10122018 - True story of Metele attacks, by surviving soldier

Weak demand 

undermines industrial, 

consumer goods sector 

INSIDE 

ZENITH BANK 

From left: Executive Director, Zenith 

Bank Plc, Mr. Dennis Olisa; Deputy 

Managing Director, Mr. Ebenezer 

Onyeagwu; Group Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter 

Amangbo; his wife, Mrs. Chinyelu 

Amangbo and Executive Director, Mr. 

Tope Fasoranti, all of Zenith Bank Plc, 

during the Zenith Bank Plc 2018 

Christmas Youth Parade held, 

yesterday in Lagos. 

VOL. 26: NO. 63698 MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

True story of Metele attacks, 

by surviving soldier 

•Allegations untrue; we had only 23 casualties — Defence HQ 

•Read more on Pages 24 & 25 

SEE STORY 

ON PAGE 5 

N800bn 

subsidy debts: 

DAPPMA 

insists on 

strike, as 

NUPENG, 

PENGASSAN 

caution 

9 

members 

2019 POLL: 

Only a fool 

will be 

neutral 

11 

— Obasanjo 

Electoral Act 

Amendment: 

Mixed 

reactions 

greet Buhari’s 

refusal to 

sign bill 8 

Mr & Mrs 

COLUMNISTS OWEI LAFEMFA 33 SOBOWALE 31 HENRY BOYO 32 

C 

M 

Y

2—VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018---3


Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018—5 

POCKET CARTOON 

SUMMIT—President Muhammadu Buhari with from left: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey 

Onyeama; Rep. of President of Rwanda, Mr Anastase Murekezi; AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, 

Mrs Minata Samate Cessouma and others as he participated in the African Youth Congress against 

Corruption Summit in Abuja, yesterday. 

True story of Metele attacks, by 

surviving soldier 

•Theatre Command exposed us to attack 

•Soldiers on war front being owed allowances 

•B/H attacked us with 15 N/A vehicles 

•DHQ reaffirms that only 23 soldiers died in Metele attack 

•Why Army Chief, Buratai, changed 85% of Lafiya Dole field commanders 

•I'll continue to work for elimination of terrorism in Lake Chad—Buhari 

•As Jordan King commiserates with Nigeria over soldiers massacre 

By Our Reporters 

ABUJA—Contrary 

to claims by the 

Nigerian Army 

that 23 soldiers died in the 

recent attack by Boko 

Haram insurgents on 

Nigerian Army 157 Task 

Force Battalion in Metele, 

Borno State, one of the 

soldiers who survived said 

no fewer than 200 people 

lost their lives in the 

incident. 

He also said that Boko 

Haram members, who 

were earlier arrested by 

soldiers in the battalion 

but later released by 

superior authorities, were 

among the attackers. 

But Defence 

Headquarters in a 

reaction, dismissed all the 

allegations raised by the 

surviving soldier, 

insisting that only 23 

soldiers were killed in 

Metele attack. 

The soldier, who 

disclosed these, 

yesterday, to Vanguard on 

condition of anonymity, 

said the video being 

circulated as depicting the 

Metele attack was the 

video of an earlier attack 

on soldiers in Jeli. 

He further noted that 

the wrong location of the 

base, faulty Armoured 

Personnel Carriers, 

APCs, and absence of 

aerial support from the 

Nigerian Air Force made 

it possible for the 

insurgents to inflict heavy 

casualties on the soldiers. 

However, the surviving 

soldier appealed to 

President Buhari to 

disregard the information 

being given to him, 

saying that apart from the 

poor equipment deployed 

to the battlefield, soldiers 

were being owed six 

months allowances. 

Consequently, he urged 

the President to review the 

welfare packages of those 

fighting the war, alleging 

they are being underpaid 

by the authorities. 

Also, he regretted that 

the ground troops were 

not getting enough 

support from the Air 

Force, saying while Boko 

Haram insurgents 

monitored their activities 

with drones, the Air Force 

hardly carry out such 

tasks in enemy camps. 

Continuing, the soldier, 

who said the Army does 

not have an accurate data 

of those on the war front, 

added that the Air Force 

always attribute alleged 

inability to support them 

to poor visibility. 

Metele attack 

His words: “The 

information about the 

Metele attack by the head 

of the Army, especially the 

Chief of Staff is wrong. I 

do not think they are 

doing what they are being 

paid to do. Soldiers are 

being killed daily, and 

their families are not 

being catered for 

properly. Last year, a 

celebration was hosted in 

Maiduguri to make sure 

that Internally Displaced 

Persons, IDPs returned to 

their respective areas. 

One hundred and fifty 

(150) vehicles left Abuja 

for Maiduguri for the 

exercise, 15 suddenly got 

missing and the 15 

vehicles that got 

missing were painted 

green, with Operation 

Last Hold written on 

them. They are the 

vehicles being used in 

attacking military 

locations, including 

Gagiram that was first 

attacked. 

“The attack led to the 

death of a Captain and 11 

others, but they told the 

press and others that we 

lost only seven soldiers. 

Even if seven soldiers 

died, was it right to 

describe the figure as 

only? I think Nigeria is in 

a state of war. For us to 

lose about 11 soldiers and 

they called it just seven it 

is not true. 

Continues on Page 41 

What should be done about upsurge in terrorist activities? (1) 

By Ebun Sessou, Yinka Latona, & 

Tade Oluwapelumi 

AS the President of 

a country, Our 

President is expected to 

stand for the security of 

lives and property of 

Nigerian. In ensuring 

the above, Mr. President 

is expected to get the 

services of anti-terrorist 

agents both locally and 

internationally.President 

Buhari is also expected 

to carry out a thorough 

scrutiny of our forces to 

know if there are moles. 

Mrs. Tope Jones, 

Teacher 

THE President has 

the constitutional 

responsibility to protect 

the lives and property of 

every Nigerian citizen. 

Second, let him give an 

account of what he has 

done so far to put an end 

to the terrorist activities. 

Despite all efforts to end 

their activities, why are 

we not seeing any appreciable 

progress? 

Miss Oluwalase Adedoyin, 

Student 

THE 

presidency 

should adequately 

fund our security agencies. 

They should have 

sophisticated equipment 

for the military personnel 

because the terrorists 

attack with superior 

equipment. We also 

need more quality people 

in the military and 

all the military personnel 

must ensure that 

they corporate to tackle 

the killings by terrorists 

in Nigeria. 

Mrs. Bunmi Alatise, 

Businesswoman 

THE 

President 

should act without 

delay before the lives of 

promising soldiers are 

totally wasted. I find it 

puzzling that Nigerian 

soldiers, who are known 

to perform well in global 

peace-keeping assignments 

are the people suffering 

casualties. Something 

is wrong? Our 

President should not just 

send more soldiers 

alone, he should find out 

why we are on the defensive. 

Mr. Japhet Omene, 

Analyst 

BEING a retired 

General, our President 

is in a better position 

to win the war against 

terrorism. Therefore, I do 

not doubt his ability. However, 

he should investigate 

the processes involved in 

the procurement of weapons. 

It will afford him the 

opportunity of ascertaining 

if proper weapons are being 

used. Having superior 

weapons is a necessity.Mr. 

Paul Victor, Businessman 

OUR soldiers have the 

capacity to win the 

war but something is 

wrong. It is important to 

identify the reasons for the 

upsurge before any step is 

taken. If the President 

sends all the generals to 

Sambisa without equipping 

the army with the latest 

equipment for warfare, 

we will keep losing. The 

Presidency should go back 

to the drawing board, to 

ensure that the gains recorded 

earlier are not totally 

lost. Mr.Morka Chuwuka, 

Businessman 

C 

M 

Y 

K

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

Bizman 

threatens 

Police with suit 

over ‘wrongful 

prosecution’ 

By Henry Ojelu 

Abusinessman and son of 

foremost industrialist, 

late Chief Abdul-Rasak 

Sanusi, Kehinde Sanusi has 

threatened to sue the 

Nigerian Police Force over 

his wrongful prosecution on 

what he said was a fictitious 

charge. 

Kehinde and his brother, 

Suleimon Sanusi, were 

charged before an Igbosere 

Magistrate's Court, Lagos, 

on October 17, 2014 for 

alleged disobedience of 

court order and possession 

of firearms. 

The Police had alleged 

that the two brothers and 

others at large, sometime in 

2008 willfully disrespected 

the order of the High Court 

of Lagos in suit no ID/904m/ 

2002 made on June 4, 2006. 

Suleimon was particularly 

arraigned for alleged 

possession of firearms, which 

the Police found inside his 

house. 

The arraignment of the duo 

was sequel to a petition sent 

to the Police by a member of 

their family, who has been at 

loggerheads with them since 

2002 over their father’s last 

will and testament. 

Following an advice by the 

Directorate of Public 

Prosecution, DPP, Lagos 

State, dated April 20, 2015 

the Police discontinued the 

prosecution of Kehinde on 

the allegations against him. 

Despite having been 

exonerated of the 

allegations, Kehinde 

through his lawyer, Ajose 

Abejoye, told journalists 

that he had suffered untold 

humiliation and loss of 

business opportunities 

during his period of 

persecution. 

Kehinde said he intends 

to file a suit against the 

Police and the family 

member who instigated the 

Police to harass, intimidate 

and unjustly persecuted 

him over allegation he 

knew nothing about. 

He said: “Although the 

truth has been revealed and 

Kehinde vindicated as a just 

and honest person, his 

victory came at a very heavy 

cost having been paraded in 

the press as a common 

criminal. 

“This unjust trial and 

humiliation cannot be swept 

under the table. We shall 

surely proceed against the 

Police and family member 

who provided the false 

information upon which my 

client was arrested and 

prosecuted.” 

Malnutrition, diseases kill 30 children 

in Nasarawa, 2,000 hospitalised 

By David Odama 

LAFIA—NO fewer than 30 

children have been confirmed 

dead, while more than 2,000 are 

currently receiving medical 

attention in various medical 

centres across Nasarawa State as 

a result of acute malnutrition and 

diseases that hit the state in the 

past three months. 

Nutrition Officer in the 

Nasarawa State Primary Health 

Care Development Agency, 

Hajiya Halima Yusuf, disclosed 

this at a two-day meeting of the 

state Committee on Food and 

Nutrition in Lafia. 

‘I pay N100 daily to sleep under Oshodi bridge’ 

By Esther Onyegbula 

ONE of the 62 miscreants and 

hoodlums arrested, weekend, 

by operatives of Lagos State Task 

Force at Oshodi, Lagos, 35-yearold 

Gani Yusuf, said he paid N100 

everyday to their ring leader 

before he could be given a little 

space to sleep under the Oshodi 

bridge. 

The miscreants and hoodlums 

were arrested by operatives of the 

Lagos State Task Force during a 

night raid around Oshodi and its 

environs. 

Another arrested suspect, 

Gbenga Ololade, 38, who claimed 

he came from Ibadan and has 

been sleeping under Oshodi 

bridge for three years, said he was 

initiated into a cult with a 

particular tattoo on his face by 

their group leader under the 

bridge. 

Chairman of the task force, CSP 

Olayinka Egbeyemi, confirmed 

that many of those arrested have 

different tattoos on their arms, 

indicating they belong to a 

particular cult. 

He added that the mid-night 

raid was part of ongoing efforts 

aimed at flushing out miscreants 

and other criminal elements out 

According to Hajiya Yusuf, 

the children had to be 

admitted in 15 health care 

centres across the state 

following the increasing cases 

of acute malnutrition and 

other diseases due to absence 

of nutritious food in their 

diets. 

She said as a result of the 

increasing cases of 

malnutrition and other 

disease, the state Primary 

Health Care Development 

Agency has embarked on an 

intensive Community 

Management of Acute 

Malnutrition Programme 

of Oshodi and the state at 

large. 

CSP Egbeyemi, who 

confirmed that no weapon 

was found on the 62 suspects, 

added that there were strong 

indications that they were 

part of the criminals attacking 

motorists on Oshodi bridge 

during peak hours. 

The raid 

According to Egbeyemi, 

“we got to the area as early 

as 2a.m. It was an eye-sore 

to have found these 

miscreants and hoodlums 

under the bridge at Oshodi 

By Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI—AN abattoir 

located at Oghenevweta 

Street, Ughelli, Delta State, 

was, weekend, thrown into 

confusion as a cattle herder 

was gored to death by one of 

his cows. 

Confirming the incident to 

Vanguard, another herder, 

who gave his name as 

Muhammad Abdul, said the 

across the state to reduce 

the outbreaks. 

Food c'ttee 

Also speaking on the 

issue, the state Coordinator 

Committee on Food and 

Nutrition, Mr. Abdul 

Osama, stressed the need 

for more campaigns on the 

importance of eating 

balanced diet. 

On his part, the State 

Chairman, Committee on 

Food and Nutrition, 

Emmanuel Alidzi, called 

for urgent action to check 

the increasing cases of 

at such odd hours, walking 

aimlessly while some were 

also caught smoking 

Indian hemp popularly 

called Marijuana. 

“Many of these arrested 

miscreants have different 

tattoos on their arms, 

indicating they belong to a 

particular sect or cult. 

While many are chain 

smokers, others robbed 

residents and pedestrians 

of their valuables such as 

phones, wallets and 

jewelleries in the early 

morning and late night.” 

He added that the 

herder was gored to death 

on board a trailer used in 

conveying cattle from the 

northern part of the country 

to Ughelli. 

‘He died in hospital’ 

According to Abdul, the 

deceased had gone aboard 

the trailer in an attempt to 

coax the cow to come down 

from the truck, when the 

animal went wild. 

acute malnutrition in the state. 

Call for budgetary provisions 

Most of the nutrition focal 

persons in the local government 

areas of the state called for 

budgetary provision for nutrition 

at the local government level. 

Nasarawa State Committee on 

Food and Nutrition drew focal 

persons from all the 13 local 

government areas of the state 

including the media, civil 

society groups, ministries and 

agencies and NGOs, with the 

state Ministry of Finance and 

Economic Planning 

coordinating. 

Deba Emirate Cultural Troupe performing at the coronation and presentation of staff of office to Alhaji Ahmad Usman, 

Emir of Deba in Gombe State, Saturday. NAN PHOTO. 

suspects had been screened 

while the under-age ones were 

referred to juvenile homes for 

rehabilitation, adding that 

most of these ‘young 

miscreants’ that are between 

12 to 17 years are products of 

broken homes. 

Egbeyemi pointed out that 

after the completion of all the 

ongoing projects by the state 

government in Lagos State, 

especially around Oshodi 

axis, there would no longer be 

any hideout for criminals to use 

in unleashing terror on 

innocent members of the public 

again. 

Cow gores cattle herder to death in Ughelli 

He said: “The cow 

immediately rammed into him 

with its horn stuck on his 

throat, flung him up and when 

he landed, the cow went after 

him again in the same manner 

multiple times until he was 

rescued from the attack. 

“Unfortunately, he died at the 

hospital where he was rushed 

to and has since been buried 

at the Ughelli cemetery in line 

with Islamic rites.”


Alleged N1. 4bn fraud: I'm ready for trial, 

Usoro, NBA President, tells EFCC 

•...alleges plot to force him out of office 

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri 

ABUJA—PRESIDENT of the 

Nigerian Bar Association, 

NBA, Mr. Paul Usoro(SAN), has 

declared his readiness to 

surrender himself to the 

Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, to face trial 

over his alleged complicity in 

the illegal diversion of about 

N1.4 billion belonging to the 

Akwa Ibom State Government. 

However, Usoro, who emerged 

the 29th President of NBA in 

August, said he is yet to receive 

a copy of the 10-count money 

laundering charge EFCC 

entered against him before the 

Federal High Court in Lagos. 

EFCC had in the charge 

alleged that Usoro and the 

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, 

Udom Emmanuel, converted 

and laundered funds from the 

coffers of the state under the 

pretence that it was payment for 

“legal services.” 

Briefing newsmen yesterday 

on key decisions the National 

Executive Committee, NEC, of 

NBA took at the end of its 

meeting in Abuja, Usoro said he 

resolved to appear before trial 

Justice Muslim Hassan today to 

enter his plea to the charges he 

said were baseless and 

politically motivated. 

On NBA leadership 

Usoro accused EFCC of 

engaging in unnecessary witchhunt, 

insisting that the agency 

leaked copies of the charges to 

the media in a bid to instigate 

his removal as NBA President. 

Asked if he would relinquish 

the NBA Presidency and step 

aside to clear his name, Usoro 

said: “No, I will not. It is the 

National Executive Committee, 

NEC, that has the power and 

could decide whether I should 

resign or not. 

“This matter was presented to 

the NEC and we had a very 

good and successful meeting. 

Nobody raised the issue with 

regard to whether I should stay 

or leave. 

“The NEC adopted my 

address as far as this matter is 

concerned. By the way, I have 

seen it happen a number of 

times when this kind of incident 

is hyped up simply to drive 

people away from office. 

“We saw it in the case of the 

Senate President, but ultimately, 

what happened? The Senate 

President was absolved of any 

form of crime. What would have 

happened assuming the Senate 

President had resigned? 

“We have also seen where it 

has happened and someone was 

hounded that way and he 

resigned only to be found not to 

have done it. 

“It is also very possible that in 

this particular instance, what 

these people wanted was that 

hype. 

“All of you are aware that there 

was plenty of leakages before the 

NBA NEC meeting. The reason 

was to instigate NEC to possibly 

get me out of office, but that did 

not succeed.” 

Usoro said he was not aware 

that EFCC investigated NBA 

accounts over alleged N40 million 

that was overdrawn by the 

immediate past leadership of the 

association. 

His words: “I am not aware of 

such complaint and am not also 

in support of EFCC getting 

involved in our association. 

Except the association itself 

makes a complaint to EFCC, it 

does not have any business to 

come into our affairs. 

“I don’t think EFCC has the 

power to poke nose into affairs.” 

Alleges media trial 

He condemned the anti-graft 

agency for engaging in media 

trial, saying there was need for a 

legislation to sanction 

prosecuting agencies that 

engage in such practice. 

By Ola Ajayi 

RESIDENTS of Ekotedo area 

of Ibadan metropolis were 

reportedly woken up from sleep 

by the distress cry of a middleaged 

woman, Martha, being 

beaten by her husband, who 

allegedly caught her with her 

female lover in a hotel. 

It was gathered that the 

couple, who is based in Benin 

City, Edo State, were reportedly 

invited to Ibadan by her stepfather 

for a discussion over a 

misunderstanding between 

them, which was amicably 

settled. 

A source disclosed that after 

the intervention of the stepfather, 

the woman was said to 

have lodged at a hotel for the 

night because her husband had 

According to him, “that was 

how they also alleged that I 

bribed a judge, but when the 

facts came out, it was proved 

that I did not bribe any judge. 

“There should be an end to 

media trial of persons. Even 

though I have not been served 

with the charge, I have 

decided to be in court on 

Monday(today). But the facts 

as I know it, I am completely 

innocent of the allegations.” 

... on EFCC's grilling 

Meanwhile, in the said 

address he presented to the 

NBA NEC, Usoro gave his 

own side of the story, 

acknowledging that he was 

earlier grilled by EFCC with 

respect to fees the Akwa Ibom 

State Government paid to his 

law firm between 2015 and 

2016, as well as fees that 

Governor Emmanuel paid “for 

the benefit of counsel that 

worked on his election 

petition appeal that was 

decided by the Supreme 

Court early in 2016.” 

Man catches wife 

with female lover, 

beats her to stupor 

other engagements in town. 

However, trouble started 

when the husband, Dickson, 

who had checked on her 

early in the morning, 

allegedly caught her in the 

act of lesbianism. 

Angry Dickson reportedly 

pounced on his wife and beat 

her to stupor. 

It was the noise of the 

woman that woke up the 

people in the area, who 

expressed surprise when 

they got the hint of what led 

to the scuffle. 

The battered woman, who 

denied the allegation, 

reportedly went to Iddo 

Police Station to lodge 

complaints before going to a 

nearby private hospital for 

treatment. 

Gunmen kill estate agent in Delta 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

KWAKE—A 44-year-old 

builder and land agent, 

Mr. Celestine Kaine, was 

reportedly killed by 

unidentified gunmen in Kwale, 

Ndokwa West Local 

Government Area, Delta State. 

Delta State Police Public 

Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew 

Aniamaka, who confirmed the 

incident, said the gunmen 

gained entrance to Kaine’s 

residence at night through the 

window and demanded 

money. 

He said: “In fact, they 

thought there was money in 

the house. When they made 

their demand no such money 

was forthcoming; they shot 

him. In addition, they also 

collected two phones from the 

house. 

He said the Police was on 

top of the matter, noting that 

“we are gathering 

intelligence that can lead to 

the arrest of the hoodlums.” 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Ken: Emma, who's that LAWMA officer? 

Emma: Noooo! It's Fela Durotoye. Someone threw 

out dirt from a car, he picked it up and returned it 

to the person 

Ken: OK. We'll monitor him after February 16, 2019 

What if selling his 

destiny is his destiny? 

Plus his bear bear? 

No, they aren't explosives. 

It's just Christmas

8—VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

By Soni Daniel, 

Emma Amaize, 

Clifford Ndujihe, 

Henry Umoru, 

Emman 

Ovuakporie, 

Dirisu Yakubu & 

Omeiza Ajayi 

THE polity was divided, 

yesterday, over President 

Muhammadu Buhari’s 

decision to veto the Electoral 

Act Amendment Bill for the 

fourth time. 

While some lawyers and 

politicians kicked and called 

on the National Assembly to 

override the president's veto, 

40 presidential candidates 

threw their weight behind 

President Buhari. 

Indeed, a battle is looming 

in the National Assembly 

over the issue. As some 

federal lawmakers said they 

would meet to override 

President Buhari, some 

senators elected on the 

platform of the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, vowed to mobilise 

against any move to override 

the president's veto of the 

electoral bill. 

Former Federal 

Commissioner for 

Information and South South 

Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, 

urged members of the 

National Assembly to 

override the president 

because his veto of the 

electoral bill amounts to 

returning Nigeria to the 2007 

and 2015 periods when 

elections were massively 

rigged. 

The Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, presidential 

candidate, Alhaji Atiku 

Abubakar led the chorus 

against Buhari's decision. 

Among other commentators, 

yesterday, were former 

president of Nigerian Bar 

Association, Mr. Wole 

Olanipekun, SAN; Chief 

Mike Ozekhome, SAN; 

former Minister of Education 

and National Vice Chairman 

(South-West) of the Social 

Democratic Party, SDP, 

Professor Tunde Adeniran; 

Professor of Political Science, 

and former Vice Chancellor 

of the Adekunle Ajasin 

University, Akungba Akoko in 

Ondo State, Prof Femi 

Mimiko; members of the 

National Assembly and Ijaw 

Youth Council, IYC among 

others. 

It raises doubt on 

Buhari's 

commitment to 

credible polls 

—Atiku 

Atiku, speaking through his 

spokesman, Mr. Paul Ibe, 

said having committed 

himself to transparent polls it 

was surprising that Buhari 

failed to take advantage of the 

instrument that will further 

enhance the credibility of the 

electoral process. 

His words: "President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

promised to conduct free, fair, 

transparent and credible 

elections. He made this 

LISTING: From left, Mr. Paul Gbededo, Group Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc; 

Mr. Bola Onadele Koko, Managing Director/CEO, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange; Mr. Funso 

Akere, Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, and Mr. Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, 

Executive Director and Head, Debt Capital Markets, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, during the 

listing ceremony for Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc Bonds at Exchange Place, Lagos. 

Electoral Act Amendment: Mixed 

reactions greet Buhari's veto 

•We'll override his veto – Reps 

•We'll mobilise against overriding Buhari's veto – APC senators 

•40 presidential candidates back Buhari 

•Clark, Atiku, Olanipekun, Adeniran, Ozekhome, others speak 

commitment to the European 

Union, the British Prime 

Minister, Theresa May, other 

international stakeholders as 

well as to millions of 

Nigerians. 

"We believe that if the 

elections are to be credible, 

the process and the rules of 

engagement must be refined. 

President Buhari's refusal to 

sign the amendment is a 

missed opportunity and that 

raises serious doubt about his 

commitment to credible 

elections." 

NASS must rise 

above party 

interests and 

save our 

democracy 

—Clark 

Chief Clark said: "President 

Buhari's refusal to sign the 

amended electoral bill, which 

is very comprehensive, is to 

return us to 2015 and 2007 

elections where voters had a 

field day rigging the 

elections. 

"That former President 

Goodluck Jonathan accepted 

defeat in 2015 even when the 

votes were being counted 

does not mean that the 

elections were free and fair. 

Jonathan decided to put 

Nigeria first and then nipped 

in the bud the crisis and 

mayhem that could have 

followed.'' 

40 Presidential 

candidates back 

Buhari 

Rising from a consultative 

meeting hurriedly convened, 

yesterday, to review recent 

developments in the polity, 

40 presidential aspirants 

under the aegis of ‘Forum of 

Presidential Candidates’ said 

President Buhari did the right 

thing by not assenting to the 

bill a few months to the polls. 

“The time is obviously 

inauspicious to thinker with 

the Electoral Bill, especially 

when the process leading to 

the 2019 General Elections is 

already fully on course,” the 

forum noted. 

In a statement signed by the 

presidential candidate of 

Advanced Peoples 

Democratic Alliance, Alhaji 

Shitu Mohammed Kabir and 


Movement for the Restoration 

of Democracy, Mallam 

Danjuma Muhammad, the 

Forum said their earlier 

position had been vindicated 

that the amendment bill 

contained “deliberate 

hurdles” capable of derailing 

the 2019 General Elections. 

APC senators 

vow to block PDP 

senators 

Meanwhile, there are 

strong indications that there 

would be a charged 

executive session tomorrow 

over the issue between APC 

and PDP senators as there are 

moves by anti-Buhari 

senators to override his veto. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

matter would come up 

during the executive session 

tomorrow where the decision 

on the next line of action 

would be taken. 

President Buhari's letter 

where he declined signing 

the Electoral ( Amendment ) 

Bill 2018 on the grounds that 

it was capable of derailing 

preparations for 2019 

elections would be read to the 

Senators tomorrow because 

the letter got to the National 

Assembly on Friday. 

Senators on the platform of 

the APC who spoke 

separately with Vanguard, 

yesterday, have vowed that 

they would stop their 

colleagues in the PDP, if there 

was such a move against the 

backdrop that the opposition 

party does not have the 

required number to override 

the President's veto. 

Speaking with Vanguard on 

the next line of action and 

whether the Senators would 

override the President's veto, 

Senator Gilbert Nnaji (PDP, 

Enugu East) said: "When we 

get to sitting maybe in an 

Executive session, we will 

definitely decide on the next 

line of action." 

On his part, the Deputy 

Minority leader, Senator 

Emmanuel (Bwacha PDP, 

Taraba South) simply said 

they would do that " if we have 

the number." 

Also speaking, Senator 

Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, 

Delta Central) who dismissed 

any such move, said there 

was no way they will allow 

Senate President, Dr. Bukola 

Saraki, and PDP Senators to 

carry out such an act at the 

Senate hallowed chamber. 

Also speaking, Senator 

Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC, 

Yobe East) said: " President 

Muhammadu Buhari's 

reasons for not signing it are 

genuine." 

Also, Senator Gbenga 

Ashafa (APC, Lagos East) 

said the Progressive Senators 

would block any move by the 

National Assembly to veto 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari’s refusal to once again 

sign the recent amendments 

to the Electoral Act. 

We'll override 

president's veto 

– Reps 

Some members of the 

House of Representatives 

said President Buhari's 

refusal to sign the amended 

Electoral Act Bill was a 

deliberate act to truncate 

democracy and move Nigeria 

to the medieval age. 

The lawmaker representing 

Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam 

Federal Constituency of 

Plateau State, Golu Timothy 

said the House of 

Representatives would 

embark on the process of 

overriding the president’s 

veto or "we revert to old order 

of elections without card 

readers." 

NASS must 

prevent 2019 

polls from being 

jeopardised 

– Adeniran, 

Olanipekun 

Urging the lawmakers to 

override President Buhari, 

Professor Tunde Adeniran 

said the president would 

have his way if the 

lawmakers failed to garner 

sufficient numbers to nullify 

his action ''and once he 

succeeds in his self-seeking 

and self-serving position, the 

2019 elections would be in 

jeopardy." 

Chief Olanipekun also 

agreed that the President’s 

refusal to assent to the 

amended Electoral Act 

would jeopardise the entire 

process. “I would advise that 

for the stability of our 

democratic and electoral 

process that the Electoral Act 

be signed and whatever 

might be the differences 

between the presidency or 

the executive and the 

legislature, the differences 

must be resolved.'' 

He is paving the 

way to rig his 

election 

– Ozekhome 

Constitutional lawyer, 

Chief Mike Ozekhome, 

SAN, spoke in like manner. 

He said: "Buhari is obviously 

afraid not just of defeat but 

also of routing in the next 

presidential election. His 

refusal is an unveiled and 

desperate attempt to foist on 

Nigerians, the grand 

electoral fraud and larceny of 

bazaar votes we witnessed in 

the North-West, especially in 

Kano in 2015." 

Banks 

contributions 

to Agro- 

Business, 

SME 

investment 

scheme to hit 

N90bn 

— Emefiele 

By Babajide 

Komolafe 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

of Central Bank of 

Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin 

Emefiele, said yesterday, 

that banks’ contributions to 

the Agro-Business/Small 

and Medium Enterprises 

Investment Scheme, 

AGSMEIS, will hit N90 

billion by the end of this 

year. 

Meanwhile, the Bankers 

Committee, at the end of its 

annual retreat yesterday, 

rolled out measures to 

facilitate credit to exporters 

in a bid to boost the nation’s 

non-oil revenue. 

Emefiele disclosed this in 

Lagos, while addressing 

the press on the outcome 

of the 10th annual Bankers 

Committee retreat. 

He also disclosed that 

the national microfinance 

bank to be set up by the 

committee, in collaboration 

with NIPOST, will offer low 

interest credit to 

entrepreneurs across the 

country. 

Speaking on banks’ 

contributions to the scheme, 

Emefiele said: “The 

AGSMIES fund by 

December this year will 

have N90 billion. That is 

part the funds that will go 

to support those that are 

going into farming or 

trading or those in music 

or fashion industry.” 

Emefiele said in the light 

of recent economic shocks 

around the world, the 

committee decided to tackle 

issues that made it difficult 

for exporters to access credit, 

as part of measures to boost 

non-oil export. 

He said: “This year, the 

theme of the retreat centred 

around export-led 

transformation of the 

Nigerian economy as an 

engine for sustainable, 

inclusive growth in 

Nigeria. 

“For this year, we came 

and said, given the 

economic volatility and 

critical development in the 

Nigerian financial system, 

it is important that we 

renew our focus on non-oil 

exports that will help to 

catalise economic growth 

and also eliminate over 

dependence of our country 

on crude oil as a major 

source of earnings.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018—9 

N800bn subsidy debts: DAPPMA 

insists on strike to stop fuel loading 

•As NUPENG, PENGASSAN caution members 

•PPMC, NNPC promise 24-hour operations 

By Udeme Akpan 

& Michael Eboh 

THERE are indications 

that fuel distribution will 

be destabilised as the Depot 

and Petroleum Products 

Marketing Association, 

DAPPMA, yesterday, 

insisted on embarking on 

strike to distrupt lifting from 

depots nationwide. 

But oil workers, under the 

aegis of Petroleum and 

Natural Gas Senior Staff 

Association of Nigeria, 

PENGASSAN and Nigerian 

Union of Petroleum and 

Natural Gas Workers, 

NUPENG, yesterday, 

warned their members 

against participating in the 

strike. 

DAPPMA in a statement 

signed by its Executive 

Secretary, Mr Olufemi 

Adewole, yesterday, said: 

“We don’t have any written 

agreement based on recent 

discussions. It is only when 

we have a written 

agreement that it will be 

possible for us to present to 

owners of depots to convince 

them to postpone the 

planned strike. 

“As a union, there is 

nothing that we can do. But 

if we have a written 

agreement from the Ministry 

of Finance, which we have 

been discussing with in order 

to pay depot owners, then 

we will discuss with the 

owners in order to call off or 

postpone the strike.” 

The statement read: “We 

refer to the press release from 

the Federal Ministry of 

Finance on December 6 

following the meeting with 

marketers under the aegis of 

Major Oil Marketers 


MOMAN, and DAPPMA, 

and Independent Petroleum 

Marketers Association of 

Nigeria, IPMAN, stating that 

the marketers had agreed to 

resume operations. 

“We did not sign the 

purported document with 

government as claimed. We 

still stand by our ultimatum. 

“DAPPMAN reiterates that 

there was no agreement 

reached because offers by 

government failed to meet 

the legitimate demands of 

the association and we did 

not sign the purported 

document. Hence, our 

ultimatum stands as we 

cannot continue to borrow 

from banks to pay staff 

salaries.” 

Intervention 

Meanwhile, oil workers in 

the country, under the aegis 

of PENGASSAN and 

NUPENG, yesterday, 

waded into the ongoing 

disagreement between the 

Federal Government and oil 

marketers over the 

outstanding fuel subsidy 

claims and called for a 

speedy resolution of the 

issue before it plunges the 

country into another round 

of crisis. 

Addressing newsmen after 

meeting with officials of 

Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC and its subsidiary, 

Petroleum Products 

Marketing Company, 

PPMC, as well as Major Oil 

Marketers Association of 

Nigeria, MOMAN and 

Depot and Petroleum 

Products Marketing 

Association, DAPPMA, the 

oil workers also assured that 

their interests were aligned 

with Nigerians. 

PPMC, NNPC 

promise 24-hour 

operations 

Speaking in the same vein, 

National President of 

NUPENG, Comrade 

William Akporeha, said: 

“This regime of NUPENG 

believes in dialogue. Until 

we are pushed to the wall, 

we do not take strike as the 

first option. 

‘’So far, between now and 

December ending, I can 

assure Nigerians that there 

won’t be shortage of 

petroleum products in our 

streets. 

“We agreed that the oil 

marketers have legitimate 

claims and demands. 

However, we are also happy 

to say that the Federal 

Government is at this 

moment engaging them on 

how to resolve all the issues 

at stake.” 

SUKUK BOND OFFER: From left, Managing Director, Lotus 

Financial Services Limited, Mrs. Hajara Adeola; Director-General, 

Debt Management Office, Mrs. Patience Oniha; Deputy Managing 

Director, FBN Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Taiwo Okeowo, and Head, 

Market Development Department, Debt Management Office, Mr. 

Monday Usiade, during the media launch of N100 billion Sovereign 

Sukuk bond offer, in Lagos. 

Activists to Buhari: Don’t let EFCC 

set Zamfara on fire 

P RO-DEMOCRACY 

activists in Zamfara 

State, under the aegis of 

Zamfara Unity Forum, 

have called on President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

warn the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, to 

steer clear of the politics 

of Zamfara State to avert 

a major crisis. 

In a statement, 

yesterday, and signed by 

Comrade Usman 

Bungudu, the convener 

of the forum, the activists 

alleged that the antigraft 

body had been 

contracted by politicians 

to intimidate and 

humiliate Mallam 

Daudu Lawal, whom the 

national leadership of 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, has 

nominated as the 

consensus governorship 

candidate of the party. 

The statement read: “As 

we write this, we 

understand that the 

EFCC is seriously 

looking for charges to be 

brought against Lawal, 

who has been in 

detention for over one 

week. We understand 

that the arrest was 

orchestrated by a former 

permanent secretary who 

is desperate to replace 

Lawal as the APC 

candidate. 

"It must be noted that 

this same former 

permanent secretary was 

indicted in the 

Abdulrasheed Maina 

pension scandal, yet the 

EFCC is allowing itself 

to be used by the same 

character. That is how 

low the EFCC has 

descended. This was not 

the original intention of 

those who set up the 

EFCC. 

“We also understand 

that the retired 

permanent secretary is 

being aided and abetted 

by a minister, even 

though the same 

minister was among 

those who conceded that 

Lawal should be the 

consensus candidate 

after the stalemate. 

"Despite holding a 

strategic position in the 

security architecture of 

Nigeria, and despite his 

professional 

background, he has not 

used his weight to bring 

peace to Zamfara State, 

yet he wants to be 

governor. 

"When a society does 

not examine the 

credentials of people 

who desire to rule over 

it, that is what happens. 

We do not oppose the 

ambition of any politician 

who wants to rule the 

state, but they must not 

set the state on fire 

because of their personal 

interests. Zamfara is 

bigger than all of us." 

FAAN withdraws services from 

Warri, Gombe, MMA2, as Arik 

suspends flights 

By Lawani 

Mikairu 

LAGOS— FEDERAL 

Airports Authority of 

Nigeria, FAAN, has notified 

airlines of the withdrawal 

of its services to Osubi 

Airport, Warri; Gombe 

Airport and Murtala 

Muhammed Airport 2, 

MMA2, over alleged 

indebtedness. 

Arik 

Air’s 

Communications 

Manager, Mr Adebanji 

Ola, confirmed the 

development in a statement 

issued in Lagos, weekend. 

He said: “In a Notice To 

Airmen, NOTAM, issued 

on December 8, FAAN 

stated that it will be 

withdrawing aviation 

security, fire fighting and 

rescue operations from 

Osubi, Gombe and MMA2 

from midnight of December 

9. 

“Consequently, Arik Air 

will be suspending its 

flights to Osubi Airport, 

Gombe Airport and move 

Port Harcourt flights out of 

MMA2 from December 10, 

until further notice.” 

He advised Warri 

passengers to use Benin 

Airport as alternate, while 

Gombe passengers are to 

use Bauchi Airport as 

alternate. 

“All Arik Air flights to Port 

Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, 

will from the same date 

operate from Murtala 

Muhammed Airport 

Terminal One, otherwise 

known as General Aviation 

Terminal, GAT. 

“Arik Air regrets any 

inconvenience the closure 

of the three airports may 

cause its esteemed 

customers. 

“The airline hopes the 

issue between FAAN and 

the airport authorities will 

be resolved soonest,” he 

said. 

No hiding place for 

corrupt leaders — NLC 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT, 

Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC, Comrade 

Ayuba Wabba, has vowed 

to mobilise 207 million 

workers across 163 

countries against corrupt 

leaders who cannot pay 

workers’ salaries yet divert 

and stash stolen wealth 

abroad for personal use. 

Wabba made the vow, 

yesterday, at a reception 

organised at Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International 

Airport, Abuja by Medical 

and Health Workers’ 

Union, MHWUN, to 

welcome him back from 

Denmark where he was 

elected president of 

International Trade Union 

Confederation. 

Speaking on the value his 

emergence as the new 

ITUC President will bring 

to the country, he said: “It 

is a victory for Nigerian 

workers that have been 

toiling to create the wealth 

of this nation yet go home 

with little or no pay. 

“It is high time politicians, 

looters and elite realised 

that once they loot our 

resources and leave 

Nigerian airports for 

overseas, with our 

collaboration with airport 

workers around the world, 

we’ll mobilise people to 

turn them back. 

“If they will not use our 

health facilities but go 

elsewhere, they should be 

sure they will get a 

reception that is not funny. 

No hiding place for 

anybody that wants to loot 

our resources and take it 

abroad and not pay 

workers’ wages, salaries, 

and pensions.” 

On government’s 

perennial threat to apply 

the ‘No work, no pay’ 

principle in industrial 

disputes, Wabba said: “That 

principle has no place in 

modern 

industrial 

relations." 

Electoral Bill: Adeola kicks 

against overriding President’s 

veto 

SENATOR Solomon 

Adeola (APC, Lagos 

West), Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Local 

Content, has kicked against 

those urging the National 

Assembly to override the 

President’s veto on the 

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 

2018. 

According to him, those 

making the calls do not have 

the interest of Nigeria and 

the safety and sanctity of the 

2019 election at heart. 

Reacting to the call from 

some opposition elements for 

the National Assembly to 

override the President’s veto 

on the Electoral Bill in a 

statement, weekend, 

Senator Adeola said he 

would not support any such 

move on the floor of the 

Senate as it was counterproductive 

at this late hour 

to the crucial 2019 general 

election. 

He said: “As a senator and 

a Nigerian, I cannot be part 

of any move to override the 

president's veto on the 

electoral bill."

10 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

UNILAG: You’re acting like a tyrant, 

lecturers tell Babalakin 

By Dayo Adesulu 

L AGOS—THE 

Academic Staff 

Union of Universities, 

ASUU, University of 

Lagos, UNILAG chapter, 

yesterday, warned of 

imminent anarchy in the 

institution over the Pro- 

Chancellor’s alleged 

autocratic handling of the 

school. 

It also decried the 

alleged antics of the Pro- 

Chancellor, Mr. Wale 

Babalakin, to scuttle the 

ongoing ASUU strike 

through divide and rule 

mechanism. 

In a statement, 

Coordinator of the Lagos 

Zone of ASUU, Olusiji 

Sowande said: “The Pro- 

Chancellor and Chairman 

of the University of Lagos 

Governing Council, Dr. 

Wale Babalaki, 

SAN, activities since 

assumption of office are best 

described as autocratic, 

meddlesome and 

dictatorial. 

“He acted like an 

Imperial Majesty by 

ordering the reinstatement 

of the Director of Sports, 

contrary to the 

recommendations of a 

Senate Committee set up to 

investigate the various 

cases of malfeasance 

against the Director of 

Sports. 

“In addition, the Pro- 

Chancellor tyrannically 

ordered the seal- off of an 

apartment allocated to the 

All traffic offenders'll be prosecuted — AMBODE 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni & Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L 

A G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode of 

Lagos State, yesterday, 

warned that all traffic 

offenders in the state would 

henceforth be prosecuted. 

He also disclosed that no 

immediate past Registrar of 

the University, without any 

humane consideration for 

the family of that person, 

who has right to respect for 

her person and family. 

“Contrary to extant laws 

and established traditions 

of the University, the Pro- 

Chancellor illegally called 

a Town Hall Meeting on 

the 26th of September 2018 

with the Non Academic 

Staff of the University and 

on the same day 

overreached his mandate 

and legal limits as a 

political appointee by 

HBSAN ANNUAL BLACK TIE: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode 

(2nd left); Chairman, Metis Capital Partners, Mr. Hakeem Belo-Osagie (left); CEO, 

Credit Direct Limited, Mr. Akinwande Ademosu (middle); President, Harvard Business 

School Association of Nigeria (HBSAN), Mr. Fola Ogunsiakan (2nd right) and Vice 

President, Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria, Mr. Ladell Robbins (right), 

during the HBSAN Annual Black Tie,at Eko Hotels and Suites, weekend. 

Don’t use my image for key holders, 

Adeboye warns 

•Prove your allegation — Babalakin 

addressing the University 

Senate in violation of the 

academic autonomy of the 

University. 

“The latest in the Pro- 

Chancellor’s antics is his 

letter to Deans and Head 

of Departments inviting 

them to a meeting on the 

11th of December 2018. 

This represents another 

violation of the University 

norm and a rabid desire to 

scuttle the ongoing strike 

action by our Union." 

Prove your allegation 

— Babalakin 

•Laments death of 18 LASTMA officers in 2018 

By Sam Eyoboka & 

Yinka Latona 

LGeneral AGOS—THE 

Overseer of 

the Redeemed Christian 

Church of God, RCCG, 

Pastor Enoch Adejare 

Adeboye has again warned 

people using his name and 

photographs for 

commercial purposes to 

desist or risk prosecution by 

relevant authorities. 

fewer than 18 officers of the 

State Traffic Management 

Authority, LASTMA, lost 

their lives in line of duty 

through different 

circumstances this year in 

the state. 

Ambode gave the 

warning after paying a 

condolence visit to the 

headquarters of 

LASTMA over the death 

Adeboye said this on 

Friday night during the 

church's just-concluded 21st 

Holy Ghost Congress. 

Speaking on the theme: 

Glory Ahead, Pastor 

Adeboye said: “My 

attention has been drawn 

to the fact that some people 

are selling keyholders and 

bracelets with my picture or 

the picture of my wife. May 

I appeal to you in the name 

of Jesus, don’t buy it from 

them. 

“If you have bought 

them, throw them away. If 

you see those who are 

selling them, report them 

to the Police. I did not send 

them; I have nothing to do 

with them. 

“I am an ordinary man. I 

of Mr Rotimi Adeyemo. 

The governor said the 

government would no 

longer condone any act of 

lawlessness by road users. 

Adeyemo, an officer of 

LASTMA was on 

November 28, allegedly 

shot dead by an officer 

attached to the Federal 

Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad (FSARS), at Iyana- 

am not God. What these 

people are doing can lead 

to serious trouble. Not for 

them, but for me. So, if you 

see anybody selling 

anything whatsoever with 

my picture there, either my 

picture with my wife or my 

picture with someone else, 

report them to the Police. 

“It is not only that, a 

woman bought one from 

them and gave it to the 

child, who began to eat it. 

And when the mother tried 

to take it away from the 

child, she discovered that 

my picture there has 

opened. Underneath my 

picture was the picture of 

TB Joshua; and you 

know what that means. 

Please don’t cooperate 

with anyone who wants 

to kill me." 

In his reaction, Dr. 

Wale Babalakin said: “If 

anybody makes an 

allegation, please be 

kind enough to ask for 

evidence. The evidence 

can only be through the 

minutes of meeting. 

They said I took 

unilateral actions; ask 

them for the minutes of 

the meeting. 

“I can’t be responding to 

every allegation, it is not 

fair. I will ignore it unless 

they bring an evidence 

to support it. Whoever 

alleges must prove.” 

Ipaja area of the state. 

The LASTMA official was 

said to have flagged the 

FSARS official down over 

traffic issue and the victim 

was allegedly shot in the 

process. 

His words: “I have come 

here on behalf of the 

government to commiserate 

with all LASTMA officers. 

“As at today, we have lost 

18 LASTMA officers in the 

line of duty, just because 

they were performing their 

civic duties. I have 24 

LASTMA officers that are 

permanently incapacitated 

in various hospitals this 

year alone. 

“We have been churning 

out this data just because we 

believe Lagosians will 

understand that these men 

and women we put their 

lives on the line of duty are 

harmless and have nothing 

to protect themselves. 

“All they have is the traffic 

laws they tend to protect 

and regulate. First, I appeal 

to you all that we must obey 

traffic laws. Secondly, we 

cannot turn the state into a 

state of lawlessness. 

“So from this moment 

onwards, all our security 

agencies and also all 

officers concerned will 

discipline any traffic 

offender that is arrested. 

“Government will go down 

and deal squarely with any 

traffic offender henceforth.” 

Fasehun to be buried Jan 10 

— FAMILY 

LAGOS—THE family of 

the late founder of the 

Oodua Peoples’ Congress, 

OPC, Fredrick Fasehun, 

says the late sage will be 

buried on January 10, 

2019. 

Kayode Fasehun, son of 

the late activist, announced 

this in Lagos. 

Dr. Fasehun died on 

December 1 after a brief 

illness. 

The family said he would 

be buried in his hometown, 

Ondo, Ondo State. 

Kayode said: “The 

funeral arrangements for 

our patriarch, Dr Frederick 

Isiotan Folabora Fasehun, 

who passed onto eternal 

glory on the 1st of 

December 2018 as 

announced by the family 

are as follows: Monday 7th 

January 2019: Service of 

Songs at St Peter’s Church 

3, Ajele Street, Lagos 

Island, Lagos. Time: 5 p.m. 

“Tuesday 8th January 

2019: Lying in state at the 

Century Hotels, Ago Palace 

Way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos. 

Time 12 – 7 p.m. 

“The Wake Service/Night 

of Tributes at same venue. 

Time 5 p.m. Wednesday 

9th January 2019: 

Commendation Service at 

St. Peter’s Church, 3, Ajele 

Street, Lagos Island, Lagos. 

Time 9a.m. 

"The funeral service will 

be held at the Cathedral of 

St. Stephen, Oke Aluko, 

Ondo, Ondo State. Time 

10a.m. Internment follows." 

Buhari constitutes c’ttee on 

state legislature autonomy, 

state judiciary 

A 

B U J A — 

PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

constituted a Presidential 

Implementation Committee 

on autonomy of state 

legislature and state 

judiciary, in accordance 

with the 4th Alteration to the 

1999 Constitution. 

A statement by the Special 

Adviser to the President on 

Media and Publicity, Chief 

Femi Adesina in Abuja, 

yesterday, explained that 

the purpose of the 

committee was to drive the 

actualization of the 

autonomy granted to the 

legislature and judiciary at 

the state level. 

According to the 

statement, the Attorney 

General of the Federation 

and Minister of Justice, 

Abubakar Malami, is to 

serve as chairman of the 

committee, while the 

Senior Special Assistant to 

the President on National 

Assembly Matters, 

Senator Ita Enang, is the 

Secretary. 

Representatives of State 

Judiciary in the committee 

are Justice N. Ajanah, 

Chief Judge of Kogi State, 

Justice K. Abiri, Chief 

Judge of Bayelsa State, 

Kadi Abdullahi Maikano 

Usman, Grand Khadi, 

Oyetola tasks Osun indigenes on 

payment of tax 

O 

S O G B O — 

GOVERNOR 

Gboyega Oyetola of Osun 

State has urged citizens 

of the state to pay their 

taxes regularly to enable 

the government to 

discharge 

its 

responsibilities to the 

people. 

He said this, weekend, 

at his hometown Iragbiji 

in Boripe Local 

Government, during the 

27th Iragbiji Day and 

launching of a 

Development Fund. 

Speaking to the leaders 

and indigenes of the state, 

the governor said major 

Gombe State Sharia Court 

of Appeal and Justice 

Abbazih Musa Abubakar 

Sadeeq, Ag. President of 

the FCT Customary Court 

of Appeal. 

Representatives of State 

legislatures are 

Mudashiru Obasa, 

Chairman, Conference of 

Speakers of State 

Legislatures of Nigeria and 

Speaker, Lagos State 

House of Assembly, as well 

as Rt. Hon. Abel Peter Riah, 

Speaker, Taraba State 

House of Assembly. 

The Judiciary Staff Union 

of Nigeria is to be 

represented by Marwan 

Mustapha Adamu; 

Parliamentary Staff 


Comrade Bala Hadi, while 

the Body of Chairmen of 

Houses of Assembly 

Service Commissions, has 

Musa Mustapha Agwai as 

its representative. 

Also members of the 

committee are the Senate 

Committee on Judiciary, 

Human Rights, and Legal 

Matters, Senator David 

Umaru; House of 

Representatives 

Committee on Federal 

Judiciary, Aminu Shagari 

and the Accountant 

General of the Federation, 

and the Secretary of the 

National Judicial Council. 

programmes of the 

government like the 

feeding of pupils, security 

of lives and property and 

provision of amenities 

cannot be carried out 

unless there are resources, 

adding that “we cannot 

continue to rely on revenue 

from the Federation 

Account.” 

Part of the governor’s 

plans is to raise the 

Internally Generated 

Revenue, IGR, of the state 

without adding to the 

burden of the people. 

Oyetola 

said 

development of towns rests 

with everybody and not the 

government alone.

Y 

K 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

2019 POLL: Only a fool'll be neutral 

— OBASANJO 

By Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA— 

F O R M E R 

President Olusegun 

Obasanjo said, yesterday, 

that he would not be 

neutral in the 2019 general 

elections, noting that only 

a fool will be neutral over 

the current state of the 

country. 

The former President said 

this in a statement by his 

media aide, Mr. Kehinde 

Akinyemi. 

The statement reads: 

“While Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo is in Cairo to 

attend the maiden edition 

of the Intra-African Trade 

Fair (IATF), of which he is 

Chairman of the Advisory 

Council, his attention has 

been drawn to a report by 

the News Agency of 

Nigeria (NAN) with the 

headline: Atiku: Obasanjo 

Shifts Political Gear to 

Neutral. 

“It is disingenuous, if not 

malicious, for anyone to 

suggest that Chief 

Obasanjo was being 

neutral when he chose not 

to use the Owu Convention 

as a platform for political 

campaign but instead 

adopt a communal and 

familial approach in talking 

to members of his Owu 

family. 

“For the records, and as 

accurately reported by 

some media organisations, 

what the former President 

said at the convention in 

Iwo was that while he 

would not endear any 

candidates to them, 

Nigerians should vote for 

credible candidates who 

will drive growth and 

development and make 

their lives better than it is 

now. 

“Chief Obasanjo’s 

statement did not suggest 

his neutrality. In fact, the 

former President believes 

that only a fool will sit on 

the fence or be neutral when 

his or her country is being 

destroyed by incompetence, 

corruption, lack of focus, 

insecurity, nepotism, brazen 

impunity and denial of the 

obvious. Chief Obasanjo is 

no such fool nor is he so 

unwise. 

“The former President 

reassures Nigerians that he 

will not sit on the fence 

when he needs to be out 

and active for people to 

know where he stands in the 

best interest of Nigeria. 

“Chief Obasanjo reaffirms 

that he is on the side of 

what is best for Nigeria and 

what we have currently 

and as the affairs of Nigeria 

are being run is not the best 

for Nigeria, so nobody 

should fool himself or 

deceive others about Chief 

Obasanjo’s position. 

“The former President 

further urges Nigerians 

who are victims of what we 

have for now to stop just 

complaining and go out to 

get beneficial change. 

“They must know that 

such change will not come 

if they remain inactive just 

complaining and 

complacent and they allow 

themselves to be deceived 

by sycophants and enemies 

of Nigeria. 

“If they do not become 

active and get much 

ELECTORAL ACT: APC, PDP playing games 

with Nigeria’s unity — OLAWEPO-HASHIM 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

A 

B U J A — 

PRESIDENTIAL 

candidate of People’s Trust, 

PT, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo- 

Hashim, yesterday, 

accused All Progressives 

Congress, APC, and 

People’s Democratic Party, 

PDP, of playing politics with 

the nation’s stability 

through their handling the 

Electoral Act. 

He said this at an 

interactive session with 

newsmen in Lagos. 

Olawepo-Hashim said: 

“The president is 

conducting himself like a 

typical Nigerian politician 

of the era of political 

decline, rather than 

behaving as a patriot that I 

have always thought he is. 

By his actions, he is simply 

saying let me benefit from 

the fraudulent process for 

my 2019 bid. You can push 

for the new law in 2023 

when I will not be 

contesting. 

He said it is regrettable 

that with the spiralling 

poverty in the land, 

insurgency by Boko Haram, 

violence in the North East 

and North West, incipient 

Shite rebellion due to high 

2019: Atiku group tasks INEC on credible polls 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

L AGOS—THE 

AtikuObi Vanguard 

for Good Governance has 

called on Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC 

National Chairman, 

Professor Mahmood 

Yakubu, to shun all forms 

of corruption during the 

2019 general elections, 

saying Nigerians are tired 

of inconclusive and 

disputed election results. 

The group, at an 

interactive session with 

newsmen in Lagos by its 

....Rallies youths, women for PDP candidate 

Director General, Mr. Tunji 

Iyanda, appealed to INEC 

strictly adhere to the 

electoral laws and play its 

constitutional role with 

diligence. 

Iyanda said: “We call on 

the INEC National 

Chairman, Prof. Yakubu 

Mahmood and all INEC 

operatives to ensure strict 

adherence to all electoral 

laws and play their 

constitutional role with 

diligence and shun all 

forms of corruption. 

Nigerians are tired of 

inconclusive and disputed 

election results.” 

Rallies for Atiku 

Meanwhile, the Atiku 

Presidential View Support 

Group has expressed its 

determination to rally 

Nigerian women and 

youths in all the 36 states 

of the federation and Abuja 

as well as in all the 774 

local government areas of 

the country to vote for 

former vice president, Atiku 

Abubakar in order to 

ensure the actualisation of 

his presidential ambition. 

VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 — 11 

needed change of the 

current administration to a 

government that will 

improve the economy, 

regain the confidence of 

investors and generally 

drive growth, development 

and economic progress 

with security, what is 

coming will be much worse 

than what Nigerians 

currently suffer. 

“On his part, Chief 

Obasanjo will remain 

consistent in speaking out 

whenever and wherever he 

sees evil as he is known to 

do no matter whose ox is 

gored. Nobody should 

manipulate Chief 

Obasanjo’s position, 

particularly on the 2019 

presidential election 

and what he said in Iwo 

to perpetrate or 

perpetuate continued 

destruction of our country.” 

OYETOLA VISITS ALAAFIN: Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State (left) 

with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi during the governor's thank-you 

visit in appreciation of the monarch's attendance of his recent swearing-in 

ceremony as Osun governor, at the Alaafin's palace, Oyo yesterday. 

handedness, massive 

insecurity and 

bloodletting in various 

states, Nigeria may be 

damaged beyond 

redemption in four years, 

should we all succumb to 

the plot for the APC to hand 

themselves a fresh term 

through a faulty process. 

He said: “In the task of 

nation building, political 

leaders sometimes have 

to rise above the fray and 

take decisions in the 

national interest, even 

when it does not seem to 

benefit from it. Some of us 

did this before. In 2000, 

when some of our 

colleagues wanted to 

change our two year 

tenure to four years, I led 

the opposition to this, even 

though I would have been 

a beneficiary of that exercise 

as a National Executive 

Committee, NEC, member.” 

The PT presidential 

candidate called on the 

electorate and Nigerians 

not to be discouraged 

from participating in the 

next polls as a result of 

the shenanigans of APC 

and PDP. 

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2019: Be careful with 

restructuring, Northern 

elders warn Atiku 

•Say North yet to decide on it 

By Soni Daniel 

APPARENTLY jostled 

by numerous 

pronouncements by the 


Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, in next year’s 

election, Atiku Abubakar, 

Northern erlders have 

asked him to apply some 

brakes in the type of 

campaigns promises he 

was making, particularly 

with regards to in the 

restructuring. 


Northern elders, the region 

is yet to take a position on 

the controversial but crucial 

issue. 

The elders, who spoke to 

Vanguard through the 

convener of Northern 

Elders Forum, NEF, Prof 

Ango Addullahi, cautioned 

Atiku not to make any 

promise with timelines he 

would never be able to 

accomplish, even with 

available cash in hand. 

He drew Atiku’s attention 

to how former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo failed 

to actualize the 

improvement of power 

supply in Nigeria, even 

with billions of Dollars 

spent, after he had boasted 

that he would revamp the 

power sector within the first 

year of his Presidency. 

According to him, the 

north is yet to sit down and 

decide the type and nature 

of restructuring that would 

address the needs of the 

area and Nigeria. 

He noted that it was after 

that deliberation that its 

position would be made 

known. 

For this reason, 

Abdullahi, who was former 

Ahmadu Bello University 

Vice Chancellor, said he 

had already drawn Atiku’s 

attention to the need to be 

careful and be ready to 

march his promises with 

actions if he wins the poll 

next year. 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A GOVERNOR 

DO-EKITI— 

Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti 

State has lifted the embargo 

placed on some banks by 

the immediate past 

administration of Mr Ayo 

Fayose. 

Fayose had in May 2016 

placed a “non-patronage” 

ban on three banks- 

Ecobank, GTbank and 

Zenith Bank Plc and 

forbade government 

Ministries, Departments 

and Agencies, MDAs, as 

well as workers from 

transacting business with 

them. 

Fayemi, in quashing the 

embargo, earlier in the 

month, also directed that all 

MDAs should resume 

patronage of all the banks 

immediately. 

In a statement by the 

He said: “I think what we 

need to do is to sit down 

and discuss the kind of 

restructuring that the north 

needs and when we 

discuss and come to a 

common understanding of 

what restructuring is all 

about, then we put in place 

an administration that will 

listen and will also 

understand us and we will 

be on the same page with 

the administration. 

“But if Buhari wins the 

election, we can forget 

restructuring because we 

can never get the kind of 

restructuring we want 

under him since he does 

not understand what it 

means himself. 

“I talked to Atiku 

Abubakar last week and 

asked him whether he had 

done his homework on the 

campaign promises he had 

been making to Nigerians 

because the challenge he 

would have is to realize that 

promises are different from 

ability to achieve them 

within timelines, even with 

money. 

“So we have asked him 

to make the type of 

promises his government 

can fulfill within the 

timeframe. This is because 

Obasanjo promised to 

provide adequate power 

within a few months of his 

tenure but he never 

succeeded in boosting 

power after one year.’’ 

Abdullahi suggested that 

the first and best form of 

restructuring that could take 

Nigeria to the next level 

was to collapse the 36 states 

into six regions and run 

them on the basis of the 

abandoned parliamentary 

system of government. 


parliamentary system of 

government is less 

expensive and more 

accountable than the 

unwieldy, expensive, 

wasteful, corruption-ridden 

and impunity-promoting 

presidential system. 

Ekiti govt lifts embargo on 

Ecobank, GTbank, Zenith bank 

Chief Press Secretary to the 

Governor, Mr Yinka 

Oyebode, the embargo was 

lifted “in a bid to rekindle 

and strengthen the agelong 

relationship between 

the affected banks and the 

state government.” 

The statement reads: 

“Government took the 

decision after a careful 

review of the developments 

that led to the purported 

embargo by the immediate 

past administration. 

“The Fayemi 

administration is 

committed to the 

infrastructural and 

industrial development of 

the state. In achieving this, 

it will create a conducive 

atmosphere for business to 

thrive in the state by 

partnering with the 

private sector and 

encouraging private 

initiatives, among others.” 

C


Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit 

to hit $878bn by 2040 — SEC 

By Esther 

Onyegbula 

L AGOS—THE 

Securities and 

Exchange Commission, 

SEC, said yesterday that 

the country’s infrastructure 

deficit would hit 878 billion 

dollars by 2040 and called 

for active utilisation of 

green bond for 

infrastructural gap. 

Ms. Mary Uduk, SEC 

Acting Director-General, 

said this at the 2018 annual 

workshop organised by the 

Capital Market 

Correspondents 

Association of Nigeria 

(CAMCAN) in Lagos. 

She said Nigeria should 

tap into green bond 

opportunities, adding that 

the commission would 

continue to promote an 

active enabling and 

regulative environment for 

its issuance. 

“The future holds 

opportunities for renewable 

energy, energy efficiency, 

infrastructure, food, 

agriculture and the task 

ahead is to ensure funds are 

channeled to green projects 

with multiple socio-merits,” 

Uduk said. 

She said there must be 

more domestic participation 

in green bonds investment 

for Nigeria to claw its way 

out of deficit in 

infrastructure, power and 

energy, transportation and 

eliminating environmental 

degradation. 

Uduk, who was 

represented by Head, 

Registration, and Market 

Infrastructure Department, 

SEC, Mr. Emomotimi 

Agama, said it was 

necessary for Nigeria to 

stand at the forefront of 

innovations. 

She said that the second 

tranche of green bonds 

which had been issued 

presented an opportunity 

for the country to solve its 

infrastructure deficit. 

C’River warring communities 

lament loss of lives, beg for relief 

materials 

By Emma Una 

CLASSIFIED 

OMORARO 

I, formerly known as 

Akporuere-Akiri 

Aruereakpo Omoraro, now 

wish to be known as Akiri 

Aruereakpo Omoraro. All 

former documents remain 

valid. General public 

please take note. 

NNENNA 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Nnenwa Ujunwa Jennifer, 

now wish to be known as Mrs. 

Osuji Ujunwa Jennifer. 

Former documents remain 

valid. General public please 

take note. 

ABEY 


Alatise Yusuf Abey, now 

wish to be known as Yusuf 

Omoola Alatise. Former 

documents remain valid. 

General public please take 

note. 

AGHIMIEN 


Aghimien Mary Irese, 

now wish to be known as 

Mrs. Ogunli Mary Irese. 

All former documents 

remain valid. General 

public please take note. 

C W ALABAR— 

A R R I N G 

communities in Odukpani 

Local Government Area of 

Cross River State has 

lamented the destruction of 

lives and property in the 

communities, beging 

relevant authorities to assist 

them with releif materials. 

They made this appeal 

yesterday, at a meeting with 

Senator Gershom Bassey, 

the Senator representing 

Cross River State 

Senatorial District. 

The conflict which 

engulfed the Obom Itiat- 

Mbiabo ward led to the 

killing of several persons 

and destruction of houses 

in Edere, Erong, Mkpan 

Oruk, Mbiabo Edere, 

Etege Ntem, and Otong 

Ediong communities. 

Mr. Okon Asuquo a 

former Councilor, who 

represented ward in the 

Odukpani Council 

legislature said the conflict 

started when youths from 

Ediong village allegedly 

fell a tree in the forest 

belonging to Mbiabo 

Edere. 


Mbiabo youths confiscated 

the chainsaw machine 

used by the Ediong youths 

and demanded 

compensation which was 

rejected, saying the 

ensuing misunderstanding 

snowballed into the conflict. 

No audit report, no budget defence, 

NASS tells NDDC 

•No allocation from Ecological funds to NDDC since 

inception, MD tells NASS 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE National 

Assembly has said 

today is the last date for the 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, to 

submit all audited reports 

of projects executed, saying 

the failure to do that would 

foreclose the defence of the 

commission’s budget. 

Speaking weekend in 

Abuja when the Managing 

Director of NDDC, Nsima 

Ekere appeared before the 

joint committees of the 

Senate and House of 

Representatives on Niger 

Delta Affairs to defend the 

commission’s 2018 budget, 

Chairman of the 

Committee, Senator Peter 

Nwaoboshi, who gave the 

NDDC today to provide the 

report, warned that failure 

to do that, the National 

Assembly would not look at 

the budget estimates. 

According to the National 

Assembly, there have been 

requests for the report of its 

portfolio, but the 

commission has refused to 

make them available. 

Senator Nwaoboshi, who 

noted that it has become 

imperative to come up with 

the audit report, said that it 

would enable the 

committee to assess the 

level of performance, 

especially in 2017 before 

approving the 2028 budget. 

Nwaoboshi said: “ We 

need to have the audit 

report of projects, it is very 

important to make the 

report available. Seventy 

copies can be done in one 

day. We want the report on 

Monday as they will be 

taken to assess the budget 

performance. 

“We want to stop NDDC 

budget from spilling to the 

next year. We want to break 

the jinx and the NDDC 

team must cooperate with 

us at the National Assembly 

to stop the late presentation 

of budget which has been 

a tradition since inception.” 

No allocation for 

Ecological fund 

Responding, the NDDC 

boss, Ekere told the 

lawmakers that since the 

inception of the 

commission, 18 years ago, 

it has not received a dime 

from the Ecological funds 

which now amounts to over 

N81 billion, adding that the 

commission has made 

several requests to 


Buhari, the Presidency, the 

Office of the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation, SGF the office 

that controls the fund. 

PRESS BRIEFING: From left, Dr. Frederick Igbinedion, Chairman; Ernest Uduje, MD/CEO, 

Ibiyemi Okuwoga, Head, Sales & Marketing; and Sanusi Segun, Senior Software Developer, 

all of itex Integrated Services Ltd, during a press briefing to announce the company’s expansion 

in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau 

THE Concerned Oil and 

Gas Impacted 

Communities 

Development Initiatives, 

COAIDI, has appealed to 

rights activist, Chief Rita 

Lori-Ogbebor to allow an 

an agency created by 

Chevron Nigeria Limited, 

CNL, Itsekiri Regional 

Development Council, 

IRDC, to operate optimally 

for the benefit of the oil and 

gas producing communities 

like others in Ijaw and Ilaje 

areas. 

Reacting to reports stating 

that she had discovered two 

new accounts being 

operated by the IRDC, the 

group said the freezing of 

seven accounts with over 

N2.2 billion on allegations 

of fraud and nonaccountability 

has kept the 

IRDC dormant and nonfunctional 

for a long time. 

The COAIDI said the oil 

and gas impacted 

communities have been left 

without jobs, contracts, 

scholarships, housing 

units, water projects, skills 

acquisition training, and 

other benefits that should 

have accrued to the people 

through Chevron’s 

funding scheme. 

In a statement made 

available to newsmen in 

Warri by COAIDI 

Chairman, Mr. Justin Bojor 

and Secretary, Mr. Agbejule 

Ofeoritse, the group said: 

"The statement reads:”If the 

exco were truly fraudulent 

Allow Chevron-funded IRDC to operate, group 

she would not have discov- 

appeals to Lori-Ogbebor 

ered the N2.2 billion 

which freezing has crippled 

all activities of the IRDC. 

The IRDC account is jointly 

operated by Chevron, 

IRDC and the Delta State 

government and no one 

group can freely access 

funds in the account. All 

withdrawals are project 

specific. The current IRDC 

exco led by Ambassador 

Austin Oniyesan has the 

blessing of the Itsekiri 

monarch, HRM Ogiame 

Ikenwoli." 

Lawyer queries motive behind Usoro, AKSG 

officials prosecution 

By Henry Ojelu 

UYO—A 

legal 

practitioner, Douglas 

Ogbankwa, has said that 

there is a hidden motive by 

the Economic and 


Commission, EFCC over 

its decision to try the 

President of Nigerian Bar 

Association, NBA, Paul 

Usoro, SAN and some top 

Akwa Ibom State 

Government officials. 

The EFCC claimed that 

Usoro converted and 

laundered about N1.4 

billion in connivance with 

the governor of his state, 

Governor Udom Emmanuel 

of Akwa Ibom State and 

other officials of his 

government. 

Reacting to the charge, 

Ogbankwa said that the 

decision by the EFCC to 

prosecute Usoro over a 

lawyer-client business 

relationship raises 

questions about the real 

motive of the charge 

especially with the political 

situation in Akwa Ibom 

State. 

He said: “If indeed, the 

EFCC goes ahead and 

charge our president, 

Usoro, this morning, just for 

receiving his legitimate 

income, then the bar would 

have foisted on itself, a fiat 

accompli.’’ 

Activists to Buhari: Don’t let 

EFCC set Zamfara on fire 

P RO-DEMOCRACY 

activists in Zamfara 

State, under the aegis of 

the Zamfara Unity Forum, 

have called on President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

warn the Economic and 


Commission, EFCC, to 

steer clear of the politics of 

Zamfara State in order to 

avert a major crisis. 

In a statement issued on 

Sunday and signed by 

convener of the forum, 

Comrade Usman 

Bungudu, the activists 

alleged that the anti-graft 

body has been contracted 

by politicians to intimidate 

and humiliate Mallam 

Daudu Lawal, who the 

national leadership of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, has nominated as the 

consensus governorship 

candidate of the party.

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Delta APC crisis: Ogodo, Erue 

factions to be fused — Emerhor 

By Perez Brisibe 

UGHELLI — ONE of 

the leaders of All 


APC, in Delta State, 

Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, 

has said one of the 

decisions reached at the 

reconciliatory meeting of 

the party convened by Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo is 

that all parallel party 

executives would become 

one. 

The party in the state has 

two factions with each 

headed by Mr. Jones Erue 

and Chief Cyril Ogodo. 

Emerhor while 

confirming the peace efforts 

of Vice President Osinbajo 

to Vanguard, said himself, 

chairman of his faction 

(Ogodo), four aspirants on 

their side, who bought the 

governorship forms, 

namely Prof Pat Utomi, 

Chief Victor Ochei, Dr. 

Cairo Ojougboh, and Chief 

Osiobe Okotie, met 

separately with the vice 

president. 

He explained that the 

efforts of Osinbajo were 

geared towards uniting the 

party in the state, adding: 

“The discussions centred 

on the recognition that the 

issues of candidates have 

been overtaken by time." 

"The attempt, therefore, is 

to find ways to compensate 

the side that may lose out 

on issues of candidates 

with appointments to 

engender a win-win 

feeling. 

“Prof Utomi is a parallel 

governorship candidate 

and Ochei has a court case 

asking for cancellations of 

the Ogboru primary. It is 

important that they key into 

the direction of the 


discussions for us to make 

progress. 

“Also to unite the party, the 

existing party factions are 

to be fused through 

harmonisation, while the 

campaign councils for the 

presidential and state 

elections are to be 

constituted in such a way 

as to accommodate persons 

from both sides. 

“I believe the discussions 

are going well and a joint 

position will be released 

soon by or from the office of 

the convener, the vice 

president.” 

Ayade to Buhari, Atiku, others: You can cavass 

for votes in Calabar festival 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR— 

GOVERNOR Ben 

Ayade of Cross River State 

has called on President 

Muhammadu Buhari; 

former Vice President, 

Atiku Abubakar, and other 

presidential aspirants to 

grace the Carnival Calabar 

2018 to ease off stress and 

canvass for votes. 

Ayade said this during 

the flag off of 3rd Carnival 

Calabar Dry Run at the 

Millennium Park in 

Calabar, yesterday. 

His words: "I am using 

this opportunity to invite all 

the presidential candidates 

of all the political parties in 

Nigeria to grace the 

Carnival Calabar to ease off 

stress. 

“They can also use this 

veritable platform because 

of the huge followership it 

commands worldwide to 

reach out to voters in 

Nigeria and diaspora. 

“Carnival Calabar 

doesn’t know any political 

party, neither does it know 

any particular candidate but 

they should all come to the 

biggest street party to have 

fun and ease off stress from 

their campaigns so far." 

President of Federation of 

Tourism Association of 

Nigeria,FTAN,Alhaji Sabo 

Saleh, said Cross River 

State has put Nigeria on the 

tourism map of the world 

with the Carnival Calabar. 

“We are here to 

underscore and study the 

Calabar Carnival and see 

how to support the brand. 

Tourism plays a vital role in 

the growth and 

development of Nigeria. 

Other events managers 

and states should borrow a 

leaf from what Cross River 

is doing. Only tourism can 

grow the economy of 

Nigeria and unite us at the 

same time,” he said. 

VISIT: Jonathan Adiotomre, Founder/Co-ordinator, N2N Okowa 

Neighbourhood 2 Neighborhood (left) and Hilary Ibegbulem, 

Principal Secretary to Governor Okowa, during a courtesy visit by 

members of the group to Ibegbulem at Government House, Asaba, 

Delta State. 

Minister gives marching order to contractor handling 

construction of Auchi-Okene road 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN CITY — 

MINISTER of State 

for Power, Works and 

Housing, Mr Mustapha 

Shehuri, has given a 

marching order to the 

contractor handling the 

Auchi - Okene axis of 

the Benin-Abuja 

highway, to expedite 

action on the completion 

of the section awarded 

to it 

This came as he 

disclosed that the 

Federal Government was 

considering embracing 

Public Private 

Partnership, PPP, in road 

construction in the 

country. 

The minister gave the 

order while speaking 

with journalists shortly 

after inspecting ongoing 

works at the Benin-Abuja 

dual carriageway in Edo 

State. 

His words: “In 2015, 

N45 billion was 

budgeted for the Federal 

Ministry of Works for 

roads and in 2016, 

N287billion for the 

ministry 

“Government is looking 

for other sources of 

funding. That was when 

the idea of SUKUK came. 

And by 2017, in most of 

the zones, roads were 

funded through the 

SUKUK bond. 

“And we are not going 

to stop at that. We are 

still looking at other 

sources of funding 

because government 

finance to fund all the 

roads is not there. 

“So, we are looking at 

PPP to take over some of 

the roads that are viable. 

That is the global 

practice all over “ 

However, inspecting 

the Auchi-Okene axis of 

the road, the minister 

lamented the slow pace 

of works by the 

contractor and urged the 

contractor to ensure 

speedy completion of the 

section of the highway. 

Explaining the delay 

on the road construction, 

the Project Manager, 

Mother Cat, Mr. Joubran 

Saadah, said issues 

bordering on payment of 

compensation and 

relocation of structures 

on right of way among 

other challenges were 

responsible. 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI—LEADERS of 

Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Ughievwen 

Kingdom have expressed 

hope that the member 

representing Ughelli South 

Constituency in Delta State 

House of Assembly, Mr. 

Reuben Izeze, who is also 

the party’s candidate for the 

seat, would be re-elected. 

A party, chieftain, Dr. 

Ernest Adogbeji-Ideh, 

gave the assurance in his 

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Goldcoast Dickson: Bayelsa 

govt lauds Buhari, Jonathan, 

others 

Orientation, 

Y ENAGOA— 

BAYELSA State 

government, yesterday, 

expressed gratitude to all 

those who attended the 

funeral activities of the late 

Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson, 

mother of Governor Seriake 

Dickson. 

The government also 

lauded the many 

contributions made by 

individuals and 

organisations as well as the 

prayers offered by the 

clergy. 

The state Commissioner 

for Information and 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

Daniel 

Iworiso-Markson, in a 

statement on behalf of the 

government, described the 

turnout at the burial as 

massive and gratifying. 

Iworiso-Markson noted 

that there couldn’t have 

been a better way to show 

love and solidarity. 

He stated that the 

government views the 

tremendous outpouring of 

support as an 

immeasurable love and 

infinite camaraderie, which 

will never be taken for 

granted but will forever 

remain indelible. 

Emmanuel urged to assent to 

A/Ibom Health Insurance 

Agency Bill 

U YO—GOVERNOR 

Udom Emmanuel of 

Akwa Ibom State has been 

urged to give assent to the 

state Health Insurance 

Agency Bill already passed 

into law by the state House 

of Assembly. 

Chairman, Board of 

Trustees, Community 

Based Health Insurance, 

CBHI, Ukana West 2, Mr. 

N-Delta ex-militant leaders 

urge security agencies to 

probe ‘impostor' 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO— Niger Delta exmilitant 

leaders in 

Akwa Ibom State have 

warned one Mr. Aniekan 

Abasi Paulinus to desist 

from parading himself as 

the leader of one of the exmilitant 

groups in the state, 

urging relevant security 

agencies in the state to 

investigate his activities. 

The ex-militants 

leaders,General Nico 

Sintei, Prince James 

Ukpong and Sunny 

Nathan, at a media 

briefing, yesterday, in Oron 


Michael Akpabio, made 

the appeal during a press 

conference organised in 

collaboration with National 

Health Insurance Scheme, 

NHIS, as part of activities 

marking the 2018 

Universal Health Coverage 

day slated for December, 11. 

Akpabio said the 

governor’s assent to the bill 

would boost the activities of 

the organisation, and 

ensure compulsory health 

coverage for the entire state, 

capturing both formal and 

informal sectors. 

Akwa Ibom State, said 

they were worried that 

Paulinus has been 

making statements on 

behalf of Niger Delta exagitators 

in the state when 

he is not one of them. 

Speaking on behalf of 

others, self-styled General 

Sintei said: “We, therefore, 

want to bring to the notice 

of members of the public 

that Aniekan Abasi 

Paulinus and his group are 

not known to us, the 

genuine ex-agitators, in the 

state neither are they part 

of the Presidential 

Amnesty programme. 

PDP leaders assure Izeze 

of victory 

residence at Otujeremi 

when the lawmaker paid a 

courtesy call on the leaders 

of the party. 

Commending the 

lawmaker for his victory at 

the primary election, 

Adogbeji-Ideh said the 

leaders would mobilise for 

his victory at the polls. 

Chief Eric Obofukoro,on 

his part, said the party 

would win in the area, 

adding that the people 

were impressed with the 

performance of Izeze as a 

member of the state House 

of Assembly. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

14 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

NOVA MERCHANT BANK’S DINNER FOR MEDIA EXECUTIVES 

Nova Merchant Bank Chairman, Mr Phillips Oduoza organised a dinner for media executives in Lagos weekend. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele 

From left; Mr. Anya Duroha, MD, NOVA Merchant Bank Ltd; Mr. Nosa Igiebor, Director, Tell 

Magazine; Mr. Phillips Oduoza, Chairman, NOVA Merchant Bank; Mrs. Comfort Obi, publisher, 

The Source and Mr. Dan Akpovwa, publisher, The Abuja Inquirer newspaper. 

From left; Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, founder, Proshare Nigeria Ltd; 

Mr. Phillips Oduoza and Mr. Lanre Alfred, veteran journalist. 

Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publisher, Businessday 

Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, President, Newspapers Proprietors and Funke Egbemode, MD/Editor-in-Chief, 

Association of Nigeria, NPAN (left) and Mr. Oduoza. New Telegraph Newspapers 

From left; Mr Jewell Dafinone, Group MD, The NewsGuru; 

Mrs Anita Kouassigan, Director, Guardian newspapers and Mr 

Toke Alex-Ibru, Exeutive Director, Guardian newspapers. 

FUNERAL SERVICE FOR LATE MADAM GOLDCOAST DICKSON 

The funeral service for Late Madam Goldcoast Dickson, mother of Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson held at 

Enimieyi Compound, Esinekrizi Quarters, Toru-Angiama community, Patani, Delta State yesterday. Photos: Nath Onojake. 

. 

From left: Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his wife; Dolapo; former 

President Goodluck Jonathan; formerVice President Atiku Abubakar and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. 

Wife of Delta State governor, Dame Edith Okowa (right) 

and wife of Bayelsa State gov, Dr. Rachel Dickson. 

(LEFT): From left; Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State; Governor Godwin 

Obaseki of Edo State and 

Governor Emmanuel 

Udom of Akwa-Ibom 

State. 

(RIGHT): Mr Peter Obi, 

PDP vice presidential candidate 

(left) and Senator 

James Manager.


How APGA'll reshape Nigeria 

—Gbor, Obiano, Oye 

•Gbor, Obiano rooting for Buhari —AAPGA 

By Clifford 

Ndujihe & Peter 

Okutu 

AWKA—LEADERS and 

Presidential 

Candidate of the All 

Progressive Grand 

Alliance, APGA, Major 

General John Gbor, retd, 

have promised to reshape 

the country and make a 

difference in the polity, if 

given the mandate in the 

2019 polls. 

They spoke at the 

flagging off of the party’s 

presidential campaigns in 

Awka, the Anambra State 

capital, weekend. 

Specifically, Gbor urged 

Nigerians to believe and 

trust him and his party for 

their welfare, peace, unity 

and economic 

emancipation. 

Anambra State Governor, 

Willie Obiano, urged voters 

and supporters of the party 

to vote massively for APGA 

just as they did during his 

governorship re-election in 

2017. 

The national chairman of 

the party, Chief Victor Oye, 

said the "party’s main focus 

remains infrastructure and 

security just as Obiano has 

shown in Anambra State." 

The Anambra South 

Senatorial candidate of the 

party, Prince Nicholas 

Ukachukwu said Nigerians 

had tried the People’s 

Democratic Party, PDP, and 

now the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, and found 

out that both parties cannot 

take the nation to the 

promised land. 

He said: “The aim, plans 

and programmes of our 

party down to the grassroot 

is to transform the welfare 

of Nigerians for the better. 

I urge voters in the seven 

councils of Nnewi South, 

Nnewi North, Ekwusigo, 

Ihiala, Aguata, Orumba 

North and Orumba South 

that constitute my senatorial 

zone to vote APGA en 

masse in all the elections." 

Dignitaries at the event 

included the party’s 

governorship candidates - 

Alhaji Umaru Sanni 

Shinkafi (Zamfara), Alex 

Otti (Abia), and Senator 

Ifeanyi Ararume (Imo) 

among others. 

Obiano, Oye must go 

—AAPGA 

Meanwhile, the national 

chairman of the breakaway 

faction of the party known 

as Authentic All 

Progressive Grand 

Alliance, AAPGA, Deacon 

Jerry Obasi, has picked 

holes in the Awka rally and 

insisted that Obiano and 

Oye must leave APGA. 

Obasi, who unveiled 

AAPGA at a world press 

conference in Abuja, last 

Why Ohanaeze must stay away from 

politics, by Okorocha 

...knocks Fr Mbaka over political comments 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O 

W E R R I — 

GOVERNOR 

Rochas Okorocha of Imo 

state yesterday warned 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo against 

taking sides in the 

forthcoming 2019 general 

elections. 

Okorocha stated this 

through his Chief Press 

Secretary, Sam 

Onwuemeodo, when the 

National Organizing 

Committee for the 2018 

Igbo Day Celebration led 

by Gregory Ibe, paid him 

a visit at Government 

House Owerri. 

Okorocha maintained that 

the Igbo people needed to 

come close to God and 

reconcile with each other. 

The governor further said 

that if Ohanaeze Ndigbo 

was not careful, it could 

support candidates that 

would fail in the 

forthcoming elections. 

He also flayed Reverend 

Father, Ejike Mbaka over 

his recent political 

statements against People's 

Democratic Party, PDP, vice 

presidential candidate, 

Peter Obi. 

The statement read: 

“Governor Rochas 

Okorocha has called on 

Ohanaeze Ndigbo to 

champion reconciliation 

among the Igbos and also 

set out a day for atonement 

for Ndigbo, stating that the 

Igbos need God more than 

anything else. 

“The governor also 

advised the body to 

distance itself from partisan 

politics to avoid Ndigbo 

losing when the parties or 

candidates the organisation 

supports lose. 

“Ohanaeze should be 

smart when it comes to the 

issue of partisan politics so 

week, told journalists that 

the Awka rally was not only 

an afterthought but also a 

ruse, stressing that the 

event was a calculated 

attempt to continue the 

ideology of deception 

smuggled into APGA by 

Obiano and Oye. 

The AAPGA leader 

maintained his group was 

determined to reclaim the 

soul of APGA from 

charlatans who are 

interested in burying the 

party, adding that the 

belated attempt to show 

solidarity with General 

John Gbor as the APGA 

presidential candidate 

does not vitiate the position 

of AAPGA that Obiano, Oye 

and co are rooting for 


Buhari. 

Obasi stated: “We 

challenge Obiano and Oye 

to come out and swear to 

Ndigbo and Anambra 

people in particular that 

they did not enter into a pact 

with the All Progressives 

Congress in 2017 to 

support Buhari’s second 

term to reciprocate the 

contribution of the 

Presidency to his second 

term election. 

VISIT: From left, Mr Yu Liu, business delegate from Thailand; HRH, Erelu Abiola Dosumu, 

Board Member, NEPAD Business Group Nigeria, NBGN; Mr Goodie Ibru, OON, Pioneer 

Chairman NBGN; Chief Nike Akande, CON, Chairman NBGN; Professor Phietoon Trivijitkasem, 

leader of the business delegation from Thailand; Rev. Doungkham Sangwein; delegate from 

Thailand and Chief Eniola Fadayomi, MFR, Vice Chairman NBGN, during the visit of the 

Thailand delegates to NBGN in Lagos yesterday. 

that no matter the candidate 

or the party that wins, 

Ohanaeze can move in to 

do the needful.” 

...knocks Fr Mbaka 

On the recent political 

comments by Mbaka, 

Okorocha said: “Look at the 

statement by Mbaka of 

recent, it’s the most 

embarrassing but nobody 

will speak out. We must act 

quickly now under the 

present ugly situation 

before we destroy the 

psyche of Ndigbo yet 

unborn.” 

However, the governor 

accepted to host the Igbo 

day celebration saying, “I 

am excited to host Ndigbo 

and I am prepared to host 

them." 

Imo oil communities 

demand end to suffering 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

O 

W E R R I — 

PROTESTERS 

from oil communities in 

Ohaji /Egbema Local 

Government Area of Imo 

State, have said that they 

can no longer endure the 

sufferings caused by oil 

companies in their areas. 

During the protest led 

by Prince Nick Adonis and 

Mr. Chiguzo Egbelu, the 

communities said they 

would march to the oil 

companies to ask them to 

sign with the host 

communities, the Global 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, GMOU. 

This is about the fifth time 

different groups of 

members of these 

communities had protested 

against alleged neglect by 

oil companies. 

Adonis told Vanguard 

yesterday in Owerri that 

some of their challenges 

were unemployment, lack 

of electricity, lack of 

motorable roads and water 

among others 

He claimed that the 

suffering of the people was 

because the oil companies 

had refused to sign the 

GMOU with the host 

communities which he said 

would have defined the 

contributions of the 

companies to the 

communities. 

It was his view that the 

companies should shut 

down operation for not 

giving their welfare the 

desired attention. 

Adonis said: “This is a 

peace protest for the 

entrance of development in 

Ohaji/Egbema LGA, the 

suffering of Ohaji/Egbema 

people is a suffering of all 

of us; we don’t have access 

to roads, no water to drink, 

no electricity, 

unemployment 

everywhere in our local 

government; why have the 

natural resources given to 

our people turned to a 

curse?" 

Enugu nice, calm, peaceful, 

says Don Moen 

E NUGU—POPULAR 

American gospel 

singer, songwriter, pastor 

and producer of Christian 

worship music, Mr. Don 

Moen, yesterday 

expressed delight at the 

calm and peaceful 

atmosphere prevailing in 

Enugu State. 

Moen, who spoke in 

Enugu during the 

inspirational and soullifting 

gospel concert 

organized by House on the 

Rock ministry, which was 

graced by Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi, said it was a 

nice and wonderful 

experience for him to visit 

the state. 

The gospel singer while 

presenting his popular 

rendition “God is Good”, 

noted the presence of God 

in Enugu State, saying: 

“God is moving in this 

state, it is showing that this 

will bring more blessings.” 

Also at the event, the 

General Overseer/ 

Presiding Pastor, Old Path 

Revival Commission, 

Pastor Alfred Itiowe, offered 

special prayers for the reelection 

of Ugwuanyi in 

2019 as well as God’s 

guidance, protection and 

more blessings on him and 

his family. 

Pastor Itiowe commended 

the governor for his 

uncommon humility, 

closeness to God and 

commitment to peace and 

good governance in Enugu 

State, stressing that “we 

want God to position him 

for a greater second term”. 

He equally prayed 

against any plot aimed at 

undermining the untiring 

efforts of the governor to 

continue to advance peace 

and good governance in 

the state, declaring that 

“Gov Ugwuanyi is going 

higher in Jesus name”. 

The climax of the event 

was the conferment of a 

“Leadership Excellence 

Award” on Ugwuanyi by 

House on the Rock’s Pastor 

in Enugu, Rev. Edwin Bia 

Yeibo, and his wife, Sonia, 

“in recognition of your 

sterling visionary 

leadership in creating an 

enviable legacy of peace 

and security for Enugu 

State.” 

Woman freed in Imo, weeks after 

failure to pay hospital bill 

Awoman in her early 

40s, Mrs Gloria 

Oriuwa, from Onuimo 


Imo state, has regained her 

freedom weeks after she 

could not pay her hospital 

bill of N280,000 (Two 

hundred and Eighty 

thousand naira) 

Vanguard gathered that 

Oriuwa lost her sixth child 

in a caesarean section at 

the Imo State Teaching 

Hospital, Orlu and was not 

allowed to go home for not 

paying her hospital 

charges. 

Touched by the pitiable 

condition of the woman, 

Vanguard gathered that a 

governorship candidate of 

the United Progressive 

Party, UPP, in Imo state, Mr. 

Tony Nwulu freed the 

woman by clearing up the 

said hospital bill as well as 

that of others who were 

suffering the same 

predicament in the hospital.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


SIR SAMUEL CHIBUONYEIKPE EDIH SPECIAL THANKSGIVING IN LAGOS 

From left: Rev Omojuyigbe Oluwaeun; Ven Adelowo Adesina; Sir Samuel 

Chibuonyeikpe Edih, celebrant; his wife, Pacent; and Ven Rtd. C. C. Mbonu. 

Photos: Bunmi Azeez 

From left: Chief & Mrs. Innocent Obasi and Mr. Gladstone 

Opara. 

Cross section of Umudim Family Women meeting, Lagos branch. 

Samuel Chibuonyeikpe Edih, celebrant and his wife, Pacent. 

From left: Mr. Jude Obiakor, Peter Inekwe and his wife Ngozi. 

From left: Mr and Mrs Chukwudi Okoye; and Mr and Mrs 

Chukwudeben Okoye 

From left: Mr Charles Ikokiru; his wife Chioma and Mrs Tochi 

Nnana. 

From left: Mr. Victor Mbamalu, Chief Lady Nkem Nwokafor and 

husband Chief Dr Amobi


FG, Abia sign deal on Enyimba Economic City 

U MUAHIA—THE 

Federal Government 

and Abia State Government 

have signed definitive 

agreements on the 

Enyimba City Economic 

Zone Limited. 

The signing took place at 

the Presidential Villa and 

the Federal Government 

was represented by Nigeria 

Special Economic Zone 

Company. 


Buhari who witnessed the 

signing, commended the 

Governor of Abia State 

Okezie Ikpeazu for 

initiating the project, and 

thanked the host 

communities for their 

commitment to the project, 

saying that everyone 

should be more confident 

of the the success of the 

project since the Minister 

of Trade and Investments, 

Okechukwu Enelamah, 

under whose portfolio it 

falls, hails from Abia State. 

The President assured the 

people of Abia State and 

other Nigerians of Federal 

Government's support and 

cooperation towards similar 

project anywhere in the 

country. 

Buhari specifically 

commended Abia State 

Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, 

Progressive senators'll back Buhari against 

Senate on Electoral Act 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

L AGOS—SENATOR 

Gbenga Ashafa, 

representing Lagos East in 

the Senate has expressed 

confidence that progressive 

senators in the 8th Assembly 

would stand against any 

plan by the National Assembly 

to veto President 

Muhamadu Buhari’s refusal 

to once again sign the 

recent amendments to the 

Electoral Act. 

The President’s latest 

decision came in a letter 

dated December 6, 2018 

and addressed to both 

chambers of the National 

Assembly. 

Ashafa speaking with 

newsmen after a 

stakeholders' meeting of the 

Lagos East Chapter of the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, at the weekend, in 

Epe, area of Lagos State. 

US Consul General makes case for 

people living with disability 

By Gabriel Olawale 

LAGOS—THE United 

States Consul 

General in Lagos, John 

Bray has urged all 

developing countries not 

to relent in providing for 

Edo APC inaugurates youth campaign 

coordinators 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—THE All 


APC, in Edo State 

yesterday inaugurated its 

youth campaign 

coordinators for Ovia 

Federal Constituency to 

esure victory for its 

candidate, Hon Dennis 

Idahosa. 

Director General of the 

APC campaign in Ovia, 

Mr. Charity Amayanevbo, 

who inaugurated the 

coordinators said the party 

wants to record 99 percent 

and some private sector investors 

who initiated and 

midwifed the Enyimba city 

economic zone project. 

He said such initiatives 

were exactly what his 

administration was 

desperately looking for to 

create employment for the 

populace and boost the 

national economy. 

In his remarks, Ikpeazu, 

who led the delegation of 

leaders and stakeholders 

from the state, thanked the 

President for his support for 

victory in the election. 

Amayanevbo urged the 

youth coordinators to 

immediately begin 

grassroots mobilisation so as 

to sweep the PDP out of 

Ovia. He said President 

Buhari needs a friendly 

National Assembly to 

perform effectively. 

According to him, "What 

happened in 2015 when we 

mistakenly elected who 

doesn't care for the youth 

will not happen again. 

"We know the importance 

of women and youths 

during elections. They are 

the project, noting that 

Aba, a commercial city in 

Abia State where the 

project is sited, is strategically 

located for easy access 

by all South-East and 

South-South states. 

He disclosed that Aba 

alone has over 250,000 

artisans engaged in 

various arts and trades, 

and that the Enyimba City 

zone covers three local 

governments of the state. 

Ikpeazu noted that the 

project would not only be 

our vital organs to drive the 

campaigns." 

Candidate of the APC for 

the House of 

Representatives, Mr. 

Dennis Idahosa, 

challenged the 

coordinators to 'go and 

deliver votes' for the APC. 

Idahosa promised that 

Ovia would witness 

unprecedented 

development when he gets 

to the National Assembly. 

He said he would 

retrieve confiscated farm 

lands in the constituency 

to their original owners 

through proper legislation. 

of immense benefit to Abia 

State but to the entire region 

and country. 

Professor (Eze) Maxwell 

Ogbulu, who spoke on 

behalf of the host 

communities, profusely 

thanked Ikpeazu for the 

project and informed the 

President that all the 

affected communities 

donated the land for it voluntarily 

because of the anticipated of the 

enormous benefits to them and 

the nation. 

LAUNCHING: From left— Rasheed Salah,Chief Operation Officers, Favor 

Okorie, Vendor Manager;Bolaji Omitogun, Business Development Manager 

and Kunle Oladipo, Chief Executive Officer, all of Wawooh, during the 

Wawooh media launch in Lagos. 

Responding to questions 

on the next line of action for 

his colleagues in the Senate 

after the refusal of the 

President to assent to the 

the Bill, Ashafa stated, “I 

have had the opportunity of 

looking through the well 

thought out reasons 

adduced by President 

Buhari for not assenting to 

the version of the Bill which 

has been forwarded to him 

and I am in agreement with 

him. 

and protecting persons 

living with disability. 

Speaking during the 

maiden edition of 

Project Enable Africa 

‘Social Inclusion 

Dialogue Series’ 

"Both the President and 

the National Assembly 

have shown good faith in 

the back and forth caused 

principally by drafting 

inconsistencies, that has 

delayed the bill till now. We 

must all understand that 

both sides must be dispassionately 

and painstakingly 

disposed to ensuring 

that there is no loophole in 

the final result of the proposed 

amendments, considering 

the sensitive nature 

of the Electoral Act and 

overarching effect of same 

on National security and 

stability of the polity. 

“It cannot be in tandem 

with any standard 

democratic ethos to 

introduce new rules to the 

field of politics less than 

two months to a general 

election, we must be fair to 

all concerned.” 

supported by Access Bank 

and the US Consulate, 

Bray said that as Nigeria 

makes effort to become a 

more inclusive society the 

need to care for all citizens 

and most importantly people 

living with disability is 

paramount. 

Bray who was represented 

by the Public Affairs 

Officer, Russell Brooks said 

that this group of people 

have the right to be educated, 

employed and all 

those things that someone 

should expect in a democratic 

society. 

“ICT and other forms of 

technology make it possible 

for a person living with 

disability to do what others 

take for granted. The use 

of computer and other 

technology can give them 

the opportunity to be 

employed, educated and 

allow them to fully function 

in society. 

Cocoa companies fail on pledge to stop 

Africa deforestation - Report 

Major chocolate companies have failed to keep 

a promise they made a year ago to stop 

forests in West Africa being destroyed for cocoa 

production, a campaign group said weekend. 

Companies from Mars to Hershey to Barry 

Callebaut joined the governments of Ivory Coast 

and Ghana to launch the Cocoa and Forests 

Initiative last year, pledging to eliminate the 

production and sourcing of cocoa from protected 

forests. 

But satellite images of Ivory Coast’s southwest 

cocoa-growing region showed about the same 

amount of forest had been lost in the 12 months 

since the pledge was made as in the previous year, 

campaign group Mighty Earth said in a report. 

“I would have expected to see some deforestation 

continue, because it’s very hard to transform an 

entire industry overnight, but I did not expect to 

see it continue exactly the same as before,” said 

the report’s author, Etelle Higgonet. 

If deforestation continues unabated, Ivory Coast 

- the world’s top cocoa producer - risks losing all 

its forest cover by 2034, environmental 

campaigners say. 

Minister expects green light for Bonga 

oilfield by February 

Nigeria’s oil minister expects a final 

investment decision (FID) on its Bonga 

Southwest offshore oilfield by February next year, 

he weekend on the sidelines of an OPEC meeting. 

The project, one of the country’s largest with an 

expected production of 180,000 barrels per day, 

will generate profit at below $50 a barrel, 

according to Royal Dutch Shell which operates 

the field. 

“Negotiations (are) still going on. The contractual 

dynamics (are) still being perfected ...,” Emmanuel 

Kachikwu told reporters. “Shell wants to do it by 

the end of the year. Probably it will slip into early 

next year for FID purposes .Between now and 

February we should see a FID on Bonga. 

Shell’s partners in the project are ExxonMobil, 

Total, Eni and the Nigerian National Petroleum 

Company” he added. Kachikwo said Nigeria 

aimed to produce 2.2 million barrels next year. 

Nigeria currently produces around 1.8 million 

barrels of crude oil, excluding extremely light oil 

known as condensates. 

Saudi Arabia juggles Iran, U.S. Shale 

to deliver OPEC deal 

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister emerged from 

days of heated OPEC talks joking that he 

wasn’t an easy man to be friends with. 

Yet, the deal Khalid Al-Falih hammered out to 

reduce production by 1.2 million barrels a day, 

which sent oil prices soaring on Friday, was based 

on Saudi Arabia shouldering the lion’s share of 

the cuts. It also relied, to an unprecedented 

extent, on Russia to broker an agreement between 

the Saudis and their archrivals, Iran, and 

acknowledged implicitly that there’s little the 

kingdom could do to hurt surging U.S. oil shale 

without causing itself pain. 

Marketers deny reaching oil-debt deal 

to stop strikes 

Nigeria’s Depot and Petroleum Marketers 

Association says it hasn’t reached an 

agreement with the government to avert strikes over 

the country’s oil debt, Olufemi Adewole, the group’s 

executive secretary, said in a statement. 

Marketers threatened to halt operations if Nigeria 

failed to pay claims of about 800 billion naira ($2.2 

billion). The group and government agencies met 

Thursday in the capital, Abuja, to work toward an 

agreement and halt strike action, but haven’t agreed 

on a deal despite an earlier tweet by the finance 

ministry. “There was no agreement reached because 

offers by the government failed to meet the 

legitimate demands of the association,” Adewole 

said. “Our ultimatum stands.”

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

FOLLOWING the Metele disaster in 

which 23 (according to the Nigerian 

Army) and 118 soldiers (according to 

independent sources) lost their lives 

and scores wounded, the Federal 

Government and the Armed Forces 

responded with defiance as most 

governments are wont to do in the 

face of terror attacks. 

This year’s Chief of Army Staff 

Annual Conference was shifted from 

Benin, Edo State to Maiduguri in 

Borno State in a manner of “taking 

the fight closer to the enemy”. 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

stormed the capital of embattled 

Borno State, visited injured soldiers 

in hospitals and delivered a message 

he hoped would boost the troops’ 

morale. 

After condoling with the families 

whose loved ones were killed in the 

anti-terror war, he made it clear that 

there was no alternative to the defeat 

of Boko Haram, and that the Federal 

Government is prepared to improve 

Beyond the trip to Maiduguri 

the welfare of the military and provide 

them with modern armaments. 

While we commend the President 

for responding positively to the slap 

on our faces by the Islamist terrorists, 

we recall with sadness that this was 

exactly the way the regime had 

reacted to the upsurge of Boko 

Haram attacks in the early days after 

he assumed power in 2015. The 

President, who had during his 

inauguration speech vowed to “lead 

from the front” in the war against 

terrorism, also ordered the command 

headquarters for “Operation Lafiya 

Dole” relocated from Abuja to 

Maiduguri. 

The stance of the Federal and Borno 

State governments was never to give 

Boko Haram the impression that their 

attacks can in any way affect the 

normal running of governance. That 

was probably why in December that 

year the Minister of Information and 

Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, 

announced that the terrorists had been 

“technically defeated”. The Army not 

only announced several capture and 

destruction of their camps, we were 

also told that Boko Haram no longer 

occupied an inch of Nigeria’s 

territory. 

On its own part, the Borno State 

Government commenced massive 

reconstruction of liberated 

communities, rebuilding of schools 

and the steady return of the internallydisplaced 

persons to their 

communities. 

Nigerians were already looking 

forward to the final announcement of 

the end of Boko Haram activities until 

recently when the terrorists resumed 

a series of painful strikes on our 

military formations with heavy tolls 

on our troops. 

The Federal Government must look 

inward and identify the reasons 

behind the recent resurgence and 

ensure that the lapses that led to them 

are conclusively addressed. The 

President must be reminded that the 

Boko Haram war was partly 

responsible for the defeat of President 

Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, and if 

care is not taken it could also affect 

his electoral fortunes next year. 

We can defeat Boko Haram; we 

must! 

By Oludayo Tade 

SINCE November 5, 2018 when the 

Academic Staff Union of Universities, 

ASUU, embarked on a nationwide strike, the 

experiences for students, parents and business 

concerns have not been palatable. Reports have 

it that all the meetings held so far with the 

Minister of Education are yet to resolve any of 

the demands of ASUU. ASUU predicated its 

strike on the need to revitalise the comatose 

public varsity education, unpaid accumulated 

earned academic allowances, failure to release 

NUMPENCO license, and other issues 

documented in the 2017 Memorandum of 

Action signed with the President Muhammadu 

Buhari. ASUU had argued that the Federal 

Government constituted a team itself to 

ascertain what it would take to fix the observed 

problems in the university system. They came 

up with N1.3 trillion as against the sum of 

N1.2 trillion contained in the ASUU-FGN 

agreement of 2009. This can be found in the 

NEEDs Assessment Report of Nigerian Public 

Universities of 2012. I will highlight some 

aspects of the report to bring to the fore the rot 

in the Nigerian university system as at 2012. I 

invite you to imagine how precarious public 

universities will be in 2018, six years after to 

further nose-diving of funding. 

The NEEDS assessment committee was led 

by the then Executive Secretary, TETFUND 

and now Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood 

Yakubu, with about ten terms of reference 

which include the appraisal of physical 

facilities for teaching and learning; number 

of staff; give requirements for the upgrade of 

municipal facilities, among others. At the time, 

there were 74 public varsities (37 each of federal 

and state varsities) but 27 federal and 34 state 

universities were visited by the committee. The 

committee in their report submitted that 

irrespective of region or ownership, the 

universities have common problems. Using 

their words, “the report is factual, graphic and 

some cases grim”. 

On physical infrastructure for teaching and 

learning, the committee found that the 

physical facilities were inadequate because 

they were used beyond the original carrying 

capacities; many lecturers, including 

professors, share many small offices. The 

infrastructure was reported to be poorly 

ventilated, furnished and equipped. Due to lack 

of facilities, universities improvise by 

conducting lectures in uncompleted buildings, 

open-air sports pavilion, old cafeteria and 

convocation grounds. In some cases, 

workshops are conducted under corrugated 

sheds or trees. There is pressure on existing 

facilities owing to unplanned expansion. For 

instance, Ebonyi State University was reported 

to have established 11 faculties in 11 years. 

Umudike, University of Maiduguri, UNIJOS, 

DELSU, Bauchi State University, Akwa Ibom 

State University to UNIBEN and OAU were 

universities reported with broken chairs. There 

were also dilapidated lecture rooms and 

overcrowding everywhere. 

In the area of laboratories and workshop, 

the NEEDS assessment committee reported 

that Nigerian public universities had neither 

cutting-edge equipment, laboratory nor 

workshops that could rank among top 1000 

in the world! Where some equipment existed, 

it had a ratio of 1:500 students. Kerosene stoves 

are used as bunsen burners in many 

universities. Do you complain about collapsed 

buildings in Nigeria? The 2012 report had it 

that engineering workshops in our varsities 

OPINION 

Revisiting the rot in Nigeria’s public varsities 

were carried out under zinc sheds and trees. In 

many of these universities, science-based 

faculties run dry labs because they lacked 

reagents and tools to conduct experiments. 

This is why limited world class scientific 

discoveries come out of here. Most researchers 

and students depend on foreign travels to 

conduct their experiments. And because of lack 

of funds, many simply forget the idea; a major 

reason our science has lost steam. 

The report added that 20 percent of our 

universities do not use interactive boards; 

more than 50percent don’t have public address 

system despite having overcrowded 

Nigerian universities are 

now centres of casualisation 

where under-staffing and 

reliance on part-time and 

adjunct lecturers reign 

classrooms. Internet facilities are generally 

non-existent, epileptic or low. Most state 

universities have become TETFUND 

universities because the only visible projects 

are TETFUND intervention projects. It is 

interesting to note that TETFUND itself was 

the brainchild of ASUU to the Federal 

Governmenton how to fund education. 

In terms of staffing, Nigerian universities are 

microcosm of the larger societal politics. In 

the report, I saw that Nigerian universities are 

now centres of casualisation where understaffing 

and reliance on part-time and adjunct 

lecturers reign. In many Federal universities, 

recruitments have clear ethno-cultural bias. 

Limited number of universities can attract 

foreign scholars due to terrible remuneration 

and inconducive environment. 

As such, many of them remain grossly understaffed. 

ASUU says that Nigerian universities 

need no fewer than 50,000 academic staff. As 

at 2012, there were 37,504 academics in public 

varsities. About 23, 030 of these teach in Federal 

while 14,474 teach in state universities. The 

lecturer-student ratio is embarrassing! The 

report indicated that the lecturer-student ratio 

for University of Abuja was 1:122; National 

Open University 1:363; and Lagos State 

University 1:114. 

When compared with REAL world class 

institutions, such as Harvard, Yale, MIT and 

Cambridge with 1:4, 1: 4, 1:9 and 1:3 lecturerstudent 

ratios respectively, we would 

understand the reasons for the poor outcomes 

that we have in our clime. “There are 

numerically more support staff in the services 

of the universities than the teaching staff they 

are meant to support- a scenario in which the 

tail is wagging the dog. The implication of 

this is over-blown personnel cost and misuse 

of available resources in the university system”. 

The report goes further to state that Nigerian 

universities are “in the crisis of manpower. 

Instead of having 100% of academics with 

PhDs, only about 43% do so. The remaining 

57% have no PhDs. There are universities where 

the number of professors is not more than five! 

And the total number of PhDs in the entire 

university is not up to 30!”. Of the 7935 total 

publications, 3304 were published in in-house 

local (within university) journals while 3288 

were published in other local journals. Only 

1343 were published in foreign journals. 

In the area of student enrolments, of the 

1,252,913 students in Nigerian Universities 

(in 2012), 960,132 were enrolled in 25 public 

varsities (16 federal and 9 state universities). 

Continues online @www.vanguardngr.com 

Dr Tade, a sociologist wrote this from 

Ibadan via dotad2003@yahoo.com

By Babajide Komolafe 

OST of funds is expected to fall this 

Cweek in the interbank money 

market in response to inflow of N1.05 

trillion from maturing treasury bills (TBs). 

Last week, cost of funds rose sharply 

above 20 percent following aggressive 

liquidity mop up by the Central Bank of 

Nigeria (CBN) in response to liquidity 

inflow of N1.47 trillion. 

The liquidity inflow comprised statutory 

allocation funds of N788.14 billion and 

N684.84 billion from matured TBs. 

To mop up the huge liquidity injection, 

the CBN conducted Open Market 

Operations (OMO) from Monday to 

Thursday where it offered N1.6 trillion 

Cost of funds to fall as N1.1tr 

boost interbank market 

•Naira hit year low in I&E, depreciates to N365.3/$ 

•Banks’ current account deposit rise by 4.94% in Oct 

•Analysts project 2.1% GDP growth for Q3’18 

OMO TBs. The offers were however 

undersubscribed with total public 

subscription at N935.3 billion while the 

CBN sold N932.7 billion. 

As a result short term interest rate rose 

sharply by over 800 basis points (bpts). 

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 — 19 

Data from the FMDQ showed that 

interest rate on Collateralised (Open Buy 

Back, OBB) lending rose by 776 btpts to 

24.33 percent on Friday from 16.57 

percent the previous week. Similarly, 

interest rate on Overnight lending rose 

by 872 bpts to 26.08 percent last week 

Friday from 17.36 percent the previous 

week. 

Analysts at Lagos based Cowry Assets 

Management Limited and Afrinvest 

Limited projected that the expected inflow 

of N1.05 trillion billion will lead to 

downward moderation in cost of funds 

this week. 

“In the coming week, OMO of N498.7 

billion and T-bills of N551.4 billion 

maturities are expected to hit the system 

and as a result, we believe the CBN will 

sustain the bout of mop ups. 

Nevertheless, we expect subscription 

Continues on page 21 

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

Weak demand undermine industrial, 

consumer goods sector 

•under-perform major stock market index 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

THE downturn that has been 

sweeping through the 

equities market this year has 

left two major sectors in the market 

– the industrial goods and consumer 

goods sectors - in a very bad shape. 

Though the entire market is 

currently battered as a result of the 

jitters around the upcoming 2019 

election and general unfavourable 

business environment in the country, 

both sectors year-to-date, YtD, are 

hugely under-performing the major 

equities index, the All Share Index, 

ASI, which has slumped by over 19 

percent as at the close of trading on 

Friday, December 7, 2018. 

Financial Vanguard’s analysis of 

the performance of the various 

sectors on the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange, NSE, shows decline of - 

38.31 percent and -24.5 percent in 

the industrial and consumer goods 

sectors, under-performing the ASI 

by 17.7 percent and 6.09 percent 

respectively. 

Operators in the market blamed 

the performance of the sectors partly 

on poor quarter three, Q3’18, 

earnings report of some of the 

companies, which triggered sell-off 

in the shares by investors. They also 

attributed it to weak purchasing 

power among the populace. 

ACGS: Banks reduce 

lending to farmers 

by 19% 

Industrial, consumer goods vs 

other sectors’ 

Financial Vanguard’s analysis of 

the activities of the five major sectors 

in the market shows that the 

industrial goods sector recorded the 

worst performance YtD closing at - 

38.31 percent on Friday. This was 

followed by the consumer goods 

sector, which recorded a steep 

decline of -24.5 percent. 

The oil and gas sector trailed them, 

declining by -14.88 percent, while the 

banking and insurance sectors 

depreciated by -15.44 percent and - 

22 

12.10 percent respectively. 

9-month bad result 

A look into the nine month earnings 

report to September 31, 2018, of 

some of the major companies in the 

consumer and industrial goods 

sectors showed a bad performance. 

For instance, Four Mill of Nigeria 

Plc, recorded revenue growth of 9.67 

percent to N269.7 billion, while its 

Profit After Tax, PAT, for the nine 

month period fell by 45.8 percent to 

N5 billion. For Dangote Sugar 

Refinery Plc, both revenue and 

Mixed sentiment to trail 

equities market this week 

Insurance 

bottom-line went down. The 

company recorded 28.4 percent 

decline in revenue to N116.8 billion, 

while its profit after tax fell by 37 

percent to N16.7 billion. 

Dangote Flour Mills Plc, another 

company from the stable of Dangote 

Group Plc, also suffered setback in 

its finances during the period, 

recording 16.9 percent and 75 

percent decline in revenue and post 

tax profit respectively. 

UAC of Nigeria Plc, as well, 

recorded negative revenue and 

profit. The company’s revenue went 

down by 18.3 percent to N55.7 

billion, while the post tax profit nosedived 

by 84.4 percent to N0.3 billion 

following the crisis in Plateau State 

which disrupted the operation of 

Grand Cereals Ltd, a major 

subsidiary of the company. 

Some good news 

However, driven by brand loyalty, 

cost-saving measures and balance 

sheet optimisation, Nestle Nigeria 

Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc posted 

strong top and bottom-line numbers, 

despite the pressure on consumer 

spending. For Nestle Nigeria, 

revenue grew by 9.7 percent to 

N203.1 billion, while post tax profit 

saw a 44.1 percent increase to N33.1 

billion. Unilever Nigeria achieved 

10.7 percent y/y increase in revenue 

to N72.3 billion, while PAT jumped 

by 105.2 percent to N9.4 billion. 

In the industrial goods space, two 

major companies, Dangote Cement 

•Continues on page 20 

News 

600 brokers bid for 40 slots 

in 2018/2019 NNPC 

insurance contracts 

24 28 

C 

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FINANCIAL VANGUARD 

Weak demand undermine industrial, consumer goods sector 

Continues from page 19 

Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc 

stand out with the later 

posting a very dismal 

financial performance for the 

nine month period. 

Larfage Africa posted 

N10.373 billion loss after tax, 

a steep decline 1,206 percent 

compared to the profit 

position in the nine month in 

2017, even though its 

revenue grew by 4.8 percent 

during the period. Dangote 

Cement Plc, on on the hand, 

recorded both revenue and 

profit growth within the 

period. The revenue rose by 

13.5 percent to N685.3 

billion, while the profit rose 

by 2.7 percent to N158.23 

billion. 

Operators 

react 

In their reaction, capital 

market operators fingered 

weak demand occasioned by 

liquidity problem in the 

economy among others as 

the contributing factor. 

According to Mustapha 

Wabah, a research analyst at 

Cordros Capital, a Lagosbased 

investment banking 

firm, ‘still pressured 

consumer wallet is tinning 

out margin for most players 

in both sectors.’ 

“Year-to-date losses for 

both the consumer goods 

and industrial indices are at 

25.5 percent and 37.1 

percent, effectively underperforming 

the broader index 

(-18.5 percent). For 

consumer goods, we believe 

the impact of the still 

pressured consumer wallet 

is tinning out margin for 

most players in that space. 

As at Q3’18, most consumer 

names posted disappointing 

earnings save for Nestle 

whose innovations have 

come in handy to effectively 

preserve margins for the 

company. 

“Also, for the brewery 

players, it was the case of 

biting competition in the 

sector, with International 

Breweries, IB Plc, flooding 

the market with cheaper 

beers, the impact of which 

enabled the company gain 

market share. Since overall 

volume growth of the sector 

is largely compressed on the 

back of weaker demand, the 

entire sector had to contend 

with lower volume,” he said. 

On the performance of the 

industrial goods sector, Tola 

Odukoya, Chief Executive 

Officer, FSL Asset 

Management, said that the 

industrial goods sector to a 

large extent is not doing 

well, even within the 

economy due to liquidity 

issues. 

He said that though the 

sector is a very good 

•Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Industry, Trade & 

Investment 

investment outlet, but for the 

fact that there is no liquidity 

generally within the system, 

investors are shying away 

from the sector. 

He said: “Industrial goods 

sector is a sector that has a 

strong positive correlation 

with the performance of the 

economy; so when the 

economy was doing well, this 

sector was also doing well. 

We just came out from 

recession and there is the 

likelihood of the economy 

sliding back into recession. 

So, in a situation like this, 

in terms of scale of 

preference building news 

houses or patronising 

companies associated 

building and construction is 

not the first thing people 

think of. They will, first of all, 

think of the basic needs of 

feeding and clothing. Once 

the economy picks up 

significantly, you will see 

activity in the sector will also 

picking up.” 

In a report titled, 

“Consumer goods players: 

How they square-up as at 

9Month 2018”, analysis at 

United Capital said that the 

nine month earnings of 

consumer goods players 

were divergent. 

According to them, the 

performance of flour millers 

and sugar refiners were 

underwhelming, pressured 

by the protracted gridlock at 

the Apapa Port and the 

activities of smugglers in the 

case of sugar. This, they said, 

weakened top and bottom 

line numbers for some of the 

companies in the sector. 

“In all, our best picks in the 

sector are Nestle Nigeria Plc 

and Unilever Nigeria Plc, 

buttressed by their solid 

balance sheet position, 

product and brand 

durability. While we 

maintain a buy rating on 

•Mary Uduk, Acting DG, SEC 

Flour Mills of Nigeria and 

Dangote Sugar Refinery, our 

short-term expectation is 

dampened by the feedback 

effect of the Apapa gridlock 

and smugglers on volume 

•Oscar Onyema, CEO, NSE 

growth. We are neutral on 

UAC of Nigeria as our rating 

on the conglomerate 

remains under review,” the 

analysts said. 

Also contributing, Mr. 

Ambrose Omordion, Chief 

Research Officer, Investdata 

Consulting Limited, 

attributed the lacklustre 

performance in both sectors 

to lack of purchasing power 

among Nigerians, saying 

that the food and beverages 

sector has suffered the most 

in the lull. 

The consumer goods sector 

is the most hit because of 

lack purchasing power. You 

can see people are not really 

patronising the sector even 

though they deal in 

essentials, he said. 

Continuing, he said: “For 

the industrial goods sector 

(which comprised majorly of 

the cement giants, 

construction and paint 

manufacturing companies) 

most people are putting off 

their projects because they 

are finding it difficult to 

finance those projects. So, 

there is dryness of liquidity 

in the system that is affecting 

the performance of 

companies within that 

space.”



Cost of funds to fall as N1.05tr 

boost interbank market liquidity 

Continues from page 19 

rates to continue to lag as investors take 

advantage of more attractive rates at 

the secondary market. We also 

anticipate that money market rates will 

remain within a single digit band”, said 

Afrinvest analysts. 

Naira hit year low in I&E, depreciates 

to N365.3/$ 

Meanwhile the naira depreciated to 

its lowest level this year in the Investors 

and Exporters (I&E) window due to 

increased foreign exchange demand by 

foreign investors. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the 

indicative exchange rate for the window 

rose to N365.33 per dollar on Friday, 

the highest level this year, from N364.1 

per dollar the previous week. 

Furthermore, the volume of dollars 

traded in the window (turnover) 

dropped by 15 percent to $1.3 billion 

last week from $1.4 billion the previous 

week. 

Meanwhile the I&E window recorded 

inflow of $1.98 billion in November, the 

lowest since August 2017. This 

according to analysts at FSDH 

Merchant Bank indicates foreign 

investors’ careful approach to investing 

in Nigeria. 

However, the naira appreciated by N6 

in the parallel market where the 

exchange rate dropped to N363 per 

dollar on Friday from N369 per dollar 

the previous week, reflecting the impact 

of the $15,000 additional weekly sale 

to each bureaux de change (BDC) by 

the CBN, which commenced last 

week. 

Banks’ current account deposits rise 

by 4.94% in Oct 

In another development, the CBN 

revealed that banks current account 

deposits (demand deposits) rose by 4.94 

percent to N9.2 trillion in November. 

The apex bank disclosed this in its 

Depository Corporation survey released 

last week. 

The report showed that Broad Money 

rose by 1.73 percent m-o-m to 

N25.71 trillion in October 2018. This 

resulted from a 6.10 percent m-o-m 

increase in Net Domestic Assets (NDA) 

to N16.38 trillion which offset a 0.43 

percent m-o-m decrease in Net Foreign 

Assets (NFA) to N18.74 trillion. 

On domestic asset creation, the 

increase in NDA resulted from an 

increase of 2.55 percent in Net Domestic 

Credit (NDC) to N26.63 trillion which 

was accompanied by 2.67 percent m-om 

fall in Other Liabilities (net) to 

N10.25 trillion. 

Further breakdown of the NDC 

showed a 14.60 percent m-o-m rise in 

credit to the government to N3.90 

trillion as well as an increase of 0.70 

percent in credit to the private sector 

to N22.72 trillion. 

On the liabilities side, 1.73 percent 

m-o-m rise in Broad Money supply 

was driven by 4.20 percent m-o-m 

growth in Narrow Money to N11.13 

trillion as Demand Deposits which rose 

by 4.94 percent to N9.52 trillion was 

accompanied by a 0.01 percent rise in 

currency outside banks to N1.61 

trillion. 

However, Quasi Money (near 

maturing short term financial 

instruments) fell by 0.08 percent m-om 

to N14.58 trillion. 

Reserve Money (Base Money) 

increased m-o-m by 7.74 percent 

to N7.33 trillion as bank reserves and 

Currency in circulation rose m-o-m by 

10.97 percent and 1.54 percent 

to N5.02 trillion and N1.96 trillion 

respectively. 

Analysts project 2.1% GDP growth 

for Q3’18 

Analysts at Afrinvest has projected 

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth 

rate of 2.1 percent for the third quarter 

of the year (Q3’18). Their projection is 

coming ahead of the release of the GDP 

figures for Q3’18 by the National 

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) this week. 

They said: “We estimate real GDP 

growth for Q3:2018 at 2.1 percent 

Y-o-Y, an improvement over the growth 

rates of 2.0 percent and 1.5 percent 

recorded in Q1 and Q2:2018 

respectively. We attribute the expected 

faster expansion in real GDP to 

improvement in the oil sector as well 

as steady growth in the non-oil sector. 

“After a contraction in Q2:2018 in the 

oil sector, we predict a return to growth 

due to a recovery in oil production and 

higher oil prices. According to the 

Ministry of Petroleum Resources, oil 

production increased to an average of 

2.1mb/d in Q3:2018, 6.1 percent growth 

over 1.98mb/d in the corresponding 

quarter of 2017 and 14.1 percent higher 

than in the previous quarter. Oil price 

was also 45.9 percent stronger at an 

average of $75.50b/d in Q3:2018 

compared with the same period of 

2017. 

“In the non-oil sector, we expect a 

more broad-based expansion. This will 

be driven by a slight recovery in 

agriculture growth which had slumped 

to the lowest quarterly growth on 

record in Q2:2018.” 

C 

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L-R: Adedoyin Shobiye, Company Secretary, Mr. Babatunde Rufai-Lariba , MD/CEO; Mr. Abayomi 

J. Babalola, Chairman, all of Crownrise Finance Plc at the company’s annual general meeting in 

Lagos. 

ACGS: Banks reduce lending to farmers by 19% 

By Babajide Komolafe cropping (15.9 percent), 

guaranteed to 913 beneficiaries; 

BANKS’ lending to farmers while fisheries, cash crops and 

under the Agricultural “Others” got N43 million (9.7 

Credit Guarantee Scheme, 

ACGS, dropped by 19 percent 

month-on-month (m/m) to 

percent), N39.8 million (9.0 

percent) and N 8.7 million (1.97 

percent) guaranteed to 116, 248 

N442 million in September. and 44 beneficiaries, 

The Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, disclosed this in its 

Economic report for October 

released last week. 

The report stated: “The 

respectively. 

“Analysis by state revealed 

that 28 states and the Federal 

Capital Territory benefited from 

the scheme in the period under 

Agricultural Credit Guarantee 

Scheme (ACGS) guaranteed a 

total of N442.22 million to 3,055 

farmers in the review period. 

The amount represented a 

decline of 19.2 per cent and 18.3 

per cent, below the respective 

F 

levels in the preceding month IDELITY Bank Plc, has 

and the corresponding period of reaffirmed its commitment 

2017. “Sub-sectoral analysis towards achieving its five-year 

showed that food crops got the strategic plan whilst advancing 

largest share of N205.8 million socio-economic development 

(46.5 per cent) guaranteed to through its Corporate Social 

1,410 beneficiaries, followed by Responsibility, CSR, 

the livestock sub-sector, N74.8 programmes. 

million (16.9 percent), The bank’s Managing 

guaranteed to 324 beneficiaries. Director/Chief Executive Officer, 

Also, the sum of N70.1 million Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, made 

was disbursed to mixed this assertion in Lagos during 

UNION Bank has won the 

Best Company in 

Environmental Excellence award 

and the ‘Peoples’ Choice award 

for the Most Outstanding 

Company in CSR/Sustainability’ 

at the 2018 Sustainability, 

Enterprise and Responsibility 

Awards (SERAs). The awards 

were presented at the SERAS 

ceremony which took place 

recently in Lagos. 

Following an extensive vetting 

process that included on-site 

inspection of applicants’ 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

(CSR) and sustainability projects 

and initiatives, Union Bank was 

nominated across seven award 

categories including The SERAs 

Innovation Prize, Best Company 

in Education and Best Company 

in Sustainability Reporting. 

Commenting on the two 

awards received by the Bank, 

Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, 

Head Corporate Communication 

and Marketing at Union Bank 

review, with the highest and 

lowest sums of N47.60 million 

(10.8 percent ) and N1.05 

million (0.2 percent) guaranteed 

to farmers in Ogun and 

Nassarawa states, respectively. 

“As at September 20, 2018, the 

total amount released since 

inception by the CBN under the 

Commercial Agriculture Credit 

Scheme (CACS) to participating 

banks for disbursement, 

amounted to ?577.35 billion in 

respect of 568 projects.” 

Sekibo advocates legislation 

on funding of creative industry 

MANAGING Director/ 

Chief Executive, 

Heritage Bank Limited, Mr. Ifie 

Sekibo, has called for appropriate 

legislation that will enhance flow 

of funds to the creative 

industry and help maximise the 

potentials of operators in the 

industry. 

Sekibo made this call while 

speaking on the contributions of 

Heritage Bank to the creative 

industry, stressing: “Financial 

institutions will be able to invest 

more if there is a proper law 

militating against piracy, there will 

be value for your money and 

creativity and thereby making the 

banks to want to invest more in 

the creativity industry.” 

He noted that collaboration 

between the government and 

banks is needed to maximise the 

potential of the creative industry, 

saying, “We need to push 

government to be able to create 

legislations, policies that will 

enhance this seeming passion and 

turn it into business opportunities 

and by so doing, it will turn to 

economic and empowerment of 

our people. There is a lot we need 

to do as banks and government 

so that we can enhance creativity 

in terms of culture. 

“Government policies are 

extremely important in achieving 

this. If there are no proper policies, 

funding becomes a problem. And 

the collaboration between banks 

and government is needed to 

define what kind of policy and 

what kind of funding needs to 

applied. These and many more 

are things to look at critically. Take 

for example, Nollywood script 

writer that has no proper propriety 

or intellectual property law 

protecting his script, he is unable 

to monetize it but if there is proper 

government policy, then he is able 

to take it to the bank and monetize 

it and he is able to grow the 

industry. This cuts across, even if 

it is an artist and there is no law 

or policies guarding artworks, 

anybody can steal and sell his 

ideas anytime.” 

Highlighting some of Heritage 

Bank’s contributions to the 

creative industry, Sekibo said: 

“We have been in this creative 

sector by sponsoring SEKI, a 

pantomimic dance drama which 

traces the America tap dance to 

the indigenous people of the lower 

Niger Delta area of Nigeria. We 

are also part of the Nigerian 

Festival of Arts and Culture and 

Tourism, which showcases 

Nigeria's culture and tourism, and 

beyond that we have also tried to 

support HIP TV which is a new 

generation television station.” 

Fidelity Bank restates commitment to strategic plan, 

corporate sustainability 

its annual Fidelity Year End 

Party appropriately themed 

“Doing Good”. 

Organized in commemoration 

of the 10th anniversary of the 

bank’s flagship CSR initiative 

known as the Fidelity Helping 

Hands Programme (FHHP), 

Mr. Okonkwo pointed out that 

the event provided ample 

opportunity for the Bank to 

appreciate its teeming 

Union Bank shines at Sustainability awards 

said: “Corporate citizenship is a 

core pillar of our brand and 

business strategy. We are 

committed to being a 

sustainability champion in 

Nigeria and we are always 

improving our business 

operations, social engagement 

and innovation practices to 

ensure beyond compliance, we 

are leading the charge to deliver 

a sustainable future for Nigeria. 

We thank the SERAS team and 

all members of the public who 

recognise the work we are 

doing.” 

customers and other 

stakeholders for their support 

and patronage. He stated, “Last 

year, we crafted a new 5-year 

strategic plan to mark the 

beginning of another growth 

phase. We are making good 

progress so far and the figures 

are panning out as envisaged”. 

The Fidelity boss explained 

that the FHHP is the bank’s 

unique approach to giving back 

to the society and allows staff 

members to contribute personal 

funds to execute sustainable 

projects of their choice, 

supported by a 100 percent 

counterpart funding from the 

financial institution. 

“It gladdens our hearts to see 

that we have impacted lives 

through the numerous projects 

recorded over the years by 

Sterling Bank adds 50 custom-built vehicles to fleet 

… Supports Made In Nigeria Drive 

STERLING Bank Plc, 

has announced a 

partnership with Nigeria’s 

premier automobile 

manufacturer, Peugeot 

Automobile Nigeria to deliver 50 

made-to-order vehicles for 

official use across the bank’s 

locations nationwide. 

In a first of-its-kind 

partnership, Sterling bank 

teamed up with the Kadunabased 

car maker to customise 

the vehicles based on their deep 

understanding 

of 

the Nigerian terrain as well 

as required mode of usage. 

In addition, the bank also 

signed a fleet maintenance 

agreement with Peugot 

Automobile Nigeria which will 

see the car makers carry out 

routine maintenance on the 

vehicles to ensure utilization of 

the fleet to optimum capacity 

over a three year period. 

Commenting, Chief Operating 

Officer of Sterling Bank 

Plc, Raheem Owodeyi, 

said: “Following our strategic 

drive as a bank to focus on 

impacting the critical sectors of 

the Nigerian economy, we had 

to evaluate every aspect of our 

business transactions to ensure 

we were doing same to support 

the growth of the economy. By 

acquiring our company pool cars 

from a local manufacturer, we 

ensured that not only will the 

funds circulate within 

Nigeria, the impact of the 

partnership will equally 

boost our local manufacturing 

sector to provide jobs and 

improve the skills of people 

participating in that sector.” 

“When the Sterling Bank 

team approached us, they were 

FHHP in the focus areas of 

Health, Social Welfare, 

Environment, Education and 

Youth Empowerment”, he 

stated. Whilst commending 

staff for hard work and 

customers for their continued 

patronage, board chairman Mr. 

Ernest Ebi reiterated the bank’s 

commitment to service delivery. 

“Service is a key differentiator 

in banking and at Fidelity we 

pride ourselves to be a 

customer-centric bank. “We will 

continue to innovate and retool 

our people to serve you better” 

said Ebi, a former Deputy 

Governor of the Central Bank 

of Nigeria (CBN). The event 

was used to recognize some of 

the bank’s outstanding 

performers both in CSR and 

other areas. 

specific on the kind of vehicles 

they wanted and the impact they 

wanted to make in the society, 

which made it easy for us to 

design vehicles with the right 

kind of efficiencies and an 

understanding of the locations 

in which the cars will be used”, 

said Ibrahim Boyi, Managing 

Director at Peugot Nigeria. “We 

are certain this is beyond a oneoff 

procurement deal but a 

partnership that will set the 

standards on how company cars 

should be used and 

maintained”, he added.


24— Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

•Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal •Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa •Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi 

Previewing the 2018 cast of achievers 

Per 

ersonality of the Year 

By Clifford Ndujihe 

NO doubt Nigeria is replete with men and 

women who have made their marks in their 

various fields of endeavour. However, picking a few 

out of this multitude for recognition is an arduous 

task and passing the crucible of being nominated 

as a Vanguard Newspapers’ award winner is not a 

tea party. This is one of the reasons many high profile 

Nigerians are yet to win the award. 

For over four months, in more than 20 meetings 

of at least two hours per sitting, 

the Vanguard Board of Editors engaged in the 

brain-racking, energy-sapping and painstaking 

task of selecting nominees for the 2018 Personality 

of the Year awards. The awards are part of 

Vanguard’s policy of promoting activities that will 

lead to a better life for the people. 

Persons being nominated for awards are 

scrutinized for integrity, accomplishments, impact 

of the accomplishments on the polity, profile and 

why the nominee is better than other nominees. After 

this rigorous annual process, Vanguard is presenting 

17 Nigerians who have etched their footprints on 

the sands of time. The awards are in six categories 

— Personality of the Year, Businessman of the Year, 

Governors of the Year, Banker of the year, Lifetime 

Achievement, and Humanitarian Service. 

Personality of the year 

For leading the largest African philanthropic 

initiative devoted to entrepreneurship, Mr. Tony 

Onyemaechi Elumelu, an economist, entrepreneur, 

philanthropist, chairman of Heirs Holdings, the 

United Bank for Africa, Transcorp, and founder of 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, TEF, 

is Vanguard’s Personality of the Year. His large 

footprints across key sectors of the Nigerian 

economy, from Banking and Finance to Real Estate, 

Oil and Gas, attest to his entrepreneurial dexterity 

and knack for business excellence. Indeed, his 

philanthropic activities are becoming the stuff for 

legends. 

His origination of the Africapitalism concept, 

driven through The Tony Elumelu Foundation, is 

changing lives and creating businesses not only in 

Nigeria but also across the continent of Africa. The 

concept is an economic philosophy that embodies 

the private sector’s commitment to the economic 

transformation of Africa through long-term 

investments that create both economic prosperity 

and social wealth. 

In a large measure, the TEF has gone a long way 

in actualizing its stated objective of “proving that 

the African private sector can itself be the primary 

generator of economic development,” the mission 

of “driving Africa’s economic development by 

enhancing the competitiveness of the African 

private sector.” It is noteworthy that to date, TEF 

has funded no less than 4,460 entrepreneurs with 

an investment of about N9.6 billion 

($25 million). 

Governors of the Year 

Among the 36 states of the country, 

six governors stood out in their 

populist programmes that deepened 

the delivery of democracy dividends 

in their states hence their nomination 

as governors of the year 2018. They 

are Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed of 

Kwara; Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, 

Enugu; Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, 

Sokoto; Deacon Udom Emmanuel, 

Akwa Ibom; Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, 

Delta; and Senator Abiola Ajimobi of 

Oyo. 

Governor Abdulfatah’s exceptional 

impact in paying attention to the 

plight of children in Kwara stands out, such that the 

Federal Government has now adopted what is now 

to be implemented nationally as the Every Child 

Counts Project. Particularly noteworthy is his 

achievements in the area of opening up the state, 

such that more than 300 kilometres of roads and 

other projects he initiated have been completed. 

These and other achievements in the area of 

Housing, Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and 

others stand him out as a silent achiever deserving 

of recognition. 

Governor Udom Emmanuel’s enviable objective 

of "Keeping Akwa Ibom in peace and prosperity” 

has been kept afloat through massive investments 

in agriculture, healthcare, education and 

infrastructure. His boosting food sufficiency, 

providing quality education, and quality healthcare 

programmes are reference points. Apart from 

renovating and re-equipping the Ikono, Etinan, and 

Ituk-Mbang general hospitals, in les than four years, 

Udom Emmanuel ensured the delivery of over 25 

containers of medical equipment to healthcare 

facilities that provide 

free medical services to 

children below five 

years, pregnant women 

and the elderly. 

Governor Udom has 

ensured free and 

compulsory basic 

education in public 

schools. He took over 

17 community 

secondary schools, 

constructed and 

renovated 400 school 

blocks and paid N600 

million WAEC and 

NABTEB fees of Akwa 

Ibom indigenes in 

Elumelu's 

large footprints 

across key 

sectors of the 

Nigerian 

economy attest 

to his 

entrepreneurial 

dexterity and 

knack for 

business 

excellence 

public secondary 

schools annually. 

Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi, dubbed 

the "infrastructure 

governor” through 

prudent generation and management of resources 

has made Enugu one of the emerging viable states 

of Nigeria in terms of Internally Generated Revenue, 

IGR. Following reforms he introduced, Enugu State’s 

IGR rose to N22 billion in 2017, the highest in a 

single year since 1999 and thereby making 

Enugu one of the 12 states in Nigeria that can 

survive without federal allocation. 

Ugwuanyi’s infrastructural interventions cut across 

education, healthcare (received a boost with the 

construction of district hospitals and training of 400 

volunteer workers for health intervention 

programmes in rural communities), boosting 

industrialization, 

and housing 

among others of 

which so far, his 

administration 

has spent over •Personality of the year, Tony Elumel 

N45 billion on 

construction and rehabilitation of roads across all 

parts of the state, covering about 300 kilometres 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, known as the "smart 

governor” has also established himself as the 

human capital development governor through 

his SMART — Strategic wealth creation 

projects and provision of jobs for all Deltans, 

Meaningful peace building platforms aimed at 

political and social stability, Agricultural 

reforms and accelerated 

industrialization, Relevant health and education 

policies, and Transformed environment through 

urban renewal, agenda. Okowa is being honoured 

for dutifully implementing broad-based 

programmes to actualize the five-point SMART 

agenda. 

Apart from completing and making the Stephen 

Keshi Stadium functional, Okowa has completed 

over 70 road projects with a length of 320 

kilometres; acquired 3,850 hectares of 

farmland and encouraged the establishment of 

rice processing mills to support rice cultivation; 

embarked on 193 projects across the state which 

are completed or ongoing. His human capital 

development programme that has transformed no 

fewer than 40,000 unemployed youths into owners 

of businesses and employers of labour is exemplary. 

Under him, Delta became the first state in the 

federation to launch the Universal Health 

Coverage, UHC. As of September 30, 2018, the 

total number of enrolees stood at 316,301. 

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has 

established himself as an education governor 

having consistently allocated more than 27 per 

cent of Sokoto State budget to the Education sector 

since he assumed the saddle of leadership in 

2015. For instance, in 2016 budget, education got 

N34.5billion, the highest budgetary allocation of 

29 per cent; and in 2017 budget, education 

maintained the top position with N38.4 billion 

allocation, which was 27.3 percent of the total 

budget outlay. He did not stop there. Sokoto became 

the first state in Nigeria to introduce the ‘Right to 

Education’ bill, which provides for free and 

compulsory education, to be paid for by public 

coffers, for all children between ages six and 18, 

and criminalises refusal to send children to school, 

and parents will be liable to criminal prosecution 

if they stop their children from attending school. 

Tambuwal wiped the shame of the people of Gudu 

LGA by building a secondary school in the council 

and taking it off the derogatory map of the only 

•Alhaji Lateef Jakande •Chief Mrs Leila Fowler •Gen. Alani Akinrinade

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018— 25 

•Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi •Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed •Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel 

u 

council without a 

secondary school 

in Nigeria. He also 

renovated 1,500 

primary schools, 

180 junior 

secondary schools 

and 200 senior 

secondary schools 

among others. 

Governor Isiaka 

Abiola Ajimobi, did 

become the first man to break the re-election jinx in 

Oyo State, and stands out for his unfurling of 

infrastructural revolution in the state. So far, he has 

constructed and rehabilitated more than 200 roads 

and bridges across the 33 local councils of the state. 

Some of them include: Restoration Bridge (Awolowo/ 

Bodija/Secretariat Bridge), construction of Flyover 

Bridge at Mokola, Ibadan, construction of motor 

park at Temidire on Ibadan-Ife Road and Podo; 

construction of 110-kilometre Ibadan Circular Road. 

dualising two major roads in Ibadan, that is, the 

Ibadan Interchange-Challenge-New Garage- 

Interchange Road and Onireke-Jericho-Eleiyele- 

Dugbe Road with spurs to Aleshinloye as well as entry 

roads to Oyo, Ogbomoso and Iseyin. These are aside 

the Ijokodo to Apete and associated bridge works; 

Ikoyi Express Junction to Taki Palace to Ogbomoso 

Grammar School roads. His numerous 

accomplishments in the education sector include 

establishment of a Technical University (Tech-U), 

Ibadan, Oyo State, the first of its kind in the South- 

Western region. 

Businessman of the year 

In acknowledgement of his immense contribution 

to oil and gas development in Africa through 

visionary leadership, service and transformational 

realignment of a sector dominated by international 

oil companies, as well as improving on the lives of 

people and societies across the African continent, 

Mr. Benedict Peters, founder of Aiteo Group, emerged 

as Vanguard’s Businessman of the Year. His 

sponsorship of the Nigerian Football Federation is 

particularly noteworthy. 

Banker of the year 

For steering Zenith Bank to distinguish itself in the 

banking industry through superior service quality, 

and unique customer experience among others, 

Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank PLC, 

Mr. Peter Amangbo is Banker of the Year. 

Humanitarian award 

It is the first time this kind of award is being given. 

At a time of sectarian violence and killings in many 

parts of the country especially in the North-Central 

and North-West geo-political zones, the efforts of 

Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, 83, the Imam of Nghar 

village, Gashish District, Barkin Ladi local council 

of Plateau State, cannot go unnoticed and unrewarded. 

For hiding and shielding no fewer than 300 Christians 

in a mosque and thus saving them from being 

slaughtered, Vanguard is honouring Alhaji Abubakar 

with the 2018 Humanitarian award. 

Lifetime achievement awards 

Eight elder statesmen and 

women were singled out for for 

lifetime achievement awards 

on account of their invaluable 

and unblemished 

contributions to the well-being 

of the society. They include: 

Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Erelu 

Abiola Dosunmu, Chief Rita 

Lori-Ogbebor, Mrs. Leila 

Fowler, Rear Admiral 

Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief O.B. 

Lulu-Briggs, General Alani 

Akinrinade, retd; and Alhaji 

Abdul Ganiyu Folorunso 

Abdul-Razaq, SAN. 

Alhaji Lateef Jakande, first 

civilian governor of Lagos 

State, who laid the framework 

for the development of Lagos, 

and embarked on 

unassailable mass housing 

programme that is yet to be 

matched anywhere in the 

country almost 40 years after. In particular, most 

Nigerians remember his still unequalled achievement 

in the housing sector. The famous Jakande estates, 

comprising more than 30,000 housing units at 

Amuwo-Odofin, Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, 

Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, 

and Badagry made many Lagosians proud home 

owners to this day. 

He is one of the three surviving Class 1979 

Governors (the others are Senator Jim Nwobodo and 

Alhaji Balarabe Musa) and the indelible footprints of 

his administration in Lagos are still there for all to 

see. He not only abolished the “morning and 

afternoon” system in Lagos schools, but also 

implemented the Free Education policy of the Unity 

Party of Nigeria, UPN and built hundreds of new 

primary and secondary schools all over the state. 

Creation of the Lagos State University, LASU, is 

further testimony of his desire to deliver quality 

education to residents of Lagos. 

Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (retd), a detribalised 

Nigerian, was at the forefront of the struggle to return 

Nigeria to democratic rule through the National 

Democratic Coalition, NADECO, and has remained 

in the crusade to entrench and deepen democracy in 

the country. 

Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Folorunso Abdul-Razaq, SAN, 

OFR, nationalist, former President of the Nigerian 

Stock Exchange, NSE, and former legal adviser of 

the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, was one of those 

who fought for independence using his vast knowledge 

of the law as a weapon to end colonialism. 

Chief (Mrs) Leila Euphemia Apinke Fowler, MFR, 

a lawyer, nurse, and educationist, and the Yeye Mofin 

of Lagos, has played crucial roles in moulding many 

Nigerians through her educational institutions. She 

established the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for 

Girls, whose mission is “to promote the advancement 

of women through quality and functional education.” 

•Businessman of the year, Benedict Peters 

Driven by her passion for excellence through 

education, Chief Fowler went on to establish the 

Hallmark University, thereby implanting her 

vision at every level of education in Nigeria. As 

such, the Fowler name has become synonymous 

with quality education in Nigeria. She is esteemed 

as an icon of qualitative education not only in the 

country but also beyond our shores. 

High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, community 

leader, global businessman, philanthropist, 

humanist, caring and doting family man and 

nationalist is still making his marks at 88, taking 

care of the elderly in the society. Founder of Moni 

Pulo Petroleum Development, his O.B. Lulu-Briggs 

Foundation began operations in 2001 with the Care 

for Life programme, targeted at elderly rural 

dwellers in the Niger Delta area. The foundation 

now runs medical outreaches, nurtures 

entrepreneurs, and awards scholarships. 

Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, the Igba of Warri, 

industrialist, who started her career as a broadcast 

journalist, has helped in engendering better life in 

the country through her strong advocacies on 

matters of crucial national importance. 

Lt. General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade, FSS, CFR, 

and former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, was a civil 

war hero and has remained unwavering in his 

crusade to ensure Nigeria becomes a better country 

where equity and justice reign supreme. 

Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, astute business woman, 

philanthropist, and owner of multi-purpose 

Atlantic Beach Club, Lagos was one of those who 

fought for the creation of Lagos State. The grandmother, 

who has been celebrating the traditional 

institution as Erelu for 44 years is a role model. 

Rising on the social and business circles through 

dint of hard work, Erelu Dosunmu has been a 

successful businesswoman since 1968 and an icon 

of Lagos culture. 

•Banker of the year, Peter Amangbo 

The Fowler 

name has 

become 

synonymous with 

quality education 

in Nigeria; she is 

esteemed as an 

icon of 

qualitative 

education not 

only in the 

country but also 

beyond our 

shores 

•Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs •Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu •Erelu Abiola Dosunmu •Alhaji Folorunsho Abdul Razaq •Chief Mrs. Rita Lori-Ogbebor

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018




Mixed sentiment to trail equities market this week 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

MIXED sentiment will 

prevail in the equities 

market with negative 

undertone this week, 

operators in the market have 

said. 

This is even as investors 

lose N2.7 billion at the end 

of trading last week. 

Activity at the local bourse 

was slightly bearish as selloffs 

in major stocks 

marginally surpassed the 

bargain hunting activities. 

Although, benchmark index 

– the All Share Index, ASI, 

posted gains on three of the 

five trading sessions, the ASI 

declined by 0.02 percent to 

settle at 30,866.82 points. 

Market capitalisation 

decreased by N2.7 billion or 

0.02 percent to N11.3 trillion. 

Also, market sentiment 

towards banking and 

consumer goods counters 

was mildly positive but was 

offset by the losses recorded 

by market heavyweights like 

Dangote Cement, Nigerian 

Breweries Plc and Lafarge 

Africa. 

The trend, analysts at 

Meristem Securities said, 

would persist at the turn of 

the week in the absence of 

any major event capable of 

reversing the current trend. 

Afrinvest Securities in its 

weekly report, said: 

“Following three days of 

appreciation this week, we 

anticipate that investors will 

By Peter Egwuatu 

AHEAD of a proposed 

court ordered meeting to 

ratify move to sell outstanding 

and issued shares of Continental 

Reinsurance Plc, some 

shareholders of the company 

have kicked against plan by its 

Board of Directors to buyout the retail 

investors. 

In an exclusive chat with Vanguard, 

the National Chairman of Constance 

Shareholders Association of Nigeria, 

Mr. Shehu Mallam Mikail who 

spoke for its members said: “We are 

not happy with the plan by the Board 

of the company to buyout the retail 

investors. We have been with this 

take profit in early trades this 

week although we expect an 

upturn by the middle of the 

week. 

Nevertheless, we maintain 

a cautious outlook in the near 

term as overall investor 

sentiment remains weak on 

the back of political 

uncertainty.” 

By Peter Egwuatu 

FOLLOWING the low 

participation by retail 

investors in the first Sovereign 

Sukuk Public Offer issued last 

year by the federal 

government, the Debt 

Management Office, DMO, 

weekend, said more 

arrangement has been put in 

place in the second N100 

billion Sukuk Public Offer to 

attract this segment of 

investors. 

Director General, DMO, Ms 

Patience Oniha, who disclosed 

this during the Sukuk Investor 

Forum held in Lagos, said the 

second Sukuk Public Offer, 

which opened on Thursday 

December 6 is expected to close 

December 17, 2018 and has 

Lotus Financial Services and 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank as 

financial advisers. 

She said: “The first Sovereign 

Public Offer issued last year 

was well subscribed and 

Also, analysts at Vetiva 

Capital stated that while 

bargain hunting has been 

more visible on the 

exchange, notable selling 

has also persisted across 

select stocks. They, however, 

said that there would be 

slightly positive start to the 

week’s trading as investors 

continue to snap up downbeaten 

stocks. 

Analysis of activities in the 

market showed that 

performance across sectors 

was largely bullish as three 

of the five sectors 

appreciated. 

The oil & gas sector gained 

the most, rising by two 

percent on the back of buy 

interest in Oando Plc 

(+9.6%) and Seplat 

Petroleum Development 

Company Plc (+1.6%). 

Similarly, the banking and 

consumer goods sectors also 

rose by 0.9 percent and 0.6 

percent respectively due to 

bargain hunting in FBN 

Holdings Plc (+7.0%), 

Guaranty Trust Bank (+1.6%) 

and Nestle Nigeria Plc 

(+4.3%) . 

N100bn Sukuk: BPE set to enhance retail investors’ 

participation 

Flour Mills lists N20.11bn bond on NSE, FMDQ 

By Peter Egwuatu & 

Nkiruka Nnorom 

FLOUR Mills Nigeria Plc, 

weekend, in Lagos, 

simultaneously listed its 

Continental Re: Shareholders kick against 

plans to buy-out retail investors 

company for several years and if the 

performance of the company is 

dwindling then other options rather 

than buyout should be considered. 

Why must retail investor bear the brunt 

of mismanagement? I think the 

regulators should look into this issue 

and intervene to protect the retail 

investors.” 

Continuing, he said: “We the retail 

shareholders do not see why this 

action should be taken. The price it 

has even proposed to buy the shares 

from us is even small and not 

encouraging considering the interest 

we have put in the company and with 

the hope of reaping good dividend 

and share appreciation in future. We 

feel that the Board’s intention is to 

delist from the Nigerian Stock 

Exchange, which we have 

successful but the participation 

of retail investors was just 5 

percent; this time around we 

want more retail investors to 

participate as arrangement has 

been put in place to ensure 

their participation is enhanced. 

For instance, we would be 

engaging the stockbrokers and 

also increase the outlets. We are 

encouraging Nigerians to get 

registered with Central 

Securities Clearing System, 

CSCS so that some of the 

hitches experienced by some 

investors who are not aptured 

in the CSCS system during the 

first Sukuk issuance do not 

repeat. Though, this time 

continuously resist. We are not going 

to be part of this exercise and we will 

make our case known before the 

planned court ordered meeting. 

Meanwhile, it will be recalled that 

recently the Board of Continental 

Reinsurance stated that it has 

received an offer from CRe 

African Investments to acquire all 

its outstanding and issued shares. 

The Company Secretary, 

Continental Reinsurance, 

Abimbola Falana, had in a 

statement said the company was 

making the offer in order to 

initiate a much-needed 

restructuring exercise with a view 

to consolidating its operations 

and repositioning it for enhanced 

competitiveness in the global 

insurance market. 

around we would engage 

stockbrokers to ensure that 

retail investors participate 

more.” 

Continuing, the BPE boss 

said: “The federal government 

through a Special Purpose 

Vehicle, SPV, namely FGN 

Road Sukuk Company 1 Plc , 

is issuing N100 billion with 

15.743 percent Rental Rate 

payable semi-annually to 

subscribers of the Sukuk Al 

Ijarah (Lease). The Sukuk has 

a tenor of 7 years while the 

bullet sum would be to 

investors at maturity.” 

According to her “The use of 

the proceeds is for road 

N20.11 billion bond on 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE 

and FMDQ OTC Securities 

Exchange Plc. 

The N20.11 billion bond is 

part of its N70 billion bond 

issuance programme. The 

company issued N10.11 billion 

series 1 and N10 billion Series 

2 senior unsecured fixed rate 

bond. 

The Series 1 bonds is priced 

at 15.50 percent for a tenor of 

three years, while the Series 2 

bonds is priced at 16.00 percent 

for a tenor of five years with a 

one-year moratorium on 

principal payment and an 

amortising profile. 

Speaking at the listing 

ceremony, Mr John G 

Coumantaros, Chairman, 

Board of Directors, Flour Mills, 

said: “Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc 

is delighted to return to the 

capital market with such a 

successful outing especially 

with the level of interest shown 

by investors. The response 

from the market vindicates the 

company’s decision to have 

taken this additional step in 

diversifying our financing 

options.” 

Mr. Paul M. Gbededo, Group 

Managing Director, Flour 

Mills, said: “The transaction 

will help the company achieve 

its strategic objective of 

sustaining its market 

leadership position with our 

foods and agro-allied 

businesses, while fostering our 

vision of Feeding the Nation, 

Everyday.” 

construction and rehabilitation. 

The main objective of the 

second Sukuk is to sustain the 

rehabilitation and construction 

works on the 25 key economic 

roads in the 6 geopolitical 

zones with 3 roads now added 

for more reach. 

Speaking as well, Managing 

Director, Lotus Financial Services 

Limited, Hajara Adeola, said: “We 

encourage Nigerians to participate 

in the ongoing second FGN Sukuk 

given the success of the first one 

and the enthusiasm so far received 

for higher issuance. Any 

information regarding the offer 

investors can reach Lotus and 

FBNQuest for clarification.” 

He explained that proceed 

from sale of the bonds were 

used to refinance the existing 

debt obligations and streamline 

the company’s debt maturity 

profile. 

In her welcome address, Ms. 

Tumi Sekoni, Associate 

Executive Director, FMDQ, 

applauded the issuer for 

having successfully raised 

N20.11 billion from the 

domestic capital market and for 

joining the league of corporate 

entities whose debt profiles 

have been raised via the value 

packed listings, quotations and 

noting service offered by 

FMDQ. 

She reiterated the OTC 

Exchange’s commitment to 

continue to innovate and 

provide efficient services to 

support issuers and investors 

towards achieving an 

operationally excellent and 

globally competitive debt 

capital markets. 

Also speaking, Mr. Bola 

Onadele. Koko, Managing 

Director/CEO, FMDQ, said: 

“FMDQ has supported the 

enhancement of market 

credibility which has, in turn, 

boosted investor confidence in 

the Nigerian debt capital 

market through the provision 

of unprecedented 

transparency, spearheading of 

initiatives to boost secondary 

market liquidity and facilitating 

effective price formation, 

among other activities via its 

platform.”


C 

M 

Y 

K 



From left: Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari; Chairman of Africa 

Reinsurance Corporation, Mr. Hassan Boubrik and the Group Managing Director of Africa 

Re, Mr. Corneille Karekezi at the 149th board meeting of Africa Re in Abuja. 

600 brokers bid for 40 slots in 2018/2019 NNPC 

insurance contract 

By Favour Nnabugwu 

NO fewer than 600 

insurance brokers have 

bided for the 2018/2019 

insurance contracts of the 

Nigerian National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC. 

According to an insurance 

industry observer, the NNPC 

account is the juiciest in the 

industry adding that the 

insurance brokers that succeed 

in the bid need no other 

business to have a successful 

financial year. 

She also adds that only about 

40-50 amongst the bidding 

firms would succeed. 

The Group Managing 

Director, (NNPC), Dr Maikanti 

Baru, disclosed this in Abuja at 

the 2018/2019 bid opening for 

insurance companies and 

brokers for NNPC oil and nonoil 

assets, adding that this 

represents 20 percent increase 

when compared with 500 

insurance brokers that bided in 

the insurance year for 2017/ 

2018. 

The Corporation, he said also 

saved N9.2bn ($30 million) 

from insurance premium in the 

past 36 months. 

“Last year, about 500 

insurance firms and brokers 

participated in the process, and 

this year, as at the close of 

submission by noon, we have 

recorded over 600 participants. 

Baru stated that up until 2015, 

the NNPC’s insurance 

premium was over $76 million 

annually, noting that it had 

been able to reduce it to about 

$40 million annually over the 

last three years. 

“It is quite an enormous 

volume of assets and through 

the years we have improved on 

the situation. When we came 

on board, the premiums that we 

are being charged was over $76 

million, and we have succeeded 

in bringing it to a little just over 

$40 million.” 


Corporation carried along the 

National Insurance 

Commission (NAICOM), 

Bureau of Public Procurement, 

Nigeria Content Development 

Board and some Non- 

Governmental Organisations in 

the bidding process. 

He said that the Corporation 

had insisted on transparency in 

carrying out its bidding 

processes, saying that this had 

brought about positive changes 

in business transactions. 

He stated: “The bidding 

process has helped NNPC to 

bring in more participants in all 

it is doing, especially with the 

insurance brokers. 

THE implementation of micro 

insurance across the country is 

being threatened by apathy and 

lack of awareness on the part of 

Small and Medium Enterprises 

(SME) operators. 

Insurance Vanguard 

investigations revealed that 

SME operators are indisposed 

towards micro insurance due to 

some factors including lack of 

awareness and hash operating 

environment. 

In January, National 

Insurance Commission, 

NAICOM, signalled the 

commencement of micro 

insurance with the introduction 

of the guideline for the new 

policy. The guideline defines 

micro insurance as, “insurance 

developed for low income 

populations, low valued policies, 

micro and small scale 

enterprises, MSMEs, provided 

by licensed institutions, run in 

accordance with generally 

accepted insurance principles, 

and funded by premiums”. 

According to NAICOM, 

“micro-insurance products are 

insurance products that are 

designed to be appropriate for 

the low income market, low 

valued policies, micro and small 

scale enterprises in relation to 

cost, terms, coverage, and 

delivery mechanism.” 

But almost a year after the 

guideline was introduced, 

“This multiplicity has helped 

the Corporation over the past 

three years; we have saved 

about USD30 million from what 

we pay in insurance premium. 

“The trust of this result is 

transparency and openness, 

which has improved the 

chances, for new participants to 

participate in doing business in 

the sector,” he added. 

He said, “In terms of value, if 

you look at our oil assets, we 

are running into billions of 

dollars. The non-oil, which is 

dealing with life and property 

Lack of awareness, value, 

affordability cripple interest in 

insurance — Rector 

Stories by 

Rosemary Onuoha 

OVER 30 percent of 

Nigerians are not 

buying insurance because 

they lack awareness on the 

benefits of insurance. 

Speaking to Insurance 

Vanguard on the sidelines of 

the Chartered Insurance 

Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, 

Education seminar in Ibadan 

recently, Rector, College of 

Insurance and Financial 

Management, Mrs. Yeside 

Oyetayo, said that another 31 

and others is also is in billions 

and almost trillions of naira 

worth of property and also 

human lives and other general 

insurance that we do”. 

He added, “We have also 

increased the number of 

Nigerian participants, because 

if all those that participate pass 

all our technical criteria, they 

get a bit of the action. It may 

be small, may be less than one 

per cent, but they will get a bit 

of the action. That is the way 

that we are trying to increase 

value and also increase local 

participation”. 

SMEs’ apathy threatens implementation 

of micro insurance 

By Cynthia Alo Insurance Vanguard 

investigation revealed that 

SME operators are yet to be 

aware about micro insurance 

and how it is supposed to work. 

Speaking to Insurance 

Vanguard, Mr. Henry Iwueze, 

a clothe importer said that he 

cannot embrace micro insurance 

in spite of the benefits of 

insurance generally. 

Iwueze stated: “It would be 

difficult for me to buy micro 

insurance because of high cost 

of living in the country. My 

priority is focused on survival 

and providing daily food, 

shelter and the welfare of my 

family. The economic system 

does not encourage SMEs to 

consider other investments for 

futuristic purpose order than 

immediate satisfaction”. 

Another importer and 

boutique dealer, Mr. Daniel 

Okafor, attributed low insurance 

acceptance to lack of integrity 

in the Nigerian insurance 

system. “Frankly, I am aware 

but have no confidence in our 

insurance companies. I have 

friends who bought some form 

of insurance but suffered delay 

in the claims payment”. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Sunday 

Nnam, who deals in building 

materials told Insurance 

Vanguard that high import duty 

placed on imported products 

frustrate acceptance of 

insurance packages. 

He noted that importing into 

Nigeria can be difficult as one 

tends to spend huge amount 

clearing and transporting 

goods. “I import doors and other 

building materials and the 

money I spend on shipping 

them is a burden not to talk of 

buying an insurance product. 

Some of the insurance 

companies visit here but 

honestly I don’t trust them”, he 

added. 

However, some insurers, 

while reacting to the issues 

raised by the SME operators, 

argued that micro insurance 

have untapped potentials and 

such the industry has been 

aggressive in ensuring full 

acceptance by SMEs by 

engaging in media and 

publicity both online and offline. 

Head, Corporate 

Communication at Leadway 

Assurance, Olubunmi Adeleye, 

told Insurance Vanguard that 

structures such as trainings, 

workshops, seminars, have 

been used to create appropriate 

awareness and publicity about 

the benefits of micro insurance 

to SMEs. 

Adeleye said, “There is the 

need to distribute micro 

insurance products and services 

through technological driven 

platforms to ensure deeper and 

faster penetration. Partnership 

with telecommunications 

companies and mobile money 

service providers should be 

explored and leveraged upon. 

percent of Nigerians do not 

buy insurance because they do 

not see value in it. 

Oyetayo also revealed that 

over 30 percent of Nigerians 

also can’t afford insurance 

hence do not take up any form 

of insurance. 

She said that low insurance 

penetration has persisted in 

Nigeria because factors within 

and outside the sector has 

continued to hinder insurance 

growth. 

She listed factors within the 

insurance industry affecting 

penetration levels including 

poor product offering, 

negligence of rural 

population, inappropriate 

pricing, lack of skills, as well 

as non-availability of data or 

data analytics. 

According to her, factors 

outside the insurance industry 

that affects insurance 

penetration include low 

literacy levels, apathy towards 

insurance, low insurance 

awareness and culture, as well 

as poor economic situation. 

She also added that rising 

inflation and cost of living 

makes insurance less of a 

priority, even as socioeconomic 

constraints, such as 

low per capital income; low 

insurance literacy levels 

coupled with religious, social 

and cultural barriers, which 

she said has led to apathy 

towards insurance. 

Oyetayo said, “The main 

strategy for increasing 

insurance penetration is 

through value creation, 

communication and delivery 

and providing insurance 

responsibly. 

“What does providing 

insurance responsibly mean? 

It means delivering 

appropriate products in a 

transparent, accessible, fair, 

responsive, and respectful 

way to informed consumers 

who are capable of using those 

products effectively.” 

More awareness on the benefits 

of micro insurance needs to be 

created by all stakeholders”. 

Also speaking on the issue, 

Head, Non-life business at 

AIICO insurance, Mr. Taofeek 

Ayeni, said that a regulation on 

claims handling, payment and 

publishing of claims paid by 

practitioners for public 

consumption will aid awareness 

and trust from the public. 

Also speaking, Onyeka 

Onwueringo, of First Diamond 

Brokers Limited, said that in 

order to aggressively engage 

SMEs to micro-insurance, 

insurers must engage 

continuously in market research 

to understand the needs of their 

clients and ensure the use of 

interesting medium to create a 

better awareness.

Y 



“ 

Good day Uncle Dele. This is the first week of December. The 2019 Budget is yet to get to the 

NASS. They would soon proceed on Xmas holidays. It’s not even known when it would be 

presented! 2019 is election year. Most of them would be involved. Who are the policy makers 

of this administration? What is in their brains? Saw dust? When and how did we offend 

them? Is this still being caused by GEJ and PDP? Who did we offend in this country Uncle?” 

THAT lamentation of a totally 

frustrated Nigerian arrived 

just as I was getting ready 

to throw in the towel on writing 

about the Buhari administration 

and the absolute neglect of all the 

measures that would make Nigeria 

a great economic power and reverse 

the trend towards deeper poverty 

and deprivation for our people. 

Make no mistake about it, the 

average Nigerian would continue 

to get poorer as long as we have 

Buhari and his economic advisers 

in government. 

The message summarised so well 

many of my thoughts and those of 

leading economists worldwide 

about Nigeria that it has to be quoted 

verbatim. Nothing needs to be 

added to the charges against the 

Buhari gang which is steadily but 

surely destroying Nigeria’s 

economy. Four more years of these 

people and we will certainly become 

the world’s worst basket case and a 

failed nation. 

Sensing the sender’s anger and 

despair which probably reflect the 

views of millions of our fellow 

citizens, it became impossible to 

stand aloof from the impending 

calamity. Again, make no mistake 

about it; the 2019 Budget is dead 

long before arrival and Buhari and 

his government officials don’t care 

as long as the man is re-elected to 

continue the demolition job on the 

economy. But, before presenting the 

evidence for the verdict on the 2019 

Budget, it is only a matter of courtesy 

to answer some of the questions 

asked in the message – for no other 

reason than that the same questions 

have been thrown at me by 

thousands of Nigerians in every 

state and the Federal Capital 

Territory. 

“Who are the policymakers of this 

administration? That is easy to 

answer. The chief policymakers are: 

President Buhari, Vice President 


By Providence Emmanuel 

STAKEHOLDERS and 

regulators in the 

microfinance subsector 

have harped on the need to use 

digitization as a tool for deepening 

financial inclusion in order to 

achieve the goal of empowering 

Nigerians. They stated this at the 

second Financial Inclusion 

Seminar of Accion Microfinance 

Bank (AMfB), with the theme: 

“Digitization as a Tool for 

Deepening Financial Inclusion 

and the Role of Regulation.” 

Speaking during the panel 

discussion, an official of Financial 

Inclusion Secretariat, Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. 

Steve Awe, hinted that the CBN 

had set up a state level financial 

inclusion steering committee to 

take decisions and address 

problems arising from the states. 

He stated: “We realised we cannot 

sit in Abuja and Lagos to take 

decisions on financial inclusion, 

so we decided to set up a state 

level financial inclusion steering 

committee and there are efforts 

in place to further drive innovative 

Budget 2019 dead before arrival 

Osinbajo, the Minister of Budget 

and National Planning, the 

Governor of the Central Bank, the 

Minister of Finance, and a few other 

mediocre officials constituting what 

is called Economic Damaging, sorry, 

Management Team, EMT. 

Of the dozen or so officials who 

influence economic policy I can only 

vouch for two individuals when it 

comes to discussions about brains 

– the Governor of Central Bank and 

the Minister of Budget and 

National Planning. Those two have 

grey matters in their cranium. 

Permit me to leave the rest 

untouched. But, anybody who at the 

top of government after three years 

still fails to understand that next 

year’s budget should have been 

with the National Assembly by now 

might need to have their tool box 

checked. Deliberately or 

inadvertently, they have sabotaged 

next year’s budget and have 

ensured that Nigerians will get a 

lot poorer in 2019 than we are now. 

Any EMT which has managed for 

four years to get the people 

increasingly more impoverished is 

a team which does not deserve a 

second chance – especially when it 

is realised that they have nothing 

on the table to get the country out of 

the economic quagmire.” 

Who did we offend? Well try this 

for an answer. “The more you read 

and observe about politics, you’ve 

got to admit that each party is worse 

than the other…the one that‘s out 

always looks best.” (Will Rogers, 

American comedian in 

VANGUARD BOOK OF 

QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 192). 

Nigerians, including this writer had 

become very disenchanted with 

President Jonathan (most of us still 

are) that we jumped to the 

assumption that anybody but GEJ 

would be better. We were half right 

and half wrong. Jonathan, an 

accidental president was deficient 

in all the qualities successful 

leaders must have. He was treated 

with disdain by his appointees and 

even his wife. 

Barefaced robbery of the public 

purse was carried on by people who 

were obviously not scared about 

being found out. Four more years of 

the PDP government with Jonathan 

in charge would have ruined 

MfB stakeholders harp on digitization as a tool 

for deepening financial inclusion 

Chairman, Accion MfB, Mr. 

Patrick Akinwuntan 

digital financial services.” 

Earlier in his welcome address, 

Chairman, Accion MfB, Mr. 

Patrick Akinwuntan, said that 

there is the need to begin to look 

at the changing landscape in the 

sub sector. He said: “We have 

participants in the microfinance 

sub sector and the sector is 

classified along unit, state and 

It is difficult to 

consider a 

person 

brilliant who 

repeats the 

same mistake 

all the time 

Nigeria irretrievably. His failure to 

check grand larceny by top military 

officers, many of who are now 

forfeiting billions to the FG, paved 

the way for strengthening Boko 

Haram and the collateral damages 

including loss of agricultural 

productivity in the Northeast and an 

increasing percentage of our 

revenue going to fight a prolonged 

war. So, we were right to get rid of 

GEJ. 

According to the law of the 

hammer, if you give a young boy a 

hammer, he suddenly discovers that 

everything needs hammering. 

Managing Director, Accion MfB, 

Mr. Taiwo Joda 

national, the big difference has 

been the ability to build 

infrastructure to distribute. We 

are around 40 percent in terms 

of financial inclusion and there are 

190 million Nigerians out there. 

There is so much ground to cover, 

we need to collaborate more in 

order to advance and leverage 

technology to make the cost of 

Buhari’s election is a classic case of 

giving somebody uncontrollable a 

hammer. Now, everything, 

including the economy is being 

hammered. Unfortunately, the 

political class presented us with two 

choices – Goodluck or 

Muhammadu. Even if that contest 

is repeated today, I will certainly not 

vote for Jonathan. It was choice 

between two badly flawed 

candidates. Again, it was the 

political class – Tambuwal, Saraki 

and Atiku among others – who 

persuaded us to vote Buhari. I did 

my best too to get him elected. 

Now, I am convinced that the man 

lacks the basic education, the scope 

of previous work experience and 

the mental capacity to manage a 

complex political economy. The fact 

that budgets had been delayed 

longer under him and with each 

passing year and with obvious 

negative consequences point to 

some one who cannot learn new 

things. You simply cannot bend 

dried crayfish or teach an old dog 

new tricks. 

Yet, what the country urgently 

needs now to halt and later reverse 

the trend towards worse destitution 

among our people is a leader with 

large capacity to handle 

complexities, highly computer 

literate, fast reader, energetic and 

highly intelligent. It is difficult to 

consider a person brilliant who 

repeats the same mistake all the 

time. 

Right now, we are faced with the 

disastrous outcome of this year’s 

budget which was signed in June. 

And, the government is getting 

ready to bring about a worse 

situation next year. The question 

about brains has answered itself. 

Nobody with brains commits the 

same mistake three times in a row 

and makes it worse each time. Every 

reader can find his own words to 

describe the Buhari EMT. But, 

brilliant cannot be one of them. Yet, 

we desperately need bright people 

managing the economy and 

growing the Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP, faster than the 

population. Otherwise we will die 

slowly as a nation. 

VISION 2020 NOW A FADED 

DREAM 

Few Nigerians now remember 

that it was not too long when 

Nigeria was pushing vigorously 

towards becoming one of the top 20 

economies in the world. Under 

Babangida it was a goal achievable 

by 2020; with Abacha, we were 

expected to reach that status in the 

year 2010. Reality forced us to redial 

back to 2020 under YarÁdua and 

Jonathan before the dream was 

temporarily postponed. But, we 

managed to emerge Africa’s largest 

economy. Then, progress ended. 

Last week, the G-20, the world’s 

biggest twenty economies met in 

Argentina without an African nation 

in attendance. President Buhari was 

in Poland laying wreaths to the 

victims of holocaust. In the past, 

Nigeria was invited as an observer 

when the world considered us a 

contender for top 20 position. Now, 

nobody invites us. The reasons are 

not hard to discover. Our President 

would not understand the complex 

issues on the agenda and would be 

in no position to make any 

meaningful contribution or defend 

Nigeria’s economic interest. Why 

invite someone to come and dose? 

Or worse still ask dumb questions? 

Yet, Nigeria should be representing 

Africa and arguing for the continent. 

That tells all of us what we need to 

know about what the world thinks 

of our President. 

MICROFINANCE 

access cheaper. 

“The idea that a microfinance 

entity operates within a local 

government, state or country is 

already obliterated by the 

ubiquity of the mobile phones in 

practical terms. We would like the 

regulators to see that the 

landscape has changed so that 

we can begin to have access to 

unleashing the potentials of 

people that want to engage in the 

collaborative activity in the 

microfinance phase and increase 

access to finance. Access to 

finance requires us to leverage 

technology to look at the 

behaviour pattern and the 

trends.” 

On his part, Managing 

Director/Chief Executive, Accion 

MfB, Mr. Taiwo Joda said 

digitization is critical to breaking 

boundaries and frontiers’, adding 

that digitization is not just critical 

to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, but to the financial 

landscape. 

He stated: “We must drive 

digitization and automaton of our 

process to drive scale and reduce 

cost of doing business. Financial 

inclusion is evolving and again, 

CBN is introducing new 

regulation as regards 

capitalization to stem the exit of 

MfBs and also protect depositors 

fund. CBN is looking at a capital 

base that would ensure 

sustainability of microfinance 

operation in Nigeria and also give 

customers the confidence to 

continue to deal with MfBs. 

“If rightly applied, it would 

encourage the driving and depth 

of financial inclusion. The 

National Microfinance Platform 

is engaging with CBN and 

promises to be a win-win 

situation. MfBs are driving to 

deepen financial inclusion in 

Nigeria and at the end we are 

going to have a regulation that 

will create that environment to 

deepen microfinance. 

“If MfB customers are running 

away for fear of survival then it is 

going to work contrary to MfBs, 

but then, if we have un-scalable 

level of capitalization that MfBs 

cannot meet, it also affects the 

deepening of financial inclusion,” 

he added. 

Meanwhile, Business Head, 

Strategic Partnerships and 

Projects, Paga, Mr. Chidiebere 

Asiegbu, urged government and 

regulators to influence 

partnerships that would bring 

about investment in digital 

financial services, while calling 

for awareness campaign that 

would drive and further scale up 

digital financial services in the 

rural area.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


(08052201997) 

PETROLEUM product 

Marketers and Depot 

Owners Associations, gave 

the government, a seven day 

ultimatum last week, to 

redeem their long overdue 

balance for over N800bn for 

fuel, already sold at 

Government regulated price 

of N145/litre. 

The N800bn, was reportedly 

consolidated from the 

difference between 

government’s regulated price 

and the actual open market 

price of petrol sans subsidy; 

the marketers are also 

demanding compensation for 

exchange rate differentials 

and relief from the extended 

burden of interest on their 

bank loans. Instructively, the 

open market fuel price in 

ECOWAS neighbour 

Countries is, presently 

around $1/ litre, i.e. between 

N305 - N360; this is in place of 

the regulated price of N145/ 

litre in Nigeria. The much 

cheaper petrol price, has 

expectedly encouraged large 

scale cross border smuggling 

of Nigeria’s petrol imports to 

neighbor nations in the 

Republics of Benin, Togo, 

Cameroun, Niger and Chad, 

and these countries’ 

economies have, invariably, 

become significant 

beneficiaries of Nigeria’s 

oppressive and distortional 

petrol subsidy. 

Consequently, Nigeria may 

alarmingly be consuming 

between 50 - 60million litres 

of petrol daily, rather than the 

30million litres /day 

consumption before Naira was 

devalued from N190/$ to N305 

to N360/$ in 2017; incidentally 

NNPC/ CBN management, 

have never been categorical 

on the applicable exchange 

rate for fuel imports. 

Nonetheless, Petrol 

marketers have threatened to 

cut back on operations with 

mass lay-off of staff, if 

government does not quickly 

save their Companies from 

shylock creditor banks, which 

continue to calculate, 

disenabling double digit 

interest rates on their overdue 


The oppressive folly of fuel subsidy 

loans. 

However, Nigerians must be 

concerned that the impasse 

between marketers, 

government and banks, will 

not once again, trigger the 

severe challenges endured, in 

unending fuel queues 

between December 2017 and 

January 2018. 

Nevertheless, NNPC, 

which has, since become sole 

importer of petrol, has assured 

Nigerians of adequate local 

stock to sustain supply. 

Notably, however, even such 

excess stock may be of little 

use without adequate 

operational distribution 

channels. Ironically, hundreds 

of billions of Naira already 

spent on overhauling our 

refineries, has regrettably, not 

brought significant relief to 

domestic fuel supply. 

The above title “The 

oppressive folly of fuel 

subsidy” was first published 

in May 2015; a summary of 

that article follows hereafter. 

“The data released on fuel 

subsidy outlays from 

responsible government 

agencies have, overtime, 

regrettably remained 

divergent. The above 

notwithstanding, what is clear 

however, is that we are 

spending a disproportionate 

amount of Federal budget to 

fund subsidy payments, of 

about N500bn or about 10 per 

cent of annual Federal budgets 

since 2011. Incidentally, 

despite the, severe social 

deprivations associated with 

dismal infrastructural deficit, 

critical sectors such as 

Education and Health, were 

never so favoured. 

Infact, according to the Coordinating 

Minister, subsidy 

values, which were never 

captured in annual 

appropriation bills, have 

nevertheless been settled 

ultimately by her Ministry 

without recourse to 

Legislative approval as 

constitutionally required. 

This tradition of impunity 

without Legislative consent 

has been stepped up, with 

possibly, over N200bn 

additional commitment which 

was recklessly incurred this 

year as penalty for bank 

interest on delayed payments 

and exchange rate 

differentials on a ‘core’ 

subsidy bill of N40bn 

according to Thomas 

Olawore, the Executive 

Secretary of the Major 

Petroleum Marketers (see 

report titled: Daily Subsidy 

on PMS rises to N1.7bn on 

Pg. 38 on Punch newspaper 

edition of April 30, 2015). 

Ultimately, the oppressive 

folly of government’s subsidy 

strategy may become 

embarrassingly glaring when 

we become constrained to 

obtain high priced loans to 

Agusto & Co assigns B+ to Crownrise Finance Plc 

AGUSTO & Co, Nigeria’s 

foremost rating company 

has assigned a B+ rating to 

Crownrise Finance Plc. 

The rating according to 

Agusto & Co is supported by 

the adequate capitalisation of 

Crownrise Finance Plc. Agusto 

& Co also attached a “positive 

outlook” to the rating based on 

the expected improvement in 

the funding profile, increased 

earnings and profitability of 

Crownrise Finance Plc. 

“This also represents a 

positive outlook for investors 

in our medium term 

investment and funds 

placement products”, said 

Managing Director/Chief 

Executive, Crownrise Finance 

Plc. 

Crownrise Finance Plc is one 

of Nigeria’s first generation 

finance companies licensed in 

1992 by the Central Bank of 

Sadly, almost 

50% of forex 

earnings will be 

repatriated to 

foreign 

suppliers as 

payment for the 

40m litres fuel 

imports 

consumed daily 

fund our debilitating subsidy 

habit. 

Conversely, however, if 

subsidy is abolished with the 

prevailing crude oil price and 

Naira exchange rate, fuel 

price will rapidly shoot up to 

about N150/litre, and 

ultimately push inflation 

uncomfortably closer to 10 per 

cent. Consequently, unless all 

wages and salaries rise by 10 

per cent annually, income 

earners may lose 50 per cent of 

the purchasing value of their 

Naira incomes every five 

Nigeria (CBN). Following the 

industry challenges triggered 

by the 2008/2009 global 

economic meltdown, the 

company emerged with a 

capital base well above 

industry threshold and now 

operates from its recently 

acquired Corporate Head 

Office in Lagos. 

While the B+ rating affirms 

the impact of recent efforts of 

the company’s Board of 

years. Thus, the existing 

minimum wage of N18000/ 

month, may well become less 

than N9,000 since it was 

established in 2011. 

Furthermore, consumer 

demand will contract if 

inflation spirals and constrain 

employers of labour to scale 

down on their workforce and 

clearly, worsen the already 

disenabling rate of 

unemployment. The incoming 

administration may predictably 

seek a truce as usual with 

Organised Labour to share the 

burden of subsidy, by raising 

the current fuel price from N87 

to about N120/litre instead of a 

market price of about N150/litre 

without subsidy. 

Regrettably, however, this 

arrangement will collapse as 

soon as crude oil prices rise 

above the current $60/barrel 

and, or the dollar exchange 

rate rises above N197/$, as 

such price movement will 

push deregulated petrol price 

well beyond N150/litre and 

create a wider margin of 

subsidy than the N30/litre 

earlier projected. 

Furthermore, if CBN’s 

rapidly depleting reserves 

also increase pressure on 

dollar demand, dollar 

exchange rate would 

simultaneously spiral closer to 

or above the current black 

market rate of N220=$. In 

such event, fuel prices will 

invariably rise and related 

subsidy values will again 

increase to precipitate the 

usual train of inadequate 

funding, delayed payments, 

etc, etc, until a brokered 

resolution between 

government and Labour, again 

sets in motion another cycle 

of folly with another 

agreement for partial subsidy 

in fuel pricing. 

Sadly, almost 50 per cent of 

forex earnings will be 

repatriated to foreign suppliers 

as payment for the 40m litres 

fuel imports consumed daily. 

Arguably, a huge reduction 

Directors, led by Mr. Jonathan 

Babalola, a former Director of 

Other Financial Institutions 

Department of the Central 

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to 

reposition the company to play 

critical role in the rejuvenation 

of the country’s economy, 

Agusto and Co however stated 

that the rating is constrained 

by some structural framework 

issues, including weak funding 

profile. 

in such external payments 

may be possible, if more 

refineries are built or if at least 

existing government’s 

refineries become fully 

operational. However, even if 

government refineries, 

operate at optimal capacity, 

the ex-local refinery fuel cost 

will not be significantly 

different from the f.o.b. prices 

invoiced by overseas suppliers 

(+ about 5 per cent freight cost) 

unless crude oil supplied to 

local refineries is also 

subsidized. 

Thus, whether crude oil 

prices rise significantly or 

Naira exchange rate further 

depreciates, fuel pump price 

will faithfully spiral 

uncomfortably to make the 

accommodation of subsidy 

inevitable. Besides, until price 

regulation is abolished, 

investors will continue to stay 

away from establishing new 

domestic refineries because of 

the challenges of the subsidy 

scheme. However, savvy 

investors, such as Dangote, 

who establish new refineries, 

would hedge their 

investments by selling their 

products strictly in dollars exrefinery 

gate to marketers 

who would still need to source 

the required forex for their 

purchases; consequently, the 

forex outlay for fuel will still 

remain substantial even if new 

private refineries are 

established. 

Conversely, however, 

owners of domestic refineries 

would readily price their fuel 

in Naira if the Naira reestablishes 

a reputation as a 

safe store of value, rather than 

a currency that is perennially 

beleaguered and remains on 

life support. Instructively, 

Naira exchange rate will 

continue its slide and make 

abolition of subsidy a 

challenge, so long as our 

domestic money market 

remains eternally flush with 

ever-surplus Naira, which is 

deliberately created by CBN 

to chase the rationed dollars 

auctioned by the same apex 

bank! 

ECONOMY 

“Going forward, we expect 

Nigeria’s economy to 

maintain its growth trajectory, 

notwithstanding the imminent 

election. This should spur 

business activities and 

demand for small, medium 

and micro loans and leases, 

and project financing, as well 

as create increased 

opportunities for finance 

companies such as Crownrise 

Finance Plc”. This will cause 

the company’s earnings and 

profitability to improve 

considerably.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018---33 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Learning to swim without getting wet 

THE National Union of 

Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Workers, NUPENG, one of the 

most militant unions in African 

labour history, last week marked 

its fortieth anniversary. Back in 

1994 when the military held 

Nigeria in vile grip, NUPENG sent 

out a call for the unions to rescue 

the country. The regime of 

General Sani Abacha was 

particularly brutish, nasty and 

bloody. It was a dictatorship that 

had no rules, respected none and 

included the bombing of buses 

especially those conveying 

soldiers, as part of governance. 

Not surprisingly, other unions 

including the central labour 

organisation, the Nigeria Labour 

Congress, NLC, chickened out. 

NUPENG, backed by the 

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior 

Staff Association of Nigeria, 

PENGASSAN, took on the military 

in weeks of strikes and protests. 

Even when the strikes were crushed 

and its leaders herded into years 

of solitary confinement, NUPENG 

held its head high. As part of this 

anniversary, NUPENG invited me 

as a discussant at its roundtable 

on “Local Content in the Nigeria 

Oil and Gas Industry: Wherein lies 

the interest of Nigerian Workers?” 

To me, the Local Content in the 

Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry as 

explained in the Nigerian Oil and 

Gas Industry Content 

Development, NOGICD, Act No 2 

of 2010 is not about restructuring 

the oil industry which has always 

favoured the foreign ownership, 

exploitation and control of the 

industry to the detriment of the 

Nigerian people and state. It is not 

about the Nigerian people owning 

their oil and gas resources or 

having a greater say in it. It is not 

about the cry against individuals 

owning or being awarded oil blocs 

while most of the states in the 

country are so cash-strapped, that 

they cannot pay salaries. It isn’t 

about oil workers having a greater 

say in an industry they have helped 

to build for sixty one years now. It 

is not about ending the 

enslavement of workers in a 

lucrative industry that has 

converted almost all permanent 

work into casual contract with no 

guaranteed job security. It is not 

about the Nigerianization of the 

Oil and Gas industry, 45 years 

after the Indigenization law. 

Rather, Local Content in the 

Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry is 

like asking that a little sugar be 

added to a tasteless jug of tea for 

the consumption a handful of 

local players in the industry. The 

main objective in Local Content 

provides that: “Nigerian 

independent operators shall be 

given first consideration in the 

award of oil blocs, oil field 

licences, oil lifting licences and in 

all projects for which contract is to 

be awarded in the Nigerian oil and 

gas industry subject to the 

fulfilment of such conditions as 

may be specified by the Minister.” 

The Local Content law is like 

telling Nigerians, ‘You can sniff 

indigenization, but you are 

forbidden from eating its fruit.’ 

Seeking to add local content in an 

industry in the hands of foreigners 

NUPENG still 

has a lot of 

fighting spirit; this 

is good for its 

members and 

Nigerians 

is like telling Nigerians ‘You can 

swim in the river, but don’t get wet.’ 

It is instructive that the specificity 

of local content, and how far it can 

dilute the dominant foreign 

content in the Oil and Gas industry 

in the country, is at the discretion 

of whoever finds himself as the 

Minister of Petroleum. In other 

words, the power and the net worth 

of whoever is the Minister in 

charge of that Ministry is greatly 

enhanced by the Act. That in plain 

language means that if the overall 

foreign Lords in our Oil and Gas 

industry can pocket the Petroleum 

Minister at any given time, the 

local content component can be 

jeopardized. 

There is a sense it can be argued 

that the Local Content Act is a long 

term, if circuitous journey in the 

desert to reach a Nigerianization 

promised land. These are in the 

realms of tactics and strategies; to 

eventually indigenize the Nigerian 

Oil and Gas industry without 

annoying the foreign masters or 

provoking a Western backlash. 

Government estimates that lack of 

local content had from 

independence in 1960 to 2010 

resulted in capital flight of 

$380billion Dollars and job lost 

opportunities of about two 

million. It says that infusing local 

content, aims at creating 300,000 

direct jobs and retaining over 

$14 Billion in the country out of 

the $20 Billion spent annually. 

The Act gives priority for the 

employment of Nigerians but says 

where a skilled Nigerian is not 

available, a foreigner can do such 

job over four years. In my analysis, 

this provides a latitude which 

foreigners can exploit. Also, under 

the Act, local companies can have 

“alliance partner” in foreign 

companies bidding for jobs. In a 

large sense, this is what subsists in 

the industry. Additionally, each 

project has 5 percent management 

provision for foreigners. This 

means that the main management 

positions can be controlled by 

foreigners. 

My argument includes the fact 

that the Local Content in the 

Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry and 

its enabling Act does not provide 

for labour representation in its 

structures and governing bodies 

nor protect Nigerian workers 

from the casualization of 

permanent jobs, a negative 

practice prevalent in the industry 

or encourage local refining of 

petroleum products which can 

guarantee jobs and eliminate the 

fraud called oil subsidy. It does 

not change in any fundamental 

manner, the foreign-ownership 

structure of the Nigerian Oil and 

Gas Industry nor address the 

devastation of the environment due 

to oil and gas exploitation. The law 

does not reduce the cost of 

producing a barrel of crude oil 

which has hovered between $20 

and $23; a far cry from Saudi 

Arabia which produces a barrel at 

$8.98 or war torn Iraq which 

produces at $10.70. Of course, the 

law is not concerned with the 

wastage of Nigerian oil resources 

or its implications for future 

generations. 

My basic argument is that our 

six-decade practice of holding the 

oil and gas cow while foreigners 

milk it, should change. I told the 

oil workers that if the Nigerian 

people are deprived of the benefits 

of being oil producers, their own 

interests as employees, cannot be 

guaranteed. In my analysis, there 

is a corelation between the interests 

of the Nigerian people and those 

of workers in the industry. There 

is, therefore, the need to 

harmonize this relationship as we 

match towards the ultimate goal 

of controlling our oil and gas 

resources, utilizing them in a 

sustainable and beneficial way for 

this and future generations. 

Human Rights lawyer and 

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi 

Falana, advised the oil workers to 

adopt the implementation of the 

Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry 

Content Development, NOGICD, 

Act as a minimum programme on 

which to hold the Oil and Gas 

companies and government 

accountable. In my assessment, 

NUPENG still has a lot of fighting 

spirit. This is good for its members 

and Nigerians. 

SPDC: Esau’s hand and Jacob’s Voice 

By Sunny Awhefeada 

THE Shell Petroleum Development 

Company, SPDC, manifests 

ambivalence in its dealings with the 

people of the Niger Delta region where 

it has explored and exploited crude oil 

for six decades beginning in 1956 when 

it struck fortune in Oloibiri. Shell (as 

SPDC) is generally and sometimes 

fondly called among the people of the 

Niger Delta region has become a 

significant index in the consciousness 

of the people. Shell registered its 

presence in many communities where it 

found oil and turned their fortunes 

around for good or for ill, but more of 

the later. Shell lubricated the economy 

of capitalist Europe, but turned our 

homelands, from Oloibiri to Olomoro, 

Ogoni to Ugono, Uzere to Evwreni, and 

many more into empty shells. However, 

as part of Shell’s ambivalent 

manifestation of fortune and misfortune, 

it also had a salutary effect on the region 

by way of boosting the local economy, 

creating new jobs and accelerating 

urbanisation. 

Shell had significant presence in Warri 

where its headquarters of Western 

operations was located. By 2013, Shell 

closed shop in Warri due to intrigues 

and manipulations as well as the 

company’s propensity for duplicity. It set 

in motion a process of divestment. Its 

reasons for ditching Warri were 

anchored on the facile claim of insecurity 

and drying up of oil wells. But it has 

now come to the fore that vested interests 

who eventually became undertakers and 

inheritors of what was left of Shell 

actually manipulated the company’s exit. 

In spite of the people’s ambivalent 

experience with Shell, they didn’t want 

it to leave. Thus, after its stealthy and 

eventual exit, the people protested, 

requesting that it should return. 

The people’s clamour for Shell’s return 

derives from the economic benefit which 

its operation generated. Shell actually 

made Warri and its environ boom. 

Besides, Shell’s direct staff, are many 

indigenes and non-indigenes that were 

gainfully employed by oil servicing firms 

and contractors providing ancillary 

services. Other human activities and 

businesses sprang up around the area 

and the city oscillated between boom and 

burst. Shell’s presence also engendered 

a multicultural and international 

ambience in Warri as among its workers 

are Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Efik, Esan, Bini 

and foreign nationalities. 

Then Shell left in 2013. Sometime in 

2017, the Vice President, Professor Yemi 

Osinbajo, directed all oil companies 

operating in the Niger Delta to relocate 

their headquarters to the region. The 

people saw that intervention as a wakeup 

call to hasten Shell’s return to Warri. As 

if to reinforce their intention the Federal 

House of Representatives Committee on 

Petroleum Resources (Upstream) 

requested that stakeholders should send 

in memorandum regarding Shell’s 

relocation to Warri. The development was 

applauded by all people of goodwill, and 

responses calling for Shell’s return to 

Warri were clamorous. Individuals, 

NGOs, ethnic nationalities, government 

among other stakeholders sent in 

memorandum that coalesced in one 

request, which is bring back Shell to 

Warri. 

Unfortunately, a few elements, of Isoko, 

Ijaw and Itsekiri provenance, guided by 

ulterior motives, trod the path of 

subversion and published an advertorial 

The SPDC should stop 

the hanky-panky of 

setting people against one 

another; Shell should 

return to Warri at the 

earliest possible time 

at page 29 in the Vanguard newspaper 

of Wednesday, December 5, 2018. The 

crux of their self-serving intervention 

was that it was not possible for Shell to 

relocate to Warri. The three signatories 

turned themselves into Shell’s advocates 

and made unverifiable and untenable 

statements which made the people of 

Delta State to recoil. 

Posturing as if they had the mandate 

of their ethnic nationalities, the three 

signatories struggled hard to entrench 

sophistry. The conclusion reached by 

many readers was that the trio was doing 

the bidding of Shell. The advertorial 

adumbrates Shell as Esau’s hand and 

the trio as Jacob’s voice. Shell was the 

one paying the piper and dictating the 

tune of the said advertorial. It should be 

emphasized that the authors of the 

advertorial spoke for themselves and not 

the ethnic nationalities they purport to 

represent. 

Perceptive observers easily decipher 

the hand of SPDC as the manipulator of 

those who signed the advertorial. This 

stratagem is not new. SPDC used it in 

fanning the embers of discord and 

creating disunity among similar and 

different groups in time past. It did it in 

Ogoni, it did it in Evwreni, Oleh and 

Olomoro and in many other places by 

setting the people up against one 

another. Those who signed the 

advertorial should interrogate the past 

and retrace their steps. They should not 

mortgage the interest of their people 

over a mess of pottage Shell is throwing 

at them with derision. They should 

gauge the mood of the moment which is 

anchored on the consensus that Shell 

should return to Warri. 

The SPDC should stop the hankypanky 

of setting people against one 

another. Shell should return to Warri at 

the earliest possible time. This is the 

position of majority of the stakeholders. 

The ambience is favorable for Shell’s 

return. And when it does it should 

implement the best practices inherent in 

the oil industry all over the world. It 

should open a new page devoid of 

exploitation and despoliation. It should 

embark on the remediation of the 

environment and take on a number of 

corporate social responsibilities. 

•Awhefeada, a university don, wrote 

from Warri. 

C 

M 

Y


Special Projects unit publication 

Spotlight on Mikano International Limited: 

Beyond power generation, partners with MTU to 

unveil power back–up technology. 

By Dolapo Majekodunmi 

M 

I K A N O 

Interna 

tional has 

p a r t n e r e d 

MTU Onsite Energy, a German 

Company, on delivering 

a more reliable diesel and 

gas Independent Power 

Plant, IPP, generators in 

higher engine capacities. 

The company stated that 

every MTU engine and system 

was built to last, with 

MTU’s legendary high engineering 

standards. The partnership 

with MTU will allow 

to offer power station from 1 

MVA upward to meet up 

with the client requirement. 

With this partnership, consumers 

can experience a 

world of fuel savings IPP gas 

project and more efficient 

and reliable technology 

dedicatedly designed to save 

fuel cost. Mikano also owns 

and operates utilities to 

generate or purchase, 

distribute, transmit, and sell 

electricity to end-user 

customers in the residential, 

commercial, industrial, and 

governmental sectors. It uses 

a range of fuels to generate 

electricity, including natural 

gas, and diesel. The 

company owns and operates 

a generation portfolio of 

approximately 150 

megawatts. 

Speaking in Lagos at a 

business dinner organised to 

sensitise the public on the 

new partnership between 

the two companies, the 

Chairman/CEO of Mikano 

International Limited, Mr. 

Mofid Karameh said: “The 

signing of this partnership 

agreement with MTU is to 

deliver a more reliable Diesel 

and Gas Independent Power 

Plant, IPP, generators in 

higher engine capacities.” 


partnership will ensure that 

Nigeria, and indeed Africa 

as a whole get the best of the 

power back-up needed for 

its growth and development. 

Karameh said: “Major 

manufacturing concerns and 

5-Star Hotels are already 

benefitting from this great 

partnership. Mikano 

welcomes you to the world of 

fuel savings Independent 

Power Plant, IPP, Gas Project 

and experience more 

efficient and reliable 

technology designed to save 

L-R standing: Chief Olabintan Famutimi, Immediate Past National President Nigerian-American 

Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Mofid Karameh, Chairman/CEO Mikano International Limited, 

Chief Leye Kupoluyi, Managing Director Universal Power System 

From L-R sitting : Mr. Dennis Zumbach, Sales Director MTU Onsite Energy, Mr. Said Hmaidan – 

Managing Director Mikano International Limited, Mr. Lokman Jouni – Sales Director Mikano 

International Limited, Mr. Tobias Hoffman, Senior Sales Manager MTU Onsite Energy 

your fuel cost/bills. “Mikano 

International Limited, since 

establishment in 1993 is recognised 

as a leading solution 

provider and a preferred 

partner in the Electrical, 

Mechanical, Steel 

Fabricator and general Civil 

work industries nationwide. 

Furthermore Mofid 

Karameh emphasized that 

the need for power is vital 

for the economy growth 

most especially its necessity 

in Indutries, factories, 

churches, hospitals, Schools, 

homes to mention a few. 

In his own contribution, 

Loukman Jouni said 

Mikano has always 

designed the appropriate 

and quality products and the 

major focus for going into 

partnership with MTU is to 

provide worldwide 

experience locally in 

Nigeria thereby advancing 

to a higher level and giving 

consumers value for their 

money spent. Expressing 

worries about the influx of 

fake equipment in 

Nigerian market, Jouni 

explained that the firm is 

working with the 

Standards Organisation of 

Nigeria(SON) and other 

quality control agencies to 

guide against fake and 

substandard equipment and 

also reaffirming that the 

company would also be 

working towards migrating 

to cleaner energy because of 

the sad experiences 

Nigerians had on hazardous 

kerosene and diesel 

generators. 

In furtherance, in her own 

contribution, Maysaa 

Hermes the head 

marketing 

and 

communications of Mikano 

informed that the company 

had carried out series of 

Customer Service 

Responsibilities(CSR) by 

means of donating to the 

less priviledged, disabled, 

school of the blind, 

orphanage homes etc 

through its community 

outreach as well as 

supporting some of the 

Nigerain undergraduates 

with its scholarship 

scheme. Speaking also on 

the anniversary, head of 

marketing 

and 

communications, Mayssa 

Hermes, said the firm has 

kicked-off its 25th 

Anniversary which started 

on October 15 th 2018 and 

will end in January 2019 

with series of activities to 

show of appreciation to 

Nigeria community and 

through corporate social 

activities that support the 

cause of under privileged 

and disadvantaged 

members of the Nigeria 

society. These, she said, 

include donations to school 

of the blind and orphanage 

homes as well as football 

activities with Mikano 

sales promo/ raffle draw as 

the lead activity for the 

celebration. The sales 

promo covers products for 

the steel factory, lighting 

solution, power generation, 

heavy equipment and spare 

parts. 

Mrs. Hermes said, 

prospective customers are to 

win instant reward with an 

opportunity to win the mega 

price during the promo. 

With about 1,800 

employees and factories 

across Nigeria, MIKANO is 

the largest assembler of 

power generating sets from 

renowned global 

manufacturers MTU Onsite 

Energy (Germany) & Perkins 

(UK) engine and Stamford 

(UK) alternator providing 

quality Diesel and Gas 

generating sets ranging 

from 9KVA to 5000KVA.”


36—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 — 37 

Ikeogu Oke: The poet who penned his own 

epitaph 

•”Here lies a man who loved virtue and art” – Ikeogu Oke (Sept 2018) 

•Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Dr. Lola Akande also comment 

By Prisca Duru 

WHEN news about the 

passing away of 

Nigeria’s celebrated poet, 

Ikeogu Oke, broke last week, 

not many people believed it 

was true considering that he 

was consistent in the public 

sphere as a celebrity since 

winning the 2017 Nigeria 

Prize for Literature for his 

poetry collection, “The 

Heresiad”. The late Ikeogu 

Oke was 51 years of age 

before his sudden death on 

the 24th of November 2018. 

He was born on May 23, 

1967 in Jos, Plateau state; 

few years after Nigeria had 

gained her independence 

and also became a republic. 

A native of Abiriba in Abia 

State, Ikeogu Oke was said 

to have died in Abuja at the 

National Hospital from 

Pancreatic Cancer. 

Oke attended the 

University of Calabar and 

also the University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu 

state. While he was at the 

University of Nigeria, 

Nsukka, he bagged an MA 

in Literature. Before that, he 

was awarded a B.A degree 

in English and Literary 

Studies at the University of 

Calabar. 

Before his death, the book 

which took him 27 years to 

write was adjudged a work 

that speaks to an intense 

commitment to innovation, 

tenacity in a way that brings 

out delight and engagement. 

The Judges that handed the 

prize to him described it as a 

bold and wonderful 

experiment. 

Ikeou Oke was a poet and 

a Journalist before his death. 

As a Journalist, he wrote 

columns for different 

national dailies, and as a 

poet, he wrote several poems 

which won him the coveted 

Prize in 2017. 

To his credit are literary 

works classified under adult 

and children’s literature 

which include “When I was 

Born” (2002), Fourth 

Dimension Publishing 

Company, Nigeria; “Salute 

Without Guns” (2009), 

Manila Publishers 

Company, Nigeria; “In the 

Wings of Waiting” (2012), 

Manila Publishing 

company, Nigeria. All these 

works are for adults. 

His children’s literature 

include “The Lion and the 

Monkey” (2014), Manila 

Publishers Company, 

Nigeria; and “The Tortoise 

and the Princess” (2015), 

Manila Publishers 

Company, Nigeria 

The renowned poet, 

known for performing his 

poems or appearing in 

functions in his native Ohafia 

war costume, was said to 

have had a premonition 

about his death owing to his 

epitaph which he wrote on 

his twitter handle @Okesisi 

in September 2018 which 

•Ikeogu Oke, wife and kids, receiving The NLNG prize for Literature 

reads, “My Epitaph. Here 

lies a man who loved virtue 

and art, And gave to both 

his fortunes and his heart. 

Ikeogu Oke (1967 –).” 

“My interest in writing 

began shortly after I left 

secondary school in 1984,” 

Ikeogu wrote. “My father 

wasn’t educated. He barely 

went to night school. In fact, 

I think he hated having not 

been educated. As a result, 

he came to love books 

deeply and somehow tried 

to acquire the ability to read 

and write passably. So, you 

may say he educated 

himself. From his example, 

I came to love books too. So, 

he encouraged me and 

inculcated in me a very deep 

love for reading books. In our 

house then, we had a 

bookshelf with an array of 

books.” 

On getting the news of his 

winning the $100,000 cash 

award for The Nigeria Prize 

for Literature 2017, Ikeogu 

said: “You know, it an 

amazing feeling. I mean, 

I’m gratified. But that’s not 

the kind of money I would 

think I couldn’t make. But I 

made it doing what I love. 

It brings a feeling that is 

almost difficult to describe. I 

couldn’t imagine such a 

thing happening when I 

started writing poetry. 

“I didn’t embark on a 

literary career with such an 

expectation. I didn’t 

consider writing as 

something from which I 

would make money, though 

my earliest published 

poems were paid for. They 

were published in an 

American magazine – Unity 

Magazine. 

For each poem they 

accepted to publish, they 

offered me money as far back 

as 1987. So, making money 

from my poetry isn’t 

something I wasn’t used to. 

But I wouldn’t have said 

‘pay me’, for I’m gratified.” 

Like many other writers, 

Ikeogu had some renowned 

poets whose works 

influenced his poetry 

especially the “The 

Heresiad”. “I began by 

reading the Romantics. Yes, I 

read Shelley, Keats, 

Wordsworth, Coleridge and 

Byron. Then, I moved to the 

classics: Homer, Virgil, Dante, 

Chaucer, Milton, Goethe, etc. 

Then I read some American 

Poets like Ralph Waldo 

Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, 

Walt Whitman and the 

French poet Charles 

Baudelaire. 

Then the Irish poets W. B. 

Yeats and T. S. Eliot and the 

Indian poet Rabindranath 

Tagore and Joseph Brodsky. 

I also read Pushkin, then 

Alexander Pope and Thomas 

Gray. I had a particularly 

auspicious reading of Niyi 

Osundare’s “The Eye of The 

I have always loved the Korean culture — Chiamaka Ibebunjo 

By Osa Amadi 

CHIAMAKA Ibebunjo is 

a staff member of the 

Korean Cultural Centre. She 

shared some aspects of the 

South Korean arts and 

culture with OSA MBONU, 

Arts Editor of Vanguard, 

during the recent 

International Arts & Craft 

Expo in Abuja. This is what 

they discussed: 

Tell us about some of the 

activities of the Korean 

Cultural Centre. 

We recently had Korean 

National Day on the 13th (of 

November) where we had 

Korean chefs cook different 

types of Korean cuisines. We 

also had a 7-man band, all 

the way from Korea that 

performed that day. Our 

own role as Korean Cultural 

Centre is to showcase Korea 

culture like Korean 

language and every other 

thing that concerns Korea. 

We also have scholarship 

programmes which we hold 

for students who wish to go 

and study in Korea, both for 

postgraduate and undergraduate 

courses. We just 

rounded up the undergraduate 

scholarship. We 

had two candidates who 

were successful out of more 

than 80 applicants. By 

January or February (2019) 

we will start the process for 

the post-graduate 

programme. 

What is the language of 

instruction for those 

students? 

It depends on the 

students. We have courses 

where they speak English 

throughout. But then there 

are also courses where the 

language is Korea. In such 

cases, the Nigerian student 

will have to study the 

Korean language for one full 

year before their courses 

commence. Some students 

become proficient in the 

language in 6 months and 

then start their 4-year 

program. 

The scholarship is fully 

funded – flight cost, accommodation, 

feeding, health 

services, and more. 

In terms of arts and crafts, 

•Chiamaka Ibebunjo 

what would you say Korea 

is known for? 

Korea is known for so 

many things – for these 

masks (on display here), for 

hand dolls, and their 

costumes. The Korean 

costume is one that has 

survived for centuries, even 

though a lot of people are 

wearing jeans and modern 

types of clothes. Some of our 

staff members wear these 

clothes when they come to 

the office (at the Korean 

Embassy in Abuja here). 

We had expected to see 

Earth” around the time I 

conceived “The Heresiad”. 

I found the balance it struck 

between aesthetic and moral 

tendencies very interesting 

and wanted to reflect that in 

“The Heresiad”. I think each 

of these poets and many 

others I have read have 

influenced me somehow.” 

Ikeogu was such an 

amiable and friendly man — 

Prof. Ezeigbo 

Renowned writer and 

Professor of English, Akachi 

Adimora-Ezeigbo, described 

Oke’s sudden demise as a 

sad one. 

“The sad news of Ikeogu 

Oke’s death struck me like 

thunderbolt. I have not 

recovered from the shock. It 

still sounds like it didn’t 

happen, but it did! 

Immediately I heard of it, I 

made a number of calls to 

confirm the terrible news. I 

was dismayed. I grieved, 

remembering vividly how I 

had sat close to him when he 

came to my new university, 

Alex Ekwueme Federal 

University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, 

in Ebonyi State. He was such 

an amiable and friendly man. 

We had invited him to 

participate in the Igbo Cultural 

Day Celebration. He did not 

disappoint us. The students 

hailed him. 

“His death came at the 

wrong time. You might ask 

what time is the right time to 

die. It is true that one can die 

at any time: young or 

old. Ikeogu died at the 

height of his fame and success 

as a writer, a remarkable 

poet. I wish he had lived 

longer to enjoy his success 

and to give more people 

pleasure. He won the most 

Koreans when we were approaching 

the Korean stand 

but we did not. Rather, here 

we are, speaking to a Nigerian 

– Chiamaka Ibebunjo. 

What happened? 

You know the expo started 

on Saturday. Our Korean 

staff members were here on 

the opening day, but they 

had other works to do at the 

Embassy and so that’s why 

I am here. But I am sure they 

will be here on Saturday 24 

November for the closing 

ceremony. 

How did you acquire this 

deep knowledge of Korea 

we are witnessing in you; 

is it by formal study or by 

mere association with Koreans? 

I would say it’s by association. 

When I started working 

with them I realized that 

I needed to know as much 

as I can about Korea. Besides 

that, I have always 

been interested in Asian 

countries even before I 

started working with them. 

I have always loved their 

culture, especially their movies; 

you know we women 

prestigious and financially 

rewarding literary prize in 

Africa, the NLNG-sponsored 

Nigeria Prize for Literature. 

Only a few writers will win it 

in their lifetime. It is indeed 

one of best literary prizes in 

the world in terms of 

monetary reward. Ikeogu 

won the prize last year, 2017, 

and barely one year after he 

left this side of existence. I 

feel sad about it. I read his 

magnum opus, “The 

Heresiad”, before it won the 

prize, and I was impressed 

by its aesthetic 

accomplishments. It is good 

poetry which entertains as 

well as instructs. 

“We lost a great poet, but 

as writers, we can celebrate 

him and his work. We can 

console ourselves with the 

knowledge that Ikeogu is 

immortalized in his work. He 

will never die. He lives in his 

work. This is the aspiration 

of every writer – that when 

we leave this flesh behind 

and migrate to another realm, 

those left behind and those 

who will come in future will 

derive joy and learns from the 

work of art we have created. 

I believe Ikeogu has this 

satisfaction wherever he is 

now. May God comfort his 

young family. May Ikeogu’s 

soul rest in peace.” 

Ikeogu’s poetry imparts 

us profoundly – Dr Lola 

Akande 

“Ikeogu’s passing is 

shocking and extremely 

painful. The consolation, 

however, is that he gave us 

what he has. His poetry 

imparts us profoundly and it 

will continue to do so even 

for generations yet to come. 

Writers don’t die. Ikeogu 

cannot die. Through his 

work, he stays alive forever.” 

love movies. So, getting an 

opportunity to work with 

them was like a dream come 

true. The dream will be completed 

when I finally join 

them over there in South 

Korea. 

Oh, so you have the intention 

to go there? 

Yes I would like to. 

Is it for your post-graduate 

course or something 

else? 

Well, I have done my 

masters already in the 

United Kingdom, may be for 

a PhD. 

What course did you do 

in your Masters? 

I did Human Resource 

Management. 

You said that these Korean 

Arts & Crafts products here 

are not for sale. What do 

you think Nigeria has benefited 

by Korea’s presence 

in this expo? 

South Korea, Nigeria, and 

other participating countries 

have learned from one another 

and shared their different 

cultures and crafts. 

There has also been a lot of 

networking.

38—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018—39

40— VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

TRIBUTE 

Saying goodbye to a loving mother, sister and friend 

By Seriake Dickson 

SINCE August, when our dear 

mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson 

(Mama Gogo), was called to be 

with the Lord, my family and I have 

passed through what is clearly the 

worst period of our lives. 

Mama Gogo was hale and hearty 

and only complained of pains in her 

right leg about December last year. 

By January this year on returning 

from pilgrimage to the Holy land of 

Israel which she insisted on embarking 

on despite the pains. I asked the 

doctors to repeat her rounds of routine 

checks at the Bayelsa Diagnostic 

Center. Results at the center revealed 

suspicious lesions in her body, consequent 

upon which she was immediately 

sent off to London for further 

checks. My younger brother, Akpolagha 

who was at the time in London 

took her to the Hospital where further 

tests confirmed the lesions were 

cancerous. 

My world almost came to an end 

when I heard that the diagnosis was 

cancer and that the organ affected 

was her lungs. This meant that at the 

time we confirmed it, the cancer from 

the lungs had already spread to all 

parts of her body, which was the cause 

of the pain in her right leg she earlier 

complained of. Surprisingly, previous 

tests and examinations in Yenagoa 

and Abuja could not detect the cancer 

until then. It proved to be a fast 

growing and aggressive form of cancer 

for a woman who never smoked. 

Several agonizing months 

This was the beginning of several 

agonizing months that followed as 

she immediately started a battery of 

tests and treatment regime in London. 

We again transferred her to the 

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 

Houston Texas, USA. The cancer 

proved to be too aggressive and defied 

treatments and efforts to contain 

it. She finally returned to her creator 

on the 8th of August 2018. I was comforted 

however, that I and other members 

of my family were with her in 

her final moments. 

Although there was no written 

record of her birth, by available accounts 

she was born over 72 years 

ago to the family of Oruama Nipe, 

one of the earliest sailors from this 

area popularly called Captain Nipe 

and Areambrado of Indiamazi in 

Sagbama community. Mama Gogo 

was the third of four children; Afani, 

Queenmary and her only brother Kumasi 

Akpi, who died in 2006 as a serving 

Superintendent of Police. Her two 

surviving elder sisters are here with 

us today aged about 79 and 76. In 

their family, there was an age gap of 

three years between one child and the 

next. 

Her sailor father whose children all 

bore names of either marine vessels 

he worked on or popular port cities 

he visited as a sailor named my mother 

Goldcoast. Queenmary was a British 

vessel her father worked on at 

some point, while Afani is a popular 

native Ghanaian name, popular 

amongst Ijas who went to Ghana at 

the time. Goldcoast was the colonial 

name for present day Ghana and Kumasi 

is a port city in Ghana. She was 

his favourite child and he gave her 

the pet names Atabeniere (meaning, 

a wealthy woman from the sea) and 

Goldcoast colony. 

As a child learning to speak, I could 

not pronounce the name ‘Goldcoast’ 

correctly. My infant tongue twisted 

her name as Gogo and that became 

her name until her death. Everyone 

including my father, her mother and 

siblings called her Gogo. She often 

cautioned me jokingly, however 

teaching an important lesson that my 

tongue should never be used to make 

any negative pronouncement as it 

could stick. 

My mother was a kindhearted, softspoken, 

decent, loving and caring 

woman. Everyone in my father’s 

household and community, to her father’s 

household, family, community 

and indeed all who encountered her 

even for a brief moment, felt her positive 

infectious personality. Her community 

here at Angiama fondly calls 

her Ebikomboere (meaning the woman 

that brings good things) 

It was not a surprise therefore that 

even in her sick bed in the United 

Kingdom and in the United States of 

America, she was more concerned 

about the health, wellbeing and welfare 

of others. she would crack jokes 

and engage in lively discussions with 

the doctors, nurses and care-givers 

most of whom developed strong 

bonds with her. Being fully aware of 

the severity of her illness and the impending 

loss of this warm personality, 

some of them would leave her bedside 

to secretly shed tears. 

I want to thank all the doctors at 

the Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre, those 

in London and the Doctors, nurses and 

caregivers at the M. D. Anderson Cancer 

Centre in Houston Texas, USA, 

for their care and the expression of 

willingness to support the Goldcoast 

Dickson Memorial Cancer Centre 

and other charitable activities to be 

instituted in her honour. 

In addition, all my associates, appointees, 

and friends who have encountered 

her even for a brief moment, 

felt her warmth and motherly 

disposition. Each one of them has a 

story to tell. She can never be remembered 

for throwing the weight of her 

status around either by conduct or in 

speech. She was always in the background, 

ever supportive and prayerful. 

She never lost her maternal instincts 

to care for people around her 

despite her critical health condition 

at the time. 

Whenever I visited her with friends, 

she would ensure that we all ate 

groundnut and farina and would entertain 

us with drinks and everything 

else that she had. Then she would 

crown it all with a motherly embrace 

before I left her presence. This had 

been the practice between the two of 

us for the past over thirty years. I never 

left her presence without that special 

embrace, the last of which was 

on her sick bed in America. We had 

agreed that her children and most of 

her grandchildren would be around 

to spend the summer holiday with her 

in the United Stares to keep her company. 

Most of us got there, only for 

her health to nosedive suddenly about 

a day or two later. When I got the news 

of her deteriorating health, I rushed 

down to see her. She passed on the 

8th of August 2018, two days after my 

arrival in the company of her loved 

ones and family. 

Clearly, my siblings and I miss her 

love, support and prayers. Although I 

particularly miss her embrace, I am 

confident that in the course of her time 

with us, I had recurring blessings, 

prayers and embraces that will last a 

lifetime. 

Her acts of kindness, soothing 

words and respect 

Interestingly, it was after she had 

passed on that I learnt of the several 

groups of young couples that she quietly 

mentored. In my fathers community 

and her own, she will be remembered 

for her acts of kindness, soothing 

words and respect. 

She asked me to build a market in 

Toru-Orua and kept reminding me 

that it had to be completed ‘for her 

women’ (as she put it). On one of my 

last visits to her, she again demonstrated 

her compassion for the needy 

by making suggestions of certain rural 

women to be allocated stalls. We 

were both looking forward to it’s commissioning, 

having told her of my 

desire to name it after her. 

Being the last wife, my mother was 

both a wife and like a daughter to my 

father. She was younger than his first 

child, a male who died at infancy and 

slightly older than his first daughter 

Siliki. Even in this large polygamous 

household, she endeavoured to make 

a success of her marriage. 

My quintessential mother was the 

*Late Madam Goldcoast 

Dickson. 

Throughout her life 

time in the village, I 

never saw my mother 

quarrel with anyone. 

She was a peaceful, 

sympathetic and compassionate 

person. 

She would give her last 

meal and money to anyone 

in need 

center of love, unity and care for the 

family. I saw her cook all my father’s 

meals with uncommon diligence and 

she was indeed a great cook. She 

loved and cared for him till his death 

in 2011 at about the age of 86. She 

passed on as the only surviving wife. 

Mama Gogo, was more than a 

mother to me. As her first child, she 

was my elder sister, my friend, confidant 

and my prayer warrior. Growing 

up in the village in those difficult 

days, in the 70s and 80s, my mother 

and I farmed and fished together to 

feed the family. I can tell first hand, 

how she struggled with the pregnancy 

of all my siblings compounded by 

the challenges of farming, fishing and 

maintaining her home. 

I recall my first trip to the secondary 

school. My parents had escorted 

me to the waterside to board the Lagos-Amassoma 

boat en route Toru- 

Ebeni where my school was situated. 

My mother started crying perhaps 

wondering how I would cope and care 

for myself since I was only about 12 

years old and that was my first time 

of being separated from her for a protracted 

period. Perhaps the memories 

of the times we spent kept the tears in 

her eyes since I always accompanied 

her to all her farms and everywhere 

else. I still remember the stories she 

told me and the joy she exuded whenever 

we caught some fish. She would 

say, ‘oh my children, we will eat today’. 

And on the day we were not so 

lucky, you could see the sadness envelop 

her face. 

I often tell the story of her forthrightness, 

integrity, love and sacrifice. 

As typical of most of the women in 

the village, they would fish at night, 

return early in the morning to cook 

for their families, set out to the farm 

and return at night to start the cycle 

allover again. 

One of such nights, in 1981 while 

this wonderful woman was fishing, 

drums of diesel totaling five floated 

towards her canoe. She was initially 

afraid since it was dark and the floating 

object could have been anything 

but she summoned courage, quickly 

took out her fishing net and solicited 

the assistance of another woman 

named Bekeyeibo who was also fishing 

nearby. Together, they moved the 

drums to shore. That ended her fishing 

for that night. My mother informed 

my father and they both handed 

over the drums of diesel to the community 

as lost but found items. 

Prior to this event, I had dropped 

out of school for over half a term because 

my father had explained that 

the downturn he was experiencing in 

his business at the time made it impracticable 

for my brothers and I to 

continue with our education. For thus 

reason, he decided that I, being the 

youngest, make the sacrifice of dropping 

out until his financial situation 

improved, though he acknowledged 

that I was the most promising academically. 

I recall my mother getting 

angry and crying, trying to change a 

situation that was beyond her control. 

Growing older, I now understand 

her feelings, frustration and anger at 

the time. 

Unforgettable, triumphant, 

soothing and re-assuring 

Not too long afterwards, the owner 

of the drums of diesel who had lost 

them to heavy rain and erosion from 

a far-off location came enquiring 

community after community. Of all 

the drums of diesel he lost, only those 

found by my mother were reported. 

Typical of my dad, he told the owner 

that they were only custodians and 

unconditionally released the drums 

of diesel. To show their gratitude and 

appreciation for her unassailable integrity 

and selflessness, the owner rewarded 

them with 90 Naira. My parents 

from the money, gave 30 Naira 

to the other woman who assisted 

her. With 60 Naira remaining, my 

mother gave me that unforgettable, 

triumphant, soothing and re-assuring 

look only a loving mother could saying, 

“My son, you would be heading 

back to school tomorrow”. What a 

relief! That was how I was able to join 

my classmates after almost loosing a 

term. The entire school had feared 

that I was not returning. 

She taught us love, respect, tolerance 

and compassion. She gave encouragement, 

love, care to my siblings 

and I, our spouses and her 

grandchildren. My mother cultivated 

a special bond with all her sons-inlaw 

and daughters-in-law. She 

cooked, fed, sang and danced to the 

delight of her grandchildren, teaching 

them the Ijaw tradition whenever 

she had the chance to, addressing 

each with the special names she gave 

them, as I also do. They all have fond 

memories of her that will last their 

entire lives. 

Throughout her life time in the village, 

I never saw my mother quarrel 

with anyone. She was a peaceful, sympathetic 

and compassionate person. 

She would give her last meal and 

money to anyone in need. My father 

often joked that trading was not my 

mother’s strength as she was always 

giving out her wares on credit and 

was too sympathetic to demand for 

payments. 

Her greatest gift was prayers. When 

later in her life she knew Christ, she 

became a prayer warrior, praying and 

fasting frequently. She attended all 

devotional services of the family and 

later on of the government when I 

became Governor. At the end of every 

morning devotion, she would embrace 

me and make pronouncements 

of blessings and protection over me. 

Whenever I was in a political battle 

or facing a challenging situations, 

my mother will fast and pray and then 

tie her wrapper around her breast. 

While embracing me, she would proclaim 

as my father often did, the ancestral 

titles and blessings of my worthy 

ancestors which the Ijaws call Kile 

and the Yorubas call Oriki, to remind 

me that I am from a long line of great 

ancestors, warriors and kings who 

were not intimidated or defeated. She 

would tell me to go and return in 

peace with victory and triumph. To 

the glory of God, my parental blessings 

and prayers have always earned 

me victory and triumph till date and 

I believe always. As most of you may 

already know, I am a product of two 

proud and rich cultures; Kpadia and 

Obu families of Orua in Tarakiri 

kingdom and the Fidipote royal house 

of Ijebu ode 

My parents taught me to live a simple 

life. They taught me contentment, 

honour, courage, compassion and 

prudence. My father was the epitome 

of courage, honour, integrity and hard 

work. I learnt from him the ability to 

say no when no is the right answer 

irrespective of what others may say 

and, that time and God vindicate the 

just. While my mother taught me love, 

humility, compassion and hard work 

also. Like my father, my mother 

never bothered me for anything personal 

even as a governor. She was 

always concerned about my wellbeing, 

progress and success as well as 

the wellbeing of others and never 

about what she could benefit or gain 

materially. 

She prayed and constructed a bank 

of prayers enough to last my siblings 

and I for a life time. I had hoped as 

well as she did that she would recover 

and return home for thanksgiving. 

Knowing the severity of her illness, I 

prayed for more time for her, I did not 

expect the end would come as suddenly 

as it did. My desire was to see 

her by my side when I rounded off my 

term as governor and have more time 

for my family, with my mother playing 

her usual supportive role, which 

she did so well. 

She was the best and sweetest mother 

anyone would ever wish for. Just as 

she always said, if there was another 

life, she would love to have me and 

my siblings again as children. For me, 

‘if there is another life, I would have 

none as a mother except her’. 

On behalf of my family and all the 

communities involved in the ceremonies 

for the interment of my mother, I 

would like to once again thank everyone 

for the enormous outpouring 

of grief and sorrow all through this 

trying period of mourning. In particular, 

we remain eternally grateful to 

all Nigerians for sending us your 

thoughts and prayers and for offering 

us your shoulders to cry on. I am 

also appreciative of your prayers for 

the repose of her soul and for us her 

family to bear her departure with fortitude. 

Goldcoast Dickson Memorial 

Cancer Centre 

My mother is not the only one to 

have died of cancer. It is common 

knowledge that cancer is one of the 

leading causes of death the world over. 

It is fast decimating our population 

herein Nigeria and in the Niger Delta 

especially. 

That is why in memory of her life 

and all that she stood for, my family 

and I, through the Seriake Dickson 

Foundation, have decided to establish 

the Goldcoast Dickson Memorial 

Cancer Centre in Toru-Orua, the 

community where she spent over 60 

years of her life. And in her compound 

in Angiama which is her paternal 

home, the family has decided to build 

a nursery and primary school, as well 

as a clinic all in her honour. I know 

that my mother would have loved that. 

She will be laid to rest in the chapel 

constructed in her honour as was her 

wish. 

Accordingly, the family will be inviting 

friends, public - spirited individuals 

and the public to support the 

foundation in this regard. I am exceedingly 

grateful to all the individuals, 

business leaders and organizations 

that have directly and indirectly 

indicated their readiness to partner 

with us now and in the future. 

For as long as we live, we will always 

miss our mother. 

Dearest Mother, Sister, Friend and 

confidant, rest on the perfect bosom 

of the Lord. You ran a good race, rest 

till we meet again. 

*Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, 

Governor of Bayelsa State.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


ORONNA DAY: From left, General Manager, Business Development, 

MTN, Valentine Izuchukwu; Senior Manager, Sales Channel, Stella Nwosisi; 

MTN Partner, Mrs. Amina Ogunde; Sales and Distribution Executive, Kunle 

Adebiyi; Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle and Merchandising 

Manager, MTN, Olaleke Fakeye during the recent Oronna Day celebrations 

in Ilaro, Ogun State sponsored by MTN. 

True story of Metele 

attacks, by surviving soldier 

Continues from Page 5 

State of war 

“Gagiram was attacked 

the second and third time. 

Minari was attacked and 

we lost 13 soldiers and 

officers. Others, who 

ran into the bush are still 

missing. The fight against 

the insurgents became 

intense with attacks on 

many locations. Between 

Gudunbalo and Gamasa, 

we lost many soldiers but it 

was unreported in the 

press and to the 

Presidency. No fewer than 

200 soldiers were killed 

and the truth was never 

told. 

"Jeli was also attacked. 

Many soldiers died and 

some are still missing. The 

question I am asking today 

is: Does the Army 

headquarters actually 

know the total strength of 

soldiers fighting in the 

North East? I don’t think so. 

"Since the Metele attack, 

many soldiers are still 

missing. Some corpses 

have been recovered while 

many have not been 

recovered. How do they 

know the total number of 

soldiers? I was surprised 

when the Chief of Army 

Staff came out on the TV 

and said only 23 people 

died. Let’s assume that 23 

soldiers died, was that 

enough to call the number 

only? It is inhuman. What 

I know is that when a 

General loses in a battle, he 

is supposed to be courtmartialed, 

retired, or 

jailed. 

But, some of our 

commanders failed and 

were then promoted. It 

shows that we are very 

wicked and we have lost it 

all as a nation. What about 

the people that died as a 

result of his actions? 

We are poorly fed 

“On our welfare, the 

Federal Government has 

released Ratio Cash 

Allowance, RCA, and 

operational allowance. It 

has not been given to us. 

We are only paid N20,000 

monthly, and we are not 

paid at when due. 

They pay N10,000 in cash 

and N45,000 is being given 

to the commandant for 

feeding. What are we being 

fed? They feed us beans 

every day in the morning. 

At noon we are given rice, 

while we eat garri for 

supper. People have 

developed diabetes 

because of regular intake of 

carbohydrate. Some 

soldiers now have 

challenges with their eyes 

because of what we eat. We 

are not properly fed, but 

they will come out to tell 

Nigerians that soldiers are 

well paid. 

"The issue is not about 

deploying more people to 

the North East. People 

have stayed in the North 

East for four years without 

being rotated. Some have 

never seen their families, 

some who had no chance 

of seeing their families 

have died. They should 

forget about sending 

people to the North East 

and equip the soldiers 

properly. I want the 

President to heed this 

advice. What we need is 

not to send people to 

Sambisa. The President 

should ask what the army 

leadership did with money 

for the procurement of 

weapons. Did they actually 

buy new weapons or 

refurbished weapons? 

Army on the 

defensive 

“The APC’s we have 

cannot run for 10 to 15 

minutes without 

overheating or stopping in 

the bush. The Anti-Aircraft 

Artillery, AA, also has the 

same challenges. We 

cannot shoot for three 

minutes without 

stoppages. But Boko 

Haram shoots for more 

than two straight hours 

without stoppages. Now, 

the question I am asking is: 

Is the Army supposed to be 

on the offensive or 

defensive? I know that an 

army is supposed to be on 

the offensive. There is no 

need for us to be defensive 

all the time. 

“We lack equipment. 

Soldiers have overstayed in 

the battlefield. There is a 

standing order that soldiers 

who have spent three 

months will be allowed to 

have two weeks to visit their 

families. What suddenly 

happened to the standing 

order?" 

Recognition for 

Col Sakaba 

He continued: “Soldiers, 

who fought and died were 

never to be promoted. But 

those who recovered the 

body of the late Major 

General Akali in Jos have 

all been promoted. What 

about the people who are 

fighting Boko Haram and 

those who died fighting 

Boko Haram? The late Lt. 

Colonel Sakaba who died 

in Metele should be 

promoted. The families of 

other soldiers who died 

fighting should be 

compensated. We are all 

human beings. We only 

read about our allowances 

on the pages of 

newspapers. 

“It was reported that we 

are entitled to N2,000 daily 

for feeding, while N5,000 

is the operational allowance 

for 30 days. The Federal 

Government said the 

soldiers in the North East 

are being paid N95,000, it 

is not true. We are only 

being given N20,000 as 

monthly allowance and it is 

not regularly paid. We want 

our money paid as at when 

due and they should pay 

us all the arrears effective 

from the day it was 

released. 

“They have moved 

soldiers from Arege to 

Malapatori but Malapatori 

is not supposed to have two 

locations. The removal of 

soldiers from Arege has 

made Monguno 

vulnerable to attack. The 

moment they take 

Monguno, definitely, they 

will capture Maiduguri." 

Defence 

Headquarters reacts 

Meanwhile, the Defence 

Headquarters yesterday, 

dismissed insinuations that 

troops in the North-East 

battling Boko Haram 

terrorists were not properly 

fed, adding that there was 

no iota of truth in the 

allegations that soldiers 

wounded in Metele attacks 

were paying for their drugs. 

It also denied that over 

170 soldiers died in the 

recent attack carried by the 

terrorists at Metele Village 

in Borno State, reaffirming 

that only 23 soldiers died, 

with 31 others wounded. 

The Director of Defence 

Information, Brigadier 

General John Agim, 

reacting to the allegations 

while speaking to 

Vanguard on the telephone, 

insisted that the military 

authorities were fully 

responsible for all the needs 

of the troops in the North 

East and asked the general 

public to disregard the 

allegations he described as 

not only baseless but also 

unfounded. 

He said: “It is not true 

that our troops are feeding 

themselves. The allegation 

that their allowances are 

not being paid and also that 

they are paying for their kits 

is baseless and unfounded. 

“Where are they getting 

their kits from? Where are 

they buying the food from 

and where are they getting 

the money from to feed 

themselves? 

“It is not true, people just 

want to bring corruption to 

everything we are doing. I 

think the allegation came 

after the attack in Metele. 

“Well, we are fighting a 

battle and these people 

(insurgents and terrorists) 

are getting more daring 

because they are now 

getting support from 

Islamic State of West 

African Province. So,we are 

fighting ISIS, we are 

fighting ISWAP altogether. 

We are bound to have 

setbacks if there are lapses. 

“But people are trying to 

raise allegation of 

corruption against the 

commander, but they 

should know that the 

Metele attack affected the 

commander too; he died. 

So if he was corrupt as some 

are alleging, where has it 

taken him?” 

Brigadier General Agim 

appealed to the general 

public to support the 

military in its ongoing battle 

against the terrorists so that 

the security situation in the 

North East could be 

brought to an end, saying 

anything on the contrary 

could only escalate and 

prolong the situation. 

“I want to appeal that if 

we have an attack, 

everybody should stand 

behind the military and 

encourage them, we are 

always very quick to 

castigate the military; you 

don’t know that these 

things have consequences. 

‘’For instance, there are 

insinuations that soldiers 

are running away from the 

terrorists in the North East 

and they can’t stand to fight. 

This kind of thing only 

emboldens the terrorists. 

“There are certain things 

about these terrorists that 

we shouldn’t write about 

because doing so will rather 

encourage the terrorists and 

insurgents to be bold. We 

should be downplaying 

some of these things 

because it is not possible 

that these things you 

mentioned are happening 

because their allowances 

are paid as at when due,” 

he further said. 

Speaking on the actual 

number of soldiers that died 

in the Metele attack, Agim 

said contrary to speculation 

that more than 170 soldiers 

died, only 23 died in the 

attack. 

The dead, he said, 

included the Commanding 

Officer and the Intelligence 

Officer. 

“We have 23 soldiers that 

died, including the officers. 

The officers were 

Intelligence Officer, the 

Commanding Officer and 

the 2IC. Also, we have 31 

troops that were wounded 

in the unfortunate attack,” 

he said. 

Also, over the weekend, 

indications emerged that 

the decision of the Chief of 

Army Staff, Lt. General 

Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to 

carry out massive 

redeployment of several 

Brigade Commanders and 

Commanding Officers in 

the ongoing battle to 

eliminate Boko Haram 

terrorists from the North 

East was due to the need 

to restore confidence and 

high morale among 

fighting troops. 

It was also gathered that 

concerns about the strict 

adherence 

to 

implementation of 

allocated allowances and 

other welfare packages for 

troops which had been 

filtering into the ears of the 

Army Chief, which became 

louder, following the 

November 18 Boko Haram 

attack on Metele base in 

Guzamala Local 

Government of Borno State, 

spelled the last straw. 

Vanguard gathered from 

a General in the Army who 

spoke in confidence that 

because of the 

determination of the COAS 

to ensure maximum morale 

among troops in routing 

Boko Haram terrorists, he 

had bypassed bottlenecks 

in the disbursement of 

allowances due troops 

prosecuting the operation. 

He was also said to have 

ordered that funds for 

troops' welfare be sent 

directly to the Field Brigade 

Commanders and 

Commanding Officers of 

Units and Battalions for 

direct disbursements to 

troops. 

“So it was a surprise to the 

authorities that some 

revelations that came out 

after the Matele attack 

pointed to issues of 

allowances to troops as one 

of the things that affected 

morale,” the officer said. 

Asked why some soldiers 

who got injured in several 

gun battles with terrorists 

were left to cater for 

themselves by buying 

drugs, the officer said 

though he was not in a 

position to confirm the 

development, it also 

bordered on welfare which 

was one of the reasons for 

the COAS’ action. 

Regarding the issue of 

payment of N1,000 RCA to 

troops in the battle front, the 

officer said the Army 

authorities, particularly the 

Chief of Army Staff, should 

be commended for paying 

N1,000 which was hitherto 

N500 daily. 

“Mind you, this is aside 

from their normal feeding 

which is provided by the 

Army as at when due. As I 

speak with you, every other 

soldier outside operational 

areas receives N500 daily 

as RCA. So there is no foul 

play there,” he said. 

Speaking on allegations 

that many more soldiers 

(over 100) were killed by 

Boko Haram during the 

Metele attack, than the 23 

dead and 31 injured quoted 

by Army headquarters, the 

senior officer said he could 

not dispute the casualty 

figure of the Chief of Army 

Staff, noting that there were 

procedures and 

investigations backing the 

figure released by the 

authorities. 

He added: “Those 

choosing to doubt the Army 

should know that the dead 

are dead. They have 

families. So what will be 

the gain of saying 

somebody is alive when he 

is dead or denying when 

he has a family”. 

King of Jordan 

condoles with 

Nigeria 

Meanwhile, President 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

assured His Majesty King 

Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein 

of Jordan that he would 

continue to work towards 

total elimination of 

terrorism in the Lake Chad 

basin area. 

President Buhari gave 

the assurance, yesterday, 

when he received a 

condolence message and 

assurance of support in the 

fight against terrorism from 

the Jordanian King who 

prayed for peace and calm 

in Nigeria, and throughout 

Africa. 

A statement by the Senior 

Special Assistant to the 

President on Media and 

Publicity, Mallam Garba 

Shehu, disclosed that the 

condolence was sent 

through telephone 

conversation. 


statement, King Abdullah, 

who is from the Hashemite 

family of Jordan, 

commended the Nigerian 

Army for its courage and 

resilience in the face of 

challenges in fighting 

terrorism. 

President Buhari thanked 

King Abdullah for his 

concern on the recent 

setbacks that led to the loss 

of lives of soldiers in the 

North East. 

The President assured 

that several measures had 

been discussed and were 

being implemented to steer 

the country from the 

unfortunate occurrence.


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

TAURUS: Although matters-of-the-heart may give you cause 

to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you would cause friction 

that can’t help you r case at work. This is the wrong time for 

unnecessary scheming within your working arena. 

GEMINI: Those of your who are red-blooded for romance 

may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within 

your social circles must be taken more seriously. 

CANCER: Confrontation may come your way in the circle 

but the heavens are working favourably for you. Some doses of 

romance is not too much for you on a day like this. 

LEO: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to be as 

diplomatic as necessary desert you, things work favourably for 

you to the betterment of your finances. 


L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“Showing gratitude for the good things you have is 

the most powerful happiness boosting activity there 

is.” -Take Heart Quotes- 

Start making happiness a priority. Don’t waste another 

second on the things that drain your energy or make you 

feel fatigued, start noticing what makes you feel happy 

and work hard on achieving it. Become the person who 

is in the pursuit of happiness. Ella Randle 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

There is always 

a winner 

even in a 

monkey’s 

beauty contest. 

~African Proverb 

VIRGO: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and exhibit 

strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care is not taken, 

you may be carried away to the detriment of your finances. 

Serious minded lovers are in for happy day. 

LIBRA: Whatever anybody says or does, you will have both 

your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may tempt some of you to 

embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of operation. 

SCORPIO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt 

you to join some of your friends who are already onboard of 

merry making train. Watch your health. 

SAGITTARIUS: Good luck will smile at many and induce 

love of luxury merry making and romantic liason. Genuine 

lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from new admirers. 

CAPRICORN: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction 

are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling 

because of maters-of-the-heart are in for an exciting romantic 

day Those ambitious career-wise will succeed after few struggles. 

AQUARIUS: Many members of your opposite sex will go out 

of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is the wrong 

time to engage on unnecessary argument. 

PISCES: If you priority is love, much of it would come your 

way as desired. But here is a better day for more ambitious in the 

business world. Dont allow anybody to deceive you over money. 

ARIES: Those of you with secret admirers within your working 

area will have the needed opportunities to make the needed 

moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, Apapa, Lagos 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

By Kola Fayemi 

What’s my Horoscope? 

Dear Joshua, 

I am a middle aged lady born on September 13, 1962. Although 

I am fairly successful, I want you to give me my comprehensive 

horoscope, especially what my special gift is. 

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natal 

planets and their meanings? Who am I? 

Peace, Abuja. 

Dear Peace, 

There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what 

you=ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ You were 

born on a Thursday and your special gift is LEADERSHIP quality 

ẎOUR HOROSCOPE DATA 

Date of Birth: Thursday, September 13, 1962 

Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of Virgo 

Moon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of Pisces 

Mercury in 16th Degree of Libra 

Venues in 5th Degree of Scorpio 

Mars in 13th Degree of Cancer 

Jupiter in 6th Degree of Pisces 

Saturn in 5th Degree of Aquarius 

Uranus in 2nd Degree of Virgo 

Neptune in 11th Degree of Scorpio 

Pluto in 10th Degree of Virgo 

North Node in 6th Degree of Leo 

South Node in 6th Degree of Aquarius 

Quality and Element 

Cardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each fixed and 

earth three each, no planet in fire while mutable and water star 

signs hosted five planets each. 

Push-full influence = 20% 

Non- push-full element = 80% 

Final dispositor = Lucky Jupiter 

General Analysis 

Just 20 per cent of push-full influence in your chart can deceptively 

present you to others as a soft (or even timid) person but 

practical Virgo that hosted nothing less than three heavenly 

bodies when you were born and Astrological aspects between 

Mercury (mental focus) and aggressive Mars in you r chart are 

pointers to the contrary. 

Yes! You are highly intelligent and your mind works the same 

way detective’s minds do. It is true, there are little contradictions 

between your inner self and your emotional being as indicated 

quality, water element and Virgo characteristics. 

One moment, you can be very emotional, exhibiting temper 

with stinging tongue but a few hour later you are amiable, easy 

going, friendly and compassionate. You are the adaptable type 

who will see changes as sources of good opportunities. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

a 

EFCC and the 

Paul Usoro quagmire 

The unfolding Paul Usoro drama scripted by the APC and acted 

by EFCC is excruciating example of a very primitive and execrable 

brand of Politics being played by the government of Nigeria. 

Every discerning mind understands that this drama is all about 

the unconstitutional takeover of Akwa Ibom state by hook or crook 

by the ruling party with the active collusion of some indigenes of 

the state. 

Added to this and as if to add salt to injury, Paul Usoro (SAN) 

had the “unfortunate” task of being the counsel to the Senate president 

Mr Bukola Saraki in his trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau 

(CCB) at the instance of the Federal government.This he carried 

out dutifully and successfully with great attention to details; one 

of the hallmarks for which he’s known over the years. 

For this, carrying out his lawful duty as a legal practitioner he’s 

been marked for destruction and this plan is being accentuated 

by a few people in the bar with access to the levers of power who 

are still bitter over his guts to contest for the last NBA president 

election which he won. 

Usoro was counsel to both Udom Emmanuel and Bukola Saraki 

people the government/APC attempted to heckle and discomfit 

for political reasons. Usoro’s only sin is that he’s seen as a pro 

PDP lawyer meanwhile he’s never rejected an APC brief. 

The idea therefore is since they missed Udom and Saraki because 

of Usoro’s brilliant advocacy based on evidence, they would 

get him (Usoro) It’s like in a game of football it’s said usually 

when the game gets tough, “if you miss the ball, don’t miss the 

leg” The NBA president Paul Usoro SAN, is unfortunately the “leg” 

in this crossfire, primitive, rough-hewn political game which the 

APC is known for. 

How do you explain the fact that information regarding the charge 

of Mr Usoro SAN is already on social media meanwhile, he hasn’t 

been served. 

Why prosecute the case on Social media and not the court? The 

only plausible reason would be that they know their case is as 

wishy-washy and namby-pamby as a lamb that can’t stand the 

weight of it’s own wool. They idea therefore is to cause Mr Paul 

Usoro embarrassment in the eyes of the public particularly among 

lawyers but this has failed woefully and boomeranged as it has 

attracted the angst of majority of lawyers who understand that no 

law puts a cap on the amount a counsel ought to charge his client 

for services rendered which Mr Paul Usoro SAN carried out judiciously. 

Why not equally look into the accounts of the states governed by 

the ruling party or the accounts of the lawyers who stood for them 

at their trying moments at the Election Tribunals to know how much 

they were paid by their clients (State governors) 

It’s in the light of the prevenient therefore that i must first salute 

and appreciate our eminently distinguished learned Seniors, 

Elders and other members of the Nigerian Bar Association for 

your continuous understanding of the issues and your undaunted 

and unblinking support and solidarity for our president at this trying 

period not just for him but for the Bar for it’s the Bar that’s 

under attack today. If we allow government institutions to begin to 

interfere and cap how much fees we charge especially when the 

remonstrance over the fees charged is not coming from our clients, 

then we are in serious trouble and our profession is in jeopardy. 

This is therefore, the time for lawyers all over the country close 

ranks and come out enmase to protest and support our president 

and stand against the forces of facism, totalitarianism, anachronism 

and all their agents. 

Let’s fight not just to preserve the Bar but our hard earned democracy. 

God bless our president 

God bless the NBA 

God bless our Nigeria. 

*Etimbuk Johnson Esq* 

Be 

watchdoog 

of every 

telecom 

infrasrtucture, 

NCC urges 

Nigerians 

ABUJA —THE Nigeria 

Communications 

Commission, NCC has 

called on the public to be 

watchdog of every telecommunication 

infrastructure 

in their domain. 

The Deputy Director, 

zonal operations of the 

commission, Mrs Amina 

Shehu, gave the charge 

during a sentization 

workshop on the protection 

of telecoms infrastructure 

in Karau, FCT. 

She enlightened the 

public and other stakeholders 

on the need to 

protect telecom infrastructure 

within their 

communities. 

According to her, telecommunication 

has become 

an integral part of 

our daily lives with provision 

of services, ranging 

from telephony, entertainment, 

information 

and learning over a 

broad range of media 

platform. 

Over the past fifteen 

years, she informed the 

commission had experienced 

tremendous 

growth in the sector and 

a significant contribution 

to the Nigeria's GDP. 

Amina also maintained 

that telecommunication 

growth would not have 

been this successful 

without the active collaboration 

of all relevant 

stakeholders and the enabling 

environment provided 

by government. 

According to her, the 

operators are faced with 

various challenges that 

have hampered developed 

in the sector as it 

relates to infrastructure. 

She said: "Regrettably, 

vandalism of telecom infrastructure 

has continued 

to be a major challenge 

in the telecom industry. 

However, the 

commission has continued 

to collaborate with 

the relevant agencies to 

ensure adequate security 

of telecom facilities. 

"And effort has been 

placed by the commission 

to tackle the issue of vandalism. 

The commission 

has also continued to 

engage stakeholders on 

the need to protect telecommunication 

infrastructure." 

IREWAN 


Stella Irewan, now wish to be 

known as Mrs Stella Eboh. 

All former documents remain 

valid. West Africa 

Examination Council, WAEC, 

and the general public, please 

take note. 

ADISHI 


Lovelyn Ifelunwa Adanma 

Adishi, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Lovelyn 

Ifelunwa Anthony Onyema. 



take note. 

ATENAGA 


Sandra Eguono Atenaga, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. 

Sandra Eguono Orosue. 

Former documents bearing 

Miss Sandra Eguono remain 


take note. 

AJAINO 


Bethel Ajaino, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. 

Bethel Gbenga Odugbemi. 




AKPOWENE 

Correction of Name 

My name was wrongly 

written as Akpowere 

Owhofereye, instead of 

Ohwofaraye Akpowene. 




ONWUEMELIE 

We, formerly known as 

Onwuemelie Daniel 

Okonkwo, now wish to be 

known as Chukwuemelie 

Daniel Okonkwo. All 

former documents remains 

valid, general public 


FUNAKPO 

My name was wrongly spelt 

as Funakpo Oweifigha 

Bestman, instead of Bestman 

Invmah, which is my correct 

name. All former documents 

remain valid. FCMB and general 

public take note. 

NWABUGWU 


Nwabugwu Florence 

Amarachukwu, now wish 

to be known as Uzoka 

Florence Amarachukwu. 


remain valid. General 


EWAH 


Ewah Akerele Alokhose 

Tina, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Abah 

Akerele Tina. All former 



note. 

JONAH 

I, formerly known as Jonah 

Ofonime and Acme Esther S, 


Emmanuel Ofonime Bassey. 

All former documents remain 


take note. 

BABATUNDE 


Babatunde Modupe Janet, 


Odebode Modupe Janet. 



take note. 

A TT AH 


Attah Arit Rebekah, now 


Onojitayoma Arit Rebekah. 

Former documents bearing 

my former name remain 

valid. The general public 

should please take note. 

OHWO 


Ohwo Onororakpene, now 


Agomah Onororakpene 

Jessica. Former 



note. 

AKAPA 


Akpoviri Akapa, now wish 

to be known as Akpoviri 

Akpoviri. Former 



note. 

STEPHEN 

My name was captured in 

BVN as Juliet N. Stephen, 

I now wish to be known 

as Nnamani Nkiruka Juliet. 


remains valid, general 


AGBOVI 

I, Agbovi Chris Ifeanyi, 

hereby confirm that the name 

Christopher Agbovi Ifeanyi 

and Agbovi Ifeanyi 

Christopher refer to me. I, 


Agbovi Chris Ifeanyi. All 



take note. 

OTITI 


Ovwere Barbara Otiti 

Onoriode, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Ohwonohwo 

Barbara Onoriode. All former 



note. 

IKURUSU 


Ikurusu Jessica 

Oghenevwede, now wish to 

be known as Mrs Amedu 

Jessica Oghenevwede. All 


valid. General public, banks 

and all concerned institutions 

should please take note. 

UKERUN 


Dorothy Ukerun, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. 

Dorothy Agiri. Former 



note. 

AMALIMEH 


Helen Ometaghogho 

Amalimeh, now wish to be 

known as Mrs. Helen 

Ometaghogho Peter. All 



take note.

Victor Moses 

Champions League: Ancelotti 

taunts Liverpool 

NAPOLI boss Carlo 

Ancelotti has 

taunted Liverpool in the 

build-up to their huge 

Champions League 

clash. 

Napoli arrive on Merseyside 

sitting top of 

Group C and looking to 

crush Liverpool’s 

Champions League 

dreams. 

A draw will be enough 

for the Italian giants to 

progress as group winners 

while Liverpool 

need a 1-0 win to guarantee 

qualification. 

If Jurgen Klopp’s men 

concede, a victory by two 

clear goals will ensure 

they leapfrog Napoli and 

reach the knockout stages. 

“I have lots of memories 

of Anfield - my last 

one is a good one because 

I won the title 

there with Chelsea,” the 

Italian said. 

“It’s going to be a 

tough, exciting match. 

We’ll go there and play 

our usual game. 

“It would be counterproductive 

to try and 

Chelsea slam N5.5b 

price tag on Moses 

CHELSEA FC have 

asked clubs interested 

in signing Victor Moses 

to table $15.2m (about 

N5.5b) for the out of favour 

wing back. 

Crystal Palace are reportedly 

in the fore front for the 

signature of the player who 

retired from international 

football after the 2018 World 

Cup with Super Eagles of 

Nigeria. Moses has been 

relegated to the background 

by coach Maurizio 

Sarri who replaced Antonio 

Conte who practically 

revived Moses career by 

converting him to a wingback. 

park the bus. Besides 

anything else, that’s not 

how we play. 

“We’ll try to boss the 

game and I’m sure the 

lads are ready and fired 

up to give their absolute 

all. We’ll go there with 

an attacking mindset.” 

Sterling chats with Police over 

racial abuse at Stamford Bridge 

POLICE officers have in 

terviewed Raheem 

Sterling after the 

Manchester City star was 

subjected to alleged racial 

abuse from Chelsea supporters 

in Saturday’s English 

Premier League tie at 

Stamford Bridge. 

The Metropolitan Police 

said it spoke to Sterling yesterday 

as part of its investigation 

into the incident. 

Shocking footage appeared 

to show a Chelsea 

fan calling the winger a 

‘f****** black c***’ when the 

PSG join battle to sign Hazard 

PARIS St Germain are 

reportedly interested 

in signing Chelsea star, 

Eden Hazard. 

Despite a £300,000-aweek 

pay offer by Chelsea 

to keep Hazard to remain 

in West London for the 

next five years, Real 

Madrid and also Juventus 

are in the race to land the 

Belgian midfield maestro. 

But PSG are long-term 

suitors of Hazard and 

would love to add him to 

their glittering array of talent 

in the French capital 

despite the implications it 

could have on Financial 

Fair Play. 

Hazard only has 18 

months left on his Blues 

contract and appears to be 

enjoying himself playing 

Maurizio Sarri this season 

and wants to challenge for 

honours. 

GOtv Boxing Night 17: Real One 

Eyes N1.5m Cash Prize 

REIGNING West Afri 

can Boxing Union 

(WABU) lightweight champion, 

Rilwan “Real One” 

Oladosu, has expressed 

his desire to win tbe best 

boxer award at GOtv Boxing 

Night 17 and the cash 

prize of N1.5m attached to 

it. The event holds on 28 

December at the Tafawa 

Balewa Square, Lagos, 

and will feature live musical 

performances by Burna 

Boy, Wande Coal, Teni Da 

Entertainer and Daddy 

Showkey. 

In a telephone chat, Oladosu, 

who won N2.5million 

when he emerged best boxer 

at GOtv Boxing Night 

14, said he will ensure he 

puts in his best when he 

takes on Mubarak Hamzat 

at GOtv Boxing Night 17. 

player collected the ball 

from the side of the pitch. 

Meanwhile Sterling accused 

the media in the UK 

of not doing enough to discourage 

racial abuse of 

black players. 

“Good morning,” the England 

forward posted on Instagram. 

“I just want to say 

I am not normally the person 

to talk a lot but when I 

think I need my point to be 

heard I will speak up. 

“Regarding what was 

said at the Chelsea game, 

as you can see by my reaction, 

I just had to laugh because 

I don’t expect no better. 

“For example you have 

two young players starting 

out their careers both playing 

for the same team. Both 

have done the right thing, 

which is buy a new house 

for their mothers who have 

put in a lot of time and love 

into helping them get 

where they are." 


He played in 40 matches 

as Chelsea lifted the Premier 

League title in the 

2016-17 campaign, while 

he made 38 appearances 

last season. 

Moses played for the 

Crystal Palace between 

2007 and 2010 after coming 

through their youth 

ranks and the winger is 

back on the club’s radar. 

Success set 

to prove 

Everton’s 

Silva wrong 

AS Watford visit Goodi 

son Park in tonight’s 

English Premier League tie, 

Isaac Success is eager to 

show Everton coach, Marco 

Silva what he missed while 

at Vicarage Road. 

Silva was Watford’s coach 

when Success signed for the 

London club. But his first season 

turned out to be a nightmare. 

“‘I won’t lie, I was having 

difficulties and I thought 

English football wasn’t for 

me,” said Success. 

“The coach didn’t really 

believe in me. I wasn’t fit 

enough. I wasn’t ready, 

physically or mentally. Coming 

back from injury and all, 

I was frustrated. All the other 

players were really sharp 

and doing well.” 

The lowest ebb for Success 

was a late-night disturbance 

in a Hertfordshire hotel 

which ended with the star in 

police handcuffs before he 

was released without charge. 

However, new Watford 

coach Javi Gracia gave Success 

another chance to prove 

himself. 

The transformation has 

been impressive and his reward 

has been to feature in 

every Premier League game 

this season, starting six of the 

last seven, ending his long 

wait for another goal and 

signing a new five-year contract. 

‘All of this has been a 

big change in my career and 

I say a big thank you to the 

Watford family for believing 

in me and for keeping me - 

and hoping I can get better. 

I am getting better. I am 

grateful for that.’ 

From left: Co-founder, FitFamFest 2018, 

Eniola Sobo, Senior Brand Manager, Amstel 

Malta, Ugo Ahukannah, Life Coach And Wellness 

Mentor, Lanre Olusola At The 2018 Fit- 

FamFest In Lagos. 

2019 FIFA WWC: Super 

Falcons to play in China, 

Cyprus tournaments 

NIGERIA Football 

Federation president, 

Amaju Pinnick has 

disclosed that the Super 

Falcons will start their 

preparations for the 

FIFA Women World Cup 

with tournaments in China 

and Cyprus. 

This was after the African 

Women Cup of Nations 

champions were 

handed a tough draw last 

Saturday in France. Pinnick 

stated that the 

group A parings featuring 

hosts, France, Norway 

and South Korea 

was a motivation for the 

team to be adequately 

prepared for the tournament 

next year. 

“Presently, we have 

firmed up two tournaments 

in China and Cyprus 

for the team, and 

we are talking with a few 

countries and organizers 

for matches and tournaments. 

“It is a draw that tells 

us that we have to do 

everything we can to 

prepare the team well 

for the competition 

“We will give the Head 

Coach and his team the 

necessary support to 

prepare the team adequately 

for the competition,” 

said Pinnick. 

Speaking on the 

chances of the team in 

the group coach Thomas 

Dennerby said: 

“There is no easy 

group here. I am okay 

with the draw because I 

always knew that we 

would have to play the 

best teams. That is what 

you do at the World Cup. 

The French team is, of 

course, world class, and 

I know we would have 

to fight very hard 

against them." 

Bale ends goal drought, 

lifts Real Madrid 

GARETH Bale ended 

a three-month goal 

drought in La Liga to give 

Real Madrid a nervy 1-0 

win away to basement club 

Huesca on Sunday, taking 

his side back into the top 

four at the expense of Alaves. 

The Wales forward, who 

had not found the net in the 

league since Sept. 1 but 

had scored in the Champions 

League, gave Real an 

ideal start by volleying 

home a cross from Alvaro 

Odriozola in the eighth 

minute. 

Huesca, bottom of the 

table with a meagre seven 

points and without a 

win since the opening day 

of the season, did not lay 

down against the European 

champions though, 

and it took a flying save 

from Thibaut Courtois to 

prevent Ezequiel Avila 

levelling soon afterwards. 

Bale was denied another 

goal in the second half 

by Huesca’s keeper and 

the home side laid siege 

to Real’s area in the final 

stages. 

Barca ready $254m for Kane 

WITH current Nou 

Camp hitman Luis 

Suarez nearing 32 and 

struggling with long-term 

knee problems, the Spanish 

giants’ hunt for a worldclass 

replacement has begun. 

And Tottenham star Kane, 

who faces Barcelona in the 

Champions League on 

Tuesday, is first choice on 

NFF lauds Simba Group for 

supporting Nigerian football 

PRESIDENT of Nigeri 

an Football Federation, 

NFF, Mr Amaju Pinnick has 

thanked Simba Group, distributors 

of TVS motorcycles 

and tricycles, for their close 

ties and support for Nigerian 

football. 

To this end, the NFF President 

upon a recent visit to 

the group’s office in Oregun, 

Lagos, presented a customized 

Super Eagles jersey to 

the Business Head of Simba 

Group, Mr. Manish Rohtagi. 

To celebrate the association, 

several okada and keke 

riders, as they popularly referred 

to, branded their vehicles 

in the nation’s official 

colours. 

Speaking at the event, 

Business Head of Simba 

their shortlist. 

Spurs are desperate to 

keep the England skipper 

ahead of moving to the new 

White Hart Lane but the 

severe delays in finishing 

their stadium – and inevitable 

spiraling costs as a 

result – leave them vulnerable 

to any bid of £150mplus 

for Kane. 

Group, Mr. Manish Rohtagi, 

explained that the company, 

which is one of the 

country’s most respected 

business groups, has been 

operating in Nigeria for 

over 30 years. 

Also at the event, Chief 

Vinay Grover, Managing 

Director of Simba Group, 

said: “We celebrate the success 

that the Super Eagles 

have had this year, and are 

also so proud of all the other 

national football teams, 

especially the Super Falcons 

and the junior teams 

representing our country. 

Our association with the 

NFF is very special, and we 

are honoured to be contributing 

to the development of 

the sport locally”



Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

Across 

1 Climber (11) 

8 Relaxed (2,4) 

9 Very nearly (6) 

10 Brags (6) 

12 Warmer (6) 

13 Before (3) 

14 Be present (6) 

16 Attack from hiding (6) 

18 Largest of the 

Channel Islands (6) 

20 Famous public 

school (6) 

22 Handsome (4-7) 

Down 

1 Leave out (4) 

2 Wall paintings (6) 

3 Emphasised (8) 

4 Prima donna (4) 

5 Projective headgear (6) 

6 Belgian capital (8) 

11 Exceed in importance (8) 

12 London airport (8) 

15 London rail terminus (6) 

17 German capital (6) 

19 Yellow part of an egg (4) 

21 Riotous feast (4) 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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10122018 - True story of Metele attacks, by surviving soldier

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