13042019 - KILLING FIELDS OF NORTH WEST:They killed my husband, our three children in my presence – Zamfara survivor

C
M
Y
K

2 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019 — 3

4 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019

Defection: AGF, INEC shun suit seeking to
declare Saraki, Dogara, others seat vacant
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri
THE Attorney General
of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, Mr.
Abubakar Malami, SAN,
and the Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, have shunned
the suit seeking to declare
the seat of the Senate President,
Dr. Bukola Saraki,
and 53 other lawmakers,
vacant.
Among those the Abuja
Division of the Federal
High Court was asked to
sack from the National Assembly
for dumping political
parties that sponsored
their election, contrary to
section 68 of the 1999 Constitution,
as amended, included
the Speaker of the
House of Representatives,
Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and
former Minority Leader of
the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Others include Senators
Dino Melaye, Rabiu Kankwaso,
Lanre Tejuoso,
Shaaba Lafiagi, Rafiu Ibrahim,
Barnabas Gemade,
Abdulazeez Nyako, Monsurat
Sunmonu, Usman
Nafada, Suleiman
Hunkuyi, Ibrahim Danbaba,
Ubale Shittu, lsah Misau,
Suleiman Nafif.
The House of Reps members
included Hon. Zakari
Mohammed, Hon. Aminu
Shagari, Hon Ooker-Jev,
Hon. Rufai Chanchangi,
Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki,
Hon. Sani Zoro, Hon.
Ben6jamin Okolo, Hon.
Bode Ayorinde, Hon. Sani
Rank, Hon. Dickson
Tarkighir, among others
Justice Okon Abang had
on Thursday, suspended
already prepared judgment
on the matter owing
to an application the Defendants
filed for the court
to allow them to respond
to the suit that was lodged
by a Civil Society Organization
under the aegis of
Legal Defence and Assistance
Project, LEDAP.
The court had before it
acceded to the request,
lambasted the lawmakers
who it accused of “arresting”
its judgment.
Justice Abang held that
the conduct of the Defendants
who he noted
failed to respond to the
suit that was filed since
2018, but only to approach
the court with applications
on the day the
judgement was fixed for
delivery, amounted to
“slapping the court on
the face”.
However, the Judge
held that in the interest
of justice and fair hearing,
he would reluctantly
allow all the Defendants
to respond to the
suit.
Meanwhile, at the resumed
proceeding on
Friday, all the Defendants
were represented
in court, except the AGF and
INEC. Though the court noted
that both the AGF and
INEC who were cited as 1st
and 56th Defendants, respectively,
were duly served with
all the processes and hearing
notices, no reason was
adduced for their decision to
ignore the suit.
Nevertheless, all the lawmakers,
filed processes to
challenge the locus standi of
the Plaintiff, as well as the
jurisdiction of the court to
entertain the matter.
Justice Abang adjourned
the matter till next week
Thursday for hearing.
The outcome of the suit will
affect lawmakers within the
fold of both the ruling All Progressives
Congress, APC,
and the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP.
Specifically, the Plaintiff,
in the suit marked FHC/
ABJ/CS/996/2018, applied
for an order of mandamus
to compel the Deputy Senate
President and his
counterpart at the House
of Reps, to declare their
seats vacant to allow the
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC, to conduct byeelections
to fill the positions.
It further prayed the
court to order the Defendants
to refund all salaries
and emoluments they received
after their defection.
From left: Secretary, Fiditi Grammar School Old Students Association,
Mr. Akinola Akinojo; President, Prof. Sola Ogunniyi; Old Student and GM
NTA Ile Ife, Alhaja Olaide Abass and Chairman of the Burial Planning Committee,
Mr Bukola Padeola, at the burial service of Chief (Deacon) Solomon
Ipadeola Ojelabi, former Principal, Fiditi Grammar School at First Baptist
Church, Fiditi in Oyo State yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube
Nigeria’s challenges have no party,
tribe or religion — Ekweremadu
By Henry Umoru
AHEAD of the inau
guration of the 9th
National Assembly, Deputy
Senate President, Senator
Ike Ekweremadu has
told the lawmakers- elect
that the challenges confronting
the country have
no party, tribe or religion
colouration.
Ekweremadu has however
urged the 9th National
Assembly to rise above
political, religious, and ethnic
divides if, as elected representatives
of the people, they
would address the myriads
of challenges facing the Nigerian
people.
The Deputy Senate President
who spoke Thursday
night during the dinner to
mark the end of the orientation
programme organised for
the Senators and Memberselect
of the incoming National
Assembly in Abuja, described
the National Assembly
as a microcosm of Nigeria.
According to him, bringing
together the Memberselect
from across the country
had not only helped them to
garner basic legislative knowledge,
but also to familiarise
with one another and better
appreciate the peculiar challenges
faced by various parts
of the country.
Ekweremadu said, “After
elections comes the onerous
business of governance and I
am greatly encouraged by the
enthusiasm and determination
of Distinguished Senator
and Honourable Memberselect
to rise above narrow politics.
“It gladdens the heart that
Members-elect are aware
that once sworn-in as Distinguished
Senators and
Honourable Members of
the House of Representatives
of the Federal Republic,
we are bound by our
oath of office and House
Rules to always act in the
overall interest of the sovereignty,
integrity, solidarity,
well-being, and prosperity
of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria. We are bound
by these instruments to preserve,
protect, and defend
the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
“We may all have come in
different vehicles as represented
by our various political
parties, but poverty and
hunger faced by the masses
of Nigeria have no political
party. We may profess
different religions, but the
insecurity taking high tolls
on our people has no religion.
“Therefore, it is imperative
and we are indeed inclined
to work as a team for
the peace, justice, equity,
and national prosperity, irrespective
of political leanings
and diversities.
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, , 2019 — 5
We are ambassadors of our
constituencies - Dogara tells
Senators, Reps elect
By Levinus Nwabughiogu
SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Hon.
Yakubu Dogara on Friday in Abuja enjoined Senators
and Reps elect to ensure quality representation of
their various constituencies who voted for them.
He said though the challenges of insecurity, unemployment,
underemployment, poverty and others may
overwhelm them when they assume office, they must not
lose sight of the important job of alleviating the suffering
of Nigerians.
Speaking at a dinner organised for the members and
senators-elect in Abuja, he stressed that the most effective
way of making this happen is through a knowledgebased
legislative practice that will yield desired results
effectively.
The Speaker also asked them to clear their minds of
any impression that by getting sworn in as members of
the National Assembly they are being inducted into an
exclusive club of some kind of elites in the country, as
they are “merely ambassadors of our different constituencies,
and by extension, the nation Nigeria.”
He stated, “We cannot afford to go to sleep as elected
representatives of our people in these very challenging
environment that our people have found themselves,”
he stated,
Presidency tasks teachers,
parents on learning of
Mathematics
By Joseph Erunke
THE Presidency has asked both teachers and parents
to redouble their efforts aimed at improving the learning
of mathematics sciences in the country.
This came as it challenged relevant organisations to
adequately fund the girl-child education with a view to
reducing street hawking among young girls in the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable
Development Goals, SDGs, Princess Adejoke
Orelope-Adefulire spoke in Abuja, at the SDGs Mathematics
Competition for Junior Girls award ceremony where
13 year old Miss Tochukwu Ndukwe, from Federal Government
Girls College, FGGC, Leeja in Nsukka, Enugu
State emerged the overall winner of the Nigerian Mathematics
Queen Competition for 2018.
Miss Medina from FESTAC College, Lagos emerged
first runner-up while Miss Olayiwola Adedagun, from
Federal Government Girls’ College,FGGC,Ketu,in Osun
State emerged the second runner-up in the competition
participated by female students across the country.
Mrs Orelope-Adefulire,who was represented by Dr Ify
Nnamchi, insisted that teachers and parents must begin
to play greater roles in improving the learning of the mathematics
subject.
Speaking also at the occasion,Director of the National
Mathematics Centre, Prof. Stephen Onah, while regretting
the decline of interest in mathematics among girl
child, explained that the competition was intended to
address the gap between boys and girls in the learning
and teaching of Mathematics in the country.
Government clamps down on
illegal lottery operators
By Ogechi Uche-Ebosie
T
HE National Lottery Regulatory Commission
has clamped down on some illegal lottery
operators in Lagos State.
The exercise was carried out on the lottery
operators who refused to register with the
Commission and those that have registered but
refused to fulfil their obligations or comply with the
rules and regulations.
The first operator that fell under the Commission’s
hammer was 1960 Bet, which occupied the same
building with the Commission at No 17, Aje Street,
Sabo, Yaba, Lagos. The operator violated the
National Lottery act of 2005 and so, the office was
sealed up.
Bonanzawin, another operator, located at 148,
Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos was also
sealed but after much deliberation which lasted for
hours, the operator signed an undertaken, to register
with the Commission. Their argument was that they
have registered with Lagos State. The undertaken
stated that the operator should register within a
week and at the end, the seal was removed.
Mrs. Okuna stated that once an office was sealed,
the director of the said company or any senior staff
would be accompanied by a Police Officer, to a near
by Police station to write statement as regards the
sealing off of their office.

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
WORLD BANK/IMF SPRING MEETING
IMF clarifies position on Nigeria's oil revenue
management
Stories by Emeka Anaeto,
Emma Ujah and Peter
Egwuatu in Washington
DC
THE International
Monetary Funds,
IMF, may have run into
difficulties with its positions
on the management
of Nigeria's Oil revenue
as the officials indicate that
the Fund's negative verdict
was based on the country's
Excess Crude Account,
ECA, and not the Sovereign
Wealth Fund, SWF.
ECA refers to the portion
of the oil revenue above
the approved budget
benchmark price which is
in-appropriated while the
SWF refers to the investment
funds pooled from
the ECA and managed by
the Nigerian Sovereign
Investment Authority,
NSIA.
IMF in its Fiscal Monitor
Report released midweek
at the on-going
World Bank/IMF Spring
Meetings in Washington
DC, United States of
America, had ranked Nigeria
as the second worst
country in the world in the
use of Sovereign Wealth
Funds.
The Bretton Wood institution
had said the index
was compiled using the
corporate governance and
transparency scores of the
Sovereign Wealth Funds
and the size of assets as a
percentage of 2016 GDP of
the countries considered.
But contrary to what is
stated in the report which
specifically mentioned
Sovereign Wealth Funds,
Mr. Abebe Selassie, the
Director, Africa Department,
IMF, told a group of
Nigerian journalists on the
sidelines of the World
Bank/IMF meeting yesterday
that the Fund's reference
was to ECA.
He stated: "I want to be
precise on this issue because
I have heard a lot of
noise concerning it. There
have been two Sovereign
Wealth Funds in Nigeria.
There have been the Excess
Crude Account
(ECA), and the Nigeria
Sovereign Investment Authority
(NSIA).
The NSIA has been run
transparently and best on
standard best practice and
it has been doing a good
job.
"The concern that we
have is about the ECA,
because if you recall that
the ECA economically was
set up to save resources
when oil prices are high,
and to be drawn on when
oil prices are low. We do
not think that the ECA has
been doing effectively
enough job that way.
"Because you see, when
oil prices fell, the economy
was very hard in the
last couple of years, we
feel like much better job
could have been done,
saving enough more in the
ECA when oil prices were
at $100 and $120 per barrel".
Also, Mr Amine Mati,
the IMF’s Senior Resident
Representative and Mission
Chief for Nigeria, issued
a statement yesterday
clarifying the Fund's position,
saying: “In view of
recent local media reports,
I would like to clarify that
the reference to the Sovereign
Wealth Funds (SWF)
included in Figure 2.16 of
the IMF’s Fiscal Monitor
showing a low ranking for
Nigeria does not refer to
the Nigerian Sovereign
Investment Authority
(NSIA).
The NSIA is a Sovereign
Wealth Fund that has
worked extensively with
development partners to
ensure it is applying transparency
practices that are
aligned with the Santiago
Principles of transparency,
good governance, accountability
and prudent
investment practices.”
“The figure in the IMF’s
Fiscal Monitor reports a
score prepared by the Natural
Resource Governance
Institute (NRGI), which assesses
the corporate governance
and transparency
of SWFs around the world
using a methodology outlined
in the referenced
NRGI publication.
For Nigeria, that SWF
reference focuses on the
Excess Crude Oil account,
which requires greater
transparency on the rules
governing deposits, withdrawals,
and investment.”
As at last month the balance
in the ECA was $183
million (N65.9 billion) indicating
a huge decline
from the $3.5 billion (N1.26
trillion) as at October last
year.
AS a result of some re
coveries in the
economies of Nigeria and
other Sub-Saharan African
countries, the International
Monetary Fund,
IMF has outlined policy
options arising from what
they see as considerable
differences in countries’
growth prospects.
IMF yesterday at the
ongoing 2019 World
Bank/ IMF Spring Meeting
holding in Washington
DC, USA stated that
the softening external environment
and need to
contain debt vulnerabilities
complicates further
the challenge of financing
development and investment.
IMF stated that
policies need by Sub Saharan
Africa should focus
on raising domestic revenues,
bolstering trade integration,
facilitating in-
From left: Head of the Department of International Cooperation, Ukrainian State Center for International
Education, Kostiantyn Komisarov; Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigerian, Dr Valerii Aleksandruk;
representative of the Minister of Education, Mr Sonny Echono; and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry representative to Nigeria, Olena Nedryhailo, during the visit of the delegation to
the Ministry in Abuja yesterday.
Conflicts mar African economies — IMF
…Displace 18m people
ra Africa has been marred
by conflicts during the
past several decades,
though the intensity, nature
and geographical distribution
have varied over
time.
“The region was particularly
prone to conflicts in
the 1990s, with the number
of conflict-ridden
countries in the region,
about 15 during 1990-99
(about 35 percent of the
total number of countries
in the region.”
According to the IMF,
although there was a decline
in the spread of conflict
in Africa by the end
of the 1990s, the Sahel region,
and the Lake Chad
area have been experiencing
a recent upsurge,
ostensibly due to the activities
of the Boko Haram
and other Islamic terrorist
groups.
“Across the Sahel countries,
the Lake Chad Basin
(Nigeria, Cameroon,
Chad, and Niger) has
been a particularly significant
increase in violence
during 2010-2017, for 77
percent of all conflict-related
deaths in the Sahel
and about 40 percent of all
conflict-related deaths in
Sub-Saharan Africa”, the
fund said.
The organisation noted
that a major consequence
of the conflicts has been
the displacement of populations
with its economic
consequences.
“A major consequence of
IMF outlines economic recovery policies for Nigeria,
Sub Saharan African
vestment, raising productivity,
and strengthening
resilience to shocks.
“ Sub-Saharan Africa’s
economic recovery looks
set to continue, with
growth expected to increase
from 3.0 percent in
2018 to 3.5 percent in
2019. Yet, region-wide
growth masks wide differences
in prospects across
countries” the IMF said
in its latest Regional Economic.
Outlook for sub-
Saharan Africa report
Abebe Aemro Selassie,
Director of the IMF’s African
Department said: “
Some 21 countries, mainly
the region’s more diversified
economies, are
expected to grow at more
than 5 percent and see
income per capita rise
faster than the rest of the
world on average over the
medium term. However,
the remaining countries,
comprising mostly resource
intensive countries,
including the largest
(Nigeria and South Africa),
are expected to see
slower improvements in
standards of living.
“External and domestic
headwinds are weighing
on growth prospects. The
global expansion is losing
steam, including in key
trading partners such as
China and the euro area;
as we see trade tensions
persisting; and volatile
global financial conditions
and commodity prices
Ṗublic debt vulnerabilities
remain elevated in
some countries and nonperforming
loans remain
high partly due to large
public sector domestic arrears.”
Selassie pointed to two
broad implications for policies.
For the fast-growing
economies, such as Benin,
Ethiopia, and Senegal,
there is a need to
hand over the reins of
growth from the public to
the private sector. In
many of these countries,
public investment had
helped spur high growth,
while also steadily increasing
public debt levels.
“ In the more resourceintensive
and slower
growing economies—
such as Angola, Nigeria,
and South Africa—there
is an urgent need to press
ahead with much-needed
policies to adjust to lower
commodity prices and facilitate
economic diversification.
Prompt action
would also help address
the policy uncertainties
that are holding back
growth” he said
THE International
Monetary Fund,
(IMF) says it is concerned
over escalating conflicts
which have adversely affected
the African region’s
economy in the last two
decades.
According to the April
2019 edition of the Sub-
Saharan Africa Regional
Economic Outlook, released
by the Fund, in
Washington, yesterday,
the conflicts have been
deadly, affecting the populations
of the affected
countries, and negatively
impacting their economies.
It said: “Conflicts in
Sub-Saharan Africa have
been deadly. Sub-Sahathe
conflicts in Sub-Saharan
Africa, as well as, elsewhere,
is the displacement
of populations. This
carries significant economic,
fiscal and social
costs for the region involved
in the conflict, but
often also for the nearby
regions that host the displaced
people,” the fund
said.
It noted that displaced
populations from the region
seeking help elsewhere
either as asylum
seekers, Internally Displaced
Persons, and refugees
had grown from 5
million in the 1980s to a
staggering 18 million by
2017.
At a press briefing on
the Regional Economic
Outlook, the Director of
Africa Department, Mr.
Abebe Selassie, said there
were an urgent need for
authorities in the Lake
Chad Basin and Sahel
Region to take steps to
minimize spillover of the
conflicts.
He added that policy
frameworks for development
that would ensure
inclusiveness should be
developed
The director said that
Africa, South of the Sahara,
must work hard to reduce
the level of poverty
in the region.
The IMF had said that
nine out of ten poor people
in the world would be
Africans by 2030. He
made a case for a commitment
to the Africa Free
Trade Agreement (AFTA)
by all African countries, as
according to him, it would
benefit the region, greatly,
as finished goods trade
intra African trade would
increase, as against Africa’s
mainly commodity
trade in the international
market.

2019 Poll: Atiku an alien, not qualified to
be President, APC tells Tribunal
By Ikechukwu
Nnochiri & Henry
Ojelu
THE All Progressives
Congress, APC, has
lodged an attack against
the petition seeking to invalidate
the re-election of
President Muhammadu
Buhari and branded the
presidential candidate of
the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
Atiku Abubakar, an alien.
The ruling party, in processes
it filed before the
Presidential Election Petition
Tribunal sitting in Abuja,
maintained that Atiku is
not a Nigerian and was
therefore not qualified to
contest the February 23
presidential poll or to challenge
the declaration of
President Buhari as the
winner.
Consequently, APC,
asked the tribunal which is
conducting its proceedings
at the Abuja Division of the
Court of Appeal, to dismiss
Atiku’s petition against
Buhari for being grossly incompetent,
insisting that
he is a Cameroonian.
Besides, APC, through its
lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi,
SAN, asked the tribunal
to invoke its powers
to void and declare the
11.1million votes that were
recorded in favour of Atiku
and the PDP as wasted
votes.
According to APC,
Atiku, was born on November
25, 1946 in Jada,
Adamawa, in Northern
Cameroon and is therefore
a citizen of Cameroon and
not a Nigerian by birth.
It told the tribunal that
prior to 1919, Cameroon
was being administered by
Germany, adding that following
the defeat of Germany
in World War 1,
which ended in 1918, Cameroon,
became part of a
League of Nations mandate
territory which consisted
of French Cameroon
and British Cameroon in
1919.
APC noted that in 1961,
a plebiscite was held in
British Cameroon to determine
whether the people
preferred to stay in Cameroon
or align with Nigeria.
It stressed that while
Northern Cameroon preferred
a union with Nigeria,
the Southern Cameroon
chose alignment with
the mother country, saying
it was as a result of the
From left: Chief James Alapalepe, Hon. George Ekpemupolo and Hon.
God knows Angele at Tompolo's birthday.
•Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson(3rd r), leads his Deputy,
Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah Retd; Speaker, Bayelsa State House
of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kombowei Benson; and others, to pay their last respects
to two PDP stalwarts: late Hon. Seidongha Taribi and late Hon. Reginald
Dei, who were killed by soldiers, during the 2019 general elections), at
a commendation service in their honour, in Yenagoa.
plebiscite that Northern
Cameroon, which included
Adamawa, became
part of Nigeria.
The ruling party argued
that contrary to
Atiku’s claims in his petition,
he had no right to
be voted for as a candidate
in the election to the
office of President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
held on February
23, 2019.
It averred that by reason
of Atiku’s ineligibility
to contest the election,
all votes credited to him
and the PDP in the February
23 election ought
to be deemed as wasted
votes.
APC contended that
most of the claims contained
in Atiku’s petition
have become statute
barred, arguing that the
Tribunal was therefore
bereft of the jurisdiction
to entertain it.
For instance, it said the
issue of President Buhari’s
educational qualification
that was raised by
the petitioners could not
be treated by the Tribunal
since the period for claims
and objections on such issues
had expired.
It argued that the petitioners
failed and neglected to
use the appropriate period
allowed by the law to challenge
educational qualifications
Buhari supplied in the
form CF001 he used to secure
clearance from the Independent
National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
APC argued that since the
petitioners waived their right
to challenge the propriety of
information contained in the
form CF001 of President Buhari,
they therefore failed to
disclose any reasonable
cause of action in the petition.
More so, APC, faulted allegation
that the presidential
election was not conducted
in substantial compliance
with the Electoral Act.
It argued that failure by the
petitioners to make specific
references to the compliance
issue was fatal to their case
against the 2019 presidential
election.
Atiku and PDP had in their
joint petition marked CA/
PEPC/002/2019, prayed the
tribunal to invalidate the
declaration of President Buhari
as winner of the presidential
contest.
Aside INEC, President
Buhari and the APC were cited
as Respondents in the
petition.
The tribunal had earlier ordered
the electoral body to
grant both the petitioners
and the 2nd and 3rd Respondents
(Buhari and the
APC), access to all the electoral
materials that were deployed
for the February 23
presidential poll, apart from
the Smart Card Reader Machines.
While Atiku and PDP
maintained that they would
need copies of the materials
to sustain their allegation
that the election was rigged,
on the other hand, Buhari
and the APC said they would
also need the materials to
prove that they legitimately
won the presidential election.
It will be recalled that the
electoral body had on February
27, declared that Buhari
won the presidential contest
with 15,191,847 votes to
defeat his closest rivalry,
Atiku, who it said polled a
total of 11,262,978 votes.
However, in their joint petition,
Atiku and his party,
insisted that date they secured
from INEC’s server, revealed
that they defeated President
Buhari with over 1.6million
votes.
The petitioners alleged that
INEC had at various stages
of the presidential election,
unlawful allocated votes to
President Buhari, saying
they would adduce oral and
documentary evidence to
show that result of the
election as announced by
the electoral body, did not
represent the lawful valid
votes cast.
Atiku alleged that in
some states, INEC, deducted
lawful votes that
accrued to him, in its bid to
ensure that Buhari was returned
back to office.
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, , 2019 — 7
Tears as Dickson buries Govt
House photographer, ex aide
murdered on election day
By Samuel Oyadongha
TEARS flowed freely yesterday in Yenagoa,
Bayelsa State as the remains of the Government
House Photographer, Reginald Dei and a chieftain
of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) Seidougha
Taribi, were committed to mother earth.
Taribi was also a Senior Special Assistant to the
Governor on Grassroots Mobilization.
Thousands of sympathisers clad in black outfit
thronged the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial
Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, venue of the
commendation service to pay their last respect to the
deceased.
Governor Seriake Dickson who spoke in honour of
the two young men at the event, said they were
gruesomely murdered in their own home by yet to
be identified soldiers during the last Presidential and
National Assembly elections in Oweikoroagha,
Southern Ijaw local government area.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media
Relations, Mr Fidelis Soriwei quoted Dickson as
having condemned the incessant deployment of state
institutions to undermine the peace and stability of
Bayelsa since 2015, for political reasons.
Dickson offered automatic employment to the young
widows of the deceased and scholarship to the
children they left behind.
The grieving governor said the two corpses were
clear evidence of the politically motivated killings
perpetrated by leaders of the All Progressives
Congress, APC in the state who had the backing of
the Federal Government.
He said that it was absurd and indeed,
reprehensible for criminals to be given security cover
in the residence of supposed APC leaders after
committing brazen acts of criminality against the state
as was the case in the murder of Dei and Seidougha.
According to him, “security operatives were put
at the disposal of APC leaders in the state to
intimidate, kill and maim our people’ during the
last election.”
“Today, is a sad day not because of the very young
age at which their lives were cut short but because
of the way and manner they were murdered in cold
blood in Oweikoroagha in their own homes by
uniformed men at the command and behest of
political operatives,” the governor lamented.
The governor said the main culprit in the dastardly
act boasted that he would go to the residence of an
APC leader in Abuja to evade arrest by security men
as if Abuja had become a sanctuary for killers.
“The killers in Bayelsa that are known are protected
by the agencies òf the Nigerian state. If any one
ever thought that all I have been saying about killers
and their protection was politics here lies the
evidence.
“The Federal Government is not interested in the
peace, security and stability of Bayelsa. They want
Bayelsa to be turned into a state òf blood like other
states. In Katsina, there were no killings, but here
soldiers were deployed for all APC politicians.”
The governor urged the people of the state to
remain calm and vigilant stating that, his
administration would embark on what he called, ‘the
Niger Delta Movement’ to mobilize people in their
various communities on how to defend themselves
as the Federal Government has failed in its primary
responsibility of protecting lives and properties.
Paying tributes, Dickson described Dei as a very
professional, dedicated member of the media team
in Government House and Taribi, as a decent and
honourable young man.
He said that the late photographer drew
commendations from even visitors and foreigners to
Government House because of his devotion to duty.
Also in his remarks, the State Deputy Governor,
Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd)
expressed shock that soldiers who are funded with
tax payers money could turn their weapons against
the people.
He said that the murder of the innocent was
unacceptable in any civilized clime as there are
specified rules of engagement for the military whose
role in elections are defined.
He said that the military had a responsibility to
investigate the killings.
Also, the State Chairman òf the PDP, Chief Moses
Cleopas wondered why Bayelsans would kill their
brothers over an election contested by two northern
brothers whose places did not record such acts.
Others who paid tributes were Senator -elect for
Bayela Central, Douye Diri, the Speaker òf Bayelsa
State House òf Assembly, Chief Kombowei Benson,
the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Doudei Week,
and the member Representing Southern Ijaw 2
Constituency in the House òf Assembly, Monday
Oboko-Bubou.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
FRSC officials chase commercial car into
fatal accident, one dies, four injured
By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan
RESCUERS at the
scene of a fatal auto
crash at Moniya, Ibadan,
Akinyele Local Government
area of Oyo State threatened
to attack some officials of the
Federal Road Safety Corps
for allegedly chasing a
commercial Micra car until
it crashed, leaving one
person dead and four others
critically injured.
Several Micra drivers who
were wailing uncontrollably
over the reported death of
one of them identified as
Akeem Ibrahim, had
mobilised themselves
against the FRSC officials.
But the timely intervention
of five Hilux police vans with
scores of policemen checked
the angry drivers.
According to an
eyewitness, the FRSC van
marked 1139(3) gave the
Micra car with number plate
Lagos 831 DH a hot chase
after the driver refused to
stop when it was stopped at
a check point after Ojoo.
“We saw how the FRSC
officials were pursuing the
unpainted commercial car.
The officials were trying to
overtake the car and in the
process both of them
plunged into this wide hole
by the roadside.”
“We were told that the
FRSC were chasing the car
because it was not painted
in the normal commercial
colour. The passengers in
the car were shouting and
pleading with the officials
not to risk their lives, but they
did not heed their pleas.”
“Like a movie, we just saw
and heard a deafening noise
when they crashed. The
Micra car somersaulted
before it crashed into the
ditch followed by the FRSC
van.”
“The driver of the Micra
car had stopped breathing
by the time they carried him
out. Other four passengers
NYSC saga: Court strikes out Communication
Minister’s suit
By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan
AFederal High Court
sitting in Ibadan has
struck out the suit filed
by the Minister of
Communications,
Barrister Adebayo Shittu
against the national
Stray bullets injure two as Onitsha bus
drivers’ election turns bloody
•Passengers stranded as hostilities continue unabated
By Nwabueze Okonkwo
ONITSHA - Stray
bullets allegedly
fired by some armed thugs
suspected to be supporters
of one of the contestants
during yesterday’s election
of new executive members
of Urban Drivers
Association, UDA, one of
the units under the
umbrella of Urban Drivers
Welfare Association
Anambra State, UDWAAS
have injured two persons.
One of the two injured
victims, whose identities
were yet to be ascertained
as at press time, was hit by
the bullet at the right
buttock, while the other was
hit in the leg, and both were
bleeding profusely as they
were rushed to a nearby
hospital, for urgent medical
in the car were critically
injured when they pulled
them out. Blood covered
them all over.”
One of the drivers who was
weeping said, he was at the
motor park when he received
a call that one of our vehicles
had crashed.
“We got here now to see
the extent of the crash. Why
are these FRSC officials
causing deaths instead of
saving lives?
To the amazement of the
sympathizers, the FRSC
officials who got there were
just trying to cover the code
on the car.
“There is a number on the
bonnet and the side of the
door. They opened the
bonnet and the car door to
conceal the code. If they
were right, would they be
doing that?” the eye witness
said.
Within some minutes after
the accident, the FRSC
officials came to evacuate
their van leaving the car it
chased and forced into
accident.
When Saturday Vanguard
called the Public Relations
Officer of FRSC, Mr
Oluwaseun Onijala for his
reactions, he did not pick his
calls neither did he reply
a text message sent to him.
A Federal Road Safety Hilux Van with code no 1139(3) yesterday crashed
with a Nissan Micra, with registration no Lagos KSF 831 DH at Moniya,
Akinyele area along Oyo -Ibadan Express road after a hot pursuit causing
the death of one person. Sympathizers at the scene of the crash.
PHOTO: Dare Fasube.
attention. Trouble was said
to have started when the
electoral committee set up
by UDWAAS to conduct the
election for UDA unit
declared one of the three
contestants, Tony Ugwube
winner with 181 votes, as
against Chinedu
Molokwu’s 172 votes and
Edwin Odoh’s seven votes
respectively.
Chairman of the electoral
committee, Moses
Nwabueze and his
Secretary, Felix Idenyi had
adopted an option A4
system whereby each of the
three contestants stood on
top of a chair and their
supporters queued up in
front of them for head
count, after an accreditation
exercise.
As their supporters
queued in front of them, as
demanded, the committee
counted them one after the
other with microphone and
in full glare of video
cameras, armed soldiers,
policemen, vigilante
operatives and SARS
operatives. Tony Ugwube’s
supporters were counted
first and 181 votes were
arrived at, and as soon as
Chinedu Molokwu’s
supporters saw that
Molokwu got 172 votes,
they flayed up and started
chanting: “No election, no
election...” slogans,
alleging that some of their
supporters were not
counted otherwise they
would have scored 182
votes if all their supporters
were counted as they
queued.
leadership of the All
Progressives Congress
over his disqualification
as the party’s
gubernatorial candidate
for the March 9, election.
Barrister Shittu had
approached the court for
his disqualification from
the party primary
election for his nonobservance
of his
mandatory National
Youth Service Corps after
his graduation from the
university. He listed APC
and the Independent
National Electoral
Commission as
respondents. Before
striking out the case,
Justice P. I. Ajoku of
Ibadan Federal High
Court, said the plaintiff
(Adebayo Shittu) had not
complied with section
285(9) of the Constitution
of Nigeria when he failed
to file the case within 14
days which the
Constitution allows.
The trial judge noted
that the plaintiff in his
originating summons
had confirmed that he
is a card-carrying
member of the APC
which gives him the
opportunity to contest
governorship primary of
the party in September
last year. The court
explained further that
Barrister Shittu had also
declared that he only
read about his
disqualification on the
pages of the newspaper
published on the
September 28, 2018, as a
result of his failure to
perform a year
mandatory National
Youth Service Corps
NYSC.
Osun NAWOJ honours Egbemode,
Akiyode-Afolabi, Akinjiola, others
By Gbenga Olarinoye, Osogbo
Prominent Nigerians, who have impacted
positively on the well being of women, children and the
vulnerable in the society are to be honoured during this year’s
Osun NAWOJ Merit Award programme.
According to a release jointly signed by the Chairperson and
Secretary of the association, Mrs. Motunrayo Ayegbayo and
Mrs. Florence Babasola respectively, the event is to serve as an
encouragement for the awardees.
Besides, former chairpersons who have steered the ship of
Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Osun
State would be given Certificate of Recognition at the event.
Chike Ekweogwu’s goals for
Onitsha communities
By Tony Nezianya
In a couple of days from now the position of Presidents-
General of virtually all 179 communities that make up
Anambra State will fall due for election.
The positions are filled via election of candidates from
various the communities who wish to occupy such exalted
positions.
Their activities are regulated by Local Government and
Chieftaincy Affairs, Anambra State Association of Town Unions
(ASATU), working in close concert with various traditional
institutions in concerned communities.
A distinguished Onitsha indigene, Sir ABC Ekweogwu
(KSJI), FICPM, Business, Financial Services and
Management professional, who has expressed a desire to
run for the top position, has set some goals to achieve if
elected on April 20.
The election in Onitsha is set to hold on April 20 by delegates
from the various state branches of OIUs
Sir Ekweogwu has among other things vowed to strengthen
the Onitsha Improvement Union (OIU) by growing its
membership in all nooks and crannies of the community.
“I’ll give the union wider exposure,” he said.
Mr Ekweogwu made it clear that he would achieve this
objective by creating more awareness through the active
participation/involvement of all OIU Branch President’s —
home and abroad.
“I hope to sell the idea to a vast majority of Onitsha
professionals in various services at home and in the diaspora.
“My focus will also be on infrastructure development and
maintenance of existing ones.
“I will also collaborate with Onitsha North and South Local
Government Chairmen and captains of Industries within
and outside Onitsha to create employment for our teaming
unemployed youths,” he vowed.''
“I will also work to bring back the fading glory of Onitsha
by seeking the assistance of well-meaning individuals and
Non-governmental organisations to assist in educating every
Onitsha child, either through formal or informal school
settings in working toward making Onitsha free of dirt, drugs,
crime and the like,” Ekweogwu averred.
Ugwuanyi moves to make all
students ICT-compliant
G
OVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has
expressed his administration’s commitment to ensuring
that all secondary school students in the state are acquainted
with the use of computers for learning and other
social and educational engagements.
Gov. Ugwuanyi who spoke during the grand finale of the
computer competition for secondary school students in the
state organized by the Post Primary Schools Management
Board (PPSMB) at Queen’s Secondary School, Enugu, stated
that the exercise was a demonstration of his administration’s
firm commitment towards actualizing the noble vision.
Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof.
Uche Eze, the governor reassured that “very soon all our
students will become ICT-compliant and master the use of
computer”, stressing that “this competition has indicated
that Enugu State is now championing the use of computers
for its students at the secondary school level”.
He maintained that computers currently play a major role
in all areas of human endeavour, adding that students can
become experts in their formative years to assist the state
and the nation in the area of digitization.
Gov. Ugwuanyi pointed out that the present adoption of
the use of computer for examinations by the Joint Admission
and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was one of the reasons
the state government has placed premium on students’
ICT compliance in the state.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of PPSMB, Barr.
Nestor Ezeme, commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his unflinching
commitment towards the students’ use of computers for
learning, disclosing that the present administration procured
computer sets for the two hundred and forty six secondary
schools in the state.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019 — 9
Ebonyi boundary killings: NBC
has become a toothless
bulldog — Ebonyi government
By Peter Okutu
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Igbinedion University, Okada, Prof. (Mrs.) Deborah Odejimi(from L); one of the
smartphone beneficiaries, Miss Ufuak Eseose Faith of the Department of Nursing;the Vice Chancellor, Prof.
Lawrence Ezimonye; Glo Regional Manager, Mr. Augustus Ndu Offor and the Registrar, Dr. Edwin Okoro at the
presentation of Glo-Huawei smartphones and routers to Igbinedion University, Okada recently.
House Speakership: N’East APC aligns
with S’East, adopts Onyejeocha
By Omeiza Ajayi
All Progressives Con
gress, APC, in the
Northeast has thrown its
weight behind agitations by
the Southeast to get the national
leadership of the party
to zone the office of
Speaker, House of Representatives
to its side.
At a news conference yesterday
in Abuja, the Northeast
Forum of APC State
Publicity Secretaries specifically
adopted the candidacy
of Hon. Nkeiruka C.
Onyejeocha as Speaker of
the 9th House of Representatives.
“As we all know, Nigeria
has always stood on a political
tripod, anchored on by
the three founding political
regions, namely, the West,
East and North, which have
now been further unofficially
devolved into six geopolitical
zones. The implication
of this, is that every
political region should be
given its own right of equal
participation as envisioned
by the founding fathers of
our country.
“It is in line with all above
that we the forum of APC
Public Relations officers of
the North East sub-region
wish to align and identify
with our counterparts in the
southeast in their agitation
Recent drug-related incident in FUTO is
regrettable, unfortunate — VC
By Chidi Nkwopara,
OWERRI.
THE management of
the Federal University
of Technology, Owerri,
has described the recent
drug-related incident, involving
three of its students
as, “regrettable and unfortunate.”
The university’s Vice
Chancellor, Professor Francis
Chukwuemeka Eze,
made the feeling of his management
known yesterday,
during the matriculation of
5,348 candidates.
“The ugly incident is un-
FUTOlike. As a management,
we are increasing our
to shift the post of the Speaker
of the 9th House of Representatives
to their region.
The South East APC Public
Relations Officers have already
issued a press statement
endorsing, Honourable
Nkeiruka C. Onyejeocha
as Speaker of the 9th
House of Representatives. A
four-time member of the
House of Representatives,
Honourable Onyejeocha
represents many shades of
national opinion, especially
the much talked about gender
issue. Put together with
her rich political background
as a grassroots politician, a
former Local Government
chairperson and an effective
legislator, she is eminently
qualified to represent
her zone and to serve the
country as a whole,” they
said at the conference addressed
by Aaron Artimas,
Coordinator, North
East, APC Forum of Public
Relations Officers.
The forum said it was not
unaware of the “perceived
or unofficial zoning” of the
positions of the Senate
President and the Speaker,
House of Representatives
to the North East and
the South West respectively.
“While this policy remains
a political decision,
we still believe that the ultimate
decision to this effect,
remains a function of
members of the National
Assembly.
Kwara Speakership tussle: Offa Muslims and
Christians back Popoola
...urge stakeholders to consider experience, party loyalty
above zoning
By Demola Akinyemi
THE raging battle for
the speakership of
kwara state House of Assembly
has stepped up as
religious leaders in the
ancient town of Offa, in the
Offa Local Government
Area of Kwara state, under
the aegis of Offa Muslim
and Christian Cleric Council
(OMCCC) threw their
weight behind Hon. Saheed
Popoola and urged
the stakeholders to consider
experience and undaunted
loyalty above zoning
in deciding who becomes
the next Speaker in
the state House of Assembly.
Speaking with journalists
in Offa yesterday, the Muslim
and Christian clerics
said that when considering
Kwara state as a collective
project, it was not logical to
have a new governor and
speaker in both executive
and legislative arms in the
state.
The group recalled that
the governor-elect in the
state, Alhaji Abdulrahman
Abdulrazaq, is coming into
governance with private
sector background, while all
the elected members of the
Assembly, except one, Hon.
Saheed Popoola, are all new
members.
The spokesperson of the
clerics, Reverend Segun
Ogungboye, who said that
zoning arrangement in politics
is good for power balancing,
added, however,
that experience among other
qualities should not be
sacrificed on the altar of zoning.
Reverend Ogungboye said
that the group had made its
opinion on the issue known
to the party structure in the
state, calling on party leaders
and members in the state
to encourage sacrifice and
loyalty to the party rather
than zoning formular that
may breed apathy.
“That the kind of unalloyed
loyalty that Prince
Saheed Popoola displayed
in the lifetime of the eighth
Kwara State House of Assembly
and the sacrifices
he made thereafter should
not be sacrificed on the
altar of zoning,” he said.
efforts to sensitize students on
the dangers of drug abuse,
cultism and promiscuous lifestyle,”
Professor Eze said.
He disclosed that FUTO is
partnering with a number of
bodies to assist in regular interactions
with students, especially
new students, to ensure
that peer-group influence
does not corrupt good
students, while the ideals
and benefits of moral rectitude,
will be inculcated in
others.
“I urge our parents and
guardians to warn their children
and wards, to desist
from activities that could lead
to their being either rusticated
or expelled from the university.
Parents and guardians
should monitor where
their children and wards
live, as well as visit them
from time to time, to ensure
they do not go
astray,” Eze pleaded.
According to the VC:
“Our primary mandate is
to train and mould students
with skills and
knowledge required to
lead the country’s technological
growth and development,”
adding that
management has continued
to make provision for
municipal services such as
power, water, campus shuttle,
sanitation and other
facilities for effective
teaching and learning.
EBONYI State government, yesterday, described the
National Boundary Commission, NBC as a toothless
bulldog following its inability to demarcate the disputed
land between the people of Igbeagu in Izzi Local
Government Area of Ebonyi state and Ukele community
in Yala Local Government Area of Cross River state since
the outbreak of the crisis several years ago.
The Commission had visited both Ebonyi and Cross
River states at the heat of the crisis and even invited the
affected communities for dialogue in Abuja, yet it has not
been forthcoming towards demarcating the troubled area.
Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the state Commissioner
for Border, Peace and Internal Security, Hon.
Kenneth Ugbala who argued that assuming the NBC
and the Federal Government had demarcated the disputed
land as at when due, there wouldn’t have been
unwarranted records of deaths and destruction of properties
from both sides of the divide.
Afam Okereke (dgn) bounces
back with ‘Just a Wish’
By Dennis Agbo
PROMINENT Movie Producer, Actor and Director,
Afam Okereke, who took some time off into the
murky waters of politics has made it back and big to where
he originally belonged.
The Enugu state-born movie director, famous for his
blockbusters such as, ‘The Generals’, ‘Billionaire Club,’
‘Girls Cot,’ etc, had a change of scene when he vied into
politics few years ago, but is now back with a bang.
His new movie: ‘Just a Wish’, scheduled to cinema
premier at the Base Event Centre, Enugu, on Easter
Monday, is a family-oriented movie produced and directed
by the prolific actor and film maker himself.
The movie features some of Nollywood’s finest thespians
such as Ebele Okaro, Tana Adelana, Kenneth Okolie,
Bimbo Ademoye, Paul Sambo, Phildaniels among
others.
60 revenue touts jailed in
Anambra,23 awaiting trial
By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka
SIXTY persons described as notorious touts,caus
ing discomfort in various parts of the commercial city
of Onitsha, have been sentenced to jail, while 23 others
were still awaiting trial.
Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Emmanuel
Madubuko, who spoke with reporters while parading
eight suspected touts at the state secretariat complex in Awka,
said those charged to court were usually availed the opportunity
of the services of lawyers who defended them.
Madubuko said the state government could no longer
condone a situation whereby touts divert government revenue
and drive away traders from other parts of the country
and beyond who come to Onitsha for business transaction.
According to the commissioner, the touts were arrested at
the Bridge Head, Okpoko junction, Owerri road and the
vicinity of the Onitsha Main Market, where they were allegedly
caught harassing traders and motorists and forcing
them to pat with their money.
Mudipapa for presenation
LIFE Lessons from Mudipapa, a book written
by Mr. Francis Ewherido, Saturday Vanguard
columnist and chartered insurance broker, will be
formally unveiled in Lagos, on Sunday, May 5,
2019.
Life Lessons from Mudipapa chronicles the life
and times of a fictional character, Chief Julius Mudiaga
Orien, Ph.D, a native of Effurun-Otor, Delta
State. His childhood dream was to be a Catholic
priest, but he chickened out because of the vow of
celibacy. He was to find out that married life has its
challenges. Mudipapa deals with issues of courtship,
marriage, family life, parenting, planning for
retirement and life after retirement, amongst others
presented in a unique and racy manner.
The event will take place under the distinguished
chairmanship of Chief Johnson Barovbe, Proprietor,
Westminster College, Lagos, while the President
General of Urhobo Progress Union, Olorogun Moses
Taiga, will be the father of the day. The Acting Rector,
Seminary of SS. Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan,
Rev. Fr. Anthony Ewherido, PhD is the chief host.

10—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
KILLING FIELDS OF NORTH WEST:
They killed my husband,
our three children in my
presence – Zamfara survivor
•’Their bullets could not kill me but I don’t know the whereabouts of my two wives and eight children’
•Who are the bandits? Sources unmask them!
Ben Agande, Kaduna &
Bashir Bello, Katsina
The federal government of
Nigeria this week announced
the suspension of mining
activities in Zamfara state to
check the activities of
bandits and criminals who have made
the state a by word for impudent
criminality. The action of the federal
government, which was conveyed by
the Acting Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Adamu, is seen by many
critics as a knee jerk response to the
escalating insecurity and killings in the
state and other north western states of
Katsina and part of Kaduna, for several
months.
In announcing the decision, the
Acting Inspector General said it was
taken because “intelligence report has
clearly established a strong and glaring
nexus between the activities of armed
bandits and illicit miners — with both
mutually re-enforcing each other.”
“The operation is aimed at reclaiming
every public space under the control of
the bandits, arrest and bring to book all
perpetrators of violence in the area and
their collaborators, achieve a total
destruction of all criminal camps and
hideouts, mop up all illicit weapons
fueling the violence and attain a full
restoration of law and order in the
affected communities.
“Our commitment at protecting the
sanctity of life and property is
irrevocable, and we will not scale-down
the pressure on the armed bandits until
they are totally flushed-out,” he said.
While the long suffering people of
Zamfara, who have suffered years of
killings, rape and kidnappings seem to
have welcomed government renewed,
albeit belated, attempt at stamping its
authority and stopping the years of
brigandage, many see the move as a
kind of window dressing that will, like
other efforts before it wither away soon.
It will be recalled that President
Muhammadu Buhari launched the
Operation Harbin Kunama in July, 2016
to combat banditry and kidnapping in
Although the
attention for the
moment seems to be
concentrated in
Zamfara state, the
situation is
symptomatic of the
worsening security
situation in the north
western states of
Sokoto, Zamfara,
Katsina and part of
Kaduna which borders
Zamfara state
the state. Although the ceremony
attracted a high profile military
presence, the security situation in the
state continued to deteriorate and as
some critics say, worsen with time.
Although the attention for the moment
seems to be concentrated in Zamfara
state, the situation is symptomatic of
the worsening security situation in the
north western states of Sokoto,
Zamfara, Katsina and part of Kaduna
which borders Zamfara state.
In Katsina for instance, the governor,
Bello Masari told the Acting Inspector
General of police who visited the state
on Wednesday this week that the
insecurity situation was so dire that
some eight local governments out of the
state’s 34 local governments had been
taken over by bandits.
He said “in other parts of the state,
we also have kidnappers who not only
take people on the road but in the
comfort of their homes,” he added,
citing the “unfortunate incidence of the
Continues on pg 11

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—11
•Masari
•Yari
They y killed my y husband, our three children
in my y presence – Zamfara ara surviv
vivor
or
Continues from pg 10
governor’s in-law who was taken in the
comfort of her home”
The eight local governments that have
been taken over by bandits in the state are
Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Dan-Musa, Faskari,
Sabuwa, Dandume and Kankara.
In Kaduna state, apart from the security
challenge in the southern part where the
local communities and Fulani herdsmen are
locked in an internecine conflict, indigenes
of Birnin Gwari local government which
borders Zamfara state have been enduring
relentless attacks and killings from the
armed bandits who even give advance
notices before moving into villages to kill
and maim and kill. In fact, in Birnin Gwari
twelve soldiers and a number of policemen
who were sent to protect the people from
the armed bandits became
victims themselves as they
were brutally murdered.
Sokoto state is not spared
from the bloodletting that
seems to be gradually but
steadily taking over the
north western states
mentioned above. In the
most recent attacks, 16
persons were brutally
murdered by bandits in
Rabah local government
area of the state in
February. This is in
addition to the 26 persons
that were killed in three
districts of Warwana,
Tabkin Kwasa and Dutsi in
same Rabah local
government in January.
Who are
the bandits?
Though the bandits in the
four states of Katsina,
Zamfara, Kaduna and
Sokoto state share the
commonality of
sophisticated weaponry,
brutality and brazen
criminality, they seem to be
motivated by different
motives and reasons.
The criminality in Zamafara state
started first as a clash between farmers
and herders, and then it
metamorphosed to cattle rustling before
it assumed various motives including a
turf battle between highly placed
indigenes of the state that engage in
legal and illegal mining and have
resorted to using the bandits to
prosecute their turf battles.
According to a security source, the
inability of security agencies to
effectively curtail the ongoing
criminality in the state is not
necessarily because of their
incompetence but because of the
complexities of the crisis. The source
who spoke with Vanguard on the
condition of anonymity because of the
sensitivity of the case said ‘the
government knows what is fuelling the
crisis and unless it is ready to
demonstrate the needed political will,
nothing will change.
“There are bandits who are involved
in cattle rustling. There are those who
are purely into kidnapping for ransom,
there are those are purely hire hands in
the services of the many legal and
illegal miners who are engage in turf
battles to secure their businesses. And
then there is a
new, dangerous
dimension that
we seem to have
picked up
recently: the
involvement of
displaced Boko
Haram terrorists
from the north
east who are
gradually
regrouping in the
state. These are
various strands
that all combine
to make the
Zamfara scenario
more dangerous”
he said.
Though no
evidence was
advanced to prove
his allegation,
another security
source alleged the
involvement of
foreigners,
especially
Chinese miners in
the illegality that
is going on in the
state. He alleged
that ‘two Chinese nationals were
recently arrested for their alleged
involvement in kidnappings in the
Zamfara state but the case was hushed
up and they were released without
charge because of high level
intervention’. Vanguard could not
independently establish whether
indeed some Chinese were arrested in
connection with kidnapping in the
state. But the stern order directed
specifically at foreigners to leave the
Sokoto state is not
spared from the
bloodletting that
seems to be
gradually but
steadily taking
over the north
western states
mentioned above
mining sites in Zamfara state points to
the fact that they have been involved in
unorthodox businesses.
Investigations further revealed that
the state government may have
unwittingly promoted some of the
banditry in the state. It was gathered
that in order to counter the activities of
bandits who were threatening farmers
in the state; the government sometime
ago created and armed members of the
Civilian Joint Task Force to challenge
the bandits. With the passage of time,
members of the Task force became
uncontrollable and the bandits in order
to dominate the environment acquired
more sophisticated weapons to confront
the JTF members. The result is the
weaponisation of the state and the
consequence is the unparallel insecurity.
Added to this is the unrelenting rustling
of cattle in the state. According to a member
of Miyetti Allah Cattle breeders in the state,
Ardo Shehu Altine, some people were
forced into banditry because of the loss of
their source of livelihood.
“While we are not justifying what is
happening, some of our members were left
with no choice but to seek other means of
livelihood. The entire of their cattle heads
were rustled by criminals and they no
longer have a source of livelihood. Some
committed suicide but others resort to
criminality as a way of getting back to the
society which they hold responsible for
their ordeals. They feel that government
could not protect them from criminals and
they unfortunately resorted to self-help” he
said.
In Katsina state, the insecurity challenge
is majorly three fold: farmers/herders
clashes, cattle rustling, armed banditry/
kidnapping. While farmers/herders clashes
have been a recurring decimal in the state
over the years, kidnapping is a recent
addition that has taken the state by
surprise.
In a recent admission, the Governor,
Aminu Bello Masari confirmed that
cattle rustling of which was hitherto
the major bane of the state has
metamorphosed into kidnapping of
people with nobody being exempt from
the menace.
According to police sources, with
greater attention to the issue of cattle
rustling, perpetrators simply switch to
kidnapping since they realized that
abducting people and demanding for
ransom could be more lucrative than
rustling cows because they need to
rustle a large number of cattle to fetch
them the amount they could get in
kidnapping a notable person.
In Kaduna, the security challenge
varies. While the Birnin Gwari axis is
•Ishaku
•El-Rufai
•Tambuwal
the hotbed of a potpourri of all
criminals, the southern Kaduna security
challenges comprise largely of interethnic
clashes between the Fulani
herdsmen and local farmers while the
Kaduna - Abuja highway is the hot bed
of kidnappers. In the last one month,
more than one hundred people have
allegedly been kidnapped along the
notorious road.
There is no doubt that the north has
suddenly become the reference point in
terms of insecurity in the country. In
trying to put an end to this challenge,
the federal government proferred
Continues on pg 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
Who are the bandits? Sources
ces
unmask them!
Illegal mining
in Zamfara
Continues from pg 11
solution has left room for more
questions than answers.
For instance, who are the miners in
Zamfara States and what are their roles
in the security challenges? Why has the
government failed to bring them or
those that aide them to book if the
government knows that they are culprits
in the emerging security challenge?
Why has the government failed to
secure the Abuja-Kaduna highway
despite the deployment of a number of
policemen on the highway?
Why is it so easy for security
agencies to track and trace kidnappers
that have turned Katsina state to their
safe haven? If the in-law of a governor
could be easily snatched from the
comfort of her home and only released
after ransom has been paid, what
reassurance can the governor give the
people that he will protect them?
For now, the north west is on the radar
of the security attention in the country.
How serious the government is in
tackling this challenge will determine
whether it is serious or it is indeed
playing to the gallery of public
opinion.
Tales of victims of
Zamfara bandit attacks
KATSINA - Life is hell for residents of
Zamfara State with the series of attacks
launched by armed bandits and
kidnappers on people of the state
almost on daily basis.
Information reliably gathered shows
that no local government area of the
state is has not been attacked or without
stories to tell about the encounter with
bandits. It is severe in local government
areas such as Shinkafi, Zurmin, Birnin
Magaji, Bokyum and Gusau. They are
worst hit.
Residents of villages in Shinkafi local
government area, one of the worst hit
took turns to narrate their sad tales and
ordeals in the hands of the bandits to
our correspondent.
They killed my
husband, our three
children in my
presence
• I ran 40km to save my life - survivor
Suwaiba Kabiru is a resident of
Kursasa village in Shinkafi local
government area of Zamfara State who
said her husband and three children
were killed in her presence but she
narrowly escaped death after running
40km on foot to Shinkafi.
Suwaiba whose legs were swollen
said she escaped through the bush to
Shinkafi where she is currently
undergoing medical treatment at a
private hospital.
According to her, "it was on a Sunday
on that fateful day, when the gunmen
stormed our village about 4pm and were
raiding till 7pm. They opened fire.
Shooting sporadically, they killed my
husband and three children in my
presence. I narrowly escaped. I ran
40km on foot to Shinkafi.
Their bullets could not kill
me but I don't know the
whereabouts of my two
wives and eight children
Another resident of a village near Baji
village, Muntaka Hassan said the
bandits used machete to cut him when
several “gunshots fired at me couldn't
penetrate.”
Muntaka said he took bullet charm
which made it impossible for the
bandits to kill him by shooting him with
gun.
"We were at home
when they came
shooting sporadically.
I was shot at several
times. I visited a
village where I was
given charm for
bullet, so the bullets
couldn't penetrate. So
they cut me with
machete on my
shoulder and left me
there thinking I was
dead," he said.
He then told his
bizarre story: “I don't
know the whereabouts
of my family members
- two wives and eight
children.
"I have two wives
but I don't know their
whereabouts. But I
was told, one of them
is in Inwala. She ran
to her grandmother. I
was also told on her
way she was shot, I
don't know whether
she is dead or
alive. The other wife
fled and also
my eight children. I
don't know their
Why is it so easy
for security
agencies to
track and trace
kidnappers that
have turned
Katsina state to
their safe haven?
whereabouts because the people came
and created commotion as they shot at
everybody they saw and left everybody
running for his or her lives.
"They came with a gun that releases
fire when they shoot it. It is
unbelievable. I don't know the name of
the gun but ones they shoot it, fire
comes out and everywhere is gutted by
the fire.
"This is not the first time we
experienced this. The first time they
came, they shot three boys and
kidnapped one. So this is their second
coming.
"We reported the incident to our
traditional leaders because no presence
of security personnel in our areas. When
we reported to our leaders, they told us
they had informed the security but the
security men often say that they had not
been granted permission to attack.
"They shot people, some are dead and
our cattle were killed," Haruna said.
I was shot on the leg,
shoulder while
attempting to flee
Similarly, Aminu Usman, a resident
of Baji village in Shinkafi said he was
shot on the leg and shoulder while
attempting to escape
with his younger
brother.
Usman said the
bandits set ablaze
houses and shops in
their community,
leaving only three
standing.
"The Armed bandits
invaded our village on
Sunday. They came
shooting at about 7pm
after Magrib prayer.
Unknowing to us, they
were in the village
since 4pm.
"They set ablaze
shops and houses. All
houses in our village
were set ablaze. Only
three houses are
standing in our village.
Nobody in our
village.
"They shot me in my
leg and my hand but
the bullets have been
removed.
"If you try to run
away, they will come
after you with their
motorcycles and shoot
you. Once they shoot,
they go. They do not check whether you
are dead or alive. They just shoot as if
they take pride in doing so.
"I was shot on my leg and shoulder
while trying to flee with my brother. I
was attempting to cross a river because
there is a river in our village that you
will have to cross before you escape into
the bush but unknowing to me, the
bandits had taken position there (by the
river) in such a way that anyone who
attempted to flee through that route was
forced to go back into the village
already set ablaze.
One Kabiru Lawali, from Gidan
Mussa village in Shinkafi is lucky to be
alive but the bandits broke his leg.
Lawali, was the first attacked by the
bandits who stormed the area in their
numbers and on motorcycle.
He was said to have gone to a garden
close to his house. He was the first the
bandits attacked. In attempt to rush back to
the village to notify the villagers of the
coming of the bandits on motorcycles, he fell
down from his motorcycle and the bandits
met him, broke his leg. They went into the
town to carry out their atrocities.
Lawali's state of health was said to be fast
deteriorating and would now be amputated.
The owner of a private hospital, Dr.
Suleiman Shuaibu Shinkafi who is treating
Lawali and 25 others said he was already
arranging to convey him to Sokoto or Gusau
for the amputation which he said was the
last option.
"I have 26 victims here who sustained
several degrees of injuries and they can't
cater for themselves.
"Some are in general hospital, Shinkafi.
The situation in the hospital is worst as
there are no drugs. I have to go on my own
to get some drugs for the hospital.
"Some are in my private hospital while
others are in my house.
Dr. Shinkafi who doubles as the Sarkin
Shanu Shinkafi, Zamfara State described
the situation as alarming, a scenario
where more than 200 people were killed
in one week.
"In recent time, about four days ago
the record of killing, rape and
kidnapping across the state has become
alarming that no family can sleep in
Zamfara State with their both eyes
firmly closed.
"One will be forced to ask whether
there is existence of government in
Zamfara State where the rural
population is entirely at the mercy of
bandits and kidnappers without any
hope for an end at any moment.
"The people of Zamfara State have
abandoned their means of livelihood
such as farming and animal husbandry
as they dare not go out to do any of them
for fear of been kidnapped or killed.
The number of people that have been
displaced in the on-going carnage and
genocide cannot be ascertained as death
and ugly killings are recorded on daily
basis.
"Today, majority of indigenes of
Zamfara State including my Local
Government Shinkafi have become a
sorry state, where lives of people does
not worth anything and cannot be
protected by those in authority, because
they don’t feel the pain.
"Most worrisome, ladies and
gentlemen is the involvement of some
security officials who aided the
criminals to commit the crime and cover
them up.
Recently 19 Children of an Arabic
School in Barki Marna were kidnapped
by hoodlums who are now asking for
Thirty-Million Naira ransom to release
the poor children. Issues of rape have
been a decimal occurrence that the
hoodlums go from house to house to
kidnap married and unmarried women.
The situation has become so alarming
that almost all the villages have been
deserted for fear of been kidnapped or
killed by these merchants of death.
However, the Executive Secretary of
the Zamfara State Emergency
Management Agency, Engineer Sanusi
Kwatarkwashi put the number of lives
lost from the attacks at 3,000 from 2018
till date while 31,420 persons
are internally displaced as recorded by
the agency.
"We have 31, 420 IDPs, we got access
to. We have 3,962 males, 8,890 females
and 18,550 children as at the end of last
month, March.
"They are from various communities
across the local government - Gusau,
Shinkafi, Zurmin, Birnin Magaji and
Bokyum local government areas.
"We have record of 3,000 live lost from
2018 till date, hundreds of people are
kidnapped," Engr. Kwatarkwashi stated.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—13
KILLINGS:
•Herdsmen, cultists taking centre stage in southeast
•Catholic priests, innocent ones falling victims
By Chioma Gabriel, Editor
Special Features & Vincent
Ujumadu
In the beginning
A spate of killings is creeping into the
southeast. Cultist, bandits and herdsmen
are gaining ground in the southeast once
again. Very recently, gunmen initially
suspected to be herdsmen killed a Catholic
priest, Reverend Father Clement Ugwu
who was said to have been kidnapped from
his Parish, St Mark Catholic Church,
Obinofia Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local
Government Area of Enugu State.
His body was later found in a bush
decomposing, a week after he was
allegedly kidnapped. The abduction and
killing of Reverend father Clement was one
death too many. It was reported that Rev.
Fr. Ugwu was kidnapped on Wednesday 13,
March 2019, around 9:00 p.m. after they had
shot him in his church premises. His
remains were laid to rest at the Catholic
cemetery at the Holy Ghost Cathedral
during which the Catholic Bishop of Enugu
Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, called
on the police to fish out the killers of the
priest.
Bishop Onaga at the burial of Reverend
Father Ugwu decried the spate of violent
killings around the country, advising that
Christians should intensify their prayers for
the survival of the country.
When efforts to get the priest released
failed, a search party was initiated by his
parishioners in collaboration with the
community; and after two days, his body
was found decomposing in a bush on
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, a week after
he was kidnapped.
According to Onaga, “All is not well in
Enugu State. We should not continue to
pretend about it while our people are killed
every day. Enugu State is not secure again.
Criminals have shifted to Enugu State from
Anambra.
“When Father Ugwu was kidnapped, we
reported it to the police and since then, I
have visited the police station three times,
yet, they kept telling me we are closing on
the kidnappers. I doubt they were doing
anything because where the deceased body
of Fr. Ugwu was found is not up to 20km
from his house.”
But recently, operatives of the Enugu
State Police Command arrested two leaders
of a kidnap gang alleged to have abducted
and killed Rev. Fr. Clement Ugwu in the
Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state.
Operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit of
the state command arrested the leader and
the second-in-command of the four-man
gang that killed the priest.
The source said the leader of the gang
was arrested in Abuja where he went to be
with his family members after killing the
priest.
The killers of the priest were said to be a
six-man-gang but only four participated in
the kidnap and killing of the Reverend
father.
The state Police Public Relations Officer,
SP Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the arrest
of the suspects, saying , “The Enugu State
Police Command wish to inform members
of the public, particularly the people of the
Operatives of the
anti-kidnapping
unit of the state
command
arrested the
leader and the
second-incommand
of the
four-man gang
that killed the
priest
state, that some of the suspected kidnappers
who were connected with the kidnap and
murder of one Rev. Fr. Clement Ugwu, the
parish priest of St. Marks Catholic Church
in Obinofia Ndiuno in the Ezeagu LGA
have been arrested.
“The suspects are helping the command
in their investigation with a view to
arresting the remaining fleeing members
of their gang,” the statement read.
He said the suspects would be paraded
alongside other suspects, adding that the
two suspects were the ones that shot the
priest and used his ATM to make
withdrawals.
This also put paid to earlier suspicion that
the priest was abducted and killed by
herdsmen.
Before the abduction and killing of Rev
Father Ugwu, on July 4, 2018, Rev. Fr.
Paulinus Udewangu of St. Marks Catholic
Church, Nsude in Udi Local Government
Area was kidnapped while he was jogging.
Death of a
woman
While Enugu State was still mourning
the death of Reverend Father Ugwu, the
Head of Nursing Services, HNS, Federal
Psychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Mrs Mary
Amadi, nee Obeta was murdered by
unknown persons in Enugu.
Mrs Amadi, was murdered while trying
to open the gate to her family house after
closing from work.
She was reportedly trailed from her office
Continues on pg 14

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
Herdsmen, cultists taking centre stage in southeast
Continues from pg 13
at the hospital until she alighted from her
vehicle to open her gate at the Federal
Housing Estate, near Nowas Filling
Station, when her killers started pumping
hot leads into her stomach, some few
minutes after 4 pm.
The assassins reportedly made a U- turn
and sped off, having accomplished their
alleged mission.
Neighbours rushed the victim to the
Enugu State University Teaching Hospital,
ESUTH, Parklane, where she had earlier
worked and doctors at ESUTH battled in
vain to save her life as the bullets had
caused a lot damage to her major organs.
Mrs Amadi, a mother of two little children
and native of Aku in the state was said to
be a first class brain, was appointed HNS
on merit, having performed better than her
male counterparts working in the hospital
during a special examination organised to
select a suitable candidate for the position.
It was said that even as the HNS, the
deceased was able to complete her Masters
degree and PhD programmes before she
was cut down in her prime.
Woman survives herdsmen
attack in Abia
Abia State has also had its share of
unnecessary killings. Early this month, the
Police command arraigned a herdsman,
Salisu Garuba, for the attempted murder
of a lady, Esther Ibemecha.
The herdsman was arrested for cutting off
Ibemecha’s four fingers at No 1 Pepples
Road, Ogbor-Hill, Aba when she asked the
suspect to move his cattle away from her
business premises where she sells drinks.
Ibemecha, currently receiving treatment
at the Abia State University Teaching,
ABSUTH, Aba, said she runs a beer parlour
and hails from Asaga in Ohafia council area
of Abia State.
Narrating her escape from death at the
General Hospital, Aba, Ibemecha said,
“On Sunday 31st of March, around 4:37pm,
I was going to my shop at No.1 Peoples
Road, Ogbor Hill.
“I couldn’t pass or enter my shop because
a herdsman with his cows blocked the way.
I asked the herdsman to move the cows out
of the shop area, but the herdsman
threatened to cut off my head. I thought it
was a joke and insisted that the herdsman
move his cow, but before I could know what
was happening, the herdsman hit me with
a stick. As if that was not enough, he
brought out a machete, trying to cut off my
head, I defended it with my hand and it cut
off my four fingers. People were not around.
“When the herdsman saw that blood was
gushing out and that my cries have
attracted attention, he ran away. I pursued
him with the blood and was shouting. I
ran to the military checkpoint near the area
and reported the incident and the soldiers
went after him and arrested him. They
knelt him down and flogged him with his
machete before handing him over to the
police.”
Police Public Relations Officer, Abia State
Command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna,
confirmed the arraignment of the suspect,
saying he was arraigned for murder and
was later remanded.
Late last year, police
operatives in Abia State
arrested three suspects
for allegedly robbing,
kidnapping and killing
a serving member of the
National Youth Service
Corps identified as
Nnadozie Ohanyerem
in Umuahia.
The suspects were
Uchenna Kalu,
Augustine Ihekoronye
and Eze Anthony. The
deceased was a serving
corps member in Rivers
State who came to Abia
to visit his friend at the
Escoba Estate,
Umuobia, Olokoro
suburb of Umuahia but
was ambushed by the
suspects while driving
into his friend’s
residence in the estate.
The suspects robbed
him of his cell phone
and that of one Daniel
Ayelabola who came to
open the gate for him.
The suspects abducted
the deceased in his
Toyota Avalon car with
I thought it was a
joke and insisted
that the herdsman
move his cow, but
before I could know
what was
happening, the
herdsman hit me
with a stick
number plate KYA 383 E and later shot him,
threw away his body along the Olokoro
Road, while his car was taken to other gang
members in Owerri, Imo State.
The deceased’s car was taken to one
Martins Anthony, a car dealer and the
alleged kingpin of the gang, through the
help of a naval officer identified as
Victor Oparacha.
Luck, however, ran out on the
suspects when Anthony called the
father of the deceased and told him to
pay some money into his account for
him to return the stolen car.
Last November, a self-acclaimed
evangelist, Prosper Peter, killed his
friend, Kelechi Iwuanyanwu, a pastor
in a new generation church in Umuahia.
He recruited three persons that murdered
Mr Iwuanyanwu, his alleged mistress and
Woman Leader in the church, Ruth Eze and
Kalu Ikeagwu, the assistant pastor.
Iwuanyanwu, who was the founder of
Winds of Glory Ministry, Umuahia, was
murdered along with the two others at his
residence, located at Umuobia Housing
Estate in the early hours of October 14.
Narrating how the deceased was killed,
the suspect said he and the hired killers
laid ambush in front of Mr
Iwuanyanwu’s residence around
midnight.
“As soon as he came back and
opened the gate, the boys
went into the apartment,
where they matcheted the
three of them to death,” he
said.
He said the original plan
was not to kill them, but that
they were killed after one of
the killers realised that he
had been recognised by one
of the deceased.
Anambra gets
baptism of fire
ANAMBRA was one of the
few states where the problem
between the herdsmen and the
local farmers did not escalate
when it started because of the
way the state government
handled the matter. Before
government’s intervention,
reports of alleged rape of
women and
destruction of crops
belonging to
farmers, as well as
the frequent
killing of cows
belonging to the
herdsmen were
the order of the
day in many
communities
in the state.
Worried by
t h e
development,
•Late. Rev. Fr.
Governor
Clement Ugwu
W i l l i e
Obiano set
up a joint
security
task force comprising the police, the army,
the navy, the paramilitary outfits, the local
vigilante groups,
government officials,
traditional rulers and
presidents general of the
town unions, to handle
the matter and ensure
that peace reigned in all
parts of the state. After
series of meetings, the
task force ordered that
any group that violated
the agreement would be
sanctioned.
For instance, it was
agreed that in the event
of any attack that led to
loss of lives, the victims’
families would be
adequately compensated
and the appropriate value
of crops destroyed and
cows killed would be
paid for by those
responsible. With that
arrangement, peace
returned in most of the
communities and the
herdsmen controlled the
movement of their cows
with very minimal
destruction of crops.
However, there still
exist cases of attacks in
some communities,
•Late Dr (Mrs)
Maria Amadi
which are attributed to
the influx of herdsmen from other
parts of the country, who were not
registered with such
communities. The
unregistered herdsmen,
it was gathered, were
the causes of the
continued loss of
lives and property in
parts of the state,
particularly in
Anambra East and
Anambra West local
government areas of
the state. This area,
lying along the
Anambra River, is the
food basket of
Anambra State, with
its year- round
availability of
g r e e n i s h
environment,
which, perhaps,
was the attraction
of the herdsmen to
the area.
Despite the
promise by both sides to maintain the
peace, occasional security breaches still
occurred. Last week, the people of
Mmiata in Anambra West local
government area were taken unawares
when some people suspected to be the
militant arm of the Fulani herdsmen
swooped the area and killed about six
persons. Several others who were
wounded were later taken to hospitals
for treatment.
One of the survivors of the recent
attack at Mmiata Anam, Mr.
Augustine Udalor said the survivors
escaped death by the whiskers. He told
Saturday Vanguard that all the local
farmers now live in fear, as they have
become afraid to go to their farms.
“The frequent killing by the Fulani
herdsmen is causing excruciating
hunger in Anambra West local
government area and we do not know
when this will end,” he said.
Narrating his experience to Saturday
Vanguard, Udalor said: “It was
around 10: am when I was working in
my farm close to my house and one of
our neighbors came and told my wife
that the herdsmen were around. Ten
minutes later, my wife told me that she saw
heavily armed eight Fulani herdsmen with
guns and machete. I didn’t know that they
had already killed five people at
Agweugbu.
“Unfortunately, we did not know when
our neighbors ran way. I ran to a point and
hid. It was God that saved us because they
came and searched for me. In fact, they
almost saw me where I hid because I was
looking at them very closely, but they could
not see me.
“They were eight in number, one of them
was carrying a bag loaded with gun, while
the other eight were holding machete in
their hands. Before then, they had also
killed four persons in the nearby farm
settlement called Iyiogbu Camp and
burnt their houses.
“After staying for some hours in the
bush, I came out and started searching
for my wife and the other woman. By
then some people had started calling
me. I came out and saw my wife and
she then told me that the Fulani
herdsmen had killed Chief Obugo
Nnakwe who was fetching fire wood
before the herders came and gave
him deep cuts. My other neighbour
was also inflicted with machete
while she was running.”
He said that although his people
had issues with the herdsmen on
2nd January, 2019, when two
herdsmen raped the wives of two
local farmers, the issue was later
resolved to the satisfaction of
both sides, adding that his
people did not know that they
would come to attack the farm
settlements.
Another indigene of Mmiata
Anam, Mr. Ojukwu Obakasi,
who is a senior special
assistant, SSA, to Governor
Obiano told Saturday
Vanguard that life is no longer
the same in his area. Going
down memory lane, Obakasi
said: “Following skirmishes
between the herdsmen and
farmers in the area, during which
some lives were lost on both sides
in December last year, the herdsmen
pulled out of Anambra West, but their
militant wing who are usually armed to
the teeth, have been attacking some
communities at odd hours in Anambra
West.
He said: “The crisis began in December
2018 when there was a clash between
farmers and the herdsmen. We tried as
much as we could to quell the crisis, but
before peace returned, many lives had
been lost on both sides and property worth
millions of naira, were destroyed.
“However,, since that December 2018,
there had been intermittent skirmishes
between the herdsmen and the local
farmers. Several meetings were also held
between the leaders of the herdsmen and
the farmers and the knotty issues were
again resolved.
“Subsequently, the herdsmen, on their
own volition, left the troubled area, but their
militant arm has been coming to cause
trouble, killing people and
destroying property. They usually
come at night when the people are
already asleep. Their modus
operandi was to start firing in the
air and anybody that stepped out
of his house became a victim.
“After the attack that usually
lasts less than 10 minutes, they
run back towards the Kogi State
border where they usually come
from”. According to him, the
problem is that there is a porous
border between Kogi and
Anambra states, stretching into
hundreds of miles, which is very
difficult for policing by security
agencies.
The traditional ruler of
Mkpunando Otu and chairman of
Anambra East traditional rulers’
council, Igwe Alex Edozieuno,
who spoke on the herdsmen/
farmers clashes, said that even
Anambra East local government
was not spared in the weekend’s
attack and called on the state
government to intervene in the
misunderstanding between
Fulani herdsmen and Anambra
West because their presence had
continued to generate tensions in
the area. .
Narrating how Anambra East,
which is also Governor Obiano’s
local government was attacked by
the herdsmen at the weekend, the
Monarch said: “They (Herdsmen)
crossed from Anambra River and the first
people they saw were from Ezi-Agulu Otu
in Anambra East where they killed two
Continues on pg 15

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—15
Catholic priests, innocent ones falling victims
Continues from pg 14
people, an Anam indigene and the other, an
Abakaliki indigene, apparently thinking
they were from Anambra West. The killing
nearly caused a war between Aguleri and
Anam people, until there was information
that herdsmen also killed other people at
Mmiata, which helped to douse the
tension.”
Igwe Edozieuno also explained how
traditional rulers from the two local
government areas were almost detained
when they honoured an invitation by the
Commissioner of Police to answer
questions on the recent attack, adding that
what saved them was that another
traditional ruler, Igwe S. O. Nnose of Ifite
Anam, volunteered to identify them.
He said further: “The herdsmen claimed
that some of their men were killed along
with their cows in the past. These
herdsmen are occupying Anambra West
and Anambra East and the state
government, should therefore know how to
handle the situation because it has been a
source of frequent killings in the area.”.
Following the recent attacks in some
communities in Anambra West local
government area, the state police command
said it had deployed two units of the Mobile
Police Force and other regular policemen to
the troubled area to maintain peace. Police
Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr.
Mohammed Haruna said investigation into
the incident had begun, assuring that the
state police command was on top of the
situation.
Eight butchered
over boundary dispute
in Ebonyi
Ebonyi State is known for unending
boundary disputes either with a
neigbouring Cross River State, Benue State
or communities within Ebonyi State. Just
recently, eight persons including a three
months baby were killed in a renewed
boundary dispute between two communities
in Ebonyi state. Six of the victims were of
the same family were burnt to death in a
bus they were traveling in while two others
were killed from bullet wounds they
sustained from the attacks.The attack
happened along the Alex Ekwueme Federal
University Ndufu Alike road near the
border between the two communities.
Police Spokesperson, Loveth Odah said
one of the victims was a wife of a Police
officer serving in the state but who is on
secondment to Bornu State to fight
insurgency in the Northeast.
According to her, “It is a longstanding
dispute between Ndiagu Alike community
in Ikwo Local Government Area and
Enyibichiri community in Abakaliki Local
Government Area that erupted the on
Saturday. A vehicle was seen burning on
the road, allegedly set ablaze by warriors
from one of the communities. The victims
were coming from Abakaliki where they
attended a matriculation of their son. Five
of them were from the same family
including a little baby and one is a
neighbour who joined them. They were
burnt to ashes.
“Also three other persons were also
attacked and two of them were killed. One
of them, a woman was the wife of a police
officer deployed to Bornu State”, she said.
Reacting to the development, Governor
David Umahi organised a stakeholders
meeting with leaders from three local
government areas where some of the
killings took place. They included
Enyibichiri in Abakaliki local government
area, Echie Alike in Ikwo local government
area and Umuogodoakpu and Ukwuagba
communities in Ohaukwu Local
Government Area. Enyibichiri and Echie
Alike have been having interactable
boundary dispute for decades.
Umuogodoakpu and Ukwuagba
communities have been having boundary
dispute with Agila community in Ado local
government area of Benue state which over
the years have claimed many lives.
“If there is any further aggression against
the Agila people that will result to our
people being killed, you will present
yourself for arrest and prosecution
immediately. If the chairman is not able to
protect the lives of his people, then he is
not worthy to be the chairman. He should
resign or I sack him, whether it is
constitutional or not constitutional is
immaterial to
me. What is important is the lives of
Ebonyi people and the constitution that we
swore to uphold.”.
Cultists kill,
maim in Imo
Cultists have taken centre stage in Imo
and recently, left three dead and many
injured. A week ago, Imo State police
command paraded five suspects over the
killings by cultists in Nekede, Owerri West
local government area of the state. The
killings took place during and after
elections in the state.
Although the police restored calm in the
affected areas, it is evident cultists are
holding sway in Nekede community of
Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo
State .
According to the State Police Command,
“This singular incident sent fears within
people living in Nekede and its environs. I
am glad to inform you that the command
rose up to the occasion and brought the
incident under control and today normalcy
has returned to the area.
In view of the above, five cultist were
cultists paraded which included Martins
Iwuagwu 28-yr-old; Obinna Ojike 25 yrold;
and 18-yr-old Chibueze Kalu. Their
victims according to the police were a 39-
year-old, Chidi Obilonu, and Cyracus
Ekejiuba 45-year-old.
In another another development, two
persons were shot dead on March 14 by
cultists. The suspects were arrested and the
exhibits recovered from them. They made
useful statements to the police admitting to
be members of a secret cult.
The cultists according to Orlando were a
22-year-old, David Ogbonna and 21-yearold,
Oparaugo Joseph Onyebuchi, all
males and their victim was a male named
David Udeme.”
According to the police, “On 17/02/2019
at about 21 00hrs, the above named
deceased, a suspected member of Supreme
Vikings Secret Confraternity was
gruesomely gunned down by unknown
My wife named her killers before she died
—Husband of murdered psychiatric Nur
urse
se
By Dennis Agbo
Marcel Amadi is the husband to late Dr Maria Amadi, the Deputy
Director, School of Post Basic Psychiatric Nursing, Federal
Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, who was murdered in front of
her House on March 212019. Mr. Amadi recalls the problems her
wife encountered in her work place and what she told him before
she finally gave up the ghost on his palms.
How it happened!
Thursday 21st of March 2019 was a dark day for me. My wife
was coming back from work and on her way to open the gate and
enter inside our compound; some assassins were waiting for her.
She greeted them and passed according to the children who were
here. What they saw was that they started raining bullets on her,
pump action. That was between 4 and 5pm and they started calling
me on the phone and my son had gone out to barb his hair. I was at
the Press centre for a meeting when my phone rang, that this is
what happened and that they need my attention. So I rushed to
Parklane hospital emergency unit and saw my wife battered, in
pool of blood and the nurses and doctors were battling to save her
because my wife worked there before going to the federal
neuropsychiatric hospital Enugu. Before then, my sister gave my
wife phone and she said Daddy I am alive. When
I got there, I saw the quantity of bullets they
rained on my wife. The parklane people did
their best, they wanted to carry out operation
on her abdomen because that was where it
shattered her and they said we should rush
her to Niger Foundation hospital. Inside the
ambulance I was holding my wife with
oxygen with three pants of blood but she
didn’t make it.
Before my wife died, she was shouting,
even when I came, she said ‘Daddy these
two people have killed me.’ They are two
people (names withheld). Even the DPO
of a police station confirmed that because
the DPO followed her down to the hospital,
taking records of what she was saying. She
said that they have succeeded in killing her;
she was screaming and calling their names
until she gave up.
Before that incident, my wife was complaining that
these people were worrying her and that she had
nothing to do with them. She said she told them to
assailants of a rival cult group at Legacy
Hotel Ihiagwa in Owerri West L.G.A.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives of
Anti – Cultism Unit of the Command
swooped into action and raided a number
of suspected secret cult group hide-outs
where a number of suspects were arrested.
“On interrogation, the above named
suspects confessed to belong to Black Axe
Secret Confraternity that orchestrated the
gruesome murder. Investigation is on-going
while efforts are on top gear to apprehend
other fleeing members of the syndicate.”
However, he said that apart from the five
suspects arrested in connection with the
alleged cult killings, he also listed as the
exhibits recovered from them, “Two Beretta
pistols; One locally made pistol; Two 9mm
live ammunition and one live cartridge. A
sharp kitchen knife.”
A narrow
escape
Just after the elections, an aide to the Imo
State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Imo
West Senatorial candidate Jones Onyereri,
Nnamdi Nsorom was attacked by suspected
political assassins.
Nsorom was reportedly shot at the front
of Onyereri’s house behind concord Hotel
in Owerri, Imo state.
The incident happened around 7am to
8am where Nsorom reportedly sustained
several gunshot injuries. He was taken to a
hospital for treatment.
Before this time, a party agent to the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was shot
dead by suspected thugs belonging to
political rival groups in Eziama Obire in
Nkwerre local government area of Imo
state.
The Imo state Police Public Relation
Officer, PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed
this to newsmen in Owerri.
Bitter experience
Before the advent of cultists, Imo
communities had bitter experiences in the
hands of suspected dreaded herdsmen said
to be camping in their communities.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that the
herdsmen caused a serious damage to
farmlands and to an extent caused harm on
the rural dwellers, included Owerri west,
Owerri North, Okigwe, Ohaji Egbema
among others.
It was gathered that the affected
communities have continued to expect
compensation on their damages farmlands
which never came their way.
The ugly story came to a point that the
Imo State chairman of Miyetti Allah, Audi
Dikko, openly apologized to the affected
communities.
He said: “I want to apologise to farmers
in Imo State. Imo State is a peaceful state
and we have been living peacefully with
the people of the state. We want to say
forgive us. We are happy that the Imo State
Government has formed a committee to look
into this issue and we believe that there will
be positive outcome.”
Also, Eze Iheanacho Ndukwe of Amagu
community in Okigwe Local Government
Area, said: “The problem is that among
these Fulani herdsmen, we have one group
that is organised and the other group is not
organised. This particular group that is not
organised goes into our farms with arms and
destroy them.
“Let me tell you, we normally have this
problem during the rainy season. Let us say
the truth, there is a group that comes into
Okigwe with dangerous weapons.”
leave her alone in the school, that
anything they wanted to do, they should
go ahead and leave her alone but not
to come to her clinical area because my
wife was the head on nursing
department there, HNS, which she
was promoted recently after bagging
her PhD in Nursing, the only person in
Enugu state that has bagged PhD
in Nursing profession. In
December 2018, they
promoted her to Deputy
Director.
She told me that these
people didn't want her
to put legs on the
ground. I asked her
•Mr Marcel
how and she said she
Amadi
just wanted to let me
know and that she
took it as just the
normal administrative
embarrassment. She
had worked in
Parklane hospital, in
the state ministry,
UNTH, Orthopedics
Hospitals. It’s just jealousy; that they didn't want to
be under her. She said they could do anything they
wanted to do and that is where we are now.
“

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
CJN ONNOGHEN:
NJC has saved
the bench from
shame — Ogbara
•Says: arraignment of NBA’s President politically
motivated, attempt to weaken the Bar
•Says Lawyers can’t be prosecuted for money they
earned as legal fees under money laundering act
•Frowns at too many-count charge by prosecutors
Nurudeen Ogbara, a constitutional
lawyer and human rights activist,
believes the National Judicial
Council, NJC intervention in Onnoghen’s
case has brought decency and sanctity to
the process and therefore be commended.
In this interview with Saturday Vanguard,
the former chairman of Nigeria Bar
Association, NBA, Ikorodu branch, Lagos
state, who was the Secretary of National
Association of Democratic lawyers, and a
Director, Citizens Assistance Center, also
said the current travails of the
President of NBA, Paul Usoro were
politically motivated and an
attempt by some elements to
weaken the Bar.
What’s your take on the
current travails of the
president of the NBA,
Paul Usoro, culminating
in his trial for alleged
money laundering of
the payment of his
legal fees by the
Akwa Ibom state
government?
The President of
the Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA,
Paul Usoro has
the support of the
Nigerian lawyers
who voted for
him in the last
bar election. A leader will have problem
when his members are not supporting him;
the Nigerian lawyers are fully behind him.
That is not to say that there are no lawyers
who are not opposed to certain things
under him. But majority of the lawyers are
solidly behind him. As a matter of fact what
you called the travails of Usoro are political
issues. Before the election, issues of money
laundering and bribes to judges
particularly at the National Industrial court
were raised. To many of us, these issues
were raised to create doubts on the
candidacy of Usoro. Every lawyer who
wanted to vote was aware of the issues and
believed that these were not
impediments to his
qualifications and
assumption of office of the
President of NBA. The ones
bothering on ethics were
resolved as raised by a senior
learned member, Chidi
Odinkalu SAN, and the
President responded that a
judge of the National
Industrial Court had
approached him and
requested for assistance that
he wanted to do his birthday
or something. Out of his
generosity, he gave the judge
his widow’s mite. He had no
case pending before the
judge concerned. He also
stated that the same judge
had also approached other
lawyers and they equally
gave him some money.
Interestingly, all these
lawyers were also invited by
EFCC. The judge was
A leader will
have problem
when his
members are
not supporting
him; the
Nigerian
lawyers are
fully behind him
•Nurudeen
Ogbara
actually funny as it were, extorting money
from people. So, what offense has Paul
Usoro committed? At every forum of the
NBA, Usoro mentioned it even before the
election.
On the money laundering issue, I think
it is very unfortunate that the NBA election
has been heavily politicised. This is very
unfortunate. Those who raised the issues
were his opponents. But again, that can also
be settled in a way because it arose before
the election to stop Usoro. All the lawyers
were aware that the allegations existed, yet
we voted for him. So, what it means it that,
no matter what it is, that is our choice.
Therefore, having won the
election, the question of
moral impropriety is
removed.
They raised those issues to
derail him, to blackmail him
and make him abandon his
vision but the man Usoro acts
like a lion, he was not scared.
He was vindicated by the
result of the election.
Again, why was he not
arraigned in court before the
election? Why did the
opponents wait until after the
election? I believe that the
arraignment was done in bad
fate and very unfortunate.
Their intention is to weaken
the Bar and I think that the
legal profession is what all
of us should cherish and
protect. The Bar will remain
united and like the rock of
Gibraltar.
Without going into the
details of the case because that will be
subjudice, hypothetically what would be
the implications of this case to the practice
of law?
Yes, that is why I don’t want to go into
the details. The implication, however, is that
this development tends to promote
impunity. There is a decision of Hon Justice
Gabriel Kolawole that legal practitioners
cannot be prosecuted under the money
laundering act, and to the best of my
knowledge, that decision has not been set
aside. Yet, we are still arraigning legal
practitioners under that, whether President
of NBA or not, that is lawlessness and
impunity. That is what happens when we
refuse to do the right thing or follow due
process. It is really a bad signal.
If this is another impunity and lack of
due process, how can you juxtapose this
scenario with Onnoghen case?
The two are different. The Onnoghen was
largely declaration of assets with
allegations of corruption especially with
issues of questionable gift of vehicles.
Again, remember Onnoghen is public
officer whereas Paul Usoro is a private legal
practitioner. Again, the way the issue
was handled, including senior
lawyers was not good enough.
The senior lawyers did not do
well at all. I make reference
to some lawyers who
appeared on the national
television to say there was
no charge and that the
learned CJN should not go
to the code of conduct
tribunal. I did not agree with
them. I refrain myself from
public comment on the issue
because sometimes, silent is
golden. Constitutionalism, rule
of law and due process imply
that you follow what is
good and do what is
right. To say he
shouldn’t appear in
the first place is
to rubbish the
judicial
process, and
that is the
height of
impunity.
As the
number
one
legal
officer in the country, the best example
must always be shown by him. At the end
of the day, see what happened, he appeared
and the trial went on. So, why the brouhaha
in the first place. Now, we heard that he
has voluntarily resigned, after NJC had met
and taken a decision. I commend the NJC
on the way and manner they handled the
matter. They have brought decency and
sanctity to the process. For the NJC, some
of us would have found it difficult to speak
in the public and I think the legal
professional body must commend the NJC
for the prompt intervention.
Since the time of the military
governments, the NBA has always been in
the forefront of the campaign for Rule of
law, how far can the Bar carry on this task
in view of these developments of unethical
allegations on the one side and impunity
and lack of due process on the other hand?
I am very positive because the NBA has
no other responsibility other than
championing the rule of law. In fact, if you
look at our motto, it is promoting the rule
of law. It is our fundamental objective and
MBA will continue to be in the fore front of
enthroning rule of law and good
governance because it is in such situation
that the practice of law becomes
meaningful. The Bar will continue in that
task. It is true that there are challenges,
that is part of life and the NBA will rise
above these temporal and man-made
challenges. We know that the Bar is
seriously being challenged by some
ethical issues, but it will still remain one
and solid. I plead with the opponent to
allow this gentleman to concentrate on
his programmes, two years will soon
be over and there is always another
time to contest. They should forget
whatever grievances they have in the
interest of a united Bar. I also urge the NBA
president to be broad minded and
magnanimous and embrace the perceived
enemies. He is the father of all the lawyers
in Nigeria today and I pray he will be like
the Wole Olanipekuns and the late Ala Aka
Bashoruns whose records are yet unbeaten.
He has started well and I wish him more
successes.
There have been allegations against law
enforcement agencies of impunity, what’s
your take on it?
The law enforcement agents are not doing
well in this regard, particularly SARs. You
saw the lawlessness that led to the killing
of a Nigerian who had gone to the watch
football and another lady in Ijede, Lagos
State. It is unfortunate. I think we need to
do more where the leadership of the police
will intensify efforts and go beyond
occasional condemnation. It is not enough
that the culprit will be put into the
guardroom and later dismissed for wasting
the life of promising Nigerians. It is more
of psychological issue, and they need
periodic in-house training, retraining, reorientation.
This is necessary so that every
policeman will know that he is not expected
to shoot at will either deliberately or
mistakenly at the citizen.
Do you support the scrapping of SARs or
its reformation in view of several cases of
extra-judicial killings?
Yes, I agree totally that SARs has been
associated with lawlessness and therefore
should be scrapped. If we have a new body
in place with new orientation from the
beginning, it will engender mutual respect
and bring about effectiveness in policing
the society. They will see the citizen as a
friend and a promoter of citizens’ rights and
responsibility.
What do you think should be the
panacea to the cases of incessant killings
in Zamfara, Kaduna and some other parts
of the country?
I think the incessant killing in Zamfara,
Kaduna, Benue and of course Taraba must
stop. There must be a holistic solution. The
first thing to do is that the leadership
should determine what the root cause of the
problem and tackle it headlong. The
problem is not the Boko Haram thing but
ethnic colouration. I also can’t see religious
colouration. There is conflict of economic
interest. We can interrogate that. Is it
because of farmlands? The state leadership
must be able to identify that because they
are closer to the people. If it is a matter of
agitation for local government creation or
wards, let it be. Those who are involved
should also imbibe the spirit of forgiveness.
All of us are stakeholders in this Nigeria
project. The state governments should
make recommendations to the federal
government and put in place appropriate
mechanisms to address their grievances.
Mere deployment of security operatives
does not address the root cause of the
problem, it is only a temporary measure and
once they are out of the area, the crises
erupt again. So, the main issue is
to address the major and the
root cause of the problem.
Peace will last forever only
when there is justice.
What’s your take on the
CJN Onnoghen saga and the
war on corruption on the
Bench?
I believe the anti-corruption war is
on course. We only need to sanitize the way
and manner it is being handled such that
there is no room for victimisation and
persecution. For instance, the Paul Usoro
case is a typical case of persecution given
the way it was carried out. First, it started
as a political campaign, then to propaganga
to stop him from winning the election. To
their dismay, he won the election and
suddenly, he was arraigned. That is not fair.
Yes, if a lawyer committed an offence, he
should be arraigned. The proper thing to
do is to carry out investigation before the
arraignment of the person and not the kind
of public and media trial that we see in this
country. I also want the anti-corruption
agencies not to load lawyers with many
cases. It is not good even for the lawyers
and the system. Again, the method
o f arraignment of 36-count
charge
is
preposterous. It
slows down the court
process. We can
make 5-count
charge instead of
loading the court.
•NBA
President
Usoro

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019 — 17
•Regina
•Continues on page 18

18 — SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
Regina Daniels: Flamboyant
lifestyle of a kid star
Continues from page 17
“Have you heard from her? I can confidently tell you that she is not married. She is still very much single. Ordinarily,
she could afford to buy the house, jeep, wrist watch and can travel to anywhere as she is on top of her game. She is
acting back to back and collecting good money. Have you forgotten that she was the spokesperson of Nollywood
during Atiku Abubakar's Presidential campaign? She was well- remunerated with mouth-watering packages. She
has paid her dues and she can afford to take very good care of herself,” Yisa was quoted as saying in an interview.
Also, in 2017,news went viral that the actress had leaked her best friend, Casie Snow’s nude photos on Facebook for
refusing to sleep with a movie producer. This was later dismissed as false and Regina's name was not dragged
to the mud.
However, Regina wouldn't take chances as she jetted out of the country to cool off in Dubai with her
mother few days after her marriage rumour went viral on social media. For her, there's no amount of
scandal that would kill her joy or stop her from living her dream to the fullest. The actress is a product of
raw talent, which is surely working her magic. Her critics are quick to behold her wealth and flamboyant
lifestyle, but they are blind to acquaint themselves with her story. For anything, the fair-complexioned
actress is not scared of the antics of her critics, not even when she has no rules to live by and never
thinks about who she is competing with. She's focusing on her own work, which is steadily speaking
for her and shaming her critics.
Regina, who recounted her story in her emotional birthday message to her mum, was not born with a
silver spoon in her mouth. In fact, her mother struggled to put food on the table before fortune smiled on
her through her daughter. She revealed how her mother dropped her own career for her own young
career and how she ended up as single mother because of her children.
“My world, my pride, my strength, words fail me to say how perfect you are. The journey of Regina
Daniels started with a woman (Rita Daniels). You were determined to see me succeed, you put a hold on
your own career to enable me grow. You were looked down by people who now beg to feature me in their
movies, You begged for food for your children to survive, you hawked, you carried
cement so we could have a roof over our head. You pushed wheel barrow to earn
an income, you did menial jobs just for survival... I know that no matter what
I do, it can’t repay you for all that you have done for me. You walked out of
your marriage for our sake, suffered a lot of humiliation, you didn’t have
a life of your own, you lived your life all for your children ( birth and
adopted) You feel my pain even without a single word from me. Thank
you mummy for being you,” she wrote.
This is her story which her critics have failed to reckon with. It wasn't
all rosy for Regina from the beginning, but there's always a reward
time for hard work. And that's exactly what she's reaping today.
Not forgetting that when she eventually became a big star, her fees
increased astronomically compared to when she was paid N10,000,
after starring in her debut movie, “Marriage of Sorrow.” Regina,
who's presently an undergraduate at Igbinedion University in
Okada, Edo State, revealed that she subsequently earned about
N600,000 per movie. Also, report had it that her estimated net worth
is put at $350,000, making her the richest teen actress in Nigeria.
At 14, Regina had acted in more than one hundred movies and still
counting. .In the past few years, Regina has had a wonderful run.
Her films such as “Python Girl”, “The Bat-Man”, “The Jericho”,
“Plantain Girl”, “Jaja The Great” among others have not only enjoyed
commercial success, and garnered critical acclaim, but also, marked
her transition into a more substantial engagements. Interestingly, the
roles she played in the movies surely set down a
template by which the 19-year-old actress has tried
to abide: that there's
a way to be successful in Nollywood by not following
a formula. This is her world, let
her live and enjoy it to the fullest. There's always a
time to enjoy for one's hard work, and
for Regina Daniels, and her mother, the time is now.
Luck also comes with hard work. Enjoy it, while
it lasts!
•Members of the cast of 4th Republic
ollywood actress, Kate Henshaw was the cynosure of
Nattraction,when one of the most anticipated Nollywood
films of 2019, ‘4th Republic’ premiered last Sunday, at
IMAX, Filmhouse Cinemas, Lekki, Lagos.
Henshaw played the lead role of Mabel King, in the movie
that chronicles the current political situation in Nigeria.
The premiere played out the election theme with PVCs,
ballot boxes, and
election staff as ushers.
With a dress code
themed ‘Your
Excellency’, the stars
and guests explored the
inauguration themed
dress code in full force.
Members of the cast
and crew; Kate
Henshaw, Enyinna
Nwigwe, Linda
Ejiofor-Suleiman,
Sani Muazu,
Enyinna Nwigwe,
Kemi ‘Lala’
Akindoju, Bimbo
Manuel, Yakubu
Mohammed were joined
by star guests Sola Sobowale, Waje, Tope
Oshin, Chigul, Omojuwa, Kehinde Bankole, Linda Osifo,
Lilian Afegbai, Denrele Edun among others at the colourful
premiere.
Directed by Ishaya Bako, '4th Republic' is woven around a rigged
election, violence and an intense election tribunal to claim the seat of
governor from a corrupt incumbent.
“The feedback has truly surpassed our expectations,” Director Ishaya
Bako explained. “I am very grateful to everyone for their turnout at
premiere, we can’t wait for everyone to finally see our movie April 12”
he added. Meanwhile, speaking on her role in the movie, Henshaw
•Regina
My experience in politics helped me to
play the character of Mabel King
—Kate Henshaw
...as political movie, '4th Republic' premieres
said her involvement in active politics about five years ago really
helped her get into the character. She further expressed how the
emotions she had to portray playing the role came from a real
place.” In 2014, I contested for the Federal House of Representatives
for Calabar Municipal. I brought my experience and emotions
into the character.”
“It was quite an experience because the movie portrays our political
terrain the way we do politics here in Nigeria. I hope everybody
love the movie from the feedback I'm getting,” said Henshaw
who got standing ovation after the screening of the movie.
The plot mimics Nigeria’s current political situation; a presidential
election marred by allegations of rigging, pockets of violence across
the country and an aggrieved presidential candidate, in court for
his mandate. It is out nationwide April 12.
‘4th Republic’ is written by Emil B. Garuba and Zainab Omaki.
The film is co-produced by Griot Studios Ltd. and Amateur Heads
Productions with Bem Pever, Ishaya Bako, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju
and Ummi A. Yakubu serving as Producers. The film is funded by
grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA). 4th
Republic was shot on location in Abuja, Lokoja and Lagos. It is
distributed by FilmOne Distribution. The movie also was
premiered in Abuja, on Thursday, and thereafter hit the cinemas
across the country yesterday.
After her campaign manager Sikiru (Jide Attah) turns up dead,
gubernatorial aspirant Mabel King (Kate Henshaw) challenges
the victory of the incumbent, Idris Sani (Sani Mu’azu) for her
mandate. King is supported by her aide Ike (Eyinna Nwigwe),
and Sikiru's daughter Bukky (Linda Ejiofor) while Sani's associate
St. James (Bimbo Manuel) and Ike's Law School rival, Danladi
(Yakubu Mohammed) try to take down witnesses.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—19
ROTIMI AGBANA
07054964685
rotimiagbana@gmail.com
What my father told me before
he passed away - Late
Barrister’s son, Barry Jhay
Music-making was
never the plan for
popular afro-beat
music singer, Oluwakayode
Junior Balogun, a.k.a
Barry Jhay, son of late
Fuji music king,
Ayinde Barrister, but
based on his father's
dying wish he had no
choice but to
embrace the craft.
In a chat with
Showtime, the
‘Aiye’ crooner
revealed how his
father convinced him
to take after his
m u s
legacy.
i c
“ M y
late
dad
•Barry Jhay
Nigerian reggae-dance-hall
singer, African China has
advised Blackface,
embittered member of defunct
music group, Plantashun Boyz, to
quit his continuous attacks on
popular afro-pop singer, Innocent
Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba.
In a chat with Showtime, the 'Mr.
President' singer explained why
Blackface must stop his incessant
ranting that 2face betrayed him.
“I said it before and I will say it
again Blackface should move on
with his life and let 2face be;
because up till now he has not
given any reason why he is angry
with 2face. For me right now, he's
losing a lot of his fans and it's not
good for him or his music.”
Recall that Blackface accused
2Baba of stealing his songs,
‘Let Somebody Love You’ and
‘African Queen’, and took
sole credit for both songs
and refused to share
royalties from both songs
with him as the original
owner.
Meanwhile, the matter is
yet to be settled but is
already before Justice
Oyefeso at the Ikeja
High Court,
pending when
the case would
be called for
hearing.
used to tell me that I would
become a musician but I used
to cry whenever he said so;
but I’ve been recording since
the age of five. My dad
was the creator and
founder of Fuji music; so
it’s like another
industry on its own.
Africans use black
power while they
are doing their
music; some of
them when their
colleagues go for
performance, they
would use black
power to do
s o m e
stuff
that
I don’t understand. They
make them vomit blood or
render their spine useless.
So, when my dad used to
me that I’d do music, I used
to say no because I’ve my
special gift and talent. I
told him I couldn’t get
involved in black power. It
was after my dad died I
realized I had no choice
but to do music, because
I couldn’t let his name
die just like that.
Before he died he
told me that if I
don’t do music I
may not survive”,
he said.
Speaking further, he
explained why he doesn’t
have a university education
even though during his
father’s lifetime, he could
afford it.
' All I know in my life is
music; I cannot read any
other thing. I told my mom
and dad, I told everybody
that the only thing I can
read is music production
and sound engineering. As
at that time, I never knew
music was what
was going to
feed me; but
thank God, I’m
improving”, he
said.
Why Blackface
must stop
attacking 2face
- African China The slums, ghettoes
•African China
•Slimcase
have been my
inspiration - Slimcase
For popular street music artiste and
hypeman, Oluwafemi Oladapo Oko-
Eko, a.k.a Slimcase it took 10-whole
years of persistence before gaining
prominence on the Nigerian music scene. But
the setbacks he suffered never deterred his
determination tobecome a star.
In a chat, Slimcase told Showtime what his
major sources of inspiration were during his
10-years of struggle to stardom.
“The slums of Lagos, the streets, the people,
the ghetto and its survival have all been my
source of inspiration over the years.”
He added that for him, making music for
10-years before gaining recognition was
God’s way of preparing him for what was to
come.
“It wasn’t a delay, it was God preparing me
for what was to come after.
Speaking further, he explained why he
describes himself as the second in
command and not the king of street
slangs. “No one can come out to say
he is the king of Lamba but the king
of street because Lamba comes out
every day, so, to be on a safe side I
call myself ‘Otunba Lamba’. It’s like the second in
command; if you want to be the king you’re free”, he noted.
The ‘Azaman’ hitmaker noted that among other things,
his experiences so far in the Nigerian music industry have
taught him to trust in God.
“My experiences have taught me to trust in God and in
my savings and investment because music comes and
goes, so I invest. Not everything you see on social media
or TV is real; everything is packaging, so, know what
you wish for”, he said.
Speaking about the sacrifices he had had to make for
his music career so far, he said; “I have invested money
that I should invest for tomorrow and I’ve invested time I
should have spent to build relationships with loved ones
on this thing called music.”
•Omawumi
Music powerhouse, Omawumi
Megbele, professionally
known as Omawumi has
revealed what she and fellow musician,
Waje, who is also her long term friend,
have in common.
According to the ‘Bottom Belle’
singer, the friendship bond she and
Waje have shared for more than a
decade is more of a spiritual thing.
“I don’t even know where the bond
came from; in fact I’m tired, somebody
should come and carry her away
(Laughs). To tell the truth, I think it’s
primarily a God kind of bond. Waje
and I have a lot of things in
common; we almost speak the
same language. If Waje hears
something she knows that I’m
going to love it. One of what we have in common is that we pray a lot
together”, she said.
Speaking further, she rubbished insinuations that Waje’s love for her
may be borne out of the favours Waje had enjoyed from her in the past.
“That’s bull crap! I don’t get it, let alone understand it. I think Waje
has given me a lot; dare I say more than I’ve ever given her. But that is
the thing about us; we tend to outdo each other. If I buy a gift for Waje
today, tomorrow she would buy me a gift that is more expensive than
my own; and then the next time I’ll give her something more expensive,
that’s what we do. Waje was there for me at a time I did not allow anybody
into my life; and the decision that she helped me to make is what has
informed my being a mother today, but I won’t go into the details of that.
Waje has always supported every decision that that I took even when
she doesn’t agree with it. And its vice versa, because nobody is a kid; we
understand that whatever action we take as adults, we ought to be
accountable for it. So I think it’s an equal balance”, she noted.
There is the popular belief that being signed to a record label
owned by a popular musician would be less work and a
shortcut to stardom; such has been the case for fast rising
singer, songwriter and producer, Chisom Ifeachor, a.k.a
Cheekychizzy, who is signed to D'banj's DB Records.
In a chat with Showtime, the singer who just dropped a new
single titled ‘Kokoma’ shared his experience working with the selfstyled
‘Koko Master’.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege because it has really helped
my craft and expanded my horizon. It’s been tasking and so
educating. I have learnt a lot; good and bad. It’s been a great
experience working with the legend”, he said.
With plans to release more projects,
collaborations before the year runs out, plus
a likely body of work as he makes his way
into becoming one of Nigeria's biggest allround
music exports, Cheekychizzy has no
regrets signing a record deal with Dbanj.
“I’m blowing up by any means. A lot of
people have said that if I wasn’t with
Dbanj I would have probably been blown
now. But then I wouldn’t know if I would
be making as much money as I’m
making now. Without a blown
single I already toured the
world and made enough
money to take care of my
immediate and personal
needs. It’s about making
gain for your personal
self and family. I
always tell people who
tell me that I would
have blown if I wasn’t
sign to Dbanj’s
record label that if I
didn’t, I wouldn’t be
this knowledgeable.
I would have made a
lot of mistakes.”
Speaking further, he
shared what he has learnt
from the ‘Koko Master’.
“Trust me, I’ve learnt a lot
about the business side of
showbiz. I’ve been quiet for
years, perfecting my skills
and getting set for the game.
It’s time to put all I’ve learnt
to work. I hope they are
ready”, he said.
Waje and
I pray
together
a lot
- Omawumi
Working with Dbanj has been
rewarding - Cheekychizzy
•Cheekychizzy

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
By AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215
onikoyi68@gmail.com
Thousands
turn out to
audition
in Lagos
for the
‘Next MTV
Shuga Star’
Following a success
ful series of seasons
since it’s Nigerian
premiere in 2013 which featured
former child star,
Sharon Ezeamaka, Timini
Egbuson and more, MTV
Shuga is set to return to Nigeria
for its fourth season.
Thousands of young talent
filled the grounds of the audition
venue – Classique
Events Centre Oregun, Ikeja
– on Thursday, 4 April, for
a shot at making the series,
which airs from September
2019.
By the time the casting doors
opened at Classique, many
who travelled from within
and outside Lagos State
had formed queues that
stretched for nearly two
kilometers.
Their eccentric fashion
choices, catchy hair
statements and colorful
costumes and nervous
chatters were a sight to
behold as they waited
to impress the panel of
judges which included
Nigerian Television &
Film Director, Tope
Oshin, Head Writer,
MTV Shuga Nigeria,
Kemi Adesoye, Nigerian
TV Producer &
Filmmaker Tolulope
Ajayi and Senior Producer,
MTV Staying
Alive Foundation,
Wyn Baptiste.
On hand to give encouragement
to the
auditionees were people
who were in their
shoes not too long ago
– Shuga stars and
MTV talents such as
Timini Egbuson, Jemima
Osunde, Bukola Oladipupo,
VJs Ehiz, Sammy
Walsh and Nenny B and
more, who turned up to
lend their support.
MTV Shuga Naija is a
multi-sectorial partnership
involving the
MTV Staying Alive
Foundation and is
supported by MTV
Base Africa, the
Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation,
and the
United Nations
Population
Fund
(UNFPA).
This
y e a r ’ s M T V
S h u g a Naija TV and
radio campaign welcomes
award-winning director
Tope Oshin as producer;
known for setting the pace
for female directors in the
Nigerian movie industry, she
has earned accolades for.
MTV
Shuga
Bovi
Osas Ighodaro
Actress, Osas
Ighodaro’s pathetic
malaria story
Beautiful actress and
mother of one, Osas
Ighodaro, wife of
hunky actor, Gbenro Ajibade
will be joining the
world to mark the World
Malaria Day which comes
up on April 25, 2019. But
the delectable actress will
be walking her own World
Malaria Day Walk on
April 27, 2019, with
Meditol crew, an antiseptic
soap brand from
the stable of the Evans
Industries.
This year, the Evans
Industries team alongside
Osas Ighodaro
Ajibade’s Joyful Joy
Foundation will walk
for the cause on Saturday
27th of April 2019.
The walk will give the company
and its partners the opportunity
to create awareness
for World Malaria, educate
Standard of events, concerts
have gone down – Falz
It was an eye-opening epi
sode of MTV Base’s flagship
roundtable show ‘Musicology’
recently when some of the
biggest and brightest minds on the
Nigerian entertainment scene
were gathered to discuss the challenges
and future of the business.
One of the many problems discussed
during the enlightening
session is the nonchalant attitude
of artists toward their performances.
Speaking on this issue,
here’s what rapper, songwriter
and actor, Falz, said.
“Generally speaking, I feel standards
of events and concerts have
gone down. It’s almost like the consumer
takes whatever is thrown at
them. As a result, artistes have naturally
become lazy.”
Bayo Fatoba, Head West Africa (ULive
Africa), chimed in to further emphasize
Falz’s point by saying “We
believe in creating experiences for
artistes at ULive, it now depends on
how creative the artiste is, in accepting
what you have sold to them.”
Creativity, financial constraints,
quality control, consumer experience
and research were
some of the issues discussed at
the panel session. In order to arrive
at the solutions for these issues,
the panelists began the
journey to discovery by asking
some very important
questions.
One of the panelists
who asked many important
questions
was music industry
entrepreneur, Olisa
Adibua. During the
discussion about
creativity as it concerns
performances,
promotion and
ticket sales, Mr.
Adibua asked the
following “If from
January to November,
I see you at
everybody’s show popping
up here and there,
then you say in December
you want to do a concert,
why would I come to
watch you? What’s the
value you’re bringing?”
In March 2013, ace
comic Bovi debuted his
one-man stand-up
comedy special ‘Man on
Fire’, produced by Flytime
Promotions. The show was a
colossal success, promoting a
second edition which was held
in October, 2014, and a third
in May, 2017.
The comedy special showcased
Bovi’s unique style of observational
comedy, weaving relatable
stories and current affairs into
satire. Beyond Nigeria, the comedian
took the spirit of good cheer
people on the role mosquitoes
play in the spread of the
disease and ways to prevent
and cure malaria to help reduce
death rates.
With 219 million cases of
malaria in 2017, the sub Saharan
Africa has the highest
share of the global malaria
burden and mosquitoes are
the root cause of malaria. According
to the actress, this is
enough reason to combat the
scourge headlong.
‘My own pathetic story is
one I have to live with for life
because I lost a sister to the
dreaded disease. When my
sister died, she did not die
alone, she was pregnant and
we lost her and the baby she
was carrying. Such is the brutal
reality of malaria. It does
not discriminate, it can affect
anyone and anyone can be a
victim,’ she said.
Falz
Comedian, Bovi set for final edition
of ‘Man on Fire’ comedy show
to other cities like Toronto, London,
and New York, where his jokes were
met with the same level of delight and
enthusiasm.
After 6 years, Bovi is ready to put on
the biggest edition of the Man on Fire
special, for what we anticipate will be
the biggest greatest finale of the decade.
He is pulling out all the stops
and promises this finale will be a
show like none before.
The fourth and final edition of the
Man on Fire franchise will take place
on the 28th of April, 2019, at Eko Hotels
and Suites.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13 , 2019—21
By Adetutu Adesoji
08157255559 (sms only)
adetutu.adesoji@gmail.com
Stop buying my
music, Simi
tells Yahoo boys
Singer, Simi has taken a tough
stand against internet fraudsters
popularly known as Yahoo
Boys. The talented songstress in an
Instagram video post condemned
the act of fraud which has become
popular among youths over the
years and according to her, it is
tarnishing the image of Nigerians.
Reacting to claims that Yahoo Boys
are the ones who patronizes her the
most, the Joromi singer urged the
so-called fraudsters to stop buying
or listening to her songs as she
doesn’t want to be patronized with
money gotten from fraud.
However, the viral video has
earned Simi a major backlash from
social media users and also music
producer, Samklef who asked her to
leave them alone and focus on other
pressing issues facing the country.
•Toke
Makinwa
Toke Makinwa
makes acting debut
On-Air Personality, Toke Makinwa
is spreading her tentacles in the
Nigerian entertainment industry
as she makes acting debut in movie
‘Makate Must Sell’. It would be recalled
that the popular media girl hinted on
going into music few months ago.
Toke joins the likes of Toyin Abraham,
Chigurl, Nedu and others as she
plays the role of a rich single lady
in the soon to be released
movie.
•Cee C
•Simi
•Mimi
Cee C shuts down
dating rumours
Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Cynthia Nwadiora
popularly known as Cee C has finally refuted dating
rumours that has trailed her and fellow housemate, Leo Da
Silva. The closeness between the duo had sparked dating
rumours for months and the social media influencer who
seems to have had enough of the rumour went on Instagram
to clear the air on her relationship with Leo.
She wrote; “Sir Leo and I are friends and will always be
friends. The shippers who want to stop being a fan simply
because they don’t think a woman can be successful without
being tied to a man, Bon Voyage! Please make space for
people who truly believe in me, my mission and my
potential, love you all regardless.”
Actress, Yvonne Jegede
has revealed that she
now takes permission from
her parents before going
out. The mother of one
who recently moved out of
her matrimonial home said
in an Instagram post that
life has become more
Bolanle Olukanni
preaches self-love
Popular TV host, Bolanle Olukanni recently went on
Instagram to preach self-love to whoever cares to listen as
she talked about her struggle with self-consciousness while
growing up. The Ndani TV host revealed that she struggled
with having stretch marks as a teenager because it affected
her confidence as she had to cover up at all times.
However, according to her, as a grown woman she has
gotten over her teenage/young adult years struggle and has
realized that having stretch marks is not a big deal. She
took to Instagram to post a picture of herself in a dress
that bared stretch marks on her shoulders as she
encouraged people with the skin condition to stop
feeling self-conscious about it as they are
beautiful no matter the odds.google
ggoogle
Mimi Orjiekwe
reunites with ex
husband
Alluring actress, Mimi Orjiekwe
at the weekend, reunited with her ex
husband, Charles Billion albeit for a very short
period of time. The estranged couple putting
their differences aside came together to
celebrate the birthday of their
daughter, Jasmine.
The light-skinned actress took to
her instagram stories to share
pictures and videos from the lavish
party.
I now take permission to go out from
my parents, says Yvonne Jegede
interesting with her son,
Xavier in it although she
has to adhere to strict
curfew from her parents.
“These days I have to
take permission from my
parents to go out and I
have certain time to be
back home. Because of my
oga Xavier, life has become
•Yvonne Jegede
•Bolanle
even more interesting.
Everything works out for
good in my life. I can’t
complain, nothing to
complain about because
I’m grateful to God, for
His grace is sufficient for
me,” she wrote.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019,
Nigerian business magnate,
investor, and owner of the
Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote clocked
62. Sharing a photo of Dangote, business
tycoon and chairman of Forte Oil,, Femi
Otedola took to Instagram, extolling the
virtues and accomplishments of his longtime
friend.
He wrote: “Happy birthday to the
greatest man that has come out of Africa.
My brother, the Visionary, owner of the
2nd largest sugar refinery in the world,
the largest cement factory in the world,
one of the largest flour mills in the world,
the 2nd largest fertiliser plant in the
world that is due for completion, and the
biggest oil refinery in the world. Aliko
Dangote is a titan that God created
specially for mankind. You have broken
every boundary in worldwide business
and industry. Thanks for the brotherly
love ... F.Ote”
Juliet Ebirim
08137897935
juliet.ebirim@gmail.com
Femi Otedola celebrates Dangote @ 62
On Miss Ojuloge
Nigeria 2019
Plans are in top gear for the 3rd edition of
the Miss Ojuloge Nigeria Beauty
pageant. Tagged “The Ruby and Beauty
Edition”, the pageant is scheduled to hold in
Ibadan this October.
Miss Ojuloge Nigeria is a cultural and nonbikini
pageant founded in 2017 to promote
cultural and moral values through modern
age fashion. The pageant also seeks to
achieve global advancement for Nigerian
women in the society and prepare great
women for the world.
According to actress, TV host and convener of
the pageant, Ajadi Olajumoke Ewatomi “The
Ruby and Beauty (3rd) Edition of Miss
Ojuloge Nigeria will focus on
enlightening the youths on the
implications of child molestation.
“We intend to educate and
enlighten each other as
youths on the legal and
moral consequences,
including the
aftermath of child
molestation.”
Recall that the
reigning queen,
Adeshina Ifeoluwa
Rokeebat, who is
known as Miss
Ojuloge World
2018 recently
embarked on her
pet project tagged
“Project Inspire”,
where she
•Miss Ojuloge 2018
distributed books
and various school
needs across
primary schools.
•Gov. Abiola Ajimobi
and wife, Florence
•Otedola and Dangote
Thumbs up for
‘Knockout’
Since Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP)
announced that ‘Knockout’, its new comedy
movie, would start showing at the cinemas
this Easter, families across Nigeria and Ghana
have been joyfully counting down the days left for
them to watch the comedic masterpiece.
Following that announcement, which
commenced on 1st March 2019, it has received
tremendously-positive results as the movie trailers
have been viewed over 1.2 Million times across
several online and social media platforms, as well
as several broadcast stations nationwide.
The big-budget movie’s impressive cast is made
up of different generations of comedy superstars
including Sola Sobowale (Toyin Tomato), Charles
Okocha, Toyin Abraham, Chinwetalu Agu,
Odunlade Adekola, Patience Ozokwor, Broda
Shaggi, Ali Nuhu, Eniola Badmus, Papa Ajasco,
Mama Ajasco, Pa James, Alinco, Miss Pepeye,
Ajasco, Francis Odega, Afeez Oyetoro (Saka),
Nnenna, Desmond
Elliot, Funky
Mallam, Kenny
Blaq, Ngozi Nwosu,
Yaw, Tayo Amokade
(Ijebu), Klint Da
Drunk, Segun
Arinze, Amaechi
Muonagor, Jide
Kosoko, Princess,
Tony Akposheri,
among others, as
well as some
electrifying cameos
by 9ice, Derenle
Edun and Jaywon.
Knockout will be
available at all
cinemas across
Nigeria and Ghana
starting Easter
Friday, 19th April,
2019.
Oyo State Governor,
Abiola Ajimobi, has
described his wife,
Florence, as paragon of
virtue, who gives generously
to the needy and is always
solidly behind him, showing
support in all his
endeavours. Ajimobi
recently revealed the reason
he loves his wife of 39 years
dearly. In an Instagram post,
the governor wrote; “The
love I have for my wife is
because she is an epitome of
pure love; she’s always giving
without expecting anything
in return; she’s very loving,
accommodating, caring,
generous... Flori, you an
embodiment of Godliness;
you are the snow in my
winter; you are the USP
(unique selling point) of my
brand; you are my
masterpiece of nature. Ever
since we met, you have been
making high deposit of love,
‘Blooming Greens’
breaks new
boundaries
Borne out of passion of the founder
Mrs Susan Babatunde Yamah to
redefine early childhood
education, through character grooming
and eclectic teaching approach to
harness potentials, as well as nurture
future leaders through sensitive
development of the mind and intellect,
Blooming Greens School was established
on the 4th of June 2016 with pomp and
pageantry. Dignitaries in the education
sector, including three first ladies from
the Eastern part of Nigeria. Imo, Enugu
and Abia states were present.
The school held the maiden edition of
its game festival yesterday, April 12,
2019. Speaking about the event, the
proprietor and CEO of the school, Mrs
Susan Babatunde-Yamah said “Our
maiden Games Festival is what we are
celebrating now. These are giant strides
that many schools struggle to achieve in
decades. But ours is different, we do it
right, applying International Best
Practices in all we do. Little wonder our
growth is in leaps and bounds. This is
phenomenal!”
Comedian - Koffi tha Guru, Nollywood
Actor - Segun Arinze and many others
were present to thrill and inspire pupils
and guests.
•Blooming Greens founder -
Susan Babatunde-Yamah
•L-R:
Eniola
Badmus,
Amaechi
Muonagor
and Tony
Akposheri
Abiola Ajimobi’s love letter to wife
care and Godliness in my
life’s bank account... I
love you today and I will
always love you.”
He also wrote an
affectionate letter to her
on her 60th birthday.
The governor published
the letter on Friday in
national dailies, wishing
her what he described as
‘diamond birthday’.

How Burna Boy
brought NYC's
historic Apollo
Theater to standstill
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—23
No cold war between
Mercy Aigbe, Cossy
Orjiakor and I -Isoko Boy
Social media sensation, Clement
Akpobome Ogudu a.k.a Isoko Boy has
cleared the air over the rumour making the
rounds that there's a cold war between
him and some popular Nigerian
celebrities including Mercy Aigbe and
Cossy Orjiakor.
The South Africa-based
comedian has been at the
receiving end of criticism by fans of
the two actresses after he took
shots at their lifestyles in some of
his viral videos. In the recent viral
post, the comedian took pot-shots
at actress, Mercy Aigbe for
exaggerating her physical features
with use of photo-editing
applications. He also took shots at
voluptuous actress, Cossy Orjiakor
for a racy photo in swim wear. His
popular, often controversial video
commentary on social media
regularly draw favourable and
unpleasant attention from his fans
and other social media followers
alike. Although laced with humour,
this has incurred the anger of some
Nigerian celebrities and their fans.
The Isoko South Local
Government born talent also runs
Delta Fashion Week and his Media
Outfit rose to prominence after
emerging one of the leading
contenders in a social media
challenge thrown open by Wizkid.
“I think a lot of people got me
wrong,” he said, adding “I don’t
have anything personal against
these actresses. I was just doing my
usual video skits the way my fans
love it served. I always advise those
who go to any length to impress on
social media in most of my videos.”
By BENJAMIN NJOKU with
Agency report
Reggae-dancehall singer
and songwriter, Burna
Boy was in full “African
Giant” form last Friday
night, when he took over Harlem’s
historic Apollo Theater for
a sold out show, marking his return
to New York City, ahead of
his highly-anticipated, upcoming
set at Coachella.
While the artiste follows in the
steps of fellow African acts, including
Salif Keita, Sarkodie, and
Black Coffee, who have all soldout
shows at the Apollo, Burna
Boy is the first Nigerian singer
to have accomplished this feat.
The storied venue has also hosted
legends in the likes of Fela
Kuti and Miriam Makeba in the
past. The occasion felt special-like
a sort of cementing of the cultural
influence of Nigerian pop
music.
The seats of the close-knit space
filled quickly as the night’s hosts
entertained the well-dressed and
energetic crowd with the usual
Ghana versus Nigeria banter.
The lively audience chose to ignore
the theater’s signature velvety
red seats in favor of standing
and jamming out to the string
of now decade-old “Afrobeats”
classics played by DJ Buka ahead
of Burna’s arrival.
A few openers later and Burna
Boy hit the stage in a confident
stride, triumphantly scoping out
the jam-packed crowd before
reaching down to meet fans’ expectant
hands.
He opened his hour-and-a-half
long set with “Heaven’s Gate,”
his 2018 collaboration with Lily
Allen, before jumping into the
2013 banger “Yawa Dey.”
This was followed by performances
of nearly every track from
his celebrated 2018 album Outside,
throwing in renditions of
one-off releases like “Deja Vu”
and “Hallelujah” in between, as
well as earlier fan-favorites including
“Like to Party,” “Don
Gordon” and the heavily Fela-
inspired “Soke.”
He brought out British-Nigerian rapper Dave
for a performance of their recent collaboration
“Location,”as well as choreographer and 100
Women Honoree Izzy Odigie who showed off
her impressive zanku during “Killin’ Dem.”
Of course, the song on everyone’s mind was
“Ye,” the anthemic hit, which closed out the
night. As if on cue, the audience went into an
uproarious sing-along as soon as the beat
dropped, leaving Burna with little work to do
besides holding out his microphone in the
crowd’s direction.
Before the show’s end, the artist called for a
moment of silence and (phone) lighters raised
in honor of Eritrean-American rapper Nipsey
Hussle and Kolade Johnson, who was killed
by Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS) last Sunday. It was clear that the fickleness
of life and the importance of cherishing
loved ones was on Burna’s mind, even during
the cheerful occasion. ‘Whoever you love, tell
them you love them at all times,” said the artist
in a parting message. “Cause you don’t know
when life is going to end and you’re never
going to see them again...make sure you do it
as much as you can because when you’re gone
and you can’t do it anymore, you’re going to
feel like a dickhead for not doing it now.”
Mabel Oboh’s NGO visits ailing Lord
of Ajasa, calls on top entertainers to
support the rapper
Veteran ghetto singer and official ambassador of
Mabel Oboh’s Centre for Save Our
Stars,MOCSOS, Baba Fyro has called out top Nigerian
entertainers to come to the rescue of ailing indigenous
rapper, Lord of Ajasa.
The “Dem go dey Pose” crooner, made the call during
his recent visit to the ailing indigenous rapper in his Lekki,
Lagos residence. The visit was facilitated by the founder of
MOCSOS, Mabel Oboh, a veteran broadcaster and actress.
She lamented the health challenges confronting the
*Mable Oboh, Lord of Ajasa and Baba Fyro during the visit.
Nigerian entertainers,
saying ‘it’s seriously
getting out of control.’
Recall that the
indigenous rapper *Isoko Boy
was diagnosed of
peptic ulcer and
needed urgent surgery before the state of his condition was
made public. He was later hospitalized at the Ikorodu
General Hospital before he was discharged.
Soliciting support for the ailing star, Baba Fyro called on
all the top entertainers in the country to show some love
to the ailing rapper.
Oboh said although Lord of Ajasa is recovering speedily,
he still needs more financial assistance to enable him
carry out some test that would determine if an operation
needs to be carried out on gallbladder or not. MOCSOS
boss, however, advocated the need for a nationwide
campaign to be staged to create massive awareness on
the importance of having a health insurance policy.
According to her, early detection of ailments saves life.
“The NGO did not have health insurance scheme before
Lord of Ajasa took ill. We cannot abandon such a talented
star who has made a great contribution to the entertainment
industry to his fate. We need to assess Ajasa’s
haelth situation before taking up his case,” she added.
Meanwhile, Oboh has appealed to well-meaning Nigerians
to come forward to assist the ailing indigenous
rapper.

24—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
Benin celebrates OrO
festival with gla
•Oba Ewuare II (6th from left) accompanied by
the masqurades and chiefs performing the dance
By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY – THE palace
of the Benin monarch, Omo
N’Oba N’Edo Uku
Akpolokpolo Ewuare II was
agog with solemn spiritual
activities for fourteen days last week
as the Oba observed a revered festival
known as Ugie Ododua. The festival
was said to have been instituted by Oba
Eweka I to commemorate the return of
Prince Oranmiyan who was said to
have started the Oba rulership after
the interregnum witnessed in the
kingdom from the time of the Ogisos.
Vanguard gathered that the last time
the festival was celebrated was 17
years ago under the reign of Oba
Erediauwa. The festival which is at the
behest of the Oba lasts for 14 days
while the first seven days of the festival
are mostly held at night. It is also used
to showcase the rich culture and
heritage of the Benin people.
The Benin monarch, and his queens
The festival which is
at the behest of the
Oba lasts for 14 days
while the first seven
days of the festival
are mostly held at
night
were on ground to watch the ceremony
which had seven masquerades clad in
red. It was also an avenue for various
palace chiefs and other groups to come
out to pay obeisance to the monarch.
It was gathered that at about 1735,
Oba Eresoyen modified the masks of
the masquerades to the seven bronze
masks,which was modelled after the
masks of Osa Nuzala said to be a
spiritual deity from Uzala.
The climax of the festival was when
Oba Ewuare II emerged from what is
called Ugha-Ehengbuda with royal
dance steps and joined the seven
masquerades in a procession from
Ugha-Erhoba chambers alongside
Chiefs Osa and Osuan in an elaborate
sacred dance amidst rendition of
ancient songs by Ogbelaka royal
singers
The first seven days were observed
as indoor activities, while the last
seven days were for public
performances by the seven Ododua
masquerades at Ugha-Ehengbuda in
the Palace.
The Ugie Ododua which is
synonymous with Ovia Deity featured
ritual dance performances by seven
masquerade dancers.
The 2019 edition of Ugie Ododua
attracted people especially lovers of
the rich Benin culture and tradition to
the Palace while members of the royal
family, Chiefs, Women, Youths and
other guests were in attendance.
The Ugie Ododuwa began
immediately the Oba sat on his royal
chair at the Ugha Ehengbuda in the
Oba Palace. The Seven Ododua
Masquerades then came out in a
single file from Ugha-Erhoba
accompanied by members of the Iwebo
Palace Society, Chiefs Osague, Osa
and Osuan of Benin. The seven
masquerades were led by the one
carrying the “Ukhure” and each of the
masquerades took turn to pay homage
to the Omo N’Oba in a peculiar way,
followed by Chiefs Osa and Usuan of
Benin as well as Chief Osague.

anmiyan
mour
The ceremony gave
opportunities to the
seven masquerades
which are integral part
of the festival, Chiefs
Osa and Osuan,
members of Iwebo and
various palace
societies, priestesses of
different deities and
native doctors of
various classifications
to pledge unalloyed
loyalty to the monarch
•Edo State Acting Governor, Comrade Philip
Shaibu (l), Crown Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare and
his uncle Prince Aghatise Erediauwa
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—25
masquerades retired to Ugha-
Erhoba in the Palace.
Throughout the event, it was only
the Ogbelaka Group that beat the
drum and sang different songs
which the seven masquerades
danced to.
The ceremony gave opportunities
to the seven masquerades which
are integral part of the festival,
Chiefs Osa and Osuan, members of
Iwebo and various palace societies,
priestesses of different deities and
native doctors of various
classifications to pledge unalloyed
loyalty to the monarch.
According to the Osague of Benin
Kingdom, Chief David Idabie who
was the Chief Coordinator of Ugie
Ododua, the celebration of the
event started during the reign of
Oba Eresoyen and was the
responsibility of the Iwebo Palace
Society while Chiefs Osa and
Osuan of Benin were mainly in
charge of affairs during Ugie
Ododua.
The Osuan of Benin, Chief
Aimuanmwosa Osuan who also
spoke said that it was used to thank
God and the ancestors for the
successful ascension to the throne
by the Oba. According to Osuan of
Benin, the ceremony was also used
to commemorate the successful
return of Oranmiyan, the son of
Ododua to Benin Kingdom, as well
as the return to Obaship era, after a
period of interregnum.
Chief Johnson Usen, the Osa of
Benin Kingdom who spoke on the
significance of Ugie Ododua said
it was one of the sacred and
spiritual performances by Osa and
Osuan for the Oba of Benin.
The Osa of Benin Kingdom
explained that Ugie Ododua
means many things, but
importantly, it is also used to ward
off evils from Benin Kingdom in
particular and Nigeria in general.
Chief Usen said Ugie Ododua is
used to pray for the well-being,
good health, protection and
abundant blessings for the Oba,
members of the royal family, chiefs
and people of Benin Kingdom and
indeed Nigerians.
The costumes and other
paraphernalia used during Ugie
Ododua are kept by the Iwebo
Palace society. The ceremony can
only be performed on the request
of His Royal Majesty, and it is
usually presided over by the Oba
of Benin.
The Edo State Acting Governor Rt.
Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu led
other government functionaries to
the ceremony, while the former
Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius
Egberanmwen Odubu was also in
attendance. The Crown Prince
Ezelekhae Ewuare, Iloi (Queens),
members of the royal family, Chiefs,
Igie-Ohen, Edionwere, market
women, youths and other guests
were also present at the ceremony.
•Oba Ewuare II and his wives
After the initial paying of
homage, the seven masquerades in a single line
began to dance in a very unique way before the Oba
to the drumbeat and songs by the Ogbelaka Group.
This dance was repeated seven times. After the
seventh time, the seven masquerades again came to
offer prayer for OmoN’Oba, members of the royal
family, and the people of Benin Kingdom. Chiefs
Osa, Osuan and Osague also took their turn to pray
for the Oba of Benin, thereafter, the seven
•The seven Masqurades in one of
their dances at the event

26—Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019
The gist in town now is that prices of
food and commodities in the market
have reduced drastically. But many
men both on and off social media say this
is not reflected in their family’s cost of
living as their wives have either continued
to demand the same feeding allowances
or more. This has raised other issues
about women and how they manage the
family finances, otherwise known as
housekeep allowance. So, during the
week, I had a discussion with a group of
women and men, to find out how they
manage this money. Most of the
discussants say it is never enough and
they always have to add their personal
money to it. Some say there are germane
reasons why women must keep part of
the money for themselves. What do you
think?
For Abbah, 38, housewife,
a man can only get his
money’s worth. How?
“House keep allowance is a man’s
responsibility. Whether he has or not, he
must leave something. If he earns N50.00,
he must leave a part of it for the feeding
of the family. That is why he is the man.
That is why he is the husband and that is
why he is given the status of the head of
the family. By all consideration, whether
religion, tradition or even morally, it is
binding on the man to feed his family. That
is the only way he can be a real, fulfilled
man and he too can be happy with
himself. It is true that most men feel that
their wives have a way of short changing
them through the housekeep allowance,
but that should not be an excuse for not
meeting up to one’s responsibilities. As
long as a man is eating his money’s worth,
he should not concern himself with how
much has gone into its preparation. Real
men must not concern themselves with
such petty things.
So, do you take out of the
housekeep allowance for
personal use?
It will be foolish of any woman to spend
all that her husband gives her on feeding
the family. Our mothers used to say that a
prudent woman will not eat with all her
fingers. So it is not a crime if a woman
with holds some of the money. That is the
way our mothers taught us to do it. I am
not working so that means I cannot
have money of my own except to take
out of what my husband gives me. On
the other hand, I also believe that it is
not all that I need that I must demand
from him. I can’t imagine having to ask
him for money to buy underwear or
even cloths. So, what I do is to save from
the feeding allowance. It is this money
that I use for all these little needs in
the house too. This does not include
things like repairs around the house or
medicines when the children are ill. It
is for things like cutting or plaiting the
children’s hair, buying underwears,
emergency pencils and exercise books
and little things like that.
I take the money monthly because I
can buy in bulk to save some money.
Retail buying is very expensive. House
keep allowance ought not to cause
problems between couples, but it is just
that many men are suspicious of their
wives. A few years ago, I complained
to my husband that the money he was
giving us had become inadequate.
Even though he acknowledged that
the economy had worsened, he refused
to increase it. His excuse was that he
knew men on grade level 06 with
our size of family who are living happily
and eating well too. I asked if he had
visited such people and seen what they
were eating but he refused, insisting
that his salary had not changed. So, I
took my own decision, if he wants
grade level 06 food, I will gladly cook
it. So I did and within a few days, he began
screaming. I told him that was grade level
06 food and when he realised I would not
budge, he had to do the needful. Only an
insensitive and wicked man will not want
to feed his family well if he has the money.
Such men never complain about what they
Yetunde Arebi
Women, how do you
manage the housekeep
allowance?
It will be foolish of
any woman to
spend all that her
husband gives her
on feeding the
family
are given at home because they know
what it can lead to. What I save is not even
up to a quarter of my needs but because I
need to keep my home I must manage. I
cannot compare myself with working class
women and wives of rich men. You must
know your limits”.
Shade, 32, trader and student, keeps an
account book for the family expenses.
“My husband gives me feeding allowance
every week. The feeding allowance is just
to make stew. He buys every other thing
by himself. I only buy pepper and what to
cook it with. As a student and trader, I have
some money of my own but it is not
enough to meet my needs. He is
responsible for my schooling as well as
our son’s. It is not that we are rich, but he
tries his best. My husband is a man that
loves to be in charge. He believes that it
is his responsibility to take care of his
family and that even if I have money, it is
for me and whatever I wish to spend it
on. I have come to understand him and so
we do not quarrel.
So, what do you
do with your
own money?
It is a little bit complex
but it has worked for us
so far. I have a book I
record every kobo I spend
on the house or on myself
and our son. At the end
of each week, I sum it up
and he refunds it with the
soup money. It is like I am
borrowing him the
money. Sometimes he
may not have it at the end of
the week, so we roll it over
and he gives me eventually.
I have a younger brother
living with us and he is my
responsibility, but every
other thing is my husband’s
responsibility. I think the
arrangement is good for us
because sometimes, even
before I ask, he would tell me
to bring my books and pay
me off.
I thank God for my husband
because I know that there are
men who are naturally stingy
with their money, especially
when they know that their
wife has some form of income
too. They will always try to
give what they know is
inadequate so that the
woman will always be forced
to add her own money. Such
marriages may eventually
have problems. In fact, I
know an aunt whose
husband never leaves money
for food once they have a
quarrel. You know there is a
way you can communicate
even if there is a quarrel. You
may drop the money on
the table or give it to the
children to give to their
mother. But my aunt’s
Twitter: @yetundearebi
yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk
08054700825
husband uses it as an opportunity
not to give anybody money, even
his children cannot get anything
from him at that time. To make
matters worse, he does it ever so
often”.
Gladys, 45, accountant,
says, sometimes, there
are genuine reasons to
take from the feeding
allowance
“I don’t gain from feeding
allowance, instead, I add my own
to it. You see, I don’t enjoy cooking
at all. Maybe I should be married
to a very rich man but destiny
dumped me where I am. I hate
having to go to the kitchen all the
time. It takes up too much of my
time and leave me too tired to do
some other important things. So,
what I do is to cook in excess of what
we need and store in the freezer. To do
such large cooking, I have to add my
own money to whatever my husband
gives me. I don’t ask for refund. I
believe this is part of my contribution
to the success of the union. Sometimes,
he gives me more than enough and I
spend it on something else in the house
or on the children. If I really want him
to buy something for me, I ask him and
he will buy it. So, there is really no need
to spend feeding allowance on
something else. It is a joint project and
each of us must contribute to make it a
success.
The problem is that many women love
to copy each other. When they see
someone doing something, they want to
do it also. It is not bad to desire
something good but not when the thing
is not compulsory or you know you and
your husband cannot afford it. That is
where many of these problems comes
from. Women must realise that besides
feeding, men are responsible for shelter,
planning for the future of the family and
taking care of the extended family
amongst other things. So, diverting
feeding allowance to other things is like
contributing to keep the man down
perpetually. Unless a woman has
genuine reason to believe her man is
spending the family’s resources in
ways detrimental to the wellbeing
and success of the family, feeding
allowance should not be a big deal.
She has to learn to manage
whatever is available. There is a
season for everything and so there
is a time to make sacrifices,
especially in the early years of the
marriage.
So, what would these
genuine reason be?
If a man is obviously not
responsible, I see no reason why a
woman must help to put food on the
table for him to eat. She should just
take care of her children until he
comes to his senses. A man that does
not leave enough money for his family
but is spending on other women, cannot
expect that wife to be cooperating with
him with her own earnings. Some men
go clubbing and visit beer palours and
mama ‘point and kill’ to enjoy
themselves without leaving enough at
home. Some men don’t have girlfriends
because they are too stingy but they
will spend on their own personal needs
and never for the needs of their
spouses. Such men will only give
just enough or even not enough and
expect everything to be normal. For
me, these are genuine reasons for a
woman to watch out for her interest
and that of her children”.
More respondents speak next
Saturday. Do have a wonderful
weekend!!

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019 — 27
I ventured into Waste Recycling to create
jobs for vulnerable women, keep
environment clean
—Olamide Ayeni-Balogun, Founder Pearl Recycling
By Destiny Ezeaga
Mrs. Olamide Ayeni-
Babajide is the
founder of Pearl
Recycling, a social enterprise in
Nigeria engaged in the recycling
of solid waste into sustainable
and eco-friendly products. The
social entrepreneur, motivational
speaker and environmentalist
explained why she started Pearl
Recycling in 2016, a passion she
enjoy doing, raising young
entrepreneurs and transforming
the life of vulnerable women in
the societies. Excerpt
What inspires you to go into
Waste Recycling?
My first inspiration came from
the fact that every morning on my
way to work I see a lot of women
who are unemployed begging for
alms to survive. It became a huge
problem for me to give them alms
and at the same time I realized
that they will definitely come
back to continue begging.
Secondly, I see wastes
everywhere and the impacts on
the environment are enormous
which is a big concern for me. So,
in 2012, I traveled to United Arab
Emirates, UAE, for an official
assignment. It was at that point,
I bought a wall décor from a store
and discovered that the wall
decor was made from waste
which actually caught my fancy.
From that moment I began to
think of what to do with the
wastes we generates in this
Nigeria, how to empower these
women, build a product from
waste of international standard
and keep the environment clean.
That inspired me; seeing two
different problems including the
problem of waste and
empowering vulnerable women
who I know are ready to learn.
So, in 2014, I started waste
recycling business before I
ventured into it fully in 2016
...From waste recycling,
challenges and achievements?
We have done quite a lot as a
small company in Nigeria. It is a
known fact that businesses like
ours is not likely to survive at
inception. But, we have survived
and today, we trained over 250
women with vocational skills on
how to turn waste into beautiful
products. We are currently
donating 400 chairs to 20 public
schools in Lagos made from
waste. We are training 800
students from public schools on
waste management. The idea is
to train 40 students in each
school and have about 85
students joining the recycling
club. Also we have been able to
change the mindset of more than
2 million people who follow us
on our social media platform on
wastes. As an organization we
are happy seeing those people.
We have orientation on waste
management. The environment is
becoming better and people are
empowered to give back to their
community. For instance, one of
Olamide Ayeni-Balogun
our students based in Ibadan
created forty playgrounds in forty
public schools using waste that
is a huge impact for the students
and the community. Looking at
our challenges, the ease of doing
business in Nigeria is poor; you
have to struggle to survive every
day. If the government laws are
not choking you, the taxes will
be choking you. It is hard to
survive in an environment like
that. The environment is not
friendly for you to build on your
ideas and vision. We also have a
problem of perception of people
on waste, a lot people see waste
as waste because that is how they
grew up. So telling them to
change and accept new
orientation on waste
management becomes difficult.
We also have problem of
mentors, and being a creative
industry there are dearth of
mentors who understand what we
do. So most time when we are
face with challenges, we hardly
find mentors we can count on and
who understand us deeply and
can proffer solution.
...Tell us about your
organisation.
Pearl Recycling is an
organization that was
established for profit. As we
T h e
environment
is becoming
better and
people are
empowered
to give back
to their
community
moved on we saw the need to
change a lot of thing in our
structure. We realized that we
need to give back to the
community as part of our
corporate social responsibility.
In doing so, we cannot tell the
community to pay us for the
impacts, so we became a hybrid
organization. This means that,
we channel 30 percent of our
profit to impact the community,
making us a profit and at the
same time non-profit
organization. But we are
registered as a profit
organization, a limited liability
company. On funding, we
generate revenue and from our
revenue we make profit which we
used to run and sustain the
business. When we started this
business, we got few grants from
Tony Elumelu Foundation and
WIMBIZ which help us in getting
an office space and scale up our
operations
Apart from grants from Tony
Elumelu Foundation and
WiMBIZ, do you have any
Government supports?
Pearl Recycling did not get any
support from the government
that is just the truth. As a matter
of fact, we have more support
from the international
organizations than the Nigeria
government. Most of the
supports came from the America
government and organizations
inclduing the Ford Foundation,
the US Embassy Abuja through
Department of State. We are
looking at other companies to
invest and support us.
What is the criteria for
selecting those women for
training programme?
We focus more on unemployed
women, vulnerable women,
widows, single mothers, jobless
individuals and unemployed
youths who are poised on
engaging themselves. Through
our social media platform and
website we announce an opening
for them to apply. The training
is not free, but fortunately, last
year, the training we conducted
was free because Ford
Foundation paid for 100 people.
There is criteria for selecting
people, We select people without
jobs and help.
Is the fee for the training
affordable?
It is affordable. And we have
training for the downtrodden. We
give them 50 percent discount for
undergoing our training. Our fees
are affordable because we look
at so many other things. The fact
remains that when you start this
business and you are serious
about it, you will definitely
recoup in one month after the
training. The raw materials are
everywhere which is wastes. So
we look at all these things. We
see skills acquisition centers
everywhere which are quite more
expensive than what we charge,
and we also understand the fact
that something that does not cost
much may really not make sense.
So when the training is made
free, a beneficiary may decide to
forget about it and go back to
his or her normal business but if
it costs them something they will
appreciate it more. So these are
other things we are looking at.
What is the response after
training. Is there a mechanism
for follow-up or mentoring?
As a matter of fact I do not
abandon them. I created a group
on Instagram and Facebook to
continue the conversation. In
fact, I do not capitalise on
vocational skills, I also teach
them on how to access
international grants because I
understand the place of funding
and capital in business startups.
That is why my training is
different from other trainings. I
help my trainees get TEF
scholarship, a lot of international
grants and local grants. I teach
them the rudiment of accessing
this grants beyond learning skills
and I also let them know that they
have to also balance their
smartness with hard work. You
really can not depend on 100
percent hard work alone. I do
not abandon them rather I place
priorities on communities of
women who are empowering
each other and lifting each other
up everyday
...And the competitive market?
The waste industry is a
lucrative industry depending on
the sectors. For me, it is about
understanidng your market and
implore a unique market
strategy. We have competitors but
we do not focus on them because
we have our focus on our rules
and principles of where we want
to be. Although, I appreciate lots
of people and firms that are
joining the business, if nothing
else, just to solve the problem of
wastes in our communities.
...Would you say, this business
is a blessing?
Well waste is not a blessing even
though it serves as our raw
material but the truth of the
matter is that there will be waste.
It could have been control waste;
control waste in the sense that in
the developed world they have
organizations that are taking
waste and people pay to throw
their waste. At the same time,
there are places designated for
people like us go to and pick what
we want out the waste. According
to the UN an average human will
generate at least 1.6kg of waste
daily, now imagine the number
of people on earth and in Nigeria
180 million people. The problem
is seeing waste on the streets,
drainages, among others which
becomes an eyesore and of course
not a blessing for us. That is why
one of the things we do at Pearl
Recycling is partnering with
people we know that generates
waste. Now for tyre wastes, we
partner with vulcanizers. We pay
them stipend to have these tyres
because we really do not want
these liters on the street.
However, waste is a blessing
because it is a raw materials but
waste on the street is a curse
because it causes sickness,
diseases, among others.
...Your future plans as an
environmentalist?
I am looking at creating an
academy, a hub for creative
environmentalists like us for
innovation and ideas. I want to
create that opportunity for
schools to bring in their pupils to
learn. I also want to create an
eco-friendly furniture mart in
Nigeria, like an alternative
furniture mart cheaper than the
conventional furniture and more
beautiful.

28—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
08116759759
Chinese artist poses naked with father's
remains after digging skeleton out of ...
'My looks have helped, I can't deny that'
A
former chef and
competitive bas
ketball player is
earning millions by sharing
fitness photos and
Australia
videos with her 2.5 million
fans on Instagram.
Jem Wolfie, who is based
in Perth, Western Australia,
sells her own merchandise,
workout and
recipe e-books, and earns
$30,000 a day using a
subscription-based social
media website called
OnlyFans.
Through her combined
business ventures the 27-
year-old has earned more
than $2million since last
August, according to
Perth Now, and her star
power is only set to rise
even further.
Miss Wolfie left high
school to work 70 hours a
week in the culinary
world, fast-tracking her
chef apprenticeship and
securing a cafe job.
But being a chef wasn't
all she had hoped it would
be, so she turned her focus
toward the Western
Basketball
League (WABL) and
started playing basketball
more competitively.
But in 2015 a serious knee
injury forced her off the
court and into the gym for
rehab, where she began
posting workout videos to
a small online audience.
A combination of gym
photos and basketball
trick shots set Miss
Wolfie's profile apart form
other Instagram famous
influencers like Tammy
Hembrow, and her follower
base began to grow.
Kanye West's recording
label Atlantic Records
even noticed what she
was doing - and wanted to
get involved.
'Let's say Atlantic Records
has Cardi B's new song to
push, they'll say, "Jem, we
want you to put this on
your next video", then when
Cardi's team has approved it, I
hit post,' she told the publication.
Knowing she was onto something,
Miss Wolfie decided to
keep some of her content behind
a paywall on OnlyFans - a
UK-based social media platform
that allows influencers to
charge followers a monthly subscription
fee for videos and photos.
A person can pay $15 a month
to view her content and since
last August the curvaceous
blonde has earned $2 million
from the website alone.
'I guess how I look on the outside
has helped my career a lot, I
can't deny that,' she said.
'But I have a line for OnlyFans
and I have a line for Instagram
because I believe that there's a
certain amount that should never
been shown, and I keep that for
a potential partner I'd be with.'
Despite hundreds of male commenters
leaving complimentary
messages on her social media
uploads, there are a lot of people
who don't believe Miss Wolfie's
body is real.
But she insists that her curves
have all been moulded in the
gym, and it's possible for anyone
to change their figure with the
right knowledge and movements.
Doctors discover four BEES living in
woman's eye and feeding on her tears
Chinese artist has sparked controversy for post
A ing photos of himself with his late father's remains
after removing the bones from his tomb.
The 33-year-old Beijing-based artist, known as Siyuan
Zhuji, exhumed his father's remains and arranged them
into a skeleton before lying down naked beside them
for a photoshoot.
He posted the images on art website Artand and Chinese
microblogging site Weibo on Saturday, a day after
Tomb-Sweeping Day, China's annual festival to pay respect
to the departed.
The photos drew widespread condemnation from net
users, who called his actions 'disrespectful and utterly
shameless.'
The photoshoot took place at the end of March, when
his father's remains were being reinterred after years of
wear-and-tear damage to his grave, according to Beijing
News.
Siyuan, whose real name is Si Lulu, said he was only
three years old when his father died
of liver cancer and it was 'his dream'
to take a photo with his father's
bones.
'It was an amazing feeling. This
was the closet I've ever been to my
father,' he said. 'I am expressing my
feelings to him in a personal way.'
'It was necessary for me to be naked
in the photos as this is how we
enter and leave the world,' he said.
Si said the pictures were taken by
his wife, Lin Shan, after he sought
permission from the cemetery's
caretaker.
'We shouldn't be afraid to show
real art to the world,' he said.
His account on Weibo was suspended
after the photos went viral
and generated much criticism from
net users on the site.
'You did something that no one else
could ever do. You've gone beyond
the boundary of moral principles
and held a direct conversation with
your ancestor,' another said.
'As long the action means something
to you, that's all that matters,'
one user said. 'It doesn't matter what
other people think.'
In China, there are many superstitions
and rules surrounding the
treatment of remains and tombs of
family members - digging up someone's
remains, or disturbing the
dead, is considered to be hugely disrespectful
and is believed to bring
bad karma.
S
tunned doctors have removed four bees living under a woman's
eye in what is believed to be a world first.
The young woman went to hospital complaining of a swollen eye
earlier this week and was horrified to discover the insects had been
feeding on her tears.
All four bees were removed alive from the 29-year-old's tear duct
after medics at Fooyin University Hospital spotted insect legs, reports
the New York Post.
Speaking at a press conference, the hospital’s head of ophthalmology
Dr Hung Chi-ting said: “I saw something that looked like insect
legs, so I pulled them out under a microscope slowly, and one at a
time without damaging their bodies.”
The woman - from Taiwan who
has only been referred to by her
surname, He - believes the bees
got into her eye when she was
pulling weeds from a family member's
grave.
She thought some soil had flown
into her eye and tried to wash it
out with water, but later that
evening she felt a sharp stinging
pain under her eyelid.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—29
Fare
arewell ell tributes to Late Lulu Briggs in Ghana
From the Gold Coast country , Ghana, came a befitting farewell to one of Nigeria’s foremost
businessmen and philanthropist, High Chief (Dr.) Olu Benson Lulu Briggs, who passed on to glory
in Ghana on the 27th of December , 2018 at the age of 88years.
At a spectacular event put together by his long standing associate and very good friend, His Royal
Majesty, Nana Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King of Ashanti, Ghana, to honour and bid him good bye,
encomiums and tears flowed freely as friends, family and well wishers from various nationalities
across the globe recalled the impact the late High Chief (Dr.) O. B. Lulu Briggs had in their lives.
The wife of the late High Chief OB Lulu Briggs, Dr
(Mrs) Seinye OB Lulu Briggs and her daughter,
Solate
His Royal Highness Diamond Tobin-West,
Amayanabo of Okpo.
The representative of the Asantehene, King Osei
Tutu II , Dr SKB Asante delivering a keynote address.
Career counselling at
MGHS
The Local Area Council of the Nigerian Council
of Registered Insurance Brokers, in
continuation of its Corporate Social
Responsibility, visited the Methodist Girls High
School, Yaba, Lagos, during the week. The LAC,
through a past chairman and alumna of the school,
Mrs. Olufunke Adenusi, sensitised the students on
“Insurance as an Excellent Profession
L-R: The son of the deceased, his mother, Dr (Mrs)
Seinye OB Lulu Briggs, her daughter, Solate and
her husband, Ovundah.
Traditional rulers from the Niger Delta and Dr
Patrick Dele Cole (R).
The Eze Ndi Igbo of Ghana, Igwe Chukwudi
Ihenetu, paying tribute to the deceased.
L-R: Olojudo of Ido Ile, Ekiti, Oba Nla of Iwo Kingdom,
High Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Owa Ajero
of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Joseph Adewole and
his Olori, The Eze Ndi Igbo of Ghana, Igwe
Chukwudi Ihenetu.
At MC Shakara’s show “Shakara and the Gang”
Many celebrities and dignitaries graced the MC Shakara’s show tagged “Shakara and the Gang’
which held at Eko Hotel recently. In pictures are some of the faces at the show.
LAC Chairman, Mrs. Bukola Ifemade(3rd
L), Vice Principal of the School, Mrs. A. O.
Alli (4th L), Mrs. Olufunke Adenusi(1st R)
and some prefects of the School.
Mrs Ifemade presenting gifts to Mrs. Alli.
L-R: Yomi Makun, Hon. H.E. Agbonayinma, Ayo
Makun and Innocent Idibia.
H.E. Agbonayinma, Ayo Makun and Akpororo,
flanked by other guests.
LAC Executive members and some students
of the school after the lecture.

30—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
By Sola Ogundipe/08056180112/solazed@live.com
WORLD FIRST!
Artificial womb to
support infants born
weeks before time
In a world-first, scientists
have demonstrated the
ability of an ‘artificial
womb’ to support extremely
premature lamb foetuses,
an advance that may one
day save human infants.
The research, published in
the American Journal of
Obstetrics & Gynecology,
shows that an artificial
placenta-based life support
platform can maintain lamb
foetuses weighing 600 to
700 grams — equivalent to
a human foetus at 24 weeks
of gestation.
While previous research
had demonstrated the
feasibility of extended
survival with artificial
placenta technology in late
preterm foetuses, there was
no published evidence that
demonstrated the use of the
platform to support
extremely preterm foetuses
— the eventual clinical
target of this technology.
“For several decades there
has been little improvement
in outcomes of extremely
preterm infants born at the
border of viability (21-24
weeks gestation),” said
Matt Kemp, Associate
Professor at Tohoku
University in Japan.
“We have proven the use of
this technology to support,
for the first time, extremely
preterm lambs equivalent
to 24 weeks of human
gestation in a stable,
growth-normal state for five
days, said Kemp.
“This result underscores
the potential clinical
application of this
technology for extremely
preterm infants born at the
border of viability. In the
world of artificial placenta
technology, we have
effectively broken the 4-
minute mile,” he added.
The findings represent a
significant milestone in
technology’s future
implementation into
clinical use.
“The technology was
designed to revolutionise
the treatment of severely
premature newborns. The
goal is to offer a bridge
between a natural womb
and the outside world to
give babies born at the
earliest gestational ages
more time for their fragile
lungs to mature,” Kemp
said.
Photo: Artificial womb
concept
team of South African
A doctors in the capital city
Pretoria has been hailed as
pioneers in the field of global
medicine after performing the
first-ever transplant of a
patient’s middle ear.
The achievement–which used
3D-printed technology to
reconstruct the broken bones of
a middle ear–is being
celebrated as a long-term
solution to conductive hearing
loss.
The surgery can be performed
on people of any age, including
newborn babies, curing
patients of a form of deafness
that is caused by physical
damage or infection in the
middle ear as well as
congenital birth defects and
metabolic diseases.
The first patient to undergo the
procedure was a 35-year-old
male who lost his hearing after
a car accident devastated his
middle ear. Due to the nature of
his trauma, the operation lasted
about an hour and a half.
The brains behind the medical
team at the University of
Pretoria’s Steve Biko Academic
Hospital, Professor Mashudu
Tshifularo, had been studying
conductive hearing loss over
the past decade, but in the past
two years he began
investigating the use of 3D
printing technologies for the
purpose of scanning and wholly
'Revolutionar
volutionary' treatment may y prevent blindness
A
cid attack victims could be
saved from blindness after a
'revolutionary' treatment which
has been been tested by scientists.
“The pioneering method uses an
enzyme which prevents stem cells
– blank cells which can turn into
new tissue – from losing their
healing abilities in the eye
following injury.“Stem cells treat
an injury to the eye, such as from
acid burns, cuts or infection, by
dividing and heading directly to
the wound. “The development
offers hope to almost 500,000
people across the world each year
who lose their sight due to
chemical burns.“Using live
corneal tissues from an eye in a
lab, researchers from Newcastle
University and the University of
Missouri, recreated the effects of
chemical burns.“They found stem
cells can lose their healing
properties when the tissue they're
contained in 'stiffens' after an
injury. “They found that
using collagenase, a tissuesoftening
enzyme, could soften up
the stiffened area. This, in turn,
made it more able to support stem
cells to promote healing.“The
study authors described the
research as being 'a potential
revolution' in its field.“Dr Ricardo
Gouveia said: 'This study
demonstrates a potential new way
to treat injuries by changing the
stiffness of the natural
environment which we have
shown changes the behaviour of
the adult stem cells.' “When stem
cells repair a damaged cornea
they quickly divide in great
numbers and become cells which
can make a solid membrane then
move to the injury to seal
it.“However, this healing process
can be compromised when
injuries reach the stem cell niche
– the area of tissue in the cornea
where stem cells live. “The
scientists found that stiffening the
niche causes stem cells to mature
and lose their self-renewing
properties.“Professor Che
Connon, from Newcastle
University, said: 'We can now
prove that the cornea becomes
stiffer when exposed to injuries
such as those caused by what are
commonly known as acid
attacks.““We can demonstrate that
wound healing is impaired due to
stem cells differentiating in
response to the stiffening of their
otherwise soft niche, and not
because they are killed during
injury, as previously thought.
““This is an exciting development
in the field of corneal biology, and
allows us to better understand
how vision works. ““But even
more important, it provides us
with a new set of strategies to
treat eye conditions which were
until now inoperable.”“The
collagenase formulation has
already been approved for other
purposes by both the US Food and
South African doctor
cures deafness with
fir
irst-e
t-ever middle ear
transplant surger
gery
Drug Administration and the
European Medicine Agency. “The
scientists said the findings are also
promising for people suffering
from blindness caused by corneal
scarring from cuts or disease. “The
cornea is a thin piece of tissue
which can be easily damaged by
injury or infection, sometimes by
contact lenses or a fingernail.
recreating the smallest bones, or
ossicles, of the middle ear–
namely the hammer, anvil and
stirrup.
“By replacing only the ossicles
that aren’t functioning properly,
the procedure carries
significantly less risk than
known prostheses and their
associated surgical procedure,”
Tshifularo stated.
“We will use titanium for this
procedure, which is
biocompatible. We use an
endoscope to do the
replacement, so the transplant is
expected to be quick, with
minimal scarring.”
While expressing pride that he
was the first in the world to
revolutionize the new approach
to address hearing loss,
Tshifulara remains steadfast that
the treatment must eventually
become accessible and
affordable for poor and workingpoor
patients, such as those who
use South Africa’s public
hospitals.
“Because we are doing it in the
country and we are going to
manufacture here, it has to be
affordable for our people in state
hospitals.
It will be very accessible
because as long as we can train
the young doctors to be able to
do this operation, then it will be
accessible for them as well.”
Photo: Dr. Tshifularo
“More than 1.5million new cases
of corneal blindness are reported
every year worldwide, and around
4,000 cornea transplants are done
every year in the UK.“Professor
Connon said their study is even
relevant to the research of cancer
treatment, where tumour stiffening
is a known marker of aggressive
cancer cell behaviour. “The
research was published in the
journal Nature Communications.
Photo: Blindness
MIT scientists develop ‘GPS’ system
that can track inside human body
R
esearchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory, led by Professor Dina Katabi, have developed ReMix,
an “in-body Global Positioning System (GPS) system” that utilizes
wireless technology to locate ingestible implants inside the human
body.
Current methods of looking inside the human body can be highly
invasive, forcing physicians to send cameras snaking down throats or
through incisions.
With ReMix, you could theoretically ingest an implant that can be
tracked externally. If that implant homed in on tumours it would
provide doctors a way to improve targeted therapy options.
Testing ReMix involved attaching a “small marker” to a fake tumour
inside a transparent container full of animal tissues. The marker itself
only acts as a reflector, bouncing the wireless radio signal back out,
and thus does not require a power source.
The chief problem with trying to detect these signals from inside the
human body is the human body itself.
The skin, for example, is very good at bouncing signals back. In fact,
signals that bounce off of the skin, according to MIT, are around 100
million times more powerful than the signals the researchers were
trying to detect.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—31
Medical milestone:
Bringing IVF to the streets
Two of a kind—young,
brilliant and
ambitious, Drs. Adeleke
Daramola and Charles
Oluwabukunmi Kolade
are bonded by a common
passion. As the Medical/Clinical
Director and Gynaecologist/Chief
Operating Officer, Androcare
Fertility Centre, Lagos,
respectively, Daramola and Kolade
have special interest in fertility
treatment. They assist couples
challenged by infertility to have
their own babies. They also teach
other doctors and healthcare
providers how to make babies in the
laboratory.
Their common agenda is to bring
IVF to the streets. Six years ago,
they started off Androcare as the
first and only fertility centre in
Akowonjo, a Lagos suburb, offering
tests based on achieving the cause
of the infertility for couples by
running advanced diagnostic tests.
“ We are bringing IVF to the
streets,” Daramola remarked during
an encounter. “Androcare is a centre
for those on the streets not only for
the rich. By this, what we mean is
that we do not want IVF to be only
for the rich. Everybody should have
access.
“We know IVF is an expensive
process and unaffordable for many
as a result. That is one of the
reasons we are here. We want to
help many people to find a way to
enable them achieve results they
desire,” he asserted.
Androcare runs a fertility academy
in the belief that it will enable
doctors that want to have training
on the field of fertility medicine can
benefit. Normally doctors interested
in this specialist field in Nigeria
travel abroad as there are no such
facilities in Nigeria.
“We are one of the pioneers of
training for healthcare providers
interested in fertility medicine, we
have things in place for them to be
trained.
“Averagely 10 percent of Nigerian
couples have issues with fertility
and we lack enough doctors to cater
for the problem, so we are helping
to train doctors as that would make
the work easier and enable
everyone to have access to fertility
treatment.
“We give room for doctors that are
skilled in these procedures but
have no centre to do their
treatment.”
“We are bringing fertility to the
streets because there are infertile
couples that wait for years for a
miracle to have a baby because they
cannot afford to pay for IVF. We do
not want it to be like that. It would
be nice for those without the money
to pay for IVF to be parents also.
“On the streets we make the cost of
IVF not to be scary for people, and
not to market to get more clients.
We are trying to offer something
that is cheap but also of quality
standard.
“We have the ideal standard
embryonic laboratory, this also
determines the success of the
treatment as a whole. We don’t try
to scare people away to achieve
conception, “ he argued.
Daramola asserted that setting up
a fertility centre is challenging. “It
requires financial power. Our
Centre is available for interested
doctors to utilise as we have stateof-the-art
facilities for them to have
their procedures done.”
The medics advise couples that are
having difficulty getting pregnant for
at least one year, that it is wise to carry
out some investigations on both
partners.
Daramola continued: “There was
this issue of unexplained infertility we
had to deal with in which the man
and wife were okay, but never achieved
conception. Thanks to the advent of
the procedure known as Sperm
Chromatin Assay Structure (SCSA),
we were able to help out.
“It tells us the DNA make-up of
sperm cells which means it is possible
for some men to have normal sperm
cells, yet due to the abnormal DNA
they carry, they are unable to fertilize
the eggs or they are able to fertilize
the eggs but the embryos come out in
a poor fashion.
“This procedure helps many
couples to know the next step to
take, whether to go straight for IVF
treatment or for Intra-cytoplasmic
Sperm Injection, ICSI, which is an
advanced treatment for low sperm
count and other problems with
sperms produced by the man himself
or donor sperm.
“This procedure has opened doors
and made couples smile. Knowledge
is power, so most men that feel that
just having normal sperm count is
enough should not just relax,”
Daramola noted.
“Our goal is to make things easy.
We do not want infertility to be a
stronghold in Nigeria. So there is
all round benefit for the couples and
medical professionals.”
Noting that prevention is better
and cheaper than cure, he observed
that most cases of infertility can be
prevented, but many people lack
such knowledge.
He said among the commonest
causes of infertility in Nigeria are
blocked fallopian tubes in women
and low sperm count in men.
“This problem of low sperm count
is increasing yearly, and the causes
are largely unknown. The issue of
blocked tubes arising from pelvic
infections that are not properly
treated is very common.
“So if the younger ladies can take
care of such things early enough,
and take preventive measures, they
should know of the implications of
blocked tubes. We have been trying to
go to schools to educate on fertility
health for youths.”
In their views, the medics explained
that low sperm count is caused by
varicoceles.
“Men have enlarged veins in their
scrotum which starts from childhood, and
if not early detected and corrected could
lead to zero sperm count in the future.
“Last year, Androcare in collaboration
with another NGO organized a seminar
for teenagers. For the males, we taught
them to do a self-testicular examination
and for the women, we encouraged
breast self-examination. The participants
were taught the common symptoms of
STIs so they are aware.”
Kolade pointed out a scenario: “For
instance, testicular mumps affect fertility
from childhood, this is why mothers
Dr Kolade(L) with Dr Daramola
should check their sons’ testicles when
bathing them. If the testes are not in their
normal position by the time a boy is 4
years old, he may be infertile for life.
“The problem must be fixed before he
attains age of 4, not even at 5 or at 6.
This and other abnormalities happen over
a period of time but can be corrected
when detected early.”
On the issue of blocked Fallopian tubes
that are commonly called toilet infection,
Kolade affirmed that medically, there is
nothing like toilet infection.
“We know it more as sexually
transmitted infections. Toilet infection is
a slang and there is no
diagnosis for it. It is
essentially utilised to
make the condition
acceptable to the layman.
“A woman can have
vaginal discharge that is
whitish or yellowish, with
or without odour. There
could be accompanying
pelvic pain, in the left
lower side of the
abdomen. There could
also be itching and
discomfort. These are
signs of infection and it is
important for ladies to
properly get treated when
they see such signs.
“Go for vaginal swab, do
microscopic culture and
consult a doctor to treat
the infection properly so
Testicular
mumps affect
fertility from
childhood, this is
why mothers
should check
their sons’
testicles when
bathing them
there is no recurrence. Maintain proper
hygiene, avoid STIs and obey the ABCs
of prevention of STIs, that is, A for
abstinence, B for be faithful and C for
utilising condoms if you cannot abstain,
Daramola advised.
Speaking further, Kolade said one of
the drivers of female infertility is pelvic
infection or infection after pregnancy.
“In this part of the world, pregnancy
termination is not legal and there is
tendency to do it in a clandestine
manner. So there is that aspect of
termination of pregnancy that is
predisposing pelvic infection.
“There are rampant cases of women
getting pregnant and having a baby
three months after marriage and then
not being able to get pregnant again
because of the process of the pregnancy,
so there is also that part of infection
through sex following previous
pregnancy, delivery or even a C-
section.
“If there is an infection, it could
make things complicated.
Infection generally is a big
problem for fertility for men and
women.
“If there is abnormal DNA, we
put the man involved on drugs
to see if there could be some form
of repair, but there is no
particular drug that treats low
spem count. However, ICSI
helps.”
On whether there are factors in
the environment that influence
declining fertility rates in
Nigeria, Kolade stated: “What I
can say is that in 2003, myself
and a few colleagues did a study,
we compared sperm parameters
in a particular IVF unit for 1,000
people and compared with sperm
parameters for 1,000 people in
2013 and we discovered that the
parameters were worse. The sperm
counts were worse, the motility worse,
morphorlogy worse and fertilisation
rates worse.
“The only thing different apart from
climatic change is that our lifestyle is
getting Westernised. There’s more of
polished food and canned food being
consumed. Even people in the Western
world are experiencing the same thing.”
Continuing, Kolade stated: “Recent
activity showed us that 1 out of 4 people
between 25 and 40 years old, has
abnormal sperm parameters
in Europe. And that’s why
they are trying to talk about
organic meals now. They
have noticed because our
lifestyle is getting
westernized, it is gradually
affecting our fertility,” he
argued.
Essentially, Androcare has
a plan to help couples that
have undergone failed IVF
cycles but want to try again.
They give discounts in such
cases saying failures help to
attain success and also
encourage preventive
means.
The medics observed that
some people really don’t
need to do IVF if they can
do the right thing and can
prevent themselves from
infection.

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
“Our brand philosophy
is about understanding
consumers pain points”
So far, it has been a successful 21 years of career development,
youth empowerment, economic and nation building, via an
initiative of Promasidor Nigeria Limited which has consistently
organised Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz
Show, targetting the development of science and technology in Nigeria.
In this interview with Nosike Moses, the Marketing Manager,
Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Abiodun Ayodeji, explains the journey
and impact of the competition. Excerpts:
When we mention
Promasidor, what comes to
your mind?
Promasidor is about providing
quality nutrition to the Nigerian
people. This has been since
inception in 1993 that we pioneered
powdered milk in small portions in
sachets at affordable prices that
made milk a good source of protein
accessible to most Nigerian homes
and families. Also, we immersed
ourselves in the lives of consumers
to understand how milk is consumed
and we launched Cowbell
Chocolate and Cowbell Coffee.
These are convenient 3 in 1
propositions that the only task
required of a consumer is to add
water and you have a complete
beverage.
Our guiding principle is
understanding the consumers pain
points and helping them to solve it
through our products and brands.
There are some major nutritional
deficiencies in sub- Saharan Africa
which are Iron, Zinc, Calcium,
Iodine, Folate, Protein and
Promasidor products fortification
strategy has been along this
direction. Loya Milk is fortified with
Calcium (Hi-Cal) which helps in
building strong bones, tough teeth
and healthy heart, Cowbell Milk is
fortified with VitaRich plus Vitamin
B9 (folate) which helps in building
strong body and sharp mind and
Cowbell Chocolate has VitaRich
plus Iron for that get up and go
energy. Our latest entrant into the
market is SunVita cereal, is fortified
with Nutri V a unique blend of Iron,
Zinc, Calcium and Vitamins that
help children grow smarter and
stronger so that they can function at
their best every day.
How is your latest product,
SunVita fairing in the market?
Trade and consumer acceptance
is encouraging and doing well in
the market. The team’s effort has
been on retail availability and trial.
he need for data driven
Tmarketing is rapidly
increasing. Brands and businesses
are becoming more aware of the
power of data and the measurable
results data has on its marketing.
Terragon, the first company in
Africa to create this innovation with
the African mobile user in mind is
consistently providing users with
online and offline data services that
promote business activities.
Founded in Lagos, Nigeria,
Terragon has three core pillars to
its business; a programmatic
mobile advertising platform,
digital aggregation services to
telcos and a demand side digital
agency business. The company
currently has a strong international
team of over 90 experts with offices
in Nairobi, Accra and
Johannesburg.
In a bid to further grow its
competence and drive its strategic
objective of providing quality data
for its customers, Terragon
acquired Bizense, an Asian
marketing technology firm, which
We are doing a lot of
trade pipeline filling.
Recently, we
commenced the TV,
Radio and online
campaign and we envisage the
positive response to continue.
One of Promasidor’s major CSR
initiatives is the Cowbellpedia
Secondary School Mathematics
TV Quiz Show. What informed the
involvement of the company in this
project?
For Cowbell and mathematics,
the journey started about 21 years
ago as a Lagos-based initiative.
Presently, it has become a national
affair. In 2016, we brought all
Cowbell interventions on
Mathematics under an umbrella,
Cowbellpedia which is a brand
asset of Cowbell Milk to provide a
platform to reward excellence in the
subject area of mathematics
irrespective of where you come and
social strata. This is in line with the
essence of the brand i.e. providing
affordable quality nutrition to every
Nigerian child.
Our guiding
principle is
understanding
the consumers
pain points and
helping them to
solve it through
our products and
brands
No nation can truly develop
without a conscious investment and
effort in Science and Innovation,
and mathematics is the bedrock of
these two. Also, you will agree with
me that a lot of students have a
phobia for this subject area and with
the Cowbellpedia platform, we
have been able to stimulate the
interests of many students in
mathematics.
Cowbellpedia has 3 major legs;
Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools
TV Quiz Show, Cowbellpedia Radio
Maths Class which is a 5 minutes
class on radio and Cowbellpedia
Mobile App that can be downloaded
on Google Play store on android
devices and App Store on Apple
devices.
Why are you so convinced about
this approach?
It’s important to demonstrate to
students that mathematics is easy
and fun to learn; it would help a lot
of them who have phobia for
mathematics. That is what Cowbell
has done to demystify mathematics.
We figured out that if we could let
our students become more
interested in mathematics, our
nation Nigeria can truly become the
giant of Africa. Even in commerce,
if you are doing a “Profit and Loss”
statement, you need to be able to
add and subtract. And everything is
around Mathematics. If an average
student has an interest in
Mathematics; he would excel in
science, commerce and all the
spheres of life.
Has the competition been able
to meet its objectives?
Yes, it has. The objectives are to
awaken the consciousness and
interest in mathematics among
junior and senior secondary school
students in Nigeria, improve
students’ performance in
mathematics, Pan Nigeria, create a
credible platform for identifying
outstanding students and
encouraging excellence in
mathematics, provide a creditable
platform that will reward excellence
in the subject area of mathematics.
Student enrolment has been
increasing on a yearly basis and in
2019 we have the highest in the
history of the competition at over
56,000 students. Also, the brand’s
top and bottom line has moved in
sympathy with this direction.
What has been the high-points of
sponsoring the competition over
the years?
It has been a symbiotic
relationship; the brand and the
Nigerian child have gained a lot. In
terms of high point, an example is
master Ayodeji Akinkuowo, the
student that won in the senior
category of maiden edition of the
Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools
Mathematics TV Quiz Show. He
got a government scholarship to
study aeronautic engineering in
Russia. This was possible, because
he made his life’s dream of
becoming an aeronautic engineer
known during the competition.
Another high point is Munachi
Ernest-Eze who won the Junior
Secondary School category in
2015. Two years later he won the
Senior Secondary School category.
It shows consistency.
Last year, in celebrating the 20 th
relationship between Cowbell Our
Milk and Mathematics, we added
some new dimensions to the
Cowbellpedia initiative. We had the
Cowbellpedia Academy in
partnership with some foreign
universities and Professors aimed at
Terrangon data softw
tware are drives es results for end users
further consolidated its position as
one of the leading digital
technology companies in Africa.
With this new acquisition, in
addition to Adrenaline, a
proprietary technology owned by
Terragon, the company can provide
custom integration on both the
demand and supply side of the
mobile marketing technology
driving support and interest in
mathematics by exposing selected
students and teachers across the
country to various teaching and
learning techniques in achieving,
sustaining and managing academic
feats especially in mathematics.
Also, we did a documentary, Milk
of Kindness which focused on the
lives of Cowbellpedia participants
and the impact the brand has had
on their lives and families.
What do you think is responsible
for the upsurge in the enrolment
figure for the competition this year?
I would like to thank our partners,
the schools and parents who have
encouraged their wards to take part
in the competition. The states
Ministry of Education has also
been of significant help. Again,
continual improvement;
KAIZEN is in the team’s DNA
to identify opportunities to
raise the bar every year in
terms of call for entry,
conduct of examination,
TV quiz-show format,
etc. Secondary
Schools owners now
use Cowbellpedia
as an important
marketing tool
for enrolment of
new students
hence, the interest
shown by schools. Also, we have
increased significantly the total
prize money in the last 5 years, the
prize money is now N2m for the
winner in each category and there
are other cash prize rewards at each
stage of the competition for students
and teachers.
What has been the impact of
Cowbellpedia on the brand?
There are ways we measure
impact. Cowbellpedia is a platform
that make dreams come into reality,
a case in point is Ayodeji Akinkuowo
who won the 2015 edition in the
Senior Category who is now
studying Aeronautic Engineering in
Russia. Every year, Cowbell
increases her footprint in many
households through the
Cowbellpedia platform and
families have been reciprocating by
buying Cowbell fortified with
VitaRich at point of buy. This is
coming through in our numbers and
Brand Health measures. When you
promote a good cause, it’s about the
long-term value of the consumers
Are you considering support for
the Arts and Humanities too? Or,
is it only Mathematics and
Science?
Cowbellpedia is presently focused
on Mathematics and if there are
opportunities in future, Promasidor
Nigeria Limited may consider but
not necessarily under the Cowbell
brand.
Are you looking at selling the
idea to the government?
We work with the government
especially the Ministry of Education
at the state level. We use state owned
secondary schools for the 200
examination centres that we use, for
the stage 1 of the Cowbellpedia
Secondary Schools Mathematics
TV Quiz Show.
Paxful: leading player in West Africa’s Bitcoin market, rolls out security globally
P
value chain to brands and
businesses in Africa.
According to the General
Manager Commercials, and
Business Partnerships, Terragon,
Kehinde Laguda, “The Company’s
unique ability lies in the fact that it
can reach users both online and
offline intelligently using data in a
synchronized form through
axful, a peer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace,
recently announced its teamed up with
Jumio, a digital identity and address verification
company to improve Anti-Money Laundering
(AML) procedures and implement Know Your
Customer (KYC) requirements at the
marketplace. Jumio’s AI-powered trusted identity
service and verification process will help
minimize risk and ensure that users have
submitted proper documentation.
According to the management source, Jumio’s
end-to-end identity verification and
authentication technologies will be used to fight
fraud and maintain compliance when onboarding
users in order to continue to enrich
the community that already exists on the Paxful
platform. “With Jumio’s ID verification to the
platform, Paxful has taken a stance to improve
its AML procedures and compliance
programme in every operating country.
Paxful is constantly improving to protect
honest customers in the marketplace. The
company boasts a growing community of
consumers in Africa; and their feedback has
been vitally important in advancing security
and compliance on its peer-to-peer
marketplace.
Through Jumio’s AI-powered trusted identity
•Abiodun Ayodeji
proprietary software. This enables
enterprises to grow their customer
profiles. No technology in Africa
has this capability. In Nigeria
alone, we can reach over 80 million
Nigerians through our online and
offline channels which drives
targeted awareness, promotes
engagement and increases
conversion and retention rate for
brands and businesses”.
Kehinde, said that brands and
businesses, that need access to large
data sets of African mobile users for
superior performance need to switch
and work with the latest technology
Terragon offers. In addition, Data &
marketing technology should be the
only form of customer engagement
brands and businesses should
consider and Terragon remains the
only option”.
service, Paxful will now be able to verify
customers’ real-world identities, with a
simple ID scan and real-time biometric
authentication and liveness detection which
will go into full effect this April. Paxful will
now require users around the world who
reach an equivalent of USD $1,500 in trade
volume or wallet activity to verify their
accounts through ID verification”.
In addition, the source said that users who
reach USD $10,000 in trade volume or
wallet activity must provide ID verification
as well as address verification.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—33
On going project planet construction site at Oshodi, Lagos. Photos Kehinde Shonola
As Ambode leaves . . .
What falls on Sanwo-Olu
By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Bose Adelaja
& Monsuru Olowoopejo
In less than two months, the baton of
leadership in the governance of Lagos
state will exchange hands. The
incumbent governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode
will be handing over to the governor-elect, Mr
Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the new
government, like every corporate entity, will
inherit both assets and liabilities from its
predecessor.
When Mr Sanwo-Olu assumes office on
May 29 this year, he will be
confronted with heaps of
refuse. There is no part of
Lagos which is not littered
with refuse and it is just a
miracle that epidemic has
not broken out in the city.
The challenge of clearing
Lagos streets of dirt is one
headache Sanwo-Olu will
have to contend with as he
rolls up his sleeve to
commence work. The new
government will also inherit
bad roads. Many roads in
the city are bad. Some were
in bad shape before the
Ambode government came
on board and some
deteriorated in the recent
past. The new governor
should therefore be ready to
fix the roads if he wants to
quickly worm his way into
the hearts of Lagosians.
Sanwo-Olu should also
be ready to inherit the
nuisance Okada riders and
truck drivers have become
in Lagos.
The motorbike riders now
The new
governor should
therefore be
ready to fix the
roads if he wants
to quickly worm
his way into the
hearts of
Lagosians
occupy some roads and how they operate on
the roads is sheer madness. They don’t obey
traffic rules, always operating against traffic,
causing accidents and beating up people
including policemen who dare challenge them.
When they were banned from the roads of
many Nigerian cities many hoped that Lagos
government would be impressed by the sanity
that prevailed in cities like Abuja, Owerri,
Asaba, Warri, Enugu etc where they have all
been banned. Accident and crime rates
dropped tremendously in those cities.
Unfortunately, the sanity in those cities meant
nothing to the government in
Lagos from the Tinubu era to
Fashola and now Ambode. The
truck drivers have joined them
and what we have in Lagos now
is a menace. And that’s a city
that wants to promote tourism?
However, as Sanwo-Olu
takes over refuse and potholes
and the menace of Okada and
truck drivers on Lagos roads,
there are a number of
monumental projects spread
across the state which Ambode
started and which should not be
abandoned by the incoming
government.
The projects are many and
they are massive and will no
doubt impact positively on the
lives of the residents of Lagos
when completed. These are
projects they will continue to
remember Ambode. They are
huge legacies. Some of the
projects are on going while
others are at the various stages
of completion.
Some of the notable capital
projects at various stages of
completion are: Oshodi
Transport Interchange; Oshodi-
Abule Egba Bus Rapid Transit BRT; 10-lane
Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Road; Agege Fly Over Bridge; Oyingbo Bus
Terminal; Reconstruction of Teslim Balogun
Stadium, among others.
$70m Oshodi interchange; signpost
for 24hrs transport system
Worried by the narrative that had
accompanied Oshodi over the years, Ambode,
two years ago, disclosed that his aim was to
give Oshodi a new slogan, “if you do not spend
a night in Oshodi, you have not visited Lagos.”
According to him, “Oshodi is known for all
kinds of notorious activities and we want to
totally do away with that belief and the best
way to go about it is to give the people world
class facility and make them to live better
lives”. To actualize the dream for the axis,
Ambode therefore unveiled Oshodi
Regeneration Project, which would see to the
development of Oshodi interchange and other
facilities put at $70 million by the contractor,
Mr. Biodun Otunola.
Oshodi, which is regarded as the busiest
transport interchange in West Africa with over
5,600 buses in 13 different motor parks loading
daily, has more than 200,000 passengers
boarding per day.
“We have a solution to the Oshodi menace.
The Oshodi Interchange you see today will
be replaced with an iconic, world class
transportation and commercial hub. That is in
keeping with the vision of this government to
transform the key city centres of the State to
reflect the mega city status of Lagos, aimed at
improving the physical structure, security and
more importantly creating the 24-hour
economy which we promised.”Ambode
enthused.
The on-going redevelopment is expected to
consolidate all the 13 city and interstate parks
into three multi-storey bus parks and
terminals occupying four floors.
The first terminal is being constructed at the
Mosafejo Market axis, for inter-state
transportation,
the second terminal is at the former
Owonifari Market while the third terminal
built adjacent the NAFDAC office will be for
intra-city transport.
These terminals are being designed with
standard facilities to include waiting area,
loading bays, ticketing stands; drivers lounge,
parking areas and rest rooms. The facilities
will also include accessible walkways and
pedestrian bridges/sky-walks to link all the
three terminals. There will also be bus lanes,
lay-bys, green parks to soften the environment,
proper waste management, fencing and a
dedicated security team for the area. In
addition, a shopping mall covering over two
hectares will be situated in the old Mosafejo
settlement for recreation and entertainment
among others.
Ambode had assured that, “when we
complete this project, we would have
completely rebranded and remodeled Oshodi
from a decadent situation to an iconic state.
The crime rate in this area will be drastically
reduced, if not eliminated. This model allows
the effective allocation of tasks and risks in
the development of the interchange and also
ensures that finance can be easily obtained
for the project.
“The regeneration would definitely redefine
the economic outlook of the area, as
government’s goal is to make every nook and
cranny of Lagos economically viable “.
Managing Director of Planet Project that
designed the Oshodi interchange, Mr. Biodun
Otunola said construction of tunnel has been
added into the project to “take commuters from
each depot to the terminals to prevent buses
from halting traffic flow within the axis. This
is because on ground in each terminal, there
could be about 70 buses waiting to commute
Continues on page 34

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
On going project planet construction site at Oshodi, Lagos. Photos Kehinde Shonola
As Ambode leaves . . .
What falls on Sanwo-Olu
Continues from page 33
passengers and it will further compound the
traffic situation if they have to join other
vehicles after loading within the same area”..
According to him, the feasibility study
carried out on the Oshodi Interchange
revealed that no fewer than 300, 000
passengers board vehicles to different
destinations from Oshodi. “But with the
facility we are currently constructing, it is
designed to service one million people daily
when it becomes fully functional. Some of the
facilities included in this interchange are 18-
lifts and one elevator and will be equipped
with Closed Circuit Television,
CCTV camera to ensure
adequate security.”
Otunola disclosed that more
than 70 percent of work on the
70, 000 square meters project
has been achieved.
“The terminal will be all
encompassing, that is,
passengers will have the
opportunity to shop and relax
before embarking on their trip.
As an extension of the project,
a Public Private Partnership,
PPP hotel would be built within
the axis. Also, a shopping mall
would be available for
passengers,” he added.
10-lane airport road
to be ready before
May 29
Despite the strategic
importance of the airport road
as it provides access to the
major and busiest airport in the
country, the Federal
Government abandoned its
responsibility to repair it. The
road, being the access to the nation’s gateway
became so bad that it was a source of
monumental embarrassment which had
negatively affected the country’s image.
When Governor Ambode came on board, he
saw the dilapidated airport road as an eyesore
to Lagos. He therefore sought and obtained
the permission of President Muhammadu
Buhari to reconstruct the road and expand it
into a 10-lane road.
The reconstruction and expansion of the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Road into 10 lanes is a massive project that
will take care of the traffic gridlock in the area
with attendant low travel
time. The sight on leaving the
Lagos airport was an eyesore
before Ambode’s
reconstruction initiative. For
a first time visitor, the sight
on leaving the airport in any
city creates a first
impression. That of Lagos
with furniture and mechanic
According to him,
the feasibility study
carried out on the
Oshodi Interchange
revealed that no
fewer than 300, 000
passengers board
vehicles to different
destinations from
Oshodi
workshops around
Mafoluku painted a bad
image of Nigeria’s
commercial city.
Managing Director of
Planet Projects, the firm that
designed the airport road
expansion, Mr. Biodun
Otunola, said it was
specifically planned to
accommodate more vehicles
by expanding existing
carriage to three-lane
Expressway and the
construction of two-lane
service road on both
directions as well as
construction of Ramp Bridge
to provide a U-turn from Ajao
Estate to Airport and a
flyover at NAHCO/Toll Gate
in addition to drainage works.
Others facilities included in the project are
construction of Pedestrian Bridges at Ajao
Estate and NAHCO/Hajj Camp, construction
of Slip Road to provide access to Ajao Estate,
construction of Lay-bys and installation of
Street Lights, among others.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure,
Ade Akinsanya, said that the poor state of the
road that accommodates about 50,000 vehicles
daily, was not acceptable for Lagos status as
the fifth largest economy in Africa and the
nation’s commercial hub. He said in order to
fast-track the project, three groups of workers
would work on the project day and night, and
upon completion, the project would be linked
to the Oworonshoki reclamation project, which
is also ongoing and is aimed at transforming
the corridor to a major entertainment and
tourism hub.
The contractor handling reconstruction of
Oshodi-Murtala Muhammed International
Airport Road, Messrs Hi-tech Construction
Company, had through its Project Manager,
Sachi Ramsunder, recently disclosed that the
six-kilometre project was about 75 percent
completed and that work on the project has
been intensified in order to complete it before
May 29th, when the tenure of the Ambodeled
administration will come to an end.
Residents applaud Ambode
An artisan, Sunday Owunka, commended
the state government for expanding the airport
road and the Oshodi interchange, saying both
would reduce the stress which commuters
experience daily within the axis.
Another resident, Emmanuel Odewale, said
that the state government must be commended
for embarking on expansion of the airport road
into 10-lanes. “I must applaud the state
governor for mandating the contractor to
intensify construction work on the road. I
passed through the road and I saw the
contractor on site. I believe the aim was to
ensure that the project is delivered before May
29th, when Governor Akinwunmi Ambode,
will be handling over to the governor-elect,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”
A student, Debola Ademola, told Vanguard
that she could not wait to experience the
facility, saying she had seen the design and
believed it would change the face of Oshodi.
“I have read about the facilities that would be
included in the Oshodi Interchange. It will be
good for most of us who are students, because
it will afford us an opportunity to get whatever
we need before embarking on our journey”.
A banker Mr Sulaiman Odumakin said the
project will change the face of Oshodi and
minimize criminality in the environs and
called on the government to boost security in
the area.
Chairman, Lagos State branch of National
Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Mr.
Tajudeen Agbede also commended Ambode
for the initiative, and expressed the readiness
of his members to support the government to
make Oshodi Interchange project a reality.
These and many other projects in Ikeja, Epe
and some other places, ordinarily, could project
Ambode as surpassing or setting
unprecedented landmarks at least in recent
times in Lagos. And while this is not to probe
why he was not given a second term, it also
raises concern over his inability to address the
minor things that touch the lives of the masses
like portholes that lead to avoidable traffic
jams, filth in Lagos following failure to clear
refuse, the menace of criminals, Okada and
truck drivers etc. This, no doubt quietened the
voices of the masses who would have risen in
his defence during the party primaries. But
again, this is not about politics. It’s about the
legacies Ambode initiated or built that the
incoming government must complete for the
interest of Lagos and Nigeria. They are
massive projects that will be part of the story
when Ambode leaves office.

A
certain politician who sees
himself as personifying Lagos,
was said to have made a comment
years ago, when he was still directly
running the state. After a hard day’s
job attending to the affairs of Lagos,
with its intrigues and power play, this
man allegedly got up, stretched his
arms and torso before announcing to
those in his company that he was
tired and wanted to go to bed.
Nothing is wrong with that.
However, his alleged choice of words
did not escape the notice of those in
the room and possibly the entire state
in its import. ‘Ore Eko. Ekofelo’sun.’
(Lagos is tired. Lagos wants to
sleep).
Two weeks ago almost to the day,
the man who, on the other hand, is
widely acknowledged and believed
to truly personify Lagos also became
tired and went to sleep. He didn’t
wake up. He was 99 years and six
months. He would have been a
hundred years in September. He was
the last of the Lagos titans. Alhaji,
Senator, Dr Hassan Adisa Babatunde
Fashiro popularly called HAB, was
not only conversant with the history
of Lagos as shown in the books he
authored, he was widely
acknowledged and respected as the
historian of Lagos. And because he
once held sway over the affairs of
Lagos when it was not yet a state,
and had remained an important
component of the social, cultural and
even political affairs of the state
across generations, he can be said
to personify Lagos.
HAB was one of the early indigenes
of Lagos with a law degree. And like
most educated men of his time, he
got involved in politics. He cut his
political tooth under Chief Obafemi
Awolowo becoming the second
Assistant General Secretary of Action
Group in 1953. The people he rubbed
shoulders with professionally and
politically were the founding fathers
of our country. He later became a
Senator at the time when senators
were well regarded. But despite his
political success, what stood him out
in his chequered life were his deep
How the Ambode Treatment
turned into a catchy anecdote
in Nigeria’s political phraseology is
one that associates of the outgoing
governor of Lagos State will rue for
a long time to come. Nevertheless,
the episode that made Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode to be the first
governor of Nigeria’s most populous
state to be stopped from seeking reelection
is one that is bound to
escalate in the near future. It would
indeed, turn into a learning curve
in fashioning relationships between
sitting governors and godfathers
who help them into office.
Following this week’s roll-out of the
schedule for the next set of
governorship elections,
permutations on where the Ambode
Treatment would be next served are
now being imagined. It is certainly
not in Kogi or Bayelsa. The first two
of the seven states involved in offseason
governorship elections.
Governor Yahaya Bello’s political
godfather is in Aso Rock and
detached from the ugly events
unfolding in Kogi State. So long as
news of the months-long arrears of
salaries is filtered from President
Muhammadu Buhari, the governor
may have no issue grabbing the All
Progressives Congress, APC ticket
for a second term having recently
forcefully taken over the state
executive of the party.
The election in Bayelsa State does
not involve a sitting governor.
So, conspiracy theorists will have
to look further for the possible reenactment
of the Ambode Treatment.
Their sights are now set on Edo.
Even before the conclusion of the
2019 general election, political
stakeholders there had started
making permutations.
Day Lagos honoured a respected son
involvements in the religious and
cultural affairs of his state and his
administrative skills. In the area of
religion, he was a deeply religious
man. He wore Islam literally on his
sleeves. He was a practitioner, a
teacher, a chronicler and a reformer. He
was once an executive member of the
Many of his children are
married to people of other
faith without any objection
from him
revered Supreme Council for Islamic
Affairs representing Lagos. He was at
a time, also appointed President of
Nigeria Muslim Council among many
notable appointments. In fact, his early
pilgrimages to the Holy land were
performed in one official capacity or the
other including one that was at the
invitation of the Royal Saudi Arabian
Government itself. It is notable however,
that in spite of his deep religious mien,
he was, like most indigenous
Lagosians, a very liberal and
accommodating Muslim. Many of his
children are married to people of other
faith without any objection from him.
He was as deeply committed to the
affairs of Lagos as he was to his faith.
He showed a keen interest in policies
and programmes that affected Lagos
Ambode’s treatment for Obaseki?
That scenario began to unfold
penultimate week after stakeholders in
the state chapter of the APC began to
take positions in the possible conflict
between godfather and godson. It was
a rehash of what happened in Lagos
State.
Now the comparisons of the political
scenarios in the two states are quite
interesting. The governors in the two
states were foisted by former governors
who fought off bitter opposition to plant
their chosen professionally inclined
and seemingly apolitical surrogates.
Both governors in their first two years
comparatively tried their best.
Both governors are under the
oversight of nationally renowned
chieftains of the APC.
The two are said to be distasteful of
the political class who brought them
into office. The refrain in Governor
Obaseki’s case was that he was so much
revolted by the way politicians reaped
from the election that brought him in
that he was wont to tell them that they
had been sufficiently settled! It was as
such no joke that some of those who
hitherto dictated the pace and pattern
of politics in the state have come into
hard times.
especially to people of Lagos
extraction. He was a trustee of the
Association of Indigenes of Lagos
State for many years. He was also very
close to royalty having been born into
a White Cap Chieftaincy family. His
longevity also made his association
with royalty to span many Obas. He
lived to witness the reigns of at least
six Obas at very close quarters. This
made him to be quite familiar with
the circumstances and intrigues of the
Lagos monarchy. It also made him to
be an unofficial, but respected
chronicler of monarchical successions.
Now to his administrative skills. He
was not the only Town Clerk of the
Lagos City Council. But he was the
most visible and the most revered.
Possibly because he had raised the
bar during an almost ten year tenure
which witnessed remarkable
achievements. It was during his
tenure that the famous Health
Personnel Training Institute at Harvey
Road, Yaba was established. This
institute was to train nurses, sanitary
inspectors and health workers for
Nigeria and indeed, the West African
sub-region. His tenure also
witnessed the setting up of a
Municipal Transport Service for
Lagos.Another first credited to him
was the setting up of public libraries
in the municipality and an
Amusement park at Apapa. But what
people remember him for was the
building of the three storied Lagos
City Hall, an architectural delight of
its time.
SATURDAY Vanguard,APRIL 13, 2019—35
The APC was able to push Ambode because the
PDP in Lagos was largely rudderless.That is not
the case in Edo where the party is united,
popular and on the ground
However, it is still premature to
hazard a guess on why Ambode was
punished. His reported contempt for
people was certainly not enough.
Indeed, other political calculations
that are bound to unfold may reveal
reasons why he had to go. After all,
no one has been able to point at a
single offence he may have
committed against his godfather. The
114 interior roads he delivered within
his first 100 days, and other completed
or ongoing infrastructure projects
including the Oshodi Exchange, Pen
Cinema flyover, Airport Road, Berger
are among key infrastructure
landmarks the governor could have
used to sell himself for a second term.
Well, he would also have had to face
serious questions from citizens who
ply the Mile 2-Badagry and the Mile
2-Apapa Express-ways who quarrel
that he left the two roads far worse
than he met them!
But on balance, he would have
soldiered on if physical performance
was considered as the barometer for
a second term. It is within that
context that the unfolding drama in
Edo State is now playing out.
Penultimate week chieftains of the
I first met HAB Fashinro roughly ten
years ago at the celebration of his wellattended
90 th birthday party. It is
inexplicable that a man of his stature
escaped me during my years of
personality interviews at the Punch
Newspapers. I tried to somewhat make
up for the lapse by requesting to do an
interview with him for ‘City Mail,’ a
newspaper for the Lagos metropolis
which I was publishing at the time. I
found Pa HAB to be sprightly and
articulate for his age. He was also very
friendly and unassuming. He regaled me
with unforgettable stories about the Lagos
of his time. And about the rivalry between
local football teams. He knew the story
behind every building and every cultural
event in Lagos. But what I won’t forget
so easily were the songs—social, cultural
and adversarial songs. He sang them so
simply, but with relish. He also took time
to explain the folk tales behind them. He
was a great man deserving of all the
honour he got during the one week of
his passing when all the who’s who in
Lagos dropped everything to pay him
homage. Even the Obas who are
traditionally bound not to visit the dead
sent their staffs of office.
It would have been fitting to have hosted
his 8 th day reception at the Lagos City
Hall which was built under his tenure
and the rehabilitation of which he showed
concerned interest in after it was razed
by fire; especially in the Banquet Hall,
which bears his name. But it would have
been unrealistic and impractical given the
sheer number of people that came to pay
their last respects on the day. Even the
Balmoral Hall, as big as it is, was choked
at some point. Politicians—in coming and
out going were represented; the different
lineages of indigenous Lagosians were
represented; the social elites were
represented; the business community,
including the richest man in Africa, was
not left out. It is rare to see such a turnout
for a man who has not held any public
office in decades. But it would not be
surprising to those who knew him. HAB
Fashinro lived a life of transparency,
character and integrity. And of simplicity
in spite of his vast connections.
It is only right that he would be so
honoured.
Oredo Local Government Area chapter of
the APC in Edo State met and adopted
Obaseki for a second term as governor of
the state. The governor is from Oredo.
However, within hours sounds of dissent
started emitting from expected quarters
to the contrary. It was a replay of the
endorsements and rebuff that trailed the
Ambode affair last year.
It is doubtful if Obaseki has the political
capacity to fight the godfather. There are
indications that the Edo governor may
have impacted positively especially,
given claims of the inflow of high-tech
companies like Microsoft, HP into the
state in the proclaimed scheme to turn
the state into the technological backbone
for the state. But will such count if push
comes to shove in the battle for Edo State?
Other local issues may count for Obaseki,
notably the Benin factor and the presence
of one of the country’s most dynamic
opposition state chapters of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP led by Chief Dan
Orbih. The APC was able to push Ambode
because the PDP in Lagos was largely
rudderless. That is not the case in Edo
where the party is united, popular and
on the ground.
Willy-nilly, even before the rain, the
ground in Edo is wet and set for a muddy
fight!

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
omrade Chairman, Adams
COshiomhole, sure knows how to
handle kids. I am sure his children
received the best of disciplinary lessons
while they spent time at home even if
daddy was busy shouting: ‘aluta
continua’ all over the country.
My fear is that the comrade governor
who now serves as chairman of the All
Progressives Congress [APC] does not
seem to know the difference between
politics and comedy. Oshiomhole could
be living in a world of his own.
I watched him on television when he
talked about ‘winner takes all’ following
his party’s disputed victory in the just
concluded elections. This is a country
with diverse interests and presently
struggling with a lot of burning issues.
Comrade went further to dictate to
senators-elect and their counterparts
in the House of Representatives his
choice of principal officers. I mean his
choice because he has been faulted for
not making wide consultations before
foisting his dream on the elite
politicians.
The ninth Senate will consist of 109
members representing three political
parties. The APC leads with 64 senators,
the Peoples democratic Party [PDP] has
42 while the Young Peoples Party [YPP]
won one seat. A new senate president
needs just 55 votes to emerge.
It is a mixed pack. There are many
former governors, some ex-ministers,
a few ex-deputy governors and
experienced politicians. Many of them
joined active politics at a time
Oshiomhole was busy organizing road
rallies as a trade unionist. More than a
dozen became governors when the
comrade was haggling fuel price with
the Federal Government.
These are the same people who are
being led like pupils of Dennis Osadebay
Nursery and Primary School,
Government House, Benin. Suddenly,
the former Edo State governor has
assumed the position of a head teacher.
At 67, I think our Khaki comrade may
be reliving his child hood. In 1959,
when he was a mere six-year-old, the
first senate had at least 56 appointed
ven now, the nine local government
Eareas of Anioma land of Delta State,
can hardly speak with one voice. Looking
back, the entire Anioma people must ever
remain grateful to the late Sylvester
Ifeanyichukwu Moemeka, of LINTAs,
advertising company which he joined in
1962, and became its first African head,
chairman and managing director in 1974.
He spoke for Anioma during the
deliberations leading to the splitting of the
fabled old Bendel state into two: Delta and
Edo states. In one of the last meetings,
which held at the Lagos home of the late
Rear-Admiral Augustus Aikhomo, who
announced that the split would follow the
natural boundaries of Benin and Delta
Provinces. Aikhomu’s decisive statement
was clear; Bendel was simply coined from
the two provinces that were joined into one
to create the defunct Mid-West region in
1963, and which was renamed Bendel in
1975.
So, according to Aikhomu’s verdict, the
Ukwuani Local Government (with
headquarters at Obiaruku including
Akoku-Uno, Amai-Nge, Ishikaguma,
Umubu, Umuekum, Umuosele
Adonishaka, Ebedei-Uno and Obi-Ebedei)
towns, the Ndokwa West Local
Government with its administrative seat
in Kwale (Utagba-Ogbe) with towns like
Abbi, Ogume, Onicha-Ukwuani, Utagba,
Utagbe-Uno, Ijeze, Imam-Abbi, Emu-Uno
and other towns and Ndokwa East LGA
headquartered at Aboh and the
communities and towns of Abarra, Aboh,
Afor, Ase, Ashaka, Ibedeni, Ibrede, Okpai,
Onyia, Ossissa, Adiai, Akarai, Beneku,
Igbuku, Obikwele, Onogbokor, Onuaboh,
Ushie, Umuolu, Utchi etc, would be in
Delta State.
Then the others:the Ika North and South,
Oshimili North and South, and the Aniocha
North and South LGAs would go with the
Benin province to form their new state.
That would make them the minority of the
minorities, and the ultimate outsiders in
their new states—Delta and Edo.
There was only one dissenting voice,
Moemeka’s. He announced that the
Anioma people were one people and so
should remain in one state.
A mocking voice reminded him that the
Ndokwa people had been a part of the
Delta province since time immemorial and
had been happy in that environment. That
voice added that the so-called Anioma area
never even spoke a common language.
Moemeka refused to be infuriated. He
Senator
ors s return to kindergat
gaten
members. The appointments were made
by the governor general, the three
regional governors and commissioner
of the Cameroons.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged as the
Senate president and I am sure we all
remember that our country was a
colony of the British. Under that
dispensation, Oshiomhole would have
made a very good colonial secretary.
On January 12, 1955, Sir Frederick
Metcalfe became Speaker of our House
of Representatives. His appointment
came from the colonial office in London
as he was an ex –Clerk of the British
House of Commons.
It was only on January 12, 1960 that
our own, Jaja Anucha Nwachukwu,
became the first Nigerian Speaker of the
House of Representatives. These were
colonial appointments which were
geared towards independence.
I am sure that is where Oshiomhole
and those who think he is doing great,
got their inspiration. Unfortunately, I
know they are dreaming and must wake
up now. This is 2019.
Well, if those who are packaging this
headmaster/pupil deal were kids in the
first Republic, they were not exactly
toddlers in the Second Republic. The
National Assembly at the time was not
fed from Chief Adisa Akinloye’s bottle.
Akinloye was chairman of the National
Party of Nigeria [NPN] which enjoyed a
simple majority. NPN did not brag even
if they were not as comfortable then as
the APC today.
The party went into negotiations and
earned a working agreement with the
Nigeria Peoples Party [NPP]. Those
politicians of the second Republic
had Nigeria in mind. I doubt if some
of our politicians in APC think
Nigeria.
On October 9, 1979, Clerk of the
Senate, Gidado Idris, called for
nomination for the position of
President of the Senate. Dr. Olusola
Sraki who was Senate Majority
Leader, presented Dr. Joseph
Wayas, representing Ogoja-Obubra-
Obudu-Ikom Constituency of Cross
River State.
Saraki said: “ Dr. Wayas is a man of
many parts, a true Nigerian, who
speaks the three main Nigerian
languages: Hausa, Igbo and
Yoruba…”
That did not stop the Unity Party
of Nigeria [UPN] from nominating
Senator Franklin Atake,
representing Bendel Delta. He was
nominated by Chief Ephraim
Akpata [Bendel Central].
Wayas polled 53 votes to defeat
Atake who got 42 votes. For the
post of Deputy Senate President,
John Wash Pam, NPP [Jos North]
defeated Alhaji Sabo Zuwo [PRP]
Kano, 51 votes to 43.
It was a pan Nigerian arrangement
which calmed nerves. Wayas and
Pam were from the minority
groups. The Hausa Fulani had
produced President Shehu Shagari.
Head of the Judiciary, Justice
Atanda Fatai-Williams, was Yoruba
as well as Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.
General Alani Akinrinade.
The Igbo had no reason to
complain. Edwin Umezeoke, NPP,
Ekumek
umeku u war
ar: : Why y Britain ain balkanised
anised
Anioma land
calmly replied that all parts of the Anioma
are known as the Western Igbo area and
they speak Igbo language, but different
dialects. He said that he at least knew the
meaning of “Ukwuani or Ndoshumili,” but
that the average Itsekiri or the Urhobo
person does not even know what the
Ndokwa person calls “water.”
A silence descended on the gathering.
Rear-Admiral Aikhomu broke the silence;
he asked Moemeka pointedly: “So, as you
are the voice of your people, where do you
want your people to go; with Delta or Benin
Province?”
Moemeka cleared his throat and replied;
“I don’t want to be asking for too much.
My people are a peaceful and
understanding people, though we can fight
if need be as the Ekumeku war showed.
Whether we are in the state that will result
from the Delta or Benin province is
immaterial; the material thing to us is that
we MUST remain as one and totally
undivided in any state we find ourselves
in. Finish!” That was how Anioma
remained as one in Delta state instead of
having three LGAs in Delta and six in Edo.
So, how did the Anioma area come to be
carved up and thrown to different directions,
unlike other such unanimous areas in
Nigeria? Well, a sinister tale lies behind it;
the Anioma people were so dastardly
punished by the British for the Ekumeku
revolution that lasted all of 31 years—from
1883 to 1914.
The British had for long identified the
Anioma nation as unusually independentminded
(read belligerent). For instance,
in 1830, the Lander Brothers reported their
sour experiences in the hands of the
Anioma back home for they were captured
by the Anioma community who did not
understand their reason for crossing
through their territory. The Aboh kingdom
ruled the Niger from the Asaba area to
Lokoja by then. So, for long, Britain
was just waiting for an excuse to
descend on the area.
By 1870, the crisis between Anioma
and Britain had degenerated as the
colonialists invaded Ndoni, an Anioma
community now in Rivers state. The
British parliament had supported the
use of force against Ndoni to gain
control of their market. The Royal Niger
Company invaded Atani another
Anioma community (now in Anambra
state) in 1880; it was pure genocide.
On November 2, 1897, Onicha-Ado
(Onitsha) an Anioma community was
bombarded. The following year, Ibusa
felt the sting of the British, in a surprise
attack. The Ibusa forces retreated and
the British was still savouring an easy
victory when Ibusa counter-attacked in
the first battle of the Ekumeku war.
Writing in 1898, Father Zappa
emphasized that rather than
surrender, “the Ekwumekwu soldiers
continued to resist as the Ibusa forces
reinforced.” The British Commander,
Major Festing’s, appealed for
reinforcement of troops from Lokoja to
help subdue Ibusa. Even then Ibusa
held on until the devilish scorched
earth tactics which led to the inhumane
destruction of Ibusa farms and villages
made them to give up the struggle.
That was another war crime against
the Anioma.
On February 11, 1904, Owa (near
Agbor), had to defend herself against
the British. W. E. B. Crawford
Coupland, the Divisional
Commissioner ordered for 4
Connaught Rangers, 2.95 artillery and
other weapons. Ekute provided
military support to the Ekumeku
soldiers. The Commander, Lt H. C.
The Igbo have been completely
schemed out of the equation even with a
Senator- elect, Orji Kalu, who was a
member of the House of Representatives
in 1992
representing Nnewi became Speaker of
the House of Representatives. With 245
votes, he beat Malam Hamza [Biu North] of
the Great Nigeria Peoples Party [GNPP], who
got 201 votes.
The beauty of the whole thing was that
Umezeoke was nominated by Yunusa
Kaltungo [NPN, Tangale Waja South]. The
nomination was seconded by Lt.Col. Patrick
Amadi [NPP, Owerri North].
It was obvious that the parties had
common grounds of agreement. And all
through the Shagari years, there was relative
peace in the National Assembly.
Unfortunately, the Second Republic was
truncated when soldiers foisted Maj. Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari on Nigerians just as
1983 petered out.
Today, under President Muhammadu
Buhari, we are seeing an entirely different
picture where the leadership of the ruling
party does not want fair play. And this
attitude of neo colonialism calls for concern.
Oshiomhole and Aso Villa want Senator
Ahmad Lawan from Yobe State as the next
Senate President. They want Femi
Gbajabiamila from Lagos as Speaker, House
of Representatives.
This is injustice. National unity has been
stabbed frontally. And there are protests
from within the APC. Senator Ali Ndume is
fighting this clear imposition. Yet, the APC
says, ’shut your trap.’
The Igbo have been completely schemed
out of the equation even with a Senatorelect,
Orji Kalu, who was a member of the
House of Representatives in 1992. There is
also the experienced Nkiru Onyejeocha in
the House of Representatives.
Even if the National Assembly was a
crèche, Oshiomhole would fail woefully as a
teacher.
The British parliament had supported
the use of force against Ndoni to gain
control of their market
Moorhouse would later defend himself on why
he sustained casualties; he said Owa had
well-trained soldiers and their geographical
knowledge was an advantage. Mr. S. O.
Crewe lost his life in the battle. This has been
rated as one of the fiercest resistances the
Ekumeku warriors put up as the fight raged
for weeks.
The battle of Ogwashi-Uku began on
November 2, 1909 with a mandate to the British
Forces to kill everybody on their way. Yet, the
British invaders sustained 34 casualties, most
notably Captain H. C. Chapman. In 1910, the
British made Ogwashi the Asaba Division
Headquarters and built a prison there to
contain the Ekumeku insurgency. Ekumeku
fighters rallied from other towns to help
Ogwashi in that battle.
So the British made a deliberate effort to
balkanise Anioma; and Anioma territories such
as Onicha-Ado and Oguta were permanently
lost to the Easterners. Onitsha’s change of
name disassociated it from their Onicha-
Olona, Onicha-Ukwu, Onicha-Uku or Onicha-
Ugbo kins in Anioma. Anioma was divided
into four and thrown to other groups who
would lord it over them. Asaba Division was
joined to the Benin Province and Aboh
Division (Ndi-Olu) were joined with Urhobo,
Ijaws and Itsekiris to make up the Delta
Province. Onitsha, Oguta and environs were
joined to the Eastern provinces. This made
political unity nearly impossible. This disunity
continues to this day.
Anioma towns such as Isheagwu, Kwale,
Ugbolu, Obiaruku, Aboh, Ebu, Ubulu-Uku,
Ogwashi-Uku, Akumazi-Umuocha,
Obomkpa, Ezi, Issele-Uku, Ilah, Okpanam,
Issele-Azagba, Owa and Ibusa partook in the
war to stop British high-handedness such as
commandeering of food stuff, forced labour,
wanton assault of the “natives” especially
women. Others include Idumuje-Ugboko,
Agbor, Igbodo, Umunede, Ute-Okpu, Ashama
and Idume-Ugbo. Their bravery will echo
through the ages to come.

Strip bars are sprouting everywhere.
It’s a cancerous phenomenon.
A friend saw the house next door go up
for sale. Then the buyer, the new owner,
began a curious renovation. When he was
done, he hung a cryptic sign. The
neighborhood resisted the invasion by a
putative beer parlor. The beer parlor
resisted the onslaught of anxious
neighbours. The law enforcement agents
showed naked lethargy. The patrons of the
new investment overwhelmed the moral
disgust of the finicky neighbours. The beer
park-our stood.
A few months after, the beer parlor which
had tried its hands at being a restaurant
began to wane. Its patrons must have
become too familiar with its offerings. Or
perhaps, they simply had flocked to newer
arrivals. Then something happened.
Young girls started to flock to the old beer
parlor. Bouncers took over the security of
the parlor and its environs. The buzz had
returned with vengeance. The
neighbourhood dismissed the rumours that
had spread as a joke. The parlor became
an ultimate nuisance. Its patrons stayed
awake and noisy most of the night. They
always loitered. Some of the girls spilled
onto the street and turned the dark places
red. The fears of the neighbourhood were
confirmed.
The beer parlor had metamorphosed. It
was now a strip bar, in the closet. A
neighbor said it was his teenage children
he was worried about. A wife said she
feared for her husband. They said they
warned the previous owner not to sell to
any church. Churches always came with
too much noise and too much nuisance ,
they said. They said the devil must have
decided to punish them. They wished it
was a church they had to contend with.
They besieged the local council authority.
The local officials had dragged their feet.
They knew the strip bar had corroded,
undermined the understanding of the local
officials. The strip bar made too much
money, enough money to make council
official forget their duties.
They have run to court. But they are
worried. Justice is vulnerable in Nigeria.
One evening, EseOghene came home
tired. She had her bath and decided
to take a nap. She always slept naked.
When Mudipapa came back from work,
he found her in a very inviting position.
“Dinner” was served and without saying
“prayer before meal” (foreplay) he started
“eating.” EseOghene was startled from
sleep, but Mudipapa was already busy. “It
is not safe o, this one you are doing,”
EseOghene protested feebly. But as they
say, “when a man gets an erection, his brain
goes on leave.” Mudipapa’s brain had gone
on leave the moment he came into the
room and saw EseOghene. It would start
working again when he was done. To his
credit after about 18 years of marriage,
EseOghene still held him spellbound.
When he was done, EseOghene rushed
into the bathroom. From the bathroom, he
could hear her saying, “these daughters
you are looking for, and want them by all
means; I pray this impromptu action of
yours does not lead to another pregnancy.
You know what I went through with Edirin’s
pregnancy. I’m too old now for pregnancy
o!” EseOghene knew her cycle so well that
she knew any pregnancy from the
encounter would produce a baby girl.
The implication of what Mudipapa had
done hit him. While he wanted more
daughters, he had no intention of
endangering the life of EseOghene. The
anxious wait started. Seventeen days later,
EseOghene did not see her period. Anxiety
increased. Two weeks thereafter, Mudipapa
came back from work and when he asked
of EseOghene, he was told she came in
much earlier and was sleeping. That was
strange. EseOghene never came home that
early. She was a workaholic. He was too
scared to climb up. He stayed downstairs
staring at the television until 10:30pm
when he summoned the courage and went
up. “What is it, baby?” He asked her. In his
sub-consciousness, he heard the words he
had been dreading: “I’m pregnant.”
Everything, including his heart beat, stood
still, except the room which was swirling
round him.
That night, when he lay down, he knew
he was not going to sleep. At
such times, he would go to the study to
work, but it was of no use, his mind was in
turmoil. He stared at the ceiling for
Strip bars s are spreading promiscuously
They know they have an uphill task.
Because they know what happened in
First avenue, Festac town Lagos.
Something more alarming had
happened in First avenue , Festac. A
new red light district sprouted overnight
within that once iconic residential estate.
It was heralded by a similar
metamorphosis.
A prime development came up along
the canal on first avenue. That was were
the rich once lived. The development had
office blocks above and a modern English
bar beneath. The bar suffered loss of
patronage after an initial sparkle. The
But indiscriminate building
and running of strip bars will
harm our society
original outdoor eating habits of Festac
transformed when traders who had
relocated to the Trade fair complex on
Badagry expressway came with their
appetite for local delicacies. The traders
preferred nkwobi and ‘point-and-kill’ fish
pepper soup. The English bar
metamorphosed to meet business
exigencies.
Before the eyes of serving judges and
bishops who lived in the vicinity, the
property that housed the English bar
underwent a curious renovation. All
offices were wiped out. When the
renovation was done, the building had
over 50 air conditioners hanging and
dangling everywhere. Girls of easy
virtue started loitering around it.
The neighbourhood prayed, fasted
and wept. The new owners had
converted the edifice into a huge
brothel. It had almost a hundred
cubicles which were rented daily by
sex workers at small fees. The road
where the building was located
became a prostitution lane. A
secondary school which had stood in
the quiet neighbourhood found itself
in the centre of a new red light district.
The Residents’ Association kicked.
But their noise came to nothing.
Neither town planning officials nor the
police could stop the growth of the red
light district in the middle of where
sane families lived and children
schooled.
That red light district flourishes in
front of that school till this day.
Strip bars have come. And they are
mushrooming. And they are
insinuating themselves into lives of
children.
In Lagos, they are now everywhere.
They are sprouting within residential
enclaves. The society is worried about
conversion of structures and the
tragedy of their physical collapse. The
society should be worried about much
Mudipapa:Birth of Omoghene Orien
nonexistent solutions. He was usually a
man with great self-control; he cursed
that moment of indiscretion. He wanted
more daughters, but not at this time.
Edirin, his youngest child, was already
nine and they had closed the chapter of
child bearing. This child coming when
he was almost 48 years was equally
going to disrupt his retirement plans.
This one you
are making
noise, do you
know you were
born by mistake
He had worked and was still working
very hard, and he wanted a retirement
unencumbered by school fees and child
rearing. He wanted to travel all over the
world with EseOghene, but how was he
going to do that with a child who would
still be in secondary school when he
retires?
His mind shifted to EseOghene;
how was she going to cope with what
was clearly going to be a difficult
pregnancy? The earlier ones,
especially Edirin’s, were traumatic.
How was this one going to be? What
would people say? He remembered
how Aunty Joyce and Uncle Emma
advised them against having more
children when they saw the pains
EseOghene was going through during
Edirin’s pregnancy. His heart sank.
By 4am, sleep was still far away. Then
it occurred to him that his thoughts
were aimless. He needed to focus.
“What exactly is the issue? Is it a crime
to sleep with my own wife?” “No,” he
answered himself. “Did I impregnate
a domestic staff?” “Hell, no,” he
continued. “So what’s the issue;
tongues, which would wag because
my wife got pregnant at almost 41?
We do not owe anybody any
explanations. There is only one issue
really, EseOghene’s health and
wellbeing,” he concluded.
By now, EseOghene had woken up.
He apologized to her upfront for the
pains she might likely go through. He
told her that he would not stand in
her way, if she decided to relocate
abroad to avoid prying an inquisitive
eyes and also get the best possible
medical attention, but EseOghene
brushed the idea aside. She would
stay here and have the baby the way
she had the others.
The pregnancy was difficult, but hell
was not let loose as they had feared.
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—37
Once you have seen the way we regulate
and run commercial motorcycles and
Danfo buses here then you have seen the
way the strip bars are being regulated and
run
more.
Someone ought to be worried about the lack
of rules within these rogue strip bars. There
are no rules. The girls often dance stark naked.
The patrons are allowed to purchase anything,
their basest fantasies, with money. And the
youths already struggling with pornography
are getting sucked in. The girls in these bars
are daily drained of humanity.
The strip bars are now everywhere. Lagos is
not alone. The hospitality industry in many
towns are digging low and deep to remain
afloat.
But indiscriminate building and running of
strip bars will harm our society.
In other climes these facilities are situated
in set out areas and are strictly regulated.
The girls have access to the law and the patrons
understand that there are boundaries that must
not be crossed. But what we have is the
running of strip bars in the shadows.
Once you have seen the way we regulate
and run commercial motorcycles and Danfo
buses here, then you have seen the way the
strip bars are being regulated and run. There
are no licenses and registrations. The police
shake them down and let them be. There are
no protective helmets, no eye tests, no alcohol
tests, no vehicle inspections. No one checks
the bars, no one checks the health of the girls,
no one bothers with their impact on the
neighbourhood.
The patrons come in, pay and consume. The
only thing that rules is the desperation of the
owners of the bar , the growing addiction to
voyeurism in the society and the criminal
complicity of local officials and security
agencies.
The strip bars are mushrooming. Let someone
do some housekeeping.
The baby even did overtime in the womb, but
EseOghene refused induced labour. One
Sunday evening, Jacinta OmogheneOrien
was safely delivered. She weighed 4.2kg, the
most weighty of all of their children at birth.
Once Omo was born, all the initial anxieties
disappeared. All her siblings were falling
over one another to care for her; Mudipapa
dubbed her “my retirement baby.” She was a
sweet little girl, loved by all initially when
she was very little. But as she grew older, she
started getting on her siblings’ nerves. She
was very possessive. She treated Mudipapa
as if she was his only child. She was the only
one who called Mudipapa ‘my daddy.’ The
other children simply called him ‘Daddy.’ In
the house and in church, she would come and
sit between whoever sat closest to Mudipapa
and say: “I want to sit with my daddy.” Her
tongue was also very acidic. Mudipapa
protected her and told Mado and Edirin to
use her to learn how they would live with and
tolerate their spouses in future. Privately,
Mudipapa cautioned her to be respectful.
One of those days, Mado decided to give it
back to her: “This one you are making noise,
do you know you were born by mistake. That
is why Edirin is older than you by 10 years.
Mummy and Daddy said they thought they
were through with childbearing, but you this
little stubborn thing forced your way through.
This family is better off without a trouble
maker like you. How am I even sure, you are
not another person’s baby who was
exchanged for mummy’s real baby in the
clinic? You look different from Tejiri (their
older sister). Tejiri is dark like mummy, daddy
and the rest of us, but you are lightcomplexioned.
Where did you take your
complexion from...?” Mado continued
running his mouth.
Omo was wailing when Mudipapa and
EseOghene got back from a wedding
reception that Saturday. She was
inconsolable; Mudipapa had never seen
Omo,or any of his children, so traumatized.
Mudipapa asked what happened, but Mado
and Edirin would not talk. Then he changed
gear and when they saw the raw anger in his
eyes, Edirin chickened out… .
Excerpts from LIFE LESSONS FROM
MUDIPAPA. Mudipapadebuts next month.
Enquiries at mudipapa65@gmail.com,
#mudipapa.

38—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
•Bombed
banks ATM
Bloody Bank
Robbery In Ondo:
•How robbers surveyed terrain for 3 days before they struck
•Angry when the N3m targeted was delayed
•Shot seven dead, injured five, blew off security door, ATM.
Dayo Johnson Akure.
FOR three days, the 10-member
robbery gang that robbed a
commercial bank in Idoani in
Ose council area of Ondo state and
killed seven people walked freely on the
streets unnoticed. The robbers had
arrived the town, lodged in an hotel and
for three days they were busy studying
the terrain waiting patiently like a lion
for the auspicious time to strike.
According to a reliable police source,
the robbers were targeting
the sum of N3m that they
were told would be brought
to the bank that Monday
morning before noon. At
about 2pm on Monday, they
eventually struck leaving a
trail of blood, sorrow, grieve
and wailing. Six persons
were gruesomely murdered
in cold blood on the spot
while the seventh person
managed to get to the
hospital before he gave up
the ghost.
Those killed in the bank
robbery include a police
Inspector, one of the
bankers, four bank
customers and the Vice
Principal of Idoani Grammar
School, Mr Oluloro who was
at ATM point when the
robbers blew it open.
Five other persons who
were seriously wounded as
a result of the gun shoot
injuries they sustained are
lying critically ill at the
General Hospital ldoani.
It was a sad day for the
people of the agrarian
community.
The dare devil bandits who were said
to have entered the community from
either Edo or Kogi operated unchallenged
in the bank for over one hour.
But for the timely intervention of some
soldiers deployed to the scene of the
robbery after the police detectives
According to a
reliable police
source, the
robbers were
targeting the sum
of N3m that they
were told would
be brought to the
bank that
Monday morning
before noon
appeared helpless as a result of the
superior weapons displayed by the bandits,
the casualty figures would have been more
than seven. One of the bandits was arrested
by the soldiers while others fled the scene
after they were notified that the soldiers
were coming for them.
Reliable police source said the bandits
were acting on a privileged information
that money would be brought to the bank
that day. But it eventually failed to arrive
at the particular time they were given due
to some delay from the main branch of the
bank.
By the time the robbers arrived at the
bank for their operation, the
bullion van had not arrived.
This reportedly angered them
and they went berserk shooting
everyone in sight.
Information of the robbery
reportedly got to the officers
accompanying the bullion van
to ldoani later and they had to
make a detour.
Weekend Vanguard
gathered that the robbers who
divided themselves into four
different groups arrived the
bank during the peak period
of banking operation and blew
open the security door with
dynamite.
Two of the groups reportedly
headed straight into the
banking hall after blowing
open the security door while
the third group went to the
ATM point.
The forth group it was
gathered manned strategic
positions outside the bank in
a bid to give cover for the gang
operating inside the bank.
Security guards attached to the
bank fled following the
sporadic shooting by the
bandits on arrival at the bank premises.
It was learnt that a distress call was made
to the soldiers and when the robbers saw
that the arrival of soldiers would spell doom
for them, they fled the scene with an
unspecified amount of money stolen from
the vault and the ATM.
According to an eyewitness, after
blowing open the security door, the bandits
walked into the banking hall shooting
sporadically. The sound of the dynamite and
the damage done to the security door
reportedly caused pandemonium inside
bank, the robbers then became confused
and in the process started shooting at
everyone in the banking hall.
They reportedly found their way to the
vault where they moved some cash into
their bags while other members of the
gang raided the cashiers and some
customers they met inside the banking
hall.
Reports had it that the bandits also
invaded the residence of the traditional
ruler in the town, Alani of ldoani Oba
Olufemi Olutoye who was not at home
when the bandits visited. They broke into
the house by damaging many of the doors
but left when they discovered that the
occupant was not at home. In annoyance,
the house and the fence were riddled with
gunshots.
Meanwhile, four other suspects
including two bank officials have again
been arrested by police detectives in
respect of the robbery.
This is coming as the state governor
Rotimi Akeredolu who visited the town
to commiserate with the people had given
a marching order to all security agencies
in the state to go after the bandits and
ensure their arrest.
Five suspects have already been
apprehended in respect of the robbery
and have been moved to the state police
headquarters in Akure for further
interrogation.
Reliable police source hinted that the
suspect who was arrested during the
shoot out between the security operatives
and the robbers at the scene of the
robbery made some confessional
statements which led to the arrest of the
four suspects.
The four suspects it was gathered have
equally made confessional statements
and gave police detectives lead that
would help in apprehending other
fleeing suspects.
Contacted, Police spokesperson Femi
Joseph said that the command was
working assiduously to apprehend the
fleeing suspects who robbed the bank
and gruesomely murdered seven persons.
Joseph appealed against citing of banks
in isolated areas noting that it was easy
for the robbers to operate in the bank on
Monday unhindered because of where it
was located.
He said the robbery operation lasted
for long hours because the bank had been
overgrown with weeds and was located
in a border town between Ondo and Edo
states.
Joseph said the Commissioner of Police
and a crack team of investigators have
moved to Idoani in order to arrest the
other fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, the state governor Rotimi
Akeredolu represented by his deputy,
Agboola Ajayi, visited the town and paid
a condolence visit to Alani of Idoani, Oba
Olufemi Olutoye at his palace.
The palace of the traditional ruler is a
stone throw to the bank that was robbed
on Monday.
The governor who described the
incident as unfortunate implored the
“security agents to fish out those who
perpetrated the attack on the bank and
killed innocent people. Akeredolu
assured that his administration would
continue to partner with the security
agencies to nip this kind of incident in
the bud.
Oba Olutoye said the bandits who also
came into his compound and damaged his
doors entered and fled the town through
an abandoned narrow road constructed
in 1925 beside the bank.
According to him the bandits hid some
explosives in the bush which detonated
as they fled from the scene of the
operation. Oba Olutoye who said that the
town which shares borders with Edo and
Kogi states has always been a get-away
route for miscreants after committing
crimes.
He appealed to the state government
to assist the people in securing the town
in a bid to halt the infiltration of people
of questionable character.
Oba Olutoye also appealed to the state
government to assist the family of the
bereaved “in order to reduce the burden
the incident had caused them.
The state police commissioner Udie
Adie said that security has been beefed
up in all the banking zones across the 18
council areas of the state. A special
meeting between security agencies and
bank managers has been summoned to
fashion out strategies of curbing further
attacks on commercial institutions and
their customers.
Adie assured the public and bank
customers that there was no cause for
apprehension as more policemen had
been detailed to provide security at
flashpoints in and around banking zones
in major towns across the state.
In this command, he added “we will not
allow such robbery to go unpunished. On
the incident at Idoani, we have reinforced
security in this area and other parts of
the state especially banking areas; just
as we are seriously progressing with our
investigation. We are in the process of
holding meeting with bank managers, which
we call bankers’ forum”.

How we kidnapped, killed American
soldier in Imo —Suspect
•We got N26.5m from four operations
By Ifeanyi Okolie
Operatives of the Inspector General of
Police Special Intelligence Response
Team, IRT, have arrested seven
members of a notorious kidnapping gang who
masterminded the January 12, 2017, killing
of a United States Army veteran, Chuks
Okebata in Okigwe area of Imo State.
The suspects who were identified as Sunday
Igwe, alias, School Boy, Michael Ahmefula,
Oyebuchi Echefule, Ndubusi Isaac, Victor
Dagogo, Chima Okoro and John Edet, were
said to have carried out several high profile
kidnappings and armed robberies
within Imo, Abia and Rivers State.
They were all rounded up at
separate locations while two Ak-
47 rifles and six magazines loaded
with 127 live ammunitions were
recovered from them. Vanguard
gathered that efforts to apprehend
these suspects commenced few
months after the American soldier
was kidnapped and killed.
Sources disclosed to Vanguard
that several persons who had
fallen victims of the gang’s
activities wrote petitions to the
Inspector General of Police,
Adamu Mohammed who then
directed the operatives led by
Deputy Commissioner of Police
Abba Kyari, to track down the
suspects.
Vanguard gathered that based
on the information provided by
some of the victims, the IRT
operatives in Abia State, trailed the
leader of the gang, School-Boy to
a hotel in Aba town where he was
apprehended. A source who spoke
to Vanguard on the condition of
anonymity said “based on information about
the gang, we arrested the gang leader Sunday
The 29-year-old
Schoool-Boy, who
is a native of
Bendel Local
Government Area
of Abia State and a
secondary school
dropout then
narrated how he
went into crime
and how he
carried out most of
his operations.
Okechuwu Igwe, a.k.a school boy, in a hotel.
We were on his trail for six months before we
eventually arrested him in January 2018 and
recovered two Ak-47 rifles and six magazines
loaded with 127 live ammunition from him.
We then went after members of his gang and
we arrested his second in command, Michael
Ahamefula alongside another gang member,
Oyebuchi Echefule, in a hotel in Port Harcourt,
Rivers State. We then went on to arrest
Ndubusi Isaac, Victor Dagogo, Chima Okoro
and John Edet in Orlu and Aba areas of Abia
and Imo States, who were all members of the
gang”, the source stated.
When Vanguard interviewed the suspects
they confessed to be members of
a deadly armed robbery and
kidnapping gang terrorizing
Imo, Abia and Rivers States.
Why we killed the
American soldier
—Gang leader
The leader of the gang, School-
Boy, in his confession said that
the American soldier, Okebata,
was killed because he tried to
kill them after he was
kidnapped. He explained that he
and members of his gang didn’t
know that Okebata, had a pistol
with him at the time he was
kidnapped. He said, “we threw
him into the boot of our
operational vehicle after we
kidnapped him and we didn’t
know who he was. While we
were heading to our camp where
we would keep him and
negotiate for his ransom, he
pulled out his gun and started
shooting at us from the boot. The bullet hit me
on the leg and hit the driver on his hand. I
then asked the driver stop the vehicle. We
disarmed him, killed him at the spot and
dumped his body inside a drainage and left. I
had no intention of killing him but he forced
us into doing it.” he stated
The 29-year-old Schoool-Boy, who is a
native of Bendel Local Government Area
of Abia State and a secondary school
dropout then narrated how he went into
crime and how he carried out most of his
operations.
According to him, “after I dropped out
of school in 2009, I went to Iwofe area of
Port Harcourt where I learned how to drive
truck and in 2010 I met some boys, Oshare
and Op, at a smoking joint where they
introduced me into crime. We started by
snatching cars, my job was to drive the
cars out of town and mostly to Eleme area
of Port Harcourt, where it will be sold off
and I earned N20,000 for each operation.
After a while, I went back to my village
and met one of my brothers, Samuel, who
was also into car snatching and he
allowed me joined his gang. I was linked
to the gang leader, KC and we started
snatching cars in Aba town. Samuel was
the owner of the guns we were using to
snatch the cars while he job Ejike, another
member of our gang was to drive us in
his car to the location where we would
snatch the cars. I was earning N60,000 on
each operation. I later met one Mazi, who
introduced me into kidnaping and wanted
a place where he would be keeping his
victims. I provided my family house in the
village and I was equally looking after the
victims after they have been kidnapped. But
later on some DSS men who came looking for
him shot at me and got me injured, but I
escaped and was taken to the hospital where
I spent eight months. When I returned, I met
KC again but this time, he was already into
kidnapping and he had Ak-47rifles. I teamed
up with him and we started kidnapping. Our
first operation was in Imo state, we have no
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—39
specific target, we would just move round
the city looking for people with flashy cars
to kidnap. There was one man we went after
but we didn’t know that he had policemen
with him and the moment the policemen
came down, we opened fire on them and
killed them on the spot. We then collected
their rifles and kidnaped a man we found
inside the vehicle. We didn’t know that the
man we kidnapped was an ordinary driver
and not the owner of the vehicle or the person
the policemen were protecting. We had also
kidnapped one other person on the road
before that incident and we took the two
victims to our camp.”
“After that operation, we all became very
tired and slept off for a long time and our
victims, who we left unguarded escaped and
alerted the police. By the time we woke up
we realized that the police were everywhere
looking for us. KC was unlucky, he was
gunned down while he was trying to escape
and the police recovered one of his rifles. We
stopped kidnapping for a long time but we
resumed when we believed the police were
no longer looking for us. On the night we
killed the American soldier, we had three
rifles with us and went out looking for
victims. We then we spotted the American
soldier in his Infinity SUV, we pursued him
and kidnapped him put him in the boot of
the vehicle without knowing that he had a
gun with him. When we got to Ata Junction,
on the Okigwe Road, the soldier started
shooting and his bullet hit me on my hand.
He shot the driver on the leg, then I came
out, killed him and we dumped his body
inside drainage. After that operation, I lost
all my guns because some IRT operatives
swooped on Mazi and Ejike and they took
my guns from him. I then ran to Ghana when
the operatives were after me and returned
to Nigeria in November 2017 and resumed
kidnapping.
We realized N26.5m from four
operations — Ahamefuna
On his part, 28-year-old Michael
Ahamefuna, who is the second in
command in the group and married with
two children said; “I reside in Port
Harcourt and I am from Abia state. I am
a trader and I met School-boy in a
smoking joint where we took drugs. He
had an injury in his leg then and he took
me to his village where we met one KC.
We formed a kidnap gang and
kidnapped a man who paid us
N1.5million. We went for another
operation that fetched us N15million.
We also kidnapped two other victims in
Owerri and took them to Abia state and
we got N10million from them. The last
operation that got us into trouble
occurred in October 2018 and we lost our
leader in that operation”.
Orgy of killings by
policemen in Lagos:
•Three adults, teenager, gunned down in one month
By Evelyn Usman
An unkind fate recently visited 67-yearold
Mrs Olufunke Odebiyi, whose only
son, Kolade Johnson, had life snuffed
out of him, by a bullet from the riffle of one
Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan, who was
attached to the Anti-Crime Unit of the Lagos
State Police Command.
Lagosians, in particular and Nigerians in
general, will never forget in a hurry, how the
36-year-old football fan and father of one had
his dream of reuniting with his girlfriend and
son, in South Africa, shattered by that singular
act of carelessness.
Perhaps, had the 2013 graduate of Business
Administration from the University of Benin
known that death was lurking in a corner, he
would have remained in his apartment that
night, having just concluded a five days fasting.
But his love for football propelled him to join
other football lovers at a viewing centre and
the rest is history.
Late Johnson’s death sparked off protests in
different quarters, including the UNIBEN
alumni group, with a call for justice to be done.
It is no longer news that the killer cop has
been arrested, dismissed and presently being
remanded in prison custody, pending the advice
from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. This
was done after he was found culpable of the
offence, having been subjected to an internal
disciplinary proceeding known as Orderly
Room Trial by the Command.
The Orderly Room trial commenced on
Monday, April 1, 2019, and ended on Thursday
April 4, 2019. He was tried alongside Sergeant
Godwin Orji, on three count charges: (1)
Discreditable Conduct (2) Unlawful and
Unnecessary Exercise of Authority and (3)
Damage to Clothing or Other Articles contrary
to Paragraph E (iii), Q (ii) and D (i) First
Schedule, Police Act and Regulations, Cap 370
LFN 1990. But Sergeant Orji was exonerated
leaving Inspector Olalekan to face the
consequences of his action.
Aguda killing
Investigation has however revealed that
Johnson was not the only Lagosian sent to an
early grave by the Police. Three other persons
also had same fate befall them between March
and now but the dust raised by Kolade’s killing
apparently beclouded others.
One of the killings occurred three days before
Kolade’s death at Kilo area of Surulere.
In this case, a Police Inspector, Paul Joseph
who was to retire next month having spent 35-
years in service, allegedly shot a motorcyclist
dead.
During interrogation at an Orderly Room
Trial, 52-year-old Joseph stated that the
Ogun residents live in fear of land grabbers
*As two persons are declared missing
By Victor Arjiromanus
esidents of Agbara and Igasia Alegbemu communities in Ogun
Rstate, now sleep with one open over fear of attacks by land
grabbers. Already, two men, Musibah Olawale and Hakeem,
popularly known as stainless, have been declared missing few days
after they were threatened by some land grabbers.
A member of one of the communities, Hassan Hakeem, explained
that Musibah, bought a land from his Igasia Alegbemu family, but
after sometime, a group of men who claimed to own the land
threatened to kill anyone found working on the land. The duo of
Musibau and Hakeem, according to him, were kidnapped while
working on the farmland by armed men suspected to have earlier
threatened to kill them.
He said: “On December 1, 2018, one Mr Musibah Olawale bought
20 acres of land from my family at Igasia Elegbamu, Adodo, Ogun
state. He also sold part of the land to his friend, Shotomide. While
they were working on the land, 35 young men stormed the land by 3
deceased, Ademola Moshood and two others
on the run were accosted at a bank at about
1am, on March 28, 2019. On sighting the police
team, two of the suspects according to him,
bolted leaving Moshood, the rider of the
motorcycle behind.
It was gathered that one of the policemen,
Inspector Okolo Patrick, took the motorbike to
the station, while Moshood was being
interrogated on his mission to the bank at that
ungodly hour. In the process, he was shot dead.
During interrogation, Inspector Joseph stated
that the deceased was struggling with the riffle
he was carrying and his colleague Inspector
Nsa Obu, thereby forcing him to open fire on
him.
But when his riffle was taken for ballistic
analysis, the result confirmed that he fired a
shot. He was also indicted by the autopsy result
which showed that the deceased died of gun
shot wound.
He was thereafter charged for murder before
an Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court on April 8,
2019 and the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. O.A
Komolafe, ordered that he should be remanded
in prison custody, pending an advice from the
Department of Public Defender, DPP.
11 year-old girl too
Also at Imota area of Ikorodu, Lagos, a
teenager, Hadijat Sakiru was killed by a bullet
from one Sergeant Mudi Emmanuel. The killer
cop who was in the company of Inspector
Godstime James, Sergeant Akintunde Tosin
and Inspector Sunday Abidekun, was on patrol
duty and had gone to eat at a canteen where
the 17-year-old girl worked as sales girl.
A colleague of the deceased explained that
“when they came, they asked Hadijat if there
was food and she said yes. But the next thing
we heard was a gun shot, boom! with Hadijat
lying on the ground, dead.
During an Orderly Room trial of the team
of policemen, others , except Sergeant
Emmanuel, were released. It was
discovered that he (Emmanuel) left his
riffle which he hung on his neck, corked.
In his attempt to remove it, he pulled the
trigger, thereby releasing volleys of
bullets, one of which hit the unsuspecting
teenager.
Although he claimed that it was a
mistake but his defence did not hold water
as he was faulted for not leaving the
bullets in safety catch and also for hanging
the riffle on his neck instead of carrying it
the proper way.
Sergeant Emmanuel was thereafter
arraigned at Ebute –Meta Magistrate
Court on March 22, 2019 and remanded in
prison custody on the directive of the
Magistrate, Mrs B.O Salawu.
The fourth policeman arrested for
shooting a Lagosian, is at the moment
undergoing Orderly Room Trial, over a case
of murder.
pm on motorcycles. They were armed with guns, machetes, and other
weapons. They asked all of us to lie down and started beating us and
threatened to shoot those who raised their heads. They collected
N500,000 from Musibah, the man who bought the land from us and
N100,000 from his younger brother, Peter. They also went away with
water pump machine and a power generating set belonging to one
Mr. Shotomide as well as six Bajaj mortocycles.
“Musibah, being the owner of the land, went to report at Agbara
police station. The police arrested three of the suspects who were
subsequently charged to court. But they were granted bail after few
days. When they came out, they went around telling people that they
would kill Musibah Olawale”.
On March 27 this year, some men again stormed the land while
Musibah was working with his boys. When they came, everyone ran
for their lives but they went after Musibah and one of his boys,
Hakeem, aka Stainless. They took them on motorcycles to Idolehin
village. Since then, Musibah and Hakeem have not been seen even
after we reported the case to the police.

40—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
& Femi Bolaji, Jalingo
Just when the euphoria of a hard
fought gubernatorial election
victory was yet to die down in
both Benue and Taraba states,
neighbouring border
communities of Atsenga village in Ukum
and Kente in Wukari local government
areas of both states curiously took up arms
against each other in a bloody conflict that
was ignited by a mere misunderstanding
by two youthful friends.
The bizarre ensuing conflict left at least
ten persons dead including an aged
women who was reportedly burnt alive in
her house. Also consumed in the crisis
were over 300 houses, huts and farmland
which were all razed.
An eyewitness account had it that the
altercation between the two friends got
out of hand when alleged armed Jukun
militia from Taraba state were engaged
and mobilized to execute the conflict that
rendered many homeless while women
and children were forced to flee their
homes to neighbouring villages for safety.
According to the witness, “we have
been living peacefully together in the
border communities of Igbongum, Vaase,
Gbeji, Kente and Atsenga without any
problems but from what we heard the
whole thing started on Monday afternoon
as a quarrel between two young men who
were friends, a Tiv man from Benue state
and his Jukun friend from Taraba state
and before anybody knew what was
happening the situation got out of hand
and the border community was on fire.
“From what we heard, as a result of the
altercation the Jukun young man went
and mobilized his brothers who invaded
Atsenga with arms, shooting and killing
anything in sight.
“They also went as far as burning down
houses, cars, food barns and huts
including farmlands. In one of the burnt
houses an aged woman, one Mama
Yanenge who could not escape was burnt
alive in her house
while several other
persons were either
hacked or shot dead
by the invading armed
Jukun youths.
“From that point the
conflict escalated, as
we speak over 300
houses and huts have
been burnt. The
sounds of sporadic
gunshots could also
still be heard from
within the community
while residents
including women and
children have all fled
their homes for fear of
being killed.”
Vanguard gathered
that the Chairman of
Ukum local
government, Mr.
Ibellogo Tor-Tyokaa
who alongside his
Wukari counterpart
summoned courage to
visit the affected area
They were
rescued by the
military personnel
who were drafted
from Gbeji to the
area to quell the
crisis
That fight between
Benue and
Taraba tribes!
to assess the situation and plead for calm
narrowly escaped death when they ran
into sporadic gunshots by the armed
youths.
“They were rescued by the military
personnel who were drafted from Gbeji
to the area to quell the crisis. It was the
military that guarded and led them out of
the area when it became obvious that they
have been trapped and were looking
helpless,” the witness said.
Though intermittent conflicts between
border communities of both states had in
the past reverberated, it however took the
dogged commitment to peaceful
resolution of such conflicts by the
government of both states to have such
crisis resolved amicably.
However, last week’s
unexpected crisis took
everyone unawares but the
swift intervention of both
state governments to stem the
conflict which had the
propensity of spreading into
the hinterland of both states
saved a situation that would
have engulfed communities
in both states where the Tivs
and jukuns cohabited for
decades in several villages of
both states.
Records have it that the Tivs
are known to be the second
largest ethnic group in Taraba
state with strong presence in
seven out of the 16 local
government areas of the state
while the Jukuns are also
known to have strong
presence in three local
government areas of Benue
state. Hence, an unchecked
crisis between the ethnic
nationalities could ignite a far
reaching tribal war in the Benue valley
with its attendant socio-economic
consequences.
Reacting, Benue state Governor, Samuel
Ortom who wasted no time in detailing
his Security Adviser and top government
functionaries to the troubled spot
regretted that the conflict which started
as a minor disagreement between
individuals led to loss of innocent lives
and destruction of property. He appealed
to the warring communities to embrace
peace.
The Governor in a statement through
his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Terver
Akase assured the feuding parties that he
was in consultation with his Taraba State
counterpart, Governor Darius Ishaku and
had taken far reaching measures to end
the conflict and restore lasting peace to
the border communities and appealed to
the people of the affected communities
to embrace the initiative.
“I therefore appeal to the people of the
affected communities to support the peace
initiatives of the governments of the two
states to prevent further conflicts in the
area.
“The Jukun and Tiv in particular should
emulate the example set by their sons, the
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the
Catholic Diocese of Jos and Most
Reverend Father James Bature whose
peace building efforts have immensely
contributed to settling the age-long
rivalry between the two ethnic groups
spread across Taraba and Benue States.
“We must appreciate the fact that there
is no alternative to peace, which was why
l promptly directed my Adviser on
Security to visit Taraba State shortly after
the unfortunate incident where he held
meetings with key stakeholders including
the Aku Uka of Wukari, as well as
Chairmen of Ukum (Benue) and Wukari
(Taraba) local government areas,” Ortom
noted.
While sympathizing with victims of the
crisis, the Governor assured that security
agencies had been directed to apprehend
perpetrators of the violence for
prosecution to serve as deterrent.
On his part, Taraba state Governor,
Darius Ishaku in the wake of the crisis
expressed worry over recurrent clash
between Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups,
thus called for calm among warring
parties.
Ishaku in a statement by his Senior
Special Assistant on Media and Publicity,
Bala Dan Abu, condemned the killings
and destruction of property wondering
why a minor conflict between a Jukun and
a Tiv person would degenerate into a
bitter conflict leading to loss of lives and
property.
He also warned that “frequent conflicts
can only lead to disruption of economic
activities and aggravate poverty and
hunger, and as neighbours, the two groups
need each other for economic survival.”
Also, Chairman of Wukari LGA, Adi Daniel
while recounting efforts employed to douse
tension between the warring ethnic groups
confirmed the casualty figure stressing
that several households, including
Government Day Secondary School,
Kente, were burnt down by the attackers.
“I made efforts to contact my counterpart
in Ukum LGA in Benue to appeal to his
people to lay down their arms and
embrace peace, “ Adi said.
Adding his voice to the plea for calm,
President General of Tiv Youth Organization,
TYO, Comrade Timothy Hembaor urged the
warring communities to cease- fire and toe the
part of dialogue.

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—41
INSECURITY:
Blaming traditional rulers amounts
to failure, Balarabe Musa tells FG
Reveal their identity now, Tanko Yakassai yells
Govt has failed us - Yesufu
By Dirisu Yakubu
The worsening security situation in
some parts of the country, particularly
in Zamfara state, North-West
Nigeria, has in the past few weeks
fetched the nation local and international
opprobrium. Almost on a daily basis, gunmen
whose identity remained a subject of
conjecture, continue to maim and kill.
Unlike members of the Boko Haram that
premised their violent campaign against the
values of western education, secular justice
and democracy; perpetrators of the current
killings have been fingered in many things
including cattle rustling, kidnapping for
ransom, armed robbery and other forms of
banditry like forcefully collecting illegal taxes.
And in spite of the effort to tame the ugly
development, the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led administration in the opinion of
many, has failed to demonstrate sufficient
political will to justify the enormous resources
it has committed to tackling insurgency and
other related vices since it assumed office
about four years ago.
However, government believes some
prominent Nigerians including unnamed
“highly-placed traditional rulers” are
behind the current spate of killings and
kidnapping going on in many parts of the
country.
In a statement issued earlier in the
week, Defence Minister, Mansur Dan Ali
blamed traditional rulers for the frequent
bloodletting in Zamfara, vowing however
to bring the culprits to book, regardless
of their status in the society.
“Recently, the government acted on
the advice of the Ministry of Defence to
suspend all mining activities in Zamfara
state and environs following intelligence
report that suggested close collaboration
between the activities of the bandits and
illegal miners. In spite of the concerted
efforts of the armed forces and other
security agencies, some unpatriotic
NORTHEAST:
Access to water in Borno’s Gwoza signals better life ahead
Soni Daniel, Editor,
Northern Region
The ravaging war between
insurgents and government forces,
which has lingered in the Northeast
for several years, has left in its wake what
legendary singer, Fela Anikulapo, called
‘blood, sorrow and tears’ in the North East of
Nigeria. Beyond tearing communities into
shreds, the bloodletting has also caused
thousands of deaths, and displaced millions
of innocent children, women, and men and
rendered them as beggars in their own land.
The situation is dire and frustrating as basic
amenities have also been cut off from where
they existed before now while areas which
never had such facilities, have been left worse
off and at the mercy of avoidable ailments,
which could prove to be devastating and very
costly if urgent steps are not mobilised to
ameliorate the situation.
According to official information released
by the Institute for Migration, IOM, no fewer
than 1.8 million women, men and children
have so far been displaced by the hostilities
in the Northeast, hampering their access to
vital resources, including water.
In addition to the displaced population, 1.56
million individuals have returned to their
communities since August 2015, due to the
expanded presence of security forces.
However, the infrastructure in these areas had
been severely damaged or destroyed and
essential services have yet to be fully
restored.
People in Gwoza town, Borno State for
example, spend several hours a day under the
scorching sun searching for water, often in
persons, including highly placed
traditional rulers in the areas, were
identified as helping the bandits with
intelligence to perpetuate their nefarious
actions or to compromise military
operations. The Ministry of Defence,
therefore, wishes to warn any person or
groups of persons who choose to connive
or sympathize with the bandits to
perpetuate crime against the law abiding
citizens to henceforth retrace their steps
or face the full wrath of the law,” the
statement quoted Dan Ali as saying.
This position of government is however
not enjoying the support of some eminent
Nigerians who believe that by blaming
traditional rulers, government is evading
responsibility and looking for those to
scapegoat in a matter that is statutorily
theirs to address. One of the personalities
that spoke with Saturday Vanguard on
the issue is Second Republic governor
of Kaduna state, Alhaji Balarabe
Musa.
In a chat with our
correspondent, the elder
statement expressed dismay
at the statement attributed
to Dan Ali, saying
regardless of the forces
government is battling
with to restore peace in
troubled areas; President has no excuse
to give for the wanton killings going on
in some parts of the country.
He said: “The responsibility for
securing the people is squarely that of the
federal government. So, to turn around
to blame traditional rulers is a sign of
failure on the part of those at the helm of
affairs. The President has no excuse not
to perform in the task of protecting
Nigerians and their properties because
he is empowered by the 1999 constitution
(as amended) to guarantee the security
of Nigeria and her citizens.
“Why blame traditional rulers for
killings going on while at the same time,
unsafe, hand-dug wells. The absence of
infrastructure leaves the people with no other
option as the limited available resources are
overstretched by the needs of displaced and
returnee populations.
But all of this, is about to change due to the
intervention of international organisations
and some friendly countries, which have
already stepped in with aid worth hundreds
of millions of Naira.
Last week, the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) completed the
rehabilitation of two boreholes in Gwoza
and Konduga as part of a project funded by
the Republic of Korea. The initiative aims to
revitalize these communities by ensuring that
people affected by conflict are returning to
safe and dignified living conditions.
“We used to travel for about 12 kilometres
to fetch water from an unprotected well before
the new borehole was reopened,” said Bakin,
one of the beneficiaries from the troubled
communities.
According to the Humanitarian Response
Strategy for Nigeria 2019-2021, an estimated
•Balarabe Musa
they also look up to
the same
government to
protect them?
What is
happening today
is very
worrisome and I
must say that it
has never been this
bad in the history of
our dear country.”
•Tanko
Like Musa, Tanko
Yakassai wants the
Yakassai
Defence Minister to
reveal the identity of the
traditional rulers to be taken
7.1 million people affected by the conflict are
in acute need of protection and life-saving
assistance in the region.
On the occasion of the reopening of these
water facilities, Lee In-tae, Ambassador of the
Republic of Korea to Nigeria, stated that in
2018, Korea donated USD 7.5 million to
support women and girls in Borno State
while joining multilateral efforts to tackle
humanitarian needs via IOM and other
agencies.
“The Korean Government will continue to
strengthen efforts by providing support to
vulnerable people, especially women and
girls, continuing capacity-building of
government officials, and promoting
education and health of Nigerian youth,” he
added.
The rehabilitation project has improved the
access to water for 13,500 individuals
voluntarily returning to their communities of
origin. Access to clean water in these areas of
return has been achieved through the drilling,
installation, maintenance and rehabilitation
of boreholes, all of which are powered by solar
serious, adding that the lack of specificity in
the allegation, makes government’s position
unacceptable.
Yakassai who was an aide to Nigeria’s first
Executive President, Shehu Shagari told this
medium that in the North, various cadres of
traditional rulers exist and until government
comes out clear to identity which categories
of these rulers it identified as culpable;
Nigerians would continue to charge
government to rise to the challenge of
insecurity in the country.
“It is unfortunate the Minister did not
mention any of the traditional rulers by name.
Now, if you fail to do this, how do we hold
them accountable? The whole thing is unclear.
Was he referring to the traditional rulers in
Zamfara alone or the North as a whole? In
the North and elsewhere, there are different
categories of traditional rulers. In the North,
we have the Emirs, District Heads and what
have you! The Minister should have been
more specific, if you ask me,” he stated.
On her part, rights activist and co-convener
of the Bring Back Our Girls advocacy group,
Aisha Yesufu came short of describing Nigeria
as a country on auto-pilot even as she bemoaned
what she called the “lack of leadership” in
Nigeria.
Famed for her courage in speaking truth to
power, Yesufu said blaming traditional leaders
for insecurity in some parts of the country is a
new low for the government of President Buhari,
which she accused of blaming everyone else
but itself for the multiple challenges facing the
nation.
In a reaction laced with satire, the activist
urged Nigerians to prepare for terrible times
ahead, having just rewarded the President with
yet another fresh four-year mandate.
Her words: “We have a government that has
failed us in many ways. Nigeria, whether we
like it or not, is in a state of coma, it is on life
support. Government has failed the test of
governance but unfortunately, Nigerians have
rewarded them with another fresh mandate;
so we are in for it.
“I don’t understand why anyone would
blame traditional leaders who have no role
to play in the protection of life and property.
The administration has blamed virtually
everyone and I think the only one they
have spared of their blame game is
God. The lives of Nigerians matter
and it took the protest of last week
for them to even come up with a
statement. It is a shame!”
Like Zamfara, Kaduna state, also
in North-West Nigeria has been
under the grip of mindless killings
and kidnapping in the past few
months. This is not to add Borno,
Benue and Adamawa states to the
ignoble list, where the dreaded Boko
Haram terrorists continue to make life
hellish for innocent Nigerians despite
the effort of the military to run them out
of their evil business.
energy.
“Our aim is to improve access to community
infrastructure and basic services and to ensure
that these rehabilitation activities are
sustainable,” said Dave Bercasio, IOM
Nigeria Head of Sub-office. “That is why we
are engaging the beneficiaries by forming
community-based water, sanitation and
hygiene committees,” he added.
“These committees, comprising local elders,
women, men and youth, will be tasked to
conduct regular water quality monitoring
activities, provide maintenance of the
boreholes and conduct sensitization activities
to raise awareness about the rehabilitated
facilities and how to use them.
“IOM has completed the drilling of an
additional borehole in Damboa, as well the
rehabilitation of a community market in
Konduga and two primary schools in
Mandarari and Pulka benefitting
approximately 6,000 individuals.
“The project approach is guided by the
IOM Progressive Resolution of Displacement
Situation (PRDS) framework. Starting on 1
November 2018, the project has a duration of
seven months with the objective to promote
pre-conditions for safe, dignified and
voluntary return in identified areas of return,”
IOM said.
Whatever happens, the renewed drive
by international agencies and donor-countries
to provide relief and assistance to the
displaced people of the Northeast, has given
a fillip to the once neglected, frustrated and
forgotten victims of an undeclared war of
attrition that has given Nigeria a appalling
image and consumed much of its resources
since it reared its ugly head in 2009.

42—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
NASA working on Transformer-style plane that
can change shape during takeoff, landing and
mid-flight to make it more fuel efficient
•Wing shape and structure can be manipulated to give the optimum efficiency
•Would change its shape to be best t suited for tak
ake-of
e-off, f, cruising and landing
•Prototype is 18 feet long, the size of a real wing on a single-seater plane
NASA has created a cuttingedge
wing which will allow the
space agency to create a plane
capable of changing shape mid-flight.
The real-life transformer is still a
concept but would be able to
manipulate its form in order to control
its flight.
A combination of stiff and flexible
components allow it to deform at the
will of its pilot.
The innovative wing incorporates a
mix of stiff and flexible components,
which make it possible to deform the
whole wing.
It is lighter and more flexible than
existing designs due to a clever
mechanism which involves bolting
separate components within the
structure to its immediate neighbours.
A lattice structure is then formed of
cube-like structures and allows it to be
far lighter than current alternatives.
The wing material then has a density
of 5.6kg per cubic metre, while rubber
has a density of about 1,500kg per
cubic metre.
It is designed to make use of different
configurations specifically optimised
for different parts of flight, including
take-off, cruising and landing.
Nicholas Cramer, co-author of the
study, said: ‘We’re able to gain
efficiency by matching the shape to
the loads at different angles of attack.
‘We’re able to produce the exact same
behaviour you would do actively, but
we did it passively.’
‘A wing that is constantly deformable
could provide a much better
approximation of the best
configuration for each stage,’ MIT
explains in an online statement.
The current prototype is around 18 feet
(five metres) long, approximately the
size of a real wing on a single-seater
plane.
Designs build on previous models
which were three-foot (one metre) long
and they claim to have streamlined the
process.
(Culled from Daily Mail)
The Didi Museum Journey To Mastery
Uzor Maxim Uzoatu
Legendary institutions almost always
start from very trivial incidents. As a
child, Newton Jibunoh had a much
adored younger sister named Edith. In his
stammering, the young Newton could not get
to grips with pronouncing the name Edith.
What always came out of Newton’s mouth
while trying to call his sister Edith was the
word “Didi”. Everybody else started calling
her Didi!
The monumental Didi Museum that stands
on 175 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island,
Lagos owes its birth to Newton’s
mispronunciation of Edith as Didi! Take it
from me because I am not a dispenser of Fake
News!
The story of the roots of Didi Museum may
be long but I can cut it all short because I
heard the heart of the matter from the horse’s
mouth, that is, the very personable Chief
Newton Chukwukadibia Jibunoh – “building
engineer, desert adventurer, environmental
crusader, arts collector, museum owner, social
activist”, and above all else, a “desert warrior.”
Born on New Year’s Day in 1938 in the
pastoral town of Akwukwu-Igbo in presentday
Delta State, Newton doted on his sister
Edith until the kids lost their parents quite
early, within months of each other, in 1943.
Their mother, Zipporah, died first only to be
followed soon after by their father, Samuel,
with Newton really having no clear memories
and impressions of them.
While in secondary school, Newton
suddenly got a message that the principal
needed to see him. The young boy was very
afraid that he may have committed an offence,
as that could only have necessitated the
summons of the school principal. He was
frightened beyond words when he met the
principal. The message the principal had for
Newton was quite devastating: his beloved
sister, Edith, had died, aged just 13.
Edith was born on May 11, 1941 and died
in May 1954. Newton would later ask to know
where her sister was buried, but nobody could
tell.
Newton Jibunoh set up Didi Museum to
immortalize her sister Edith whom he used
to call Didi.
The other dimension of the young Newton’s
immersion in art started when as a choir boy
he used to accompany the white missionaries
and their acolytes in the mission of burning
native idols. A precocious lad, he discovered
that the missionaries did not always burn all
the gathered idols and deities. They kept some
aside which they took away.
Jibunoh, Ado Bayero, Sijuwade, Erediauwa
Emir of Kano
Ado Bayero
admiring Didi
art
It was in the course of his studies and travels
abroad that he discovered that the idols carted
away back then had found accommodation
in the British Museum!
Newton Jibunoh decided to be going to the
villages to be collecting the idols as artworks.
The range of such iconic artworks collected
from the 1960s to today can serve as a
befitting testament to Nigeria’s very first
private museum, Didi Museum.
Newton Jibunoh inspires in the
company of royalty as the late Emir of
Kano Ado Bayero, Ooni of Ife Sijuwade
and Oba of Benin Erediauwa helped lift
the Didi Museum innovation.
Legendary Nigerian artists, notably
Ben Enwonwu, Bruce Onobrakpeya,
Solomon Wangboje, Demas Nwoko,
Yusuf Grillo, Uche Okeke etc, have
passed on the baton of brushes to the
younger ones such that Didi Museum is
significantly hosting the new generation
artists, Uche Okeke and Ayoola, in a
pivotal exhibition entitled “Journey to
Mastery” which opens at 5pm on April
18 and closes on April 27.
The “Journey to Mastery” exhibition
lends pride of place to Didi Museum as
the quintessential one-stop home of
Nigerian art.
The United States-based modern
master Olu Oguibe has just sent a
message to me in regard to Newton
Jibunoh who “gave me my first oneperson
exhibition. Say hello for me.”
Newton Jibunoh is fond of Archbishop
Desmond Tutu’s twice-told story of how
the first visiting white men gave out
Bibles and asked Africans to close their
eyes for prayers, whereupon after
opening their eyes they found out that their
lands and belongings were gone.
Jibunoh was in the team drafted to go to
Britain to help retrieve Nigeria’s artworks
before FESTAC 77. Of course the British
authorities stated that Nigerians could not
take care of the works that had earlier
been taken from their land.
With the refusal of the British to hand
over the works for the FESTAC
colloquium, Jibunoh went to the Oba of
Benin who told him of the artworks
hidden in Isele-Uku. The Obi of Isele-
Uku in the end gave Jibunoh the needed
replica.
Jibunoh laments in hindsight that the
British authorities may indeed be right
in not releasing the artifacts because the
works domiciled in Nigeria’s National
Museum have since been destroyed!
Towards the cause of righting the wrongs,
the Oba of Benin wants Jibunoh to set up a
world-class museum in Benin City.
Jibunoh is at liberty in giving out his
collected works freely to be exhibited across
the globe, for instance, in the branches of a
Nigerian bank in the UK.
“Artworks must be exhibited, not dumped,”
he asserts.
He reveals that the climate control system
put in place in Didi Museum is not enough to
preserve all the works.
The fulfillment of his drive comes in the
realization that he helped to end the fad back
then of decorating Nigerian house with
European lilies and landscapes. Artworks are
now all the rage.
The new age artists, Uche Edochie and
Ayoola, mounting the “Journey to Mastery”
exhibition at Didi Museum from April 18 o
27 are on the cherished throve of extending a
compelling tradition.
The dream that started out with the young
Newton calling his younger sister Didi has
in the end turned out a full-blown revolution
in the world of art.
Maxim & Jibunoh

By Ernest Osogbue
I
Questions on NLNG
prize for literature
must appreciate the board of the
Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas
NLNG for the institution of the literature
award in Nigeria. The award, the largest
in Africa has gone a long way to stimulate
the creative brains of Nigerians across
board in the effort to be crowned winner.
In the last few years many writers from
the different genres have been awarded
this coveted prize, and the monetary
reward that goes with it has seen their
lives transformed and the impression has
now been created that there is reward in
writing.
One thing the NLNG board has done
though is the monetization of the award.
By this, I mean the huge amount of money
on offer for the prize winner. I am still
baffled as to the reason the NLNG board
made the decision that the cycle of the
award must flow in a four year orbit
between prose, poetry, drama and
children’s literature.
Could it be due to the dearth of creative
writing in our country and the fact that
there are not enough works to be judged
on an annual basis? Or is it that the board
wants to maintain the record of being the
largest literature award in Africa, being
that if it splits the money into four
annually the prize drops?
A few questions need to be answered
first. Why do writers write? Is it for
monetary gain, for fame? Or, is it that there
is a burning sensation to chronicle what
captures a moment in time for posterity
or for the education of society?
I have taken time to search my own heart
and tried to answer the above questions
as honestly as I could, and I have to agree
that as a human being, the prospect of
making money from my writings is quite
exciting. The prospect too of being adored
by people who enjoy my writing also elicits
some form of pride. I have however come
to the conclusion that despite the
temptation of the above two scenarios, the
overarching reason
I sit in front of my computer to pour out
my soul, my gut feelings, my emotions and
use my knowledge, experiences and
creative energy to write; is that I have
something to say, which I believe could be
beneficial to my society or to humanity at
large.
I quite agree that not all writers may
feel like I do, I have however taken time
to study literature and literary history, and
nowhere have I seen a person of literature
behave in a manner to show that his
wealth is above his art. This has convinced
me that while there are those who may be
in the arts for monetary gain, majority of
writers are more interested in their craft
than the monetary reward it brings.
Do not get me wrong, this is not to say
that a writer would be unhappy to see his
art footing his bills, it is only to say that,
the primary motivation is not financial
gain. However, the writer would equally
accept the rewards if his art is appreciated.
I tried to make an analogy and ask the
question; would a gifted writer sell a single
copy of his work to the highest bidder, with
the proviso that no other copy of the work
be printed? Kindly take note of my
adjectival phrase ‘gifted writer’. The
answer would be a big no most often than
not. This is because the underlying force
driving the gifted writer is that his work
be accessible to the highest number of
readers. A genuine writer would never be
satisfied if he makes a lot of money
without his works being read.
This brings me back to the issue of the
prize money for the NLNG Prize for
Literature. When you look at the whooping
amount of One Hundred Thousand
Dollars on offer, it blows your mind and
the prospect of carting home that huge
sum of money and the prestige of being
recognized as having the best work of
literature in the period under review is even
more astounding.
One thing I have come to notice in the
last few years due to the prevailing
economic circumstances of our country is
that the financial reward accruing to the
literature prize has stolen the show. More
often than not, what gets reported and
circulated in the media is the name of the
author who won the prize, because the
financial reward is what attracts the
attention of the media. You have to search
through the milieu of stories on the award
before you find the title of the work that
actually won the award. In all honesty, I
know this is not the original plan of the
founding fathers of the NLNG Prize for
Literature.
I know without being told that the ideals
that gave rise to the award were beyond
NLNG Literature prize award 2018
SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019—43
financial gain. I can imagine the initiators
of the award seeing the struggles faced by
Nigerian authors and initiating the award
as a way of encouraging them to keep up
the spirit of Amos Tutuola, Chinua Achebe,
Cyprian Ekwensi and many others.
I believe the initiators would love to see
the winning story being read in Nigeria
and beyond, in bus stands, homes, offices
and even being recommended in school
syllabuses. I do not think the current
situation where once the winner of the
prize money is announced; the winning
story goes into obscurity. This is because
the winning story becomes overshadowed
by the monetary reward. I believe this
trend should be reversed; it would be great
if more prominence is given the winning
story in such a way that all those who love
literature and even those who do not,
would want to have a copy.
This can be done by giving the stories
the prominence they deserve and reverting
to the annual format for all the awards.
This means that on a yearly basis, the best
prose, drama, poetry, and children’s
literature would be rewarded and the prize
money need not be increased. When you
divide the One Hundred Thousand Dollars
into four, you still have a whooping Twenty-
Five Thousand Dollars, which is still a
handsome reward for any of the above
categories.
What then happens is that the art itself
would receive more prominence as
opposed to the monetary reward being the
catch as is currently the case. A situation
where a work of literary creativity has to
lie in abeyance for four years before being
judged is equally a disservice to the art, as
the issue of currency could rob a work of
its overall impact when judged out of time.
Roland: Birth of a new-breed politician
By Dirisu Yakubu
His was an ambition steeped in love for
the vulnerable lot of the society. From
the get-go, he pulled himself by the bootstrap,
walking the path that was not only fraught
with thorns, but slippery to boot.
Roland Igbadumhe, the candidate of the
Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the recently
concluded Edo State House of Assembly
elections, lost his bid to represent the Etsako
East Constituency following the declaration
of Honourable Kingsley Ugabi of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner but
for him, a statement has already been written
for posterity.
Born to the late James Ebui (J.E) Igbadume,
a school principal and an alumnus of the
University of Ibadan; Roland started off as a
comedian at the Ambrose Alli University,
Ekpoma, Edo state, providing top-notch
entertainment on campus and neighbouring
communities. In no distant time, his talent
and impeccable delivery shot him into
national limelight as he joined such notable
names in the game as Gordons, AY, Basket
Mouth, Seyi Law, I Go Dye, I Go Save, Maliki
and a host of others to bring sheer excitement
to Nigerians across major cities of the world.
With only a few years in the game, his stage
name, Youngest Old man literally relegated
his first name Roland to the background as
his stage delivery turned him into one the most
sought-after comedians in the country and
beyond.
Such was his popularity that the then Edo
state governor and now, national chairman
of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole appointed him
•Roland
Igbadumhe
as Senior Special Adviser on Entertainment;
a position he capitalized upon to attract
development projects to Ward 9, comprising
Itsukwi, Imiegba and Imiakebu communities.
Speaking With Saturday Vanguard on his
motive for seeking an elective position, the
comedian-turned politician said: “From
Oshiomhole, I learned the value of the
significance of public power and how best to
use it for the collective good. I love my people
and it grieves my heart anytime I see most of
them struggling to eke out a living. So I felt,
why not give it a try and test my popularity at
the polls? I am very grateful to the people of
Etsako East constituency for the love and
support. They demonstrated their support in
ways I cannot explain.”
X-raying the factors that cost him the bid to
represent his people at the Edo State House of
Assembly, Roland fingered vote buying; a vice
he described as disgusting and shameful,
saying, “I do not believe in vote buying. While
voting was ongoing, agents of the so-called
big parties were going about offering financial
inducement to the electorate. I believe this is
why we lost but I am very proud of how we
were able to take SDP to the nooks and cranny
of the entire Etsako East.”
Roland’s emergence as SDP flag bearer
marked the first time in 20 years a candidate
from Ward 9 made it to the big stage; a feat he
attributed to the tricks he learnt from Comrade
Oshiomhole. According to him, “Oshiomhole
taught me the rudiments of campaign and how
to make a campaign message simple and
interesting. In the few months our campaign
lasted, we toured everywhere to sell our
message of hope and redemption.”
In line with his personal principle and as
mark of respect for thousands of his supporters,
Roland turned down financial inducement to
bow out of the race, preferring instead to test
his popularity at the polls, stressing that one of
the drawbacks of the nation’s political system
is the perennial practice of settling for crumbs
at the expense of deep-seated ideas capable of
turning around the fortunes of a people and
nation.
“I am not a millionaire but no amount of
money in this world can buy my conscience.
So when they came around, dangling carrots
in front of me, I told them to go home because
no pounds, euros or dollars can buy the
conscience of Roland Igbadumhe,” he added.
So has Roland dumped the SDP now that
the elections are over?” asked our
correspondent to which the former governor's
aide had this to say: “I am a bonafide member
of the SDP. There is no truth in the insinuations
here and there that I have left the party. We are
here for a purpose and that purpose is to make
democracy count for the people. For now, there
is no reason to think outside the SDP because
we believe it is the platform of the people and
for the people. In 2020, we will field a
governorship candidate that will succeed
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state.”
While it may be too early in the day to
commence permutations on 2023, the ace
comedian insists his future is in the hands of
God, noting that at every point in time, “the
struggle for a better life for the people is one to
which I am irrevocably committed.” In his
words, “our people have suffered for too long.
Whatever I can do to help, be rest assured I will
not hesitate.”
Already, Roland has done his bit to attract
national and global attention to his
community in a number of ways. Apart from
personally building an orphanage at Okpekpe
a few years ago, he had on a couple of
occasions brought the likes of ace producer,
Kunle Afolayan, renowned thespians such as
John Okafor (Mr.Ibu) Chinedu Ikedezie (Aki),
Osita Iheme (Pawpaw), Charles Inojie and a
host of other Nollywood stars home for one
development project or the other.
It is left to be seen what becomes of this
youthful fellow committed to leaving his
imprints in the sands of time.

44—Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019
By Jacob Ajom
THE signs are omi
nous. The Nigerian
football family is agitated.
Chairman, Christian
Chukwuemeka Chukwu is
ill. And the sickness is serious.
There is no gain saying
the fact that the former Nigeria
captain and 1980 AF-
CON winner requires unqualified
medical attention.
Chukwu’s illness has been
widely reported. Nigerians
expressed outrage, consternation
and frustration after
images of the former coach
of Rangers International
Football Club of Enugu
were published in the local
media. Unfortunately, a section
of the media sparked off
a controversy that shouldn’t
have been, a controversy that
has politicised Chukwu’s
sickness. And family sources
said “that was part of the
reasons Chukwu did not
want his sickness to be made
public”.
But Chukwu’s case is not a
hopeless one as words of
support have come from almost
every part of the world.
Positive reactions have
come from north, south,
east and west, even from
abroad, pledging support
for the ailing footballer.
Right now, the former national
team captain is still
in an Enugu hospital where
he is receiving treatment.
Contrary to reports that
tend to insinuate that the
Enugu State government
had neglected or abandoned
the veteran coach to
his fate, a family source has
told this reporter that the
government of Governor Ifeanyi
Ugwanyi had stood
firm behind the coach and
has contributed to settling
his initial medical bills.
However, there was a twist
to the whole saga when renowned
America-based philanthropist
and a patron of
an association of Ex-Enugu
Rangers players based in the
US, Benson Ejindu learned
of Chukwu’s ailment. Our
source said Ejindu directed
that Chukwu be moved to
another hospital, where he
still is to date. Furthermore,
he has also offered that the
former Nigeria international
be flown abroad for ‘proper
medical treatment.’
But Chukwu’s employers,
the Enugu State government
thinks differently.
“Chukwu can be adequately
treated here without having
to go abroad,” an Enugu
state government official
was quoted as saying. However,
many Nigerians, particularly,
Chukwu’’s former
colleagues in the national
team and Rangers are not on
the same page with the state
government. Even his family
are of the opinion that
their breadwinner be flown
abroad for medical attention.
“This would enhance
his recovery and see him
back to his feet sooner than
later,” a member of the family
said.
Another concerned fan of
Chukwu quipped, “we know
that many big men when
they fall sick they fly abroad,
Even the former Chief Press
Secretary to Enugu State
government, Late Felix
Abugwu was flown to India,
where he died, unfortunately,”
adding, “even our President
goes abroad for medical
check up. How different
CHUKWU:
The whole truth!
Benson Ejindu and late
Christian Madu on his
sick bed
Chukwu
Benson Ejindu with Ex-Rangers Players
is Chukwu’s case?”
Former Team Manager of
defunct Vasco Da Gama
Football Club of Enugu,
Diewait Ikpechukwu said he
would welcome the idea of
taking Chukwu abroad,
even as he acknowledged the
effort of Enugu State Governor.
“I want to say here
that at the moment Chukwu
is in very safe hands, in a very
good hospital. Chukwu is a
legend who brought glory
and honour to Enugu state,
Nigeria and Africa as a
whole. The state government
has been very involved in his
treatment and, I must tell
you that Governor Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi is a great fan of
Chukwu who will not let
anything bad happen to
him.”
Continuing, Ikpechukwu
who is also a member of the
Abia State Football Association
recalled, “for all I
know, Christian Chukwu is
the technical consultant to
Rangers International of
Enugu, so both the state government
and the management
of Rangers Football
Club have shown a lot of
commitment since he fell
sick. Whoever says otherwise
is not being fair to those concerned.”
He cleared the air on the
intentions of US based Benson
Ejindu, Patron of Association
of ex-Rangers players
in the diaspora. Said Ikpechukwu,
“Ejindu has never
said Chukwu had been
abandoned by the Enugu
State government. Ejindu is
a Rangers fan and has always
identified with anything
that concerns the club.
Indeed, if you see Ejindu
looking sad and you want
him to be happy, just mention
Rangers. He is that fanatical
about Rangers.”
Continuing, Ikpechukwu
said, “I do not know who is
trying to bring disaffection
between the governor and
Ejindu because they have no
problem between them.”
Former Chairman of Enugu
State chapter of the
Sports Writers Association
of Nigeria, Dan Ikpechukwu
now based in Atlanta,
USA said this of
Ejindu: “I have known
Benson Ejindu as one
whose interest and passion
for sports especially
Rangers International
Football Club of
Enugu transcends personal
showing off. As a
former athlete during
his high school days in
CIC Enugu, Ejindu became
the building
block and foundation
upon which former
Rangers players residing
in the United States
formed an association
which cares for former
Rangers players facing
various life challenges.
Some of the former
Rangers players in the
continental United
States of America who
are working with Ejindu
to ensure that
former Rangers players
are not forgotten
include, skipper Ik
Ofoje, Donald Igwebuike,
Sam Onyeaka and
Totty Okoro Totty. Ejindu
has doled out his personal
finances to sponsor the gathering
of these ex-Rangers
players in various cities like
Baltimore, Atlanta and
Houston and even gone further
in inviting players from
other clubs like IICC to be
part of these events. He became
the patron of the ex-
Rangers club and has been
responsible for traveling expenses
of former Rangers
players in Nigeria to the US
for these events. He donated
towards medical expenses
for late Christian Madu
when he was sick and has
done same for Emmanuel
Okala and now Christian
Chukwu.
Ejindu will always joke
with me and say, “Dan you
know as an original Enugu
boy and former athlete with
CIC, Rangers will always
remain a symbol of unity for
Igbos and the greatest club
on earth and so, any Rangers
player will also remain
an idol to me.” When it
comes to Rangers, Ejindu’s
philanthropic gestures
know no bound. Here in the
US, we call him the Most
Valuable Player, MVP not
because he is still active in
sports but for his big heart
in supporting Rangers and
Rangers players especially
those of them who played
during the years of little or
no remuneration and recognition
for club and national
assignments”.
In the same vein, two-time
chairman of Enugu State
chapter of the Sports Writers
Association of Nigeria
(SWAN) and a former correspondent
of Vanguard in
old Anambra state, Sir Abuchi
Anueyiagu who has
known Christian Chukwu
since 1983 said, instead of
villifying Benson Ejindu, the
man should be commended
for his patriotism and undying
love for Rangers International
Football Club of
Enugu and former players
of the club, particularly,
those who played for the
club when there was no
money in football. “Whoever
trie to malign him in any
form would be unacceptable
to me. I know what he has
been doing for former Rangers
players who played in
the early days. Remember,
Rangers was like a movement
that engender the reintegration
of the Igbos into
Nigeria after the civil war.
Having known that these
people suffered for the country
without anything to
show, he has been assisting
them in numerous ways.
Once, he invited them to the
US where they underwent
comprehensive medical
check-up before their return.
He has been consistent in his
passion and love for the club
and all that concerns it,” the
veteran journalist said.
Chukwu’s teammate and
his assistant in the 1980
AFCON-winning squad,
Segun Odegbami said very
little, but was consistent with
the fact that Enugu State
had not abandoned his ailing
former colleague. “The
situation is not the way it has
been portrayed.. I am in
touch with the family. I think
what the commissioner said
is enough to clear all doubts
about the commitment of
the state government.”
In his own reaction, former
national teammate of Christian
Chukwu, Adokiye
Amiesimaka said, “it is unfortunate
that some people
took to crying wolf on social
media and suspiciously appealed
for a specific amount
even when they admitted not
knowing what the ailment
was.
Happily, Enugu State
Government has reportedly
refuted social media reports
and given the assurance
that it is alive to its responsibility
and doing the needful.
I wish my dear skippo a
speedy recovery.”
The man at the centre of
the storm, Christian Chukwu
spoke from his hospital
bed. “My sickness should not
elicit any form of controversy,”
he said, pointing out that
he will ever remain indebted
to both the Enugu State
government and his benefactor,
Benson Ejindu “who
have shown great commitment
toward his sickness".
Ejundu with Emmanuel Okala,
Chukwu and other Ex-Rangers players

Vanguard, SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2019—45
UEFA Champions League trophy tour:
Uyo agog as Okocha, Puyol clash
World Cup
in “Unmissable Match”
competitions
f o r
The Godswill Akpabio
Stadium in Uyo will be
agog on Tuesday, April 16
when master dribbler,
Austin Jay Jay Okocha
clashes with ace defender,
Carles Puyol in the
“Unmissable Match”.
Round 32 of the 2018/
19 Serie A
season could see
Juventus clinch their
eighth consecutive
Scudetto, with the ‘Old
Lady’ in action in the first
match this afternoon. All
the action from Italy’s top
flight will be aired on Dstv.
Juve heads to the Stadio
Paolo Mazza to face SPAL
at 2:00 pm WAT and need
only avoid defeat to secure
top spot and yet another
Serie A title. It will be a
deserved triumph for
The Super Eagles
were last night
grouped alongside Guinea,
Madagascar and Burundi in
group B of the 2019 Africa
Cup of Nations draw
conducted in Egypt.
Hosts Egypt will face DR
Congo, Uganda and
Zimbabwe in Group A at
Okocha will be leading an
array of stars in the ‘Shine
Shine Bobo’ squad,
depicting the Star Lager
Beer who will attempt to
break “The Wall”-inspired
team, tagged The Chairman
Team led by Puyol, a former
AFCON 2019: Eagles in easy group
...Draw Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Super Eagles captain
Ahmed Musa
expressed happiness
over the draw,saying
Nigeria can qualify
from the group.
He however insisted
that the team must
work hard to ensure
qualification because
the Super Eagles have
a young team as “most
of the players will be
FC Barcelona central
defender.
Puyol was a three-time
winner of the UEFA
Champions League trophy
with FC Barcelona in 2006,
2009 and 2011, while
Okocha on the other hand
featured in three straight
Serie A: Juve look good to clinch Scudetto
Ronaldo
Massimiliano Allegri’s
men and the earliest (with
six games to spare) any
side has won the title in a
the 2019 Africa Cup of
Nations.
Defending champions
Cameroon are in Group F
with Ghana, Benin and
Guinea-Bissau.
The tournament will take
place from 21 June to 19
July, meaning Europebased
players will not miss
club games.
It is the biggest Afcon yet,
with 24 teams, and the first
to be held in Europe’s
summer rather than January
or February.
The draw was held next to
the pyramids in Egypt.
Ahmed Musa: We are ready for any team
attending the
tournament for the first
time.”
He cautioned,
“although the group
looks weak, some of the
teams are very good
too. We have not been
to AFCON for two
editions. With hard
work we will do well
because we are ready
for any team.”
20-team Serie A season.
With Napoli’s hopes of
catching Juve effectively
over after their 1-1 draw at
home to Genoa, their focus
must turn to ensure they
remain in the second spot
ahead of Internazionale
(who are seven points
adrift). The Neapolitans
are away to Chievo at the
Stadio Marc’Antonio
Bentegodi, while the
Nerazzurri take on
Frosinone at the Stadio
Benito Stirpe.
Chelsea promise Liverpool Blues
The meeting of
Liverpool and Chelsea
is set to be the key fixture of
the coming weekend’s
round of Premier League
action, with the Blues
looking to put a spanner
into the works of the Reds’
title bid. DStv will be your
home for all the action from
England’s top flight.
Liverpool went back to the
top of the table – taking full
advantage of Manchester
City’s participation in the
FA Cup this past weekend
– with a 3-1 win away to
Southampton in which
Mohamed Salah finally
broke his scoring drought.
However, Maurizio
Sarri’s Chelsea – who are
amid huge battle to finish in
the top four and qualify for
next season’s UEFA
Champions League – will
offer a much sterner
challenge to Jurgen Klopp’s
men when the teams meet
at Anfield on Sunday 14
April.
In addition, ‘Pool will be
playing after Manchester
City, who can reclaim top
spot and put the pressure on
their championship rivals
with a win away to Crystal
Palace. Pep Guardiola’s
men continued their push for
an unprecedented
quadruple by securing a
place in the FA Cup final.
This match against the
Eagles will come in the
middle of clashes against
Tottenham Hotspur in the
Champions League
La Liga: Seville derby key for round 32
The derby game
between Sevilla and
Real Betis is set to be the
biggest match of Round 32
in the 2018/19 La Liga
season, while Barcelona will
look to move within
touching distance of the
title. DStv will telecast all
the action from Spain’s top
flight.
The Seville derby at
Estadio Ramon Sanchez
Pizjuan could have a
massive effect on the race
for the final berth in the top
four, with Sevilla coming
into the match in fifth place,
just one point adrift of
Getafe.
Manager Joaquin
Caparros revealed over the
weekend that he has been
diagnosed with chronic
Leukaemia but is
determined to remain with
the team, adding even more
weight to their battle
against Betis.
Getafe, meanwhile, have
a tricky game away to
relegation-threatened Real
Musa
Nigeria
i n
1994,
1998
a n d
2002.
T h e
“Unmissable
Match” is
part of the
U E F A
Champions
League Tour and football
fans will be the major
beneficiaries when both
brands from the stable of
Nigeria Breweries line out
iconic stars for the match.
The match will feature 20
minutes each half, with a
mixture of footballers from
Akwa United Football club,
selected Heineken
consumers and ex-Nigerian
international footballers
such as Mutiu Adepoju,
Daniel Amokachi, Austin
Eguavoen and Uche
Okechukwu playing for
either either side of the
Unmissable Match.
quarterfinals, and
Guardiola may opt to rest
key men against a club
which is no longer under
any real threat of relegation
and may therefore have less
motivation to stymie the
champions’ ambitions.
Valladolid, while the other
top four hopefuls, Valencia
and Deportivo Alaves, are
away to Espanyol and at
home to Levante (in another
fiery Derby) respectively.
Another key game on the
weekend is Villarreal away
to Girona at Estadi
Municipal de Montilivi,
with the Gironistes and
Yellow Submarine both
determined to put as much
distance between
themselves and the
relegation zone as possible.
Eaglets to
watch at
U-17 AFCON
The U17 Africa Cup of
Nations which serves
as qualifiers for the 2019
FIFA U-17 World Cup in
Brazil begins in Tanzania
tomorrow with five-time
world champions Nigeria
facing the hosts, Angola
and Uganda in the group
stage.
As part of their lead-up to
the tournament, the official
website of Confederation
of African Football has
selected three top Golden
Eaglets stars to watch
during the tournament in
Tanzania.
However, one of the best
players in the Nigeria U17
squad, Samson Tijani ,
who was named Most
Valuable Player in the
zonal qualifiers in Niger,
has been left out.
Rohr: Super Eagles
have goalkeeping
problem
Gernot Rohr has
admitted that that the
Super Eagles have a
goalkeeping problem ahead
of the 2019 Africa Cup of
Nations and plans to send a
goalkeeper trainer to
Europe to drill Francis
Uzoho just as was the case
before the World Cup in
Russia.
Since joining Anorthosis in
the January transfer
window, the Deportivo La
Coruña loanee has logged
113 minutes, including the
forfeited match against
Apollon Limassol, meaning
the country’s undisputed
first-choice goalkeeper is
lacking game time ahead of
the tournament in Egypt.
‘’There is a lot of work to
do, one of them (Uzoho) is
not playing so much, we
have to send somebody
there to work with him like
we did before the World
Contrary to the
g e n e r a l
impression that Nigeria
was handed an easy
group at the draw,
Super Eagles coach,
Gernot Rohr has said it
is not as easy as it looks.
Reacting after the
draw, Rohr said,
“Guinea have a young
side that plays so well,
they can be tough.
R e m e m b e r ,
Madagascar was the
first team to qualify for
AFCON so you cannot
underratre such a team.
And as for Burundi, they
eliminated Gabon with
their Aubameyang. So
you can’t regard such
teams as weak,
insistibng, “we are in a
tough group.” .
He prayed that his
Uzoho
Cup.
‘’We also have some injured
players, I want to send one
assistant there and work
with people like Tyronne or
Ola Aina.
‘’We want everybody to be
fit. I will give my demand
to the NFF and write my
report.’’
Chelsea loanee Ola Aina
has had injury problems
since the start of the season,
missing five national team
games against Seychelles
(2), South Africa, Uganda
and Egypt, while Benfica’s
Tyronne Ebuehi is
undergoing rehabilitation
after suffering an ACL
injury during pre-season.
In a bid to help the two
defenders return to full
fitness, Rohr is planning to
send a fitness coach to Italy
and Portugal but has
admitted he is faced with
challenges because he is
short-staffed.
Rohr: It’s not an
easy group
Rohr
players end the season
well without injuries so
that they give the
tournament their best
shot.

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019
African junior Championships: Nigeria's
participation hangs in the balance
BY BEN EFE
Nigerian junior athletes have
been fasting and praying
for divine intervention as their trip
to Cote d' Ivoire for the African
Junior Championships billed to
start next week is going up in
smoke.
Unless some sort of succor
comes today, the athletes will
miss the competition after
suffering in camp for close to
three weeks. They even have to
beg to feed in their Ijebu-Ode
camp. On Thursday, the athletes
and coaches were seen in the open
praying for God's intervention.
“We have no hope of going to
Cote d' Ivoire, if something does
not turn up on Saturday,” said one
of the coaches tending to the
athletes.
“Things have been so bad and I
feel sorry for the athletes who
have been training and they are
so determined to participate in the
championships. They feel it is
their future that is at stake, and
they are even ready to forego their
allowances if they make it to
Abidjan.”
It was learned that the Athletics
Federation of Nigeria president,
Ibrahim Gusau was yet to visit the
camp. He only phoned in to plead
with the athletes to exercise some
patience even as he made no
promise of providing for the
athletes' participation in the
championships.
Speaking on the issue former
400m runner, Gadzama Wadzani
Tafida stated that it was quite
AJ Tennis Academy plans big for Nigeria
America based AJ Tennis
Academy has rolled out
plans aimed at the development
of tennis in Nigeria and other
African countries.
Speaking in Lagos at the
weekend, co-founder of AJ Tennis
Academy, Tolu Adeleye said the
appalling for up and coming
Nigerian athletes to be suffering
this kind of traumatic experience.
He called on the Sports Minister
to urgently intervene.
Afikpo in Ebonyi State will host the 9th annual
Chuma Anosike South East Cricket
tournament which has been fixed for April 25 to 28.
Six male teams, and four feamale teams
representing the four South East states will feature
in the tournament, being hosted for the first time by
Ebonyi state.
According to sponsor, Chuma Anosike, the host
state is allowed to feature two male teams.
“That is why we have six teams in the male
category. But Ebonyi could not present two female
teams and that is the reason we have only four teams
in the female category,” he said.
The University of Nigeria Nsuka that represented
Enugu state are the defending champions in the
plan would see to the construction
of a functional tennis
development centre in Nigeria
with state-of-the-art facilities. He
calls it Tennis Centre of
Excellence.
“Our goal at AJ Academy is to
build a world class academy in
Nigeria to teach the kids the three
Cs, which means Curiosity for the
world, Concern for the world and
the Confidence to effect change in
the world.”
Adeleye who was born in
America said their ambition was
to seek partnership with both
private individuals and corporate
bodies to make their dream come
true. “What we intend to do is to
build infrastructure for tennis,
train the kids, build in their minds
the ability to brace to the
challenges they would meet in
future, as some would want to
become professionals, while
some others may want to play and
go through their academics.”
He sais his Nigerian
background was the motivation
behind AJ Tennis Academy's
decision to come develop
Nigerian tennis. Said he, “Back
there in America the opportunities
are abound. But that is not the
same here in my country Nigeria.
Like my partner Justing always
say, talent is universal while
opportunities are limited. Thay is
why we are here to broaden those
opportunities right here in
Africa.”
•Tolu Adeleye
Cricket: Afikpo play host to Chuma Anosike Cup
male category while Anambra state are defending the title in
the female category.
Speaking at a pre-event press conference in Lagos, Anosike
said he was particularly pleased with the progress made by
the organisers as everything has been put in place to make it
a memorable event for the participating teams and spectators
alike. “The tournament will be played in a round-robin format
and the top two finishers automatically qualify for the final,”
he told journalists Wednesday.
“In spite of the prevailing economic challenges, we have
strived to ensure that all the resources needed for the
tournament are made available, and in keeping with tradition,
prizes will be awarded for outstanding performances in
various categories and cash gifts for the best teams in both
female and male categories,” Anosike explained.
The 2019 Athletics season
officially opened for
Nigerian athletes last weekend
with the staging of the Athletics
Federation of Nigeria (AFN) All-
Comers Meet held in Ijebu-Ode,
Ogun State.
The turnout of the home based
athletes was encouraging,
underlining the fact that athletes
are indeed hungry for
competition, and I am hoping that
the federation is spurred to
organize several competitions in
the build up to the African Games
holding in Morocco in August,
and the IAAF World
Championships in Doha in
September.
Although most of the times and
distances recorded at the Ijebu
meet weren’t overly fantastic – not
an unusual phenomenon for the
first competition of the season – I
am hoping that Nigerian athletes
will begin to churn out impressive
performances as the season
progresses because there is a lot
at stake.
I am also hopeful that our relay
teams begin to build on the
moderate successes of last year to
reclaim their dominance on the
continent once more, especially
the male teams, starting with the
4x100m team that won Silver at
the African Championships in
Asaba, and the 4x400m team that
clinched Bronze at the same
competition. Prior to Asaba 2018,
it had been at least four years
since a Nigerian male quartet had
won a medal of any colour.
Nigeria is likely to send a team
to the IAAF World Relays billed
to hold in Japan in May, and that
Let the season begin!
will serve as a litmus test to see
how prepared our relay teams are
for the challenges ahead. The
major focus for Team Nigeria in
2019 will be the African Games
(August 16th to 30th), so the
Ministry of Youth and Sports
needs to ensure that sports
federations step up their
preparations as a matter of
urgency, by funding the
participation of these athletes in
as many competitions as possible.
Nigeria topped the medals table
in Athletics at the last African
Games in Congo Brazzaville
despite losing two Gold medals in
the men and women’s Long Jump
events after Samson Idiata and
Chinazom Amadi subsequently
returned positive tests for doping.
Anti-doping officials were
present at last week’s competition
in Ijebu-Ode, and it is important
that they remain a permanent
feature in our competitions this
year to avoid situations where our
athletes test positive to banned
substances at international
competitions.
We stand a very good chance of
making our presence felt in
Morocco, although South Africa,
Ethiopia and Kenya will be
waiting to show the stuff they’re
made of. The African Games is
expected to be highly competitive
as top African stars will use the
competition to gauge their
readiness for the World
Championships which holds from
September 28th to October 6th.
Also, the qualification period for
the World Championships elapses
on September 6th – one week
after the African Games. So most
athletes that will participate at the
African Games will be aiming to
achieve the entry standards for
the World Championships, and
the standards are
pretty steep.
For instance, in
the 100m, men
are supposed to
clock a time of
10.10sec while
women are to
qualify for the
event with a
mark of 11.24sec.
Among the
present crop of
athletes we have,
only Ogho-
Oghene Egwero
(10.06sec) and
Divine Oduduru
(10.10sec) have
met this mark in
the course of their
careers. Egwero achieved this feat
in 2011 while Oduduru did his
last year.
Only three females have run
faster than 11.24sec in the last
seven years, and two of them are
retired, talking about Damola
Osayomi (10.99sec, 2011) and
Gloria Asumnu (11.13sec, 2012).
That leaves Blessing Okagbare-
Ighoteguonor as the last woman
standing in terms of consistently
running world class times in the
100m.
Male athletes are to qualify for
the 200m with a time of 20.40sec.
To put things into perspective, in
the history of running the 200m
in Nigeria, only 12 men have gone
faster, and only one of them –
Divine Oduduru, belongs to the
present generation, and he is
ranked the fourth fastest in
Nigeria’s history with his time of
20.13sec. Only Francis Obikwelu
(19.84sec), Daniel Effiong
(20.10sec) and Olapade Adeniken
(20.11sec) have gone faster than
Divine.
Based on the above statistics
which come across as scary, the
rising standards in the
qualification marks for
international championships only
point toward one things, and that
is the fact that we need to raise
our game as a nation if we intend
to make a headway in global
Athletics. Mind you, the entry
standards for the Tokyo 2020
Olympics have been released and
they are much steeper than that
of the World Championships. So
as the 2019 Athletics season takes
off, we must rise with the rest of
the world or be ready to go extinct.
The choice is ours!

SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 13, 2019 — 47

C
M
Y
K
SATURDAY Vanguard, April 13, 2019
ACROSS
1)Public Relations Officer, Department
of State Security (DSS), Mr. Paul – (8)
7)Executive Director for Africa,
Federation of International Basketball
Association (FIBA), Dr. Alphonse – (4)
8)Minister of Labour & Employment, Mr.
Chris – (5)
9)Senegal “Teranga Lions” Striker &
Liverpool Forward, Sadio – (4)
11)L.G.A in Adamawa State (4)
13)Rodent (3)
15)Senate Minority Leader, Senator
Mohammed Ali – (5)
16)Super Falcons Defender, Rebecca
– (5)
17)University Lecturer (3)
20)American State (4)
22)Togolese Capital City (4)
24)National President, Ohaneze
Ndigbo, Chief John Nnina – (5)
25)Country in Asia (4)
26)Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), Mr. Godwin – (8)
DOWN
2)L.G.A in Yobe State (4)
3)South African Finance Minister, Mr. Nhania –
(4)
4)Nigerian Currency (5)
5)Former Kaduna State Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Agyole – (4)
6)Serbian Capital City (8)
9)Liberian Capital City (8)
10)Mozambique’s President, Mr. Felipe – (5)
12)Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike
– (5)
13)Colour (3)
14)Singapore’s President, Mr. Tony – (3)
18)National Commissioner & Chairman of
Information & Voter Education, Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister
Festus – (5)
21)This Town is a major Sea-Port in Rivers State
(4)
22)Lesotho’s Currency (4)
23)Letter (4)
CROSS WORD PUZZLE
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 44
Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355.
Advert Dept Hotline: 01-4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com
Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X). EDITOR: ONOCHIE ANIBEZE. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.