She said she 

did, but was hoping the 

court would arrange a mode 

of payment for her rent 

arrears. We were nattering 

away when who should stop 

by, but Mike to tell me about 

plans for the evening. He 

looked good. Money 

certainly sat well on him, 

and has turned him into a 

merry widower, I thought, 

as I proudly saw him off. I 

noticed my friend giving 

him an interesting look. 

“Is he your flavour of the 

moment”? she wanted to 

know as I came back. “The 

things is, the reason I really 

came to see you is that a 

relative in Surulere wants 

to dispose of his one-room 

bungalow and would gladly 

let me have it if I could 

manage a down-payment of 

N12 million. Now, if I could 

find someone to give me a 

loan, I would pay it back 

within six months....” I 

laughed inwardly. A 

woman who couldn’t pay 

her rent now wanted a 

twelve million naira loan. 

“Things are a bit rough for 

everybody these days,” I 

told her. “We’re all clinging 

to the spare cash we have.” 

“Do you think your Mike 

would give me the loan if 

you put in a good word?” I 

was taken aback. How 

daring can some people be? 

How she expected me to 

wheedle twelve million 

naira off Mike and I hand 

it over to her beats all logic! 

When I told her to forget it, 

then followed it with a string 

of financial commitments 

Mike had, she looked at me 

as if I were a traitor. 

Friends! Who needs some of 

them! Just when you’re 

relieved your life is on an 

even keel emotionally and 

financially; some of them 

suddenly surface, wanting 

a bite of the cherry. And who 

knows to what length they 

would have gone to get that 

bite if I’d given Mike to 

them on a platter?



Is the human race 

doomed? Fresh 

fears that the human 

species face imminent 

extinction have 

emerged following 

findings from a new 

study showing that the 

quality of men’s 

sperm all around the 

world is rapidly 

declining due to 

pollution, sedentary 

lifestyle and junk food. 

The experts say 

sedentary lifestyles 

lower sperm 

production, while 

cheap and saturated 

fats found in junk food 

are known to harm 

sperm counts. They 

are warning that 

more men will 

become infertile 

over time, 

threatening the 

future. 

A man’s sperms 

carry half the 

genetic material 

necessary to make a 

complete human 

being. A woman’s 

egg holds the other 

half. 

But this alarm in 

reproductive health 

circles is not new. 

All over the world, reports 

of declining sperm quality 

and increasing male 

infertility attributable to 

low sperm count and poor 

sperm motility and 

morphology have been 

making the rounds. The 

typical African, Asian, 

American or European 

male has been battling 

declining sperm quality 

for decades. 

In 2017, health experts 

warned that the human 

species could face 

extinction, after facts 

emerged that the average 

sperm count in Western 

countries had more than 

halved in a generation. 

The latest findings 

reveal that men’s sperm 

quality is falling every 

year due mainly to 

unhealthy health habits 

and sedentary lifestyle and 

health experts are worried 

that modern life is 

destroying male fertility. 

One study by fertility 

clinics established that the 

number of active sperm in 

men’s semen sample 

drops 1.8 per cent each 

year. Another study found 

that male fertility is 

declining in five out of six 

American cities. The new 

findings were presented at 

the annual meeting of the 

American Society for 

Reproductive Medicine in 

Denver, Colorado. The 

findings compelled the 

Thinking about 

spermaggeddon? 

SPERMAGGEDDON! 

Men are becoming 

gravely infertile 

*Junk food, lack of exercise, pollution killing sperm quality globally 

issuance of a public health warning that 

junk food, lack of exercise and pollution may 

be fueling the spermaggeddon (sperm 

death) crisis. 

Researchers led by the Sidney Kimmel 

Medical College in Philadelphia and 

fertility clinic IVIRMA monitored almost 

120,000 men seeking treatment for fertility 

problems in Spain and the US from 2002 to 

2017. The men were put into three groups 

based on the millions of swimming sperm 

in their semen samples. 

“Fertility clinics found that the number of 

moving sperm—or 

‘swimmers’—in men’s 

samples has dropped by 

1.8 per cent each year. 

Measuring ‘swimmers’ is 

seen as a better way of 

judging fertility than 

sperm count alone. Among 

American men in the most 

fertile group, who had 

more than 15 million 

moving sperm, this went 

down by 1.8 per cent for 

each year of the study. 

Between 2002 and 2005, 

84.7 per cent of men were 

in the most fertile group, 

but this fell to 79.1 per cent 

between 2014 and 2017. At 

the same time, the 

proportion of the least 

fertile men rose. Those with 

poor fertility, from five 

million swimming sperm to 

none, increased from less than 9 per cent of 

the total to 11.6 per cent. 

Co-author of the study, Dr James Hotaling, 

stated: “We did not expect to see the same 

fall in sperm quality in Spain and the US. If 

this trend continues, there is potential for 

more men to become infertile.” 

A UK expert, Professor Charles 

Kingsland, of CARE fertility, also said: 

“Our change to a more sedentary 

lifestyle has no doubt had an effect, as 

has our diet because men tend to eat far 

more rubbish than they did a generation 

ago.” 

The second study, led by Icahn School 

of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 

involved more than 2,500 sperm donors. 

It found that fertility declined over 11 

years in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Boston, 

The findings 

compelled the 

issuance of a 

public health 

warning that 

junk food, lack 

of exercise and 

pollution may be 

fueling the 

spermaggeddon 

(sperm death) 

crisis 

Houston and 

Indianapolis. New 

York was the only one 

of the six cities studied 

to buck the trend. 

Sedentary lifestyles 

are believed to lower 

sperm production, 

while cheap and 

saturated fats found in 

junk food are known to 

harm sperm counts. 

Bisphenol A (BPA), 

widely used in plastic 

wrappers and 

containers, is known to 

be toxic to sperm. 

Sperm counts have 

been on the decline for 

more than 50 years 

and many factors are 

responsible. The trend 

is essentially a 

reflection of the 

inherently detrimental 

effect to sperm 

production of environmental and 

lifestyle changes over the past half 

century or more. 

Increasingly, experts have been 

reporting incidences of men with 

genetically fragile sperms. Such 

sperm have fragmented DNA chains, 

which make them to be of low quality and less 

capable of fertilisation. 

While it was thought that the problem was 

only genetic in nature, it is now known that 

lifestyle issues are involved. 

“We are seeing more men who are having 

bad sperms, weak sperms and abnormal 

sperms, and there is a real need to explore a 

suitable intervention to meet the growing 

proportion of men that need help in this 

direction,” noted Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a fertility 

treatment specialist, and Medical Director, 

Nordica, Fertility Clinic, Lagos, Asaba and 

Abuja. 

“There are many things in the environment 

causing what is described as oestrogenisation 

of men. Things such as paint, exposure to 

petrol and even insecticides can affect sperm 

count. Men working in fuel stations, for 

instance, are known to suffer from low sperm 

counts.” 

According to Dr. Richardson 

Ajayi, Medical Director, The 

Bridge Clinic, Lagos, “Our 

grandfathers had higher 

sperm count than our fathers 

who had higher sperm counts 

than our generation. A 

common theory is that the 

male of our species is getting 

exposed to a lot more female 

hormones than ever, basically 

due to a lot of xerophenes in 

the atmosphere. These 

Elizabeth 

xerophenes have female 

hormone oestrogen-like 

effects and exposure of males 

to them could be deleterious.” 

Clinical records show that in 

Nigeria, 25 percent of couples 

are infertile, and that half of 

the causes are due to male 

factor issues. 

To illustrate the continuing 

decline of male fertility in the 

modern world, French 

researchers once conducted a 

study on French men aged 

18-70, tracking their average 

sperm counts across the 

country between 1989 and 

2005. Their findings showed 

a drop in sperm counts 

among all French men in this 

age range, of about 1.9 

percent per year on average, 

and by 32.3 percent on 

average over the course of the 

16-year period studied, while 

the number of normallyshaped 

sperm dropped by 

33.4 percent during the study 

period. 

“This constitutes a serious 

public health warning,” said 

Dr. Joelle Le Moal, an 

environmental health 

epidemiologist and one of the 

researchers. Le Moal said the 

downward trend observed in 

the study clearly illustrates a 

perpetual decline in male 

fertility, which more than 

likely extended far outside 

the borders of France and 

around the world. 

Based on the figures, 

average sperm concentrations 

dropped from 73.6 million 

per milliliter (mi/mL) among 

35-year-old men in 1989 to 

49.9 mi/mL among the same 

age group in 2005, 

highlighting a disastrous 

situation.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

The ways of politicians are beyond 

understanding. Their values 

when they exist, are very different from 

those of the rest of us. I don’t 

necessary mean that in a 

complimentary way. I know that 

politicians and indeed, anybody in 

public life must have a large heart and 

a thick skin. I know there are no 

permanent friends in politics; only 

permanent interests. But that should 

not mean the absence of honour, of 

integrity, of values. I learnt very early 

from my father—God bless his dear 

departed soul—that a man’s worth is 

not in his possessions however great. 

A man’s worth is intrinsic. It is in the 

things he puts values on and holds 

dear like character, honour, integrity, 

punctuality…. I also learnt from 

Martin Luther King Jr, one of my 

favourite persons, that the means we 

use must be as pure as the end we seek. 

I received a call last week from a 

close friend of mine who had careered 

into politics and found himself in the 

National Assembly at a time. Although 

the call was not on politics, it came on 

the eve of the now famous Ota 

reconciliation, so I asked his opinion 

on it. His answer made me wonder 

what politics had done to my friend. 

He told me it was humble of Atiku to 

apologise and it was magnanimous of 

Obasanjo to forgive. It was incumbent 

on good Christians who seek 

forgiveness to learn how to forgive; he 

went on and on. I could almost hear 

the enactments of Jesus,’ ‘Sermon on 

the mountain’ as my friend virtually 

preached the virtues of peace-making 

to me. I reminded him that the 

impression we were given in copious 

written and oral statements by 

Obasanjo was that what he had 

against Atiku was nothing personal. 

Obasanjo had stressed that they sent 

representatives and presents to the 

weddings of each other’s children. So 

the ‘sins’ to be atoned for were not 

against Obasanjo or any person for that 

matter. It was therefore not up to one 

man, any man, to say ‘all is forgiven. 

The dangers inherent in 

journalism are brutally being 

conveyed to the whole world by the 

unfolding developments around the 

disappearance of the missing Saudi 

journalist, Jammal Khashoggi. 

Khashoggi was reportedly 

dismembered in his country’s 

consulate in Istanbul, Turkey earlier 

this month. He was killed on account 

of his sensitive commentaries that 

apparently did not put the Saudi 

government in good light. 

However, Hauwa Liman, the 

Nigerian humanitarian worker, who 

was killed by Boko Haram within days 

of the execution of Khashoggi was not 

given to provocation as a professional 

past time. Hauwa, on the contrary, was 

working with the Red Cross, helping 

to fill the gaps left by her government 

when she fell into the hands of the 

Boko Haram militants. 

The terrorists did not consider it that 

she was a Muslim as they had 

proclaimed themselves to be. They also 

did not consider it that she was trying 

to fill the gap created by the failures 

of government that originally spurred 

the Boko Haram rebellion. 

Hauwa was killed to score a point. 

But that point was easily swallowed 

in the cacophony in the camp of those 

who her killers were trying to send the 

message to. 

Carried away by the desperate 

attempt to win election, the political 

class put the murder of Citizen Hauwa 

Liman as a footnote in the midst of the 

high-wired politicking going on 

SATURDAY 

The enemy of my enemy is my friend 

Go and sin no more.’ 

Atiku’s crimes according to 

Obasanjo, were crimes against the 

state. Worse, they were crimes caused 

by a default in his character as 

analysed by his accuser. Which meant 

he couldn’t help himself even if he 

wanted to. Obasanjo even went as 

low as to allude to Atiku’s parentage. 

I refuse to quote the words Obasanjo 

used to describe Atiku in his many 

statements because I believe they are 

unworthy of a statesman. Nobody 

should fight that dirty; least of all a 

former head of state. I also believe, 

as a former Editor, that some of the 

words are actionable and I will not 

want to repeat libel. The summary of 

the accusations are that Atiku is 

deficit in trust and character, and 

therefore unworthy of any responsible 

position. And that in Obasanjo’s 

books, he is definitely unworthy of 

being the President of Nigeria. But 

my politician friend still believed that 

whatever misdeeds that were 

committed had been atoned for and 

it was time for everyone to forget the 

past and move forward. It took all my 

self-restraint not to cut the phone 

abruptly. What my friend failed to see 

is that a character flaw if true, cannot 

be swept under the carpet. In the end, 

the man whom Obasanjo said God 

would not forgive him if he foisted 

him on Nigeria knowing what he 

knows has just been foisted on 

Nigeria and with the blessings of the 

clergy to boot. 

The only analogy I can give is that 

The political value of a 

Nigerian life 

around the country. The political 

actors were more concerned by the 

time-lines set by the Independent 

National Electoral Commission, 

INEC,than the brazen murder of 

Hauwa. 

Only last month Saifura Khorsa, 

another aid worker kidnapped along 

with Hauwa was killed by the 

terrorists and the government’s 

response was nothing more than a 

mutter. 

Even the opposition that should 

help to rouse the government to its 

responsibility was also negligent in 

its responsibility. It is such a 

harrowing thing for many Nigerians 

grappling with the developments 

pertaining to Khashoggi in Turkey to 

realize the value to which the 

political class in Nigeria holds the life 

of the citizens of the country. 

Yes, after President Muhammadu 

of a man who has been shortlisted for 

employment. The new employer as a 

responsible company, seeks reference 

from his old employer. The head of 

his former company then writes a 

scathing character reference 

describing him as dubious, amoral 

and of an inherently shifty character. 

The new employer is still reading the 

devastating letter with his mouth 

Everybody in Ota on that 

day, including the generals 

who pulled some strings 

from afar are against the 

continuation of the Buhari 

administration 

agape and wondering how such a 

man rose to such a height in paid 

employment when this head of former 

company calls the new company to 

say the man in question had come to 

him personally to apologise and all 

is now forgiven. What does this say 

about the character of the boss who 

treats alleged character flaws with 

such levity? What does it say about 

the man himself who goes to 

apologise instead of fighting in 

Buhari’s celebrated telephone call to 

Hauwa’s father, nothing much has 

been heard from government as 

bandits who were told have been 

technically defeated hold the nation 

to ransom. 

The killing of Khorsa last month 

should have demanded a more sober 

response from the authorities, if not, 

an indignation that never again 

would such a thing happen. But alas, 

it passed away and the following 

month, it was Hauwa’s turn on the 

death row. Killed in the act of 

humanitarian service filling out the 

role that government had failed to fill. 

The week before, President Donald 

Trump was gloating all about after he 

snatched an American citizen from a 

Turkish prison where he had been 

held apparently as a victim in a proxy 

battle between Turkey and the United 

States. America has shown that it 

would do anything to secure the 

Vanguard, , OCTOBER 20, 2018—39 

righteous indignation for his name? And 

what will it say of the new company if on 

reading the scathing reference and 

watching the ensuing drama still employs 

this man knowing his apology could be 

an attestation of some truth? 

In my book, the man whose character 

has been slurred, whose honour has been 

stolen, whose name has been tainted is 

not the one to apologise unless there is 

some truth in the allegations. Otherwise, 

he should seek to reclaim his name and 

honour by forcibly refuting the allegations 

and forcing an apology. I hate to say this, 

but the manner of his capitulation bothers 

me. It is like he does not put too much 

stock on his name and honour and puts 

everything down to politics. The manner 

of his emergence as a Presidential 

candidate also bothers me; especially the 

role money played and the role the 

generals allegedly played during the 

primaries. These are tools of the status 

quo. The role of these generals in the 

current state of the nation has not been 

enviable and to defer to them is to 

denounce change. These guys are the 

bastions of the status quo. The champions 

of the rent seeking elites. Remember, the 

means we use must be as pure as the ends 

we seek…. In fact, there is nothing, 

except Atiku’s inclination towards 

restructuring that suggests a departure 

from the status quo. 

It will be naïve of anybody at that 

reconciliation get together to think there 

is no political motive to it all. Everybody 

in Ota on that day, including the generals 

who pulled some strings from afar are 

against the continuation of the Buhari 

administration. The reasons may differ 

but the goal is the same. Buhari must not 

be allowed to continue. The enemy of my 

enemy is therefore, my friend. Ota, was 

more than a reconciliation. It was an 

endorsement. It was a statement. We can 

also choose to read the statement as ‘show 

me your friends and I will show you who 

you are.’ In the fight to remove Buhari, 

Obasanjo and Atiku have become friends 

and allies. For all the fiery 

characterisation of Atiku by Obasanjo, it 

is possible that both have some character 

traits in common. 

But beyond the death of the two 

humanitarian aid workers, countless 

more Nigerians are dying on account 

of the failures of governance 

liberty of her citizens from any part of the 

world. 

But for Nigeria with many of her citizens 

held captive by Boko Haram and other 

local non-state actors within Nigerian 

territory, the government is seemingly 

helpless in its primary duty of 

safeguarding the life and property. 

But beyond the death of the two 

humanitarian aid workers, countless 

more Nigerians are dying on account of 

the failures of governance. 

Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and the 

roads around it in the Apapa end of Lagos 

have practically turned into an eyesore 

and a disgrace to governance. Tankers 

and trailers have choked the whole 

environment that many people living in 

that area are being forced to relocate. 

Many people have been attacked by 

hoodlums in the traffic snarl caused by 

the tankers leading to significant losses. 

It is such a pity that life including the 

life has been significantly devalued in the 

country. What a shame!


Obasanjo once knew too much 

about Atiku Abubakar. Whatever 

it was he knew was so abominable he 

feared the wrath of the gods if he dared 

support Atiku’s quest to be president 

of Nigeria. Atiku had dismissed 

egotistical Obasanjo and his 

accusations. He said Obasanjo’s 

vendetta was the price he had to pay 

for stopping Obasanjo from becoming 

another Paul Biya. And you would be 

forgiven if you thought Atiku had no 

need then for Obasanjo’s forgiveness. 

Pa Adebanjo thought so too, four 

months ago. It’s unlikely Pa Adebanjo 

believed that Atiku was exactly 

incorruptible. He was however certain 

Obasanjo’s apparent righteousness 

defied evidence. In his book published 

a few months ago he described 

Obasanjo as a living pharisee who had 

no moral right to deem anyone corrupt 

let alone pretend to possess cleansing 

power. 

But a few days ago, Pa Adebanjo, in 

broad daylight took Pa Atiku to Ota so 

that he could be cleansed of his sins. 

Atiku maintains he never suffered from 

the political leprosy Obasanjo had 

diagnosed in him. But he turned up 

for cleansing anyway. In the sermon 

preached at that River Jordan in Ota 

that day, Obasanjo reconfirmed Atiku’s 

sinful state. He advised the newly 

cleansed man to brace up for the 

consequences of known skeletons 

sticking out of his cupboards. And to 

prepare to cope with the ghosts of yet 

to be exhumed iniquities. 

If Bishop Kukah hadn’t let the cat out 

of the bag we would have believed 

the Ota ceremony was a thoughtfully 

planned event. But the Bishop merely 

ran into Obasanjo the day before in a 

church. He reminded Obasanjo 

casually of the spiritual need to let 

his captives go. Atiku was his 

longstanding prisoner and apparently 

they had discussed that inmate in the 

past. Obasanjo promised to consider 

his entreaty. Obasanjo must have 

responded with a contorted face and 

sufficient nonchalance. The Bishop 

must have prayed. And left with 

There were fatalities associated 

with a Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, NNPC oil 

pipeline inferno in Osisioma Ngwa, in 

Abia State last week. Osisioma is close 

to the NNPC Depot in Aba. NNPC’s 

preliminary report indicated alleged 

activities of vandals who hacked into 

the line to intercept flow of premium 

motor spirit, PMS in its System 2E 

pipeline network from Port Harcourt to 

Aba. Communities claimed the inferno 

was caused by an explosion on the 

pipeline. Conflicting as the reports 

from both parties were, it was an 

established fact that fire killed about 

200 people. We inflame passion when 

we are not temperate in our utterances, 

so leaders should learn to take 

responsibility. Many have lost loved 

ones and we should empathise with 

these families in their grief. 

The unfortunate incident was indeed, 

a national calamity that may require 

an enquiry to forestall a recurrence. 

This is not time for our trade culture 

on the deceased who may have been 

victims of our national malaise. It 

again calls to question the vexed 

issues of safety and security of lives 

in Nigeria. The right of way resurfaced 

after the unfortunate incident. What is 

the right of way for petroleum pipeline 

and associated infrastructure? What is 

the reason for right of way? Many live 

under high tension power lines without 

knowing the danger to their lives and 

its effect on the society. Until there is 

an explosion from a leaking products 

pipeline many of our citizens are wont 

to believe that it was opportunity to 

scoop free fuel from a society they 

perceive care less about their survival 

and well-being. The 1998 Jesse 

pipeline explosion claimed over 1000 

lives who ignorantly attempted to eke 

out bare existence from scooping highly 

flammable Premium Motor Spirit. 

Obasanjo and his ‘kabukabu 

coalition 

cautious hope. 

A few hours later Obasanjo called 

the Bishop. He declared Atiku free 

again. He chose a date when a 

cleansing ceremony will take place 

in Ota. The Bishop certainly sees 

visions but most probably he saw 

good fortune rather than desperation 

in Obasanjo’s speed. The Bishop 

accepted the date with gratitude. 

Obasanjo was desperate for the 

ceremony. He had promised the 

nation too much and embarrassment 

was starring him in the face. 

The Bishop must have thanked God 

for answering by fire. He didn’t know 

God was actually preparing to 

change the answering speed from 

fire to thunder. Only a few hours 

passed before the General called 

again. This time he didn’t hold back. 

He wanted the cleansing ceremony 

to hold immediately—the very next 

day. The bishop must have been 

astounded. Things had moved 

blindly quickly. The bishop 

scrambled to reach Atiku. He 

believed it would be a solemn 

spiritual affair. Atiku must have 

kicked the air in ecstasy. Atiku 

suspended everything and headed 

to Ota . 

What the Bishop met the next day 

in Ota told the rest of the story. 

Obasanjo had assembled PDP 

bigwigs. He assembled Afenifere 

chieftains. He brought in one 

influential pastor. The spiritual 

reconciliation of two elderly men 

became a political jamboree where 

The Osisioma Ngwa pipeline inferno 

Pipelines are good to distribute 

petroleum products. Pipelines as 

energy infrastructure are important 

for refineries, petrochemical plants, 

gas plants, power generation, 

transportation and manufacturing. In 

Nigeria pipelines are those major 

links to refineries, petrochemical 

plants, storage facilities, terminals 

and thermal electricity generating 

plants. We have about 5100 

kilometres network of crude and 

multi-product pipelines linking four 

refineries, 10 gas plants, 10 export 

terminals including two offshore 

terminals in Bonny and Escravos, 

four jetties at Atlas Cove, Calabar, 

Warri and Okrika as well as 22 

interlink storage depots and 83 

private depots for PMS, DPK and 

AGO. The pipeline is a specialized 

form of transport mode that is very 

important to a nation’s development. 

Nigeria’s pipelines crisscross the 

rivers, creeks, swamps and 

farmlands in the Niger Delta and to 

depots outside the region. In an 

effective pipeline network, any 

disconnect puts consumption out of 

the reach of the intended user. 

Pipeline vandalism makes 

government lose revenue from stolen 

crude oil and petroleum products. 

Much as we may blame vandals 

Atiku would be endorsed by 

Obasanjo, Afenifere and almost 

everyone else present. Obasanjo 

had taken new political captive 

in Buhari. So he was ready to let 

go one real or imagined Barabbas. 

But why was Obasanjo in such a 

haste? 

Obasanjo had in January written 

Buhari and advised him to resign. 

In that letter he described the two 

main parties as wobbly useless 

parties. He said Nigeria was 

doomed except a third force 

intervened. He promised to lead a 

brigade of Angels and patriots to 

rescue the country from calamitous 

drift. Many people believed him. 

And waited to see a Nigerian 

Redemption Force. But they only 

saw Olagunsoye Oyinlola and a 

few others run helter skelter, and 

then hold meaningless meetings. 

A few others jumped out with 

righteous indignation and poured 

opprobrium on the two main parties 

before forming new parties. They 

hoped that in due season these 

parties would coalesce and 

‘operation rescue’ would begin with 

international support. 

Oby Ezekwesili championed the 

Red Card brigade. She must have 

believed Obasanjo too. Others 

similarly propelled by a renewed 

idealism formed the Nigeria 

Intervention Movement. The 

nation yearned for a new 

beginning. Wole Soyinka who has 

known Obasanjo since Lord 

and their nefarious activities our 

petroleum resources managers 

have not risen to the challenge to 

deploy our pipelines effectively. 

The excuses that vandals destroy 

facilities have left the pipelines to 

experience moribundity. Facilities 

that are left for upwards of ten years 

may not pass integrity tests for lack 

of use. The situation has giving 

room to transporting petrol using 

road tankers; some of them with 

contents of 60,000 litres of 

inflammable products moved from 

the congested import terminal of 

Lagos to distances of over 1500 

kilometres in Nigeria’s hinterland. 

The situation as it were meant there 

were greater risks to the motoring 

public as we frequently witness 

countless avoidable fatalities in the 

cities and the highways of these 

articulated petroleum tankers 

whose drivers are infantile in road 

conduct. They are used because 

they have the exuberant and 

youthful energy to go the long 

mileage hug. 

Again,these have brought friction 

between and among marketers 

and the petroleum products 

authorities on petroleum 

equalization over allowances and 

claims. The situation leads to 

Atiku maintains he never suffered 

from the political leprosy Obasanjo 

had diagnosed in him 

Lugard smirked. He said Obasanjo 

wasn’t capable of a moral enterprise. 

Perhaps he foretold what was to come. 

Many months after Obasanjo promised 

a rescue coalition, nothing that could save 

a big village happened. Obasanjo went 

into a literal hibernation. When he came 

to the surface occasionally he didn’t 

mention the coming of any force. Five 

months to the national elections, the hopes 

he had raised were falling apart. The two 

main parties remained the only functional 

political vehicles capable of taking 

anyone to Aso rock. 

Obasanjo keep a straight face. But he 

must have been apprehensive. So when 

Bishop Hassan Kukah met him in that 

church and brought up that reconciliation 

matter, he opened a window for Obasanjo. 

Obasanjo, within 24 hours of the receipt 

of that opportunity, presented Atiku to 

Nigerians as the man that would lead the 

rescue he planed with angels in January. 

The same Atiku whom he had discarded 

as irredeemably politically deformed. That 

day he rechristened him an economist, an 

expert in job creation. 

We need not to ask Obasanjo where his 

coalition is. He has adopted the kabukabu 

which a few months ago he had deemed 

overdue for the junk yard. The PDP has 

become the third force which Obasanjo 

promised. 

Bishop Kukah wants Obasanjo to go to 

heaven. He may have one more 

reconciliation to achieve. He may have 

to beg the country to forgive Obasanjo for 

promising a brand new vehicle and 

delivering a ‘kabukabu.’ 

The unfortunate incident was indeed, 

a national calamity that may require 

an enquiry to forestall a recurrence 

product diversion by some marketers who 

want to profiteer. The present NNPC 

management may have appreciated the 

need to utilize the pipelines and 

attempting to deploy it optimally. Having 

crisscrossed some of these facilities one 

may be in a position to say that we have a 

lot of work to do in securing our critical 

national infrastructures. Communities are 

blamed for not assisting with relevant 

information for pipeline security even 

when we fail to educate them on the 

dangers inherent in pipeline bursts or 

leaks. Pipelines in most communities have 

become sources of horror in Nigeria. 

There are many countries that have 

succeeded in policing their pipelines that 

we can learn from. If security is the 

problem we should deploy adequate 

resources in securing our pipelines. 

Critical energy infrastructure vandalism 

has assumed global dimension that 

protection cost governments billions of 

dollars. The Federal Government recently 

approved N17 billion to track refined 

petroleum products movement from the 

point of importation opening to storage 

tanks of filling stations where they are 

discharged and sold. The authors fail to 

consider security of pipelines. It was time 

we corrected this lapse. It is cheaper to 

transport products through pipelines than 

using thousands of articulated road 

tankers. It is the standard global practice.

Have you ever been in a 

relationship, where you felt 

everything was going on fine and you 

were moving towards marriage, and all 

of a sudden your boyfriend/girlfriend 

pulls off the plug? Even worse, he/she 

does not give you any reason for ending 

the relationship. That was the situation 

John found himself in over 20 years ago. 

John and Joan were six and half-a-dozen; 

they were inseparable. There could not 

have been any more perfect couple-tobe. 

Then out of nowhere, Joan ended the 

relationship. She would not give 

anybody, including John, any reason for 

ending the relationship besides saying 

she loved John too much to hurt him 

forever. By ending the relationship then, 

she had already “killed” John, so which 

forever was she talking about? She would 

not elaborate. Stubborn Joan, her 

conscience was clear, and she would not 

be forced into talking. Both of them moved 

on with their lives, although after over 

20 years, I cannot really say John has 

moved on. He still has not let go; he still 

bears grudges against Joan. 

Joan still loves John. She said John will 

always have a special place in her heart, 

but insists she took the right decision. 

She said John was everything, almost; 

great friend, companion, lover, brother 

and father-figure. So why did she end 

the relationship? After over 20 years, she 

let out the cat from the bag: John was too 

disorganized and it was something that 

drove her up the wall. Day and night, 

she agonized. She knew it was hopeless 

and unfair to try to change him. That was 

just the way he was. Reading this, you 

will think Joan is crazy or foolish, but she 

was and still is a Methodist (not 

denomination o). She is an extremely 

organized person and seeing John so 

disorganized alone disorganized her life. 

She said there was no way in this world 

she could have put up with it all her life. 

She would have committed suicide, killed 

him, or ended the marriage. She loved 

They were Commonwealth Games 

medalists in high jump, born in 1935, 

joined the Army and were executed 

by firing squad. Emmanuel Arinze 

Ifeajuna and Ebenezer Abossey Kotei, 

better known as Robert, shared so much 

in common. Note the striking initials, 

E.A. 

Ifeajuna was the first Nigerian to win 

a Commonwealth gold medal. This he 

achieved in the high jump event of 

Vancouver ’54. His feat of 6 feet, 8 inches, 

dwarfed the young man’s height. 

Kotei was the first Ghanaian to win a 

Commonwealth Games medal, a bronze. 

At Cardiff ’58, his mark was 6 feet, 7 

inches. And that came four years after 

Ifeajuna’s triumph in Canada. 

The year[1958] Kotei won a 

Commonwealth medal, was the year 

Ifeajuna bagged a degree in Chemistry, 

from the University College, Ibadan. Two 

years later, the latter joined the Nigeria 

Army and was commissioned Second 

Lieutenant. That was in 1960. 

Kotei’s first and only Olympic 

appearance was in 1960 when Ifeajuna 

enlisted in the military. Ifeajuna trained 

at the Mons Officer Cadet School, in the 

United Kingdom. Same year, Kotei, set 

a new Ghanaian high jump record in 

London. That record lasted for 36 years 

until it was broken in 1996. 

Even in death, they followed the same 

path. Ifeajuna was executed in 1967, 

allegedly, for plotting to oust Biafran 

leader, Col. Emeka Ojukwu. Shot with 

him were Brig. Victor Banjo, Major Philip 

Alale and Mr. Sam Agbam, of the 

Foreign Service. 

Kotei’s execution came in 1979. It was 

after the Jerry Rawlings coup. Those who 

faced the bullets with him included: 

Generals Akwasi Afrifa, Ignatius 

Acheampong, Fred Akuffo, Admiral Joy 

Amedume, Air Vice Marshal George 

Boakye and Col. Roger Felli, Forign 

Affairs minister. 

They were executed in their respective 

countries’ capital cities, Enugu and 

Accra. Both were buried in the Eastern 

region. Enugu, was capital of the Eastern 

region before the declaration of Biafra. 

Myster 

ery solved 

John too much to take any of these 

routes. So ending the relationship 

was the only available and practical 

option. 

Now I know. So John, I know you 

are far away. But just in case you are 

reading this, you now know why Joan 

dumped you. Not that it will make 

sense to you or change your stubborn 

mind, but at least you now know. I 

did ask her one more question, why 

did she not tell you? I did not see it 

as any big deal. But she said it would 

So ending the 

relationship was the only 

available and practical 

option 

have been of no use because you 

were set in your ways. Doing things 

differently would have made you 

miserable. I still feel she should have 

left you to worry about the fallout of 

telling you. Anyway, I had to obtain 

Joan’s permission before sharing this 

publicly. She only requested that your 

real names should not be used. 

In life and in our relationships, we 

do have little things that are huge. 

They end up being the determinants. 

So, Joan’s case is not isolated. In 

the 90s also, I had another friend who 

SATURD 

TURDAY Vanguard, 

OCTOBER 20, 2018—41 

liked her. She was beautiful, but it was 

not just the beauty; she was just likeable. 

But Dapo never took the relationship 

serious. I found that a little upsetting. 

I felt he was just using Titi and wasting 

her time. When Dapo felt my wahala 

was too much, he told me he could 

never marry Titi. He also did not want 

to end the relationship. He just wanted 

it to fizzle out. Why would he not marry 

her? He said Titi’s “resistance level” 

was too low, that she would not be 

faithful. 

Which one is “resistance level” again? 

He said Titi “melts” if he held her 

hands just for one minute, no matter 

the initial resistance. He feared that she 

would also “melt” easily if put under 

little pressure by other men. He even 

told me to test her to verify his assertion. 

What kind of stupid experiment is that? 

What if she actually “melted” and I also 

“melted” and the environment was 

enabling? I just felt it was a dumb 

assignment to give to someone in his 

20s with boiling blood running in his 

veins and did not bother. Looking back 

at Dapo’s strange request, we were 

very dumb in some aspects, even 

though we felt we were smart young 

men then. Anyway, we lost touch; there 

were no mobile phones then. When we 

met again some years later, Dapo was 

married, but not to Titi. I never bothered 

to ask him what happened between 

them. 

The essence of these stories is to open 

the eyes of young people. Sometimes 

relationships end abruptly and you 

begin to wonder where you went wrong. 

Sometimes you do not get the benefit 

of knowing where you went wrong. 

That is why I feel that communication, 

no matter how tough, should take 

place. After all, which relationship, 

including marriage, can thrive without 

communication? Anyway, if you get hit 

below the belt, just move on, it is not 

the end of the world. That pain too will 

subside and go away some day. 

was very close to his girlfriend. Let us 

just call them Peter and Pauline. 

Pauline was the quintessential 

marriage material. Im mama cook am 

don (the mother prepared her for 

marriage). She could cook, organize 

the house and even organize Peter’s 

scattered life. Everybody around Peter 

envied him. I am sure one or two even 

thought of the possibility of snatching 

Pauline from him. Everything was 

going on well. It was only a matter of 

time before they got married. 

Unknown to us, Peter was also 

agonising. He loved Pauline to bits no 

doubt, but Peter was a straight guy. 

Black was black, while white was 

white. Black could never look like… 

to Peter; it was simply black. But 

Pauline was something else. To put it 

nicely, she was dodgy. That was 

something Peter could not handle. It 

bothered on trust and credibility in 

their relationship. Then one weekend, 

when Peter was sufficiently sure he 

could not cope with Pauline’s lies all 

his life, he ended the relationship. I 

still cannot say who was more 

devastated, but Peter was unbelievably 

tortured mentally over the break-up, 

but it was a bitter pill that he had to 

swallow. 

Our last case is Dapo and Titi, 

another very close couple-to-be in the 

90s. Titi was nice and amiable. 

Everybody who met her even for the 

first time naturally and effortlessly 

Kotei, just like Ifeajuna 

Kotei’s grave lay at the Nsawam 

Prisons Cemetery, Adoagyiri in the 

Eastern region. His body was later 

exhumed in 2001 and reburied with 

full military honours, thanks to 

President John Kuffour. 

Similar things happened during 

their execution. In Enugu, Banjo, 

stood with head unbowed after the 

others had been silenced by the 

marksmen. A tough officer, who 

knew about Nigeria’s first coup in 

1966, but did not take part, it took 

more bullets to silence him. 

“ Am not dead yet, am not dead,” 

Banjo who commanded what he saw 

as The Liberation Army, shouted. 

Biafrans called his troops 101 

Division and his First Chief of Staff 

was, Ifeajuna. 

In Accra, Afrifa, who arrived the 

execution crowd waving, was hard 

to kill. “Am not dead, am not dead 

yet,” he screamed. A soldier walked 

up to him, pulled a pistol, it would 

not work. A sub machine gun was 

applied to do it. 

Afrifa played a huge role in 

Ghana’s first coup of 1966. The 

leader was Ifeajuna’s namesake, 

Emmanuel Kotoka. Afrifa was 

Brigade Major, Second Brigade, 

Kumasi. Ifeajuna was Brigade 

Major, Second Brigade, Lagos. Kotei 

was Acheampong’s last Chief of 

Army Staff. 

Before Afrifa, another officer, Lt. 

Samuel Arthur, had defied death 

during execution in Ghana. It 

happened at Labadi Beach in 1966. 

Twenty years later, 1986, and 19 years 

after Banjo, it also happened in 

Nigeria’s Kirikiri Prison. Lt. Col. Mike 

Iyorshe, did not give up easily. 

Ifeajuna was Igbo and his people 

trace their roots to the Hebrew State of 

Israel. Kotei came from the Ga Dangmes 

ethnic nationality. They look up to the 

Jews as their ancestral siblings. 

The first Nigerian military leader, 

Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, was Igbo 

and would have been retired in 1966 

before he smashed the first coup. The 

general was commissioned in 1948 and 

served in Ghana during the Second 

World War. 

The first Ghanaian military Head of 

State, Gen. Joseph Ankrah, was Ga and 

was called from retirement in 1966 after 

the first coup. Ankrah received his 

commission in 1947 and tried to make 

peace in Aburi during the Nigerian 

Civil War. 

While Kotei won bronze in Cardiff, 

two sisters, Amelia and Edith Okoli, 

became the first siblings to represent 

Nigeria at the Commonwealth. Like 

Ifeajuna, they were Anglicans. And like 

Kotei, their brother, Alex, represented 

Ghana in highjump against Nigeria at 

the 1954 Triangular Games. 

Ifeajuna jumped across the Nigeria/ 

Dahomey border after the January 1966 

coup and ran into the warm embrace of 

the first Ghanaian president, Kwame 

Nkrumah, in Accra. The Osagyefo’s 

mentor was, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the 

first President of Nigeria. 

Zik’s aunt, Okwuegbunam, was the 

grandmother of Deborah, whose 

daughter, Stella Adadevoh,is today widely 

beatified as the Angel who saved Nigeria 

from Ebola destruction in 2014 and died 

so that Nigerians could live 

And this Ifeajuna/ Kotei nexus could 

have so much to do with the Owelle. 

Zik and Ifeajuna were from Onitsha. 

In that part of Anambra, you have 

section named after Ghana. 

Dr. Azikiwe trained as a police 

officer in Kumasi. His first job as a 

journalist was in Accra. The Owelle’s 

wedding in 1934 was in the 

Ghanaian capital. And that was a 

year before Ifeajuna and Kotei were 

born. 

Zik’s aunt, Okwuegbunam, was the 

grandmother of Deborah, whose 

daughter, Stella Adadevoh,is today 

widely beautified as the Angel who 

saved Nigeria from Ebola destruction 

in 2014 and died so that Nigerians 

could live. 

Ifeajuna and Kotei wiped tears off 

Dr. Azikiwe’s face. They won 

Commonwealth Games medals, gold 

and bronze, respectively. Zik was 

denied the opportunity of taking part 

in the Games in 1926. 

At Storer College, the United 

States, Zik was an outstanding 

athlete. Before he left Nigeria, the 

young man played soccer for 

Diamond Football Club, Lagos. 

Azikiwe played tennis, was a good 

boxer and outstanding in track and 

field. 

In 1926, this Nigerian was Storer 

College all rounder. He thought he 

was good enough for the British 

Empire Games. Zik was denied 

because of his skin colour. That was 

the day the Onitsha man dropped his 

English name, Benjamin.


UNAGHA, EX-APC PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT YELLS: 

APC fractured in nearly 

36 states, can’t win 

with Oshiomhole 

•The only way APC 

can win in Delta state 

•Speaks on Uduaghan, 

Kachikwu, Ogboru, Emerhor 


Regional Editor, South-South 

FORMER All Progressives Congress, 

APC, presidential aspirant, Alhaji 

Mumakai Unagha, has expressed 

uncertainty about the party winning the 2019 

Presidential Election, saying that it was 

broken into factions in almost all the 36 states, 

including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, 

and facing serious challenges under the 

National Chairman of the party, Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole. 

“I am worried if the party can still win in the 

midst of the problems we have under 

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He has to 

resign for the party to clinch victory in the 

forthcoming election,” the Delta-born APC 

chieftain declared in an interview with 

Vanguard. 

On why he and other ex-presidential 

aspirants were insisting on Oshiomhole’s 

resignation, Unagha said: “We are not against 

Oshiomhole as a person but his principles 

and policies. His principle and policies are 

not fashionable to APC, hence we are against 

him. “ 

“If the First Lady of the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria can no longer tolerate excesses of the 

party chairman, I wonder how he can deliver 

the party come 2019. His first and remarkable 

mistake when he assumed office was the 

creation of a parallel division in Delta State 

by inaugurating a factional leadership led by 

Prophet Jones Erue. 

“He did so in most of the 

states across the federation. 

Today, the party is divided 

into factions in almost the 

thirty six states and the 

Federal Capital Territory. 

He could not manage the 

crisis leading to the exit of 

Governors, Senators, 

House of Representatives 

members, etc,” the former 

presidential aspirant 

asserted. 

No presidential primary 

by APC 

Speaking on why the 

Coalition of APC 

Presidential Aspirants 

refused to accept defeat by 

President Buhari in the 

party’s primary, he said: 

“Accept defeat gallantly is 

an understatement. Did the 

APC hold presidential 

primary election? Where 

was it held and who 

presided? Who were the 

Independent National 

Electoral, INEC, Officers 

that supervised it in all the 

wards across the country?” 

“These and many other 

questions are begging for 

answers. It was all a show 

of shame. I sent my aides 

round the entire country to 

monitor the so- called 

If Adams 

Oshiomhole is 

not having 

sleepless nights 

over Delta state 

simply because 

he is not from the 

state, I am having 

sleepless nights 

because I am 

from the state 

presidential primary election; it did not hold. 

Rather, some miscreants were busy compiling 

figures using old register of the party. 

“While the so called presidential primary 

election was on, the President was in far away 

US busy attending summit. I can only accept 

defeat if there was free and fair contest, I can 

accept defeat if APC in its true sense of 

promoting the rule allows a level playing 

field,” he said. 

Oshiomhole scared of 

our growing popularity 

On his recent congratulatory message to 

Buhari over his emergence as the party’s 

presidential flag bearer, he said: “Yes, I 

congratulated Mr. President because of the 

interest of the party. The party is supreme. I 

want to place it on record that neither myself 

nor Dr. SKC Ogbonnia and Chief Charles 

Udoagaranya, who are all members of the 

Coalition of 2019 APC presidential aspirants 

has anything against Mr. President.” 

“Our agitation is based on principles. How 

can a chairman of a party unilaterally increase 

hike nomination fees to unbearable and 

unacceptable reach just because he was afraid 

of some aspirants? The chairman was worried 

of our growing popularity. They are afraid 

that we are going to give Mr. President a tough 

fight, hence all the maneuvering to prevent us 

from contesting. 

The problem with Delta APC 

Commenting on the crisis 

that has torn APC apart in 

Delta, he said: “It is very 

unfortunate. Unfortunate in 

the sense that some persons, 

who are not genuinely 

members of the party, are 

making it unbearable, they 

pretend they are APC 

members, but they are not. 

I prayed that the crisis 

should not affect the fortune 

(chances) of the party in the 

state come 2019.” 

“All these are traceable to 

the National Chairman of 

the party who, after 

assuming, office swore in a 

factional chairman. The 

chairman did not behave as 

father of the party. He is not 

thinking how the party can 

retain power, his first preoccupation 

was to punish 

perceived enemies within 

the party by creating a 

factional leadership. 

“Look at Delta, Rivers, 

Akwa Ibom, Imo, Kaduna 

etc. That’s why I said the 

National Chairman lacks 

the principles to lead a 

ruling party. He has not 

been able to articulate a 

coherent agenda or clear 

manifesto for upcoming 

election; he has succeeded 

in creating a level of 

acrimonious divisions 

never witnessed in Nigeria political history,” 

Unagha added. 

Hijack 

He said: “I did not attend the Prophet Jones 

Erue- led primary election conducted or 

supervised by him in Delta state. However, I 

learnt that guns were fired with tear gas when 

aspirants protested delegates’ list purportedly 

sent from Abuja. I did not attend because I 

knew it was all going to be a sham.” 

“Before the primary election, there were 

boastful allusion that the committee sent by 

the National secretariat of the party were 

already bought over by Chief Great Ogboru/ 

Ovie Omo- Agege faction, that they were given 

instruction to deliver Chief Great Ogboru. The 

second reason I refused to attend was the 

failure of the party to harmonize the two 

factions. 

“Like I said before the primary, Ogboru/ 

Omo-Agege faction was jubilating that the 

party structure had been handed over to them 

so I did not imagine myself attending such 

primaries. 

Sleepless night 

“If Adams Oshiomhole is not having 

sleepless nights over Delta state simply 

because he is not from the state, I am having 

sleepless nights because I am from the state. I 

wear the shoe and I know where it pinches. 

With the level of division within the rank and 

file of the party in the state, I wonder how APC 

can take over except through miracle. 

What I told Ogboru 

“Sometimes, I am tempted to say that those 

who decamped to the party are all mules that 

will defect back to their original party or run 

away after the general election, being their 

usual ways of politicking. I told Great Ogboru 

that he should reconcile and work with 

Olorogun Otega, who brought the party to 

the state and single handed funded it, if he 

(Ogboru) wanted to genuinely contest and 

win.” 

Unagha queried: “How would you come to 

a house built by a person, the owner allows 

you to enter and you turn round to rebel 

against him. Not only rebelling against him, 

you also drive him from the house he labored 

to build. I can assure you that the owner will 

use every means available to fight back.” 

They called us Boko 

Haram party 

“Soon as Great Ogboru and Omo- Agege 

decamped to the party (APC), they started 

rebelling against Olorogun Otega Emerhor 

on the grounds that Ogboru was more popular. 

The question is why did he not remain in his 

Labour Party instead of coming to A.P.C? Yet 

these were the people who said APC was Boko 

Haram party. 

“In any case, we want to win, therefore, we 

must allow peace for us to be able to win or 

else we shall all be all losers and those who 

just decamped to the party would have nothing 

to lose than go back to their original parties.” 

Cancel governorship, other primaries 

What is the way forward in Delta, Unagha 

told Vanguard: “There are so many ways to it. 

One, the primaries from the governorship to 

the House of Assembly should be cancelled 

and direct primaries conducted. Similarly, 

such primary be supervised by unbiased 

committee.” 

“There should be a genuine harmonization 

of the state executive and not lip service as it is 

now. I suggest very strongly that the Delta 

North should be accorded the governorship 

ticket if truly the party means to win,” he said. 

Unagha explained: “Although zoning is not 

an APC policy, but for the purpose of equity, I 

think is naturally fair and just for Delta North 

to complete their eight (8) years so long as 

Delta Central and South senatorial districts 

completed theirs.” 

“Delta North is an integral part of the state, 

they are stakeholders like any other tribe in 

the state, so it is wise and proper for them to 

do same. I do not believe in shortchanging 

anybody, Delta state belongs to all of us, we 

should allow Delta North to complete its 

tenure to guarantee peace, equity and justice.” 

APC cannot win in 

Delta except… 

“I am afraid that should the party ignore 

this principle, I don’t see APC winning in Delta. 

I also foresee the party losing the chance of 

claiming Delta state if various differences are 

not resolved,” he added. 

I welcome 

Uduaghan 

Speaking on the decamping of former 

governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel 

Uduaghan, to the party, he said: “Now that 

those who used their might to fight APC in the 

2015 general elections have suddenly 

discovered that APC is the party to beat, we 

should allow them. However, I warn that 

leadership of the party should not be entrusted 

in their hands as their agenda is to win and 

defect back. Some of them may not be 

sincere; they came to APC because they were 

no longer relevant in their party.” 

Unagha said the Minister of State for 

Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, should do more 

as the highest political officer holder from the 

state in the party to address the matters 

weighing the party down. 

Kachikwu should do more 

His words: “ I think that the Honourable 

Minister of State for Petroleum should put in 

more efforts as he is the highest office holder 

from Delta State at the federal level. Though 

he has been trying according to speculation, 

he should do more. The only way we can come 

out of this ugly situation is justice, justice and 

justice.” 

“Take for instance, all those who came from 

the Labour Party want to hijack the party 

structure in the state as well as all the elected 

offices. These are people who used the security 

agencies during the administration of former 

president Goodluck Jonathan to chase us from 

our homes during the 2015 general election. 

“However, we have found ourselves in one 

party, we must work together to take the state 

from PDP. We can only do so when there is 

respect for one another, especially the original 

members of the party,” he added.

2019: Ihedioha, Igboeze, other 

Igbo groups back Atiku over Obi 

By Emeka Mamah 

Enugu —Governors and other leaders 

of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, 

in the South East zone stirred 

controversy last week when they rejected the 

choice of the former Governor of Anambra 

State, Mr. Peter Obi as the running mate to 

the Presidential candidate of the party in the 

2019 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

Less than 24 hours after Atiku announced 

Mr. Obi as his vice presidential candidate on 

October 12, 2018, the PDP leaders met at the 

private residence of a major political actor in 

Enugu and rejected Obi’s choice to the chagrin 

of other political stakeholders. 

Atiku and Obi would tackle incumbent 

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, at the polls. 

The leaders raised objections over Obi’s 

choice saying that he was chosen and 

announced without their knowledge. 

They said that they felt slighted that 

they knew about Obi’s choice through 

the social media. But their action, we 

gathered, was not against Obi but 

against Atiku for not consulting them. 

The Chairman of the South East 

Governors’ Forum and governor of 

Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, 

who spoke to reporters after the 

meeting however said that Abubakar 

should have met with South East 

leaders over the choice of his running 

mate. Umahi’s initial reaction to Obi’s 

choice was also, very scathing but a 

lot of people were not surprised as the 

governor had developed soft spot for 

APC since the EFCC sealed his hotel 

over allegations that N400 million 

released by the detained former 

National Security Adviser for the 

2015 general elections was used in 

building the edifice. He has since 

denied any wrong doing. 

Obi’s nomination 

receives standing 

ovation at Igbo confab 

in USA 

However, Obi’s nomination was 

reportedly received with a standing 

ovation during the recent conference 

of Anambra State Association in 

the United States of America, ASA – 

USA, held in Chicago. 

Anambra State president of 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Damian 

Okeke, told reporters in Awka 

yesterday that Anambra people in 

America were delighted at the choice 

of Obi, who, as the governor of 

Anambra State for eight years, 

collaborated well with ASA –USA in the 

execution of many projects in the state. 

“It is heart-warming to state that in faraway 

Chicago, USA, where I attended the just 

concluded ASA-USA annual conference, the 

news of the choice of Mr. Peter Obi as the Vice 

Presidential candidate was received with 

standing ovation and the World Igbo Congress 

has clearly declared support for the joint 

ticket,” the Ohanaeze President said. 

According to him, though Ohanaeze is not 

a political organization, it is still committed 

to the political future of Ndigbo and the South 

East geopolitical zone, adding that the period 

of election was not the right time to play to the 

gallery, but the time to face the real facts. 

He said although there were some Igbo 

presidential flag bearers of some political 

parties, supporting them would be like riding 

a bicycle to Lagos, while supporting the big 

parties with Igbo interests would be like flying 

to Lagos in an aero plane. 

He said: “The journey to 2019 has started 

and is gathering momentum. 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has earlier made 

its stand clear in line with the South 

East summit held on 21' May 2018 at 

Ekwueme Square in Awka to support 

every effort towards restructuring of 

the country to give every zone a sense 

of belonging and promote equity, 

justice and fairness that would give 

Ndigbo and every other part of the 

country a sense of belonging. 

“In line with this, Ohanaeze Ndigbo 

resolved to support any political party 

and candidate with a manifesto of 

actualizing the restructuring. This is 

why Ohanaeze Ndigbo Anambra 

State chapter, is declaring total 

support for the choice of Mr. Peter Obi, 

the former governor of the state as the 

running mate to the PDP presidential 

candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

“We want to congratulate the PDP 

and its candidate for the wise choice 

of our own son, Peter Obi, which has 

gained worldwide acceptance and 

commendation. 

“We equally congratulate Nigerians 

for voicing out their general 

acceptance of the joint ticket, 

irrespective of party affiliations, 

showing that their acceptance cut 

across political, religious and tribal 

divides. 

“I want to point out that the so called 

dissenting voice in the South East will 

definitely work with entire Igbo to 

achieve the set agenda. We also want 

assure Nigerians that there is nothing 

to lose sleep about as Igbo are strongly 

united towards restructuring and 

repositioning the country to take its 

rightful position in Africa as the giant 

and power house of the continent, as 

well as engender stable and 

progressive political culture for future 

generation. 

“We also advise Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and 

the PDP to ensure that other key political 

positions are evenly distributed across the 

political zones of the country to carry 

everybody along.” 

Obi Represents 

What Nigeria 

Truly Needs In 2019 

In its own reaction, the Association of South 

East Town Unions, ASETU, described the 

choice of Mr. Obi as the PDP vice presidential 

candidate, as good for the nation. 

The group explained that Obi’s maturity, 

level headedness, integrity and experience, 

represents what Nigeria truly needs in this 

time of economic crisis given his sterling 

performance during his tenure as governor of 

Anambra State. 

National President of ASETU, Chief Emeka 

Diwe, who made this known in a statement in 

Aba, said that the entire town unions in the 

South East are in agreement that Obi would 

add great value to the PDP presidential ticket. 

“We are not also in doubt, and so we make 

bold to say, that in choosing Peter Obi, a new 

dawn of national rebirth has commenced, and 

we will lend our support to it, whole and entire. 

We recall Obi’s sterling performance as 

Anambra State governor and turned around 

the fortunes of the state. We have no doubt 

that as a man of excellence, he will bring the 

Midas touch to the office of the Vice President. 

“Peter Obi brings something refreshingly 

different to bear in governance. He is of the 

stock of uncompromisingly credible 

Nigerians, dedicated to refined values, and 

his understanding of and commitment to the 

economic development of Nigeria will greatly 

usher in a prosperous Nigeria,” Diwe added. 

The South East town unions urged some 

Igbo political leaders opposed to Obi’s choice 

to sheath their sword in the overriding interest 

of the country. 

Former Secretary to Anambra State 

Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze who also 

reacted to the decision of the meeting said, it 

had “left some people a little bit disenchanted 

because they believe there was no 

transparency. 

“We must understand that never in the history 

of this country, even during the defunct 

National Party Nigeria, NPN and the Nigerian 

People’s Party, NPP, had a candidate ever 

consulted on a zonal basis. According to him, 

candidates chose their running mates and 

announced same. I do not understand why 

our case has to be different, apparently some 

people want to play games.” 

We’ll join forces with 

Atiku/ Obi, Igboezue 

The Igboezue International Association of 

Nigeria the Diaspora, IIAND, yesterday called 

SATURDAY Vanguard,OCTOBER 20, 2018—43 

on the Ebonyi state Governor Chief Dave 

Umeahi and the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP stakeholders agitating against the choice 

of Mr. Peter Obi as the running mate to Alhaji 

Atiku Abubaka the party’s presidential 

candidate to desist from such act and join 

forces with welling meaning Nigerians to 

support them. 

The group expressed surprise and sadness 

that people who are supposed to be calling on 

the Igbo based on their positions in Nigeria 

as sitting Governors and National Assembly 

members to support Obi and Atiku were 

opposing their joint ticket. 

While appealing to the anti Atiku/Obi’s ticket 

in the South East to sheath their swords, and 

support them like other people of South East, 

IIAND described their tickets as the best 

political choice ever made by any politician 

in Nigeria. 

A statement jointly signed by its National 

President, Chief Pius Okoye; National 

Secretary, Chief Evarest Ezihe and National 

Publicity Secretary, Comrade Charles 

Amafor, described Obi’s rejection as the height 

of unpatriotic acts to South East in particular 

and Nigeria as a whole. 

“We the Igboezue International Association 

Nigeria and the Diaspora, see the choice of 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s choice of Mr. Peter 

Obi as a good step in a right direction and a 

combination that will bring out Nigeria from 

its current precarious situation. 

“The former Vice President took a very bold 

step, and the choice he made was the best that 

has happened in the Nigeria in recent times; 

picking a man with track records of wealth, 

experience and credibility which the nation 

need at this time was an unmatchable choice. 

“Alhaji Abubakar, being a former Vice 

President for eight years and Mr. Obi, a former 

Governor of Anambra state also for eight 

years… the two being astute technocrats and 

business men can take Nigeria to the next level 

of development it has not witnessed before. 

Infact, the former Vice President has shown 

that he is a political mathematician. 

“We, therefore, categorically state that we 

condemn the alleged opposition by South East 

Governors and the PDP members from the 

zone to Obi’s choice. Their opposition is not 

in the interest of the Igbo nation, but for their 

selfish ends. We therefore demand that they 

retrace their steps before they kill their 

political carriers.” 

Former Deputy Speaker, House of 

Representatives and governorship candidate 

of the PDP in Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, 

described the choice of Obi as most deserving. 

“The choice of Mr. Peter Obi as the PDP Vice 

Presidential candidate is fitting and most 

deserving”, Ihedioha said. 

Ihedioha spoke through his Media Aide, Mr. 

Chibuike Onyeukwu, and appealed to Ndigbo 

to accept Atiku’s choice, and work assiduously 

towards wrestling power from the APC at all 

levels. 

“I am positive that Mr Peter Obi is fit for the 

post. He deserves it. I am certain that he will 

add a lot of value to the ticket. We are 

optimistic and indeed looking forward to 

working with him, to reposition and deliver 

the party in the general elections,” Ihedioha 

said. 

He not only reiterated the unalloyed support 

of Imo people, to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, but 

also enjoined Nigerians at large, “to rally 

round him and our great party, PDP, in our 

quest to salvage our dear country.” 

Reacting also, a youth leader in Owerri, 

Mazi Ikay Ukaegbu, maintained that those 

who are proposing that the running mate 

should have been picked from another South 

East state, missed the point. 

“Granted that the late former Vice President 

of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, hailed from 

Anambra State, the big questions are: Was he 

qualified to hold the post? Did he shame 

Ndigbo while in office? What does Peter Obi’s 

curriculum vitae look like? I don’t think that 

we have forgotten so soon, the record he left 

behind when he served as Governor of 

Anambra State”, Ukaegbu reasoned. 

Generally, there had been jubilation in most 

parts of Igbo land following the nomination 

of Mr. Peter Obi as the vice presidential 

candidate of the PDP, for the 2019 general 

election, despite opposition by the group led 

by the governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave 

Umahi. 

Shortly after the nomination was made 

public, many people trouped out to discuss 

the development, with many saying 

emphatically that with the nomination, Alhaji 

Atiku Abubakar would secure overwhelming 

votes across the country because of Obi’s 

antecedents as a great manager of men and 

resources, which placed Anambra above other 

states in many areas of human and economic 

considerations during his tenure as governor. 

At the Onitsha Main Market, many traders 

rang bells in their lines and prayed for God to 

be on the side of Atiku and Obi during the 

election. Mr. Ambrose Nwaforka, a dealer on 

ladies’ wears said Nigeria stood to benefit 

from Obi’s wealth of knowledge in good 

governance, going by what he did in Anambra 

State for eight years. He said though they have 

been praying daily for Nigeria in distress, 

traders would henceforth add Peter Obi in their 

prayer point for God to guide him and the 

PDP candidate, Atiku. 

Also, the forum of former local government 

chairmen in Anambra State applauded the 

choice of Chief Peter Obi as the vice 

presidential candidate of the PDP, recalling 

that they were elected during the reign of Obi 

as governor.

44—SATURDAY Vanguard,OCTOBER 20, 2018 

Osisioma pipeline explosion victim: 

Poverty led me to 

scoop fuel from 

the leaking 

pipeline 

BY ANAYO OKOLI & 

UGOCHUKWU ALARIBE 

UMUAHIA-A survivor of last Friday’s 

pipeline explosion in Umuimo and 

Umuaduru communities in 

Osisioma Ngwa council, near Aba, Abia State, 

which consumed scores of lives, Mr. Christian 

Nwanmuo has said that poverty led him to 

scoop fuel from the leaking pipeline. 

Nwanmuo, who survived the explosion with 

severe burns, said he and his friends had 

succeeded in scooping the first round and were 

returning for another round when the 

explosion occurred. 

Narrating his ordeal from the hospital 

where he is currently being treated, Nwanmou 

said: “We were returning to scoop more fuel 

when the area exploded. Everywhere was on 

fire, but we were far from the scene. 

I was affected by the fire from the 

surrounding bushes. I was only saved because 

the container I was carrying had no fuel inside 

it. 

I know it was dangerous to scoop fuel from 

the pipeline, but poverty led me to the act. I 

wanted to raise money to buy a motorcycle to 

start Okada business”. 

It was pathetic watching him speak in severe 

pains. 

While Nwanmou was lucky in many ways 

as scores of his friends and relations 

lost their lives in the inferno, Mr. 

Chuks Uzoije, a pipeline guard, was 

luckier. He was not burnt but he 

lost his bungalow to the explosion. 

Uzoije roundly blamed PPMC for 

the fire outbreak as he accused the 

officials of the outfit of not heeding 

their constant calls for them to 

repair the broken pipeline. 

“Everything I labored for in life 

was consumed by the fire. I now 

have only my uniform and my torch 

light. Two of my tenants were burnt. 

Some of them were taken to 

hospitals and I don’t know if they 

would survive. 

“We have been complaining 

about the leaking pipeline, but the 

authorities were not interested in 

mending it. Now, people have been 

roasted”, Uzoije lamented. 

Surprisingly, nothing has been 

heard from the NNPC on this 

tragedy. The presidency has not also 

even sent a message of condolence 

to Abia State and its people. The 

Federal Government has refused to 

commiserate with the people over a 

tragedy that consumed no less than 

put conservatively, 35 persons and 

NEMA is yet to bring relief 

materials, though the Senator 

representing the area, Theodore 

Orji has tabled the ugly incident 

before the Senate. 

The security operatives in Abia State who 

were accused by the locals of collecting money 

from them to allow them scoop petrol were 

yet to react to the allegation, they have only 

been complaining of the number of casualties 

being quoted by the media. 

The blame of negligence on PPMC did 

not come only from the locals in the affected 

communities. The Chairman of Osisioman 

Ngwa Council; Mr. Benjamin Mgbeahuru 

also blamed the tragedy on PPMC. 

According to the chairman, “We have invited 

the PPMC depot manager more than three 

times in our security meeting to give us some 

update on why we are having fire incidents 

every time along our pipelines, but he has 

vehemently ignored those invitations. 

“This line they claimed was an abandoned 

line, but every time they pump products in 

there it catches fire. We must get to the bottom 

of this time around. 

“This is not the first time. The PPMC and 

Federal government are not 

helping us. They don’t come to repair those 

lines. They claimed it is 

abandoned, but how do products go in there? 

This is a very sad period for Osisioma Ngwa 

Local Government Area and Abia in general”, 

the chairman lamented. 

Also, a native of Umuaduru who gave his 

name as Sampson disclosed thtat he lost a 

cousin to the explosion and said his 

late cousin was warned many times 

not to go to the site of the leaking 

pipeline when the news broke out. 

“People who died here are more 

than 50. Some persons carried their 

people before the soldiers came. 

Many others died at Umuimo. One 

of my cousins died here. I was told 

his mother warned him not to go, 

but he left unnoticed with 

wheelbarrow and some gallons. 

“When we heard about the fire, I 

first called everyone I knew, but when 

he could not be reached, I knew there 

was trouble. We are yet to identify 

him because of these soldiers who 

claimed they were looking for 

something and everyone to stay 

away. 

“The Army people prevented 

people who lost their loved ones from 

going in there because we learnt that 

some of their members who came to 

do the same thing my cousin came 

for were also burnt here. They 

removed their burnt members very 

early in the morning, but still insist 

that we must not remove ours 

because they are looking for 

something. 

They [allegedly] beat people with 

cutlass and chased women away 

because of whatever they were 

looking for which most of us suspect 

must be the guns of their burnt 

members which they didn’t want to get into 

the wrong hands”, he said. Many other 

members of the communities made similar 

lamentations. 

However, succor has started coming the way 

of the victims with the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar donating N10 million to them. 

Atiku who was represented by his running 

mate, Mr. Peter Obi, expressed shock over the 

incident and consoled the families who lost 

their relations. 

“Our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar, is out of the country. He would have 

been here by himself; he insisted that we must 

come to sympathize with our people. We 

commiserate with the Governor, the people of 

Abia state, Osisioma Ngwa council and the 

families who lost their loved ones in the 

incident. When we were riding to the 

community, the governor said the government 

should check the quality of pipes being used 

and how to secure the pipeline to avoid a 

recurrence. We will join hands to fix our land 

so that we won’t record such incident”, Obi 

said 

Abia State Government is receiving the heat 

of the incident. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu 

pledged to offset the hospital bills of the victims 

and urged those who were yet to access 

medical attention to do so without further 

delay. 

The governor also promised to help 

rehabilitate those who suffered losses in the 

incident to enable them restart their 

businesses and directed the Commissioner 

for Health to ensure that the victims are 

taken care of at the hospital. 

“I want to seize this opportunity to appeal 

to those who ran away and those at 

traditional homes should come out to 

access medical attention. Let them present 

themselves to the hospitals. Those who have 

been rendered orphans and those who lost 

their properties and businesses will be 

assisted. 

“We are determined to provide succor and 

help for those who are alive. We cannot 

replace everything, but we try to make the 

situation a little bit bearable. 

“We have set a committee to find out what 

caused the problem. The committee is 

headed by a retired director of DSS, the 

committee will find out what was wrong so 

we can forestall future occurrence”, 

Ikpeazu said. 

Agricultur 

gricultural al Society ty of Nigeria Confer 

ers 

Highest t Honour to ACET 

CETA A Provos 

vost, t, Dr. . Nto. 

o. 

n recognition of his immense contribution 

Itowards professionalism in the 

agricultural sector in Nigeria, the National 

Executive Council of the Agricultural Society 

of Nigeria has nominated the Provost, College 

of Education (Technical), Arochukwu(ACETA) 

Dr. Phillip Nto for its highest honour of Fellow 

of the Society. 

Prior to his appointment as Provost, Dr. Nto 

was the immediate past Commissioner for 

Finance and Economic planning Abia State 

under the administration of Chief Theodore 

Orji, a World Bank Consultant and at various 

times senior lecturer, department of 

agricultural economics at various institutions 

of higher learning including the famous 

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, 

Umudike. 

The award will be conferred on him among 

other prominent members of the society at a 

colourful ceremony during the 52nd Annual 

Conference of the Society scheduled to hold 

on October 23rd 2018 at the University of 

Abuja main Campus, Gwagwalada, Abuja. 

A letter addressed to the provost, signed by 

Chris Onwuka, Chairman Agricultural 

Society of Nigeria Awards Committee and 

obtained by the media, while congratulating 

Dr. Nto on the well-deserved award also noted 

that the recipient has raised the flag of the 

society higher in various capacities as an 

academic, former commissioner and 

administrator of repute. 

“It is on the recognition of your immense 

contributions in various capacities to human 

development in society at various levels that 

the society found you fit among recipients of 

the prestigious award; accept our 

congratulations “the statement said. 

Nto is also reputed to have revitalized the 

once ailing College of Education (Technical), 

Arochukwu having introduced sweeping 

changes and reforms that has positioned the 

institution among top technical colleges in 

Nigeria.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, , 2018—45 

Ekweremadu and PDP: 

Typical Case of 

Use and Dump 

By Barnabas Nze 

Last week, I predicted that despite 

his sacrifices and exploits for the 

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 

its darkest hours, Chief Ike Ekweremadu 

could still be jumped in the choice of Alhaji 

Atiku Abubakar’s running mate for the 

2019 presidential election. Since the 

announcement would have been made 

before my article would be in the 

newspapers, I made it clear that it wasn’t 

a campaign for him, but retrospection on 

his roles in weathering PDP’s post-election 

defeat storm to turn it into the beautiful 

bride that it is today. 

More so the man was reported to have 

told Atiku and former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo well ahead of the Convention 

that he was more interested in key issues 

like sacking the present government and 

restructuring than in vice presidency, which 

he said should go to any region that could 

help brighten the chances of PDP victory 

in 2019. 

Although Chief Ekweremadu has 

benefited from the PDP, serving in many 

positions, there are also many others, who 

benefited far more than Ekweremadu, but 

turned their backs on the party at the most 

critical time. While some left before the 2015 

election or stayed inside to work against 

the party, the worst, to my mind, were those 

who dumped the PDP immediately it lost 

the general elections, even though they 

benefited heavily from the party as Senate 

President, Speakers, Ministers, Governors, 

serving and former Senators and members 

of the House of Representatives. 

Some left because they are incurable 

“long throat”, who always 

want to be where the milk 

and honey flows, but never 

ready to rear the cow or farm 

the bee. Some left because 

of skeletons in their 

cupboards and could not 

stand the media trial and 

harassment of being dragged 

from one court to another. 

Even some, who have no 

skeletons fled for fear of 

political witch-hunt. There 

were a few who left out of 

frustrations, some perceived, 

some genuine. 

But Ekweremadu stood up 

to be counted when the PDP 

was down and out, when it 

seemed like the end of the 

road for the party, deserted 

by its teeming fair weather 

friends and well wishers. 

Ekweremadu and his 

comrades- the PDP 

contingent to the 8th 

National Assembly pulled a 

masterstroke at the 

inauguration of the 8th 

National Assembly. They did 

not only become the 

kingmakers that installed all 

the presiding officers of the 

National Assembly, but also 

ensured that Ekweremadu returned as 

Deputy Senate President. 

Expectedly, the ruling All Progressives 

Congress (APC) didn’t take Ekweremadu’s 

re-emergence lying low, for they well 

understood the wider implications. One 

of the APC chieftains who did not hide his 

feelings and wider implications of that 

development was the Chief Chris Ngige, 

who said that it was a bad omen for the 

APC that a PDP man had become the 

highest-ranking elected public office 

holder from the South East. 

His words: “The PDP in the South-East 

will have oxygen to breath from since they 

now have the highest ranking person in 

Nigeria coming from the South-East, that 

disadvantages us and puts us in a difficult 

position on our aspiration to make the 

South-East people to join the main stream 

of Nigerian politics by aligning with the 

President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC 

government.” 

Ngige told journalists that Ekweremadu 

had made the job of the South East APC 

difficult, but vowed: “You know, there are 

many ways to kill a rat. You can decide to 

go and kill it manually, you can go and 

put it in hot water, and you can use poison 

- Gammalin. We are back to the drawing 

table because it poses a problem for us”. 

Of course, many other APC chieftains 

and officials took turns to bemoan the 

development, threatened that hail, fire, and 

brimstone would be let lose on him. 

But, Ekweremadu had an option- to 

dump the PDP and defect to the APC. He 

also had the option of betraying his boss, 

Saraki. But he chose to fight on faithfully. 

Beside the covert pushes to have him in 

the folds to take hold 

of the South East, 

there were also open 

overtures. On one 

occasion, the 

spokesperson of the 

Senate Unity Forum, 

Although Chief 

Ekweremadu has 

benefited from the 

PDP, serving in 

many positions, 

there are also 

many others, who 

benefited far more 

than Ekweremadu, 

but turned their 

backs on the party 

at the most critical 

time 

Senator Kabir 

Marafa, said “The 

remaining problem 

is what we do with 

our Deputy Senate 

President — my 

leader and my boss. 

Let me use the 

opportunity to call on 

my leader and my 

boss, Senator Ike 

Ekweremadu, to 

please defect to the 

APC and that will 

seal the whole thing 

and there will never 

be a problem.” 

On his 56th 

birthday, the 

Majority Leader, 

Senator Ahmed 

Lawan even waved 

the carrot of a possible 

2023 presidential 

ticket at him. While 

paying tribute to him 

at plenary, Lawan 

•Ekweremadu 

said: “I will use this opportunity to urge 

Senator Ike Ekweremadu to see through 

the mist; this woolly environment and take 

the right decision. You are an asset. I want 

to say clearly that you are going to fit in 

perfectly well. 2023 is here (for you) for 

the taking”. 

Ekweremadu survived an assassination 

attempt in November 2015. He was 

charged to court along with Saraki for 

alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rule, 

which they claimed helped him and Saraki 

to emerge. It was such an frivolous claim, 

Nigerians knew. They were nevertheless 

arraigned, even when there was no 

mention of their names anywhere in the 

police report. The Federal Government 

withdrew the case when it became clear it 

was an effort in futility. 

The police stormed his official guest 

house in Abuja in search of phantom 

caches of arms, which many saw as a failed 

attempt to set him up. The Special 

Investigation Panel on the Recovery of 

Public Property headed by Chief Okoi 

Obono-Obla, who, ironically, was accused 

by WAEC of forging his WAEC result, 

came after him. The Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission also 

launched an attack when the hostagetaking 

of himself and Saraki on 24thJuly 

2018 and the siege to the National 

Assembly for their unlawful refusal did not 

yield result. 

Rather than surrender, Ekweremadu 

chaired the PDP Post-Election Review 

Panel that turned the fortunes of the party 

around and also zoned the presidency to 

the North. He rallied the South East to 

unprecedentedly become the hotbed of 

opposition. I have often imagined if there 

could have been any umbrella to shelter 

the PDP faithful or for the defectors to 

return to had Ekweremadu selfishly 

defected to the APC for immediate political 

convenience and immediate gains. PDP 

would have collapsed patapata. 

He also played key roles in the 

consultations that rallied block votes for 

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar at Port Harcourt 

convention on the premises of 

restructuring, 2023 South East presidency, 

etc. 

Ordinarily, you would say that a man, 

who paid these enormous prices and 

played such roles, would have the right of 

first refusal. But since he wasn’t as keen 

in the position as he was in issues like 

sacking the present government, 

restructuring, and Igbo presidential project 

in 2023, you would expect that he would 

be consulted at least. 

But as I rightly predicted, not only was 

he not picked, Ekweremadu and the same 

South East PDP leaders who held the party 

together during the tempest, who gave 

Atiku a block vote in Port Harcourt were 

also so disrespected that they weren’t even 

consulted or pre-informed. They heard it 

as “breaking news” like every other 

Nigerian. 

They were also denied the right to air 

their displeasure over the slight and 

mistreatment. Instead, the real issues were 

twisted and Igbo sentiments were misled 

to blackmail them. No genuine effort was 

made to reach out to him and his name 

wasn’t even mentioned anywhere in the 

PDP Presidential Campaign Council. 

Neither the National Chairman of the PDP 

or Atiku has made serious moves to 

assuage feelings. It is only Peter Obi, who 

is left to begin late visits to the South East 

party leaders in a manner reeking with 

afterthought and fulfilling all 

righteousness. 

This is another typical and unpardonable 

case of use and dump. I suggest to 

Ekweremadu to seriously weigh his political 

future with such an irredeemably unjust 

bunch. 

As for we the South Easterners, when 

this frenzy of vice presidential ticket dies, 

it will begin to dawn on us that with Obi 

solely nominated by external forces, he is 

first answerable to those external interests, 

then Igbo’s. And obviously, Atiku has 

shown that he can’t be to his pact with the 

South East. not when we told him that 

South East party leaders don’t matter. 

Nze, a political analyst writes from 

Lagos

46—SATURDAY Vanguard,OCTOBER 20, , 2018 

Leveraging 

Politics 

For Nigeria’s 

Economic 

Growth 

By Okechukwu Enelamah 

Aperson’s development is dependent 

on his/her inherited traits or God-given 

gifts and the environment to nurture 

those gifts. Similarly, countries develop 

faster and more sustainably in a caring, 

supportive environment which responds to 

the needs of businesses and other players of 

the economy. 

Rightly so, the bedrock of good governance 

is the creation of an enabling environment 

for meaningful life and businesses to 

thrive. 

The Enabling Business 

Environment 

When I became minister I said that my vision 

for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and 

Investment is for it to be seen as a Ministry 

of Enabling Environment. We aspired to 

make Nigeria one of the most attractive 

places to do business in Africa and even the 

world, by improving the business 

environment. 

President Muhammadu Buhari showed his 

commitment to a more conducive and 

attractive business environment in Nigeria 

by establishing the Presidential Enabling 

Business Environment Council 

(PEBEC), chaired by Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo. 

The Council is in turn fostering better 

coordination and 

collaboration between 

M i n i s t r i e s , 

Departments and 

Agencies (MDAs); and 

more effective 

collaboration between – 

The Executive, State 

Governments, National 

Assembly and the 

Private Sector. 

So far, PEBEC has 

implemented three 

different 60-day 

National Action Plans 

focused on business 

registration, 

simplification of 

procedures for taxes, 

trading across borders, 

getting credit for SMEs, 

ease in registering 

property, among others. 

Also, the first Executive 

order by the current 

administration was on 

Ease of Doing Business 

and Transparency. That 

order, which continues 

to be implemented, has 

contributed in removing 

several of the 

bottlenecks that 

made doing business 

difficult in Nigeria. 

Public-Private Sector 

Collaboration 

The development model that claims that 

Government can do it all has become 

outdated because of the failure of such 

efforts and evident superiority and 

advantages of partnerships 

As the Scriptures say, two are better than 

one and a three-fold cord is not easily 

broken. Partnership with the private sector 

is imperative for sustainable economic 

growth. 

It is nearly impossible for the government 

alone to meet the needs of the citizens. So 

development is now private-sector driven, 

while the government provides the enabling 

environment to make that happen. 

At various levels and in all sectors we have 

been encouraging private sector 

participation, including active partnerships. 

For example as at 2017, the Federal 

Government, through the Infrastructure 

Concession Regulatory Commission, had 

attracted N3.7tn from its 51 projects through 

Public-Private Partnerships. 

Industrialisation 

We are leveraging our comparative 

advantage and factor endowments in our 

commitment to making Nigeria competitive 

for local production and thereby increasing 

the contribution of manufacturing to GDP. 

I will like to share some of the achievements: 

We have stepped up and are 

aggressively implementing the Nigeria 

Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) by: 

•the establishment of the Nigeria 

Industrial Policy & Competitiveness 

Advisory Council (Industrial Council) – 

comprised of the Government and 

Private Sector representatives at the 

highest level; 

•implementing sectoral policies for 

areas in which we have comparative 

advantage – primarily in Agriculture and 

Petrochemicals. Examples include the 

National Sugar Master Plan; and the 

new Tomato Policy approved by the 

Federal Executive Council (FEC). Initial 

results include increased local 

production of sugar, particularly in Niger 

and Adamawa States by Golden Sugar 

and Savannah Sugar. Although some 

of these areas have been affected by flood, 

Government is working hard to bring 

relief to the people and communities. 

We have commenced the establishment 

and upgrading of some existing 

industrial parks to world-class parks; 

and we are working towards the 

establishment of special economic zones 

(SEZs) across the geo-political zones in 

the country. 

Micro, Small and 

Medium-Scale 

Enterprises 

Notably, Micro, Small and Medium- 

Scale Enterprises contribute almost half 

of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 

and employ over 80 percent of the country’s 

labour force. It is fair to say that Nigeria cannot 

flourish if its MSMEs are floundering. We are 

There have therefore been making sustained 

efforts to build capacity, increase access to 

finance and eliminate bottlenecks to 

conducting business. Indeed, our enabling 

environment and ease of doing business efforts 

are targeting MSMEs specifically. 

Some of the achievements in support of 

MSMES include: 

Ï% The inauguration of the National Council 

on Micro Small & Medium Enterprises 

(NCMES) to increase our focus on MSMES 

and boost their development. 

Ï% Increased access to finance for MSMES 

by providing capital for both start-ups and 

expansion. It is important to point out that 

through PEBEC and the collaboration with 

the National Assembly, two important 

laws to ease access to credit were passed last 

year. 

Ï% The World Bank funded – Growth and 

Employment (GEM) Project is focused on 

supporting businesses in Information, 

Communication and Technology (ICT), Agroprocessing, 

Entertainment, Tourism and 

Construction. Achievements of the project 

include the following: 

•More than 89,000 Small and Medium 

enterprises registered on the BIG portal; 

•Over 900 Nigerian MSMEs have benefited 

from grants to implement their business plans; 

•At least 40 local consulting firms trained to 

deliver technical services to MSMEs; 

•Over 750 Nigerian MSMEs have benefited 

from the services of the project’s trained Business 

Development Services Providers (BDSPs); 

•Over 21,000 Nigerian MSMEs have received 

technical assistance including training offered 

by EDC/Lagos Business School; 

•The Project has supported the Entertainment 

Industry by funding two (2) online music 

distribution companies with a view to reducing 

piracy and improve the income of content 

developers in the Music Industry - within the 

project period at least 200 SMEs will benefit 

from these services; 400 graduates trained in 

Video and Sound editing under support to the 

Entertainment Industry; 

•600 Nigerians were trained in various artisan 

skills for the Construction sector to reduce the 

influx of foreign skilled labor taking Nigerian 

jobs; 

•The project has so far catalysed the creation 

of over 26,000 jobs in the five 

sectors under its focus. 

•It is pertinent to note that a large amount 

of GEM’s intervention that are aimed at 

creating jobs are not yet matured, therefore 

more jobs are expected to be created as this 

investment/intervention begin to yield 

results. 

• Arrangements are being made with the 

World Bank for the expansion of the project. 

The GEM project is indeed a pilot that could 

be repeated. 

• The Bank of Industry operates the Youth 

Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) 

programme that provides discretionary 

funding for National Youth Service Corps 

(NYSC) members and entrepreneurs that are 

interested in starting their own businesses. 

To date, BOI has already approved the sum 

of NGN1.7BN for 1000 beneficiaries and is 

collaborating with 21 state governments on 

implementing similar arrangements. The 

Bank’s total lending to Micro, Small, 

Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in 2017 

was over N112.5 billion. 

• Implementation of the One-Local 

Government, One Product (OLOP) 

Programme which is expected to generate 

over 4,900 new jobs; 

•Upgrading of Industrial Development 

Centres (IDCs), through a grant from the 

African Development Bank (ADB) for 

conversion to MSMEs cluster parks. 

• Implementation of the Nationwide 

MSMES Clinics which started in Aba in 

January, 2017 and has spread across the 

country. The success of this initiative led by 

His Excellency Vice President Yemi 

Osinbajo has been remarkable. 

Attracting Investment 

The capital needed to transform Nigeria to 

the country of our dreams cannot be funded 

entirely from the government. We believe 

strongly in partnering with the private sector 

and attracting investment. 

We have therefore strengthened investment 

promotion capabilities of the Nigeria 

Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), 

with focus on proactively targeting and 

tracking domestic and international 

investors and investments. 

Led by President Buhari, the government has 

worked with other countries and global 

businesses to facilitate a number of high 

profile investments into the country. Nigeria 

is the number one investment destination in 

Africa, with announced investment 

commitment of US$66.36 Billion in 2017. 

Only recently, through bilateral talks with 

the United Kingdom, Germany, and China, 

we signed MoUs for investment 

commitment totaling several billions of 

dollars. They include: 

• With United 

Kingdom: 

Nigeria and United Kingdom signed the UK- 

Nigeria Economic Development Forum 

agreement to establish a Joint High-Level 

Forum on Economic Development, which 

will provide a platform for the UK and 

Nigeria to: 

•Deepen bilateral economic development 

partnership; 

•Strengthen bilateral discussion on growth, 

investment and jobs; and, 

•Provide a forum where high level trade, 

investment, economic development and 

discussions will take place. 

• With Germany 

Nigeria formed partnerships and signed 

MoUs. The MoUs are: 

•German-Africa Business Delegation/ 

NACCIMA: MoU between the Nigerian 

Association of Chambers of Commerce, 

Industry, Mines and Agriculture, 

(NACCIMA) and the German-Africa 

Business Association. 

•NIRSAL/PETKUS: Agreement between 

the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing 

System for Agricultural Lending and the 

PETKUS Technologie GmbH, a company 

that specializes in post-harvest agricultural 

value chain. 

•VOLKSWAGEN/Federal Ministry of 

Industry, Trade and Investment: An MOU 

for the establishment of an automotive hub 

in Nigeria 

•With China 

A total of 13 MOUs were signed, including 

the MOU signed by the Ministry of Industry, 

Trade and Investment with Shandong Ruyi 

International Fashion Industry for USD 2 

billion investment in an ambitious cotton 

value chain revitalization project. 

The investment would comprise: 

•aggregation and offtake of cotton from 

farmers for ginning, spinning and weaving; 

•manufacturing at least 300 million metres 

of African Print, which will meet 20% of West 

Africa’s demand; and 

•producing cotton and denim garments for 

export and local consumption. 

The locations of investments by the Ruyi 

Group include Eyimba City in Abia; Lekki 

Free Trade Zone, Lagos; and Kano Free 

Trade Zone. 

These initiatives and efforts are some of our 

achievements in the current administration, 

which by entrenching good governance will 

only get better. 

Dr. Enelamah is the Honourable Minister 

of Industry, Trade and Investment.

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, , 2018—47 

By Francis Ewherido 

Imean no disrespect to other presidential 

aspirants, but the 2019 Presidential 

election is a two-horse between President 

Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives 

Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of 

the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Anybody 

who disputes this should tell me the names of 

the other contestants and their political parties; 

and also describe their party logos. If you 

cannot do so without consulting some external 

sources, how do you expect less enlightened 

voters, who form the bulk of the electorate, to 

do so? For now, no candidate can win a 

presidential election in Nigeria unless on the 

platform of a party with national spread. 

So let us be clear that we are dealing with 

only two presidential candidates here: 

President Buhari and former Vice President 

Atiku Abubakar. Party men and supporters are 

back in the trenches; not that they really left 

the trenches after the 2015 presidential 

elections. They are abusing two 

septuagenarians as if they are dealing with 

their domestic staff. I know politics is war, even 

in advanced countries, and all is fair and 

square. In fact it is worse than war. In war, at 

least we have POW (prisoners of war), but in 

politics, you take no prisoners. Insults and 

abuses are part of the price you pay for 

submitting yourself for public office. But I 

personally find these abuses and insults 

unhelpful. They muddle up issues and blur our 

vision. So, let us stick to issues. 

SUPREMACY OF VOTERS: In spite of 

the apparent defects that still exist in our 

electoral system; we seem to be making some 

progress, even if slowly. Voters are getting more 

enlightened and sophisticated. Why do you 

think people will leave their homes at 2am to 

queue to collect their voter’s card and when 

they get to the collection centres, there are 

already thousands of people on the line waiting 

to collect their PVCs? Voters, not rigging, will 

determine who emerges president in 2019. 

Ethnicity and Religion: These will play a 

less prominent role in determining who wins 

the 2019 presidential election because the two 

main contestants are Fulani Muslims. 

Successes and Failings: Looking at the 

2015 elections, former President Goodluck 

Jonathan lost not necessarily because of what 

he did, but because of what he failed to do. And 

Buhari won because of the perception that he 

will do what Jonathan failed to do. In 2019, 

Buhari’s fate will rest more on what he failed 

to do than what he did. On the other hand, 

Atiku’s fate will rest heavily on whether or not 

Nigerians think he can do what Buhari failed 

to do. 

Anti-corruption War: the various probes 

and revelations have proven that corruption 

was endemic in Jonathan’s government. 

Buhari promised to fight corruption and that 

was one of the main reasons 

he won the election in 2015. 

He has been fighting it over 

the last three years and has 

achieved some success in 

certain areas. The revelation 

that the Joint Admission and 

Matriculation Board remitted 

a paltry N50m to the 

government coffers in five 

years under a PDP and remitted 

N5b in one year under an APC 

is a case in point. But like the 

Obasanjo government, critics 

complain that the Buhari 

government’s fight against 

corruption is targeted mainly 

at opposition party members. 

Many critics see Buhari as a 

medical doctor who hates 

abortions and would never 

conduct it, but allows his clinic 

and doctors in his employment 

to do it. The current bribery 

allegation against a governor 

who is one of his staunch 

supporters is a litmus test; it 

will either provide more 

ammunition for his critics or 

his supporters, depending on 

how it is handled or turns out 

because it’s still an allegation. 

Corruption permeates the 

entire fabric of the Nigerian 

society. So many people 

believe that any real fight 

against corruption should 

focus more on having strong 

independent institutions, not 

BUHARI VS ATIKU: 

Need for clarity 

individuals. Sara Netanyahu, the wife of the 

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, 

went on trial recently on corruption charges. 

That is still not possible in Nigeria. Nigerians 

want a system where everybody, apart from 

the president and governors who have 

immunity, can be prosecuted for corruption. 

Many Nigerians prefer having strong 

independent institutions to fight corruption 

instead of our President mouthing anticorruption 

on a daily basis. Buhari is 

perceived as not corrupt, but not so for people 

around him. 

On the other hand, 

perhaps the biggest 

baggage Atiku is 

carrying is being 

perceived as corrupt. 

The fact that he is a 

retired customs officer 

has not helped matters. 

Buhari has 

been far more 

successful on 

the security 

front, 

especially the 

fight against 

Boko Haram 

insurgents, 

than 

Jonathan 

His former boss, 

Obasanjo and other 

documented sources 

have also not helped 

matters. Now his 

opponents are 

behaving like typical 

wrestlers. They are 

concentrating on his 

perceived area of 

weakness. He has 

challenged anybody 

who has anything on 

corruption against him 

to go to court. In 1992, 

former US President 

Bill Clinton was 

plagued by all kinds of 

sex scandals, but he still 

went on to win the US 

presidential election 

and got re-elected four 

years later in spite of 

more scandals. 

Americans wanted a 

better economy and he 

gave it to them. He was 

forgiven for an act that 

usually brought down 

top politicians in America. How much 

damage Atiku’s opponents can inflict on him 

is also dependent on what majority of Nigerians 

want at the moment. 

Economy: The economy will be a major 

determinant of who wins the 2019 presidential 

election. Unfortunately, the handling of the 

economy has been poor in the last three and 

half years. Growth has slowed down, while we 

went into a recession. Buhari’s government and 

supporters can quote increase in foreign 

exchange reserve, Nigeria retaining its position 

as the biggest economy in Africa and other 

positive economic indices, but what matters to 

the ordinary man is his disposable income and 

purchasing power. Both have deteriorated over 

the last three years. Many small and mediumscale 

businesses are under pressure. About 11 

million Nigerians are said to have gone into 

unemployment since 2015. I do not know how 

the Buhari government wants to reverse the 

trend, but if they go into the 2019 elections 

with many Nigerians in this state, it will hurt 

his chances. 

Conversely, many Nigerians find the 

combination of Atiku and his Vice Presidential 

Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, very tantalizing as 

far as running the Nigerian economy is 

concerned. Both are very successful and 

accomplished businessmen. We must give 

credit to whom it is due. Even if Atiku made so 

much money as a customs man, was he the 

only customs man who made money? Go and 

see many of these retired customs men; they 

are either broke or financially stagnated. 

Others are still asset rich, but cash poor. Atiku 

left Customs more than 25 years ago and left 

government in 2007. Many of those who have 

been out of government since 2007, including 

former governors, are very broke. Some only 

go to Abuja when somebody sponsors the trip. 

No matter how he came by his wealth, Atiku 

knows how to turn N1 to N2 and that is why he 

is still stupendously rich. Many believe he and 

Obi can do a similar thing with the Nigerian 

economy. 

Human Capital Development: Human 

capital development is another area where this 

government has not done very well. The 

Buhari government has some great 

programmes on human capital growth, but 

they have not had the desired impact. Nigeria 

has become the poverty capital of the world 

with 87 million Nigerians living in extreme 

poverty. Nigeria, with an estimated population 

of 200 million people, replaced India with a 

population of 1.4 billion people as the world’s 

poverty capital. Other indices on human 

capital development are just as damning. 

Securty: Buhari has been far more 

successful on the security front, especially the 

fight against Boko Haram insurgents, than 

Jonathan. It is difficult to argue that a “bloody” 

civilian like Atiku can do better than Buhari, a 

retired army general, on security matters. But 

the Buhari government’s handling of the 

herdsmen crisis has left a major dent on his 

achievements on the security front. Curiously, 

in those times Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was acting 

President, Herdsmen seemed to lose their 

appetite for violence. Minus this blight, it is 

very difficult to say that Atiku can do better 

than Buhari on security matters. Although, you 

can argue that improvement in the economy 

will automatically lead to improvement in the 

security situation. 

National Integration: The Buhari 

government has performed very poorly in the 

area of national integration. Headship of the 

security agencies is very lopsided and 

insensitive. Kano and Katsina have also been 

unduly favoured in recruitments into 

government agencies and establishments. The 

number of entrants from Kano and Katsina 

alone in some recent recruitments was 

sometimes almost or more than that of the 

entire South East or South South. Only the 

South West seemed to have a good showing in 

the South. The defence by some Buharists that 

Jonathan did the same thing is tactless. It left 

many people angrier. Do two wrongs make a 

right? 

I thought the Igbos in government should 

have drawn the attention of Buhari to the unfair 

treatment of the region, but they do not seem 

to have done that. No matter how much you 

fear or revere your boss, there are ways of 

pointing out his errors to him without 

antagonizing him. It is in his interest. For 

instance, you do not tell a superior he has bad 

breath. But when you offer him sweets, chewing 

gum or other mouth fresheners unsolicited, he 

understands. I do not think the Igbos around 

Buhari offered him any sweets or chewing 

gums. That is a fatal flaw which might come 

to hunt Buhari in 2019. 

You can feel the anger of the people from the 

region everywhere. All those promising 

Buhari millions of victory in the South East 

are lying. The Igbo sentiments towards APC 

is not good and there is little even the governors 

can do about it. The average Igbo man is 

independently minded and their society, 

republican. And when you talk about Igbo 

votes, you are not talking about the South East 

only; Igbos are scattered all over Nigeria and 

the sentiments are predominantly anti-APC. 

In the case of the Niger Delta, it is a traditional 

PDP stronghold. Attempts by opposition to 

penetrate it have always had one drawback or 

the other. Just when there was hope that things 

will change in 2019, the APC threw spanners 

in the works with the way it handled the state 

congresses and party primaries, especially in 

Delta State and Rivers State. Before, APC 

winning the South South was like climbing 

Mount Kilimanjaro. Now, it is like climbing 

Mount Everest. 

Restructuring: Whatever restructuring 

means to you, it is something that is very dear 

to people in the South, but Buhari does not 

seem to be enamoured with it. He told a 

delegation I was part of that many of us asking 

for restructuring are only pursuing 

parochial interests. This might be true, but 

even as nebulous as the agitation currently 

is; he should have followed up on the report 

of Gov. El-Rufai committee on restructuring 

set up by the APC. His aides should have 

prevailed on him. His lack of action on the 

report might hunt him in the South in the 2019 

election, especially when Atiku is promising 

restructuring. 

In the final analysis, the way I see it, who 

will win the 2019 presidential election will 

be determined by what is most important to 

voters at this time. If it is fighting corruption, 

Buhari will get re-elected, even though his 

anti-corruption war is flawed. But if people 

are more interested in restructuring and a 

better economy, Atiku will carry the day. 

Whoever gets elected must, however, put 

independent and enduring anti-corruption 

mechanisms in place. 

Francis Ewherido is a Vanguard columnist.


Our battle with militants 

in Lagos creeks – Civil 

Defence boss 

The Commandant, Nigerian Security 

And Civil Defense Corps, Lagos 

State, Tajudeen Balogun, sounds 

resolutely committed towards not just 

sanitizing the Corps but delivering the best 

in security to all and sundry. His elucidations 

during an exclusive interview with our 

Crime Editor, Emma Nnadozie were all 

encompassing as he easily marshalled out 

the challenges facing the corps and some of 

the solutions they have achieved. Excerpts: 

How has defending Lagos been so 

far? 

“Historically, contemporarily and 

comparatively. efficiency and 

effectiveness are the watchword of the 

Nigerian security and Civil Defense 

Corp. Everything we do, we tend 

towards handling with efficacy and 

effectiveness and that is why our 

mission statement is efficiency, 

humility, integrity in serving the 

living. The environment here is very 

complex, but we thank God we have 

been able to withstand the storm. We 

have wonderful personnel that are 

well trained to the core, with patriotic 

and nationalistic zeal, under the able 

leadership of Commander General 

Muhammad Gana. We face our job 

squarely, and because of our integrity 

and credibility coupled with our 

intelligence department, we have 

been making Lagos safer. We’re 

working in conjunction with other 

security agencies. 

Strategies put in place 

“Efficiency and effectiveness are a 

unique thing, then, credibility and 

integrity matter a lot. If you have 

them, wherever you have some 

serious challenges of information, 

even with the masses, those qualities 

will come to play and the people will 

be willing to cooperate with you. They 

believe that when they pass 

information to us, the confidentiality of that 

information will be topmost secret to us. 

They have tested us, they trust us and they 

believe in what we can do. Also, you know 

that Nigerian Security And Civil Defense 

Corp came as a voluntary organization 

during the civil war. They have a lot of 

volunteers on ground who quietly pass 

information to us, and when you are humble 

and humane, definitely, people come to 

your favor. All other security agencies work 

with us in harmony not in competition. 

Constraints 

“First, in Lagos state, there are 

swampy areas, creeks, not just 

swampy areas, but mangrove 

swampy areas, and if you are not 

careful, you can be swallowed by 

the mud. So, that is a very big 

challenge to us. There are so 

many creeks that you need to 

maneuver in, paddle canoe, not 

petrol powered engine, because in 

some of these areas, there are 

spillage of fuel around the creeks. 

So, using powered engine can 

cause fire. You know, criminals in 

their activities, as you take one 

step, they are taking two steps. On 

issues of logistics, the federal 

government and Lagos State 

government are doing their best. 

But like Oliver twist, we need 

more vehicles and motorbikes that 

we can use to penetrate and 

monitor a lot of activities around 

the area. Our own headquarters 

in Abuja is helping a lot. Recently, 

they gave us a lot of bikes and 

other support is on-going. But I 

wish I can have about five Hi lux 

vehicles per each area office and 

each division having one Hilux 

vehicle per each local 

government, so we can have the 

ability to move around more, 

patrol areas to improve quick 

response to issues. 

Checking the excesses of our men 

“We check them in various ways. We have 

six directorate centers which spill over all 

the way down to the state level. We have the 

administration, operation, intelligence, 

investigation and crisis management 

sections. Under the crisis management, we 

have the medical unit, which normally 

examines our personnel on periodical basis 

to check their mental stability and ensure 

they are not involved in taking drug. Also, 

intelligence and investigation department 

quietly watch the activities of the boys, both 

on duty and off duty, to check any form of 

uncultured behavior that can embarrass the 

corp. We also have the crisis and conflict 

resolution, where if there are issues related 

to the family, you bring them forward to 

them and they try to ameliorate those issues.. 

Tackling militants and pipeline vandals 

“We have done very well in that area. 

Sometime ago,there was approval for all 

security agencies to join forces to 

bombard the creeks along Ikorodu area. 

While the Airforce were handling the 

situation from the air, the Army were 

moving with us from the land, and the 

Navy were on the creek. We, the SSS, 

Army and the police moved on the land, 

and that area has been sanitized. All the 

buildings used for criminal activities 

have been cleared by Lagos state 

government. In the areas where there are 

challenges, we faced that squarely, and 

any time we need operation “AWASE” to 

come and back up , they are always there 

for us. Also the Navy comes to our aid 

when there is need for it. So, the situation 

has been reduced drastically to the barest 

minimum. 

Advise to members of the public 

“ I want to beg members of the public 

to continue to pass information to help us 

in what we are doing. If by any means you 

come across any civil defender involved 

in any bad behavior, they should help us 

pin such a person down with concrete 

evidence, so we can deal with him or her 

decisively, to serve as deterrent to others. 

We have offices in the twenty local 

government areas within the state, offices 

in the thirty seven “SCGA’s and state 

headquarters in Alausa, opposite 

Shoprite. You can walk in anytime. We 

also drop some phone numbers that you 

•Tajudeen 

Balogun 

can call any time. 

Can you be specific on number of cases 

you have handled? 

“About 70 cases have been handled this 

year, judgment given to about 15 of them. If 

you check our premises now, there are about 

fifteen to twenty trailers in the place, 

arrested. One good thing about us is that 

anytime we arrest tankers, with or without 

suspect, we invite NNPC immediately to 

come and evacuate the stolen products 

which belong to the federal government. 

They keep it there, if there is a statement in 

court that says return the fuel, they will 

return the fuel, NNPC will know what to do 

the with the fuel. 

Relocation of people that adulterate oil 

to barracks 

“The military and paramilitary are 

professionals to the core. The Army is 

regarded as very disciplined in every 

ramification. So, the story you are telling 

me, I don’t think it is true, I haven’t heard 

about that. I don’t see any military or 

paramilitary that will allow their 

environment to be used for that kind of act. 

But, generally speaking about adulteration, 

we have made some arrests in some parts 

of Lagos, and some suspects have been 

convicted. 

Save Lagos from total collapse — Residents cry to lawmakers 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

Following incessant armed robbery 

attacks in traffic gridlock, especially 

in Mile 2 axis along Oshodi Apapa 

Expressway, Lagos residents who appeared 

to have given up on Governor Akinwumi 

Ambode, have cried to the state lawmakers 

to intervene immediately and save Lagos 

from total collapse. 

In recent times many innocent citizens 

had lost their cash and valuables to men of 

the underworld who operated unhindered 

both in the afternoon and in the evening 

despite the presence of military and police 

personnel. 

Four members of staff of Vanguard media 

Limited, within a month on their way home 

after the close of work, had been attacked 

and robbed of cash and other valuables such 

as laptops, mobile phones and ATM cards. 

Two other persons were accosted in their 

vehicles while others were attacked on their 

way to board commercial buses to their 

destinations. 

According to the victims, the robbers 

always operated in three and on foot and 

would hide between the trucks and other 

articulated vehicles parked on the road. 

Sometimes they broke windscreen of 

adamant motorists and subsequently 

robbed them of their possessions. 

One of the editors who was robbed at 

gunpoint in his car was accompanied to a 

nearby ATM point to withdraw certain 

amount of money when the robbers did not 

find any cash on him. The robbers went scotfree 

after collecting the money and other 

valuable items from him. 

Several complaints lodged at FESTAC 

Police Station and Area A Command in the 

past have yielded no positive results as the 

robbers operate on a daily basis without 

any single arrest, let alone prosecution to 

serve as deterrent. 

One of the Vanguard staff almost lost his 

life at a point when he was attacked by a 

gang of armed robbers who smashed his 

head with the butt of a gun. Save for Divine 

intervention he could have passed out from 

the impact but miraculously, he regained 

consciousness soon after the attack. 

Reacting to the menace which had posed 

a nightmare, motorists and residents have 

pleaded with relevant authorities, 

especially, the representatives of the people 

at the state House of Assembly for 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

A 

group comprising Ndigbo leaders in 

All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos 

chapter has constituted a new set of 10 man 

executives to pilot activities of Igbo groups 

for the party’s victory in the 2019 general polls 

in the state. 

The group, which is the apex Igbo group in 

APC, therefore, called on the party leaders to 

shun any other groups beside the newly 

constituted body as endorsed by APC 

leadership. 

The leader of the group and also Publicity 

Secretary of APC in the state, Mr. Joe Igbokwe 

who made the remarks at a media briefing in 

Ikeja, expressed disappointment over the 

groupings of some elements parading 

immediate intervention and rescue the 

situation by ensuring safety of lives and 

property in the area. 

Mr. Kola Adebiyi, a worker in the area, 

called on lawmakers in the state to compel 

Governor 

Ambode to order deployment of security 

personnel to the area to restore sanity. 

He said: “Like the lawmakers ordered 

PSP back to work, they should come to our 

rescue in Mile-2 area by ordering 

deployment of security personnel to save 

our lives and property. 

“This menace, aside the intractable traffic 

gridlock in the area has reached an 

alarming state and it should stop 

immediately. These robbers are not spirit 

or ghosts, the security operatives know 

them.” Mr. James Akpan, a resident in 

Kirikiri area of Apapa, said: “To avoid a 

mob action, it’s necessary for authorities to 

do the needful before residents resort to self 

help which could be counter-productive in 

the end. “We are using this opportunity to 

beg our government to come to our rescue 

and protect us which they have sworn to do 

. Election is coming, we will no longer 

entertain sweet promises. We will vote those 

who have genuine interest of the public at 

heart and not those who care less.” 

2019 polls: APC Ndigbo leaders’ group in Lagos emerges, alerts party leadership 

•Pledges to deliver votes for APC 

themselves as Igbo groups in the party with 

promises to deliver votes. 

Some of the executive members of the new 

Igbo Group are :Hon jude idimogwu, Barrister 

Oby Onu,Chief Chris Ekwilo JP, (Representing 

AnambraState, EzeUche Dimgba Dimgba 

(Ezeigbo Ikeja) (Representing Abia State, Eze 

Nwachukwu Ezeigbo Lagos, Chief Baba Tata 

(Representing Imo State), Dr Mordi 

(Representing Igbo speaking people of Delta 

state), Mr James Uche Ugwu (Representing 

Enugu state) and Hon Unya Smart 

(Representing Ebonyi state). 

According to Igbokwe: “It’s very imperative 

to do this in order to refurbish, reposition, 

reorganize and rejig Igbo in Lagos politics. 

“For the avoidance of doubt these are the 

new leaders of Ndigbo in APC Lagos. We have 

succeeded in putting this leadership structure 

together in order to present a united Igbo 

family to the leadership of APC Lagos for the 

good of the commonwealth. 

“It has become imperative to do this in order 

to refurbish, reposition, and reorganize Igbo 

in Lagos politics. This is because we have 

noticed that all manner of people gather 

themselves every election year and go to extort 

money from the State, promising to deliver 

Igbo votes to our party in Lagos. Over the years 

we have noticed that these people are funny 

characters, fraudsters, interlopers and 

political entrepreneurs whose aim is to make 

money and nothing more. 

“While they enjoy their loot every election 

year the real people that work and vote for 

our party are left unrewarded. These political 

traders abandon their shops to reap where 

they did not sow.

Adamawa 2019: Intrigues That 

Saw Emergence Of Bindow As 

APC Governorship Flag Bearer 


guber race really heightened political 

tension in the state. 

The duo presented themselves to the state 

working committee (SWC) of the APC to 

signify their intention to contest against the 

sitting Governor Mohammed Jibrilla, who 

as at that time had the delegates and the 

backing of the state executives of the party. 

When Nuhu Ribadu and Aisha Buhari’s 

younger brother visited the state APC 

secretariat a day after each other to declare 

their intention to run in the primary, the state 

capital was at a standstill because of the 

unprecedented crowd of their supporters. 

Few days after Dr Halilu and Nuhu Ribadu 

presented their intent forms to the state 

executives of the party, it was the turn of the 

Governor, Mohammed Jibrilla to test his 

popularity with the people. 

It was a carnival like ceremony as the turnout 

of people to witness the declaration of 

Governor Jibrilla was equally as large as 

that of Dr. Halilu and Nuhu Ribadu. 

When Governor Mohammed Jibrilla 

presented his intent form to the state party 

executive, the chairman of APC in the state, 

Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal either knowingly or 

unknowingly made a declaration that the 

party had no other aspirant than the 

governor. 

The national secretariat of the party in its 

desire to conduct a free, fair and transparent 

primary, punished the executive of the state 

party. All the 37 members of the state 

executive of APC were banned from the 

governorship primaries, either as delegates 

or as superintendents during the exercise. 

Then came the issue of direct and indirect 

primary that almost tore the party apart. 

The confusion that greeted the direct or 

indirect governorship primary in Adamawa 

forced Governor Mohammed Jibrilla’s 

faction to threaten to dump the party. 

The political quagmire over the direct or 

indirect governorship primary led to the 

postponement of the exercise for some days. 

The governorship primary was however 

held but with the usual claims and counter 

claims of irregularities in the conduct of the 

exercise where Governor Mohammed 

Jibrilla won convincingly with 193,656 votes 

while Aisha Buhari’s younger brother got 

15,738 with Nuhu Ribadu, the former EFCC 

boss scoring 8,368 votes. 

BY UMAR YUSUF, YOLA 

for Progressive Change, headed by Alhaji 

Ibrahim Waziri. 

The group tagged itself Buhari Campaign 

The emergence of Governor 

Organization, BCO. The two factions of the 

Mohammed Jibrilla of Adamawa 

party fought tooth and nail to abort the 

state as the APC flag bearer for the 

conducted congress, but to no avail. 

2019 governorship election is no longer 

In the heat of the struggle, the group led 

news. The party’s primary has come and 

by Abdulla’aziz Nyako decided to withdraw 

gone as winners and losers have also 

and all their supporters moved to the African 

emerged while the National Working 

Democratic congress ADC, leaving the 

Committee, NWC, the highest decision 

Ibrahim Waziri-led faction that has former 

making body of the party has just 

Secretary to the Government of the 

ratified the candidature of Governor 

Federation, SGF Mr Babachir Lawal 

Mohamed Jibrilla. 

to square up with the Governor 

The flag bearer’s emergence was 

Mohammed Jibrilla led APC. 

glaring right from the party congresses 

However, Jibrilla’s faction of the 

that elected delegates for the primaries 

party had the support of the national 

as the governor used the 

and zonal chapters of the party. The 

instrumentality of his office to cage the 

faction enjoyed the patronage of the 

delegates to his advantage. 

•Gov Mohammed Jibrilla 

incumbent Secretary to the 

Senator Abdulla’aziz Nyako, who 

Government of the Federation, SGF, 

was an aspirant from the other faction 

Mr Boss Mustapha and the national Then suddenly, posters of Dr Mohammed 

of the APC in the State did not match 

vice chairman for the north east, Mr Halilu, the younger brother of Aisha Buhari, 

the political machinery of Governor 

Salihu Mustapha as the march wife of President Mohammadu Buhari 

Jibrilla during the ward, local 

towards the party primary drew started appearing at some strategic 

government and State congresses of the 

closer.As the primary election drew locations in the state capital. 

APC in the State. 

closer, the Ibrahim Waziri faction of Precisely two weeks to the primary, Dr, 

Senator Nyako’s faction of the party 

the party went to a Yola High Court to Halilu was reported to have picked intent 

raised series of alarm, petitions and a 

challenge the conduct of the party form at the APC headquarters in Abuja to 

threat to boycott future activities of the 

congresses but lost the case to the contest with Governor Mohammed Jibrilla 

party but their cries fell on the deaf ears 

Governor’s faction. 

in the primary. 

of the appropriate national organs of 

Governor Mohammed Jibrilla had Before the news of Dr. Halilu’s intention 

the party. 

the delegates in his kitty and was to run died down, another aspirant, former 

There was a bitter struggle over the 

almost heading towards becoming the EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu emerged. 

conduct of the APC congresses the 

sole aspirant of the party in the Dr. Halilu, Buhari’s brother-in-law and 

Senator Abdulla’aziz- led group and 

September governorship primaries. former EFCC chairman’s entry into the 

another group of the defunct Congress 

Police foil bank robbery attempt , kill 2 in Nasarawa 

Lafia, The Nasarawa State Police 

Command on Thursday said it 

foiled a bank robbery attempt by a 

four-man gang, following a gun battle with 

the suspects in Lafia. 

SP Kennedy Idirisu, Spokesman for the 

command, confirmed the incident to the 

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia. 

He said that policemen on duty at a 

branch of Diamond bank on Jos Road, 

Lafia, got a tip-off about the robbery on 

Wednesday, and engaged the gang in a gun 

battle at 10a.m. in front of the bank. 

Idirisu said that the gang drove in two 

vehicles, both with Lagos registration 

number – a Toyota Lexus marked EKY 282 

DP and Toyota Corolla marked FST 411 

FH. 

He said that the police arrested one of 

the suspects, and two died while receiving 

treatment at the Dalhatu Araf Hopital, 

Lafia. 

According to the spokesman, a suspect 

escaped with bullet wounds. 

“Our investigation revealed that the 

gang trailed a staff of the General 

Hospital Nasarawa Eggon, from the bank 

in Lafia, where he withdrew N250, 000. 

“They followed him to Nasarawa Eggon, 

took the money, and returned to Jos Road, 

where there are clusters of banks, to carry 

out another operation, not knowing that 

they were being trailed. 

“The police swooped on them and 

arrested one of the suspects driving the 

Toyota Corolla, while the others in Toyota 

Sokoto, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of 

Sokoto State, on Thursday forwarded 

25 names to the state Assembly for 

confirmation as commissioners. 

Tambuwal in a letter dated Oct. 18, read at 

plenary said, “I am pleased to forward to the 

House nomination for appointment as 

commissioners and members of state executive 

council. 

“The nomination is in line with section 192 

of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria 1999 as amended. 

“The nominees are selected after wide 

consultations within the specter of our society 

and in conformity with section 14 (4) of the 

Constitution.” 

Lexus opened fire in an attempt to escape. 

“The jeep and two of the suspects were 

arrested on Shendam Road while the 

driver escaped with bullet wounds,” 

Idirisu said. 

He said that the arrested suspect 

confessed to the crime, adding that items 

Tambuwal seeks Assembly’s confirmation for 25 Commissioner nominees 

Tambuwal further stated that the 

nominees were persons of proven integrity 

with good track records in their various 

vocations. 

“I am confident, they will bring to bear, 

their wide experience in propelling the 

formulation and execution of government 

policies and programmes for the overall 

development of our state.” 

The Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar 

Magaji, who presided over the sitting 

announced that the nominees will be 

screened on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 

recalls that Tambuwal dissolved the state 

executive council on July 4, 2018. 

recovered from the vehicles included the 

stolen N250, 000, a master key and a 

wallet containing N31, 000. 

Similarly, Idirisu said that the police 

arrested three other robbery suspects on 

the same day at Nasarawa LGA for 

allegedly robbing a couple at Gunki 

Village. 

He said that the robbery took place on 

Tuesday. 

According to him, the police recovered 

two locally-fabricated pistols, two live 

cartridges and valuables of the victims 

from the suspects. 

Six corps members to repeat service year in Sokoto State 

okoto—The National Youth Service 

SCorps (NYSC) in Sokoto State, has 

ordered six corps members to repeat their 

service for absconding from their places 

of primary assignment for three months. 

In an interview with the News Agency of 

Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Thursday, the 

NYSC State Director, Mr Philip Enaberue, 

said the six offenders were part of the 1,724 

Batch B Stream 1 corps members. 

Enaberue said that in addition to the six, 

who are to repeat their services, three 

others had their services extended by one 

week to four months for different 

infractions. 

“Extension occurs when a corps member 

did not attend his place of primary 

assignment regularly or has not been 

signing monthly clearance,” he said. 

The director also said that two corps 

members were shortlisted for the Sultan’s 

award while 10 others were to receive state 

government awards for outstanding 

performance during the service year. 

He encouraged corps members passing 

out to sustain the discipline and good 

habits demonstrated and make use of the 

skills acquired during the empowerment 

training organised by the NYSC. 

Enaberue said that three of the corps 

members, who completed their service 

had applied for the Bank of Industry loans 

to start their own businesses and their 

certificates were deposited as required. 

He urged the corps members still in 

U.S., Kebbi sign $10m 

agreement on agric 

development projects 

A 

buja— The U.S. African Development 

Foundation (USADF) and Kebbi State 

Government have signed a 10 million-dollar 

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 

the development and expansion of agricultural 

enterprises in the state. 

The agreement was signed on Thursday in 

Abuja by the President and Chief Executive Officer 

of USADF, Mr. C.D. Glin and Kebbi State 

Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Attahiru 

Mashido. 

Glin said that USADF, the U.S. Government’s 

African enterprise development agency, was 

uniquely positioned to leverage funds from 

African governments and directly invest the funds 

in community enterprises. 

He said that USADF and Kebbi would 

contribute five million dollars each for the fiveyear 

programme, which was aimed at providing 

seed capital and technical assistance to local 

agribusinesses in the state. 

According to him, each of the partners would 

contribute one million dollars each to the 

programme. 

“This partnership will focus on three value 

chains in the region to fund the production of 

rice, dairy products and groundnuts. 

“The goals of this partnership are to increase 

Kebbi State’s market competitiveness, while 

increasing incomes and yields for community 

enterprises and individual farmers. 

“USADF will provide one million dollars a 

year in seed capital funding as well as technical 

assistance and oversight through its local partner, 

Diamond Development Initiative,” he said. 

service to live exemplary life and be good 

citizens to avoid having their service year 

extended or outright repeat of the 

programme for absconding. 

Niger govt sinks N4.6bn 

into health sector 

Minna, The Niger 

Government has sunk N4.6 

billion into improving the 

state’s health institutions in the last 

three years, according to Dr. Makun 

Sidi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of 

Health. 

Sidi told the News Agency of Nigeria 

(NAN), on Thursday in Minna that 

each of the state’s 1,500 health 

institutions enjoyed some attention 

within the period. 

“There was massive reconstruction 

in some institutions while others were 

provided with modern health facilities 

to meet global standards,” he said. 

According to him, N188 million went 

into constructing and equipping a 

maternal and new neonatal wing at 

Minna General Hospital. 

“We also committed N184 million 

into constructing a 95-bed hospital at 

Kutigi,” he said, adding that the 

facility had been equipped with 

modern equipment to provide quality 

health care to rural dwellers. 

He said that the ministry had also 

also recruited 1,000 health workers to 

address the manpower shortage in the 

health sector. 

Sidi said that health workers in the 

state were being trained and retrained 

to update their knowledge and boost 

service delivery.


Kano State Govt. approves 

mandatory drug test for political 

appointees, civil servants 

Kano— The Kano State 

Government has approved 

compulsory drug test for political 

appointees, civil servants and 

students seeking admission into the 

tertiary institutions. 

The Commissioner for 

Information, Malam Muhammad 

Garba, disclosed this while 

addressing newsmen on the 

outcome of the weekly State 

Executive Council meeting in Kano 

on Thursday. 

He said that the policy was 

adopted during the state executive 

council meeting to mitigate drug 

abuse in the state. 

“All political appointees, civil 

servants particularly the ones that 

By Femi Bolaji, Jalingo 

Regular visitors of brothels in 

Taraba state may be at risk 

of Sexually Transmitted 

Infections as most sex workers 

claimed they were ignorant of 

their health status. 

Arewa Lens who visited some 

brothels in Jalingo, capital of 

Taraba state gathered that most 

of those involved in the trade were 

more particular about the 

proceeds of their trade. 

Sabo line, a suburb of the town 

which has many brothels housing 

most of the sex workers as 

observed was always at its peak 

from 6pm. Both young and elder 

men thronged in and out of some 

of the brothels to satisfy their 

sexual urge. 

It was gathered that the inmates 

whose age ranges from 18 years 

and above charge as little as 

N500 for services rendered and 

serve as many men as possible to 

meet their daily target. 

This has however placed most 

men who had fun with them at a 

great risk of contracting an STI . 

The trade which seems to be on 

the rise has new recruits at regular 

intervals as most of them migrate 

to other states after staying for 

sometime. 

A regular visitor of the brothels 

who took this correspondent 

round explained that it was quite 

cheaper compared to having a 

girl friend who might be sometime 

possessive and demanding. 

According to him, “any time I 

have small money, I will stroll to 

satisfy my sexual urge. It’s quite 

cheaper and you have varieties of 

ladies to choose from. Even if you 

are a regular visitor here, you 

might even get discount from your 

preferred choice.” 

One of the inmates who gave her 

name as Queen said she started 

the trade two weeks ago when she 

moved to Jalingo. Queen who was 

earlier reluctant to talk with 

Arewa lens was however offered a 

drink in a bar in one of the brothels 

where she spoke extensively. 

She said, “I moved here from 

Gboko two weeks ago and ever 

since I have been with my sisters 

here. 

“I have a kid and my young 

husband died four years ago but 

as things were difficult some 

friends told me to relocate to 

are due for promotion and students 

seeking admission will henceforth 

undergo compulsory drug test in the 

state,” he said. 

Garba said the council had also 

approved N332 million for the 

treatment of malnourished children 

for the period of six months in 2018. 

According to him, the council also 

approved N67.3 million for the 

construction of drainages in Warkai 

village in Warawa Local 

Government Area in order to avert 

flooding. 

“The council also approved over 

N240 million for the maintenance, 

renovation and procurement of 

diesel for traffic lights and street 

lights for the months of April, 

Flood: Rice farmers lose N27.5b in Sokoto – RIFAN 

Goronyo (Sokoto State) Rice farmers in 

Sokoto State on Thursday said they have 

lost an estimated 61,197.5 tonnes of rice valued 

at N27.5 billion due to flood this cropping 

season. 

Alhaji Ibrahim Salihu, the state Chairman of 

Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) 

made the disclosure during a visit to some of the 

affected farms. 

Salihu said that the flood affected 19, 000 rice 

farmers across the 23 local government areas of 

the state. 

“Based on the estimates, the cultivated farms’ 

yields lost to floods are 61,197.5 tonnes, because 

farms were submerged by rainwater and crops 

destroyed before harvest. 

“According to bags, yields lost are 3,059,875 

bags, while if converted to money each bag of 

100kg is N9,000 at open market, therefore, at 

least about N27, 538, 879, 000 was lost,” Salihu 

said. 

He however added that a total of 27, 853 

farmers registered under RIFAN/CBN Anchor 

October and June. 

“The council approved N70 

million for electrification works at 

Kofar-Mata, Sanka and Yakasai 

quarters in Kano metropolis,” he 

said. 

He added that the council 

approved the release of N16 million 

for state contingents to participate 

in the 2018 Agric show in Kano, 

Nasarawa state. 

“Similarly, the council also 

approved N16 million for equipping 

and furnishing of Hotoron-Arewa 

health centre in Nasarawa Local 

Government Area. The 

commissioner reiterated the state 

government’s determination to 

develop infrastructure in the state. 

We’ve no time to monitor our 

health status—Taraba sex workers 

engage in this trade.” 

Queen disclosed that men who 

patronize them sometimes want 

comfort which they have tried to 

do by making their rooms 

hospitable. “I bought fan and TV 

just to make my guests feel at 

home. If you check most of the 

rooms here only a few of us did 

this. It draws more men to us”, she 

said 

While speaking on how she had 

been monitoring her health status 

she said “who has time? I can’t 

remember the last time I did. In 

fact I don’t even know my status. 

Moreover, we use condoms so I 

really don’t bother.” 

Jessica, another inmate who 

was also new in the trade was 

smiling in most part of her 

conversation with this 

correspondent. She however noted 

that she was moving out of the 

state having stayed for a month. 

According to her, “I don’t know if 

I have any health related issue but 

I am fine. I migrate from place to 

place because with this work you 

can’t just remain in one location”. 

Others however declined 

comment but it was gathered that 

they also have the same routine 

as Queen and Jennifer. 

•Gov Ganduje 

Police arrest 

7 kidnappers 

in Kebbi 

Birnin Kebbi, The Police 

Command in Kebbi has arrested 

seven suspected kidnappers, in its 

renewed efforts to stamp out 

kidnapping and other heinous 

crimes in the state. 

The state Commissioner of 

Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru, told 

newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on 

Thursday, that the suspects were 

caught with a gun and cutlasses. 

“The suspects armed themselves 

with a gun and cutlasses, 

kidnapped their victims on 2nd 

October, 2018 but the victims were 

rescued and reunited with their 

families,” he said. 

Kabiru added that two suspected 

armed robbers were also arrested 

when they attempted to rob two 

persons, Umar Muhammad and 

Usman Umar from Bahagu 

village of Bagudu Local 

Government Area of the state. 

The police commissioner said 

the victims were attacked and 

robbed of their motorcycle worth 

N120,000 on Oct. 13. 

“On the receipt of the reports, the 

police swung into action and 

arrested the robbers, all from 

Bagudu local government area. 

The case is under investigation,” 

he said. 

Kabiru said the command also 

succeeded in smashing a 

syndicate who specialised in 

stealing mobile phones in the 

state. 

“The suspects and their 

collaborators were arrested in 

different parts of the state after they 

broke a shop in Argungu Local 

Government Area and stole 58 

different handsets,” he added. 

Borrower Programme in the state have cultivated 

17, 485 hectares of rice at various sites. 

Salihu said farm inputs were distributed to the 

farmers according to the hectares applied for, with 

a hectare attracting N205, 100. 

According to him, based on estimates each 

hectare will yield between 3.5 to 4 tonnes of paddy 

rice. 

The chairman said that the farmers had reached 

out to the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance 

Company (NAIC) for remedy. 

He appealed to the Federal Government to 

consider the plight of the affected farmers and 

support them with dry season farming incentives, 

to enable them recoup their losses. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 

officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank, 

Federal Ministry of Agriculture, NAIC and RIFAN 

National President, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo were 

part of the inspection team. 

Areas visited by the team included Goronyo Dam, 

Takakume, Falaliya, Lakoba and Wurno Rice 

Farms, among other areas affected by flood. 

Kaduna Assembly to 

pass whistleblower, 

anti-corruption bills 

next week — Speaker 

Kaduna, The Kaduna State House 

of Assembly says it will pass the 

Whistleblower Protection Bill and 

the Anti-corruption Bill by next 

week, as part of commitment to 

open governance in the state. 

The Speaker of the House, 

Malam Aminu Shagali, made the 

disclosure at the opening of a 

meeting with relevant stakeholders 

on “Open Government Partnership 

(OPG)” in Kaduna on Thursday. 

The meeting, supported by DFID- 

Supported Partnership to Engage, 

Reform and Learn (PERL), was 

organised for people of the state to 

engage OGP community on the 

status of the state’s Action Plan and 

the journey so far. 

Shagali, who was represented by 

the Deputy Speaker, Mr Nuhu 

Shadalafiya, explained that the 

effort was to help open governance 

in Kaduna State to strengthen 

transparency and accountability. 

“As representatives of the people, 

we have a duty to make necessary 

legislation that will aid open 

government process with a view to 

carry the people along and make 

their voice count. 

“The whistleblower bill, when 

passed will provide a cover and 

protect people who provide 

information on anomalies and 

unlawful conduct by persons, public 

officials and corporate bodies in the 

state. 

“The anti-corruption bill will also 

help in the fight against all forms of 

corruption in the state,” he said. 

The Speaker said that Freedom 

of Information Bill will also be 

passed in the state in no distant time. 

He restated the support of the 

legislative arm of government in the 

state in ensuring inclusion, 

transparency and accountability in 

governance with a view to improve 

the lot of the people. 

He urged Kaduna citizens to take 

advantage of the OGP to make their 

voice count in demanding for better 

services from government 

intervention. 

10% 0% of school hool age 

girls out of schools in 

Kebbi – NGO 

Birnin Kebbi, The High Level 

Women Advocates (HILWA), a Non- 

Governmental Organisation (NGO) 

in Kebbi, has said that 10 per cent of 

schools age girls were still out of the 

schools in the state. 

The state Chairperson of HILWA, 

Hajiya Maimuna Bala, told 

newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that unless 

urgent interventions were made, most 

of these girls would be exposed to 

greater risks. 

“Ten percentage of primary aged 

girls are still out of school, many were 

not able to progress to secondary 

school and still need support to 

develop skill in literary and 

numeracy. 

“Most of these disadvantaged girls 

are in rural areas and needed 

humanitarian services while others 

with various disabilities lacked access 

to descent work. 

“Education and skilled workers are 

in great demand but roughly a quarter 

of young people most of them female 

are currently neither employed nor in 

education or training,” she lamented. 

Bala added that the members of the 

NGO have been going from one 

village to another in the state to enroll 

girl- children into schools, adding that 

such children would be sponsored to 

complete tertiary institutions. 

The chairperson called on state 

government and well-to-do 

individuals to help the organisation 

in its quest to ensure the enrolment of 

more girl-children into schools. 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports 

that members of the NGO include, 

retired civil servants, successful 

business women and technocrats from 

across the 21 local government areas 

of the state.


DELTA: The unsung field 

battles and foot soldiers 

•Ereyitomi, Eyengho, Keme fights for Warri federal constituency seat 

•Mutu colonizes Patani/Bomadi federal constituency seat 

•Onowakpo- Joel confronts Hon Ogor for Isoko votes 


Regional Editor, South-South 

Tuodolo’s political 

baptism in Delta 

PIONEER President of Ijaw 

Youth Council, IYC, and 

Commissioner in Bayelsa 

State, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, returned to 

his home state, Delta, to contest the 

Bomadi/ Patani Federal 

Constituency ticket on the platform 

of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 

recently had a raw tale concerning 

his aspiration. 

The incumbent member 

representing the constituency, Rt 

Hon Nicholas Mutu, aka Mr. 

Empowerment from Bomadi axis, 

gunning for a sixth term had a 

legendary ruthlessness and clinical 

finishing in the playing field that had 

mesmerized his opponents for more 

than 19 years, but Tuodolo and 

former Deputy Speaker, Delta 

House of Assembly, DTHA, Rt Hon 

Basil Ganagana, who wanted to 

oust him did not bargain for what 

happened. 

Dr. Tuodolo, who escaped the 

hammer of the party’s Screening 

Committee on accusation that he 

was not a member of the party, was 

invited by the Department of State 

Services, DSS, to Asaba to clear the 

air on some issues before the 

primary. In a letter to the National 

Working Committee of PDP, he 

complained that the Department 

of State Services, DSS drilled him, 

September 25, in Asaba over 

frivolous allegations in a petition 

allegedly written by Mutu in an 

effort to stop him from contesting 

the primaries. 

“The attempt to disqualify me 

on the frivolous excuse of not citing 

a photocopy of my voter’s card tells 

volumes. Our party must be saved 

from undemocratic tendencies if we 

must make progress and recapture 

power at the centre”, he pleaded. 

He described it as a strange move 

to stop him, but the time primary 

election was concluded, Tuodolo got 

only 18 votes while Ganagana, who 

gave Mutu a good fight polled 105 

votes with Mutu garnering 135 votes 

to secure his sixth- term ticket. That 

is clocking 24 years in the House of 

Representatives if he wins in the 

2019 election. 

Mutu/Senator 

Manager’s pact 

Hon Mutu is working very closely 

with his kinsman, Senator James 

Manager representing Delta South 

senatorial district and currently, 

PDP’s Delta South senatorial 

candidate to ensure that former 

governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel 

Uduaghan, who is Delta South 

senatorial candidate of All 

Progressives Congress, APC, does 

not get the votes of Ijaw people in 

the district. 

Can Daubry, others 

turn the tide in Ijaw 

But APC House of Representatives 

candidate for Burutu federal 

constituency, Kennedy Daubry and 

others have initiated moves to 

counterbalance the plan and it is 

understandable that while Ijaw 

people will vote massively for 

Senator Manager, Itsekiri people 

will vote their son, Uduaghan. 

Clearly, the votes of the third tribe 

that make up the district, Isoko 

ethnic nationality, will determine the 

winner of the epic battle between 

Manager and Uduaghan. 

Onowakpo-Joel 

vs Ogor 

Uduaghan will rely very strongly 

on APC House of Representatives 

candidate for Isoko Federal 

Constituency and former 

Chairman of Delta Revenue Board, 

wave-making Mr. Joel-Onowakpo 

Thomas to swing Isoko votes. 

But, Thomas has the incumbent 

member representing Isoko Federal 

Constituency, Hon Leo Ogor, who 

had served for a record four terms, 

that is 20 years by 2019, and is 

gunning for another four years, 

to contend with to win his own 

battle and Uduaghan’s in Isoko 

land. 

Though, Chief (Hon) Olivia 

Agbajoh, who lost the PDP Delta 

South senatorial ticket quickly 

switched over to the African 

Democratic Congress, ADC, where 

she picked its Delta South senatorial 

candidate, she is not a pushover, 

but her party in the strict sense of 

it, is not in contention in the 

district. 

If Isoko will determine the winner, 

people are asking: Will former 

Secretary to the State Government, 

SSG, in Uduaghan administration 

and former chairman of Nigeria 

Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, 

Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay, 

who refused to decamp with him to 

APC, work for his victory in Isoko 

land? Or will he dump Manager, 

the candidate of his party to deliver 

Uduaghan, his former boss in 

Isoko? 

Itsekiri kinsmen, 

Ereyitomi, Eyengho 

fight Ijaw’s Keme 

from diff fronts 

Hon Daniel Reyenieju, an 

Itsekiri and third-term member of 

the House of Representatives 

planned to go for a fourth term like 

Uduaghan will rely very 

strongly on APC 

House of 

Representatives 

candidate for Isoko 

Federal Constituency 

and former Chairman 

of Delta Revenue 

Board, wave-making 

Mr. Joel-Onowakpo 

Thomas to swing 

Isoko votes 

his colleagues in other parts of the 

state and country, and thought he had 

properly done his homework until 

the results of his party, PDP primary, 

rolled out to his consternation. 

Former chairman of oil-rich 

Ugborodo Community Trust and 

immediate past commissioner, 

who represented Itsekiri ethnic 

nationality on the board of Delta 

State Oil Producing Areas 

Development Commission, 

DESOPADEC, Chief Thomas 

Ereyitomi, stunned him at the 

primary. Reyenieju polled the 

lowest votes of 78, while Ereyitomi 

polled 118 votes to beat his closest 

rival, Hon Daniel Mayuku, who 

scored 110 votes and Mofe Pirah 

with 87 votes. 

Itsekiri people will surely vote 

Uduaghan as their preferred 

senatorial candidate, but choosing 

between two other Itsekiri sons, Chief 

Ereyitomi and Nollywood producer, 

Mr. Alex Eyengho, who is APC’s Warri 

federal constituency candidate, will 

take further judgment. Ereyitomi, a 

respected Itsekiri chief is financially 

wired 

Ḃoth Itsekiri candidates will 

contend with a young Ogbe-Ijoh 

leader, Chief Monday Keme, who 

decamped from PDP to Social 

Democratic Party, SDP, to pick its 

Warri federal constituency House of 

Representatives ticket. Keme is also 

counting on Ijaw votes in the 

constituency to snatch the seat from 

Itsekiri constituents. 

Will deputy 

governor, Otuaro 

bend the rule for 

Uduaghan? 

APC House of Assembly candidate 

in Warri North, Uduaghan’s home 

base, Mr. David Atie, has, however, 

made it clear that he would defeat 

the PDP candidate, Hon Fred 

Martins, but if that happens since 

that is Uduaghan’s domain, will the 

Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley 

Otuaro, who is behind the PDP 

House of Assembly candidate in 

Warri South-West, Hon 

Emomotimi Guwor, allow Ijaw 

votes in the area to go to his former 

boss, Uduaghan. 

It does not seem likely, as Otuaro 

will be hamstrung asking his 

supporters and PDP members to vote 

for any APC candidate, Uduaghan 

inclusive in the local government. 

G3 dilemma 

This really poses a problem for 

Uduaghan for even G3, a political 

pressure group of Isoko, Ijaw and 

Itsekiri ethnic nationalities, currently 

led by Chief Solomon Ogba with 

Comrade Macaulay, Hon Solomon 

Funkekeme, Hon Raymos Guanah, 

Mr. Frank Omare and others, will 

also find it difficult to work against 

Senator Manager, who is their 

party’s candidate in preference for 

Uduaghan, the brain behind the 

group, though they are supportive of 

the senate seat moving from Ijaw to 

Itsekiri in 2019. 

How the 

mighty fell 

It was not an easy affair for the 

incumbent member representing 

Ughelli North/South and Udu 

•Chief Thomas 

Ereyitomi 

federal constituency, Hon. 

Solomon Awhinawhi, as he lost the 

PDP primary to member 

representing Ughelli Constituency 

1 at the Delta State House of 

Assembly, Hon Samuel Marierie. 

Hon Marierie scored 168 votes to 

defeat Awhinawhi who wanted to 

return for the third time. 

It was to a large extent the crash 

of the mighty in many 

constituencies in Delta Central, as 

the incumbent member 

representing Ethiope Federal 

Constituency, Chief Loveth Idisi, 

also lost to a former Commissioner 

for Transport in the state. Chief Ben 

Igbakpa. The tumble also spread 

to Anioma/Oshimili federal 

constituency where former House 

of Representatives member, Hon 

Godwin Ndudi Elumelu, defeated 

the incumbent Hon Joan Mrakpor. 

Report that some of the losers, 

Mrakpor, Reyenieju, who lost in the 

primaries were the preferred 

candidates of the governor, Senator 

Ifeanyi Okowa, did not quite 

connect, as Senator Ighoyota 

Amori, who lost PDP Central 

senatorial district ticket to Hon 

Evelyn Oboro is a political strategist 

of note and does not need the 

governor to win. 

The truth about Okowa’s 

participation, however, appears to 

be that he chose not to take sides 

and asked everybody, including his 

political buddies to test their 

popularity in the field. 

Amori’s accepts fate, 

Nwoko still unyielding 

While Amori has, nevertheless, 

accepted his loss with self-control, 

Hon Ned Nwoko, who lost the 

Delta North senatorial ticket to 

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi has 

lodged appeal against Nwaoboshi 

and still has many things up his 

sleeves. His men still maintain in 

the social media that Hon Nwoko 

will contest the 2019 senate race. 

Hon Doris Uboh, who beat Mrs. 

Marian Ali to Delta North APC 

senatorial ticket, is also on the 

•Dr. Felix 

Tuodolo 

•Hon Nicholas 

Mutu 

•Alex Eyengho 

sideline waiting for 2019 to prove 

her might. 

But in Ughelli South constituency, 

Hon Izeze Reuben battled his 

former political leader to pick a 

second term ticket , while a former 

supervising councilor Isoko South 

local government, Kenneth Ogba, 

also sprung a shocker by defeating 

the incumbent lawmaker, Isoko 

South Constituency I, Hon (Mrs) 

Orezi Esievo. 

There was no contest for PDP 

House of Assembly tickets in Okpe 

and Ethiope West, which the 

Speaker, Rt. Hon Sheriff 

Oborevwori and Hon Erhitake 

Ibori, daughter of former governor, 

Chief James Ibori, easily picked. In 

Ndokwa East constituency, the 

deputy speaker, Rt Hon Friday 

Osanabi, popularly known as 

Empowerment Master, also had a 

smooth ride. 

Ivwurie’s predicament 

The most difficult constituency for 

PDP so far is Ethiope East 

constituency where the incumbent 

House of Assembly member, Hon 

Evance Ivwurie, is finding it difficult 

to claim his second term ticket as 

political leaders from Agbon clan 

are strongly opposed to his Abraka 

clan retaining the ticket despite his 

sterling performance. 

Hon Ivwurie faced a similar 

dilemma in the past and he had to 

contest for the Ethiope East 

constituency seat on the platform of 

Labour Party, LP, and won. But 

leaders of PDP wooed him to come 

over to their party with assurance 

that he will get the party’s ticket in 

2019. Saturday Vanguard leaned 

that leaders of the party at the state 

level have intervened in the logjam, 

but no result yet.


Kac 

achikwu, Ambode, other 

thers to 

discuss petr 

troleum industry 

challenges 

Stories by Moses Nosike 

Minister of State for Petroleum 

Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, 

Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi 

Ambode and other local and 

international players in the oil and 

gas sector will next week discuss 

solutions to the challenges 

confronting oil and gas product 

manufacturing in Nigeria and 

Africa. 

The Institute of Oil & Gas 

Research & Hydrocarbon Studies, 

which disclosed that arrangement 

has been concluded for the 2018 

“Oil & Gas Product Forum”, 

disclosed that heads of 

International Oil Companies 

(IOCs) National Oil Companies 

(NOCs) in Africa, lawmakers and 

other key stakeholders would be 

hosted in Lagos to deliberate on the 

prospects, challenges and progress 

in the sector. 

In a release by the organisation, 

there was need for deliberate effort 

to create a platform and sponsor 

seminars and public 

enlightenments to provide 

additional knowledge in the area of 

oil and gas products conception, 

development and manufacturing. 

The 2018 topic: “Oil & Gas 

Product Manufacturing: Prospects, 

Challenges & Progress” seeks to 

bring together individuals with 

hands-on experience to discuss, 

share information, on new and 

innovative strategies to handle the 

many challenges in the 

manufacturing of oil and gas 

products in this part of the world, 

Charles Umerie is a young 

Nigerian from Anambra 

who has developed passion 

in writing and has authored 

two books apart from being an 

entrepreneur. In this 

interview, he revealed how 

hard work has helped him in 

life and would wish every 

young Nigerian could imbibe 

the spirit of hard work to 

succeed in life. Umerie said 

that his writing has impacted 

on the economy of Nigeria 

because he engages people 

to work him and he pays them 

at the end of the day. Excerpt: 

What inspired you into 

writing this book, “Across 

the Desert? And 

when is it coming out? 

Across the Desert will be 

out this November. It is a 

historical fiction, and it’s 

based on Mali Empire. The 

empire is the inspiration 

behind it. An empire as big 

and wealthy as Mali Empire 

shouldn’t be forgotten like 

that. At its peak, it was the 

world’s largest producer of 

gold. And this very empire 

was located in West Africa. We 

all know slavery 

overshadowed all the great 

empires that existed in West 

and South Africa, and my 

plan is to educate people on 

these empires through this 

book, and most importantly, 

L-R: Brand Manager, Knorr Seasonings, Foluke Femi-Sanda; Knorr 

Brand Ambassador, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde; Principal, Oregun 

Senior High School, Toyin Kuti and Commissioner, Girl Guides 

Association, Lagos State Chapter, Iyabode Okunyeri at the Knorr 

2018 World Food Day Celebration in Lagos. 

the statement said. 

The Forum is expected to discuss 

issues bothering on oil and gas 

upstream, midstream and 

downstream regulation. 

The focus of the event would also 

be on oil and gas infrastructure 

development and challenges in the 

financing oil and gas projects 

particularly manufacturing which 

is normally long term in nature. 

According to the group, the 2018 

Oil & Gas Product Forum shall 

expose participants to issues 

relating to quality standardization, 

certification and policy direction of 

Government, and other challenges. 

The sub-themes at the conference 

Passion led me into writing books 

— Umerie entertain. 

Tell us about your growing 

up? 

I grew up in Anambra 

State. It wasn’t smooth and 

it wasn’t rough. My 

parents were teachers, 

and my father was a writer 

too. If it wasn’t for him, I 

wouldn’t have leaned 

towards writing. I also 

grew up around hard 

working adults and I 

learned a lot from them. 

I learned the 

importance of hard 

work and why I 

should quit 

complaining 

about anything. 

I believe if you 

don’t like a 

situation, 

you can 

either do 

something 

about it or 

accept it. 

Complaining 

is a waste of 

energy you 

would have 

used to change that 

situation. 

How do you make money 

from writing? 

There are many ways to 

make money from writing. If 

you depend on book sales, you 

might not see much profit. I 

have a lot of people that come 

to me for editing or other 

include ‘Oil & Gas Product 

Manufacturing: Issues of Quality 

Standardisation,’ ‘Oil & Gas Product 

Manufacturing: Finding Capital 

from the Stock Market and 

‘Oil & Gas Project Finance’. 

Participating countries expected 

to attend this epoch making event 

include but not limited to Nigeria, 

India, UAE, South Africa, Kenya, 

Ghana, Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan, 

United States of America, Canada, 

UK. 

The institute said it would equally 

expose some finest products doing 

well in the market by executing the 

Oil & Gas Product Awards 2018. 

services. I’m always busy, so 

I charge them a 

fee for whatever 

it is they want. 

The better 

writer you 

are, the more 

people will 

come to 

you. And 

you will 

continue 

to make 

your 

money. 

How 

does 

your 

work 

impact 

on the 

economy? 

I can 

say my 

w o r k 

impacts 

t h e 

economy 

positively, 

because I 

know that 

I’ve paid a 

lot of 

people on 

this project. Especially people 

like editors, book cover 

designers and printers. I also 

know some people that have 

picked up writing because of 

me, and they are generating 

income from it. That’s how it 

impacts the economy. 

Most Nigerians not meeting fruit 

intake requirement — Nutritionist 

A 

health and fitness expert, Dr. 

Bisi Abiola has identified 

cultural and natural restrictions as 

the major problems preventing a 

greater percentage of Nigerians 

from meeting the recommended 

daily fruit servings. 

Abiola, Managing Director of 

Indulge Nigeria Limited, said this 

in her latest monthly healthy living 

discourse, a platform that reviewsthe 

positive role that fruit juice can and 

does play in a healthy diet 

During the series sponsored by 

Chivita, the expert said Nigerian 

culture does not recognise fruit as 

satisfying enough to stand as a diet. 

This, she noted, is one of the reasons 

many people do not pay serious 

attention to fruit consumption. 

The expert regretted that the few 

people who have risen above the 

confine of unfavourable culture to 

embrace fruit meal are often 

confronted with convenience and 

suitability challenges. 

To enjoy the benefits of fruit all 

seasons, Abiola urged health- 

What are your challenges 

writing books? 

I have only one challenge, 

and it’s time. Ideas are 

unlimited, but time is 

limited. I have other things 

to do as well, so writing and 

doing all those things 

together is very challenging, 

but I’m getting used to it now. 

I have a timetable now, and 

when it’s time to write, I try 

as much as possible to not let 

anything disrupt that. 

In your profile you 

mentioned being an 

entrepreneur, tell us what 

other business you do apart 

from writing? 

I’m an app developer, run a 

book and music publishing 

website, sales, and a 

consultant. 

cautious and busy individuals to 

embrace 100% pure fruit juice, 

which she described as a perfect 

substitute for whole fruits. 

She, however, cautioned 

consumers to pay attention to labels 

while shopping to ensure that they 

buy pure fruit juice, saying: “If 100% 

fruit juice is not clearly written on 

the pack, it is likely not a pure fruit 

juice. 

“The truth is that 100% fruit juice 

is proven to have similar or exactly 

same nutrition as fresh juice does, 

straight from a fruit without added 

sugar or preservatives. In other 

words, 100% fruit juice is nutrientdense 

beverage that provides 

vitamins, minerals (folic acid, 

thiamine and magnesium) and 

beneficial plant nutrients like 

polyphenols. 

“When fruit juice is 100%, it counts 

as one portion of fruit, which is not 

only convenient but also helpful as 

many Nigerians do not meet their 

daily fruit quota for the maintenance 

of good health.” 

Renmoney emerges winner of 

microfinance excellence award 

Renmoney, a Nigerian 

consumer lending 

company, has emerged winner of 

the ‘Award for Excellence in 

Microfinance Banking’. The 

award was presented at the 8th 

edition of the New Age Banking 

Summit which held at the Lagos 

Continental Hotel, Victoria 

Island. Other winners of the 

evening were: GTBank, 

Diamond Bank, First Bank, First 

City Monument Bank, Union 

Bank and Wema Bank. 

Receiving the award, Yetunde 

Faulkner, Head of Commercial, 

Renmoney, said: “We’ve been 

working really hard to build 

more convenient lending 

solutions for Nigerians so this 

award will be a huge morale 

boost for our team!” “We 

launched our online loan 

application process this year to 

provide loans in under 24 hours 

and we are looking forward to 

launching even better solutions 

in 2019”. 

For Anisha Ajimani of the 

UMS Conference, the 

organisers of the event, 

Renmoney was an obvious 

choice for the award because of 

the company’s focus on 

technology and customer 

experience. She said: “The New 

Age Banking Awards are aimed 

at honouring organizations that 

have consistently demonstrated 

exemplary performance. These 

will not just recognize the 

endeavours of the most 

successful financial 

organizations, but will also set 

a benchmark, inspiring other 

organizations to achieve their 

own goals”. 

Coca-Cola engenders family 

sharing moments in new 

campaign 

Brands remain relevant by 

understanding the attitude 

and requirements of their 

customers. This is often followed 

with products that fill that gap 

or need. With the ever-busy 

schedule of most parents today 

robbing quality moments 

among family members, the 

time seems ripe for products that 

will encourage bonding at 

homes, by encouraging sharing, 

which is a basic value of family 

members. 

Popular soft drink brand, Coca 

Cola has made a statement in 

this regard with the introduction 

of one-litre pack, fondly called 

‘Mama’. Offering a comparative 

pricing advantage, the Mama 

pack, sells at N200 and could be 

shared at meal times with up to 

six family members. 

Coca Cola’s Franchise 

Marketing Manager, Gbolahan 

Sanni, explains that the new 

pack is a way of demonstrating 

the brand’s commitment to 

uplifting and uniting families 

and friends, as they join and 

share meals and intimate 

moments. “Mama is a family 

sized, 1litre bottle, of the nation’s 

favourite beverage, priced at the 

refreshingly affordable price of 

N200, as part of Coca Cola’s 

commitment to fostering 

intimacy, sharing, and 

happiness in the Nigerian 

family. This family pack of 

refreshing Coca-Cola, like the 

1Litre variants of Fanta, Sprite 

and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, is 

perfect for intimate family 

moments, including mealtimes.” 

Mama pack is currently 

available at local stores, and its 

campaign which launched two 

weeks ago leveraged one of 

Nigeria’s most iconic celebrity 

couples- 2Baba and Annie 

Idibia, whose love story is 

quintessential and sealed with a 

song, African Queen, one of the 

greatest classics to have come 

out of the Nigerian music scene.

Mourinho vows not to 

celebrate if Man Utd 

beat Chelsea 

Jose Mourinho insists he won’t 

‘celebrate like crazy’ if his 

Manchester Utd side win at former club 

Chelsea this weekend. 

Mourinho heads back to west London 

looking for a second successive victory 

after his side’s dramatic 3-2 win over 

Newcastle last time out, a result 

that eased some of the 

pressure that had been 

mounting on the 55- 

year-old following a 

four-game winless 

run as well as 

reports of a bustup 

with 

midfielder 

Paul Pogba. 

T h e 

Portuguese 

has lost on 

each of his 

three visits to 

Stamford Bridge as Red 

Devils manager and 

suffered a 1-0 defeat in the FA 

Cup final at Wembley in May. 

Chelsea meanwhile have 

made a fine start to the 

season under new boss 

Maurizio Sarri, with the 

club winning six and 

drawing two of their 

opening eight 

matches to sit second 

in the Premier League 

on goal difference 

behind leaders 

Manchester City. 

Mix Martial Arts land in 

Nigeria 

By Ubadinma JENNIFER 

From left Segun Fayose, Jonathan Lamptey from Ghana 

(WSC Featherweight champion), Jeff Taylor (WSC President), 

Ikechukwu Nwobodo MMA match Maker (Nigeria),Haratius 

Alonu (WSC Midleweight champion Nigeria and Onoja 

Emmanuel ( WSC heavyweight Nigeria). 

A 

new sport, Mixed Martial Arts, has been introduced 

into the Nigerian sports lexicon. 

Jeff Taylor, President of Warrior Sport Championship is 

pioneering this revolution and he has received the strong 

backing of the local martial arts community. 

Speaking to the sporting press in Lagos Friday, Taylor said, 

Mixed Martial Arts is a global sports that has been in 

existence for a long time with competitions at various levels 

such as the UFC, the Strike Force in the United States of 

America, the TKO in Canada and the South African EFC 

among others. He observed that mixed martial arts has come 

to stay in Nigeria, as the country had all it takes to become 

one of the greatest in the sport. 

“Nigeria is a big country with a large population. We will 

compete among ourselves and organize championships with 

a view to getting out the best from among us for international 

challenges,” he said. 

Mix martial arts is a fusion of all the combat sports like 

boxing, wrestling, kicking boxing, taekwondo, karate among 

others and is said to be the fastest growing combat sport in 

the world. 

Mbappe eyes 

Olympic gold 

after World Cup 

K ylian 

Mbappe has 

aired his 

intention to 

add more major 

international 

prizes to his 

World Cup 

winners’ medal, 

with European 

Championship glory 

and an Olympic gold 

in his sights. 

The 19-year-old 

forward savoured 

global glory with France 

over the summer, as they 

swept aside all before them 

on Russian soil. 


Lopetegui risks sack – Essien 

Julen Lopetegui could be sacked by Real 

Madrid if results do not improve soon, 

according to Michael Essien. 

Lopetegui has overseen Madrid’s 

worst goalscoring run since 

1985, with Los Blancos 

failing to find the net 

in their last four 

games in all 

competitions. 

Defeats to 

Kwesé in partnership with 

Kalakoda Boxing 

Promotions is bringing the 

Friday Fight Nights series 

dubbed, Chaos in Lagos, to 

Nigeria on 26 October. 

Scheduled to take place at 

the Federal Palace Hotel in 

Victoria Island, Chaos in 

Lagos, will feature the 

much-anticipated rematch 

between Chomunorwa 

‘Sting’ Gondarenda and 

Tony ‘Sugar’ Salam for 

Gondarenda’s WBF Africa 

Cruiserweight title. 

Nigerian sports fans 

Sevilla and 

Deportivo Alaves 

in La Liga and a 

reverse at CSKA 

Moscow in the 

Champions League have 

increased the pressure on 

the coach, who took charge in 

sensational circumstances after 

he was fired by Spain just before the 

Mbappe starred as part of that 

side, with his efforts landing 

him the coveted Best Young 

Player award and a nomination 

for the 2018 Ballon d’Or. 

He has also taken in a number 

of domestic triumphs with 

Monaco and Paris Saint- 

Germain, including two Ligue 

1 titles, but there remain plenty 

of targets for him to chase down. 

Mbappe is currently a club 

colleague of Brazilian stars 

Neymar and Marquinhos and is 

determined to emulate their 

Olympic efforts from the 2016 

games in Rio de Janeiro. 

He told RMC Sport: “I still have 

a lot of things to do. 

Neymar has a 

staggering Paris 

Saint-Germain release 

clause of £190million, 

according to reports in 

Spain. 

The Brazil 

international has 

been linked with a 

sensational return to 

La Liga giants 

Barcelona, where 

he enjoyed a 

very successful 

four years at the 

club between 

2013 and 2017. 

And according 

to Spanish paper 

Sport, PSG president Nasser 

Al-Khelaifi agreed a release 

World Cup. 

Madrid captain Sergio 

Ramos has said it would be 

“crazy” to dismiss Lopetegui, 

while fellow defender Nacho 

Fernandez indicated the 

team are with the former 

Porto boss “to the death”. 

Lopetegui has denied 

fearing the sack but Essien, 

who played for Madrid in a 

loan spell during the 2012- 

13 season, suggested he 

could be dispensed with if 

their form does not improve 

quickly. 

“Real Madrid are one the 

biggest clubs, so you can 

imagine the pressure,” 

Essien said to Omnisport. 

“We all hope he will do well. 

“It’s a big club and if you’re 

not going to get the results 

you know what happens 

next.” 

Essien is best remembered 

for a nine-year spell at 

Chelsea, who broke the 

world transfer record for a 

goalkeeper to sign Kepa 

Arrizabalaga from Athletic 

Bilbao for • 80 million (£72m/ 

$92m) in August. 

The former Ghana midfielder 

is impressed with how the 

Spain international is 

settling in at Stamford 

Bridge. 

Neymar's return to 

Barca possible 

clause in Neymar's 

contract, which will 

come into play at the 

end of his third season 

in Paris. 

This has opened the 

door for a remarkable 

move back to 

Barcelona in the 

summer of 2020, as 

long as Ernesto 

Valverde's side are 

willing to pay the 

£190m required. 

Despite the clause 

being put in place by 

the French giants, 

Sport also report that 

Neymar will not be 

leaving before 2020. 

These reports 

followed Mundo 

Deportivo's story that 

Neymar has offered to 

rejoin Barcelona 

'several times' already 

and that a big-money 

deal is 'not 

impossible'. 

Neymar is said to 

have grown tired with 

life in Paris and wants 

to move back to 

Barcelona — and be 

reunited with Lionel 

Messi. 

The 26-year-old 

forward joined PSG in 

the summer of 2017 for 

a fee of £198m and he 

has certainly not 

disappointed in the 

French capital. 

Kwesé brings Salam v Gondarenda rematch to Lagos 

wanting to tune-in for all the 

live action will be spoilt for 

viewing options, thanks to 

Kwesé’s multiplatform 

broadcasting approach. 

Kwesé will provide full 

broadcast coverage of the 

event through satellite TV. 

For viewers outside Nigeria, 

Kwesé has signed sublicense 

agreements with 

various free-to-air (FTA) 

broadcasters across the 

continent, to ensure millions 

of viewers across the 

continent can enjoy free 

access to the fight wherever 

they are. The event will also 

be streamed on YouTube 

Live. 

Salam and Gondarenda 

fought in August to a 

disputed decision in Harare 

where Gondarenda retained 

his belt on a split decision. 

Immediately after the fight 

Gondarenda said that he 

would fight Salam again, 

“any time any place,” this 

time it will be in Salam’s 

backyard with neutral judges 

agreed by both camps.


AFCON 2019: 

Nigeria on 

the brink of 

qualification 

BY JACOB AJOM 

The Super Eagles took a giant step 

in their bid to earn a ticket to the 

2019 Africa Cup of Nations to be 

staged in Cameroon. The Eagles who 

now top Group E with 9 points from 

four matches need just two points to 

seal their place in the tournament 

which will be held early next year. 

The Eagles who started the second 

round matches of the qualifiers from 

third improved their standing by winning 

three straight matches over Seychelles 

3-0 in Victoria and Libya 

back-to-back in Uyo and Sfax. Nigeria's 

chances for qualification were 

made brighter by Seychelles goalless 

draw with South Africa in Victoria 

on a day the Eagles were grinding 

out a 3-1 victory over Libya in Sfax. 

With 9 points, two above secondplaced 

South Africa, Nigeria look set 

for her first AFCON tournament since 

winning the biennial tournament in 

South Africa in 2013. 

But Super Eagles coach, Gernot 

Rohr has said his wards will not drop 

their guards until the ticket is sealed. 

“We will keep fighting,” the German 

tactician said in a chat after the hardearned 

3-2 win over Libya in Sfax. “We 

have not qualified yet,” he added, 

saying that Nigerians won't forgive 

them if they slip at this stage. 

Appraising the effort of his players 

in the double header against Libya, 

Rohr observed that what he saw of the 

Klopp on Huddersfield: “This 

game is a trap” 

Best buds, Jürgen Klopp and 

David Wagner, get to 

manage opposing teams in the 

Premier League again. It’s a 

special situation given how 

competitive football is at the 

highest level. The two German 

managers sit at separate ends 

of the league table, Liverpool 

unbeaten after eight matches 

and Huddersfield Town 

without a win and without a 

single goal scored on their 

home ground. 

The match appears to be 

exceptionally winnable for 

Klopp’s team. Huddersfield 

have injury concerns, just as 

Liverpool do, but the Terriers’ 

bench is far from as effective as 

the Reds’ bench. 

Klopp has a strong squad to 

pull from but football is nothing 

if not unpredictable. The 

manager is not about to call the 

•Salah 

match a win 

prematurely. 

Being close to 

Huddersfield’s 

manager 

means Klopp 

has watched 

his fair share of 

the Terriers 

and he knows 

there is more to 

Wagner’s side 

than what the 

results show. 

Man Utd handed injury 'surprises' 

ahead of trip to Chelsea 

Jose Mourinho has admitted to 

being handed unwelcome 

injury “surprises” by 

Manchester United players 

returning to Old Trafford from 

international duty. 

The Red Devils had already 

seen the likes of Jesse Lingard, 

Ander Herrera and Marcos Rojo 

pick up knocks during domestic 

competition. 

They then discovered that Luke 

Shaw, Diogo Dalot, Marouane 

Fellaini, Nemanja Matic and 

Scott McTominay had suffered 

problems while away with their 

respective countries. 

Mourinho has now suggested 

that his list of absentees could be 

even longer than first feared, 

with United currently preparing 

for a Premier League test away 

at Chelsea on Saturday. 

“The squad shape is that 

everybody available is 

selected,” the Portuguese told 

MUTV. 

“[I had] a bit of everything [in 

the international break]. We 

work here with the players that 

stayed here. I went to an 

international match [in Serbia] 

as you know. 

“Then we came back and we 

were waiting for the boys to 

come back from their national 

teams. Some came back in good 

condition and the happiness of 

some good results. Some came 

back with injuries, injuries that 

we were aware of when they 

happened and the national 

teams were correct in sending 

the boys back. 

•Odion Ighalo (r) is checked by a Libyan player during 

the AFCON qualifier in Uyo. Photo by Chijioke Nwamkpa 

Libyans did not surprise him. “I said 

it in Uyo that they(Libyans) are going 

to fight and they gave us a good fight 

in Sfax and my young team were 

nervous as the Libyans almost destabilised 

us . They fought hard and I 

thank my players for the early two 

goals we scored in the first half. We 

tapped from our World Cup experience 

to hold on and even when the 

Libyans drew level, we had the extra 

resources to come back and score the 

third goal. In the end we had the last 

laugh. But we will keep fighting,” 

Rohr said, adding that he has enough 

time to prepare his team against 

South Africa. “We have very good 

chance of picking the ticket, even if 

we take one point from the remaining 

two matches.” 

Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, 

Francis Uzoho said for the Eagles 

to make their qualification a certainty, 

they must take every match serious. 

He dismissed the insinuation that the 

Bafana Bafana would not pose a problem 

when the Eagles go to Johannesburg 

in November. 

“I've never, in my life underrated any 

team. Every team I come against, I put 

in my best. It's the same mentality 

with the team I joined in November. 

So I wouldn't say it's going to be an 

easy match. Imagine they drew 

against Seychelles.” 

Stand-in captain, Ahmed Musa is 

optimistic the Eagles were headed in 

the right direction as far as the 2019 

New national light 

heavyweight boxer, Adewale 

“Masevex” Masebinu, has 

declared his desire to claim the 

West African Boxing Union 

(WABU) title in the division. The 

Ekiti-born boxer became the 

national champion on Sunday at 

GOtv Boxing Night 16, following 

his victory, by knockout, over 

Kabiru “KB Godson” Towolawi at 

the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas 

Hall of the Teslim Balogun 

Stadium in Lagos. 

Masebinu, who avenged his 

previous defeat to the same 

opponent, said he is proud of his 

achievement so far, but he already 

has his eyes on the sub-regional 

title. 

“The next step is the WABU 

AFCON was concerned. “I am happy 

over the three points. The team played 

well as we met our target of taking 

maximum points from them. After 

this victory, we have our eyes set on 

the next match against South Africa.” 

New Super Eagles defender, Jamilu 

Collins believes he derived his 

confidence from the manner he was 

welcomed by his colleagues. “They accepted 

me from onset. We are like a 

family and I have been so warmly welcomed.” 

He said he did not expect less from 

the Libyans. “We all knew it's not 

going to be an easy game because for 

a team to concede four goals, we 

knew they would fight back, even 

though we got two early goals.” 

Hoeness: I should've said Ozil was crap 

Having previously branded the 29-year-old the weak 

point of the Gunners and Germany, the Bayern 

director has backtracked on his remarks 

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has 

admitted that he was wrong to call Mesut Ozil 

“sh*t”, saying he should have instead labelled the 

playmaker "crap". 

Speaking in August, Hoeness had said that Ozil 

was using accusations of racism as a distraction 

from his poor form with Germany, having previously •Ozil 

gone on a spectacular rant about the player. 

Indeed, the Arsenal playmaker was the subject to 

widespread criticism as Joachim Low’s side crashed out of 

World Cup 2018 at the group stage, having lost matches against Mexico and 

South Korea. 

GOtv Boxing Night 16: 

Masebinu eyes WABU title 

title. I’m sure of winning. I was 

sure I’d defeat Towolawi and 

through determination, I did. The 

same applies to the WABU title. I 

will continue to train hard and 

remain focused, ready and able to 

take on anybody once the 

opportunity presents itself,” he 

said. 

Masebinu dominated the fight 

against Towolawi, restricting his 

opponent to harmless jabs while 

stinging him at every opportunity. 

From the third round, Towolawi 

started looking dazed, but stayed 

on till the end of the fifth round. 

But when the bell for the sixth 

round was rung, the boxer 

indicated his unwillingness to 

continue taking punishment.

How 3 NFF officials 

squandered $9.5m FIFA 

grant, EFCC tells court 

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

The Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, EFCC, 

has docked three officials of 

the Nigeria Football Federation, 

NFF, before an Abuja High Court 

sitting at Maitama, for allegedly 

diverting $9.5million and 

N1.3million meant for the 

development of football in the 

country. 

The anti-graft agency disclosed 

that the pilfered fund was part of 

grants that Nigeria received from the 

Federation of International Football 

Association, FIFA. 

Those accused of complicity in the 

alleged financial crime were the 

Director of Finance at the NFF, Mr. 

Christopher Andekin, the Head of 

Finance and Accounts Department 

at the Glass House, Jafaru Mamza 

Musa: We're 

going forrevenge 

against Bafana 

Bafana 

Al-Nassr striker Ahmed 

Musa still harbors hard 

feelings ahead of the national 

team's crucial Africa Cup of 

Nations qualifier against South 

Africa at the FNB Stadium 

(Johannesburg) on November 17. 

The Nigeria number 7 would 

love to get revenge when the 

Super Eagles return to Africa Cup 

of Nations qualifying action as he 

was in the side that lost 2-0 to 

South Africa in Uyo in June 2017, 

coming on as replacement for Alex 

Iwobi in the 59th minute. 

Asked if he's worried ahead of 

the trip to South Africa, Musa said, 

''I don't think so, South Africa are 

under pressure not Nigeria, so I 

think next month we are going 

there even for a point. 

''We remember what they did to 

us in Uyo, we are going there for 

revenge.''' 

Musa was delighted that the 

Super Eagles won their third game 

on the spin and attributed their 

success to their determination and 

has praised the young players. 

''We got the three points, we 

talked to ourselves in the 

beginning of the game that we 

need the game. 

''We don't have to lose, if we are 

not getting a win, let's go for a draw 

but in the 81st 

minute we 

got the win 

and we are 

very happy 

for the win. 

and a Cashier, Rajan Zaka. 

According to the EFCC, the trio, 

conspired among themselves and 

sequentially diverted the FIFA grant 

into a domiciliary account No. 

5070407456, which they opened 

with Zenith Bank. 

Investigations further revealed 

that they had since been sharing and 

using the looted funds for their 

personal use. 

The agency said it found out that 

the defendants allegedly 

commenced the illicit deal since 

January 2015. 

Everton loanee Henry 

Onyekuru might not be called 

up for the crucial Africa Cup of 

Nations qualifier between South 

Africa and the Super Eagles in 

Johannesburg next month. 

Bafana v Eagles: 

It’s revenge time 

— Ighalo 

Changchun Yatai of China 

striker, Odion Jude Ighalo has 

expressed optimism that the new 

found form displayed by the Super 

Eagles against Libya would be 

enough to see them defeat South 

Africa next month. 

With the Eagles having taken all 

six points off the Libyans, winning 

4-0 at home and 3-2 away, for a 

massive 7-2 aggregate win, Ighalo 

said that he is happy that the 

Nigerian team have now hit top 

form. 

He, however, admitted that the 

game against South Africa will be 

tough, as Bafanna Bafana are also 

eager to reach Cameroon 2019, but 

stressed that it is a match the Eagles 

want to win. 

Ighalo recounted how the South 

Africans shocked Nigeria by 

beating the Eagles 2-0 in Uyo last 

year, at the start of the race to AFCON 

2019, and stated that it would only 

be fitting to pay them back in their 

own coin. 

With that in mind, Ighalo is now 

thinking positively ahead of the 

match in Johannesburg on 

November 17 and, while admitting 

he would love to score again, the sixgoal 

hero says the Eagles will play 

However, the three defendants 

who were eventually arraigned on 

Thursday after an earlier failed 

attempt, pleaded innocence to a 

five-count criminal charge the 

EFCC preferred against them. 

Charges against them bordered 

on criminal conspiracy, breach of 

trust and misappropriation of public 

funds contrary to Sections 97 and 

311 of the Penal Code. 

The prosecution counsel, Mr. 

Steve Odiase, told the court that 

whereas the 1st defendant, 

Andekin, fraudulently diverted 

N1.3m from the NFF domiciliary 

account, the Cashier, Zaka, 

siphoned $7.2 million from the FIFA 

Bafana v Eagles: 

Onyekuru out 

Galatasaray have reported on their 

official website that the striker 

suffered an injury while on 

international duty with Nigeria. 

After arriving in Turkey, Onyekuru 

underwent tests and club medics 

have confirmed the winger has 

suffered a second degree of strain and 

bleeding in the left upper back 

muscle. 

Turkish newspaper Sabah 

additionally reported that the Super 

Eagles star will spend 4-6 weeks on 

the sidelines, meaning the earliest 

possible date he can return to the 

pitch is November 15, just two days 

before the match day five fixture 

against South Africa. 

Onyekuru played the last nine 

minutes of the Super Eagles 4-0 rout 

of Libya in Uyo on October 13 before 

collecting his fourth cap in the reverse 

fixture on Tuesday after replacing 

Samuel Kalu on 81 minutes. 

The 21-year-old could miss up to 

six games for Galatasaray, including 

the Champions League matches 

against Schalke 04. 

as a team 

to win. 

Ighalo 

said: “The 

match in 

South Africa 

will be tough, 

but we have to win that match for 

us to go to the Nations Cup. 

“We want to be at the Nations 

Cup, so we have to beat South Africa 

at their own home. They did the 

same to us in Uyo, so we want to 

return the favour to them. 

“I am happy with the new form in 

our team, we have improved since 

that first match last year, and I know 

we can do better against South 

Africa. 

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 —55 

grant, while Mamza diverted $2.3m. 

Shortly after the defendants took 

their plea, they begged the court to 

allow them on bail pending their 

trial. 

Counsel to the defendants, Mr. 

Arinze Egbo, drew attention of the 

court to the fact that his clients were 

previously on administrative bail 

from the EFCC. 

He said they would be available 

to face their trial if granted bail by 

the court. 

Following a no objection from the 

EFCC, trial Justice Peter Affen 

sustained the administrative bail 

earlier granted to the defendants by 

the prosecuting agency. 

Besides, the court ordered that the 

defendants must each produce a 

surety who must sign a bond with 

the registrar of the court to the tune 

of N5m. 

The court further seized their 

international passports and warned 

them not to travel out of jurisdiction 

without permission. 

The case was subsequently 

adjourned till November 27 for trial. 

Some of the charges against the 

defendants, read: “That you, 

Christopher Andekin, being the 

Director of Admin and Finance of the 

Nigeria Football Federation on or 

about 8th day of January to 26th day 

of January 2015 in Abuja within the 

jurisdiction of the High Court of the 

Federal Capital Territory, Abuja 

while being entrusted with 

dominion over money meant for the 

development of football in Nigeria, 

a grant from the Federation of 

International Football Association to 

NFF fraudulently, diverted the sum 

of N1,353,407.22 from the NFF 

domiciliary account No. 5070407456 

with the Zenith Bank into your 

personal use and thereby committed 

an offence contrary to Section 311 of 

the Penal Code Cap 532 LFN 1990 

and punishable under Section 312 

of the same Code.” 

Super Eagles technical 

adviser, Gernot Rohr has 

come out with a bold 

declaration that he has already 

set about making plans on how 

to beat South Africa next month, 

as he says he is already thinking 

about the November 17 Africa 

Cup of Nations qualifier in 

Johannesburg. 

The match will be the fifth in 

the group qualifiers for next 

year’s AFCON in Cameroon, 

leaving only one in March 

2019 left for either side, and 

Rohr says his intention is to end 

the year with one foot already 

at the continental soccer 

showpiece. 

Aside edging closer to 

AFCON 2019, Rohr added that 

Oboh 

celebrates 

Eagles 

victory 

.Tasks them to 

be more clinical 

Former British, Commonwealth 

and WBA International Light 

heavyweight champion Peter Oboh 

has expressed happiness over the 

Super Eagles double victory over 

The Mediterranean Knights of 

Libya in the 2019 Africa Cup of 

Nations qualifiers played in Uyo 

and Sfax in Tunisia. 

Speaking to sports writers at his 

Apapa office, Thursday, the former 

boxing champion said, “I want to 

congratulate the Super Eagles of 

Nigeria for their victories over 

Libya. It is heartwarming that the 

Eagles are close to qualifying for the 

2019 AFCON, which will be hosted 

by Cameroon. They have to do 

everything possible to see that they 

seal the ticket in South Africa before 

Seychelles come visiting.” 

Although he expressed 

satisfaction with the performance of 

the Eagles over the two legged 

contest against Libya, Oboh said 

the Eagles almost gave up their 

chance of stamping their authority 

over their hosts. He expected more 

from the Eagles, particularly after 

their commanding 4-0 win in the 

first leg. 

“The first game in Uyo was very 

convincing. But the return leg didn't 

turn out so,” he said. 

“Being a potential winner of the 

Africa Cup of Nations, I expected 

more from them considering that 

they beat the same team 4-0 three 

days earlier. I believe the Super 

Eagles lost concentration in the 

second half of the second game and 

this culminated in the pressure from 

the Libyan side.” 

Oboh said Libyans play their 

home games outside their country 

and this was a disadvantage the 

Super Eagles should have 

capitalised on and score more goals. 

He labelled Tunisia as a “neutral” 

ground. 

Rohr: We're set for South 

Africa 

the Eagles must avoid defeat in 

South Africa to avoid a situation 

they lose home and away to the 

team that shocked them 2-0 in 

Uyo at the start of the qualifiers 

in November 2017. 

The Franco-German gaffer 

stressed that it is imperative that 

Nigeria regain bragging rights 

from South Africa, and the only 

way to do that is to win at FNB 

Stadium, or at worst settle for a 

draw. 

Rohr went on to shower 

accolades on his players for 

their home and away victories 

against Libya. 

The Eagles shot top of Group 

E, with a 4-0 win in Uyo and 3-2 

on Tuesday night, which Rohr 

acknowledged were results of 

hard work and sacrifices by all 

the players.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

SATURDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 20, 2018 

ACROSS 

1)London Borough & District (9) 

6)Chart (3) 

8)Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin – (7) 

9)Zamfara State Capital (3) 

10)L.G.A in Borno State (3) 

11)Oyo State Governor, Mr. Abiola – (7) 

14)Igbo Word for Ëight”? (5) 

15)Traditional Ruler of Ife (4) 

17)Oyo State Capital (6) 

20)Indian Vice President, Mr. 

Mohammad Hamid – (6) 

22)Cameroun Ïndomitable 

Lions”Defender, Alan – (4) 

24)Twelve Dozen (5) 

25)Cereal (5) 

28)Venomous Snake (3) 

29)Israeli Currency (5) 

30)Former Minister of Youth & Sports, 

Mr. Sani – (7) 

32)Greek Alphabet (3) 

33)Nigerian National League Club (9) 

DOWN 

1)Malian City (3) 

2)L.G.A in Niger State (5) 

3)Ethnic Group in Nigeria (6) 

4)Argentina “La Albiceleste”Striker & 

Juventus Forward, Gonzalo – (7) 

5)Former South Africa “Bafana 

Bafanas”Coach, Ephraim – (7) 

6)Radioactive Element (9) 

11)Renowned Nigerian Lawn Tennis 

Youngster, Ronke – (9) 

12)Frenzied (3) 

13)Ivory Coast “Elephants”Striker, Victor – (4) 

18)Director-General, Standards Organisation 

of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita – (7) 

19)Germain City (7) 

21)Drool (3) 

23)Former Flying Eagles (-20) winger, King 

– (6) 

26)Respond (3) 

27)Major Nigerian Ethnic Language (5) 

31)Assistance (3) 

CROSS WORD PUZZLE 

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 54 

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: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

20102018 - Peter Obi: PDP has responded to yearnings of Ndigbo — Nwodo

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